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72 Hours
In August 2005, while conducting a secret mission off the coast of Kamchatka, a Russian Navy submarine became snared in thick cables. Without power, the stricken boat sunk to the seafloor, and the clock began to tick on a rescue mission to save the crew. '72 Hours' tells the story of an extraordinary, real-life drama.
272 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 24, 2025
A decent read based on a true story. It’s a decent thriller that did grip me at times.
January 31, 2015
Written like a taught thriller, this highly readable true story chronicles the tense international rescue effort to save seven Russian submariners from a certain and lonely death, below the cold seawater off a deserted coastline.
The book neatly weaves in the history of submarine rescue as teams from England and the US battle time, weather and idealist bigotry to test procedures and equipment in a challenging underwater environment, where their Russian hosts can only match cutting edge technology with rusting metalwork and insufficient engineering support.
This is a really incredible tale of a point in time when the cold war thawed momentarily and a few key Russians focused on the common good rather than political doctrines, allowing the English team to do their stuff. The principal characters are well written and the tension and team frustrations are clearly brought to life.
The only reason I can think of for not reading this book is a susceptibility to claustrophobia, but even that should be pushed aside.
The book neatly weaves in the history of submarine rescue as teams from England and the US battle time, weather and idealist bigotry to test procedures and equipment in a challenging underwater environment, where their Russian hosts can only match cutting edge technology with rusting metalwork and insufficient engineering support.
This is a really incredible tale of a point in time when the cold war thawed momentarily and a few key Russians focused on the common good rather than political doctrines, allowing the English team to do their stuff. The principal characters are well written and the tension and team frustrations are clearly brought to life.
The only reason I can think of for not reading this book is a susceptibility to claustrophobia, but even that should be pushed aside.
October 29, 2020
The perfect balance between suspenseful rescue story and intriguing submarine rescue history textbook. Really great at conveying complex military/naval concepts and dramatizing the harrowing story.
November 20, 2016
A suspenseful, true-life tale
January 19, 2020
Recensione pubblicata su Cronache di Betelgeuse
Basato su una storia vera, questo libro riesce a rapirti fin dalle prime pagine. L’idea di rimanere intrappolati in un piccolo sottomarino, con risorse limitate, sperando che qualcuno venga a salvarti è claustrofobica e micidiale.
L’autore riesce a ricreare con maestria lo scorrere inesorabile del tempo, che minaccia sempre più la vita degli uomini rinchiusi sul fondo dell’oceano. Scopriamo chi sono i soccorritori, dove si trovavano al momento della tragedia e come hanno reagito. Non solo, il loro passato è fondamentale per renderli le persone giuste per intervenire in poco tempo e salvare delle vite.
Da un lato abbiamo la Russia, che non fa di certo una bella figura nel libro. Immersi nella burocrazia, con l’obiettivo di evitare un nuovo scandalo sulle prime pagine dei giornali, gli ufficiali tentano di minimizzare il problema. Le ore preziose che sono sprecate all’inizio della vicenda sono dei macigni incredibili che ci trasciniamo durante tutta la lettura. Il fatto che tutto il mondo voglia aiutarli non semplifica le operazioni, ma rende i russi più sospettosi temendo che possano infiltrarsi agenti per rubare i loro segreti. Sembra quasi che non abbiano a cuore gli uomini nel sottomarino, ma li considerino solo un fastidio.
La tenacia del mondo esterno, per non abbandonare la speranza fino all’ultimo secondo, è il tratto più forte del libro. Nonostante le varie avversità da affrontare, i soccorritori inventano e studiano nuovi strattagemmi per guadagnare tempo. Ogni minuto permette loro di avvicinarsi al sottomarino e capire come liberare le persone intrappolate.
Le tecnologie utilizzate, a meno che non siate appassionati d’immersioni, sembrano sofisticate e ultra avanzate. Ogni minimo sobbalzo o intoppo, che rischia d’incrinare le macchine, ci fa tremare per la paura. Non andate a sbirciare sulle cronache di quegli anni come sia andata a finire la storia, ma godetevi il ritmo e la narrazione serrata fino all’ultima pagina.
Basato su una storia vera, questo libro riesce a rapirti fin dalle prime pagine. L’idea di rimanere intrappolati in un piccolo sottomarino, con risorse limitate, sperando che qualcuno venga a salvarti è claustrofobica e micidiale.
