Rating: 
Summary: unoriginal
Review: I thought this book was dreadfully unsophisticated. The good versus evil, cold-war, there's-got-to-be-another-BIG-enemy-out-there mentality is such a cop out in this day and age when everyone knows just how complicated today's military and international political theater actually is. Considering the wealth of alternative, interesting, and more complex scenarios that are available to a writer with even a modicum of imagination, certainly a writer with the military expertise of Mr. Robinson, it is extremely disappointing to come out with the kind of tedious, jingoistic dogma and one-dimensional characters that he has nevertheless managed to produce. The predictable plot denudes the narrative of suspense, and the technological details fail to redeem the cardboard stereotypes which populate its pages. If you are looking for a factual, technical account of a real white-knuckle event, read The Terrible Hours. Without the benefit of an bumbling, consciously evil enemy to defeat, it nonetheless succeeds in blowing this opus out of the water.
Rating: 
Summary: Enjoyed the book until the ending
Review: I liked the book myself. As far as all the other reviews about how racist a book it was, all I have to say is....Wouldn't you despise and cuss out your enemy if they tortured you or your men. It's human nature. I think the plot was believable, and enjoyed waiting to see what came next. I was however, not very happy with the ending. But if it ended any other way, it would've been even more predictable as others have said. I would have liked to have seen the XO get what he deserved, but the Captain was going down anyway. That's the way they do it in the Navy. It doesn't matter who had the Conn at the time, the Captain is ultimately responsible. It's not fair, but that's the way it is. The best thing to do when reading this book is to not be so critical about every little detail. I was on Aircraft Carriers when I was in the Navy and I don't have the first clue about submarine tactics or protocol...but so what. I still enjoyed the book. You will too if you keep this in mind.
Rating: 
Summary: Fast paced movie action, a real page turner
Review: USS Seawolf is a fast paced game of trying to assemble a force and rescue hostages before their demise. It was chilling to think about how what is "really going on" can be masked by manipulating the media and messages through diplomatic channels.Negatives of the book include: that the US faces the most incredible odds and comes out virtually untouched; the President was a sap; and China was portrayed as brutal and ruthless, a stereotype to be certain, but one they have given themselves with their human rights abuses. Overall, this book is a real page turner. If you enjoy reading about special-ops with a clearly defined good-guy/bad-guy, this book is for you.
Rating: 
Summary: Captains Don't Say "Aye"
Review: Submariners will gag on the techical inaccuracies and a vocabulary lifted from Jack Aubrey stories - "for'ard"? A Blue Seabag? A story with real page-turner potential was sadly wasted.
Rating:
Summary: Waste of time
Review: Credibility seems to be low on Mr. Robinsons list of priorities in researching this book. I guess that is understandable for a Brit. trying to sell a book about the USN. He makes the Submarine force out to be incompetent, but does let them be second to the British navy. Even the Seal Team that this book is really about can't pull off thier mission without help from British SAS. Give me a break! Terminonogy is weak and the repetative British chest thumping is tiresom. This author should should stick to writing about The Brit navy, but then who on this side of the ocean would buy them if he did?
Rating:
Summary: Improbable scenarios mixed with racism and ignorance.
