The Second Sun

World War II Navy #11

by P. T. Deutermann

A taut, suspenseful historical thriller set in the months of Did Japan also have an atomic weapon, and did America bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki to pre-empt an attack on its fleet?

A masterful historical thriller set during the waning months of World War II, The Second Sun poses a provocative Did Japan test an atomic weapon, and did America know about it in advance of its own decision to drop two nuclear bombs?

March 1945: After a career of commanding destroyers in the Pacific theater of WWII, Captain Wolfe Bowen is based in Washington, DC, working for the Chief of Naval Operations. Bowen receives an urgent call from the commander of the naval shipyard in Portsmouth, New A German U-boat has been captured and brought to port. But what grabs Bowen’s attention is the presence of two Japanese civilians on board, along with the massive size of the U-boat itself. What these civilians know about the cargo of the U-boat, as well as its destination, begins a race against time that will change the course of history.

When President Franklin Delano Roosevelt dies, Harry Truman ascends to office with no prior knowledge of the Manhattan Project. Bowen is assigned a dangerous Discover whether Japan has the technology to produce an atomic weapon, and find out how close the desperate enemy is to deploying it. Working with a small team—including Captain Villem Amherst Van Rensselaer, part of the inner circle on the Manhattan Project, and Lieutenant Commander Janet Waring, a naval intelligence officer and skilled translator of Japanese—Bowen must report back to President Truman with the information that will transform the war—and the world.

Brilliantly imagined and deeply informed by P. T. Deutermann’s long history as a navy captain, as well as his family’s service in the Pacific theater, The Second Sun is a compelling novel timed for the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Thriller, World War II, Fiction, Military Fiction, War

Kindle Edition

First published March 18, 2025

Reviews

[Barb in Maryland · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author sure knows how to tell a good story and this one is a humdinger.
It's 1945, the war in Europe is over, the US is gearing up for a final showdown with Japan. And our hero, Navy Captain Wolfe Bowen, gets involved in matters way above his pay grade, which end up sending him on a dangerous mission into Japanese waters.
I really enjoyed this one. I learned a few things, as well!
I am being deliberately vague, because of the need to avoid spoilers. I certainly wasn't expecting the direction that this story took.
The author's comments at the end were greatly appreciated, as well as very informative.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! It’s a fascinating look at the US and Japanese competition in developing the atomic bomb. A good part of the book examines the US nuclear program (The Manhattan Project) and focuses on the question of whether or not the Japanese were actively engaged in producing and testing an atom bomb. The author doesn’t just end with the dropping of the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He doesn’t shy away from painting a vivid picture of the devastation, horror and catastrophic impact on the survivors in the aftermath of those bombings. He also acknowledges that the use of the atomic bomb changed the world forever and that the US and Japan needed to find a path forward beyond the hatred, distrust and blame to forge an alliance to create stability in Southeast Asia. The intertwining of historical details within this fictionalization of the World War II nuclear arms race and its devastating aftermath, has created a riveting and realistic picture of that time period in our history.

