Boat Virgin

5 Responses to “Berserk: My Voyage to the Antarctic in a Twenty-Seven-Foot Sailboat”

1. Gryphon Says:
   August 20th, 2010 at 11:00 pm

   Yes it’s quite an adventure, and at times the descriptions put you there in the Drake and on Antarctica. “Berserk” however, is lacking for a few reasons. Not only is David Mercy an inexperienced sailor, he doesn’t seem to have the assistance of an experienced editor, meaning that all of his terminology and description of boats and sailing is painfully inaccurate and misleading (i.e. “we were on the tack,” and “I hate jibbing”). If you know anything at all about sailing, this will become infuriating.

   The writing itself is often awkward, reading like a day-by-day journal that was quickly fleshed out with a lot of filler. There are literary tricks that don’t work, and the book is littered with pop-culture and literary references that become distractingly frequent and at times wholly inaccurate.

   The author’s personal journey is entirely unfulfilling. A supposed director with an aversion to cameras (or is that a hopeful author?) quits everything and travels the “hippy trail” in South America, seemingly with the means to go anywhere he wants (or at least the ability to call his dad if he’s in trouble… at age 35). At one point eager to sail all the way to Africa, and the next yearning to explore the Amazon, he comes off as a shallow over-funded yuppie with a short attention span.

   Even when waxing philosophical or reflecting upon his past, what he shares is insubstantial. He keeps saying how much the trip changed his life, never really saying in what way. We are set up to expect a major shift in his worldview, but when he returns home, it is just as shallow and empty as before the voyage. At least twice he refers to “becoming a sailor,” but this impression also seems to have no lasting effect. In the end he attempts to wrap things up with a philosophical denoument, which comes from left field and entirely misses its mark, showing not only a lack of understanding, but a deficiency in writing.

   I’m still jealous of the journey, but this book may be best described as an example of how not to get to Antarctica. One would do well to avoid the author’s mistakes.
   Rating: 2 / 5

2. Rebecca H. Binstock Says:
   August 21st, 2010 at 1:10 am

   Dateline Annapolis 2005:
   
   City dock is abuzz over this tale by David Mercy. The worlds’ capitol for sailing has had several bookstores feature this book in storefront displays. It is a simple tale and the narrator moves seemlessly from a simple folksy style a la Hemingway to breathless descriptives evoking Wilbur Smith comparisons. It seems like a tall tale yet if you can find the documentary from Norway TV One you understand the book is understated. It is highly recommended and is a fast read.
   Rating: 1 / 5

3. Evan L. Mugmon Says:
   August 21st, 2010 at 2:49 am

   This is an excellent book for those that enjoy realistic adventure stories. It’s very hard to put this book down once you start reading it. You will be both impressed and dumbfounded by the author’s bravery and disregard for the dangers he faced. All in all a very compelling tale of man vs. the elements of nature. Highly recommended
   Rating: 5 / 5

4. Lisa Smith Says:
   August 21st, 2010 at 4:29 am

   Its a mad, mad, mad, mad adventure. What a vicarious thrill. I’m still cold!
   Rating: 4 / 5

5. T.H. Says:
   August 21st, 2010 at 5:31 am

   What a great story, all the more so because it is true! I could hardly put this book down and I enjoyed every minute reading it.

   I highly recommend this book.
   Rating: 5 / 5

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