Wall Street legend Wilbur Ross says “Viking Raid”, the sequel to Matthew McCleery’s“The Shipping Man”, is a “gripping novel” that readers will enjoy even if they aren’tfamiliar with the first installment of the Robert Fairchild chronicles.
“Seamlesslywoven into the plot are keen insights into the arcane worlds of Wall Street andmarine transport plus an insider’s colorful descriptions of both industries’favorite executive watering holes,” he continued, adding: “This is a must readand a quick read!”
Rosssays he wouldn’t be surprised to see McCleery’s increasingly diverse fan base“cry out” for at least one more novel about the exploits of characters thatbear striking resemblances to the aristocrats of the shipping world likeNorwegian tycoon John Fredriksen.
“Shippingexperts especially will enjoy deciphering the real life characters on whom theauthor based Norwegian tanker spot market speculator Coco Jacobsen and theother fascinating personas who populate this tale,” he added in reference to a keyprotagonist.
WhenMcCleery started to work on the sequel to “The Shipping Man” he told TradeWindsthe tome would be entitled “The Shipowner’s Daughter”, which was scheduled tohit bookshelves in the summer of 2013 before the author decided to switchgears.
“What happened was the plot totally changed directionwhen I became really interested in the idea of the US exporting energy,especially gas,” he said this week when pressed for an explanation. “I am still planning to write ‘TheShipowner's Daughter’, however, and it involves the same characters.”
McCleery,who serves as president of Connecticut-based conference organsier Marine Money,says he has already sold more than 15,000 copies of his first novel “andcounting” since its release in autumn 2011 and hopes the sequel will share asimilar level of success.
Marketsources claim RS Platou and other institutions with a maritime pedigree sentcopies of “Viking Raid” to clients as a holiday gift that appears to haveinspired the title of a recent research note about Euronav’s takeover of the MaerskTankers VLCC fleet.
You can read the introduction and first three chapters of the novel, whichis available in paperback for less than $20.00 or in an electronic format foronly $9.99 on Amazon.com, by CLICKING HERE or on the link located to the right of thisarticle.
