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Rating: 
Summary: David Poyer turns left!
Review: "Tomahawk" was a major disappointment to this fan of the Dan Lenson series. "The Circle," "The Med," "The Passage," and "The Gulf" were outstanding and authentic, written with great skill by one who had "been there, done that." But it seems that Poyer underwent some sort of social/political rebirth just before writing "Tomahawk," for the book is filled with a boring mish-mash of alcoholism, girlfriend woes, and Lenson's highly unlikely involvement with a radical pack of peaceniks out to sabotage the development of the cruise missile. Too bad, for this could have been a fine tale if it had been crafted in the style of the previous four books in the Lenson series. If you subscribe to turn-the-other-cheek pacifist theories, you might like this novel. Otherwise, save you money and your disappointment--this is NOT the Dan Lenson you knew and loved in the previous stories.
Rating:
Summary: David Poyer turns left!
Review: "Tomahawk" was a major disappointment to this fan of the Dan Lenson series. "The Circle," "The Med," "The Passage," and "The Gulf" were outstanding and authentic, written with great skill by one who had "been there, done that." But it seems that Poyer underwent some sort of social/political rebirth just before writing "Tomahawk," for the book is filled with a boring mish-mash of alcoholism, girlfriend woes, and Lenson's highly unlikely involvement with a radical pack of peaceniks out to sabotage the development of the cruise missile. Too bad, for this could have been a fine tale if it had been crafted in the style of the previous four books in the Lenson series. If you subscribe to turn-the-other-cheek pacifist theories, you might like this novel. Otherwise, save you money and your disappointment--this is NOT the Dan Lenson you knew and loved in the previous stories.
Rating: 
Summary: Exciting military thriller
Review: After three consecutive humdrum tours at sea, U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Dan Lenson has been assigned shore duty, working on the TOMAHAWK cruise missile project. While stationed in the DC area, the divorced Dan meets and falls in love with an anti-nuke activist, Kerry Donovan, who helps the career naval officer renews his flagging spirit and energy. However, Dan's newborn enthusiasm for life is abruptly aborted when Kerry is murdered in what seems to be a senseless killing. As he tries to regain his equilibrium, he finds his loyalty questioned due to his association with Kerry. He knows that he must still adhere to his oath to serve his country while trying to ferret out the identity of his beloved's killer. TOMAHAWK is an exciting military thriller that will be loved by fans of the sub-genre. Dan's agony while finding ecstasy feels genuine and turns the lead character into a human being the audience can identify with. The story line has a bit too much vernacular for us civilians, but remains fast-paced and fun to read. David Poyer shows much talent that will please those readers who enjoy a military thriller. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Dan Lenson is a classic literary character.
Review: I very rarely buy hardbacks, reserving that honor for my very favorite authors - Grisham, King, etc. But I have been so impressed by the character of Dan Lenson that I have added David Poyer to my list of hardback-worthy authors. In fact, I wrote a similarly glowing review of one of Poyer's other more divergent novels, As the Wolf Loves Winter. David Poyer is simply one of the best writers still active today. Lenson's universe is one of hard reality in which moral absolutes rarely exist, but the "high road" is nevertheless apparent and accessible - but always at the cost of great personal sacrifice. Lenson's choices demonstrate that there are nearly always moral paths beyond those we would consider to be politically or personally expedient. Poyer does not allow the reader to escape with a sense of justice done or righteousness rewarded. Even as Lenson makes his choices, his world grows darker and more hopeless. Lenson is not a saintly Billy Budd with an evil enemy, but a modern man trying to make moral sense of a juggernaut world. Read the Lenson books in order! You will soon find yourself fascinated with the continuing development of this very complex and absolutely believable character.
Rating: 
Summary: The main character is getting better
Review: Lt. Commander Dan Lenson is balancing on a critical decision point of his life. His first Shore Duty assignment may be his last position in the Navy. Dan is trying to decide if he needs to get out of the service and commence a new career that would be more satisfying than the disappointments he has impacted against during the first half of his current Naval career. The failure of his marriage, and the ongoing failure of his sporadic parenting attempts with his daughter. His checkered career performance records, which would seem to indicate, that he will be unable to advance much further in rank if he continues his career path. And a nagging idea that maybe the military solution toward peace is not the right choice for the world. Much better than 'The Passage'. Lensons' character is now starting to stabilize into a more satisfying representative of a mature military officer . . .
Rating: 
Summary: Good, with some reservations
Review: Overall, I liked this book, as I like the whole Dan Lenson series. Dan is not the typical hero of a military novel -- which is refreshing. He's basically a well-meaning doofus whose love life & career are invariably in the toilet. But he's good-hearted & he perseveres & he recognizes his own weaknesses. The plot & characterizations were good in this book, better than in the previous Dan novels. But, unfortunately, there's way too much techno-jargon. (I just skip over these parts.) ...if a naval officer ever behaved as Dan did in this novel, his career would be over, kaput. .... ...the novel makes it quite clear that it takes place in the '80s. I'll keep reading this series....
Rating:
Summary: Good, with some reservations
Review: Overall, I liked this book, as I like the whole Dan Lenson series. Dan is not the typical hero of a military novel -- which is refreshing. He's basically a well-meaning doofus whose love life & career are invariably in the toilet. But he's good-hearted & he perseveres & he recognizes his own weaknesses. The plot & characterizations were good in this book, better than in the previous Dan novels. But, unfortunately, there's way too much techno-jargon. (I just skip over these parts.) I agree with some of the other reviewers who said that in the real world, if a naval officer ever behaved as Dan did in this novel, his career would be over, kaput. I disagree with those who said that the author was deceptive in trying to convince the reader that the action takes place in the present. They didn't read carefully (possibly they were skipping over the techno-babble?); the novel makes it quite clear that it takes place in the '80s. I'll keep reading this series -- unlike the author's Tiller Galloway series which I disliked.
Rating:
Summary: Illuminating, yet with glaring incongruities
Review: The insights into weapon system development are fascinating. Yet a sub-plot and it's deriviatives require such a degree of naivety on the part of the protagonist and some of his associates made it difficult to suspend disbelief.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: This was the worst of Poyer's books. When I had to resort to speedreading part of it, I knew it was going to be boring. He spent too much time on the tedious soul-searching self-pity and self-doubt end of it, and failed to supply enough action. He seems to be drifting into the same bog that Conroy fell into in his later books. Hopefully his next book will improve, but unfortunately I find this seldom happens.
Rating: 
Summary: If you believe this, I'll sell you the Brooklyn Bridge
Review: Very engaging but Poyer is at his best when at sea.
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