Book Review | The Restless Wave: Historical Fiction and the Moral Hazards of War
Admiral James Stavridis, USN (Ret.), The Restless Wave, Penguin Press (October 8, 2024), [ISBN: 978-059349073, Hardcover, 400 pages]
Appealing to the national memory of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, The Restless Wave tells the story of a newly commissioned American Naval officer embroiled in the War in the Pacific from Pearl Harbor through Midway. Retired Admiral James Stavridis presents a coming-of-age story infused with questions about the nature of character and military command in a meticulously researched work of historical fiction.
Through references from his career, the author documents the life of a Florida Keys boy growing up on the coast, navigating the US Naval Academy as a midshipman, then thrust into World War II’s inferno in the Pacific. This story examines the constant struggle for success and personal recognition during a time of hardship and national turmoil through the eyes of Scott Bradley James. Whether you are a teen wanting to learn about life at the Naval Academy or a history buff looking for a flawless fictional adaptation of the war in the Pacific, this action-packed story will grab your attention and keep it through its 300 pages.
This new series—yes, a second book is in the works—is different from Stavridis’ previous fictional offerings. Admiral Stavridis first ventured into the fiction world with his highly acclaimed novel 2035, which called for policymakers to consider the threat of a war with China. Although similar in highlighting the timeless danger of gradual escalation, instead of using a potential future threat, The Restless Wave relies on the hardships of academy life and the brutal combat that was World War II in the Pacific as the setting for Scott’s transformation from a boy into a successful Naval officer.
Stavridis thoroughly illustrates the ethical challenges facing midshipmen at the Naval Academy, including a cheating scandal and an untimely death, through the eyes of a maturing protagonist. The author also focuses on issues of morality and the importance of character. He explores these themes through the protagonist’s constant struggle to choose the right thing as he faces a series of ethical dilemmas. Upon Scott’s early graduation, the author seems to shift focus, allowing only snapshots of Scott’s inner bouts with jealousy and unbounded ambition.
Stavridis’s choice to make Scott more emotionally inaccessible after graduating from the Academy is discordant. The author imbued so much detail in early, emotional decisions in the book that its movement into a more action-oriented war story felt as if these were two separate books bound into one. Stavridis’s careful attention to Scott’s wrestling with the Naval Academy’s honor code and the intimate exploration of Scott’s relationship with his girlfriend were left in the dust as the story transformed into one of war heroics.
Upon his assignment in Hawaii, Scott never again looked in the mirror and contemplated his circumstances and what they had changed about him. There were times—the slow moments between battles—when this reflection would have been very beneficial in plot development and consistency. The author’s choice not to incorporate this self-evaluation seemed to be a trade-off for the words spent recounting the battle scenes of war in the Pacific Theater. This deprived the reader of understanding the outcome of a central theme that began in the novel’s first half and never revealed whether Scott had truly matured into an ethical man.
That said, Stavridis moves from the protagonist’s interior battles to provide stunning detail regarding the War in the Pacific. The author vividly presents battle scenes, documenting Scott’s development as a plot device to explore the themes of heroism and destruction in the Pacific Fleet during the first years of World War II. While being tossed between ships due to combat losses, Scott showcases the hardships and the single-minded focus needed to perform at the level required during the war.
In addition to heroism and destruction, Stavridis also explores military innovation, using The Restless Wave to tell the story of the creation of the Combat Information Center (CIC) department within the ships in 1942. To this day, the CIC remains the control center of all command on the ships. However, these operational details came at the price of following Scott’s personal story with the same care and detail that occurred during the book’s first half.
After following Scott’s personal journey through the Academy, the lack of thought given to his friends in Hawaii seemed disappointing. It isn’t until the book’s closing pages that the reader is made aware of Scott’s internal struggles during his time at sea. If Stavridis had leaned on Scott’s moral development throughout the historic battles of Midway and the Doolittle Raid, the reader would have not only seen Scott mature but also felt the impact of his moral struggle.
It seems Stavridis wrote this book to give life to the historic battles and innovations of the Pacific fleet. But, as in his previous works, he also wrote to shed light on a more universal theme: the impact and reality of the human condition and moral struggle during wartime. Scott cannot erase his past moral failings. Through the pages of The Restless Wave, Stavridis attempts to impress on the reader Scott’s ethical development and its relationship to successful military service.
The Restless Wave shines with authenticity. It is packed with scenes containing levels of detail only a naval veteran could render, including impeccable battle scenes and the ambivalence created by seeing those around you rise while you are stuck in a “staff job” ashore. These details make this book an excellent read for those seeking a sweeping war story through the wide eyes of a twenty-something looking to make a mark on the world. Yet, for those who strive to read a deeper introspection of the moral hazards of war, at home and in combat, the book may leave something to be desired.
