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Dan Lenson #4
The Passage
The Navy's most sophisticated destroyer, the USS Barrett carries a top-secret computer that can pilot an unmanned ship and send it into battle. As the weapons officer charged with its first mission Lieutenant Dan Lenson has a chance to make naval history.
But when the system develops a sinister virus and a sailor takes his own life amid ugly allegations, Lenson finds himself caught in a web of betrayal. Now, on the treacherous Windward Passage between the U.S. and Cuba, he'll undergo the ultimate test of honor and faith-- one that could cost him his career, his ship, and even his life.
516 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 1994
75 people are currently reading
166 people want to read
About the author
David Poyer
82 books240 followersAka D.C. Poyer.
DAVID C. POYER was born in DuBois, PA in 1949. He grew up in Brockway, Emlenton, and Bradford, in western Pennsylvania, and graduated from Bradford Area High School in 1967. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1971, and later received a master's degree from George Washington University.
Poyer's active and reserve naval service included sea duty in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, Arctic, Caribbean, and Pacific, and shore duty at the Pentagon, Surface Warfare Development Group, Joint Forces Command, and in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. He retired in July 2001.
Poyer began writing in 1976, and is the author of nearly fifty books, including THE MED, THE GULF, THE CIRCLE, THE PASSAGE, TOMAHAWK, CHINA SEA, BLACK STORM, THE COMMAND, THE THREAT, KOREA STRAIT, THE WEAPON, THE CRISIS, THE CRUISER, TIPPING POINT, HUNTER KILLER, DEEP WAR, OVERTHROW, VIOLENT PEACE, ARCTIC SEA, and THE ACADEMY, best-selling Navy novels; THE DEAD OF WINTER, WINTER IN THE HEART, AS THE WOLF LOVES WINTER, THUNDER ON THE MOUNTAIN, and THE HILL, set in Western Pennsylvania; and HATTERAS BLUE, BAHAMAS BLUE, LOUISIANA BLUE, and DOWN TO A SUNLESS SEA, underwater diving adventure.
Other noteworthy books are THE ONLY THING TO FEAR, a historical thriller, THE RETURN OF PHILO T. McGIFFIN, a comic novel of Annapolis, and the three volumes of The Civil War at Sea, FIRE ON THE WATERS, A COUNTRY OF OUR OWN, and THAT ANVIL OF OUR SOULS. He's also written two sailing thrillers, GHOSTING and THE WHITENESS OF THE WHALE. His work has been published in Britain, translated into Japanese, Dutch, Italian, Hugarian, and Serbo-Croatian; recorded for audiobooks, iPod downloads, and Kindle, and selected by the Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club and other book clubs. Rights to several properties have been sold or optioned for films, and two novellas appeared in the Night Bazaar series of fantasy anthologies.
Poyer has taught or lectured at Annapolis, Flagler College, University of Pittsburgh, Old Dominion University, the Armed Forces Staff College, the University of North Florida, Christopher Newport University, and other institutions. He has been a guest on PBS's "Writer to Writer" series and on Voice of America, and has appeared at the Southern Festival of Books and many other literary events. He taught in the MA/MFA in Creative Writing program at Wilkes University for sixteen years. He is currently core faculty at the Ossabaw Writers Retreat, a fellow of the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, and a board member of the Northern Appalachia Review.
He lives on Virginia's Eastern Shore with novelist Lenore Hart.
DAVID C. POYER was born in DuBois, PA in 1949. He grew up in Brockway, Emlenton, and Bradford, in western Pennsylvania, and graduated from Bradford Area High School in 1967. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1971, and later received a master's degree from George Washington University.
Poyer's active and reserve naval service included sea duty in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, Arctic, Caribbean, and Pacific, and shore duty at the Pentagon, Surface Warfare Development Group, Joint Forces Command, and in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. He retired in July 2001.
Poyer began writing in 1976, and is the author of nearly fifty books, including THE MED, THE GULF, THE CIRCLE, THE PASSAGE, TOMAHAWK, CHINA SEA, BLACK STORM, THE COMMAND, THE THREAT, KOREA STRAIT, THE WEAPON, THE CRISIS, THE CRUISER, TIPPING POINT, HUNTER KILLER, DEEP WAR, OVERTHROW, VIOLENT PEACE, ARCTIC SEA, and THE ACADEMY, best-selling Navy novels; THE DEAD OF WINTER, WINTER IN THE HEART, AS THE WOLF LOVES WINTER, THUNDER ON THE MOUNTAIN, and THE HILL, set in Western Pennsylvania; and HATTERAS BLUE, BAHAMAS BLUE, LOUISIANA BLUE, and DOWN TO A SUNLESS SEA, underwater diving adventure.
