I really enjoy novels based on submarines and naval adventure, and was looking forward to reading SSN by Tom Clancy.  I decided to read the prefatory material and the transcript of an interview at the back of the book first, and learned that the book is based on a computer game.  Well, okay, I thought - let's see how the book reads anyway...

Here are some indicators that this is a lousy book:
* only one character has a NAME.  Everyone else is referred to by their position and/or rank, without any names.  this is true even for people who appear many times throughout the book.  I guess they didn't merit being called by name.  It is strikingly odd how much Clancy bent over backwards to completely ignore characters in this book.
* absolutely ZERO development of any characters, even of the one person with a name.
* while the general idea of the plot is not necessarily a big stretch in terms of the major concept, the particular set of exploits of this one sub is gratuitously absurd...
* while the technical information is interesting, it gets repetitive.  The same 2-3 sentences appear for every torpedo launch.  I bet if they were collected and deleted, that would be about 10% of the book.

Well, I got my copy for 75 cents from a used book store.  I thought it was a lame phoned-in effort, and I get really irritated when well-published established popular famous and rich writers just phone it in - truly an insult to the reader.  I'm glad that my used book purchase did not contribute anything to Clancy's take on this lame attempt to part readers from their hard earned money.

I wish I could think of something positive to say about it, but really I can't.  Well, yes, I can think of something positive to say... at least the book did not degenerate into some of the inanity that you find in other books of naval adventure that involve China as an adversary, such as the gratuitious reference to a senior Chinese naval officer as "Hu Flung Dung." (I really read that in another book...)

Although I am an engineer and enjoy the technical aspects, I also equally enjoy character development and something more of a plot.  Tom Clancy, please pay me back even the meager 75 cents I spent on this lousy book!
I really enjoy novels based on submarines and naval adventure, and was looking forward to reading SSN by Tom Clancy. I decided to read the prefatory material and the transcript of an interview at the back of the book first, and learned that the book is based on a computer game. Well, okay, I thought - let's see how the book reads anyway... Here are some indicators that this is a lousy book:
* only one character has a NAME. Everyone else is referred to by their position and/or rank, without any names. this is true even for people who appear many times throughout the book. I guess they didn't merit being called by name. It is strikingly odd how much Clancy bent over backwards to completely ignore characters in this book. * absolutely ZERO development of any characters, even of the one person with a name. * while the general idea of the plot is not necessarily a big stretch in terms of the major concept, the particular set of exploits of this one sub is gratuitously absurd... * while the technical information is interesting, it gets repetitive. The same 2-3 sentences appear for every torpedo launch. I bet if they were collected and deleted, that would be about 10% of the book. Well, I got my copy for 75 cents from a used book store. I thought it was a lame phoned-in effort, and I get really irritated when well-published established popular famous and rich writers just phone it in - truly an insult to the reader. I'm glad that my used book purchase did not contribute anything to Clancy's take on this lame attempt to part readers from their hard earned money. I wish I could think of something positive to say about it, but really I can't. Well, yes, I can think of something positive to say... at least the book did not degenerate into some of the inanity that you find in other books of naval adventure that involve China as an adversary, such as the gratuitious reference to a senior Chinese naval officer as "Hu Flung Dung. " (I really read that in another book... )

Although I am an engineer and enjoy the technical aspects, I also equally enjoy character development and something more of a plot. Tom Clancy, please pay me back even the meager 75 cents I spent on this lousy book!