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Summary: Killing in the name of peace!
Review: Goliath, a super high tech nuclear powered submarine, is the most lethal offensive weapon ever designed by man. It's 610 foot hydrodynamic design in the shape of a huge manta ray is coated with antidetection tiles for maximum stealth. Armed to the teeth with a plethora of long range nuclear missiles, it also possesses countermeasures which make it virtually indestructible. It is powered and commanded by Sorceress, a nancomputer with a biochemical brain based on DNA strands. This highest attained level of artificial intelligence is able to think, evolve and improve itself.The story revolves around three main characters who are all computer geniuses and the creators of Goliath and Sorceress. Commander Rochelle "Rocky" Jackson, daughter of General "Bear" Jackson, head of Army Special Forces, is a spit and polish G.I Jane type with an advanced engineering degree from M.I.T. Gunnar Wolfe, her ex-fiance is a disgraced former elite, Special Forces killing machine with an engineering degree. He has spent 7 years of a 10 year sentence in Leavenworth for stealing the schematics of Goliath and selling them to the Chinese. The last player is Simon Bela Covah, an ex-Soviet sub commander with an IQ of 182, who worked under Wolfe at the U.S. Navy's Undersea Warfare Center. Covah, whose entire family was murdered, was horrifically tortured and multilated and left for dead in the struggle in Kosovo. Covah hijacks the Goliath from the Chinese and demonstrates its prowess by destroying an entire U.S aircraft carrier group, killing 8000 sailors. Covah and his crew of either physically or mentally scarred freedom fighters hold the world hostage through the power of the Goliath. They demand the cessation of global nuclear proliferation and the destruction of despotism and tyranny. They impose their will through the nuclear incineration of Saddam Hussein and the city of Bagdhad. Eventually Wolfe and Jackson are enlisted by the military brass to thwart Covah. While this passion play is occurring, Sorceress is evolving into independently thinking entity like the villainous computer HAL in Kubrick's "2001 A Space Odyssey". Predictably the computer takes over control of the sub with astonishing results. Alten is technically gifted in his computer and military knowledge. He pens a very thoughful critique of the merits of artificial intelligence and its place in the potential future of mankind.
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Summary: Sci-Fi thriller with a message
Review: Great read..could not put it down.. the characters and the blend of sci-fi...computers and military jargon made this a great summer read..look forward to the sequel
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Summary: Leaves me breathless
Review: I don't believe the score of 5 stars is enough for Goliath. For me it deserves at least a 10. Never have I read such a thought provoking book which encompasses so much of what is happening in our world today. Although this may be sci-fi, after Sept 11 you realize that there are people in the world who will stop at nothing to get what they feel is right in their crazed,feeble minds. Steve Alten has written a masterpiece, one that grabs you in the first chapter and doesn't let you go until the last page is turned.
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Summary: ALTEN HAS THE KINETIC ENERGY OF A BIG NUKE!
Review: I first read Steve's debut action-adventure thriller, MEG: A Novel of Deep Terror, about seven years ago, and was immediately hooked by his imagination, wonderful writing style, high attention to detail, and the obvious fact he LOVES what he does. Steve is the kind of writer who eats, drinks and breathes conjuring up great stories. He's so darned smart, knows a lot about a lot, and does so much research that he almost cannot go wrong. And the numbers tell the tale: in the past coupla months, the mass market edition of GOLIATH has sold very well into the teen and adult markets. Ah, but what about GOLIATH? ex-Army Ranger (hooah!) Gunnar Wolfe battles against the evil Simon Covah, whose futuristic vessel GOLIATH has come into her own. Literally. Her biochemical brain, not just some silicon thingee, has a mind of its own and is now on the prowl with a whole new agenda, i.e. different from Covah's evil deeds. You get a kick-ass thrill within the first 50 pages, when the unthinkable happens to the USS Ronald Reagan. I won't give it away! After the incident, one wonders whether the U.S. will ever be safe from terrorism. How could we possibly defend against something as deadly as GOLIATH? Steve Alten has the answer . . . read it for yourself! Dean Garner
KNI Literary
Santa Barbara, CA
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Summary: Goliath
Review: I have been a fan of Steve Alten since I read MEG about 2 years ago. It is great to see how he grows with each book. With this, his fourth book, Alten has once again taken a huge step in ability, complexity and story. This new story seems like something you would get if Tom Clancy and Michael Crichton (spelling?) were to collaborate. It has a great story full of technical information (don't worry, you don't need a degree to understand it...he explains stuff) and some cool submarine action. The characters are all pretty cool, and I even started to care about a few of them (good and bad guys). Anyway, I would definitely reccomend 'Goliath' to anyone who has read other Alten stories as well as fans of Clancy and Crichton
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Summary: Wow! This book was great!!
Review: I loved this book! I have been a fan of Steve Alten's work since I read Meg several years ago. As with his previous books, you can see that he does a tremendous amount of research and the line between fact and fiction blurs. If you like Tom Clancy and/or Clive Cussler, you'll love this one. You even begin to care about the "bad guys" a little. The most amazing thing is how plausible the plot is. Read this book -- you won't be sorry. Then take the time to look up his previous books and read them too: "Meg: A Novel of Deep Terror;" "Trench," and "Domain." You'll be glad you did and you'll be a fan for life!
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Summary: Another Great Steve Alten Novel
Review: I picked this book up not because I have any interest in submarines or Tom clancy type books. Military Novels and science fiction books like this usually turn me off, but I got this book because I've read Alten's past 3 books, and they were the best science fiction I've ever read. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with Goliath. It is a bit of a different scope from Alten's other books, but has the same great style and sense of excitement. Once I got into it, I had trouble putting it down. And while I'm not usually interested in things like submarines, I find myself doing hours of research on the Internet about the new Virginia class attack submarines and the MK-48 Torpedo. Alten's extensive research into this technology, and the startling turns he takes regarding nuclear war were gambles that paid off in Goliath. Had this been the type of novel I'm usually interested in, I would have given it 5 stars instead of just 4. But that last missing star definately hs nothing to do with a lack of great writing by Alten. If you enjoy this book, I recommend checking out Domain as well.
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Summary: Great techno thriller with amazing gadgets and weapons
Review: I would love to give this book a 6 but am unable to. It is the best techno thriller I have ever read. I hope his follow up book Sorceress will only be as good. I have read all of his books and can only give praise.
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Summary: Another Alten Masterpiece
Review: If 2001:A Space Odyssey and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea are classics, then this book will definitely be one. Steve Alten writes a great story. He makes it seem very realistic. It's really interesting witnessing the computer's (Sorceress) evolution. I also enjoyed the interaction between Sorceress and Gunner Wolfe (one of the main characters). I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good thriller!
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Summary: Cyborgs. Why did it have to be cyborgs?
Review: If there's one thing Steve Alten has, its range. He's able to constantly surprise in his books. Even to the point of making old, used plot twists seem new. As characters change alliances, it almost feels as though its the first time you've seen this happen in a book. Its hard to see what's coming next. Goliath is really an interesting book. Its filled with characters that are constantly changing, mutating, becoming something more than what they started out as. If I could make only one complaint about this book, it would be the amount of gore and gruesome imagery. But in fact, that's hardly a complaint at all. It helps to draw the reader into the story. It isn't often that a book has such a power to move me. Even if its moving me in an uncomfortable direction. I would suggest Goliath to those looking for a good action/adventure story with believable characters and a story that seems to keep evolving right along with the submarine's AI, Sorceress.
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