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Dan Lenson #3
The Circle
For four years at Annapolis he prepared for this, pledging his youth, his ambition, and even his life. But when junior officer Dan Lenson finally gets his commission, it's an aging World War II destroyer. Now, with a mix of pride and fear, he heads into the world's most dangerous seas.
As the Ryan plunges into the dark waters of the Arctic Circle at the height of storm season, Lenson and the crew pursue a mysterious and menacing enemy. But he soon discovers a foe even more dangerous within the Ryan, advancing a shocking agenda that drives the ship closer and closer to disaster-testing Lenson's life and loyalty to their very limit.
543 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1992
107 people are currently reading
252 people want to read
About the author
David Poyer
82 books240 followersAka D.C. Poyer.
DAVID C. POYER was born in DuBois, PA in 1949. He grew up in Brockway, Emlenton, and Bradford, in western Pennsylvania, and graduated from Bradford Area High School in 1967. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1971, and later received a master's degree from George Washington University.
Poyer's active and reserve naval service included sea duty in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, Arctic, Caribbean, and Pacific, and shore duty at the Pentagon, Surface Warfare Development Group, Joint Forces Command, and in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. He retired in July 2001.
Poyer began writing in 1976, and is the author of nearly fifty books, including THE MED, THE GULF, THE CIRCLE, THE PASSAGE, TOMAHAWK, CHINA SEA, BLACK STORM, THE COMMAND, THE THREAT, KOREA STRAIT, THE WEAPON, THE CRISIS, THE CRUISER, TIPPING POINT, HUNTER KILLER, DEEP WAR, OVERTHROW, VIOLENT PEACE, ARCTIC SEA, and THE ACADEMY, best-selling Navy novels; THE DEAD OF WINTER, WINTER IN THE HEART, AS THE WOLF LOVES WINTER, THUNDER ON THE MOUNTAIN, and THE HILL, set in Western Pennsylvania; and HATTERAS BLUE, BAHAMAS BLUE, LOUISIANA BLUE, and DOWN TO A SUNLESS SEA, underwater diving adventure.
Other noteworthy books are THE ONLY THING TO FEAR, a historical thriller, THE RETURN OF PHILO T. McGIFFIN, a comic novel of Annapolis, and the three volumes of The Civil War at Sea, FIRE ON THE WATERS, A COUNTRY OF OUR OWN, and THAT ANVIL OF OUR SOULS. He's also written two sailing thrillers, GHOSTING and THE WHITENESS OF THE WHALE. His work has been published in Britain, translated into Japanese, Dutch, Italian, Hugarian, and Serbo-Croatian; recorded for audiobooks, iPod downloads, and Kindle, and selected by the Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club and other book clubs. Rights to several properties have been sold or optioned for films, and two novellas appeared in the Night Bazaar series of fantasy anthologies.
Poyer has taught or lectured at Annapolis, Flagler College, University of Pittsburgh, Old Dominion University, the Armed Forces Staff College, the University of North Florida, Christopher Newport University, and other institutions. He has been a guest on PBS's "Writer to Writer" series and on Voice of America, and has appeared at the Southern Festival of Books and many other literary events. He taught in the MA/MFA in Creative Writing program at Wilkes University for sixteen years. He is currently core faculty at the Ossabaw Writers Retreat, a fellow of the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, and a board member of the Northern Appalachia Review.
He lives on Virginia's Eastern Shore with novelist Lenore Hart.
DAVID C. POYER was born in DuBois, PA in 1949. He grew up in Brockway, Emlenton, and Bradford, in western Pennsylvania, and graduated from Bradford Area High School in 1967. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1971, and later received a master's degree from George Washington University.
Poyer's active and reserve naval service included sea duty in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, Arctic, Caribbean, and Pacific, and shore duty at the Pentagon, Surface Warfare Development Group, Joint Forces Command, and in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. He retired in July 2001.
