The Iceman

De: P. T. Deutermann

Narrado por: John Pruden

The Iceman is an action-packed World War II military thriller featuring a daring submarine commander during the Pacific War.

In 1942, off the port city of St. Nazaire in occupied France, a US Navy S-class submarine assigned to the Royal Navy lurks just outside the borders of the minefield protecting a German U-boat base. Lieutenant Commander Malachi Stormes, the boat’s skipper, patrols dangerously close to the minefield entrance and manages to trap and sink three outbound U-boats in one spectacular attack. Britain decorates him; the US Navy promotes him and then gives him command of a brand-new class of submarine, a fleet boat based in Perth, Australia, called Firefish. Having been driven out of the Philippines by the Japanese juggernaut, the Perth boats are the only American forces capable of hitting the Japanese in the Western Pacific.

With his cold, steely-eyed focus on killing Japanese ships, Stormes is an enigma to his officers and crew - especially when it becomes clear he is willing to take huge chances to achieve results. Firefish sinks more ships than any Perth boat on her first war patrol, but Stormes’ unconventional tactics literally frighten his crew. Driven by a past steeped in the whiskey-haunted violence of the Kentucky coal fields, whose psychological scars torment his sleep and close him off from those around him, Stormes is nicknamed "The Iceman". His crew members are proud of their boat’s accomplishments but wonder if their iron-willed skipper will bring them home alive.

With intense action and featuring authentic submarine tactics from the early years of the Pacific War, The Iceman continues P. T. Deutermann’s masterful, award-winning cycle of thrillers set during World War II.

©2018 P. T. Deutermann (P)2018 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

I like PT

I've methodically listened to this series after first discovery and have really enjoyed the stories of the Navy in the Pacific theater of World War II. It seemed the books were following a timeline that would end with the dropping of the bombs to end the war. I thought we were right there. But the author throws a curve and comes back to earlier in the war. So be it, I still enjoyed it.

This book takes up after the Japan has taken the Philippines, MacArthur has fled to Australia and taken what parts of the US military he could and the fight to beat the Japanese has begun in earnest. In this book the author tells of one submarine skipper, his boat and the crew and their adventures in the western Pacific Ocean. It was harrowing duty. But life in a submarine in wartime and the lives of the men on board seem to be accurately described and if you want to get a feel for what that life was like this is a good book to listen to.

Very Good

This makes the nineteenth book I have read by Mr. Deutermann. Pacific Glory is my very favorite. I started with the Scorpion of the Sea years ago. Also, I have read the Cam Richter series.
This military novel follows a decorated submarine commander assigned to the Perth/Fremantle command in Australia during the early years of WW2.
His commanders feel like he is too young and promoted too fast. What they discover is they have a commander that only has one thing in mind, fight.
His officers and men think that he is too careless. But when you get results, that's what matters. This book is full of action and adventure.

Some aspects excellent

As historical fiction, excellent with respect to sub ops in pacific. The personal story and dialog, somewhat weak. Narration was OK, the tone a bit too theatrical at times.

Great Story

It was a good story, had a good amount of action. the love story was a little corny.

Possibly the best yet by Deutermann

I have read/listened to all of this authors works, and have re-listened to several just because his combination of characters and storytelling is so good. I've read a lot of naval history and fiction, both 20th century and much older and really appreciate the author's accuracy and sometimes ironic use of historical character names in his fictional works. Late in this book a Commodore Byng plays a very small role, and thankfully does not share the fate of Admiral Byng, RN.
P.T. puts in enough details to show he knows what he's writing about, but not so many that the technical jargon hinders the flow of the story. Many of the events in this book have a basis in history, particularly the torpedo problems and the denial of those problems by the Navy's gun club. He also uses some actual historical characters in their historical role in this book, which is also a nice touch. Overall, an excellent story even if you are not a big fan of Naval history or literature.