Mark Helprin’s Epic ‘The Oceans and the Stars’

This epic thriller includes a mature romance, an uncalled for demotion of rank, and war against brutal terrorists. What’s not to like?

The action depicted in “The Ocean and the Stars,”—the chaos, battle, and bloodshed in the Middle East—reads like today’s headlines.

Fifty-two-year-old Navy Captain Stephen Rensselaer has spent his entire adult life in service to his country. A graduate of Annapolis, he qualified as a Navy SEAL, earned a doctorate from Harvard, and spent time aboard ships and in ports around the world. Though Rensselaer is a bit of a maverick, his fellow officers respect his skills and patriotism, and he will likely retire with the rank of admiral. 

It’s a sure bet until he crosses swords with the president of the United States.