It's Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy

by Captain D. Michael Abrashoff
It's Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy cover
Good Books rating 3.67
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Waterstones
Hardback • £25.00
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  • ID: 2663
  • Added: 2025-10-16
  • Updated: 2025-10-16
  • Formats: 1
  • Reviews: 3
Reviews
barnesandnoble.com · Unknown · 2025-10-21
brilliant 5.00

The reviewer found 'Sailing to Sarantium' by Guy Gavriel Kay to be a masterpiece, praising its elegant writing and rich portrayal of art, women, and love. They highlighted the intricate political intrigue and the beautiful descriptions of Sarantium, making it a highly recommended read for those who appreciate beauty, strength, and life.

The reviewer absolutely loved 'Sailing to Sarantium' by Guy Gavriel Kay, describing it as a masterpiece. They were particularly impressed by the elegant writing and the rich portrayal of art, women, and love. The story follows Crispin, a brilliant mosaicist, on his journey to Sarantium, where he becomes entangled in political intrigue and works on the greatest artwork ever imagined. The reviewer praised the intricate descriptions of Sarantium and the beautiful depictions of love and art. They also appreciated the strong, resilient women in the story and the deep emotional connections between characters. Overall, they highly recommend this book to anyone who loves beauty, strength, and life, and guarantee that it's worth reading.

Quick quotes

    My favourite Kay books so far. This duology is, simply put, a masterpiece!!

    A wonderful homage to art, to women, to beauty and to love!

    How far would you go to follow your dream? How far will Crispin go? You're gonna have to read this to find out but I guarantee ... it's worth it!!

goodreads.com · Unknown · 2025-10-21
brilliant 5.00

The reviewer found 'Sailing to Sarantium' to be an amazing book with deep themes and well-crafted characters. They particularly praised the protagonist, Crispin, for his transformative journey and the rich, layered world-building that blends history with fantasy.

The reviewer was captivated by 'Sailing to Sarantium,' highlighting its profound themes and intricate character development. The book's motif of 'sailing to Sarantium' is seen as a metaphor for personal growth and change, which is beautifully explored through the protagonist, Crispin. His journey from grief and self-loathing to healing and transformation is described as deeply moving and universally resonant. The reviewer also commended the author's world-building, which seamlessly blends historical inspiration with magical elements, creating a vivid and unique setting. The political intrigue and complex characters add depth to the story, making it a challenging yet rewarding read. The book is praised for its ability to appeal to both history buffs and fantasy enthusiasts, offering a rich and satisfying experience.

Quick quotes

    To say of a man that he was sailing to Sarantium was to say that his life was on the cusp of change: poised for emergent greatness, brilliance, fortune — or else at the very precipice of a final and absolute fall as he met something too vast for his capacity.

    Kay constructs a vivid image of his world and its denizens with bits and pieces of history and a heavy touch of his own personal, magical flair.

    Watching Crispin sail to Sarantium was one of the single most transformative experiences I have ever had as a reader.

performancewd.co.uk · Unknown · 2025-10-21
disappointing 1.00

The reviewer struggled to connect with the characters and found the prose oversaturated with beautiful but impactless phrases. They felt the story progressed too slowly and the conclusion was unsatisfying, leading to a low rating for the book.

The reviewer had high hopes for 'Sailing to Sarantium' due to their previous enjoyment of 'Tigana' by the same author, Guy Gavriel Kay. However, they found it difficult to empathize with the characters, particularly the main character Crispin, who seemed unlikable and was constantly pursued by female characters in a manner that felt unrealistic and off-putting. The prose, while beautiful, was oversaturated with phrases that lacked impact. The story progressed at a snail's pace, and the conclusion was unsatisfying. The reviewer also felt that the book could have been shorter without losing any weight. They acknowledged that many readers love Kay's books but concluded that his historical fantasy novels are not for them. They rated the book 1.5 out of 5 stars.

Quick quotes

    He wanted to achieve something of surpassing beauty that would last. A creation that would mean that he — the mosaic worker Caius Crispus of Varena — had been born, and lived a life, and had come to understand a portion of the nature of the world, of what ran through and beneath the deeds of women and men in their souls and in the beauty and the pain of their short living beneath the sun.

    It pains me to say this, but it’s time for me to accept that Guy Gavriel Kay’s books aren’t for me.

    I’m going to stop my review here. As I said, I am definitely on the unpopular opinion side when it comes to GGK’s work, and I don’t want to push future readers from reading his books because MANY do love his books.

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