USS Seawolf - Patrick Robinson

USS Seawolf


Patrick Robinson


Characters


President John Clarke - President Clarke is the guy in charge of the world’s greatest super-power. He also acts as C in C for the US Navy. His is an only parent of Linus, his only son, and makes sure he is looked after well. He has been giving the Navy extra funding for several years now and has a close friendship with Admiral Morgan.

Vice Admiral Arnold Morgan - Arnie Morgan is a tough guy who is NSA to the president. He is very good at his job and a likeable character in the book. He is engaged to his private secretary, Kathy O’Brien.

Harcourt Travis - Mr. Travis is the Secretary of State for the United States of America. He has a relatively minor part in the story.

Admiral Joseph Mulligan - Joe Mulligan is Arnie’s best friend from old military ways. He is Chief of Naval Operations for the US Navy and good at it. His job gives him a pretty major role in the story, although you do not learn very much about him.

Rear Admiral John Bergstorm - John Bergstorm is the Commander of Special War Command (SPECWARCOM). He has a minor role in the book relative to his job importance.

Captain Judd Crocker - Judd Crocker is on of the best captains in the US Navy. He is currently in charge of the best submarine in the world, the Seawolf. He is very experienced and one of the main characters in the book.

Lt. Commander Linus Clarke - Linus is the President’s sons and XO of the sub. He is an ex-CIA man who has joined the Navy. He is inexperienced but has risen the ranks with help from his dad.

Lt. Commander Cy Rothstein - Cy is the Combat Systems Officer on the Seawolf. He is important in the running of the submarine, and like the rest of the crew, is the best the US Navy have.

Lt. Kyle Frank - Kyle is the Sonar Officer on the Seawolf. His job in to sit in the sonar room and listen for other ships, subs and anything else of importance.

Colonel Frank Hart - Frank Hart is a Senior SEAL Officer. He becomes mission controller (later in the story) as is based on the USS Ronald Regan. He is vastly experienced and one of the best tacticians in the world.

Lt. Commander Rick Hunter - Rick Hunter is the Assault Mission Leader for the SEAL mission. He is one of the best soldiers in the world, (that’s why he’s in the SEALs), and capable of anything within limits.

Lt. Commander Rusty Bennett - Rusty Bennett is the leader on a SEAL recon team. He is senior BUD/S instructor and had experience in the Gulf War.

Lt. Commander Olaf Davidson - Olaf is a tough fighting SEAL from Newfoundland, and of Norwegian origin. Like all SEALs, he has vast experience; in Kosovo.

Admiral Zhang Yushu - Zhang Yushu is C in C of the PLAN. He is the Chinese equivalent of the President of the United States.

Vice-Admiral Sang Ye - Sang Ye is the Chinese equivilant of Joe Mulligan. He is a top PLAN chief and one of the best the Chinese have.

Admiral Zu Jicai - Zu Jicai is the Commander of the Chinese Southern Fleet. He really hates the Americans and would love to sinks the Seawolf.

Kathy O’Brien - Kathy is Arnie’s personal secretary and is engaged to marry him once he retires.




Story

America’s best submarine, the Seawolf, has just been refurbished (in a mechanical sense) and is about to go on its most important mission so far. The Chinese have been spying on the Americans for years and now America wants to know what they have done with the information. So, they need to get an ultra-quiet submarine into Chinese waters and sneak up on their newest sub to take measurements. So, the Seawolf is chosen for her first voyage since a major refurbishment. She has the best crew and the best equipment. You cannot hear the sub when its going under 20 knots. The Seawolf will be sneaking around against old diesel Chinese subs; but the water is shallow and they need to get very close to achieve their goal.

They set off and do very well under the command of Judd Crocker, the Navy’s best skipper. However, the top commanders from PLAN think that Seawolf may be in their waters so throw all their resources into finding it; meanwhile, the crew of the Seawolf, including Linus Clarke, son on the President, have almost finished their mission. While the XO has control one night, a major accident occurs when he misjudges a distance through the periscope. This has disastrous consequences and puts the lives of the whole crew in danger.

I won’t go any further but you can guess what happens on the whole.


The Verdict

I actually managed to read this book without realising it was the fourth..ish in a series of five (and expanding.) This annoyed me a lot but is a positive aspect of the book. There is nothing worse than a book that makes no sense because it is a sequel. It just goes to show how detailed a writer Patrick Robinson is.

I really enjoyed this book and am currently looking for the rest in the series, starting from the beginning. Patrick Robinson is a submarine expert, although never in the Navy, and it shows in the detail and vivid descriptions of everything. His attention to detail is magnificent. The plot is quite good, although a little predictable, but this is expectant in a book with a clear enemy. (The bad guys NEVER win!)

I still find it amazing that somebody can write a 400-page book and not waffle, which I am doing now.


Other Stuff

• www.partickrobinson.com

• Set in 2006

• Patrick Robinson has kindly included maps of the area and a very comprehensive character list.


Abbreviations

NSA - National Security Advisor
XO - Executive Officer
CO - Commanding Officer
C in C - Commander in Chief
PLAN - People’s Liberation Army / Navy
SEAL - Sea Air and Land (American version of the SAS.)


* I could have written pages upon pages on the plot,(because it was so massive) but decided against it so not to spoil it for others.