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James Mitchel #1
Kursk
Moscow, summer of 2000, and a new elected President has just come to power. Young naval officer Mischa Kastamarov is called up to serve on the Kursk, a submarine carrying a super torpedo for testing in the Barents Sea.
At the same time, US naval intelligence commander Mitchel James supervises the two American submarines on their mission to spy on the proceedings. But an accidental collision between the boats triggers a terrifying series of events, as an explosion leaves Kastamarov struggling to save his crew.
While their own government denies knowledge of the incident and refuses international aid, the men of the Kursk must fight fire, rising water and the onset of despair. Their plight ignored by their President, they are on their own against the elements in a desperate attempt to survive as Mitchel James is caught between a cover up and his own rescue plan.
Based in part on a true story of bravery, tragedy and the lethal folly of pride, Kursk is a not to miss political drama.
At the same time, US naval intelligence commander Mitchel James supervises the two American submarines on their mission to spy on the proceedings. But an accidental collision between the boats triggers a terrifying series of events, as an explosion leaves Kastamarov struggling to save his crew.
While their own government denies knowledge of the incident and refuses international aid, the men of the Kursk must fight fire, rising water and the onset of despair. Their plight ignored by their President, they are on their own against the elements in a desperate attempt to survive as Mitchel James is caught between a cover up and his own rescue plan.
Based in part on a true story of bravery, tragedy and the lethal folly of pride, Kursk is a not to miss political drama.
9 pages, Audible Audio
Published August 17, 2016
9 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
About the author
Clinchandhill
6 books6 followersDutch renowned author, Clinchandhill, had long-discovered his passion for writing at a young age. Despite past career detours, his love for worldbuilding and the written word were rekindled into a furious blaze. He has since penned his acclaimed political thriller, Kursk, and its equally compelling sequel, 47 Hours.
His irrefutable fascination for credible and true events is evident throughout all his fictional works, including this latest hard hitting novel, Aldaraia. A mystery thriller created in the tradition of the Dan Brown novels.
Clinchandhill now writes full-time in the Netherlands, with his beautiful wife of 20 years. In his spare time, he enjoys sipping tea with a good book and delving into his own adventures out on open waters.
More info on: www.clinchandhill.com
His irrefutable fascination for credible and true events is evident throughout all his fictional works, including this latest hard hitting novel, Aldaraia. A mystery thriller created in the tradition of the Dan Brown novels.
Clinchandhill now writes full-time in the Netherlands, with his beautiful wife of 20 years. In his spare time, he enjoys sipping tea with a good book and delving into his own adventures out on open waters.
More info on: www.clinchandhill.com
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 8, 2022
With this book I don’t really see much point in taking a real event and novelizing it in this way. Normally when a writer does a non fiction novel they will use real history and add details such as what the characters might be thinking yet stick to researched facts about the event. This author uses that technique when dealing with the men trapped in the Russian submarine Kursk for the week (inaccurate) they were alive on the bottom of the Barents Sea. I thought Clinchandhill handled that part pretty well. However, as far as the cause of the accident he chooses one of the theories thrown out by the Russian Navy and government shortly after the sinking of the Kursk in 2000. By 2016 when this book was published this particular conspiracy theory had long been discredited even by Russian authorities. Why take this backward step? If you want a story that differs so much from the facts (there was no multi country rescue although several governments offered help and the recovery of the first bodies did not take place for several months) write your own story.
If a writer wants to change the basic facts they should probably write a completely new story such as Tom Clancy would have done. Speaking of Tom Clancy, Clinchandhill even models an American character on Jack Ryan but without Ryan’s charisma or Clancy’s skill. Clinchandhill’s next book even takes him to Colombia…like Ryan. While I’m complaining, there are an incredible amount of proofreading/grammatical errors in particular chapters of the book.
The inaccurate story smothered in a novel irritates me. You might call it artistic license, but I think it smacks of fake news.
If a writer wants to change the basic facts they should probably write a completely new story such as Tom Clancy would have done. Speaking of Tom Clancy, Clinchandhill even models an American character on Jack Ryan but without Ryan’s charisma or Clancy’s skill. Clinchandhill’s next book even takes him to Colombia…like Ryan. While I’m complaining, there are an incredible amount of proofreading/grammatical errors in particular chapters of the book.
The inaccurate story smothered in a novel irritates me. You might call it artistic license, but I think it smacks of fake news.
January 2, 2018
Kursk is a very-well written re-telling of a tragic historical event that gripped Burt Clinchandhill so much he wanted to tell the story in his own, spectacular way. Kursk is about a Russian submarine of the same name, carrying a super torpedo to the Barents Sea but after the Russian sub collides with a US sub, an unexpected series of events occur and the men of Kursk are left to deal with the problems while their own government turn their backs.
