Review: Hunters in the Sea

Right. This book: http://www.amazon.com/Hunters-Sea-Robin-White/dp/0752865013

If you're a guy, you should read this. If you don't read it and like it, you're a faggot. Period. Without a doubt the best $4.00 AU I've spent in the last six years.

Submarines. Check.
Smallpox genetically enhanced fuck you virus. Check.
Russians. Check.
Explosions. Double check.
Gun fire. Check.
Sex scene. Check.
Navy SEALs. Meh. Check.

This book caught my eye in the local k-mart under five dollar bin. This is how I like to buy books. I don't browse amazon idly during the day, that's what youporn is for, so when I'm walking I need something to be eye catching. A good title, some nice art work, and a decent blurb is enough to get me, and this one did.

The story is relatively well paced through the middle. I kept spending my time at the start trying to figure out where the hell things were going to come together but the author got there eventually. I have the distinct impression (and not just from the dedication) that this guy has spent a lot of time actually working subs, or at least talking closely with people who have. It's in the minor bits - I don't much care how the torpedo bay is laid out, or how the reactor is kept secured when at depth, but seeing things like the CO rising with the scope so that it just breaks out of the water, or the reaction of one of the seamen when someone makes too much noise, makes the experience that much better for me.

The writing is pretty tight, a few typo's and grammatical's around the way, but I paid $4 for the book. It costs me more to buy a coffee some places, so I can overlook them. The action scenes are well put together and there are some surprising insights into the way biochemical weaponry works.

If I really had to throw something out there, I feel like the Russian sub was put in there because a submarine story should have a submersible enemy. There was a minor assistance point with the initial destruction that could have been replicated by a smart captain and, other than that, not a whole lot else. Even the final "battle" between the subs was half cocked at best with a ridiculously anti-climatic ending that feels like it was just thrown in there to tie up the loose end.

And prevent, you know, NATO getting shitty.

Other than that, no major qualms, I went in expecting a $4 story and got something that has made me think I should blog about it. The story has been enough to get me back into DOSBox running my old copy of Seawolf as well, much to the chagrin of my wife.

Buy it. Support a smaller author. And someone gift me a copy of the (standalone) prequal Typhoon. If there are more submarine stories by this guy, sign me up.