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Summary: Beyond Brilliant!
Review: "Deep Sound Channel" is perhaps comparable to "Hunt for Red October" in the same way this year's Yankees were comparable to the Mets. "Deep Sound Channel" far excels in technical finesse, energy, precision, imagination, style and, ummm, depth. In particular, its science is twice as plentiful, far more integral to the plot, and an order of magnitude more convincing: you cannot tell where fact leaves off and verisimilitude begins. It's got just as much suspense, and five times the action; perhaps twice the literacy and four times the character development. The glory of his language puts Buff in a league with the early Anne Rice; his economy with Hemingway; his realism with Dashiell Hammett; his elegance with Bill Buckley (the polemicist, not the wannabe Ian Fleming); his charm with Rex Stout. I'm a professional writer. I've 5 bookcases of mystery, action, fantasy, you name it, harking back 50 years. I've always wanted to write one; I've got three false starts to my credit. Joe lives next door. When I heard he was trying his hand at a first novel, I politely wished him good luck. Now I'm green with envy. When I meet him, honor compels me to salute and tug my forelock. Having Joe Buff for a neighbor keeps me humble. --arsesq
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Summary: What a great book and great author!
Review: All I can is that I'll anticipate every new book from this author. GREAT! Clancy's last effort was a disappointment, but this book will revive your spirit. I just got his latest offering - Thunder in the Deep - and I can't wait to read it. I highly recommend this author to anyone who likes war and high tech war novels. You will add him to your must read list too.
Rating:
Summary: What a great book and great author!
Review: All I can is that I'll anticipate every new book from this author. GREAT! Clancy's last effort was a disappointment, but this book will revive your spirit. I just got his latest offering - Thunder in the Deep - and I can't wait to read it. I highly recommend this author to anyone who likes war and high tech war novels. You will add him to your must read list too.
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Summary: A Solid read for anyone
Review: An excellent read, well written, well researched, and fast paced by a new writer of high-tech novels. Certainly worth reading and I, for one, am already looking forward to seeing what Mr. Buff can do with a second novel.
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Summary: Book Review of "Deep Sound Channel"
Review: As Tom Clancy, the great submarine novelist of the past decade, moves away from submarine epics into psychosocial melodramas involving matters of high state, a new novelist in his tradition has appeared and, like Clancy, done so with his first release. In "Deep Sound Channel" by Joe Buff, the author weaves an intricate yarn of undersea warfare, set in the not so distant future, that involves adversaries that will surprise the reader and not be apparent till later in the novel. Unlike the various other futuristic writers, the advanced technology described by this author exists already on the drawing boards. In terms of future weapons, sensors and tactics the book reads like a primer for the U.S. Navy Submarine Force in the 21st century. The author's greatest asset, though, represents his extensive knowledge of nuclear physics and acoustic propagation combined with detailed descriptions of how a nuclear submarine actually operates from the submariner's perspective. A remarkable achievement given the difficulty of the subject matter. I eagerly look forward to Joe Buff's next submarine novel. Landlocked in Beverly Hills
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Summary: Not Just For Men!
Review: Brimming with technical perspective of the future of submarines and their capabilities, Deep Sound Channel is written well enough to keep the average "lay" reader turning the pages in anticipation of what comes next. The lead characters are intriguing, and I found myself holding my breath and rooting for the good guys (and gal). The hint of sensual tension was just the right amount to couner the graphic reality of war while wetting my appetite for the next adventure of Jeffrey and Ilse...
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Summary: review
Review: Excellent story by Joe Buff. Chilling look into what could happen.
Rating:
Summary: review
Review: Excellent story by Joe Buff. Chilling look into what could happen.
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Summary: Read it yourself/Need a gift idea?
Review: I bought this book as a Christmas gift for my significant other. (The best part about giving books is that you can read them first yourself.) Recently I have been immersed in the Patrick O'Brien novels but successfully made the jump from 19th-century British Royal Navy vessels during wartime to the year 2011 and US nuclear submarines during wartime. Although nuclear submarine warfare is not my genre of choice, this book held my interest through sheer believability. The military situation and events Joe Buff describes are credible, as is the human interaction. Developing military events are suspenseful and exciting, not thrown in like the requisite car chases in action movies. Characters are distinguishable from each other without a lot of boring description. The female protagonist, Ilse, is not a bimbo nor a techie but a person with her own history and goals. A bonus is the multitude of fascinating details about operating a nuclear sub. If I ever get a chance to tour a submarine, I will expect it to look like the USS Challenger and will feel ready to volunteer to help with any task at hand. This book is a page turner although there is enough "reality" (in dialogue and narrative) to keep you glued to the page without skimming. And if you've ever wondered what it feels like to behave like a dolphin or a whale, you'll find out. I bought another copy to give as a gift to my SO's son-in-law.
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Summary: Couldnt put it down, its a must read!
Review: I bought this book at the airport to pass the time during a long flight. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. I was so caught up into the book that I had to finish it at 1am when I arrived at my hotel in Puerto Rico!!!! It was amazing, packed with action. Joe does a great job making you feel what its like aboard the sub!
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