Kursk is a fast-paced political drama that had me hooked from the very first page. I wanted to know what was going to happen, as I hadn’t previously heard of these real-life events and I very quickly became gripped to the storyline, unable to stop reading. Whilst the beginning has a slightly slower pace than the middle and ending of the book, it opens questions and creates streams of interest that will keep you turning page after page.
The storyline, whilst being action-packed, military-based and factually accurate (as far as I could tell), was incredibly emotional and I felt a great deal of empathy for those who were involved in the events that unfolded in this book. The suspense was built flawlessly and an atmosphere was created throughout the imagery that very few writers manage to achieve. For those who would like a political drama that will make you feel emotions you weren’t even sure you had, Kursk is for you.
Kursk is a fast-paced political drama that had me hooked from the very first page. I wanted to know what was going to happen, as I hadn’t previously heard of these real-life events and I very quickly became gripped to the storyline, unable to stop reading. Whilst the beginning has a slightly slower pace than the middle and ending of the book, it opens questions and creates streams of interest that will keep you turning page after page.
The storyline, whilst being action-packed, military-based and factually accurate (as far as I could tell), was incredibly emotional and I felt a great deal of empathy for those who were involved in the events that unfolded in this book. The suspense was built flawlessly and an atmosphere was created throughout the imagery that very few writers manage to achieve. For those who would like a political drama that will make you feel emotions you weren’t even sure you had, Kursk is for you.
December 3, 2015
This book is one of great depth; it not only approaches the disaster of Kursk from a fictional stand point, but also attempts to capture the atmosphere of Russia – something that is prodigiously hard to do in western literature.
The plot develops well, providing a lot of background to the disaster that most people will be unaware of and presenting it in an enjoyable fashion. To say this book is easy to read is not an eloquent enough description of the prose, there is an intelligence that is displayed in the writing style of Clinchandhill that is often missing from modern novels, and was truly refreshing to read.
The characters in this book provide a relatable platform for the story of the tragedy of Kursk to be told without imposing judgement on the facts of what occurred. The opening is particularly engaging as the atmosphere for the majority of the rest of the book is quickly well established and, at least from my point of view, the speech of the characters clearly denoted the accents that each character had.
It’s much easier to visualise and understand not only Kursk but the mentality of those that were involved and affected by the disaster having read this book. Though I do remember it happening, there were lots of details that this book brings to light that I was unaware of.
There are a lot of missing punctuation points and times when the wrong punctuation is used – something that will infuriate grammar Nazis when they are reading, which will distract and detract from the overall quality of the writing. This is a shame as there is so much about this book that is good.
On the whole this is a thoroughly enjoyable book, not only for those who are interested in the Kursk disaster, for those who love to read something that is filled with suspense, though we already, sadly, know the outcome.
The plot develops well, providing a lot of background to the disaster that most people will be unaware of and presenting it in an enjoyable fashion. To say this book is easy to read is not an eloquent enough description of the prose, there is an intelligence that is displayed in the writing style of Clinchandhill that is often missing from modern novels, and was truly refreshing to read.
The characters in this book provide a relatable platform for the story of the tragedy of Kursk to be told without imposing judgement on the facts of what occurred. The opening is particularly engaging as the atmosphere for the majority of the rest of the book is quickly well established and, at least from my point of view, the speech of the characters clearly denoted the accents that each character had.
It’s much easier to visualise and understand not only Kursk but the mentality of those that were involved and affected by the disaster having read this book. Though I do remember it happening, there were lots of details that this book brings to light that I was unaware of.
There are a lot of missing punctuation points and times when the wrong punctuation is used – something that will infuriate grammar Nazis when they are reading, which will distract and detract from the overall quality of the writing. This is a shame as there is so much about this book that is good.
On the whole this is a thoroughly enjoyable book, not only for those who are interested in the Kursk disaster, for those who love to read something that is filled with suspense, though we already, sadly, know the outcome.
December 9, 2016
Book Review: Kursk
In modern society we are often faced with numerous challenges, these might be social, economic, political and various other issues. However the important factor here is that we need to learn something from our life experiences – by giving ourselves the necessary time to reflect on past mistakes and misunderstandings; Burt Clinchandhill, the author of the book Kursk, takes us on a unique journey back into a period in Russia, the year and time was the middle of the millennium (the year 2000).
The book Kursk is based on true events but the story itself is partially fictional. The central theme of the story focuses on a tragedy or incident, which took place in Russia. In this book, the term ‘Kursk’ refers to an Oscar-class submarine, which was one of the largest submarines in the Russian Navy. Based on the author’s inspiration and portrayal of events, he did a terrific analysis of the public theories and broadcasts and along with awesome character representation. Due to all of this, the reader is able to capture and follow the author’s analytical approach.
