Amazon.co.uk Review
Veteran techno-thriller writer Robinson's fifth novel
The Shark Mutiny pairs Arnold Morgan, the ageing but still powerful national security adviser who stars in the author's previous titles (
Nimitz Class, Kilo Class) with a new young naval intelligence officer named Ramshawe--one of the few characters with more personality than the military hardware on which Robinson lavishes most of his attention in this somewhat pedestrian tale.
Ramshawe's commanding officer ignores his warnings about a Russian airplane carrying a lethal cargo of sea mines to a Chinese naval base and the subsequent movement of Chinese warships flying the flag of Iran in the Strait of Hormuz, even when an American oil tanker explodes in the Persian Gulf. Unable to convince his Admiral that the events are connected, the junior hotshot ignores the chain of command and takes his suspicions to Morgan. When more oil tankers blow up and it becomes clear that the Chinese have mined the strait in order to drive oil prices up and destabilise the economy, Morgan deploys the US Navy to the Gulf. Included in the force are a couple of SEAL teams on a submarine--but the sub is commanded by a deranged captain who believes he's the reincarnated spirit of the French naval officer defeated by Nelson at Trafalgar, so the SEALs are forced to stage a mutiny in order to carry out their mission. Meanwhile, it turns out China has another target in its sights, halfway around the world: its neighbour Taiwan. So the Taiwanese air force must fight off the attack on its territory with no help from the US Navy, which is committed in the Gulf.
There's enough weaponry and military manoeuvring here to keep fans of Clancy, Coonts, and Dale Brown happy, but it may be past time for the curmudgeonly Morgan to retire and let a new series hero like Ramshawe take over. --Jane Adams, Amazon.com
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
edition.
Review
This latest naval-based techno-thriller by the author of Seawolf and HMS Unseen starts with China and Iran forming an alliance to mine the Strait of Hormuz, which forms the main route for oil from the Middle East to the West. This is completed successfully, with two oil tankers destroyed by the minefield. Soon the oil industry and the world are in crisis. The US retaliates by sending a team of Navy SEALs to attack and destroy a Chinese refinery based in Iran and a key Chinese naval base in Burma. The US naval nuclear submarine the Shark is involved in both SEAL raids and this is where two lifelong friends meet again. But the Chinese mining was merely a ruse for the invasion of Taiwan, which they carry out while all US naval attention is on the Strait of Hormuz. There are further plot twists, including the mutiny of the title (which does not occur until the final quarter of the book) and the ending is open-ended. Like most techno-thrillers, the book is fast-paced, with a plausible plot. The wealth of abbreviations and technical data can put off the casual reader, and there is a slight jingoistic slant to much of the characters' language. But on the whole it is well written, with sound characterization, and will be enjoyed especially by fans of Tom Clancy, Dale Brown and Stephen Coonts. (Kirkus UK)
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
by Patrick Robinson
by Patrick Robinson
by Patrick Robinson
by Patrick Robinson
by Patrick Robinson