Poyer began writing in 1976, and is the author of nearly fifty books, including THE MED, THE GULF, THE CIRCLE, THE PASSAGE, TOMAHAWK, CHINA SEA, BLACK STORM, THE COMMAND, THE THREAT, KOREA STRAIT, THE WEAPON, THE CRISIS, THE CRUISER, TIPPING POINT, HUNTER KILLER, DEEP WAR, OVERTHROW, VIOLENT PEACE, ARCTIC SEA, and THE ACADEMY, best-selling Navy novels; THE DEAD OF WINTER, WINTER IN THE HEART, AS THE WOLF LOVES WINTER, THUNDER ON THE MOUNTAIN, and THE HILL, set in Western Pennsylvania; and HATTERAS BLUE, BAHAMAS BLUE, LOUISIANA BLUE, and DOWN TO A SUNLESS SEA, underwater diving adventure.
Other noteworthy books are THE ONLY THING TO FEAR, a historical thriller, THE RETURN OF PHILO T. McGIFFIN, a comic novel of Annapolis, and the three volumes of The Civil War at Sea, FIRE ON THE WATERS, A COUNTRY OF OUR OWN, and THAT ANVIL OF OUR SOULS. He's also written two sailing thrillers, GHOSTING and THE WHITENESS OF THE WHALE. His work has been published in Britain, translated into Japanese, Dutch, Italian, Hugarian, and Serbo-Croatian; recorded for audiobooks, iPod downloads, and Kindle, and selected by the Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club and other book clubs. Rights to several properties have been sold or optioned for films, and two novellas appeared in the Night Bazaar series of fantasy anthologies.
Poyer has taught or lectured at Annapolis, Flagler College, University of Pittsburgh, Old Dominion University, the Armed Forces Staff College, the University of North Florida, Christopher Newport University, and other institutions. He has been a guest on PBS's "Writer to Writer" series and on Voice of America, and has appeared at the Southern Festival of Books and many other literary events. He taught in the MA/MFA in Creative Writing program at Wilkes University for sixteen years. He is currently core faculty at the Ossabaw Writers Retreat, a fellow of the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, and a board member of the Northern Appalachia Review.
He lives on Virginia's Eastern Shore with novelist Lenore Hart.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
January 28, 2018
This one in the series seems to mimic Reeman. Which is no bad thing.
July 9, 2013
One of my favorite naval fiction novels ever. Poyer's characters are some of the best, even the minor ones.
Dan Lenson has been assigned to an old, on the verge of being decommissioned destroyer. The crew is divided and some are down right untrustworthy and mutinous. Add in a harrowing storm in the Arctic Circle and you have a winner. Life aboard a destroyer is done so well, he even gets the small things right.
Well, almost. Once the at-sea part is over and it goes to the court martial, just skip to the epilogue. You'll thank me.
In the end: excellent characters, a well portrayed life on a small destroyer, anti-submarine warfare tactics, and realistic storm sequences makes this a must read for anyone who served on a destroyer or has any interest in the Navy, or just loves a good sea story.
Dan Lenson has been assigned to an old, on the verge of being decommissioned destroyer. The crew is divided and some are down right untrustworthy and mutinous. Add in a harrowing storm in the Arctic Circle and you have a winner. Life aboard a destroyer is done so well, he even gets the small things right.
Well, almost. Once the at-sea part is over and it goes to the court martial, just skip to the epilogue. You'll thank me.
In the end: excellent characters, a well portrayed life on a small destroyer, anti-submarine warfare tactics, and realistic storm sequences makes this a must read for anyone who served on a destroyer or has any interest in the Navy, or just loves a good sea story.
December 9, 2019
What if you had a book that was a combination of The Perfect Storm, Hunt for Red October and a Few Good Men......well, this one kinda took that a slight different direction and did all three in order. It really was almost a trilogy all in one story. Usually that sort of book I'd call out the editor, but honestly - it worked very well. Got a full view of "man enters Navy and ships up to the Arctic circle, learning the ropes form all angles, and freezing. Then, ship and men are tested to their limits tracking a sub." That comes to a rousing conclusion.....and then we get a whole other story about naval manuevers (that go wrong) and a full on navy courtroom drama, as well as a side story into how love works or doesn't when it comes to being apart.
This definitely goes real deep on the intricacies of bearings and chartings and all kinds of things involved with actually piloting a destroyer - if fully uninterested in that, probably not a book for you. However, if at all intrigued by how the Navy and it's people really work, this is a terrific view of it.
I didn't realize this was part of a series till after I was done (and I'm not sure how this was number 3 unless they aren't done chronologically) - may check out one of the others in the future.
This definitely goes real deep on the intricacies of bearings and chartings and all kinds of things involved with actually piloting a destroyer - if fully uninterested in that, probably not a book for you. However, if at all intrigued by how the Navy and it's people really work, this is a terrific view of it.
I didn't realize this was part of a series till after I was done (and I'm not sure how this was number 3 unless they aren't done chronologically) - may check out one of the others in the future.
November 10, 2019
Excellent read. Gave great insight on life on an ageing Navy destroyer.
January 17, 2019
There are many great stories about men who go to sea and find themselves presented with the challenge to perform well, regardless of weather and sea state. Add to that list David Poyer's terrific novel "The Circle." This book is part of Poyer's Dan Lenson series, and it focuses on Lenson's first assignment as an ensign fresh out of Annapolis. Lenson reports for duty aboard the USS "Reynolds Ryan," a World War 2 era destroyer. The ship has been tasked to test and evaluate secret sonar equipment under adverse conditions in the Arctic Sea. The equipment evaluation is called off due to unforeseen complications, and the destroyer is then attached to a naval task force carrying out a simulated combat exercise. Things appear to run smoothly, then tragedy strikes... This is a powerful story, giving the reader a sense of what a junior naval officer might face when on sea duty. It's certainly worth searching out.
January 15, 2021
Thoughtfully crafted thriller grounded in the deep personal expertise of the author, not just for the technical aspects of life on a US destroyer, but also for the human side of the story. Mr. Poyer has now become one of my all-time favorite authors. Reading his works is not only educational, but grippingly interesting.
January 24, 2018
Another outstanding Poyer book. This one kept me up nights.
This is another outstanding naval story. I lost sleep on a couple evenings reading past my regular bed time. Unfortunately I read this one out of sequence, but each book is capable of standing on it's own.
This is another outstanding naval story. I lost sleep on a couple evenings reading past my regular bed time. Unfortunately I read this one out of sequence, but each book is capable of standing on it's own.
March 31, 2015
Chronologically, this is the first of the series as it covers events only eluded to in the previous two books. I've come late to the series, but am enjoying it.
December 17, 2015
Excellent and perfect to understand the navy culture
June 21, 2016
Read multiple times.
April 3, 2020
I am somewhat torn in my opinion of this book. On the one hand, I understand what the author was trying to convey. He was paining a picture of the what it is like to be aboard a combat vessel during th cold war, when there were frequent stand offs between American and Soviet ships at sea. These stand off must have been stressful and dangerous beyond belief, the captains of these ships had to make hard choices about what to do and when to do, and I am sure this often caused the lose of life. I think over all the author did an okay job of bringing that across.
On the other hand, I did not find the authors writing style to be terribly interesting. The plot moved along too slowly, sometime getting mired in unimportant details. The book was really two stories, had the book ended after the first part, I think I probably would have rated it higher, but the story went on for another 200 pages. I did not find any of the characters particularly compelling and it was fairly obvious how any given character was going to react to the situation at hand.
So over all, this was a decent book, not a great, but okay. I admit, part of that is I do not particularly care for this type of fiction. If you enjoy military style fiction, you will likely enjoy this book, however if you are looking for a fast moving adventure novel, this is not it.
On the other hand, I did not find the authors writing style to be terribly interesting. The plot moved along too slowly, sometime getting mired in unimportant details. The book was really two stories, had the book ended after the first part, I think I probably would have rated it higher, but the story went on for another 200 pages. I did not find any of the characters particularly compelling and it was fairly obvious how any given character was going to react to the situation at hand.
So over all, this was a decent book, not a great, but okay. I admit, part of that is I do not particularly care for this type of fiction. If you enjoy military style fiction, you will likely enjoy this book, however if you are looking for a fast moving adventure novel, this is not it.
