Torpedo : A Surface Warfare Thriller

Rating:
Summary: Orchestral Perfection
Review: World War III. Ever wonder how it might start? ##### In Torpedo, Jeff Edwards waves his baton, summoning together strings, brass, and reeds, and drives this taut drama with a steady and ever-building drum beat. The result is a pleasing, fictional composition as satisfying as listening to a Leonard Bernstein rendering of Gershwin's Rhopsody in Blue. ##### Plausible? Could such a WW III actually come to pass? Read the fictional "maybes" of this book, then judge for yourself. #####; In it we get a "character-under-pressure" study reminiscent of Robert Penn Warren's, All the King's Men. We feel the angst of taciturn U.S. Naval Commander-turned-Captain, Sam "Jim" Bowie, as he struggles to protect his turf, image, and eventual retirement. We are appropritely intimidated by the ominous portent of crafty, iron-willed German U-Boat Kaptain, Stefan Groeler. Coming through distinctly are the pitiful sights and sounds of British Embassy employee, Sarah Bexley, as she desperately fights for her life after a terrorist chemical attack. With a whiff of Harry Truman, the forebodings and misgivings of U.S. President, farmer Frank Chandler, come through with ringing clarity. We get a prophetic glimpse of terrorist, Ismai'il Hamid, a hot-head who would revel in any decapitation role. We suffer the pompous assiness of U.S. Naval Captain Whiley. ##### The building crescendo of an intense sea battle climaxes with simple words. Fitting. Seconds before an incoming torpedo hits, a Naval Officer says, "Sir! What do we do now?" ...started back at him. "Now? Now, we die." As in the unfolding of a superb symphonic arrangement, we hear all the sounds--and the fury--seamlessly blended into a cold-war-to-be composition frightening enough to make us all quiver. ##### Magnificently sculptured character portraits emerge, and are skillfully injected into a story line remindful of the plot-fragment-convergence of Ross MacDonald's breakthrough novel, the Galton Case. And, Jeff Edwards tops it all off with the thunder and lightning of Tom Clancy's Red Storm Rising. ##### The end-result? A most enjoyable--and memorable--concerto, indeed. #####More books, Maestro! Please.

Rating:
Summary: Edwards is a powerful new voice in military fiction.
Review: Awesome! Torpedo pulls you along as it dives beneath the surface, powers through unexpected twists and turns, locks on and then accelerates to attack speed towards its explosive climax.

Torpedo is the second novel by Jeff Edwards that I've had the pleasure to read. He writes with a sure hand, drawing you in with familiar characters. Not since Stephen King have I read an author who can create such believable characters in a few short paragraphs. His prose is by turns witty, eloquent and spare. His dialogue is sharp and believable. I will read every novel this man writes.

Torpedo is so densely packed with the details of military hardward that there is no room for doubt. Torpedo could happen, and that is one scary thought. This book kept me up at night and made me late for work. It's a taut, finely honed scenario. Let's hope Edwards is merely the best new military thriller writer to show up since Clancy and not a prophetic visionary.

--Jak Koke, bestselling author of LIFEROCK (0974573418)

Rating:
Summary: Great thriller
Review: Both my staff and I loved this book. It's still making the rounds of the office and everyone has great things to say.
Many of them definitely couldn't put it down as it is hitting many desks in a short time!


Rating:
Summary: From the perspective of a Navy spouse...
Review: I have to be honest, I have had several opportunities to read this novel even before it was published. I could never quite bring myself to read more than scattered bits and pieces of it until now. Having been married to the Navy for over 18 years, I have watched my husband leave for six months at a time for the Gulf and I have listened to him tell me how he'd like to share what's happening but couldn't. When he did share, it was usually tales about life on board and only then after he was certain they weren't classified. Outside of that I only had CNN and may imagination to create a picture for me. As I read this, I laughed as I recalled some of the funny tales that he's brought back with him over the years. I held my breath as I knew the ship was getting in to dangerous waters. I cried for every life lost. This novel tells what it is like for our Sailors - how focused they must be at all times - how so much hangs on the success of them completing their missions. TORPEDO is a must read for those who truly want a deeper appreciation for Navy life.

Rating:
Summary: I read it in one sitting.
Review: My husband left his copy of Torpedo on the coffee table. I picked it up and leafed through it. Six hours later, I turned the last page. Then I had to rush like mad to order take out Chinese for dinner because my entire day had slipped away. I got lost in this book. It was that good.

Rating:
Summary: A direct hit
Review: On Tuesday of this week I received my copy of "Torpedo" in the mail from and on Saturday I had a free day to spend any way I desired so I started reading the novel. At about 2215 I put it down after reading it in one sitting.

The book is very well done and I think truly captures the essence of those beautiful ships. The book also updated my surface warfare knowledge as I have been away from the Navy for some time.

To add to the reading experience I had the privilege of serving aboard USS Towers from 73-77. The time I spent aboard the Truckin T was one of the highlights of my young life and certainly of my Navy career. She was a grand lady and someday I hope that the Navy names another ship USS Towers and she is as good a vessel as the one in "Torpedo" and the original.



Rating:
Summary: Tom Clancy lovers, this is the new benchmark
Review: This book was fascinating. Exceptional is its story line and progression. Anyone, even those that weren't in the sea-going fraternity will enjoy the fantastic realism and believability of this story. And this one has a real ending that settles the issue once and for all. In the style of the famous Tom Clancy, but without all the pontificating on tangential material that doesn't move the story along. I highly recommend this book for everyone. It is truly a great read.

Rating:
Summary: Naval Warfare is Back!
Review: This is the kind of book the big boys used to write. Fast, smooth, and sharp as a knife. As an ex-Jar Head, I spent more than my share of time on Navy ships. A lot of Marines don't like them. I did. And I like reading about them. At least I did like reading about them, until the genre went to pieces about ten years ago. Now it's back. Smart people, cool hardware, and hot combat. It doesn't get any better than this! If there's any justice in the world, this guy is going to own the military book market for the next twenty years.

Rating:
Summary: OUTSTANDING WARFARE THRILLER
Review: What a great experience reading this book! Edwards is a wonderful, clear, captivating writer and reveals the characters and story in a masterful way. Torpedo represents a fine example of the modern technothriller and essential reading for anyone who likes a good a surface warfare novel. Each chapter dramatically reveals new information, only to end with new questions arising. As a result, I found it impossible to find a good spot to stop reading. Five hours later, I finished the book, completely sated and thrilled that this book found its way into my hands.

Rating:
Summary: Pure Adrenaline
Review: Yow! I finished reading Torpedo last night and I'm ready to read it again. Who is this Edwards guy? Where did he come from? No way this is a debut novel. It's too smooth and too hot. This is one of the heavyweights working under a pen name, like Stephen King with the Bachman books. The question is - which one?