Review: I think it was John Le Carre who wrote that there is something unhealthy in a country fascinated by its special forces, and Admiral Morgan is the epitomy of this unhealth. With the geo-political ignorance and cultural insensitivity of a dyslexic amoeba, he constantly seeks military solutions to the errors of his military-industrial complex, and beware if you are not a white, Christian, Annapolis-ringed member of the Club. Having read all of Patrick Robinson's novels, from the excellent Nimitz Class to the thoroughly racist Kilo Class, I cannot say I like the direction his books are now taking. With a few token caustic remarks about media hacks and money-chasing lawyers, the book blunders from one improbable scenario to another, linked only by a few cardboard characters and the inevitable submarines. The crass ignorance and brutal behaviour of the Chinese, compared to the virtues of the Taiwanese, is highlighted, whilst forgetting that the original inhabitants of Taiwan, the Formosan aborigines were kicked out by those noble Chinese as they fled mainland China with their millions and gold. Technical epxerts will no doubt find some errors, in abbreviations and even the use of a pelagic sub for inshore work, while the torture scenes are so carefully written to avoid upsetting anyone, but lack realism. Betraying his European origin, there a few token Brits who are admired by the Club, and some SAS guys who accompany the SEALs on a mission, though it would have been more appropriate for the SBS, the naval version, to have gone along. Like in Tom Clancy's world, all the US weapon systems work perfectly, whilst everything Chinese is derided as copied or useless. The fearless submariners and warriors are all muscular, loyal, intelligent, hunks of manhood, going against the snivelling yellow peril. No wimpy management types or pugilistic womanisers of the Dick Marcinko world in this book, and even the single military-challenged officer seems to exist in one dimension, a long way from reality. This book will no doubt be popular with the red-necks in Oklahoma or Montana, or wherever they dress up in camouflage fatigues, and carry paint guns and M-16s; but it presents a sad polarised view of the world, and those tunnel-visoned military types who inhabit it. The Chinese are dishonoured by this myopic writing, whilst the plot, with its ultimately weak and involved President, is nothing more than excuse to quote weapon names and specs and arcane killing techniques. Even the twist in the tale at the end is out of place, but about the book's only redeeming feature. At least Tom Clancy writes a good book, but this is too racist, too single dimensional and not even a good story. The Honorable School Boy will be turning in his grave.
Rating:
Summary: As Good as It Gets
Review: "U.S.S. Seawolf" is the first of Patrick Robinson's books I have read, and now I intend on getting my hands on the others. I felt myself put into the shoes of the various characters, able to experience their lives vicariously through Robinson's vivid and complete descriptions. This book hit the spot better than a laser-guided surface-to-air missile.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointed
Review: I have previously read three other books by this author and found them to be exciting and entertaining. Unfortunately, I have this Disneyesque desire to have the good guys win especially when the bad guys, in this case I'm not referring to the Chinese but rather to the weak and overly emotional President and his cowardly and unprofessional son who came out a winner in spite of his miserable behavior. To add insult to injury, the Captain of the Seawolf who consistently displayed top leadership, courage and concern for his men gets shafted and dishonored by the very service in which he had dedicated his entire adult life. There you are. It made me absolutely nuts to have this total jerk/son of the president who somehow was selected for this very elite mission to serve as XO ( Who was responsible for that choice? ?) come out smelling like a rose. If that's reality then our country has some major problems in re integrity and loyalty to those who give their very best. I actually had to reread the ending in disbelief. At least Tom Clancy's protagonists are treated with a bit more respect. I gave this and the other three books ( Nimitz Class, Kilo Class and HMS Unseen) away to the local base library in sheer annoyance. I wonder how many submariners will enjoy the ending.
Rating:
Summary: Good Plot but marred stortelling
Review: The overall plot was interesting but the story is marred by the blatant racism and technical inaccuracies. For example, the "INT" in ELINT and COMINT stands for Intelligence not Intercept. A minor point, yes, but just one of many examples of a poorly researched book. Also, it is hard to be sympathetic to the main characters when they are blatantly racist. I am not a PC person but even I was getting offended. Not all military persons speak this way. It reminded me of when a friend of yours recounts a enjoyable and exciting story/memory but when he tells it, he gets so many minor details wrong you just want to scream.
Rating: 
Summary: Can't wait for the movie
Review: OK you wanna be critics, so it's not technically perfect, I ask you, "could you put it down"???? I'd venture the answer is no. If some of the officers coments were racist to some readers, they were certainly believable in their context; ie. how an American officer would feel with regard to his enemy. If you're offended by racist remarks against the enemy read Bambi, this is a non stop thriller. All I could think of during the whole book was what a great movie this would make. Mr Speilberg are you listening???
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