May 28, 2022
Kudos to David Porter for writing a nautical thriller that kept me turning the pages. The prologue informs the reader that Dan Lenson, a recent graduate of the US Naval Academy who has received his first assignment aboard the U.S.S Ryan, which is an ancient, badly in need of a total makeover World War II destroyer is awaiting the results of a court marshal hearing. Something has happened on the Ryan as it follows its orders to head to the Arctic Circle. Lenson soon learns that he is dealing with a lazy and an corrupt undisciplined crew. As the crew battles an Arctic hurricane and huge waves coating every piece of the ship's surface with ice, the captain receives orders to track a rogue nuclear Soviet submarine and then link with an aircraft carrier. Poyers's descriptions swept me right along with every disaster the ship faces. Knowing that a court marshal hearing will occur, Poyer builds the suspense for the reader. Who will survive, who will be court marshaled and what is the reason for the trial. I highly recommend it.
January 7, 2025
Recommended
In this, the third book published in the series, Poyer writes a novel placed chronologically as the first in the series. Dan Lenson, fresh out of the academy, is on his first tour. Poyer writes in a way that the reader is submerged in the tour also. It felt longer than the two and a half weeks described in the artic. Not boring, although some of the technical jargon was confusing, but wearing in the sense that one understands implicitly what these men are going through.
How our Navy has been as successful in battles as it has been is beyond me considering what is expected of the sailors. It goes beyond human endurance.
Having read Black Storm first (excellent) and then starting at the first published in the series, then reading this one which is actually the "first" time wise, gave me a very interesting perspective and insight on the evolution and development of Dan's relationship with his wife Susan.
In this, the third book published in the series, Poyer writes a novel placed chronologically as the first in the series. Dan Lenson, fresh out of the academy, is on his first tour. Poyer writes in a way that the reader is submerged in the tour also. It felt longer than the two and a half weeks described in the artic. Not boring, although some of the technical jargon was confusing, but wearing in the sense that one understands implicitly what these men are going through.
How our Navy has been as successful in battles as it has been is beyond me considering what is expected of the sailors. It goes beyond human endurance.
Having read Black Storm first (excellent) and then starting at the first published in the series, then reading this one which is actually the "first" time wise, gave me a very interesting perspective and insight on the evolution and development of Dan's relationship with his wife Susan.
abandoned
August 20, 2021The 3rd book, but first chronologically and recommended as the first book by the author, in the Dan Lenson series, which tells the story of a naval officer from the start of his career. I imagine he is like a Forrest Gump of the modern naval battles. *The Circle* is set, I think, late in the Vietnam War era, or just after maybe?
But I abandoned this book after about 200 pages. It is a solid, maybe too solid, military fiction book and, to be honest, it is not the kind of book for me these days. My Want To Read list is well over 2,000 books now, and I have 4 books checked out from the library, so it is time to cut bait. But if military fiction, and naval fiction in specific, is your thing, I'll bet this would more than scratch your itch.
But I abandoned this book after about 200 pages. It is a solid, maybe too solid, military fiction book and, to be honest, it is not the kind of book for me these days. My Want To Read list is well over 2,000 books now, and I have 4 books checked out from the library, so it is time to cut bait. But if military fiction, and naval fiction in specific, is your thing, I'll bet this would more than scratch your itch.
May 4, 2024
The Circle is an excellent read. David Poyer did an outstanding job on this book. The whole series thus far has been great. However, The Circle really is tops. Mr. Poyer puts the reader right in the middle of everything. The book is interesting, exciting and so real that I also most got sea sick reading parts of the book. A really great job.
October 27, 2019
The first half of the book dragged for me. Not familiar with all of the nautical terms and military abbreviations. The second half kept me really interested.
January 25, 2020
A well written Naval thriller. In the same stream as Tom Clancy, Dale Brown, Stephen Coonts etc. A good series well worth reading
May 15, 2020
Dan Lenson good
May 17, 2022
Took me back to my Navy days. I found it hard to put down and even gained some insight into the United States Navy of the Post Vietnam War era. Highly recommend.
December 22, 2024
The first story in Dan Lenson’s career. Worth reading to get the background and explain the lead up to books 1 and 2. A bit more action and fewer side characters than the others to date. Recommended.
February 5, 2024
What might have been a fantastic, fast-paced action thriller was cut off at the knees by the scenes with our hero’s wife. A pity.
Read
December 19, 2015re read of an excellent book by a favorite author
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews