A review by codeling
The Phantom Ship by Captain Frederick Marryat, Frederick Marryat

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

A ghost tale, introducing the flying Dutchman; lots of interesting theological discussion; but also lots of shipman-lingo, old-timey speeches and long-winded descriptions of ships going somewhere (and getting wrecked, more often than not). If ships back then really shipwrecked that often it's truly a wonder why anybody would chose to go to sea.

As for the story often things are a bit unclear or feel off; why Phillip for example does not investigate first where his father went- there must be records of it at the company? Similar for the demonic figure Schriften - couldn't he check his employment status with the company? Doing research just wasn't a thing back then? Also, Philip gathers seafaring experience very quickly, from one or two voyages, while one of the other captains he encounters seems to have none at all? So he's just the superman protagonist who's very good at learning, or whatever... The ending also feels a bit rushed, with an additional werewolf story mixed in, quite unexpectedly (and also not really fitting well - just there to somehow "justify" Krantz'es quick death?).