Dark Waters

An Insider's Account of the NR-1, the Cold War's Undercover Nuclear Sub

By: Lee Vyborny, Don Davis

Narrated by: Braden Wright

Length: 9 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

Operating alone and unarmed on the bottom of the sea, the U.S. Navy's smallest nuclear-powered submarine is one of its biggest weapons. Tied up at a pier, the boat with the bright orange sail looks absolutely minuscule, innocent and out of place beside its big brothers, the fleet's huge missile-carrying and attack submarines, but it can dive deeper, stay down for a month, and accomplish missions far beyond the capabilities of any of them. The ship has been cloaked in mystery. It wasn't commissioned or given a name, and even today it is hardly known beyond a select fraternity of sailors and scientists. They simply call it the NR-1. 

The little submarine was born in controversy, served in secrecy, survived potential catastrophe on numerous occasions, and is still in operation almost forty years after being conceived. It was and remains the only one of its kind ever built. 

The story of the NR-1 is told against the tense background of the Cold War and peopled with such rich characters as the acerbic Admiral Hyman Rickover, ocean scientist Robert Ballard (who found the Titanic), the designers and builders who faced almost impossible tasks to give life to the ship, the unique officers and sailors who took the little boat down into depths on covert missions, and the families who waited for them on shore, unaware that there would be no escape if the boat ran into trouble. 

Dark Waters: An Insider's Account of the NR-1, the Cold War's Undercover Nuclear Sub is a thrill-a-minute book of submarine adventure, imminent danger, personal bravery, technological wonder and historic discovery. It will be a proud addition for listeners who love stories of the sea, history and intrigue.

©2003 Lee Vyborny and Don Davis. (P)2018 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

One of the best books on the subject. Simply put.

This is a book that I've already restarted twice and I'm on my third run-through. I don't really want to spoil it too much but this was an amazing account of the NR-1, Admiral Rickover's brilliant tactics and bureaucratic supremacy (and arrogance and tendency to be a mean bully!). I couldn't get enough of the tales of sneaking around in the Mediterranean, observing objects of interest on the sea floor and running salvage missions from the depths. Amazing narrator too, who did an amazing job expressing the intent of the authors. Thank you lee Vyborny, Don Davis and Braden Wright for this awesome partnership. Thanks for your Naval service and professionalism in putting this book + audio book together. I freaking loved this one. I've read all of then, Red November., Blind Man's Bluff, Scorpion Down, and probably 10 others in this non-fiction space. This is a stand out. So good.

Fantastic book!

This is one of the best submarine books I have ever read. Very well done and preformed. Would definitely recommend.

Top Notch...absolutely riveting.

This story is so interesting. You will feel as though you were almost there. And the narrator is excellent. Enjoy.

The Best Need No Accolades

The first matter I must mention is in remembering the the men that went down with the Thresher and Scorpion, and it is our responsibility to pass their stories down to our descendants.
The book itself is a great read and or listen for those that love the lore of the seas.
I need to mention though the catalyst and founder of the "Nuclear Navy" and the USA answer to Capt James Cook, Admiral Rickover.
I want to mention the journeymen at Electric Boat for running one perfect bead over and over, and producing a mechanical marvel. The Admirals spirit will always be with the extraordinary men that man the boats today, and women who take up valuable space at the expense of others.
I cannot close without passing on to Adm Rickover he was a pissant and cannot thank him enough for just carrying out his orders. There was a day in the Oval Office where Rickover was in charge for 15 minutes.

Top notch Cold War techno-thriller. But real.

The NR-1 has to be one of the coolest toys homo sapiens has ever built for itself. Expect for whatever has taken its place.

Fantastic submarine tale and its true!

I don’t usually go to the effort of writing a review for a book I’ve read. But Dark Waters really impressed me. It’s well narrated and well written. It’s historical yet really entertains while simultaneously creating a real sense of what these American heroes endured. I bought a hard copy for my father who served as chief engineer on the Gudgeon and Grayback - diesel electric subs during the sixties. One of my father’s proudest moments is when he discusses Admiral Rickover and being interviewed by him, and that Admiral Rickover knew him well enough to call him Wayne. I really enjoyed the authors ability to describe Rickover and his many accomplishments. He is, in my opinion, one of the greatest American heroes of the 20th century and the men that served on the NR-1 are right up there with him.

absolutely outstanding

if you're into adventure and exploration books this is definitely one for you. the story is incredibly well written and executed. the biggest problem you'll have is finding a place youre willing to stop

Fascinating topic

I greatly enjoyed the subject and the presentation. A real tribute to the men that crewed the vessel.

great story. tough men.

very informative on a great submarine. you dont realize how hard their tasks were.
would recommend it.

Great historical account

I very much appreciated the in depth historical account of the NR-1. It is a fascinating story and gives an accurate description of the times. Bravo!!

A bit monotonous

The story and the idea behind it seemed great as a read. However the narrative was repetitive and the narrators voice almost robotic at times. After three goes and two hours of listening I gave up.