“You know, it seems to me that my husband had a premonition of his death”, she told the people in the room. “When I went to see him in the summer, not long before he went to sea, he wrote me a small piece of poetry”.
“When my time has come my thoughts be for you alone, softly I would breathe my last breath and I would find the strength to whisper; ‘I will always love you’ ”. These are quotes taken from author Burt Clinchandhill’s book Kursk. This piece of poetry is beautiful and very refreshing.
The main themes in Burt Clinchandhill’s book were faith, restoration, and tragedy. Would I recommend this book to readers? Yes, I definitely would, this book is very inspirational and interesting.
In modern society we are often faced with numerous challenges, these might be social, economic, political and various other issues. However the important factor here is that we need to learn something from our life experiences – by giving ourselves the necessary time to reflect on past mistakes and misunderstandings; Burt Clinchandhill, the author of the book Kursk, takes us on a unique journey back into a period in Russia, the year and time was the middle of the millennium (the year 2000).
The book Kursk is based on true events but the story itself is partially fictional. The central theme of the story focuses on a tragedy or incident, which took place in Russia. In this book, the term ‘Kursk’ refers to an Oscar-class submarine, which was one of the largest submarines in the Russian Navy. Based on the author’s inspiration and portrayal of events, he did a terrific analysis of the public theories and broadcasts and along with awesome character representation. Due to all of this, the reader is able to capture and follow the author’s analytical approach.
“You know, it seems to me that my husband had a premonition of his death”, she told the people in the room. “When I went to see him in the summer, not long before he went to sea, he wrote me a small piece of poetry”.
“When my time has come my thoughts be for you alone, softly I would breathe my last breath and I would find the strength to whisper; ‘I will always love you’ ”. These are quotes taken from author Burt Clinchandhill’s book Kursk. This piece of poetry is beautiful and very refreshing.
The main themes in Burt Clinchandhill’s book were faith, restoration, and tragedy. Would I recommend this book to readers? Yes, I definitely would, this book is very inspirational and interesting.
December 8, 2015
Reading Kursk by Burt Clinchandhill has been a wonderful change in pace for me. As someone with a soft spot for military literature, reading about the tale of a Russian military operation gone wrong has been a similar experience in a more realistic and contemporary setting. That it is fashioned after true events just made it even more fascinating.
Personally, I did not remember the events myself in any detail before reading, as I was fairly young, but reading Kursk at times triggered my dormant memories of my family's discussions of the event, and recognizing those events again was startling in it's clarity.
The first chapters set the background fairly fast and quite well, and the book keeps it's pace steady throughout. I must confess to being enamored by Clinchandhill's writing style, as it is very crisp and catches the Eastern European feel easily. Truthfully, the images of cold concrete walls, lack of flora and color invoked images of my less than stellar childhood neighborhood.
What happened with Kursk and it's influence on those involved, from Russians and Americans, civilians or military personnel alike, is a true tragedy and though the outcome is known already now, immersing oneself into these characters has been most relatable.
Therefor I can truly recommend Kursk for those interested in a more detailed account with an in depth perspectives as well as the average reader who enjoys a sad but thrilling contemporary novel, as it has now occupied my thoughts, even after finishing, for quite some time afterwards.
Personally, I did not remember the events myself in any detail before reading, as I was fairly young, but reading Kursk at times triggered my dormant memories of my family's discussions of the event, and recognizing those events again was startling in it's clarity.
The first chapters set the background fairly fast and quite well, and the book keeps it's pace steady throughout. I must confess to being enamored by Clinchandhill's writing style, as it is very crisp and catches the Eastern European feel easily. Truthfully, the images of cold concrete walls, lack of flora and color invoked images of my less than stellar childhood neighborhood.
What happened with Kursk and it's influence on those involved, from Russians and Americans, civilians or military personnel alike, is a true tragedy and though the outcome is known already now, immersing oneself into these characters has been most relatable.
Therefor I can truly recommend Kursk for those interested in a more detailed account with an in depth perspectives as well as the average reader who enjoys a sad but thrilling contemporary novel, as it has now occupied my thoughts, even after finishing, for quite some time afterwards.
December 6, 2015
This book is totally incredible. Totally in love with it
Keeping history alive is no easy task. One way to try and do this, it by writing a book that reconstructs the actual events of history. In his book ‘Kursk’, Burt takes you on a journey back to a tragic occurrence that claimed and affected hundreds of people. Burt recounts the event so well such that after reading this book, it feels like you are reliving that experience.
So the story goes that; a submarine carrying a torpedo meant for testing got into an accidental collision with boats sent to spy on the testing of the torpedo. This tragic collision opens the door to a series of terrifying experiences. The collision leads to an explosion taking things to a whole different and dangerous level. Alone in the Barents Sea without the government’s or international help, the Kursk’s men have to do all that it takes to survive. This means battling with fire, despair and rising waters, if they even have a chance to make it to land.
The characters are perfectly developed and they make the story incredible. A combination of politics, drama, tension and adventure as captured in the book will keep you captivated and hooked from cover to cover. Every word, every chapter of the book is exactly where it needs to be. It is a must read for all political drama lovers and all those who cannot have enough of history.
Keeping history alive is no easy task. One way to try and do this, it by writing a book that reconstructs the actual events of history. In his book ‘Kursk’, Burt takes you on a journey back to a tragic occurrence that claimed and affected hundreds of people. Burt recounts the event so well such that after reading this book, it feels like you are reliving that experience.
So the story goes that; a submarine carrying a torpedo meant for testing got into an accidental collision with boats sent to spy on the testing of the torpedo. This tragic collision opens the door to a series of terrifying experiences. The collision leads to an explosion taking things to a whole different and dangerous level. Alone in the Barents Sea without the government’s or international help, the Kursk’s men have to do all that it takes to survive. This means battling with fire, despair and rising waters, if they even have a chance to make it to land.
The characters are perfectly developed and they make the story incredible. A combination of politics, drama, tension and adventure as captured in the book will keep you captivated and hooked from cover to cover. Every word, every chapter of the book is exactly where it needs to be. It is a must read for all political drama lovers and all those who cannot have enough of history.
December 5, 2015
Kursk is the true account of a Russian military mission gone horribly wrong. The book chronicles the efforts by the military to run simulation tests on their submarines.
The tragic story of the sinking of the Kursk unfolds throughout the book. Both Russian and American officials play an important part in the story; as do innocent military men and their loved ones.
Once a reader has begun the story putting the book down is next to impossible. Though it is a little slow to get started the book captures the desperation of both the crew aboard the Kursk and those tasked with rescuing them. In addition to being a factual recount it is also an emotionally driven story that sucks in any reader with a heart and a soul. The difficulty in making it through the book lies in the fact that the reader is rooting for those in danger to be rescued as hard as their loved ones were rooting for it.
This recount of a tragic incident that affected hundreds of lives is a powerful piece of writing.
The tragic story of the sinking of the Kursk unfolds throughout the book. Both Russian and American officials play an important part in the story; as do innocent military men and their loved ones.
Once a reader has begun the story putting the book down is next to impossible. Though it is a little slow to get started the book captures the desperation of both the crew aboard the Kursk and those tasked with rescuing them. In addition to being a factual recount it is also an emotionally driven story that sucks in any reader with a heart and a soul. The difficulty in making it through the book lies in the fact that the reader is rooting for those in danger to be rescued as hard as their loved ones were rooting for it.
This recount of a tragic incident that affected hundreds of lives is a powerful piece of writing.
April 26, 2020
Another example of an excellent storytelling by an indie author.
It's shame that trad publishers don't pick up important historical novels, especially the one, presenting controversial take on history.
This book is based on one of the theories why the Kursk had really sunk. Unpalatable for US even as an implication.
It's shame that trad publishers don't pick up important historical novels, especially the one, presenting controversial take on history.
This book is based on one of the theories why the Kursk had really sunk. Unpalatable for US even as an implication.
December 7, 2015
Usually I don't jump at the chance to read a political drama. But I'm so glad I read this! Kursk is based on true events and it was so thrilling to read. When you learn things in school or read a history book it's quite dry and just the facts. But reading Kursk put a whole new spin on reading history.
The characters were developed so well. It was so easy to visualize the surroundings in Russia and the people I was reading about. I found myself rooting so hard for these people fighting for their lives after an accidental explosion. This book was intense and great. Seriously a must read!
The characters were developed so well. It was so easy to visualize the surroundings in Russia and the people I was reading about. I found myself rooting so hard for these people fighting for their lives after an accidental explosion. This book was intense and great. Seriously a must read!
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August 17, 2017The story itself is quite interesting but I would have liked to know how the matter was settled between the US government and the Russian Navy because it is obvious that the "big hole" in the Kursk must have been by a non-Russian submarine and most probably an US submarine.
Though the action was not deliberate, the material and financial damage suffered by Russia was substantive, and I am pretty sure that there must have been harsh "under-the-table" bargaining between the two countries.
Though the action was not deliberate, the material and financial damage suffered by Russia was substantive, and I am pretty sure that there must have been harsh "under-the-table" bargaining between the two countries.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews