Rating: 
Summary: Secret Weapons of the Kriegsmarine
Review: "Thunder in the Deep" is the sequel to "Deep Sound Channel", the first of a series about nuclear submarine warfare in the near future.. Both books follow the adventures (and sometime misadventures) of Jeff Fuller, the commander of the next-generation submarine "Challenger". Composed of a new age ceramic hull (something like the chobham armor they use on tanks), blessed with high tech sensors that can detect submarines because they are quieter than the surrounding waters, and armed with nuclear torpedoes, Challenger fights an undersea war against incredible odds. Only, the enemies aren't Russians, but a German-dominated Axis that seems to borrow the worst traits of the Nazis and the Kaiser eras, and seems to posess the technical know-how to hold the future. United with South Africa (where the war began in "Channel") and ruled by Kaiser Wilhelm IV, the new German empire dispatches fleets of U-boats into the Atlantic to cut off England. Now possessing nukes, and not afraid to use them, the 21st century Kriegsmarine turns whole convoys into irradiated dust on the sea. While most of the new U-boats are either merely potent but otherwise disposable (much like the ones in WWII - they all but insure death for their prey and crew alike) or ships stolen from fallen European nations (mostly France) "Deutchland" possesses the weapons, sensors, ceramic hull and reserve of the Challenger, and is commanded by the thoroughly ambitious, brilliant and evil Eberhard. Fuller, not entirely comfortable with his ship, finds himself tasked with one seemingly impossible mission after another. A rescue mission for a crippled sub turns into a covert deep-strike mission on a Baltic coast research facility. Between Fuller and his objectives are fleets of U-boats unleashing swarms of nuclear-tipped torpedoes. (A complex set of ROE limits use of nukes to warfare out in the open ocean, never dealing with the importance of the seas in the terrestrial food-chain.)I wasn't set to like this book, but enjoyed it anyway. Though there's something missing - the new German regime doesn't seem as fleshed as the one in "Fatherland"; what's going in other theaters of war? - the action is non-stop and the plot turns rise above the technobabble and not-quite deep characters. This isn't the clean and sterile submarine combat of other books. A lot of the book reads like a movie, but it's a movie you'd probably want to see , offering everything from sub-warfare to hand-to-hand combat once the heroes make it to that hidden weapons lab. While the new type of submarine warfare - with its high-tech hulls and nuclear weapons - may not be realistic, the author crafts a complex science with all of its limits making it quite convincing without slowing down the plot. Also, for those who don't consider submarine technothrillers there chosen form of action, "Thunder" has our heroes embarking on all sorts of impossible missions. (Sure, some of it seems to read like an elaborate video game, but most books compare poorly to games; "Thunder" does not). I kept waiting for this book to lose me, but it never did. In short, "Thunder" is a lot of fun.
Rating: 
Summary: 5 Stars for the Fun -- but captains leading raids??
Review: 'Thunder In The Deep' is Joe Buff's 2nd novel of undersea submarine warfare after 'Deep Sound Channel' -- which was superb, by the way. I so much enjoyed his first book that I just could NOT wait for the sequel -- but lucky for me, I hadn't discovered Buff until just before 'Thunder' was released, so my wait wasn't long. Captain Jeffrey Fuller, Now in charge of the Challenger, the United States most sophisticated undersea weapon, we get a more detailed 'insiders view' of what life in a sub is like. Although I MUST admit that the plausibility of sending the Captain out on a raid is far from acceptable fiction -- it might work for Jim Kirk in the science fiction world of Star Trek, but a REAL Navy sub captain? Sorry, but I'm not gonna swallow that one. Now this may seem overly critical of Mr. Buff, but hear me out on this: his novels have the ring of authenticity to them SO MUCH that when I come across something SO off the beaten path of reality (yes, even in a fictional novel), well I can't help but scream FOUL. However, all that aside, this is simply put a fantastic adventure yarn. If you were hooked on submarine warfare because of Tom Clancy or Michael DiMercurio, give in and pick up 'Deep Sound Channel' and 'Thunder In The Deep' today. Exceptional thrills and chills in a near-future war with a brand new threat provided by Germany and South Africa. I echo another reviewers worry about the trivial love story jammed in between a classic war story -- it didn't work for the movie 'Pearl Harbor' and it doesn't work too well here, either. But again, I enjoyed the overall novel SO much that I was able to overlook these small problems in favor of the all around 'thriller factor' that the book gave me. Can't wait to read 'Crush Depth'!
Rating:
Summary: 5 Stars for the Fun -- but captains leading raids??
