Rating: 
Summary: A good read, but leave your politcal views out of it.
Review: I've been enjoying Patrick Robinson's books since I first read Nimitz Class several years ago. Since then I've tried to enjoy the plots of his novels and leave the Right Wing political rhetoric aside. As an avid fan of the Tom Clancy novels I was glad to find another Naval action thriller writer out there to fill the gaps of time between other authors books and build some good current detail. I may be a Democrat, but I'm far from Left Wing and when a story has to get bogged down by either building background with all too healthy doses of Right Wing military attitude or putting it into your main character's mouths it really sucks the life out of the story. And, when it does - as much as I hate to, I skip through the pages to get back into what it was I bought the book for in the first place. I've bought and read every first edition hard cover so far, but as I read each successive piece more and more it gets bogged down in the Right Wing accusatory attitude. It's not what I bought the book for and I want to enjoy it for what its supposed to be.
Rating: 
Summary: Good start, silly ending
Review: I've read a number of Robinson's books and was pleased to begin this one. Terrorists buys two Russian submarines and sends one as a visible decoy to China while the other one creates mayhem in the U.S.
My main problem with the book, other than the silly ending obviously written in after the editors wanted an upbeat finale, is that most of the book is based on hiding the existence of the marauding submarine and then having it surface on purpose so it can be caught in shallow waters. Total lunacy.
On the other hand the first two thirds is a good read. Perhaps some shadow author can rewrite the last third and fix it.
Rating: 
Summary: Totally moronic.
Review: If your idea of a good military read is to try to follow a writer who can't tell east from west, is unable to develop intelligent characterization or even a believable plot, and who constantly bashes anything or anybody even slightly to the left the most conservative brain-dead republican you have ever met - then this book is for you. Two thirds of the way through it I literally tore the book apart before trashing it. I simply couldn't bear the thought of someone finding it and reading the ramblings of this intellectually deficient, self-righteous fool.
Rating:
Summary: It is time to stop
Review: It is time to stop for Mr.Robinson to go on with submarine series, as this latest item Barracuda 945 was a big failure. It was disappointing especially those fans who read through all previous books - like myself.
As a "consumer" of his submarine books I have to say - the way the author built its story was not exciting rather exasperating. What was brilliant in book Nimitz, that after the catastrophy how the bad guys were chased by the good boys. How did the analysts put together the puzzle. Instead of this in Barracuda terrorists make successes again and again through hundreds of pages without any serious mistake. There is no any chance to catch them till the very last few pages of the book. The one and only good-smart guy get only few short pages from the author to figure out the mistery. The same is true for the SEALs.I liked Robinson's books because of good,enjoyable, complex and long-lasting solutions - I did not get it from Barracuda. If I didnt know Robinson, I would say the author made it for purpose to raise the morality of terrorist opposite to American government. The latter seemed totally incapable and militant, where people rather use the military power then their mind.
On the other hand, for me as an intellectual the obvious unfairness in politics ruined the credibility of the all book. The bias for hardline conservative ideology could have seen in prevoius books as well. But in Barracuda it developed to definite lies and slanders about liberal side.The author wanted to push his personal political view in the story at any price. During this big effort he does not realise that his main character, National Security Adviser, Arnold Morgan /who represents Robinson himself/, lost all of his positive characteristics. In Barracuda he became an irrational, fanatic and nasty figure, a nationalist who disgains those who think different ways, a decision-maker who knows only military solutions...And this man should be represents the good guys? God save US from this kind of decision-makers...!
Eventually Robinson reached exactly the opposite goals that he had wanted to. The story raises engagement towards passionate terrorists, making from them romantic and brilliant heroes. On the other hand the most powerful man on US side - according the book - is an unintelligent, furious militant.I would suggest to sell the book with subtitle "Take care, it is a PARODY"!
