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chalexdv's review against another edition
1.0
This started out as a rage read, and ended as a slog.
I don't have much good to say about it. I mainly finished it because I wanted to see if it was possible for the author not to include a single woman with agency. The only woman one might argue was spoken of as a creature of intelligence and with the ability to make decisions beyond preparing food was Margaret Thatcher, and that doesn't really count seeing as she is a historical character and was treated as such.
The only female included for more than three lines at a time was actually hinted at as a possibly thinking human with abilities beyond looking pretty and asking dumb questions. But not before page 297. And even she was only included to bond together the two superb special force officers (her brother and husband, respectively).
To make a potentially very long review short(er), here are a few bullet points to indicate how bad this book is:
- Starts with a list of principal characters. All of whom are men except for those denoted as wives.
- One of the "principal characters" is only included in a single passage, and there he is simply described as "one hugely successful homosexual pop singer". There is no reappearance, nor does his sexuality seem to have any relevance to any part of the plot or story.
- At least 20% of this book is just long form lists of military inventory.
- Another 20% is naming various characters. Many of whom does nothing relevant and are only briefly featured.
- There are several extremely cringey and overly done passages indicating how stupid people are. All of whom are left-wing/women/homosexual/famous.
- The superhero of the book is someone who everybody admires and loves. But everything he does would make him extremely unlikeable in the real world.
- Said superhero is often called "The Man". Yes, out loud. No, no one bats an eye.
- Several characters swing between being brilliant and dumber than dirt, depending on what the story needs.
- No realistic sense of how noisy a gale or an engine is. Again: completely quiet/extremely noisy depending on what the story needs.
- Apparently special forces don't check the weather forecast before dumping into the south Atlantic sea, but rather prefer to eyeball the wind.
- A Russian submarine is impossible to find in one part of the story (where that is necessary), and very easy to find in the end of the story (since our American heroes are coming in to sink the bugger).
- The story is a slog to get through in large part because every single character is flatter than the paper they’re described on.
To summarize: I read this. Now you don't have to. For your own sake, don't read it. Just don't.
I don't have much good to say about it. I mainly finished it because I wanted to see if it was possible for the author not to include a single woman with agency. The only woman one might argue was spoken of as a creature of intelligence and with the ability to make decisions beyond preparing food was Margaret Thatcher, and that doesn't really count seeing as she is a historical character and was treated as such.
The only female included for more than three lines at a time was actually hinted at as a possibly thinking human with abilities beyond looking pretty and asking dumb questions. But not before page 297. And even she was only included to bond together the two superb special force officers (her brother and husband, respectively).
To make a potentially very long review short(er), here are a few bullet points to indicate how bad this book is:
- Starts with a list of principal characters. All of whom are men except for those denoted as wives.
- One of the "principal characters" is only included in a single passage, and there he is simply described as "one hugely successful homosexual pop singer". There is no reappearance, nor does his sexuality seem to have any relevance to any part of the plot or story.
- At least 20% of this book is just long form lists of military inventory.
- Another 20% is naming various characters. Many of whom does nothing relevant and are only briefly featured.
- There are several extremely cringey and overly done passages indicating how stupid people are. All of whom are left-wing/women/homosexual/famous.
- The superhero of the book is someone who everybody admires and loves. But everything he does would make him extremely unlikeable in the real world.
- Said superhero is often called "The Man". Yes, out loud. No, no one bats an eye.
- Several characters swing between being brilliant and dumber than dirt, depending on what the story needs.
- No realistic sense of how noisy a gale or an engine is. Again: completely quiet/extremely noisy depending on what the story needs.
- Apparently special forces don't check the weather forecast before dumping into the south Atlantic sea, but rather prefer to eyeball the wind.
- A Russian submarine is impossible to find in one part of the story (where that is necessary), and very easy to find in the end of the story (since our American heroes are coming in to sink the bugger).
- The story is a slog to get through in large part because every single character is flatter than the paper they’re described on.
To summarize: I read this. Now you don't have to. For your own sake, don't read it. Just don't.
halfmanhalfbook's review against another edition
2.0
I have read a few of Patrick Robinson's naval thrillers. Had been lent this one, and then found a copy on my shelf. Read one book, clear two.
It is a fairly simple plot, the Russians are getting nervous about the Siberians clamour for independence so they can sell their oil to the highest bidder, and eliminate all the main players. They then strike a deal with the Argentineans to exploit the newly discovered oil filed at the Southern tip of the country and under the Falklands. Argentina invade the Falklands (again) this time, with the assistance of a Russian sub, hammer the British. They surrender and there are a team of SAS left on the island and are being searched for. So far so bad.
The American realise that there is more to this attack than they first thought, and Exxon have lost several billion dollars of investment. They decide to covertly put Argentina under pressure by destroying planes etc, and rescuing the SAS.
It is a very swift read, and not particularly challenging. Robinson also uses the book to have a dig at UK political spending on defence. Not bad, but not great either.
It is a fairly simple plot, the Russians are getting nervous about the Siberians clamour for independence so they can sell their oil to the highest bidder, and eliminate all the main players. They then strike a deal with the Argentineans to exploit the newly discovered oil filed at the Southern tip of the country and under the Falklands. Argentina invade the Falklands (again) this time, with the assistance of a Russian sub, hammer the British. They surrender and there are a team of SAS left on the island and are being searched for. So far so bad.
The American realise that there is more to this attack than they first thought, and Exxon have lost several billion dollars of investment. They decide to covertly put Argentina under pressure by destroying planes etc, and rescuing the SAS.
It is a very swift read, and not particularly challenging. Robinson also uses the book to have a dig at UK political spending on defence. Not bad, but not great either.
halfmanhalfbook's review
2.0
I have read a few of Patrick Robinson's naval thrillers. Had been lent this one, and then found a copy on my shelf. Read one book, clear two.
It is a fairly simple plot, the Russians are getting nervous about the Siberians clamour for independence so they can sell their oil to the highest bidder, and eliminate all the main players. They then strike a deal with the Argentineans to exploit the newly discovered oil filed at the Southern tip of the country and under the Falklands. Argentina invade the Falklands (again) this time, with the assistance of a Russian sub, hammer the British. They surrender and there are a team of SAS left on the island and are being searched for. So far so bad.
The American realise that there is more to this attack than they first thought, and Exxon have lost several billion dollars of investment. They decide to covertly put Argentina under pressure by destroying planes etc, and rescuing the SAS.
It is a very swift read, and not particularly challenging. Robinson also uses the book to have a dig at UK political spending on defence. Not bad, but not great either.
It is a fairly simple plot, the Russians are getting nervous about the Siberians clamour for independence so they can sell their oil to the highest bidder, and eliminate all the main players. They then strike a deal with the Argentineans to exploit the newly discovered oil filed at the Southern tip of the country and under the Falklands. Argentina invade the Falklands (again) this time, with the assistance of a Russian sub, hammer the British. They surrender and there are a team of SAS left on the island and are being searched for. So far so bad.
The American realise that there is more to this attack than they first thought, and Exxon have lost several billion dollars of investment. They decide to covertly put Argentina under pressure by destroying planes etc, and rescuing the SAS.
It is a very swift read, and not particularly challenging. Robinson also uses the book to have a dig at UK political spending on defence. Not bad, but not great either.
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