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Deep Black #9
Death Wave
Off the coast of Africa lie the beautiful Canary Islands, a resort destination of millionaires. Underneath this idyllic paradise is one of the most volatile fault lines in the world. There, an alliance between radical Islamic terrorists and a rogue element of the Chinese government is planning to unleash an act of unimaginable geological terrorism that could devastate the U.S. East Coast, striking it with waves up to a thousand feet high. They plan to set off nuclear devices to precipitate a gigantic landslide that will send a death-dealing tsunami across the Atlantic.
In the Central Asian Republic of Tajikistan, twelve nuclear warheads stolen by the Russian Mafia are about to be smuggled out of the country and delivered into the hands of the conspirators. Charlie and Ilya go on an intercept mission, but before they can retrieve them, the weapons vanish.
Meanwhile, in a hotel in New Jersey, a bestselling author is assassinated to prevent the release of his stranger-than-fiction story about an Islamic plot to change the course of history. Lia, Charlie’s girlfriend, is sent to Berlin to infiltrate the empire of a ruthless Chinese billionaire whose machinations have come to the attention of the NSA. She risks immediate execution if her true identity is revealed.
Their paths all converge in the Canary Islands. Unless the Deep Black team intervenes, the islands could be the epicenter of an apocalypse, with millions of lives and the entire world order at stake.
In the Central Asian Republic of Tajikistan, twelve nuclear warheads stolen by the Russian Mafia are about to be smuggled out of the country and delivered into the hands of the conspirators. Charlie and Ilya go on an intercept mission, but before they can retrieve them, the weapons vanish.
Meanwhile, in a hotel in New Jersey, a bestselling author is assassinated to prevent the release of his stranger-than-fiction story about an Islamic plot to change the course of history. Lia, Charlie’s girlfriend, is sent to Berlin to infiltrate the empire of a ruthless Chinese billionaire whose machinations have come to the attention of the NSA. She risks immediate execution if her true identity is revealed.
Their paths all converge in the Canary Islands. Unless the Deep Black team intervenes, the islands could be the epicenter of an apocalypse, with millions of lives and the entire world order at stake.
Audio CD
First published November 29, 2011
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About the author
Stephen Coonts
181 books756 followersStephen Coonts (born July 19, 1946) is an American thriller and suspense novelist.
Coonts grew up in Buckhannon, West Virginia, a small coal-mining town and earned an B.A. degree in political science at West Virginia University in 1968. He entered the Navy the following year and flew an A-6 Intruder medium attack plane during the Vietnam War, where he served on two combat cruises aboard the USS Enterprise (CVN-65). He accumulated 1600 hours in the A-6 Intruder and earned a number of Navy commendations, including the Distinguished Flying Cross. After the war he served as a flight instructor on A-6 aircraft for two years, then did a tour as an assistant catapult and arresting gear officer aboard USS Nimitz (CVN-68). His navigator-bombardier was LTjg Stanley W. Bryant who later became a Rear Admiral and deputy commander-in-chief of the US naval forces in Europe.
After being honorably discharged from duty as a lieutenant in 1977, Coonts pursued a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree at the University of Colorado, graduating in 1979. He then worked as an oil and gas lawyer for several companies, entertaining his writing interests in his free time.
He published short stories in a number of publications before writing Flight of the Intruder in 1986 (made into a movie in 1991). Intruder, based in part on his experiences as a bomber pilot, spent 28 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists in hardcover and launched his career as a novelist. From there he continued writing adventure-mysteries using the character from his first book, Jake Grafton. He has written several other series and stand-alone novels since then, but is most notable for the Grafton books.
Today Coonts continues to write, having had seventeen New York Times bestsellers (out of 20 books), and lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with his wife and son.
Taken from Wikipedia
Learn more about Stephen Coonts on the Macmillan website.
Coonts grew up in Buckhannon, West Virginia, a small coal-mining town and earned an B.A. degree in political science at West Virginia University in 1968. He entered the Navy the following year and flew an A-6 Intruder medium attack plane during the Vietnam War, where he served on two combat cruises aboard the USS Enterprise (CVN-65). He accumulated 1600 hours in the A-6 Intruder and earned a number of Navy commendations, including the Distinguished Flying Cross. After the war he served as a flight instructor on A-6 aircraft for two years, then did a tour as an assistant catapult and arresting gear officer aboard USS Nimitz (CVN-68). His navigator-bombardier was LTjg Stanley W. Bryant who later became a Rear Admiral and deputy commander-in-chief of the US naval forces in Europe.
After being honorably discharged from duty as a lieutenant in 1977, Coonts pursued a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree at the University of Colorado, graduating in 1979. He then worked as an oil and gas lawyer for several companies, entertaining his writing interests in his free time.
He published short stories in a number of publications before writing Flight of the Intruder in 1986 (made into a movie in 1991). Intruder, based in part on his experiences as a bomber pilot, spent 28 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists in hardcover and launched his career as a novelist. From there he continued writing adventure-mysteries using the character from his first book, Jake Grafton. He has written several other series and stand-alone novels since then, but is most notable for the Grafton books.
Today Coonts continues to write, having had seventeen New York Times bestsellers (out of 20 books), and lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with his wife and son.
Taken from Wikipedia
Learn more about Stephen Coonts on the Macmillan website.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
May 24, 2022
Could not get into it, did not finish. Too much military and politics
February 2, 2013
Coonts and Keith take international espionage and terrorism to a whole, new level. Set in Southern Asia and the beautiful Canary Islands, a high-tech US national security team, known as Deep Black, attempts to prevent a worldwide catastrophic nuclear, geological incident.
Operatives are told that ten, suitcase-size nuclear warheads have been stolen by the Russian Mafia. Their mission is to find the weapons before they are smuggled out of Central Asia. The authors manage to eloquently bundle: the murder of a best-selling author, the smuggling of a Russian love-interest, and seismic activity off the coast of Morocco into a compelling shoot-em-up fast-paced intrigue.
The story has all the elements of a best-selling thriller. The bad guys are Islamic extremists, collaborating with Russians and Chinese. The good guys are Americans: some naturalized Russians, some white-collar beltway types, and ex- military. Love and honor underpin the psyche of our heroes while worldwide domination and economic greed spur our antagonists. And of course, what would any good espionage book be without female spies who aren’t afraid to use their sex appeal as a deadly weapon. Anything for your country, right?
Operatives are told that ten, suitcase-size nuclear warheads have been stolen by the Russian Mafia. Their mission is to find the weapons before they are smuggled out of Central Asia. The authors manage to eloquently bundle: the murder of a best-selling author, the smuggling of a Russian love-interest, and seismic activity off the coast of Morocco into a compelling shoot-em-up fast-paced intrigue.
The story has all the elements of a best-selling thriller. The bad guys are Islamic extremists, collaborating with Russians and Chinese. The good guys are Americans: some naturalized Russians, some white-collar beltway types, and ex- military. Love and honor underpin the psyche of our heroes while worldwide domination and economic greed spur our antagonists. And of course, what would any good espionage book be without female spies who aren’t afraid to use their sex appeal as a deadly weapon. Anything for your country, right?
November 30, 2020
Incredibly boring. The inadequacy of the main character is a cause for deep frustration. Moreover the writing style is truly annoying. How many times do I need to read that a character in the book is wearing some kind of slacks? Why didn't the author state at the beginning that by default everyone is wearing slacks and in case of an exception he will specify otherwise? When reading about the 59th description of how someone is dressed it was clear to me that they are wearing slacks. Slacks, slacks, slacks. The book could had been called Slacks wave. Really, avoid unless you enjoy reading ascetic books.
August 22, 2025
Deep Black: Death Wave is a novel about three special operatives who are sent all over the world to stop terrorists.
This book tells the story of Chinese Terrorists who are planning to explode small atomic bombs in holes drilled into the volcanic rock. The plan is that the nuclear bombs will fracture the volcanic rock of the Canary Islands, causing a huge tidal wave to hit the United States.
There is a lot of action as the team chases down the terrorist and tries to capture the nuclear bombs before they explode.
Lots of suspense with exciting plot twists and turns.
If you are a Stephen Coonts fan you will like this book
This book tells the story of Chinese Terrorists who are planning to explode small atomic bombs in holes drilled into the volcanic rock. The plan is that the nuclear bombs will fracture the volcanic rock of the Canary Islands, causing a huge tidal wave to hit the United States.