[Ed Rabinowitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this advance reader’s copy, in exchange for an honest review. “The Second Sun” has an expected publication date of March 18, 2025.
And you can check out all my reviews at my Raised on Reading (www.raisedonreading.com) blog site.
Questions have circulated for decades over the United States’ use of an atomic bomb over Japan to end World War II. Was Japan also in the process of developing a nuclear weapon? And if so, how might it have been used?
Those questions and more are examined in P.T. Deutermann’s “The Second Sun,” a suspenseful World War II thriller that is informative, engaging, and doesn’t shy away from the moral issues facing the decision-makers back in 1945.
After a career of commanding destroyers in the Pacific, Captain Wolfe Bowen now works in Washington, DC, in the office of the Chief of Naval Operations. A phone call from the commander of the naval shipyard in Portsmouth, New Hampshire alerts Bowen that a German U-boat (the Germans had recently surrendered) has been captured and brought to port. Not unusual, perhaps, except that two of the passengers are Japanese civilians. And what they tell Bowen sets in motion a race against time to discover whether Japan has the technology to produce an atomic weapon.
Bowen teams with Captain Villem Amherst Van Rensselaer, a leader of the Manhattan Project, and Lieutenant Commander Janet Waring, a naval intelligence officer and skilled translator of Japanese, to address the question few have asked to this point in the war: Does Japan have a nuclear weapons program? All prior attention had been focused on Germany.
Awaiting the answer to that question is Harry Truman, recently ascended to the presidency after Franklin Roosevelt died. There are military issues to be considered, for sure. But Truman also wrestles with the moral dilemma of launching a nuclear attack over cities occupied by thousands of civilians. What Bowen and Waring discover will have a significant impact on the war, and the world going forward.
Deutermann’s writing is vivid. His description of a nuclear detonation is frightening. And the narrative of the devastation in Hiroshima and Nagasaki is bone-chilling. Character development is thorough, with ample backstory to give them depth and dimension. It’s easy to understand the catch-22 felt by career naval officers like Bowen, torn between hatred for the enemy and compassion for the thousands of innocent victims of war.
At 304 pages, “The Second Sun” is a quick and captivating read that I’m happy to highly recommend and give it a full five stars.

[Jeannine · Rating 5 out of 5]

P.T. Deutermann is a new to me author and I am glad to have discovered him. The Second Sun is a work of historical fiction centering on the decision to use the atomic bomb against Japan at the end of WWII. The main characters are two naval intelligence officers and the role they play in gathering first person intelligence and reporting that back to President Truman. I am not a WWII scholar so I cannot speak to the facts so I review it more from the fiction aspect. The author is a great writer, he constructs a wonderful story that moves along, believable characters, good dialog and pacing, he does not over dramatize any aspect. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and it stirred in me a desire to read a bit more about that aspect of history. I will be reading more by this author!

#netgalley #thesecondsun

[Ado Mohammed · Rating 2 out of 5]

For once, Deutermann disappoints. The book clearly starts in March, 1945, yet, in a few pages it's talking about the Germans having already surrendered, something which didn't happen till May, 1945.

And there are still more cases of that. In chapter 7, Night Train, there's a discussion about how far the Germans got with their nuclear programme before their surrender, and then news of FDR's death is received, a historical event which happend on the 12th of April, about four weeks before the formal German surrender.

These historical inaccuracies, which are pretty obvious to anyone with a passing knowledge of WW II, shouldn't have reached the point of publication.

[Hannah Weaver · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book checked all the boxes for me as far as my initial interest. Unfortunately he just didn’t stay in any one area long enough for my taste. I couldn’t really pick out any one climax. It was a little too much of the military lingo that I couldn’t understand, as I am interested in military history, but have never been in the military myself.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

First half was good, but the novel was 50% too long and the romance angle was annoying.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Second Sun is a very interesting book: a combination of World War II history many of us may have already read about, speculation about a secret part of the war that may or may not actually be true but is tantalizing nonetheless, and a budding romance, all told by the main character in a surprisingly noir-ish fashion.

The war is finally nearing its end: Germany has surrendered, the U. S. is about to test atomic weapons, Japan is still out there fighting but it’s only a matter of time before they, too, are overpowered – unless it’s true that they have also been developing atomic weapons that are now nearly ready to use, making an Allied invasion off their coast very dangerous indeed.

Captain Wolfe Bowen saw a lot of action commanding ships in the Pacific and is now based in Washington, DC, working for the Chief of Naval Operations. He’s been around and knows his way around, a bit weary of the war and the Navy, large, fit, a weightlifter, direct and to the point, sometimes sarcastic, single by choice. By chance hearing what may be just a little too much information, he is quickly pulled into the world of big secrets: The Manhattan Project. Lieutenant Commander Janet Waring is also based in Washington with the Office of Naval Intelligence. Based on many factors, including her history living in Japan, she is also read into the project. Neither Bowen nor Waring have a choice in accepting their new missions. If they refuse they will likely be sent somewhere out of sight for the duration.

