The Silent Service: Seawolf Class

By H. Jay Riker

Book Overview

In the ocean depths, America's warriors ceaselessly patrol the dark territory on freedom's outer edge. These are the battles fought in silence...and in secret. The newest fight begins when the People's Republic of China buys a fleet of highly stealthy and deadly attack subs from a cash-hungry Russia and takes advantage of international unrest to lay claim to territories they have long considered their own. US Commander Tom Garrett is asked to serve as Executive Officer on board the USS Seawolf to monitor the PRC's activities as they use all the firepower necessary to close the Straits of Taiwan in preparation for invading their "renegade province." As the Chinese fleet moves in for attack, it's left to Commander Garrett to sink the Chinese boats, break the PRC siege of Taiwan, and avenge those who were lost in the struggle.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0380804689
• ISBN13: 9780380804689
• Release Date: July 2002
• Publisher: Avon Books
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

Has an authentic ring to it...this must be what modern sub combat is like

This is the first Riker novel I've read. Had Tom Clancy continued featuring thesilent service in his fiction, he could have done no better. First the few minor glitches: there is some confusion in naming characters in the parallel SEALS and submarine events. Submariner Garrett somehow intrudes in the meeting between SEALS commmander Morton and his Taiwanese counterparts, when it is clear that he could not have been present. Some other person is meant here. Also, although Riker likes to use authentic jargon, he uses the terms "Get out of Dodge" (for vamoose) and "clusterf***" ( 21st century variant of SNAFU) repetitively. That said, the political as well as the techno-naval aspects are handled deftly, and sound quite convincing. The book provides a painless and dramatic primer on how modern attack subs operate in a combat situation. Ditto for the SEALS. The motivations and reactions of the men....and women...are not caricatures, as in too many techno-thrillers. I look forward to following Commander Garrett to his Virginia class boat.

Good sub novel

Seawolf was a very interesting read - from the action to the political situations. The characters were well developed and the plot well paced. There were a few technical things, character name mix-ups (i.e. Garrett named in place of Gordon), and a few odd Chinese phrases (though it could have been Cantonese he was using instead of Mandarin). These little things did not detract from the overall enjoyment of the book. I find Riker's take on the Taiwan issue interesting; though it might have been just for the plots sake that he presented it the way he did. It's an interesting scenario for the future.

Couldn't put it down

Tense and thrilling, but without a lot of the artificiality of many submarine books/movies. Riker's story kept me glued (I won't say "riveted") to its pages.

An excellent adventure

This book from the start is action action. Some sub books that I have read get way into the techinical aspect of the sub. This book could be read by both a novice or an exeprienced sub reader and still be enjoyed. The ending is a spectacular display of tactical writing that could easily compete with Tom Clancy. High recommendations

Best "Silent Service" Outing Yet. Fun Read!

This was a very fast, engaging, enjoyable story from beginning to end. I have read all of the Silent Service series books by H. Jay Riker and they just keep getting better. I am really eager for the next one, which -- I won't give anything away -- the epilogue suggests will be called VIRGINIA CLASS. At least I hope so. I am a real fan of submarine novels and this one stands up well compared to the rest of them. Read it soon!