There is a lot of action as the team chases down the terrorist and tries to capture the nuclear bombs before they explode.
Lots of suspense with exciting plot twists and turns.
If you are a Stephen Coonts fan you will like this book
February 3, 2018
Spies of every stripe, check, and plaid engage in a global romp. A dozen suitcase nukes are being strategically planted to cause a megatsunami that will cripple the USA, unite muslims, and give China world economic domination.
Good guys. Bad guys. Every munition, every aircraft, spies you've heard of, spies you haven't. Politics and romance. Phew.
A fast read.
Good guys. Bad guys. Every munition, every aircraft, spies you've heard of, spies you haven't. Politics and romance. Phew.
A fast read.
May 1, 2019
Crazy but enjoyable.
I somehow missed this when it first came out, but it is a very good story with a premise I seriously doubt, but the technology and military action track quite well. Counts delivers again!
I somehow missed this when it first came out, but it is a very good story with a premise I seriously doubt, but the technology and military action track quite well. Counts delivers again!
April 4, 2021
The team is deployed to find Russian suitcase nukes sold to a group of muslim fanatics and a shady Chinese businessman. They are to stop whatever machinations are in play and recover the nukes. Typical of the genre. Fair read. Nothing special for this last book in the series.
September 14, 2021
Loved the story but way too much detail about military programs, types of weapons and other governments. More conversation writing with tha characters would of kept my interest better. Seemed more like a history book than a fiction piece.
June 15, 2017
This had some very exciting episodes in it and an interesting cast of characters. Really enjoyed listening to it.
August 27, 2018
10 suitcase nuct. weapons to cause mega wave on east coast of USA
June 6, 2019
This was a bit slow towards the beginning on the book. But once it "started", about 20% of the way in, it gripped me, and kept me hooked. Good read!
September 20, 2020
The last one that I read, book 5 or 6, was so bad I swore off the Deep Black series. But, I forgot that and restarted, giving it another chance. The same thing happened. DNF.
January 7, 2021
Still enjoying this series but it has moved on from the really high tech stuff in the later novels.
February 16, 2022
It was OK I have read better books with the same topic that were more interesting.
May 27, 2022
Like all Coonts, an exciting book. Keeps you involved with the last 50 pages being very exciting.
May 27, 2022
It was a fun action packed read.
December 12, 2024
3.5 stars
Death Wave reminded me of something Clive Cussler or Matthew Reilly would write. It was big, exciting, action-packed and totally unbelievable, but still a fun read.
Death Wave reminded me of something Clive Cussler or Matthew Reilly would write. It was big, exciting, action-packed and totally unbelievable, but still a fun read.
March 1, 2025
Great story about eliminating a predominantly Muslim terror attack on the U.S.
March 28, 2011
Deep Black: Death Wave by Stephen Coonts and William H. Keith is the ninth book in the Deep Black military fiction series. Charlie Dean and his partner, Ilya Akulinin, are both field operators for the National Security Agency's Desk Three Deep Black operations. They have come to Tajikistan to locate twelve suitcase nuclear weapons, as well as figure out the targets for the use of the weapons.
Even though the action jumps around, Coonts and Keith have a header informing us of the location and the time in which the following section is taking place. This ensures that you can easily keep track of where the action is and you never feel lost.
Field agents in the Deep Black series are in almost constant contact with their handlers at Desk Three via transceivers imbedded behind their ears. This means that the agents always have help and extra information about a situation, and we are privy to this information. In some ways it lessens the suspense because you know the agents have access to help and people generally know where they are and what they are encountering. Actually, I didn't feel any nail-biting suspense until the very end of the novel.
While I like action adventure thrillers, I'm not sure if military fiction is, in general, as interesting to me. I will say that even though I have not read the previous books in the series, I was easily able to follow the action and the characters. I guess I didn't care quite as much about all the little details of the mission.
Recommended by me, but highly recommended for fans of military fiction.
http://shetreadssoftly.blogspot.com/
Even though the action jumps around, Coonts and Keith have a header informing us of the location and the time in which the following section is taking place. This ensures that you can easily keep track of where the action is and you never feel lost.