After witnessing a test of the bomb in the desert, Bowen is sent across the world to try and see if there is indeed a testing ground off the coast of Korea and to secretly observe any tests made. If he does, he is to report back immediately to President Truman who will use this info in making his decision regarding dropping our bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Waring is to use her position and credentials to probe Washington, find out who knows what and if this secret is really a secret and provide that information to the President as well.

The Second Son is fast-paced and suspenseful and often humorous. Just when the history lessons and detailed descriptions of everything atomic start to get too dry, author P. T. Deutermann pops in another action scene. Waring and Bowen are instantly comfortable with each other and work well together. There is a physical attraction; they are both adults who have made intentional choices in the past and they feel themselves possibly moving towards something more permanent. I received an advance copy of The Second Sun from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. It was a fascinating read, thought-provoking, well-written with characters both historical and fictional. As for the noir-ish feel? He’s not a detective even though he’s on a secret mission, but there is just something about the way Bowen talks and acts that feels like he could have been Sam Spade. A little odd at first but then totally fits. Recommend this book without hesitation. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.

[William de_Rham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Those who enjoy novels set during WWII or that have to do with the Manhattan Project and President Truman’s decision to employ the Atomic Bomb against Japan are in for a treat. P. T. Deutermann’s newest novel “The Second Sun” deals with all that and more.

The year is 1945. Germany has surrendered. Japan fights on, inflicting thousands upon thousands of casualties as American forces invade the home islands of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. The battle for the rest of Japan promises to be even more bloody, costing perhaps one-half-million American lives.

U.S. Navy Captain Wolfe Bowen spent the first half of the war commanding destroyers and cruisers. Now, he works as a staffer for the Chief of Naval Operations, Ernest J. King. When he’s assigned to inspect a captured German submarine just towed into Portsmouth, N.H., he discovers something he has no business knowing—something that could send him far away to spend the rest of the war incommunicado. Instead, he finds himself dragooned into the Manhattan Project and given duties that send him and the devastatingly attractive Lieutenant Commander Janet Waring of Naval Intelligence across the country, and then the Pacific, as the U.S. comes to grips with the dawn of the Atomic Age, the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and how it now might remold Japan to become a crucial ally in the region.

Along the way, they interact with a variety of historical figures, including President Harry S. Truman, Admirals William D. Leahy, Ernest J. King, and Chester W. Nimitz, General Douglas MacArthur, General Leslie Groves, and William Oppenheimer. The first part of their assignment is to determine how close Japan might be to developing an atomic weapon capable of destroying the 1,000-ship invasion fleet being assembled. The second part is to go to Japan to survey the destruction, not just to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but also to Tokyo, which was the target of massive fire-bombing.

Author P. T. Deutermann is a masterful storyteller who has excellent command of the period and figures about which he writes. In many ways, I found his work reminiscent of Herman Wouk’s “Winds of War” and “War and Remembrance.” Like Wouk, Mr. Deutermann succeeded in transporting me back to the final stages of the war and its aftermath and had me thoroughly caught up in his story and its characters.

My thanks to NetGalley, author P. T. Deutermann, and publisher St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a complimentary ARC. All of the foregoing is my honest and independent opinion.

[John Purvis · Rating 4 out of 5]

P. T. Deutermann (http://www.ptdeutermann.com) is the author of more than 25 novels. The Second Sun was published late last March. It is the 26th book I completed reading in 2025.

I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com with the expectation of a fair and honest review. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to minor scenes of violence, language, and mature situations, I categorize this novel as PG.