Review: 'Thunder In The Deep' is Joe Buff's 2nd novel of undersea submarine warfare after 'Deep Sound Channel' -- which was superb, by the way. I so much enjoyed his first book that I just could NOT wait for the sequel -- but lucky for me, I hadn't discovered Buff until just before 'Thunder' was released, so my wait wasn't long. Captain Jeffrey Fuller, Now in charge of the Challenger, the United States most sophisticated undersea weapon, we get a more detailed 'insiders view' of what life in a sub is like. Although I MUST admit that the plausibility of sending the Captain out on a raid is far from acceptable fiction -- it might work for Jim Kirk in the science fiction world of Star Trek, but a REAL Navy sub captain? Sorry, but I'm not gonna swallow that one. Now this may seem overly critical of Mr. Buff, but hear me out on this: his novels have the ring of authenticity to them SO MUCH that when I come across something SO off the beaten path of reality (yes, even in a fictional novel), well I can't help but scream FOUL. However, all that aside, this is simply put a fantastic adventure yarn. If you were hooked on submarine warfare because of Tom Clancy or Michael DiMercurio, give in and pick up 'Deep Sound Channel' and 'Thunder In The Deep' today. Exceptional thrills and chills in a near-future war with a brand new threat provided by Germany and South Africa. I echo another reviewers worry about the trivial love story jammed in between a classic war story -- it didn't work for the movie 'Pearl Harbor' and it doesn't work too well here, either. But again, I enjoyed the overall novel SO much that I was able to overlook these small problems in favor of the all around 'thriller factor' that the book gave me. Can't wait to read 'Crush Depth'!
Rating:
Summary: What's next?
Review: After reading Deep Sound Channel, I was eagerly waiting for Thunder in the Deep. Now I'm eagerly waiting for the next one. I can only imagine the research that has gone into creating such a vivid picture of life and warfare on a nuclear-powered submarine. The author's scenario for an early 21st-century political situation is thoroughly plausible and chilling. There's no wasted pages here--every scene gets you more deeply involved. I feel as if I know and care about these characters as people, so I really do want to know what happens next.
Rating:
Summary: Frighteningly Prescient
Review: Buff's second book is even more powerful then the first. The concept of a future surprise attack buy an evil enemy axis using weapons of mass destruction has been rendered even more plausible by the September 11th attack and the President's State of the Union Address. Meticulous research, compelling characters, beautiful descriptions, exciting and engrossing plot. Highly recommended. Really ranks up there with "The Hunt For Red October," and "Run Silent,Run Deep."
Rating:
Summary: The Real Thing
Review: Couldn't put this one down...Joe Buff is a master of the form, not just because he knows the technical stuff backwards and forwards, but because he can keep you turning the pages so fast. Good characters, amazing plot, and a premise that is scary and believable. When's the next one coming out?
Rating:
Summary: EXCELLENT, FAR-SEEING TECHNOTHRILLER
Review: Excellent plot, excellent premise, excellent characters, excellent action. Mr. Buff has really done his research, and the tactics and technology depicted in his work are totally realistic - as proven by the impressive bibliography, and the many navy people from several nations (including a German WWII U-boat veteran!) mentioned in Thunder in the Deep's Acknowledgments. It is refreshing indeed, given such recent youth horrors as the Columbine High School massacre, to see Mr. Buff depict the eager, loyal, brave youngsters who man our nation's nuclear submarines, many of them still teenagers when they first go to sea on an SSN or SSBN. Likewise, in the aftermath of the September 11 Attack, it is uplifting to see Mr. Buff's portrayal of the courageous leadership and tactical inventiveness of the captains of those submarines. No mutinies or insane COs to create "suspense" in Mr. Buff's work! Just the horror of war, and the heroism of those who fight to defend peace and freedom. The fresh, innovative geopolitical scenario Mr. Buff has created is validated strongly by the repeated successful acts of aggression and conquest from so many unexpected sources in the latest century of world history. Even our President, George Bush Jr., has warned of the dangers of a new Axis of Evil!
Rating:
Summary: The new Tom Clancy
Review: Great Book:) The way that Mr. Buff writes his combat scenes reminds a reader of what Tom Clancy used to be. This is a book that you will want to read again just to see what you missed the first time around. Mr. Buff writes submarine fiction the way it should be written. Can't wait for the next book.
Rating:
Summary: Thunder in the deep
Review: Having served 20 years in the US Navy, most of them on Nuclear Submarines' I found this story exciting and almost as a warning of things to come if we don't pay attention to history. On long patroles we talked about what the future might hold for submarines. Joe Buff's vision of things to come is startling. We never talked of who or how but, we did imagine that someday there could be deeper diving subs and nuclear war. Todays fiction could be tomorrows reality.
Rating: 
Summary: What?
Review: I am sorry, the first book was good but this one I had to force myself to finish. And I was almost hoping that one of the billion "atomic" explosions would get the good guys. Just for it to be over! I read every WW3/thriller/action type book out there and this one just didnt cut it. Try Ralph Peters.......relatively unknown (?) but great.
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