Bought it on a whim having no real interest in wreck diving or even scuba diving. It's one of the best whim purchases I've ever made. This book reads like a suspense novel and I couldn't put it down. The story alone is facinating, and Kurson's presentation makes for a wonderful read.

This book is riveting. The adventure, the thrill of the chase, the technical diving and the backgrounds of the men who dove to discover the identity of this u-boat is all consuming once you start to read it. I was sucked into the story immediately. The author does an excellent job of describing the dangers of this type of diving and the history of the u-boats and their importance in WW II and what a monumental thing it was to discover a sub no one had any idea about.

I highly recommend this read to anyone who loves a good adventure. I can't believe it's a true story it's so good.

I absoulutely found this book to be compelling -- underwater adventure, interesting historical context, flowing narrative. But.
I was slightly offended. Ok more than slightly. Nowhere in this book does the author express sympathy for the people whose lives were destroyed by these brave submariners, who happened to be Nazis. Sure some, if not most were draftees, but I find it hard to believe that the educated captain or engineer was not a Nazi.
How about doing some research into this undiscovered mystery, Mr. Kurson? You remember the Nazis, they brought us "the Final Solution." Kurson sidesteps the whole Holocaust thing by saying "politics aside." That's like asking Mrs. Lincoln whether she liked the play.
If this is not offensive to you on its own how about the fact that the sub was shooting American vessels about a 100 miles or so from New York. Nowhere in this book does the author express his horror over this fact. A whiff of sorrow is not even expressed when one of the divers decides to lay a wreath on the submerged boat as a symbolic act to honor his German heritage.
So with those two complaints off my chest, I will admitt happily that Shadow Divers is a great read. The characters are fleshed out as the driven and committed souls that they are. Deep sea diving was and is an extremely dangerous vocation. Those that engage in it are either very, very careful or slightly off center. Let's assume the dead ones are the crazy ones.
Favorable references to "Into the Wild" and "Perfect Storm" are mentioned in the publisher's blurb, and they are dead on. I read the book cover-to-cover in three or four days and am looking forward to forgetting the whole thing so I can reread it.
Enjoy. But dont forget that the men buried undersea in this wreck are the villians in this tale that chooses not to take sides in the Last Great War.

My reading tastes have always been fiction: thrillers, mysteries, and Romance because I like to escape. My Husband recommended this book though and I started it last week and then could not put it down. It is a TRUE thriller! This is the story of two deep sea wreck divers who dive into a long lost wreck in over 200 feet of water, which they identify as a German U-boat. The book follows the lives of these two men as they attempt to discover the identity of the U-boat and discover things about themselfs. There lives are greatly changed by the discovery, Jobs changed, marriages lost, diving companions killed on the wreck, and lost to the bottle. The story is more than just about the men's dives on the wreck and there attempt to discover its identity, and the adventure involved in such an endeavor, but also about the characters (which are rich in this story) involved, the history behind the boat and Hitlers 3rd Riech. there is so much to learn on every page. In the end though it is the under water action that kept me enthralled. If you read this book you will gain an appreciation of the wonders and dangers of deep water diving.

My reading tastes have always been fiction: action, adventure, thrillers, and since going away to college two years ago I have not had time for any fun reading, But started this book last week and then could not put it down. It is TRUE action adventure!

This is the story of two deep sea wreck divers who dive into a long lost wreck in over 200 feet of water, which they identify as a German U-boat. The book follows the lives of these two men as they attempt to discover the identity of the U-boat and discover things about themselfs. There lives are greatly changed by the discovery, Jobs changed, marriages lost, diving companions killed on the wreck, and lost to the bottle.

The story is more than just about the men's dives on the wreck and there attempt to discover its identity, and the adventure involved in such an endeavor, but also about the characters (which are rich in this story) involved, the history behind the boat and Hitlers 3rd Riech. there is so much to learn on every page. In the end though it is the under water action that kept me enthralled. If you read this book you will gain an appreciation of the wonders and dangers of deep water diving.