US Navy Captain Wolfe Bowen works for the Chief of Naval Operations in Washington D. C. The war in Europe is over, and the German ships at sea are surrendering. When Bowen receives an urgent call from the commander of the naval shipyard in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, his life takes an unexpected twist. An unusually large sub has surrendered and, surprisingly, two of those aboard are Japanese civilians. When their cargo of partially refined uranium is found, Bowen is drafted into the very secret Manhattan Project.

Bowen soon finds himself working for an old friend, Captain Villem Amherst Van Rensselaer. Rensselaer is part of the inner circle of the Manhattan Project. The revelation of uranium raises the question of just how far the Japanese nuclear program has progressed. With the planned invasion of the Japanese home islands just months away, the threat of a nuclear strike on the invasion fleet suddenly becomes a major threat.

US naval intelligence officer, Lieutenant Commander Janet Waring is pulled into the investigation because of her fluency in Japanese and familiarity with Japanese culture. Working together, Bowen and Waring slowly uncover the details behind Japan’s nuclear program. They also find themselves romantically entangled.

At the direction of the new President, Harry S. Truman, Bowen, Waring, and Rensselaer are charged with discovering how close Japan is to having an operational nuclear weapon.

I enjoyed the 7.5 hours I spent reading this 304-page WWII-era thriller. Mr. Deutermann does an excellent job of weaving facts and speculation together in this novel. I have had the opportunity to read a few other novels by Mr. Deutermann. These include: The Commodore, Red Swan, The Nugget, and Trial by Fire. They have all been exceptional reads. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a rating of 4 out of 5.

You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

[ManOfLaBook.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

For more reviews and bookish posts visit: https://www.ManOfLaBook.com

The Second Sunby P.T. Deutermann is a historical fiction book about a US Navy Captain on a mission to find out if Japan has gotten their hands on a nuclear bomb during World War II. This is the 11thbook in Mr. Deutramann’s World War II series, but the first one I read by the author.

Captain Wolfe Bowen works in Washington DC for the Chief of Naval Operation when he receives a call to come check out a captured German U-Boat with two Japanese civilians on it. It’s determined that the U-Boat is carrying uranium.

Together with Lt. Commander Janet Waring, a Naval intelligence officer who is fluent in Japanese, he must report his findings to President Truman. Bowen’s report could change the course of the war and the world.

I’ve never read any of the author’s previous books, and even though this is the 11th in a series, it’s certainly a standalone book. Mr. Deutermann certainly writes well and certainly knows his stuff.

The Second Sun refers to what the Japanese called the atomic bomb when they saw it. After all, it harnesses the sun’s power to create a weapon. Honestly, I never thought about it that way, but it certainly makes sense.

I enjoyed his explanation of how nuclear devices work, and his descriptions of the explosions are especially poignant. The descriptions of the devastation in Hiroshima and Nagasaki are heart breaking, but it was probably much worse. From some reason, I kept waiting for the “aunt people”, but they never showed up. Maybe because I learned about them a year ago.

I don’t understand why he makes the protagonist repeat several times how much he hates the Japanese, two or three times would have gotten the message across. The novel deals with the ethical questions of nuking civilians, and whether the protagonist hates the Japanese, or whether they “had it coming”, is irrelevant. The fact that the bombs brought the end of the war saving the lives of hundreds of thousands of American GIs is reason enough.

Nevertheless, this is a gripping book, well written and tight. The characters are fully developed each with a backstory to build them up. We don’t really know if Japan had a nuclear bomb, Mr. Deutermann certainly thinks they did and he makes a good case of why they might have.

[Viva · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm at the end of the series now and though on the surface they are WW2 Pacific theater military fiction, underneath all that it's an anti-war series.

Spoilers ahead. The book starts off with the surrender of a German U-boat after Germany unconditionally surrenders. But it's not any U-boat. It's on a mission to Japan with a boat load of uranium. Captain Bowen, from the Chief of Naval Operations office, who just happens to be at the questioning of the U-boat captain and its 2 Japanese passengers is henceforth roped into the plot.

At that time, the Manhattan Project was still a secret. Not even the VP Truman knew about it. Bowen is then sent to observe the test explosion of the first atom bomb (Trinity test in New Mexico) and then sent to the coast of Korea at Hungnam via submarine to see the Japanese test their own atom bomb. The whole purpose of this was to convince Truman to use the 2 A-bombs, which he did.

The second half of the book talks about Bowen being sent to Japan to observe the effects of the bombs on the two cities, its residents and their views on the Americans and the future. It also talks about how the Americans want to turn Japan from an old enemy to an ally quickly to counter the new peril: communism, mainly the Chinese but also the Russians.

Lastly Bowen is sent home where the author basically talks about how the bomb has affected American politics and how the people felt about it. I didn't know this but apparently reservations about using the bomb on mainland Japan had begun even before the bombs were used. I don't usually comment outside of the books but after reading the entire series, and being sympathetic to the anti-war cause, it seems that if America had the bomb early on, they should have used it right after Pearl Harbor in order to stop the war and all the deaths and horror that had occurred in the ensuing 3 years.

I've given the other books all 5 stars but the last half of the book seemed to have been unnecessarily drawn out longer than it should have been.

[William Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Second Sun" is the latest novel by P.T. Deutermann, prolific and well informed writer on naval matters and warfare and a personal favorite of mine. My experience of the text comes through an ARC provided to me by St. Martin's Press. In this thoughtful and thought-provoking examination of the possibility of the Japanese having a successful nuclear program in the closing months of World War II, Deutermann once more goes into speculative alternative history but stays very close to the realities of the situation as the curtain came down on World War II in the Pacific. He does a superb job. It is all predicated on the possibility that the Allies, with their fixation on German technological advances, might have missed a corresponding weapons program in Japan. This is fascinating on many levels. For example, how could one explain it without reference to race? Worse, given that everyone understood the kind of implications a nuclear weapon might have, how could the Japanese have been so underestimated as to have developed a weapon without anyone being the wiser? These questions and many more, leap from the pages of this thoroughly intriguing and fast paced tale. It is characterized by Deutermann's expected understanding of inside politics and strategic policy development in the context of world war. The fictional characters are well drawn and are the major explicators of how things get done in the halls of power and what the respective branches of the services have to do with it. You can easily imagine how complicated something like this can get, especially when you throw in the Manhattan Project and the looming invasion of the Japanese home islands. This was so far from anything I had ever seriously contemplated that I immediately began to see the enormous implications for the end of the war and the future Cold War. It is, to put it mildly, a tour de force by an author at the peak of his powers. I recommend it for all collections.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Second Sun
By P.T. Deutermann

This novel deals with the atomic bombs which finally brought WWII to an end – and the aftermath. The story begins with the inadvertent discovery of a surrendered German u-boat which was secretly carrying uranium to Japan. Throughout the war, the allies were concentrated on German efforts to produce an atomic bomb. This would have been a game changer, if the Germans had developed the bomb first. Myopically, the allies never even entertained the possibility that Japan also had a program. But the capture of the German u-boat was a wake-up call.

This is the story of Naval Captain Wolf Bowen and Naval Commander Janet Waring who were paired together to perform three tasks for the United States. First was to secretly witness an atomic weapon test held by the Japanese at a secret facility in Korea, which was basically a slave state to Japan at that time. The second task involved Bowen and Waring witnessing firsthand the nuclear test at Trinity testing grounds in order to recognize a potential Japanese atomic test.

The third task – after the bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki – was to evaluate firsthand the reaction of the Japanese people and to advise President Truman if the Japanese could be rehabilitated and turned into America's strong allies to fight communism in the East.

This is a fascinating book. While a novel, it lays bare the true horrors of the war, the cruelties perpetrated by the Japanese, and the terrible devastation wreaked by the two atomic bombs. This is a must-read for any WWII history buff looking for both sides of the story.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.

[Jeremy Reppy · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Second Sun” was a very interesting work of historical fiction. The concept that Japan may have been working on building their own atomic bomb is not something I had ever thought about. However, the author provides a plausible argument for why it might have been true, and why that information was hidden from the world by both America and Japan.

The story starts with a surrendering German submarine carrying two Japanese civilians (scientists) and a sizable amount of uranium. Captain Bowen, a naval officer who basically is a “fixer” for the Chief of the Navy, will learn about the secret Manhattan Project, and with intelligence officer and Japanese subject matter expert Janet Waring, will be tasked with witnessing the first atomic bomb test and then trying to confirm if Japan was doing something similar.

I liked how when the proper officials began to investigate what Japan might be doing, they came across information that ground-level resources had uncovered and shared with the higher-ups. Due to competition among various military services and government agencies, the information had been compartmentalized. Combined with arrogance and a lack of imagination (Japan could not possibly be advanced enough to be pursuing atomic weapons), the signs of a possible Japanese weapons project went undetected. That is a scenario that is entirely believable.

Some of the most powerful chapters are Bowen and Waring’s visits to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, describing the devastation of the atomic bombs on the cities and their populations, and the horror being experienced by survivors.

[Susan Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Initially I thought this might be an alternate history since there were some dates of real events that had been changed for the book. I am still not certain why it was necessary but it did not detract from a cracking good suspense novel. Wolfe Bowen who has been a Washington fixer is enlisted to go and inspect a German submarine that has surrendered off the coast. In the book Germany has been defeated months before the actual end of the conflict and there are Japanese passengers on board. Japan is still waging war and shows no signs of giving up.

The situation is curious but becomes a matter of national security when something very dangerous is discovered on the sub. The sub was transporting the ingredients for an atomic bomb to Japan. This catches the Americans off guard. Never was there any suspicion that Japan was working on a bomb and the repercussions were horrifying. Wolfe is sent to Korea to get proof of the program and his report puts additional haste to the Manhattan Project.

After the two bombs have ended the war, Wolfe and Janet Waring are sent to Japan on a special project for new President, Harry Truman. Their report will determine the path forward in the post war world. It is exciting, heartbreaking and could well have been ripped from a history book. I was completely immersed in the story. There has never been any reports of the Japanese working towards the A-bomb but it is not beyond the realm of possibility.

Well written and riveting, this deserves five purrs and two paws up.

[Rich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Deutermann tour de force. Just a superb blend of truth and fiction highlighted with his equivalent of Arnold’s “I’ll be back” line. In the case of Deutermann his phrase is darker than a well digger’s ass which is a personal favorite as far as descriptions go. This time we are at the end for Nazi Germany and Albert Speer the acting leader of Germany directs all U-Boats to surrender to the allies after Germany has officially surrendered. Most U-Boats realizing surrendering in Canada or the US is preferable to surrendering to Great Britain after the blitz and the bombing of London do just that and travel whatever distance is necessary and in this case surrender to Canada off Nova Scotia and are then handed over to the United States. Well much to our surprise this U-Boat was full of Uranium destined for Japan. This triggers an Oh Shit moment up the chain of command and a certain Navy Captain is ordered to gather all the information he can under strict secrecy to discover if the Japs have an Atomic Weapons program. The Captain does in fact discover the Atomic testing exists in what is now North Korea and it is a race against time to get our bombs ready before they are able to wipe out our invasion fleet. The action is sharp and the writing is brisk. He poses several fascinating questions in this book and I agree with his conclusions and highly recommend it. Also relevant is that the North Koreans took over the Japanese Atomic facility and isn’t it interesting they now have nuclear weapons ?

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of Uncorrected Digital Galley

Navy Captain Wolfe Bowen, assigned to the office of the Chief of Naval Operations, is alerted to the surrender of a German U-boat at the naval shipyard in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Having a U-boat surrender was not unusual since the surrender of the Germans, but this was particularly noteworthy in that two of the passengers aboard the U-boat are Japanese civilians.

What he learns is something no one had expected: Japan may be developing an atomic weapon.

What does this knowledge mean for the United States and for the war?

=========

Set in 1945, this riveting historical tale pulls readers into the days of World War II and the threat of atomic weaponry. Well-defined, believable characters and a strong sense of place anchor the narrative as the action keeps readers turning pages as fast as possible.

The dilemma surrounding the use of atomic weapons plays a major role in the unfolding story as the moral issues involved are seriously considered. In the telling of this tale, readers will find rich descriptions, commitment, compassion, and a gripping story that keeps the reader engrossed until the final page has been turned.

Readers who enjoy historical fiction as well as those who enjoy war stories will find much to appreciate in this taut, compelling tale.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley
#TheSecondSun #NetGalley

[Suzette · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Second Sun by P. T. Deutermann is a captivating historical novel that skillfully blends a hint of romance into its narrative. Set against the backdrop of World War II, the story provides a detailed and immersive depiction of naval warfare, showcasing Deutermann's expertise in military history.

The novel's plot is driven by its strong character development, particularly the protagonist, whose journey is both thrilling and emotionally resonant. The romantic subplot adds a personal touch to the broader historical events, offering readers a balance between action and intimacy.

Deutermann's writing is vivid and engaging, painting a clear picture of the setting and the era. His attention to historical detail enhances the authenticity of the story, allowing readers to feel fully immersed in the time period. The pacing is generally well-maintained, though there are moments where the narrative could benefit from a slightly quicker tempo.

Overall, The Second Sun is a commendable read for fans of historical fiction, especially those with an interest in naval history. While it occasionally lingers in its descriptions, the novel delivers a satisfying and informative experience, earning a solid 4 out of 5 stars.

[Lisa Henderson-Farr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank You to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Second Sun tells the tale of the race to a nuclear bomb.
In this story the Americans capture a German submarine that has Japanese scientists on board. Upon closer examination of the sub, uranium is found on board. The question is why were there Japanese aboard the ship. The Americans knew about the Germans nuclear research but not that of the Japanese. This begins an investigation to find out just how far along in their research the Japanese are and where could their lab be located.
I haven't read a lot about the nuclear research and bombs used in the second war against Japan and found this book to be quite interesting. My issue with this book is in the writing, as at times it felt very clunky and rushed. Enjoyed the subject content but not the characters. Actually feel like you never really get to know who they were because the story felt so rushed.
If you like this time period you will probably like this book.

[Wayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those of us in our 80's and 90's, THE SECOND SUN is almost like revisiting the early years of our lives. It is a beautifully written historical novel about the end of WWII following the dropping of atomic bombs on 2 Japanese cities.
Though fictional, there is so much that actually happened that what P. T. Deutermann writes about could well have occurred. In addition to real-life characters (Presidents Roosevelt and Truman, and a number of military officers), Deutermann follows the adventures of Capt. Wolfe Bowen and Lt. Commander Janet Waring who were selected by President Truman to travel to the area ruled by the Japanese in order to discover if they possessed atomic bombs and if the US should consider the use of these gigantic killers.
Despite knowing how everything ended up in real life, reading Deutermann's wonderful novel, brings it all to life....the good and the bad.
A perfectly wonderful historical novel. 4 1/2****.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captain Wolfe Bowen gets dragged into the secret of the Manhattan Project after he was summoned from Washington, D. C to Portsmouth (NH) Naval Yard to deal with a surrendering U-Boat that had Japanese civilians on board along with radioactive material. This revelation brought Captain Van Rensselaer to Portsmouth to take over the situation. Bowen got dragged into the clean-up because he no knew too much. Then came the briefing of President Truman on the Project which led to Bowen and Janet Waring of the Office of Naval Intelligence on a whirlwind of adventures involving planes, submarines, and plenty of explosions as they act as special envoys for President Truman to find out what may be possible in regard to engagement with the Japanese. An interesting take at a part of history not often discussed.

Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read this title.

[Jo Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

P.T. Deutermann's World War II books are the most enlightening and entertaining books I have ever read on that subject and I have read every one he has written. As exceptional as those books have been, I think The Second Sun is the most informative and appealing.

I feel that way because the focus of this book is the development of the atomic bomb, a remarkable achievement that surprised the world and that ultimately saved many more lives than it destroyed. And yet because this story is told within the developing and compelling romantic relationship of two naval officers, it brings a human touch that moderates the horrors of war.

I received an ARC for free and gave my honest opinion voluntarily.

[Alli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Was pretty confused on the beginning and couldn't follow - whether bc I don't have enough knowledge about naval structures or it's the time period in general, I don't know

A little sexist and I feel like I was supposed to have some knowledge about WWII ans the Manhattan project beforehand. Comments about the lack of empathy but then still shows a lack of empathy
Tells more than shows. Does not pass the bechdel test

Are the people real?

All the buildup just for the actual bombing to take all of a paragraph halfway through the book

Really didn't love the portrayal of the one woman in the novel

I liked that the book gave me a better understanding of a snapshot of WW2 in a generally accessible way

The last chapter had really good banter

[Mario Mirabelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evidently this author has written over 40 books on WW II and this appears to be one of his better ones based on a number of reviews. It is an excellent based on some loose facts (German subs were transporting technology to Japan as the Allies closed in and German sub commanders definitely would rather surrender to anyone other than the UK) which makes this seem a little closer to reality. In addition, Up until 1940, scientists across the globe did share information about nuclear power. The real question is did Japan have an active nuclear program and how far along were they. This story takes those two questions and creates a compelling, break neck speed thriller with some classic characters. Enjoy.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first foray into P.T. Deutermann's military fiction books. This was an excellent read. I love when books of this genre tell their story from a 1st person perspective. I read it almost like an audio book in my head. I agree w/ other reviewers that the romance angle in this book seemed unnecessary and very out of place. I think it would've done just as well without it. But overall, this was an amazing "what if" scenario in history. Some of the weapons the Japanese were working on were terrifying in real life. If they had gotten a "gadget" (book term reference lol), God knows how the world would've turned out. I will be moving on to P.T.'s story about Iwo Jima next.

[Ron Baumer · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting take on the last days of WW2 and leading up to the dropping of the two atomic weapons. The "what if" presented in the book will make you think it was entirely plausible. I have always enjoyed novels by this author and although this one does not have the same levels of action, it is made up for by the suspense in the story. A good read by a great author.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[wally · Rating 3 out of 5]

finished 3rd july 2025 good read three stars i liked it no more no less kindle library loaner first from deutermann. entertaining story about the closing days of world war two, the development of the atomic bomb, the fall of germany, the surrender of a u-boat that holds curious cargo that sets the story in motion. how close are the japanese to developing the atom bomb? story moves on from there.

[Brian Asalone · Rating 4 out of 5]

A light read suggesting that the Japanese were close to making an atomic bomb. A bit far fetched given the manufacturing muscle needed for such an endeavor. There were some minor annoying errors such as equating the conventional tall boy bombs with the grand slam, as well as errors in the timeline (FDR's death, the date of end of the war with Germany, Truman's take over, are just some of them). I assume the author chose those for dramatic effect.

[Scott · Rating 2 out of 5]

An alternative version of the end of WW2 where Japan is working on an atomic bomb.

While you would think this would create a great backdrop for intrigue and suspense this book delivers none of that.

It reads like an outline with little substance or story to fill in the spaces.

I have enjoyed most of Deutermann's books but this one is easily my least favorite as there was just not much to like in it.