Other noteworthy books are THE ONLY THING TO FEAR, a historical thriller, THE RETURN OF PHILO T. McGIFFIN, a comic novel of Annapolis, and the three volumes of The Civil War at Sea, FIRE ON THE WATERS, A COUNTRY OF OUR OWN, and THAT ANVIL OF OUR SOULS. He's also written two sailing thrillers, GHOSTING and THE WHITENESS OF THE WHALE. His work has been published in Britain, translated into Japanese, Dutch, Italian, Hugarian, and Serbo-Croatian; recorded for audiobooks, iPod downloads, and Kindle, and selected by the Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club and other book clubs. Rights to several properties have been sold or optioned for films, and two novellas appeared in the Night Bazaar series of fantasy anthologies.
Poyer has taught or lectured at Annapolis, Flagler College, University of Pittsburgh, Old Dominion University, the Armed Forces Staff College, the University of North Florida, Christopher Newport University, and other institutions. He has been a guest on PBS's "Writer to Writer" series and on Voice of America, and has appeared at the Southern Festival of Books and many other literary events. He taught in the MA/MFA in Creative Writing program at Wilkes University for sixteen years. He is currently core faculty at the Ossabaw Writers Retreat, a fellow of the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, and a board member of the Northern Appalachia Review.
He lives on Virginia's Eastern Shore with novelist Lenore Hart.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 17, 2019
Following the naval career of Daniel V. Lenson, through the writing of David Poyer, brought me to "The Passage." In this book, Dan Lenson (now a U.S. Navy lieutenant) is serving aboard a destroyer recently refitted with an advanced weapons system. Before the ship can be ready for deployment, the crew has to undergo refresher training at the Guantanamo Bay naval base. Before the training is complete, though, orders come down for a humanitarian mission: provide assistance to refugees fleeing Cuba for the United States. While performing the training and complying with the Cuban refugee mission, the ship is plagued with what appears to be a virus affecting all the computer systems, a virus that must eliminated. Complicating matters further, there may be a spy amongst the ship's company... Poyer's prose makes for engrossing reading, and "The Passage" is worth checking out if you enjoy military thrillers.
December 20, 2019
I enjoyed The Passage. I have found that the chronology of the Lenson series are all messed up on the Internet. Part of the problem is that Poyer has written these books out of order, and it appears that most of the reviewers haven't cared enough to the the order right. I am currently trying to straighten it out. For one thing, The Circle appears to be the first of the series, since Dan Lenson is just recently out of the Navel Academy, recently married (and his wife pregnant) and now an ensign aboard the USS Reynolds Ryan an old Gearing-class destroyer. The story takes place shortly after the Vietnam War has ended. Following the Circle, is The Med, where Lenson is now a Lieutenant aboard the USS Bowen, a Knox-class frigate stationed in the Mediterranean. Next in Lenson's correct chronology is The Passage where he is now a Lieutenant (weapons officer) aboard the USS Barrett, a Kidd-class destroyer. This story takes place around Cuba. It's time frame is 1980 during the Mariel boatlift when tens of thousands of Cubans fled to the US. I am not yet sure what book follows the Passage, I will update this review when I have figured it out.
May 6, 2018
A strange virus, a strange crew, a captain, a storm and a surprise ending
I have read nearly all of the Dan Lenson series, albeit not in chronological order. I read for my enjoyment and I have always enjoyed books on various naval adventures, fiction or non fiction. I have criticized some for straying too far from reality, stretching what one would perceive as unrealistic. I don't know how to rate this book. It satisfied my naval thirst but it pushed the boundaries as well. The Passage contained a lot of detail but it also bounces off some social guardrails. The surprise ending justified the book.
I have read nearly all of the Dan Lenson series, albeit not in chronological order. I read for my enjoyment and I have always enjoyed books on various naval adventures, fiction or non fiction. I have criticized some for straying too far from reality, stretching what one would perceive as unrealistic. I don't know how to rate this book. It satisfied my naval thirst but it pushed the boundaries as well. The Passage contained a lot of detail but it also bounces off some social guardrails. The surprise ending justified the book.
July 31, 2024
First of Poyer's book for me. I have a lot of stuff to read in the que so I don't think I'll be looking for other books by this Author. Very interesting and detailed information of the operations of a ship, computers and defensive and offensive systems in our navy. But there were several story lines which were weak, unnecessary that were long reading and didn't really get integrated into the conclusions. For 400 pages i was frustrated waiting for some action.
April 27, 2021
Powerful Naval Thriller
The thing about David Poyer is the moment you come to the last page and the end of one story you immediately want to start the next in his Dan Lenson series. I have thoroughly enjoyed following the career of an imperfect but heroic naval officer. Now 3xcuse me I am straight on to tge next in tye series!
The thing about David Poyer is the moment you come to the last page and the end of one story you immediately want to start the next in his Dan Lenson series. I have thoroughly enjoyed following the career of an imperfect but heroic naval officer. Now 3xcuse me I am straight on to tge next in tye series!
January 25, 2020
David's book encompasses a range of the Navy of the early 80s, and through exposure fiction, stirred an emotional past whereas I detested a portion of my service. Gay captain, alcohol and drug abusers, emotional detachment, Johnny Walkers. There was a lot to nauseating digest, again.
May 7, 2024
Another excellent Dan Lenson read. Captain Poyer, Ret., definitely knows what he he writes about. His books are interesting, intriguing and difficult to put down. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
December 25, 2024
best of the first four
Chronologically, this is Dan Lenson’s 3rd ship but it’s the fourth book. It’s an action packed story with enough detail and excitement to sustain the wilful suspension of disbelief that is required to follow the whole plot. Worth reading. Recommended.
Chronologically, this is Dan Lenson’s 3rd ship but it’s the fourth book. It’s an action packed story with enough detail and excitement to sustain the wilful suspension of disbelief that is required to follow the whole plot. Worth reading. Recommended.
November 22, 2018
A little too much with the whole escape from Cuba thing, but all in all a better effort then the first 3 in the series
February 15, 2021
Excellent read. Suspense, mystery, conflict on every page.
April 20, 2023
Outstanding.
January 31, 2009
More nautical fiction. Poyer is well-known for his realistic and accurate portrayal of modern life in the Navy. He has the experience himself of serving on board modern warships and that knowledge is evident.
Several plots simultaneously converge in this story: the plight of Cuban sugar cane workers who are trying to escape Cuba during the great boat flight; a spy who is intent on sabotaging the computer software on the ship as a means to assist in the takeover of the destroyer through mutiny, the computer specialist who is trying to locate and disable the computer virus – we learn in fascinating detail about the unique features of the UYK-7 computer that used a binary logic called the “1’s complement” where register contents are inverted so zero can be a negative creating an illogical condition that is difficult to debug, the Captain’s struggle with his latent homosexuality, and Dan’s relationship with his ex-wife and new girlfriend. (One of the points Poyner tries to drive home is how difficult it is to maintain any kind of reasonable social and home-life for Navy personnel who are away from home for long periods of time and often get called up at a moments notice.) The plots intersect only briefly as Dan is accidentally left on the sinking boat of the Cuban sugar worker who is pregnant and he helps deliver her child during a tropical storm (if this sounds overly melodramatic, it is).
Nevertheless, Poyer recounts a good story that capture the reader’s attention. His narration of what it is like being in a small, sinking boat in the midst of a storm is riveting.
Several plots simultaneously converge in this story: the plight of Cuban sugar cane workers who are trying to escape Cuba during the great boat flight; a spy who is intent on sabotaging the computer software on the ship as a means to assist in the takeover of the destroyer through mutiny, the computer specialist who is trying to locate and disable the computer virus – we learn in fascinating detail about the unique features of the UYK-7 computer that used a binary logic called the “1’s complement” where register contents are inverted so zero can be a negative creating an illogical condition that is difficult to debug, the Captain’s struggle with his latent homosexuality, and Dan’s relationship with his ex-wife and new girlfriend. (One of the points Poyner tries to drive home is how difficult it is to maintain any kind of reasonable social and home-life for Navy personnel who are away from home for long periods of time and often get called up at a moments notice.) The plots intersect only briefly as Dan is accidentally left on the sinking boat of the Cuban sugar worker who is pregnant and he helps deliver her child during a tropical storm (if this sounds overly melodramatic, it is).
Nevertheless, Poyer recounts a good story that capture the reader’s attention. His narration of what it is like being in a small, sinking boat in the midst of a storm is riveting.
January 9, 2012
I served with Poyer in the reserves...I enjoyed the everyday details of Navy life in this book. I don't know how realistic it is to have all the things happen to Lenson as they do throughout this series, but it is a great read.
March 26, 2010
The Passage (A Dan Lenson Novel) by David Poyer (1997)
April 6, 2016
As a young officer, confused at times, when it came time stood up to his duty and honor.
October 9, 2013
10-9-13
June 21, 2016
Read multiple times
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews