Warshot

WARSHOT is a superb choice if you’re in the mood to read some tense naval standoffs with a pinch of old-school treasure hunt. The narrative focuses on altercations between US and Chinese naval forces as China tries to extend its grasp on an island beneath which lies unexplored gold in abundance. Facing the threat of upsetting the world economy, US steps in to protect its interests. The matter quickly escalates to stressful situations where warring submarines are pitted against each other in descriptive sequences of naval combat that vividly highlight the somber yet energetic mood of the submariners as they try to sink their opponent as quickly as possible while aggressively evading incoming torpedoes. I loved the realistic details presented of the inner workings of the submarines from the commands to the equipment without becoming too complex for a layman. Reading the skippers shout commands to dive down from periscope depth took me back to the days of watching The Hunt for The Red October and Crimson Tide. The narrative moves a little slow at first to set up the necessary characters, but once the first torpedo is launched, the action sets off relentlessly underwater and on land as well. The writing puts an emphasis on the communication breakdown between naval officers having to commit to a course of action, and bureaucracy underestimating the need for swift movements. The story fills you with an immense sense of gratitude for sailors who undertake the daunting endeavor of wading into battle in a confined medium in the dark depths of the vast oceans where anything can happen. This is a story you’ll want to kick back to and enjoy on a sunny weekend by the beach. Mirroring the recent geopolitical situations and blending them with an adventurous plot, WARSHOT is definitely recommended for readers seeking an underwater escapade.

Having just completed an ARC of "Warshot," written by Wallace and Keith and to be published by Severn publishing, I am pleased to report that it is an enjoyable expansion of the body of literature surrounding US/China relations in the Pacific and adjoining regions. Wallace and Keith, of course, have a well known series of books focusing principally on modern day submarine warfare. What this book does is to piggy back on that particular trope by adding overt greed for an underwater treasure lying on an inaccessible seabed deep beneath the ocean reachable by only the most technologically sophisticated means. All of this sets the stage for a potential attack on Taiwan and a flawed coup attempt within China fueled by personal ambition and the growing strength of the PLA and PLAN and the interservice rivalries between them. The ultimate goal, of course, is to supplant the U.S. as the major regional player in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. If you enjoy reading of submarine and surface warfare predicated on Chinese expansionism, this book is for you.