Cold Choices

By: Larry Bond

Narrated by: Dick Hill

Length: 19 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's Summary

Navy pilot turned submarine officer Jerry Mitchell is now the navigator aboard USS Seawolf. On a reconnaissance mission deep in the Barents Sea, Mitchell and his crew prepare to watch the Russian navy as it trains for battle. Although they are outside Russia's territorial waters, the U.S. boat is ambushed by Russia's newest attack submarine, Severodvinsk. Its aggressive new captain, Aleksey Petrov, harasses the American intruder with dangerously fast, insanely close passes.

The subs collide, and the Russian ship sinks to the bottom, crippled. Only Seawolf knows where Severodvinsk is, but the Russian authorities are too angry to listen to the Americans, even in matters of life and death.

Mitchell and his shipmates must keep their own damaged vessel afloat, figure out a way to make the Russians listen, and keep the trapped submariners alive until they can be saved - if that is even possible.

Larry Bond uses his experience as an intelligence officer, warfare analyst, and antisubmarine technology specialist to give readers an expertly crafted techno-thriller. Like Run Silent, Run Deep and The Hunt for Red October, Cold Choices takes readers deep into the minds of submariners and the treacherous world in which they dwell.

©2009 Larry Bond (P)2009 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

This was great fun

Ever since I saw "Run Silent Run Deep" (Clark Gable, Burt Lancaster, Don Rickles) as a child, I've been drawn to stories about submarines. I've listened to most of the submarine fiction and non-fiction on Audible.
Sadly, most submarine fiction is kinda pulpy, especially the WWII books which are predictable with standard characters and seem to always end with the submarine out of options, up on the surface using its deck gun to shoot it out with some Japanese ship.
But "Cold Choices" was quality work. It seems like Larry Bond knows a whole lot about modern subs. When I was learning to be a writer, the axiom was, "It doesn't have to be realistic, just believable." This book was extremely believable. and filled with fascinating details.
Best of all, it was a good yarn and kept me entertained for nearly 20 hours.
Is this great literature? Of course not. But it's a genuinely entertaining read and there's a lot to be said for that.

Cold Choices was an exciting but sobering read!

I have listened to over 700 Audible books since I joined the Audible audience in 2000. Cold Choices ranks at the very top of my list of favorites. I am a retired US Navy Chief Petty Officer with close ties to the US Submarine Service. The research that went into the novel was impressive! There is no doubt that there was considerable “artistic and literary license” taken in construction of this book but I am quite pleased that the ties that bind the Navy crews together were not sacrificed!

Larry Bond did a marvelous job in the telling of this story. I heartily recommend this book to those looking for a fast paced, exciting listen! In Navy terminology BRAVO ZULU, job well done.

Pretty goo

As a retired Navy man with a more than usual understanding of both US and Russian submarines, I found this book to be what we always wished would have happened, but never did.
We should have helped each other, many times, instead of doing our level best to kill each other and succeeding many times.
Other than a few mistakes between Army/Air Force terms and Navy terms, the author did an excellent job. It is obvious he was never in the Navy, or if he was, he must have served in another branch after the Navy and forgot the terminology used by the Navy, because he occasionally used non-Navy terms for things.
I was very impressed by the afterword where he explained where he obtained all the names used int he book.
I thank him for the honors he bestowed.

good mariners tale with tons of detail

I'm not a military person but the story was intriguing. Dick Hill was superb, always a treat to hear his narrations.

great story

what a great story. it was written very well and the narrating was very very good.

love the Mitchell series

I have read or heard them all.. I just Love the Mitchell series more then i can say

Great Great Novel !

The first time I read this book (or listened on Audible) I may have been unkind. I wasn't feeling well that day and I don't remember what I said. This is by FAR the best submarine novel I have ever read/heard. I t beats "The Hunt for Red October " which is a great read. I would or I wish this to become a Big Screen movie ! I believe that it would play for quite a while !

a good yarn

A bit long winded in spots but overall this is a story that is not only possible but the tale is believable. This story kept me interested and I did not want to turn off the player when reaching my destination...I love books like that, doesn't everyone?

An epic submarine story

TrueType engaging until the very end
A really good listen
Best audible book yet
Highly recommended

Boring

I gave up after 2-3 hours. Extremely boring with no action and pages and pages of useless technical gobbledegook which only an expert would understand or be interested in. Some technical details, if they are relevant to the story, are fine, but if I want a submarine primer, I'll buy a textbook. Maybe the story eventually starts, but the material didn't hold me long enough to find out. Please tell a story, Mr. Bond, don't try to impress us with your technical savvy.