The Restless Wave

A Novel of the United States Navy (Scott Bradley James, Book 1)

By: Admiral James Stavridis USN

Narrated by: Marc Cashman

“The Restless Wave is not only a stirring and gripping story of the sea, but also of love and war and leadership. Admiral Stavridis’s sweeping knowledge of history and life in the Navy shines on every page, imbuing this work with authenticity and power.”—David Grann, #1 NYT bestselling author of Killers of the Flower Moon

“In the engaging tradition of Herman Wouk and Patrick O’Brian, Admiral James Stavridis has given us a fascinating novel of one young man’s—and one great nation’s—war at sea. The book is at once entertaining and illuminating, touching on the most fundamental of human themes with deftness and an appreciation of the immense achievements of the United States Navy in the deadliest of eras.”—Jon Meacham

From the New York Times bestselling former NATO commander comes a riveting historical novel that charts the coming-of-age of a gifted but immature young naval officer as he is tested in the crucible of World War II in the Pacific

Scott Bradley James arrives in Annapolis, Maryland, as a plebe in the class of 1941 without a terribly good idea why he wants to be a naval officer, other than that his father was a sailor, and he wants to see the world, whatever that means. Scott and his roommate become fast friends, and, after surviving scrapes of their own making, the two fetch up at Pearl Harbor. War is brewing, and their class has graduated early. They have been sent to battle stations.

Admiral James Stavridis is an acclaimed novelist, a decorated military leader, and a great student of military history. He draws on it all to capture the experience of being storm-tossed by the bloody first years of the Second World War. Scott Bradley James is a talented young officer, but he has a lot to learn. And war will have a lot to teach him.

The Restless Wave offers a gripping account of the U.S. Navy’s astonishing progress through the first three years of the war in the Pacific, from Pearl Harbor through to Midway, Guadalcanal, and the Coral Sea. A story of character under pressure in the harshest of proving grounds, it is written with careful fidelity to the truths of war that have made sea stories essential to the art of storytelling since Odysseus.

©2024 Admiral James Stavridis, USN (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Fascinating . . . The descriptions of warfare at Midway and other Pacific theaters are exhilarating . . . Stavridis is a gifted dramatizer of naval warfare.” —Booklist

“A satisfying novel . . . The author immerses the reader in the world of the Navy and cannily mixes fictional characters with real ones such as Admiral ‘Bull’ Halsey and Commander Wade McClusky. This well-told tale is worthy of The Caine Mutiny and In Harm’s Way.” —Publishers Weekly

“In the engaging tradition of Herman Wouk and Patrick O’Brian, Admiral James Stavridis has given us a fascinating novel of one young man’s—and one great nation’s—war at sea. The book is at once entertaining and illuminating, touching on the most fundamental of human themes with deftness and an appreciation of the immense achievements of the United States Navy in the deadliest of eras.” —Jon Meacham, author of And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle

It is a perfect blend of real history and wonderful story of human nature

I loved the fact that manning the characters were real people with real contributions to the war effort

Shows great promise

First off I greatly admire the Admiral/author, and I thank him for his leadership and service. Pretty impressive book. Especially I liked the details of Annapolis and daily ship life.I felt claustrophobic when small spaces below desk were described.
Books action/warfare sections may need a little injection of drama. Our writer is not yet Bernard Cornwellish in describing battle scenes. I look forward to Book 2.

The closeness that occurs in times of war.

This story reminded me of the growth in me as a student and ROTC graduate during the Vietnam War.

Interesting insight into the World War II era US Navy

I loved the description of a midshipman’s life at the US Naval Academy during the years immediately preceding World War II. Also the details of life aboard US Navy vessels were fascinating. The book evinces firsthand knowledge of navy life, which is worth the read.

Not my usual topic but kept me interested in both subject and characters

Admiral Stavridis’s storytelling perhaps unintentionally gave me a greater understanding of war and how men perceive it as the narrative of history, with personal life playing a supporting role.

I’m looking forward to learning whether Scott and Kai ever get together in the next book.

All in all a good listen with a compelling metaphor of the restless wave.

“The Restless Wave”

See above, but a must and easy read to get an understanding of being in the shoes of a young Annapolis graduate starting his career in the throes of a world at war and the rapid changes in technology undergirding US victory and foreshadowing future conflicts.

Just hope there is a sequel!

Novel of WWII

The main characters in this book are totally fictional and events of the war and well known military men were real people. Well written . It follows the life of several students at the naval academy and follows them through their desire to be good and honest people while sometimes missing the mark.

How to be a great admiral

Short biographies of 10 from history and essays in praise of their outstanding characters .

DESRON21

As a QM2 on the USS Jarrett (FFG-33) who under the command of Captain Kyle Kyker was able to experience the history is the Solomon Islands on my WESTPAK in 2002-2003 I loved this book. I loved the memories. I will always remember the Southern Cross.

History one can understand

Well done admiral, the characters, being real and invented, remind me of long past relatives that participated.