W. Craig Reed

Red November has the verve of a good Tom Clancy novel, but it's all true. Based on the author's experience as a submariner and navy diver, along with interviews of submarine veterans on both sides of the Cold War, Red November reveals the heroism of life under the waves, and how close we came to nuclear war.

The author's father helped develop a key technology called Boresight, which triangulated burst transmissions from Soviet submarines. During the Cuban Missile crisis, four Soviet attacks show more carrying nuclear torpedoes represented the biggest threat to the American quarantine. Boresight vectored anti-sub warfare groups. For tense days, the fate of the world rested in the hands of four Soviet captains and political officers: men sweltering and covered in heat-rashes, passing out from CO2 levels, frightened of their failing equipment and bombardment by 'signalling depth charges'. These men had a button which would make the Americans go away, and also precipitate an all-out war. We're here because they declined to the end the world.

Even in the submarine Cold War wasn't a shooting war, it was plenty dangerous. American captain sailed extremely aggressively, passing within a handful of meters of their Soviet counterparts to collect intelligence and be in a position to destroy enemy boomers before they could launch their missiles. This resulted in several collisions, including one between USS Drum and K-324 that the author was present for.

And of the course the crown jewel of the secret war was Operation Ivy Bells, where US submarines penetrated into the Vladivostok harbor to tap a submarine cable, at least until a disgruntled NSA employee blew the entire program.

Red November is a thrilling, slice-of-life history, of a secret war! show less

This is the first book I have read from this author but it won't be the last. It was like an action thriller movie playing in my head while I was reading this book. Yes, rockets being launched is scary but not as scary as a submarine carrying torpedoes. I have always thought submarines were more scarier. Probably due to the fact that submarines can travel under the naked eye undetected.

The two main protagonists, Jon and Kate are endearing. They really are engaging and a bit flawed but this show more is what drew me towards them. Although, they did have help along the way. They aren't superheroes. The other cast of characters were just as engaging. I just love reading a book where everyone has a part but is contributing.

The last third of the story is where it really picked up. In fact, the last several chapters, you could say were almost nail biters. show less

In 1992 Navy Seal George Anders and his team are assigned to a mission in Iraq to track down Fahkir Kaseem. Kaseem is a terrorist who recruited a group of Russian scientists with the intention of creating a biological weapon that could potentially eliminate two-thirds of the world’s population. Unfortunately one of the scientists is brought in against her will and as George and the team spoil Kaseem’s plans he falls in love with Annelia and she’s taken away from him under ill-fated show more circumstances.

Fast forward sixteen years later and a new bad guy is working on the same bio-weapon and Annelia is taken against her will again.

I usually describe more of the book but I feel like I’d give away too much if I added anymore. The book was action packed from the first page and I kept reading long past the time when I would have put down any other book.

The storyline is unique with an extremely surprising ending. I enjoyed the interaction between the characters especially the Navy Seal team members. The one thing I think the book is lacking is just a little more background to the characters so that they become a little more real to the reader. Other than that I recommend this book for all action and thriller lovers. show less

The author has written a book that is about situation developing over the abundance of natural resources in the Arctic Ocean. With global warming, the Arctic is melting and is opening previously unattainable areas to exploration. The United States, Russia, and China are all rushing to exploit these new areas. It is the author's contention that the U.S. is falling behind the Russians in this area. It seems like the author is trying to create a new Cold War between the Russian and the United show more States, using the Arctic as his main cause. He demonizes Putin, and places the blame at his feet for the "coming conflict". What he fails to take into consideration is that Putin, as aggressive as he is, will not be there forever. And also the fact that the United States is placing a lot of emphasis on the Arctic also (see recent N.O.A.A. reports). The author argues that the U.S. has to have control of the Arctic Ocean. I ask why? Is the Arctic not adjacent to Russia also? Shouldn't they have as much "control" as the U.S.? It seems the author is clamoring to create an atmosphere where the two countries are again at odds. Perhaps based on his previous military connections, and to advance those connections in the future? I don't know, but I do know that, based on his book, the case for a new Cold War has not been made. show less