Rating:
Summary: Seriously Bad
Review: Just walk away. Look at the cover, register the title, and quickly run out of the book selling or lending institution of your choice. Patrick Robinson, who has always been one of the most overrated military thriller in my opinion, really outdoes his prior record of mediocrity with this one. You have to give the man some credit, he very skillfully utilizes every single one of the overworked and lacking cliches of the genre and manages to smash them into one single storyline. Of course, I hesitate to call it a "storyline", but, I don't want to hurt anyones feelings. The story, as it were, centers around British SAS Captain Ray Kerman, a soldier of impecable skill, who, as Robinson never lets us forget, has Iranian "blood". This blood has remained dormant for years of western indoctrination, but it still boils. It is unleashed when Kerman finds himself enmeshed in a horrific struggle between the Palestinians and Israeli's, an episode that smacks of everything but authenticity or common sense. Afterwords, Kerman is a man transformed, suddenly overtaken by the jihad. How, why? Silly questions, just close your eyes and pretend it makes sense reader. So, Kerman quickly engages in terrorist warfare that stretches the bounds of realistic warfare to a totally inappropriate degree, with all kinds of raids that would never happen and other attacks. It's almost like Robinson realized this storyline was flat, so he decides to throw in a submarine and its attacks on the western United States. Oh, that's right, I forgot to tell you, turns out the Iranians get thrown oto the bad guy list, along with some Chinese and the laughably named Hamas Assault Force, which has suddenly become the hardest collection of professional soldiers ever. To anyone that really knows this stuff, this book reads like some kind of cheap sci-fi novel. Come to think of it, it's not that far from it. In order to take on the Hamas Navy, the US Navy manages to thrown together some units to pursue the hunt. Here's a hint to thriller readers, when you see a character list in the beginning, you know you are in trouble. That means that the writer really doesn't feel his characters are memorable enough for the reader to really care or recall who they are. It's a crutch to the horrible writers that populate the thriller writing community, to make up for the cardboard cutups they throw in front of the reader. If you don't believe me, read some of the characters, they are almost 2D in their lack of any depth. The Navy commanders are the usual assortment of rah rah boys, fine if they are balanced by some renegades, but those guys are nowhere to be seen. Besides that problem, the ending is an almost catastrophic mess. Concerning the politics angle that most reviewers seem to hate, I actually in agreement with a lot of the ideas proposed, but they are thrown into the plot with such hamhanded silliness that they lose any meaning or fluidity. Just a mess all around, stay far, far away.
Rating:
Summary: I very much so agree...
Review: Most people who have written other 1 star reviews have pretty much summarized this books short-comings pretty well. The only thing I would add is that the author obviously hates former President Clinton and sticks us with the tab for his OPINIONS. You can't go twenty pages without some jab at the former President. Also, Mr. Robinson seems to spend most of his time trying to make sure the reader enjoys and understands the scenery rather the technology a good submarine thriller is based upon. If I wanted a travel guide, I would have bought that instead. I agree with another reviewer that Dimercurio is the way to go in this genre... This is a poor effort from a talented author that has written many wonderful books...I'll buy the next one but wait for it to go to paperback!! PS= Get ride on the 1.2.3.4.5. lists that we see about four times in this book......it's annoying and childish!
Rating:
Summary: Only because I can't give a book 0 stars
Review: Only because I can't give a book 0 stars did this one get 1 star.
Patrick Robinson, do us all and yourself a favor and retire. Seriously, just put you pen down and do not write any more books. You had a couple of great military fiction works early on, but you have run your course.
It is not a good thing when it takes over 70 pages to even get remotely interested in a book. And that's what Patrick Robinson has succeeded in with Barracuda 945. The characters are flat. The plot, what little there is in the beginning is boring, and the dialogue is crummy.
I will not even glance at another Patrick Robinson book.
Rating: 
Summary: "Now Hear This...All Hands On Deck..."
Review: Patrick Robinson comes roaring back in his latest naval adventure, "Barracuda 945". After vacationing with last summer's "Slider"( a romp with the Cape Cod summer baseball league), Robinson returns to his roots with an action packed, page turning thriller about terrorism on the high seas after 9/11/01. Once again America's defenses are wide open to attact from a Middle Eastern terrorist with a proper British upbringing and training in the UK's special forces. The plot involves an attack on America's energy supplies with a plan to use a silent nuclear submarine's launch of off-shore missles. Robinson creates believable scenarios and solid characters with his descriptive prose. The reader is propelled along the story line with swift moving scenes and a sense of urgency all Americans recognize after 9/11. Robinson's latest isn't without fault. For some unknown reason other than to highlight his visit to Hollywood's Kodak theater, Robinson detours the thriller into an Oscar ceremony interrupted by the terrorist's attack on America's energy supply. Robinson must like to travel, but his editor should have suggested he write a scene about the havoc the attack could cause on an American military base instead of letting a good novel be lessened by a cheap thrill. Robinson doesn't disappoint with this one. He reclaims his place among the best writers of military adventures.
Rating:
Summary: Attrocious
Review: Patrick Robinson makes the Israelis look like monsters, the Americans look like fools, and the Hammas terrorists and Arabs who call themselves palestians look like romantics.
Rating:
Summary: Finally ran out of ideas
Review: Patrick Robinson started his series in the submarine genre with a splash with thrillers such as Nimitz Class and HMS Unseen, truly enjoyable reads. This era of the series died painfully in Barracuda 945.
Mr. Robinson has foregone adventure for preachiness. His focus is now on the badness of Democratic presidents. This could be overlooked if he made the point and moved on. Instead, he comes back time and again to reiterate his same words (I hesitate to call them ideas) to exhaustion. He uses the narrator and multiple characters to say the same thing repeatedly, removing any interest the reader has in the story.
The door is left open for a sequel, but unless I read a review to indicate Mr. Robinson has returned to his roots and left the preaching to televangelists, I will miss my first Patrick Robinson book if and when it is released.
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