L’autore riesce a ricreare con maestria lo scorrere inesorabile del tempo, che minaccia sempre più la vita degli uomini rinchiusi sul fondo dell’oceano. Scopriamo chi sono i soccorritori, dove si trovavano al momento della tragedia e come hanno reagito. Non solo, il loro passato è fondamentale per renderli le persone giuste per intervenire in poco tempo e salvare delle vite.
Da un lato abbiamo la Russia, che non fa di certo una bella figura nel libro. Immersi nella burocrazia, con l’obiettivo di evitare un nuovo scandalo sulle prime pagine dei giornali, gli ufficiali tentano di minimizzare il problema. Le ore preziose che sono sprecate all’inizio della vicenda sono dei macigni incredibili che ci trasciniamo durante tutta la lettura. Il fatto che tutto il mondo voglia aiutarli non semplifica le operazioni, ma rende i russi più sospettosi temendo che possano infiltrarsi agenti per rubare i loro segreti. Sembra quasi che non abbiano a cuore gli uomini nel sottomarino, ma li considerino solo un fastidio.
La tenacia del mondo esterno, per non abbandonare la speranza fino all’ultimo secondo, è il tratto più forte del libro. Nonostante le varie avversità da affrontare, i soccorritori inventano e studiano nuovi strattagemmi per guadagnare tempo. Ogni minuto permette loro di avvicinarsi al sottomarino e capire come liberare le persone intrappolate.
Le tecnologie utilizzate, a meno che non siate appassionati d’immersioni, sembrano sofisticate e ultra avanzate. Ogni minimo sobbalzo o intoppo, che rischia d’incrinare le macchine, ci fa tremare per la paura. Non andate a sbirciare sulle cronache di quegli anni come sia andata a finire la storia, ma godetevi il ritmo e la narrazione serrata fino all’ultima pagina.
September 4, 2013
Detailing the rescue of a slightly lesser known Russian submarine disaster off their east coast (the Kursk disaster, and the loss of all hands, having only taken place 5 years prior), and the international rescue team that managed to rescue the sailors in this instance.
With is story having a much happier ending, it is easy to see why Frank Pope choose to chronicle is underwater disaster. The only real drawback I found reading 72 Hours were the multitude of perspective which were trying to share their experience of the events. And while I can appreciate the effect and research this must have taken, I feel the story could have kept more of its focus and intensity by narrowing its range of POV.
Definitely a must read for fans of Clive Cussler (or that genre of semi-nonfictional adventure tale) or military buffs, I certainly enjoyed that this novel was "from" the perspective of their British team involved - always a fresh take in our Western-US "ra ra" mediasphere. B
With is story having a much happier ending, it is easy to see why Frank Pope choose to chronicle is underwater disaster. The only real drawback I found reading 72 Hours were the multitude of perspective which were trying to share their experience of the events. And while I can appreciate the effect and research this must have taken, I feel the story could have kept more of its focus and intensity by narrowing its range of POV.
Definitely a must read for fans of Clive Cussler (or that genre of semi-nonfictional adventure tale) or military buffs, I certainly enjoyed that this novel was "from" the perspective of their British team involved - always a fresh take in our Western-US "ra ra" mediasphere. B
November 24, 2018
A fascinating insight into a story that's all too easy to brush aside when hearing or reading news stories.
December 3, 2012
A gripping and detailed re-telling of the events around the rescue of a Russian minisub by a specialist British unit and the effects of these events on the teams, families and crew involved.
With various viewpoints converging onto the event and a seeming race between the US unit and the British, whilst battling to reach the stricken crew in time, the reader is kept finely balanced on the edge of frustration and panicked excitement.
Thoroughly recommended.
With various viewpoints converging onto the event and a seeming race between the US unit and the British, whilst battling to reach the stricken crew in time, the reader is kept finely balanced on the edge of frustration and panicked excitement.
Thoroughly recommended.
July 6, 2014
My rating is more for the story than the writing. Why don't we hear more of this kind of thing - where old rivals do actually work together for good not evil.
I felt for the crew and their families who not only had to deal with a catastrophe but the knowledge that their country would not be able to rescue them. All credit to those sailors who put their lives on the line for their country despite their governments.
A gripping tale of suspense and political intrigue where none should have been.
I felt for the crew and their families who not only had to deal with a catastrophe but the knowledge that their country would not be able to rescue them. All credit to those sailors who put their lives on the line for their country despite their governments.
A gripping tale of suspense and political intrigue where none should have been.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews