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Trident Deception #3
Ice Station Nautilus
Russia's new ballistic missile submarine, Yuriy Dolgorukiy, is being deployed on its first patrol while America's newest fast attack submarine, North Dakota, is assigned to trail it and collect intel. As the Russian submarine heads under the polar ice cap, its sonar readings reveal the trailing American sub and cause the Russians to begin a radical, evasive maneuver. This, however, fails and the submarines collide, resulting in damage that sends both to the bottom.
The Americans immediately set up a rescue mission, sending a new submarine and a SEAL team to establish an ice camp---Ice Station Nautilus---and stage a rescue. The Russians also send men and material, ostensibly to rescue their own men, but the Russian Special Forces team is also there to take the American base camp and the American sub, leaving no survivors or traces of their actions. As the men in North Dakota struggle to survive, the SEAL team battles for possession of the submarine.
Rick Campbell's Ice Station Nautilus is an epic battle above and below the ice, Special Forces against SEALs, submarine against submarine, with survival on the line.
The Americans immediately set up a rescue mission, sending a new submarine and a SEAL team to establish an ice camp---Ice Station Nautilus---and stage a rescue. The Russians also send men and material, ostensibly to rescue their own men, but the Russian Special Forces team is also there to take the American base camp and the American sub, leaving no survivors or traces of their actions. As the men in North Dakota struggle to survive, the SEAL team battles for possession of the submarine.
Rick Campbell's Ice Station Nautilus is an epic battle above and below the ice, Special Forces against SEALs, submarine against submarine, with survival on the line.
496 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 28, 2016
445 people are currently reading
620 people want to read
About the author
Rick Campbell
12 books344 followersRICK CAMPBELL, a retired Navy Commander, served on four nuclear-powered submarines, finishing his career with tours in the Pentagon and the Washington Navy Yard. On his last submarine, he was one of the two men whose permission is required to launch the submarine's nuclear-warhead-armed missiles.
Upon retirement from the Navy, Rick was offered a two-book deal by Macmillan / St. Martin's Press for his novel The Trident Deception, which was hailed by Booklist as "The best submarine novel written in the last thirty years, since Tom Clancy's classic - The Hunt for Red October". His first six books were Barnes & Noble Top-10 and Amazon #1 bestsellers, and the 7th and 8th books in the series are scheduled for release in April 2024 and spring 2025.
To learn more, visit Rick Campbell's website and his "Submarine 101" page at www.rickcampbellauthor.com.
Upon retirement from the Navy, Rick was offered a two-book deal by Macmillan / St. Martin's Press for his novel The Trident Deception, which was hailed by Booklist as "The best submarine novel written in the last thirty years, since Tom Clancy's classic - The Hunt for Red October". His first six books were Barnes & Noble Top-10 and Amazon #1 bestsellers, and the 7th and 8th books in the series are scheduled for release in April 2024 and spring 2025.
To learn more, visit Rick Campbell's website and his "Submarine 101" page at www.rickcampbellauthor.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
June 25, 2016
Submarine Warfare under the Polar Ice Cap...
Whoa that was exciting and very intense! I realized when I finished that I had been holding my breath for way too long. *inhale-exhale*
It's nice to breathe again. : ) I can't imagine being on a submarine that's running high on carbon dioxide & low on oxygen or having to maneuver around a torpedo flanking my ass. Thankfully I don't foresee encountering any of those problems anytime soon but if you want an up-close & personal taste of close quarter submarine warfare then this book is a must read! The second half of the book was especially fun and suspenseful. It's not bogged down with too many acronyms or too much technical jargon either, so if you're not use to the military or submariner lingo you can still enjoy this book.
Note: This is actually the third book in the series but it reads very well as a stand-alone which is what I did. The other two books are going on my TBR though...
*I received this ARC from NetGalley & St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Whoa that was exciting and very intense! I realized when I finished that I had been holding my breath for way too long. *inhale-exhale*
It's nice to breathe again. : ) I can't imagine being on a submarine that's running high on carbon dioxide & low on oxygen or having to maneuver around a torpedo flanking my ass. Thankfully I don't foresee encountering any of those problems anytime soon but if you want an up-close & personal taste of close quarter submarine warfare then this book is a must read! The second half of the book was especially fun and suspenseful. It's not bogged down with too many acronyms or too much technical jargon either, so if you're not use to the military or submariner lingo you can still enjoy this book.
Note: This is actually the third book in the series but it reads very well as a stand-alone which is what I did. The other two books are going on my TBR though...
*I received this ARC from NetGalley & St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
July 13, 2018
Russian Robbery.
"Russia is a geriatric maritime giant surrounded by much more energetic rivals".- David Axe
"Greatness to the motherland in your glorious deeds".- Russian GRU motto.
"No one but us".- Russian VDV paratrooper creed.
Naval military thrillers. This is a subsection of thrillers that until recently had hit rock bottom. Naval fiction is highly complex and intricate. It's much easier to write about men with guns on land, than it is to write about machines deep sixing each other below the waves. Maritime conflict is like 4D chess, full of complex tactical considerations that the land and air based military do not have to worry about. Doing those tactical considerations justice in a novel is a massive challenge and many authors have failed in doing so. Even Tom Clancy, the man who created modern naval fiction with The Hunt For Red October began to lose his touch, letting overwhelming amounts of detail consume his later novels. The virus soon spread to other writers and by the turn of the century, the Post 9/11 world and the advent of the counter - terrorism thriller had all but killed the naval thriller.
But in this decade, naval thrillers have made a comeback. With the rise of new great powers, there are now more viable antagonists with formidable navies for authors to use than there were in the closing days of the Cold War. Currently there are three authors who currently rule the roost in this subgenre of the military thriller. The first is Larry Bond, the man famed for the Red Storm Rising collaboration with Clancy. The second is David Poyer, a writer whose attention to detail landed his work on the reading list of the Annapolis Academy. And the third author, the one who I consider the best of the bunch is Rick Campbell.
Rick Campbell is the new guy on the block. He has written three naval thrillers with a fourth novel slated for a 2017 release. Like most authors, he writes what he knows. As a veteran of the US Navy for more than 2 decades, he served on submarines, eventually rising to second in command of a Trident Class submarine and being assigned the joint responsibility of firing the chunk of America's nuclear arsenal the Trident carried. This extensive experience has been put to good use in his novels.
Campbell's work concerns the eventful life and times of one C. O'Connor, the National Security Adviser who finds herself becoming the center of geopolitical events in each book. Mr Campbell's writing is characterized by his ability to deliver vivid, fast paced naval fiction that is not bogged down by technical details and also his skill in dreaming up unique and intriguing plot concepts that his counterparts in naval thriller writing would never explores.
Today, I'll be reviewing Campbell's third book "Ice Station Nautilus". The story concerns the Russian Federation attempting to pull of the military intelligence coup of the decade, a heist that if successful would tip the balance of power back in their favor once more. Standing in their way are a team of unarmed US Navy officers, a high ranking government official and a Navy SEAL team that is several hours out. And all this takes place on the most deadly terrain known to man. Now to the review, what happens when a simple plan ends up killing people?
The novel begins by thrusting us straight into the fight. An American submarine and a Russian submarine are engaged in a clash of titans under the Arctic ice caps under a Polar research station. Move, and counter - move ensure with both Submarines taking pot shots at each other with their torpedoes, neither hitting each other until the Russian Sub goes for broke and fires off a shotgun salvo of its own. We then cut to a few days before the battle where a US Naval analyst informs his bosses that Yury Dolgoruky, Russia's premier submarine has been dispatched on her maiden patrol. Another Submarines, the USS North Dakota is dispatched to shadow her and pick up whatever information of the Yury's capabilities that can be gleaned from her tour.
Meanwhile in Moscow, Christine O'Connor is having a tough day at work. Having flown to Russia to help draft a new version of the START arms control agreement, O'Connor finds her hosts, despite cooperating for the most part are stonewalling her on letting the US inspect one submarine in particular, the Yury Dolgoruky. This is due to an ultra - secret missile system that O'Connor suspects is housed on the Dolgoruky and would have the capability to defeat all American countermeasures. Meanwhile, both the North Dakota and Yury Dolgoruky reach the North Pole and begin to stalk and evade each other through the icy depths. Ultimately, their efforts to track and lose each other snowball into a disaster of leviathan proportions. Attempting to pull off a last ditch evasive maneuver, the Dolgoruky and the Dakota crash into each other and find themselves lodged at the bottom of the sea. In Washington and Moscow alarms are sounded and the Americans send a team to a nearby North Pole overseen by Christine O'Connor. Moscow also sends a team, but one with a different mission in mind.
During deliberations, the Russian Defense Minister suffers from a burst of paranoia. Scared that the Americans would take a peak at the Dolgoruky's missile system while helping rescue the trapped submarines, he convinces the Russian President to dispatch a Spetsnaz team that specializes in Arctic Warfare alongside the official rescue unit. The Spetsnaz team's purpose. To leave no witnesses behind as it protects the Russian submarine and dismantles the control centre and computer systems from the American submarine. A daylight robbery which no one will find out about. With their theft planned, the Russians put their heist in motion on a dark, blizzard covered night. And what starts as a simple plan, sees an rain of blood on the snow. With time running out for the innocent crews of the Dolgoruky and Dakota and reinforcements still hours away, an untrained, but cunning American bureaucrat, attempts to survive against some of the top killers on earth. With the Cold War 2.0 kicking off, only one question remains. Who will be the victor and who, the vanquished?
In terms of plot, Ice Station Nautilus is a creative, somewhat daring departure from the usual plot for naval thrillers, namely that of a big, grandiose war. Such a plotline has been done to death so many times by Mr Campbell's peers and robbed the genre of much creativity. While Mr Campbell's excellent second book Empire Rising used this plot concept well, his book The Trident Deception and this novel avoid rehashing it. Ice Station Nautilus is unique in the realm of naval thrillers. It's a rare, up close and personal tale where man and machine are put to the test in a harsh environment. It’s a smaller scale conflict, like a hidden battle in a shadow war that takes place away from the eyes of civilians. Instead of grandiose battles, the situation in this book is far more creative, being part hostage taking, part hunting and part grand larceny. What results is a highly dynamic scenario that will keep you guessing as to who makes it out alive as the heroes and opposition struggle for supremacy on top of the world.
Next, the action and setting. Ice Station Nautilus is among the first military thrillers in this century to explore a part of the world which will become more geopolitically relevant over time. The North Pole. Once merely famous for snow and polar bears, the region’s melting has begun to create shipping lanes that would become a strategic asset and concern for America, Russia, Canada and the Scandinavian countries. The author visited the region back in his US Navy days and recreates the harsh environment with aplomb. Much of the action, apart from detours to the US East Coast and the Kremlin takes place in the surrounding area of a Polar Research Station, both on and underneath the ice. Apart from the potential for frostbite and getting put into a literal deep freeze by over exposure from a blizzard, Campbell’s characters also have to reckon with the uncharted and shifting ice caps under water. The author uses these challenges to create highly gripping action scenes. From the opening attack on the research station where Spetsnaz troopers storm the American team’s camp with chilling precision to a submarine duel under the Barnetts Sea where one wrong move could leave the vanquished frozen it time. Mr Campbell also managed to write perhaps the scariest chapter of a 2016 military thriller, involving one of the main characters attempting to scramble up a sinking submarine as it slowly begins to be crushed by the icy depths. If you have a fear of water, I advise you don’t look because that part of Campbell’s brilliant climax is one of pure, undistilled terror.
Research? This area is a standout. Being a long serving US Navy Veteran, the author more than readily shows off his hard earned expertise in waging maritime warfare. From giving a succinct crash course on how operating submarines in icy conditions requires the usual rulebook to be throw out, to exploring the technology used to recover submarines, Campbell takes the reader into a world that only a select few people inhabit. He however, doesn’t let the reader get lost in all the detail, which is one of his biggest strengths. The author is succinct, efficient and cuts to the heart of the matter as best as he can. He even redeems himself for past errors in this novel. In the previous book, the author made multiple research errors regarding firearms and land tactics. Here however, he accurately namechecks the guns used and gives a good depiction of their capabilities. One gem in particular is the portrayal of the arctic Spetsnaz unit. Unlike most authors who lump the Spetsnaz together, Campbell portrays them accurately, showing that they all have their different capabilities and distinct specialities. I also commend him for selecting a unit that is a little more obscure, and giving it a portrayal that does it justice.
Now to the characters. Here, Campbell finally hits the sweet spot. In the previous two books, his characterization was somewhat scattershot, some good, some bad. But with this third book, it’s all good. There are many standouts, but for the sake of brevity, I’ll focus on just a few. First, Christine O’Connor, the protagonist. I entered Campbell’s series through the second book and when I first came into contact with O’Connor, I must confess, I disliked her. My view was perhaps influenced by reading the books out of order, because after reading the first one, I gained a grudging respect. But in this third book, O’Connor has won me over. In Ice Station Nautilus, readers will get to see the best of Christine O’Connor. Her quick thinking, cunning and survival instinct. Unlike book 2 where she ended up in various situations that could have gotten her killed several times over, here, she doesn’t ask for trouble and let her ego consume her. But when trouble comes to her, she plays things smart, mostly cool and manages to outwit Russia’s finest, being instrumental in derailing their heist plans. From swiping an ice pick which she rams through the brain of a Spetsnaz soldier to desperately helping buy time with a submachine gun by holding off an assault team, O’Connor has matured into a well executed protagonist of the “ordinary person thrown into extraordinary situations” type.
Next, we have Captain Steve Brackman, O’Connor’s military aide and the novel’s secondary protagonist. Steady and dedicated, he and Christine get put through the wringer in this story, with them realizing that their professional relationship has evolved into something a lot more. Brackman is a tough customer and ultimately is forced to make a last ditch sacrifice to keep victory from the grasp of the Russians.
Finally, we have the crews of the Dolgoruky and Dakota. While not the most fast paced, their plot line is perhaps the most compelling of the story. Trapped in the worst possible place a submarine could find itself in, each of the crews puts aside national affiliations and ill feeling for the pressing task of surviving, pulling out all the stops as the life support systems on their submarines begin to fail. You cheer for their successes and pray that they will come out alive despite being caught in a crossfire.
Constructive criticism? Well, the antagonists of Ice Station Nautilus weren’t as well developed as they were in the previous book. President Kalinin and Defense Minister Chernov only got a few moments of page – time. However, this didn’t detract from the book too much and what’s more is that they’ll get another opportunity to shine in book 4 where they will return as the head of the opposition to Ms O’Connor.
So, Ice Station Nautilus, my verdict is this. Are you a naval thriller fan who has been long cast adrift by the decline in standards of the sub – genre? Well the dawn of a new era has established itself in the form of Rick Campbell who hits his stride in Ice Station Nautilus. With a plot concept that bravely departs from the bog standard norm of most naval thrillers, a unique setting that provides for a creative and dynamic scenario that generates great tension and impressive levels of technical research and detail, balanced out with impressive characterization of the two heroes who go through a very deep arc, the naval thriller genre is on its way to being reborn and returning to its rightful stature. And the man who will be the king of it all shall be Commander Rick Campbell.
RECOMMENDED.
"Russia is a geriatric maritime giant surrounded by much more energetic rivals".- David Axe
"Greatness to the motherland in your glorious deeds".- Russian GRU motto.
"No one but us".- Russian VDV paratrooper creed.
Naval military thrillers. This is a subsection of thrillers that until recently had hit rock bottom. Naval fiction is highly complex and intricate. It's much easier to write about men with guns on land, than it is to write about machines deep sixing each other below the waves. Maritime conflict is like 4D chess, full of complex tactical considerations that the land and air based military do not have to worry about. Doing those tactical considerations justice in a novel is a massive challenge and many authors have failed in doing so. Even Tom Clancy, the man who created modern naval fiction with The Hunt For Red October began to lose his touch, letting overwhelming amounts of detail consume his later novels. The virus soon spread to other writers and by the turn of the century, the Post 9/11 world and the advent of the counter - terrorism thriller had all but killed the naval thriller.
But in this decade, naval thrillers have made a comeback. With the rise of new great powers, there are now more viable antagonists with formidable navies for authors to use than there were in the closing days of the Cold War. Currently there are three authors who currently rule the roost in this subgenre of the military thriller. The first is Larry Bond, the man famed for the Red Storm Rising collaboration with Clancy. The second is David Poyer, a writer whose attention to detail landed his work on the reading list of the Annapolis Academy. And the third author, the one who I consider the best of the bunch is Rick Campbell.
Rick Campbell is the new guy on the block. He has written three naval thrillers with a fourth novel slated for a 2017 release. Like most authors, he writes what he knows. As a veteran of the US Navy for more than 2 decades, he served on submarines, eventually rising to second in command of a Trident Class submarine and being assigned the joint responsibility of firing the chunk of America's nuclear arsenal the Trident carried. This extensive experience has been put to good use in his novels.
Campbell's work concerns the eventful life and times of one C. O'Connor, the National Security Adviser who finds herself becoming the center of geopolitical events in each book. Mr Campbell's writing is characterized by his ability to deliver vivid, fast paced naval fiction that is not bogged down by technical details and also his skill in dreaming up unique and intriguing plot concepts that his counterparts in naval thriller writing would never explores.
Today, I'll be reviewing Campbell's third book "Ice Station Nautilus". The story concerns the Russian Federation attempting to pull of the military intelligence coup of the decade, a heist that if successful would tip the balance of power back in their favor once more. Standing in their way are a team of unarmed US Navy officers, a high ranking government official and a Navy SEAL team that is several hours out. And all this takes place on the most deadly terrain known to man. Now to the review, what happens when a simple plan ends up killing people?
The novel begins by thrusting us straight into the fight. An American submarine and a Russian submarine are engaged in a clash of titans under the Arctic ice caps under a Polar research station. Move, and counter - move ensure with both Submarines taking pot shots at each other with their torpedoes, neither hitting each other until the Russian Sub goes for broke and fires off a shotgun salvo of its own. We then cut to a few days before the battle where a US Naval analyst informs his bosses that Yury Dolgoruky, Russia's premier submarine has been dispatched on her maiden patrol. Another Submarines, the USS North Dakota is dispatched to shadow her and pick up whatever information of the Yury's capabilities that can be gleaned from her tour.
Meanwhile in Moscow, Christine O'Connor is having a tough day at work. Having flown to Russia to help draft a new version of the START arms control agreement, O'Connor finds her hosts, despite cooperating for the most part are stonewalling her on letting the US inspect one submarine in particular, the Yury Dolgoruky. This is due to an ultra - secret missile system that O'Connor suspects is housed on the Dolgoruky and would have the capability to defeat all American countermeasures. Meanwhile, both the North Dakota and Yury Dolgoruky reach the North Pole and begin to stalk and evade each other through the icy depths. Ultimately, their efforts to track and lose each other snowball into a disaster of leviathan proportions. Attempting to pull off a last ditch evasive maneuver, the Dolgoruky and the Dakota crash into each other and find themselves lodged at the bottom of the sea. In Washington and Moscow alarms are sounded and the Americans send a team to a nearby North Pole overseen by Christine O'Connor. Moscow also sends a team, but one with a different mission in mind.
During deliberations, the Russian Defense Minister suffers from a burst of paranoia. Scared that the Americans would take a peak at the Dolgoruky's missile system while helping rescue the trapped submarines, he convinces the Russian President to dispatch a Spetsnaz team that specializes in Arctic Warfare alongside the official rescue unit. The Spetsnaz team's purpose. To leave no witnesses behind as it protects the Russian submarine and dismantles the control centre and computer systems from the American submarine. A daylight robbery which no one will find out about. With their theft planned, the Russians put their heist in motion on a dark, blizzard covered night. And what starts as a simple plan, sees an rain of blood on the snow. With time running out for the innocent crews of the Dolgoruky and Dakota and reinforcements still hours away, an untrained, but cunning American bureaucrat, attempts to survive against some of the top killers on earth. With the Cold War 2.0 kicking off, only one question remains. Who will be the victor and who, the vanquished?
In terms of plot, Ice Station Nautilus is a creative, somewhat daring departure from the usual plot for naval thrillers, namely that of a big, grandiose war. Such a plotline has been done to death so many times by Mr Campbell's peers and robbed the genre of much creativity. While Mr Campbell's excellent second book Empire Rising used this plot concept well, his book The Trident Deception and this novel avoid rehashing it. Ice Station Nautilus is unique in the realm of naval thrillers. It's a rare, up close and personal tale where man and machine are put to the test in a harsh environment. It’s a smaller scale conflict, like a hidden battle in a shadow war that takes place away from the eyes of civilians. Instead of grandiose battles, the situation in this book is far more creative, being part hostage taking, part hunting and part grand larceny. What results is a highly dynamic scenario that will keep you guessing as to who makes it out alive as the heroes and opposition struggle for supremacy on top of the world.
Next, the action and setting. Ice Station Nautilus is among the first military thrillers in this century to explore a part of the world which will become more geopolitically relevant over time. The North Pole. Once merely famous for snow and polar bears, the region’s melting has begun to create shipping lanes that would become a strategic asset and concern for America, Russia, Canada and the Scandinavian countries. The author visited the region back in his US Navy days and recreates the harsh environment with aplomb. Much of the action, apart from detours to the US East Coast and the Kremlin takes place in the surrounding area of a Polar Research Station, both on and underneath the ice. Apart from the potential for frostbite and getting put into a literal deep freeze by over exposure from a blizzard, Campbell’s characters also have to reckon with the uncharted and shifting ice caps under water. The author uses these challenges to create highly gripping action scenes. From the opening attack on the research station where Spetsnaz troopers storm the American team’s camp with chilling precision to a submarine duel under the Barnetts Sea where one wrong move could leave the vanquished frozen it time. Mr Campbell also managed to write perhaps the scariest chapter of a 2016 military thriller, involving one of the main characters attempting to scramble up a sinking submarine as it slowly begins to be crushed by the icy depths. If you have a fear of water, I advise you don’t look because that part of Campbell’s brilliant climax is one of pure, undistilled terror.
Research? This area is a standout. Being a long serving US Navy Veteran, the author more than readily shows off his hard earned expertise in waging maritime warfare. From giving a succinct crash course on how operating submarines in icy conditions requires the usual rulebook to be throw out, to exploring the technology used to recover submarines, Campbell takes the reader into a world that only a select few people inhabit. He however, doesn’t let the reader get lost in all the detail, which is one of his biggest strengths. The author is succinct, efficient and cuts to the heart of the matter as best as he can. He even redeems himself for past errors in this novel. In the previous book, the author made multiple research errors regarding firearms and land tactics. Here however, he accurately namechecks the guns used and gives a good depiction of their capabilities. One gem in particular is the portrayal of the arctic Spetsnaz unit. Unlike most authors who lump the Spetsnaz together, Campbell portrays them accurately, showing that they all have their different capabilities and distinct specialities. I also commend him for selecting a unit that is a little more obscure, and giving it a portrayal that does it justice.
Now to the characters. Here, Campbell finally hits the sweet spot. In the previous two books, his characterization was somewhat scattershot, some good, some bad. But with this third book, it’s all good. There are many standouts, but for the sake of brevity, I’ll focus on just a few. First, Christine O’Connor, the protagonist. I entered Campbell’s series through the second book and when I first came into contact with O’Connor, I must confess, I disliked her. My view was perhaps influenced by reading the books out of order, because after reading the first one, I gained a grudging respect. But in this third book, O’Connor has won me over. In Ice Station Nautilus, readers will get to see the best of Christine O’Connor. Her quick thinking, cunning and survival instinct. Unlike book 2 where she ended up in various situations that could have gotten her killed several times over, here, she doesn’t ask for trouble and let her ego consume her. But when trouble comes to her, she plays things smart, mostly cool and manages to outwit Russia’s finest, being instrumental in derailing their heist plans. From swiping an ice pick which she rams through the brain of a Spetsnaz soldier to desperately helping buy time with a submachine gun by holding off an assault team, O’Connor has matured into a well executed protagonist of the “ordinary person thrown into extraordinary situations” type.
Next, we have Captain Steve Brackman, O’Connor’s military aide and the novel’s secondary protagonist. Steady and dedicated, he and Christine get put through the wringer in this story, with them realizing that their professional relationship has evolved into something a lot more. Brackman is a tough customer and ultimately is forced to make a last ditch sacrifice to keep victory from the grasp of the Russians.
Finally, we have the crews of the Dolgoruky and Dakota. While not the most fast paced, their plot line is perhaps the most compelling of the story. Trapped in the worst possible place a submarine could find itself in, each of the crews puts aside national affiliations and ill feeling for the pressing task of surviving, pulling out all the stops as the life support systems on their submarines begin to fail. You cheer for their successes and pray that they will come out alive despite being caught in a crossfire.
Constructive criticism? Well, the antagonists of Ice Station Nautilus weren’t as well developed as they were in the previous book. President Kalinin and Defense Minister Chernov only got a few moments of page – time. However, this didn’t detract from the book too much and what’s more is that they’ll get another opportunity to shine in book 4 where they will return as the head of the opposition to Ms O’Connor.
So, Ice Station Nautilus, my verdict is this. Are you a naval thriller fan who has been long cast adrift by the decline in standards of the sub – genre? Well the dawn of a new era has established itself in the form of Rick Campbell who hits his stride in Ice Station Nautilus. With a plot concept that bravely departs from the bog standard norm of most naval thrillers, a unique setting that provides for a creative and dynamic scenario that generates great tension and impressive levels of technical research and detail, balanced out with impressive characterization of the two heroes who go through a very deep arc, the naval thriller genre is on its way to being reborn and returning to its rightful stature. And the man who will be the king of it all shall be Commander Rick Campbell.
RECOMMENDED.
January 19, 2026
Author Rick Campbell has created an excellent piece of military fiction in "Ice Station Nautilus." While there are a lot of characters there is a full list of characters included. After a few short chapters I no longer needed to refer to the list as I had a good grasp on who was who.
I'm usually not a military fiction reader but I found Campbell's writing compelling. He cranks the "thriller" aspect up early in the story then never lets it slacken. It's tough for an author to hold that kind of tension while continuing to tell a story that spans from the ocean beneath the north pole, to Moscow, to Washington D.C. but Campbell pulls it off.
Highly recommended to fans of military fiction, with an emphasis toward the Navy.
I have to admit that by the last few pages I didn't the level of emotional attachment the author had to rely on which made the ending less than what the author hoped. Still, an excellent story with plenty of tension and action.
I'm usually not a military fiction reader but I found Campbell's writing compelling. He cranks the "thriller" aspect up early in the story then never lets it slacken. It's tough for an author to hold that kind of tension while continuing to tell a story that spans from the ocean beneath the north pole, to Moscow, to Washington D.C. but Campbell pulls it off.
Highly recommended to fans of military fiction, with an emphasis toward the Navy.
I have to admit that by the last few pages I didn't the level of emotional attachment the author had to rely on which made the ending less than what the author hoped. Still, an excellent story with plenty of tension and action.
May 27, 2024
In my mind's eye, I kept feeling this was a cheaper imitation of the classic Allistar MacLean, "Ice Station Zebra"...As a teenager, that book, along with other MacLean's were some of my favorite growing up reads...Don't get me wrong, Rick Campbell does a great job creating a Clancy-ish international thriller involving the Arctic and submarines under the ice...All thrilling, but I couldn't shake those Allistar MacLean images!
December 31, 2024
In the Author’s Note, Rick Campbell apologizes for simplifying the dialogue, jargon, and other technical aspects of submarine operation and weapons systems. However, the book still reads like a submarine manual. I blame no one but myself. The back of the book quotes a review from Publishers Weekly clearly exclaiming that this novel is for “fans of submarine thrillers,” which I am decidedly not. Fans of submarine thrillers, this is absolutely the book for you. There are many submarines herein.
Behold, the submarine thrills that await you in Ice Station Nautilus:
And fear not, there’s plenty more where that came from:
If you’re able to let this kind of technical detail wash over you, like water off aduck’s back submarine’s sail, there’s a decent thriller to uncover in Ice Station Nautilus.
Behold, the submarine thrills that await you in Ice Station Nautilus:
Captain Lieutenant Evanoff followed up, “Request decoy presets.”
“Set course one-eight-zero,” Stepanov replied, “ten knots, depth one hundred and forty meters. Set under-ice sonar transmissions—on.”
Evanoff relayed the settings to the fire control Michman, who entered the parameters into his console. Stepanov checked the clock. It had taken four minutes to man Combat Stations and load a decoy.
Stepanov made the announcement loudly, so that everyone in the Command Post could hear. “This is the Captain. I have the Conn. Steersman, left ten degrees rudder, steady course one-eight-zero.” He turned to his Watch Officer. “Open muzzle door, tube One.”
(pg. 53)
And fear not, there’s plenty more where that came from:
“Command Post, Hydroacoustic. Hold a new contact on the towed array, designated Hydroacoustic seven, a sixty-point-two-Hertz tonal, ambiguous bearings one-six-zero and two-zero-zero.”
Stepanov responded immediately—they were approaching the sixty-meter-deep ice ridge.
“Prepare to fire, tube One.”
His crew executed the order quickly, and in less than a minute, Stepanov received the report from Captain Lieutenant Evanoff. “Ready to fire, tube One.”
“Launch decoy, tube One.”
The fire control Michman announced, “Decoy launched from tube One.”
Stepanov ordered, “All stop. Shift to electric drive.” He glanced at the under-ice sonar. The ice keel was five hundred meters away. Stepanov followed up with, “Secure all sonars.”
(pg. 55)
If you’re able to let this kind of technical detail wash over you, like water off a
March 10, 2022
Book Review - “Ice Station Nautilus” is the third installment in the Trident Deception book series by author Rick Campbell. This action-packed military thriller was set in the frozen Arctic Ice Cap wasteland. The Navy crew inside the USS North Dakota decides to move in and trail the Russian ‘boat’ Yuri Dolgoruky, one of the newest ballistic submarines owned by the Russians, on its maiden voyage. However, along the way, a collision happens between these two submarines and in the process setting off a chain of events below and above the ice surface as the two nations move into place to save the submarines and also to uncover their secrets. Ice Station Nautilus begins by thrusting the readers right into the underwater submarine fight. A Russian and an American submarine are engaged in one of the biggest clashes in the Arctic Ice. Moves and counter-moves are initiated and the suspense is edge of the seat exciting. After the ‘icy’ adrenaline rush, author Rick Campbell, then backtracks and then takes the readers through a captivating story before the incident occurs. Campbell has penned six naval thrillers that all have been well written and expertly told. Like a majority of other authors, Campbell loves to write what he knows and being a veteran of the United States Navy for more than twenty years, he knows submarines and is now a prolific submarine thriller writer. Very thrilling read! I liked this book a lot!
January 9, 2021
For the submarine lover in your life.
September 7, 2023
Got this book from NYPL today and it was mid af, wannabe Tom Clancy book, 400 pages wasted my time 🥲
November 1, 2018
SEAL's, Spetsnaz, and submarines all combine in a tour de force under the Arctic ice. The Russians have a new class of submarine with new missiles ready to head to sea. Naturally an American sub is waiting off the coast to shadow it. And thus begins the story and the cat and mouse games submarines play at sea. It's even riskier business when done under the icecap. Naturally the encounter between these two adversaries results in an incident which has both countries marshaling their submarine rescue crews to the remote and hostile Arctic. Naturally the Russians have something up their sleeve and are planning a sinister surprise for the naive Americans who are ready to rescue the Russian sailors first as they are in extremis. Lots of action and twists and turns with a strong female protagonist, Christine O'Connor, the US National Security Advisor, reprising her crisis planning strengths and formidable personal combat skills. You don't want to argue with her or mess with her. All ahead flank. I'm ready for book four due out this summer.
June 7, 2016
Ice Station Nautilus by Rick Campbell is the finest submarine warfare novel I have ever read. (Yes, even better than The Hunt for Red October.) It has non-stop action and suspense throughout the entire book, along with a great cast of characters. Since the author is a retired Navy (submarine) Commander, the descriptions and technology read as very believable without being overly detailed. Highly recommended for anyone who likes military thrillers.
(Note: The publisher provided me with a copy of this book via a Goodreads giveaway.)
(Note: The publisher provided me with a copy of this book via a Goodreads giveaway.)
October 2, 2022
Plot: The Trident Deception Series consists of several full-length novels in the military genrè. A retired Navy author provides page-turning excitement of near-miss disasters in American conflicts, primarily with Russia. Suggest starting at the beginning of the series, as several characters - like the President, Chief of Staff, a navy seal, and a strong female lead traverse all novels written to date - will be more.
Liked: If you are a fan of The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy - you'll love The Trident Deception Series. All are nail-biting, page-turning stories. Some graphic violence; if you're a victim of wartime PTSD, these might not be for you. Clean reads, no sex, no objectionable language. Learned a bit about submarine tactics.
Not so hot: Audio speed is a bit slow for my taste; I bumped the rate to 1.4 on the iPhone.
Written by Rick Campbell, and narration is fine; there are several, each book in the area of 10-15 hours of listening in audiobook format, released from March 2014 to date by Blackstone Audio.
Recommended.
Liked: If you are a fan of The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy - you'll love The Trident Deception Series. All are nail-biting, page-turning stories. Some graphic violence; if you're a victim of wartime PTSD, these might not be for you. Clean reads, no sex, no objectionable language. Learned a bit about submarine tactics.
Not so hot: Audio speed is a bit slow for my taste; I bumped the rate to 1.4 on the iPhone.
Written by Rick Campbell, and narration is fine; there are several, each book in the area of 10-15 hours of listening in audiobook format, released from March 2014 to date by Blackstone Audio.
Recommended.
May 26, 2021
Great summer read, since it takes place under the polar ice cap!
Subs crash. Russians trying to protect a secret weapon on a new model vessel. Americans trying to rescue both crews. Lots of undersea drama and that Christine, what a woman!! Book after book reveals the incredible endurance of this Presidential staff member. How many times can she save the world?
Anyhow, maybe not the best of the series, but I will read on. This and all Campbell's books have been page turners, and very description of submarine warfare.
Subs crash. Russians trying to protect a secret weapon on a new model vessel. Americans trying to rescue both crews. Lots of undersea drama and that Christine, what a woman!! Book after book reveals the incredible endurance of this Presidential staff member. How many times can she save the world?
Anyhow, maybe not the best of the series, but I will read on. This and all Campbell's books have been page turners, and very description of submarine warfare.
April 16, 2017
Good story, good action and just felt it was kissing a little something to be a 5 star book. Great submarine battles and definitely makes his former career visible and authentic!
April 28, 2019
Not as good as his first two books, but a good story. Read it in one sitting as it kept my attention well.
January 14, 2021
Lots of twists and turns and that is just in the political intrigue.
December 17, 2017
This book provides a plausible rendition of undersea submarine warfare. The author acknowledges that it is a very superficial and blurred account, but his 20 years in the navy are evident from his descriptions of technologies and tactics.
As for the plot, it's a very stereotypical thriller, with characters so thinly drawn as to be invisible. There is a damsel. She is first a hero, then in distress. Torpedos are fired. Subs hide behind undersea ice, and seek each other. Rescue efforts are undertaken. Explosions happen. There is a conclusion.
As for the plot, it's a very stereotypical thriller, with characters so thinly drawn as to be invisible. There is a damsel. She is first a hero, then in distress. Torpedos are fired. Subs hide behind undersea ice, and seek each other. Rescue efforts are undertaken. Explosions happen. There is a conclusion.
August 16, 2016
"Ice Station Nautilus" is a an exciting action-packed suspense thriller that begins with the collision of a Russian and American submarine underneath the polar ice cap. With the American National Security Advisor Christine O'Connor negotiating a current arms treaty with Russia and President Kalinin refusing to include an inspection of their newest ballistic missile submarines in the deal the incident becomes lethal especially when the crew of the Yury Dolgoruky is suspected of having the latest missile system on board.
In a fast-paced and gripping race against time an American rescue team is ordered to the Arctic to rescue the crews of the submarines only to find the USS North Dakota operational but needing extensive repairs and the Russian submarine lying on the ocean floor, its crew trapped with a scarcity of air and only hours to live. Rick Campbell quickly builds intensity and nerve-racking tension as the Navy's Underseas Rescue team, equipment and personnel of the Arctic Submarine Lab and the USS Michigan with its contingent of Seals and divers are sent to help in the rescue only to face armed Russian submarines and Spetsnaz special forces who've been ordered to steal the American's latest technology from the crippled Dakota.
Plot focused rather than character- driven the hi-tech submarines, their crews and the rescue teams add to the power and excitement of the story as Russian and American submarines clash and the Spetnaz troops overrun Ice Station Nautilus with orders to leave no survivors. The author adds an extra dimension to the plot with the political turmoil that has Christine O'Connor an American Presidential Advisor not only being thwarted in her attempts to negotiate a new nuclear arms treaty , Russian President Kalinin refusing to admit to the sinking of one of the new Russian Ballistic missile submarines, but with a rogue Russian conspiracy to hijack the USS Dakota's latest technological upgrade.
I liked "Ice Station Nautilus" , a well-developed military thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the end. I intend to look for other books in the " Trident Deception" series.
In a fast-paced and gripping race against time an American rescue team is ordered to the Arctic to rescue the crews of the submarines only to find the USS North Dakota operational but needing extensive repairs and the Russian submarine lying on the ocean floor, its crew trapped with a scarcity of air and only hours to live. Rick Campbell quickly builds intensity and nerve-racking tension as the Navy's Underseas Rescue team, equipment and personnel of the Arctic Submarine Lab and the USS Michigan with its contingent of Seals and divers are sent to help in the rescue only to face armed Russian submarines and Spetsnaz special forces who've been ordered to steal the American's latest technology from the crippled Dakota.
Plot focused rather than character- driven the hi-tech submarines, their crews and the rescue teams add to the power and excitement of the story as Russian and American submarines clash and the Spetnaz troops overrun Ice Station Nautilus with orders to leave no survivors. The author adds an extra dimension to the plot with the political turmoil that has Christine O'Connor an American Presidential Advisor not only being thwarted in her attempts to negotiate a new nuclear arms treaty , Russian President Kalinin refusing to admit to the sinking of one of the new Russian Ballistic missile submarines, but with a rogue Russian conspiracy to hijack the USS Dakota's latest technological upgrade.
I liked "Ice Station Nautilus" , a well-developed military thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the end. I intend to look for other books in the " Trident Deception" series.
May 28, 2017
This was a crazy book. Comments on the dust jacket state that it is a 'throwback' to Tom Clancy; I can see some of that, but it seemed a bit edgier than Clancy's books were. At one point, I found myself wondering how the author was going to resolve the craziness that he had 'set in motion'. It moves at a fast pace once it gets going; it has some twists and turns in it at the end that had me going for a loop and made my gut clench as I reached the conclusion of one movement that was merely laying the groundwork for the next movement [as it were]. The character development is pretty good, I guess; I wish I had read the second book in this series [I did not realize it was the third book in a series!] due to comments made in this book. At the same time, it can function as a 'stand-alone' novel, too.
It does have some crazy action in it; some of it reminds me of the "scene" in Larry Bond's Cauldron, where either the French or the Germans launch a nuclear missile at a US Carrier Battle Group or where some missiles are launched an SR-71 Blackbird in Storming Intrepid (by Payne Harrison). At the same time, portions of it also strongly reminded me of elements of Joe Buff's "Jeffrey Fuller" series of books about futuristic submarine warfare [where it seemed like it was essentially one American advanced submarine and one British advanced submarine [mentioned but rarely encountered] against not just the whole German fleet but the whole world].
There were two parts that were absolutely crazy, and one which almost caught me by surprise!
I have to admit, the way the book was going, I was worried the author was going to pull some kind of Dues ex Machina move in order to 'save the day'; I am glad I was way off base and completely wrong in that regard! The author does a nice job of setting things up and then blowing the reader away as the story winds to a close.
I thought it was well-written. It was tight and fast-moving; the author kept it on point and did not become distracted with excessive information dumps or side-stories that would slow the story down. The characters were interesting, I suppose; I did get mixed up as to who was who, so the deaths that did occur, while "shocking", did not have much "long-lasting" emotional value for me. There were some weaknesses in the story, I am sure, but I enjoyed it enough with this first reading that I either missed them or overlooked them. Maybe I will recognize them in a subsequent reading.
It was a good book; it was a fun book; I enjoyed it far more than I hoped I would. While it did hold my interest, I did not have any trouble putting it down for the first half of the book. The latter half, though: whew!!!! That's when it got cooking, and I hated having to set it aside. I was originally going to give it three stars, but the last third to fourth of the book elevated it to four stars for me, I think. I would say between 3.5 and 4 stars; probably 3.8 or 3.9 rounded up. I thought the author did a nice job with this tale of his; I definitely want to read the second and fourth books, now!
It does have some crazy action in it; some of it reminds me of the "scene" in Larry Bond's Cauldron, where either the French or the Germans launch a nuclear missile at a US Carrier Battle Group or where some missiles are launched an SR-71 Blackbird in Storming Intrepid (by Payne Harrison). At the same time, portions of it also strongly reminded me of elements of Joe Buff's "Jeffrey Fuller" series of books about futuristic submarine warfare [where it seemed like it was essentially one American advanced submarine and one British advanced submarine [mentioned but rarely encountered] against not just the whole German fleet but the whole world].
There were two parts that were absolutely crazy, and one which almost caught me by surprise!
I have to admit, the way the book was going, I was worried the author was going to pull some kind of Dues ex Machina move in order to 'save the day'; I am glad I was way off base and completely wrong in that regard! The author does a nice job of setting things up and then blowing the reader away as the story winds to a close.
I thought it was well-written. It was tight and fast-moving; the author kept it on point and did not become distracted with excessive information dumps or side-stories that would slow the story down. The characters were interesting, I suppose; I did get mixed up as to who was who, so the deaths that did occur, while "shocking", did not have much "long-lasting" emotional value for me. There were some weaknesses in the story, I am sure, but I enjoyed it enough with this first reading that I either missed them or overlooked them. Maybe I will recognize them in a subsequent reading.
It was a good book; it was a fun book; I enjoyed it far more than I hoped I would. While it did hold my interest, I did not have any trouble putting it down for the first half of the book. The latter half, though: whew!!!! That's when it got cooking, and I hated having to set it aside. I was originally going to give it three stars, but the last third to fourth of the book elevated it to four stars for me, I think. I would say between 3.5 and 4 stars; probably 3.8 or 3.9 rounded up. I thought the author did a nice job with this tale of his; I definitely want to read the second and fourth books, now!
May 5, 2018
this was a fast read, mainly because the chapters were so short it was easy to flow through them. while it was an okay story i felt like it dragged on and yes that may seem to contradict the fast read but not really when you consider how the book was structured. There was a lot of build up for such little pay off. honestly there was less battle and fighting for their lives and while his technical prowess was impressive it felt dry. Too much explanation for me there were so many avenues that were opened up that were left open and hanging there.
if you like having a "bathroom" book this one is great but don't expect any great thrills.
if you like having a "bathroom" book this one is great but don't expect any great thrills.
July 9, 2016
Best book of his yet!
Believable characters and a riveting plot.
Author does an excellent job of keeping the technical details right without getting bogged down. You can tell he's done his homework on exactly what it would take to rescue a submarine trapped under the polar ice cap.
Well worth reading.
Believable characters and a riveting plot.
Author does an excellent job of keeping the technical details right without getting bogged down. You can tell he's done his homework on exactly what it would take to rescue a submarine trapped under the polar ice cap.
Well worth reading.
September 27, 2017
Great read! Love all his books.
May 6, 2017
Much mention of Tom Clancy in the style of this book. I had been looking forward to reading this and I was not disappointed. And the Clancy comparisons are well founded I have to say.
This is a thriller, mainly set on (and under) the polar ice cap. A cat and mouse game between American and Russian submarines has ended in disaster, with a limited time for rescue. What should be a complex but focussed rescue operation turns into something more dangerous than could be expected. The Russians have an agenda to hide secrets and grab some of their own, the only problem is that it means leaving no survivors.
Detailed to the degree that you will feel mildly claustrophobic, this is written by a veteran who knows his stuff and can make you feel part of the action. Wear something warm as you will feel the cold too.
Like Clancy this has detailed action but also the big picture politics and “world view” supported by a plot that works and has, within the bounds of fiction, credibility.
The author needs to give his characters a little more personality so you have more empathy for them (the two main US characters are developed, but the rest needed a little more fleshing out) to give a little more balance to his technical knowledge. But this is a minor quibble as the action does flow and you really are whisked along towards that polar ice cap.
Lots here to suggest not only an enjoyable techno-thriller but the probability of lots more good stuff to come from the author.
This is a thriller, mainly set on (and under) the polar ice cap. A cat and mouse game between American and Russian submarines has ended in disaster, with a limited time for rescue. What should be a complex but focussed rescue operation turns into something more dangerous than could be expected. The Russians have an agenda to hide secrets and grab some of their own, the only problem is that it means leaving no survivors.
Detailed to the degree that you will feel mildly claustrophobic, this is written by a veteran who knows his stuff and can make you feel part of the action. Wear something warm as you will feel the cold too.
Like Clancy this has detailed action but also the big picture politics and “world view” supported by a plot that works and has, within the bounds of fiction, credibility.
The author needs to give his characters a little more personality so you have more empathy for them (the two main US characters are developed, but the rest needed a little more fleshing out) to give a little more balance to his technical knowledge. But this is a minor quibble as the action does flow and you really are whisked along towards that polar ice cap.
Lots here to suggest not only an enjoyable techno-thriller but the probability of lots more good stuff to come from the author.
May 13, 2017
Fast paced from the start to the end, Ice Station Nautilus creates a believable plot and combines it into a very realistic submarine thriller that only one with the experience Rick Campbell has can do it.
Right from the beginning, we are presented with what seems to be a belligerent Russia, bent on improving their nuclear ballistic missile at all costs, but as the plot goes on, it is clear that the Russians will do anything to stop the Americans from boarding the Yuri Dolgorukiy. With treachery after treachery, Christine O'Conner, the protagonist of the previous two books is once again thrust into the spotlight, along with Captain Wilson and the USS SSGN Michigan.
With submarine on submarine, Navy SEALs on Polar Spetsnaz fighting on the polar ice and in the Artic ocean, Rick Campbell masterfully portrays the dire situation that a submarine crew faces when they are stricken and sunk on the sea bed with no means to communicate or propel themselves. Despite all the killings, it was extremely poignant towards the end where the sinking of two more submarines drives home the point that undersea warfare is cruel and merciless with a quick death in battle not guaranteed.
However, with the reveal at the end of the reason why the Russians went to great lengths to secure the Yuri Dolgorukiy at all costs, the reader is reminded as to how military men are sometimes but helpless pawns in the grand game of geo-politics and military deterrence.
Right from the beginning, we are presented with what seems to be a belligerent Russia, bent on improving their nuclear ballistic missile at all costs, but as the plot goes on, it is clear that the Russians will do anything to stop the Americans from boarding the Yuri Dolgorukiy. With treachery after treachery, Christine O'Conner, the protagonist of the previous two books is once again thrust into the spotlight, along with Captain Wilson and the USS SSGN Michigan.
With submarine on submarine, Navy SEALs on Polar Spetsnaz fighting on the polar ice and in the Artic ocean, Rick Campbell masterfully portrays the dire situation that a submarine crew faces when they are stricken and sunk on the sea bed with no means to communicate or propel themselves. Despite all the killings, it was extremely poignant towards the end where the sinking of two more submarines drives home the point that undersea warfare is cruel and merciless with a quick death in battle not guaranteed.
However, with the reveal at the end of the reason why the Russians went to great lengths to secure the Yuri Dolgorukiy at all costs, the reader is reminded as to how military men are sometimes but helpless pawns in the grand game of geo-politics and military deterrence.
March 26, 2021
This is another in the Trident Deception series by Rick Campbell. As many have mentioned, his works read like a Tom Clancy novel ... which is a very good thing! They are always tense and exciting, often keeping the reader on the edge of his proverbial seat.
In this book, a Russian and U.S. sub collide under the polar ice cap, creating a scramble to not only rescue the trapped sailors, but also protect the secrets and technology of the submarines from their global opponent. Campbell weaves an exciting story that does, at some points, stretch credulity. And as good as he is at character development, there are sometimes very questionable gaffes. For example (SPOILER): When Christine is brought into the Russian commando leader's hut for nefarious purposes, why did she fail to tell him that she was the U.S. National Security Advisor? It would seem that such knowledge would cause even the most hardened soldier to pause before commiting a major crime that could cause a war. Hmmm....
Campbell is an expert on submarines and his knowledge is on full display ... perhaps a bit much so. He does spend, in my opinion, too much time describing the intricate details of a submarine, even when such knowledge really isn't pertinent to the story or action. Still, I can look past such diversions as the stories are always tense, exciting and fun to read.
In this book, a Russian and U.S. sub collide under the polar ice cap, creating a scramble to not only rescue the trapped sailors, but also protect the secrets and technology of the submarines from their global opponent. Campbell weaves an exciting story that does, at some points, stretch credulity. And as good as he is at character development, there are sometimes very questionable gaffes. For example (SPOILER): When Christine is brought into the Russian commando leader's hut for nefarious purposes, why did she fail to tell him that she was the U.S. National Security Advisor? It would seem that such knowledge would cause even the most hardened soldier to pause before commiting a major crime that could cause a war. Hmmm....
Campbell is an expert on submarines and his knowledge is on full display ... perhaps a bit much so. He does spend, in my opinion, too much time describing the intricate details of a submarine, even when such knowledge really isn't pertinent to the story or action. Still, I can look past such diversions as the stories are always tense, exciting and fun to read.
November 5, 2019
So, what happens when you take a Russian Nuclear Ballistic Missile Submarine with an onboard secret, ram it into an American Fast Attack Nuclear Submarine under the Arctic Ice Pack, disabling both, and then launch competing "Rescue" operations? You get Ice Station Nautilus, the 2016 book by Rick Campbell. This is the 3rd book in the Trident Deception series and features the return of the core characters from the first two books and introduces some new ones. As always, there is a lot here for military thriller aficionados to sink their teeth into, although I do have a bit of a gripe with this one.
The basic outline of the story is that the Russians and Americans are locked in a deadlock over the latest version of the START treaty. The Russians will not let the Americans inspect their newest class of Ballistic Missile submarines or the new class of missile they are carrying. Oh-ho! Why is that you may ask? What type of secret are they attempting to conceal? Trust me, you are not going to guess. Of course, this is the type of sub that is involved in the accident and the Russians are desperate to not let their secret out. So far, so good. A real potboiler of a yarn results.
This brings me to my gripe. After reading this book, the notion that the Russians have not committed egregious acts of war against the United States is evident. The response that is provided is totally out of step with what occurs. I found this took me out of the story as I found myself going, "What?!?" There is no way this could be allowed to slide. You will see what I mean.* Maybe it is just me, but it does not interfere with the rest of this book. Like the other stories by Rick, the action is taught, believable, and there is plenty of it. My little whinging aside, a very worthwhile tale.
*I had to come back to this after reading the follow up book, Blackmail. The exact issue I was going on about is addressed early on in the book. This really is a series and the evolution makes sense.
The basic outline of the story is that the Russians and Americans are locked in a deadlock over the latest version of the START treaty. The Russians will not let the Americans inspect their newest class of Ballistic Missile submarines or the new class of missile they are carrying. Oh-ho! Why is that you may ask? What type of secret are they attempting to conceal? Trust me, you are not going to guess. Of course, this is the type of sub that is involved in the accident and the Russians are desperate to not let their secret out. So far, so good. A real potboiler of a yarn results.
This brings me to my gripe. After reading this book, the notion that the Russians have not committed egregious acts of war against the United States is evident. The response that is provided is totally out of step with what occurs. I found this took me out of the story as I found myself going, "What?!?" There is no way this could be allowed to slide. You will see what I mean.* Maybe it is just me, but it does not interfere with the rest of this book. Like the other stories by Rick, the action is taught, believable, and there is plenty of it. My little whinging aside, a very worthwhile tale.
*I had to come back to this after reading the follow up book, Blackmail. The exact issue I was going on about is addressed early on in the book. This really is a series and the evolution makes sense.
March 2, 2020
Skipping Trident Deception #2 for now (just a mood thing re: the plots of each book), I dove back into (see what I did there) author Rick Campbell's submarine warfare series looking forward to my return to the sea. Like the first novel, Campbell creates a very Tom Clancy-lite experience, delivering authentic submarine action held together w/an intriguing plot that doesn't choke you w/ too much detail, yet also doesn't skimp on the technical touches that are an important part of the DNA of any novel in this genre.
Attempts at character development feel a bit like drinking wine w/a cheeseburger, but it puts just enough meat on their bones to satisfy, which is just what this series does for me so far.
Attempts at character development feel a bit like drinking wine w/a cheeseburger, but it puts just enough meat on their bones to satisfy, which is just what this series does for me so far.
March 16, 2021
This is my first Rick Campbell book. I will look for his books again. The book pits the US versus Russia, and that is always entertaining. Add in a few submarines under the polar ice, and Speatzniks and Seals above the ice, well, it’s very entertaining. Campbell provides technical details, but not an overload. The complexity of submarine warfare and operations is very interesting to me. He is a former submarine commander, so the book seems realistic. The plot doesn’t center on one central character, and instead the heroism is spread around. I’d expect it to be that way in real life, and of course, I like how this book ends with the good guys on top. 4 star plus!
January 12, 2017
I really enjoyed reading the book. For anyone with any interest in suspenseful, thrilling tales of Naval warfare, this book would be a great choice. I started reading it and didn't want to put it down. There were a lot of details (only maybe perhaps too many names) that gave the story an authenticity that made the reader feel they were there. There's no denying the fact that Rick Campbell's background makes him highly qualified to write such stories and it is seen in his stories. I'll be glad to add it to my home library (after I get it back from my brother).
April 7, 2018
This series provides a thrilling rollercoaster ride around the world, fighting terror in multiple global hot spots on the high seas and under them. Campbell continues to give readers a thorough education in submarine warfare from his very personal experience, while entertaining with high stakes motives and nonstop tension. In this case, it is a realistic and possibly prescient scenario involving Russian secrets and their attempt to stop the US from discovering them, whatever the cost.
Characters have become more well rounded in each book and I look forward to more from this author.
Characters have become more well rounded in each book and I look forward to more from this author.
January 22, 2020
Ice Station Nautilus takes a layperson and throws him - in my case, him - smack dab into the cramped, tense, activity inside a nuclear submarine! All at once, you're listening to called out orders - the jargon only adds to the realism - and you might wonder, 'What the hell, am I reading a technical guide to life aboard a sub?' and you might be dissuaded...
But hold on!
Because after a while, you are totally in the world Mr Campbell has lived and imagined for his readers!
A great thriller, harking back to Crimson Tide, but let's not compare. The book stands out by itself.
Recommended!
But hold on!
Because after a while, you are totally in the world Mr Campbell has lived and imagined for his readers!
A great thriller, harking back to Crimson Tide, but let's not compare. The book stands out by itself.
Recommended!
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