H.M.S. Unseen

Rating:
Summary: Ending is simply too rushed
Review: I've read some of Patrick Robinson's books (Nimitz Class, Kilo Class, HMS Unseen, USS Seawolf).

I noticed some common traits among them :

- A lot of time is used to build up a plot that ends abruptly. Feels like running into a wall.

- The whole book is based similarly. Lots of effort in building up the plots and characters, and then rushed into a wall towards the ending.

- The US military seems to be all-seeing, all-knowing, but is willing to execute a plan that plunges a country into ruins at a suggestion of a single man. Without further checks. (In HMS Unseen)

- Seems like only the US and UK are the good guys. The military heads of other countries seems like lunatics when compared.

(Spoiler) I remember reading about how Ben Adnam got from "HMS Unseen" into Scotland, and then building up his fitness. The whole event was detailed down to what he bought, eat, and wore. Even his timings for his runs were detailed. Whereas in the final part of the novel, everything was rushed, as if the author cannot wait to finish the book and get it published.

The book is good for its plots, but the execution leaves much to be desired. I'd suggest anyone reading this book to go for the big picture, and not pay so much attention to the details. Otherwise you might feel somewhat shortchanged.

Rating:
Summary: Patrick Robinson's best so far, but spare us the menus!
Review: This book starts off brilliantly. Ben Adnam, the terrorist bad guy in PR's NIMITZ CLASS, is betrayed by his home country of Iraq when Saddam orders him assassinated. So he journeys to Iran, in a well-researched voyage. Zap forward to 2005 and Adname had infiltrated the Iranian Navy. With aid of the Russians, he purchases a surface-to-air missile system, and hijacks the British Royal Navy's most modern diesel sub, HMS Unseen. With this feasible capability, he knocks three high profile flights from the skies, including Concorde! As Adnam hides, weaves and ducks, and ends up in Scotland, it is up to Admiral Arnold Morgan, a foul-mouthedly entertaining character, to search him out! And the ending, and Adnam's evasions of the authorities in a journey across Scotland, Britain and Ireland is surprising. Action comes thick and fast, the locations are well-researched, particularly the UK scenes, having been to Scotland many times it was easy to relate to them. However, I have one criticism to make. Did we really need to know in exact detail what every character had to eat? Or what movie they loved? It did interfere with the fast narrative, but HMS Unseen still gets a five star rating for a great story(which could come true one day) and an entertaining set of characters. Well done Pat!

Rating:
Summary: An enjoyable read
Review: This is the first Patrick Robinson book I have read, and after reading some of the reviews I had a good idea of what I was getting into. I really enjoyed this book, it had a good start that got me interested, stretched the imagination but not to breaking point. Adnam was more like a James Bond on the wrong side. The descriptions of the food was a tad over the top. I thought the ending were Adnam colaborated with the US top brass was all over to quick, considering the depths of the story when he left Iraq to join forces with Iran and then systematically destroy various flying machines. I would of liked to of spent more time with Admiral Morgan than the Baldridges. The language was a bit over the top for an Admiral in the year 2006 I'm thinking, but saying that in some of the situations it put a true realism to the situation. Overall I enjoyed H.M.S Unseen and I will now be out in search of Kilo class and Nimitz class seeing others reviewers report these as being better.