Boomer

De: Charles D. Taylor

Narrado por: David Gilmore

Twenty years ago, the KGB planted an agent in the American Navy. Today, he is the commander of an American nuclear attack submarine!

Wayne Newell is all navy, all American, all traitor. A graduate of the Soviet "charm school", Newell is captain of the nuclear attack submarine USS Pasadena, now patrolling beneath the Pacific. He's convinced his crew that the world is at war - and that the Russians have a deadly masking device that makes Soviet submarines sound exactly like the most crucial ships in the American fleet: the nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines known as Boomers. The subs that the Pasadena detects may sound American - but they're the enemy and must be destroyed. The deception has begun....

In a world of darkness, super-sensitive listening devices and nerve-wracking tension, Newell's crew is being driven to the breaking point: cut off from communications and forced to destroy "enemy" subs in a war they can't confirm. And while the US Pacific Command scrambles to find out who is attacking their fleet, two American submarines must go to war - against an aggressor who knows their every move, and is rapidly destroying America's sea-based strategic nuclear defense.

©1990 Charles D. Taylor (P)2015 David N. Wilson

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Technically brilliant...plus the added bonus of strong characters and an intelligent plot." (Nelson DeMille, author of the John Corey series)

"Taylor rachets the suspense well past the breaking point... Boomer is a hell of a fine sea story!" (Stephen Coonts, author of the Tommy Carmellini series)

Edge of your seat; can't it set down! Submarine Thriller

What did you love best about Boomer?

Opening with talk of one time codes and involving the Secretary of the Navy, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (DCNO) and Rear Admiral of the Navy within the first 3 minutes, this book instantly grabbed my attention! It kept right on going after the gripping opener.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes, this plot kept me wanting more! I listened to the entire unabridged book in less than two days. The book instantly took off and developed into an action packed novel with an expertly created and even more expertly placed captain aboard one of America's most elite class nuclear subs. Captain Wayne Newell was the ideallyc "Perfect American". He had a beautiful wife, two children a dog, house, education, and a career that made his nation grateful to him. Perfection isn't always as it seems and this story never has a dull moment as the mild mannered C.O. Newell ' s perfect world is shaken when his crew begins to wonder who the bad guys are.  Is the perfection only skin deep or will this expertly molded, Russian trained, "Perfect American " be able to follow through with his protocol?Supposedly invincible, The Boomers on patrol were carrying almost half of the nuclear defense weapons of the United States. Apparently somebody at the Kremlin some 20 plus years earlier had predicted the same. They implanted the "Perfect American", a Russian Charm School created, perfect version of an All-American star. Rising fast in his post graduate studies and through the Naval ranks until Wayne Newell reached his role as C.O. of the USS Pasadena, a Boomer Class Naval Sub.It is here that he was "awakened" by the Kremlin and told to relay to his crew of 160 sailors that the Russians were able to mask the sounds of their nuclear submarines and make them replicate the sounds of US subs. He ensured his men it was the Russians, the enemy, and they must be sunk.

What about David Gilmore’s performance did you like?

David had a great use of character voices and his narrator voice. I felt true emotion and the voices of the characters which just added to my enjoyment of the book.***I feel that Gilmore must have enjoyed recording this one!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It just keeps going... as a reader I was stuck trying to ponder the true war. Was it on the surface where their families are? In each submarine among the crew? Underwater in the vast oceans of the earth?

Any additional comments?

I love books by Larry Bond and Clive Cussler's Numa and Oregon Series. I am so relieved to find another author with audio books that I can enjoy!**I want to let you know that I was presented with a phenomenal opportunity; one that I could not pass up after reading this book's summary and other literary reviews of it online:This audiobook was provided for me to listen to by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBlast dot com. I take this as a very important role, as I often base whether or not to try a new author on reviews by my fellow readers. I was thrilled to be asked to do the same. I promise to be 100% honest as I expect the same from other reviewers.

Gripping story and excellent performance.

The riveting story with realistic descriptions of a submariner's living and working conditions, together with the skill of the narrator, made me feel as though I was on board with the crew. The author's revelation of the thought processes behing the strategy employed and vivid accounts of combat action kept me from being able to put the book down. In addition to exciting action, the plot illustrates how vulnerable the east-west "peace" was during the Cold War, and how easily the nuclear deterrent's MAD Doctrine could be subverted by the "madness" of political leaders who believed that a nuclear war could be "winnable" by the side that makes an unexpected first strike, and that the death and destruction visited upon its own population by a crippled opponent's retaliatory strike would be "acceptable losses" - and assumed that the other side felt the same way. It also illustrates how the naval command structure that gives absolute authority to the captain, and demands instantaneous unquestioning obedience from the crew of its submarines while on patrol, coupled with the absolute stealth and secrecy of the operations of the "silent service" is a two-edged sword that can produce disastrous results when either the loyalty, the sanity, or both, of the captain are compromised.

Predictable plot -- subpar narration

The narration was poor at best. Hokey accents and mispronunciations throughout. Anyone having spent time aboard US Naval ship would have been similarly disturbed. Calls the 1MC the "eye" MC. Starboard in the navy I served with is pronounced "star-berd" not star BOARD. It chafed. Really distracted from the story. I hate to think the author either never l listened to the narration or, worse yet, knew no better.

Interesting story that didn't reach its potential.

This is a decent book set in the waning days of the Cold War. The premise was very promising and the voice acting was quite good. Early on, the book had a lot of suspense Unfortunately it read like an abridged book with the author skipping plot points and the reader having to infer that the characters have learned something crucial when three chapters later they inexplicably know something that should still be a mystery. The book also felt rushed at the end as if the author hit his page limit. If you like submarine thrillers, this is a good choice. I read this between other, better, books and used it as a palette cleanser. I would give the story 3 1/2 stars.

Edge of your seat; Submarine Thriller

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. The book is unique, suspenseful, and thought provoking

Who was your favorite character and why?

Wayne Newell is all navy, all American, all traitor. A graduate of the Soviet "charm school

What about David Gilmore’s performance did you like?

David had a great use of character voices and his narrator voice. I felt true emotion and the voices of the characters which just added to my enjoyment of the book

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Opening with talk of one time codes and involving the Secretary of the Navy, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (DCNO) and Rear Admiral of the Navy within the first 3 minutes, this book instantly grabbed my attention! It kept right on going after the gripping opener.

Any additional comments?

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for this unbiased review