Field agents in the Deep Black series are in almost constant contact with their handlers at Desk Three via transceivers imbedded behind their ears. This means that the agents always have help and extra information about a situation, and we are privy to this information. In some ways it lessens the suspense because you know the agents have access to help and people generally know where they are and what they are encountering. Actually, I didn't feel any nail-biting suspense until the very end of the novel.
While I like action adventure thrillers, I'm not sure if military fiction is, in general, as interesting to me. I will say that even though I have not read the previous books in the series, I was easily able to follow the action and the characters. I guess I didn't care quite as much about all the little details of the mission.
Recommended by me, but highly recommended for fans of military fiction.
http://shetreadssoftly.blogspot.com/
February 10, 2016
This is my first Stephen Coonts read in quite a few years and I did enjoy the return trip, so to speak. As I have done before, when I read an author's new character(s)... new to me at least, getting the latest story first out of ignorance, I plan on picking up the other books in order from #1 and reading through them until/unless I have a couple of consecutive "bad" ones at which point I will once again step away Stephen Coonts, stories.
I very much enjoyed the new characters of Charlie, Lia, and Ilya along with some of their supporting cast of characters. While the plot is a bit of a new twist on an old theme... where are the missing nukes, who's got them, and what are they planning to do with them, the flow of the story keeps it exciting and fast moving. Wouldn't it be nice if all our latest communications technology always worked in real life as well as portrayed in stories such as these? And I would be amazed if even dedicated field operatives in some of our most secretive agencies have submitted to having implanted, ever-on comms devices between themselves and the home station. But if so, that would be WAY above any clearance level I ever held.
A fun and easy read... almost rated it a four but just not quite.
I very much enjoyed the new characters of Charlie, Lia, and Ilya along with some of their supporting cast of characters. While the plot is a bit of a new twist on an old theme... where are the missing nukes, who's got them, and what are they planning to do with them, the flow of the story keeps it exciting and fast moving. Wouldn't it be nice if all our latest communications technology always worked in real life as well as portrayed in stories such as these? And I would be amazed if even dedicated field operatives in some of our most secretive agencies have submitted to having implanted, ever-on comms devices between themselves and the home station. But if so, that would be WAY above any clearance level I ever held.
A fun and easy read... almost rated it a four but just not quite.
May 18, 2012
This book reads like an Xbox video game or a bad Steven Segal movie. The plot is thin easy to follow the dialogue paint by numbers and the outcome predictably constructed. It is then perfect for switching your brain off and reading on the beach, where the many distractions around you can happily keep pulling you away from the story without you ever having to worry about loosing track. I read 300 pages in one day, that's how easy to read and digest it is.
Suspenseful scene follows suspenseful scene with just enough reward to keep pulling you along. As such it becomes fun to go back to after whatever cheerful distraction has occupied your time. It's Tom Clancy lite. As it's co authored I doubt that it represents Mr Coonts best work but it's not without merit. It's a bit of a Big Mac. Temporarily satisfying and moorish without ever being truly rewarding or filling. As soon as the last page has been turned it's pretty much forgotten, but nice whilst it lasted.
Suspenseful scene follows suspenseful scene with just enough reward to keep pulling you along. As such it becomes fun to go back to after whatever cheerful distraction has occupied your time. It's Tom Clancy lite. As it's co authored I doubt that it represents Mr Coonts best work but it's not without merit. It's a bit of a Big Mac. Temporarily satisfying and moorish without ever being truly rewarding or filling. As soon as the last page has been turned it's pretty much forgotten, but nice whilst it lasted.
March 6, 2018
This has the feel of being lifted directly from a comic book or a video game, with two-dimensional characters you feel absolutely nothing for. They are so smart, so perfect, so daring and efficient, that you soon realize nothing is going to happen to them. Not really.
They are equipped with cranial communications implants which enable their bosses back at the CIA in Room 2, or the Art Room, to hear everything they say and hear. The bosses can instantly communication with the agents, as well. Highly advanced satellites keep an eye on them as well, letting them know what's going on around them at all times.
This is basically a comic book written by a "co-writer", then I'm not going to read him any more. What is it with these big name writers, that they suddenly start taking on "partners" to write their novels? Are they just lazy, too rich and successful to do the work of writing a good novel?
They are equipped with cranial communications implants which enable their bosses back at the CIA in Room 2, or the Art Room, to hear everything they say and hear. The bosses can instantly communication with the agents, as well. Highly advanced satellites keep an eye on them as well, letting them know what's going on around them at all times.
This is basically a comic book written by a "co-writer", then I'm not going to read him any more. What is it with these big name writers, that they suddenly start taking on "partners" to write their novels? Are they just lazy, too rich and successful to do the work of writing a good novel?
March 27, 2011
At first I though I wouldn't be able to understand because of the technical jargon of various type secret service agents and I read the first 5 pages and put it down. The next day I began reading again and realized that Coonts does an excellent job of explaining the jargon to me and the more I read the more excited I got by the story and the movement. Not for the feint of heart but definitely not bloody gore either. Written realistically and moves fast. I loved it. The characters are well developed and have their internal as well as external conflicts and the portrayal of government officials helped me to understand how things are done, probably on a world wide scale. I didn't doubt that any of this could happen. And a little sappy love of course gets in the way and helps to push the story forward. Imagine - romance and politics. How exciting!
March 9, 2017
Islamic terrorists along with a rogue ex-Chinese military guy is planning a geological terrorist attack that will cause thousand foot high waves that will decimate the Eastern seaboard of the United States. Black ops agents Charlie Dean, Ilya Akulinin and Lia DeFrancesca are deployed to various European countries to locate the missing nuclear weapons that will be used in this attack.
This is an exciting book with a plot that in theory could actually work which makes it a thriller with nasty implications. I liked the characters of Charlie, Ilya and Lia. They have good morals and are what I think of when I picture military persons - doing the right thing regardless of the consequences to themselves.
This is the first book I've read by Stephen Coonts but I will definitely be reading more books in this series.
This is an exciting book with a plot that in theory could actually work which makes it a thriller with nasty implications. I liked the characters of Charlie, Ilya and Lia. They have good morals and are what I think of when I picture military persons - doing the right thing regardless of the consequences to themselves.
This is the first book I've read by Stephen Coonts but I will definitely be reading more books in this series.
September 8, 2011
I often pick up books at random - in the excellent "new section" of The superb Marpole branch of the wonderful Vancouver Public Library - one of the great institutions in this very special city. My note beside the book has a check, which means it was an easy, enjoyable read. But, if I said, I can't really remember what it was about exactly - well, there you have it. There are many books like that. Still, some books are worth a gander just for their entertainment value - and evidently Stephen Coonts is one of those many, many famous, succesful authors whose book jacket has that dreaded phrase - "This book was on the New York Best Seller List". So?
I'd read another one by him - but, its hard to keep track, when the essence of the story tends to centre on formula.
I'd read another one by him - but, its hard to keep track, when the essence of the story tends to centre on formula.
May 21, 2016
This is terrible! It is as terrible as you might think a book called Deep Black #9: Death Wave would be. Boring characters, action sequences with no real stakes, the whole thing wrapped up handily and easily through the Unflappable Might of the US Military. Bonus "know your audience" points for including a scene where an unnamed President who is clearly Obama acts like an idiot, and a few random shots at global warming and "PC culture."
I'll give it this, though. A draw of the book is that it is set on the Canary Islands, and this is exactly the sort of book you might read on an airplane if you were going on vacation to the Canary Islands. For those in that situation -- highly recommended.
I'll give it this, though. A draw of the book is that it is set on the Canary Islands, and this is exactly the sort of book you might read on an airplane if you were going on vacation to the Canary Islands. For those in that situation -- highly recommended.
August 21, 2016
Although I understand the point of giving local time and place, I still find it annoying, especially when the the characters are in the same locale. In a movie this information would be in the upper left hand corner of the screen, but in an audio recording, it is very annoying.
I like the new cast members. I guess it just got too hard to keep a 6'7" blonde as a secret intelligence agent.
In previous books the POTUS interacted directly with Rubbins at critical times and was supportive of the military and intelligence agencies. The new President doesn't know who Rubbins is and is vitriolic towards these same agencies. Keeping the rest of the world content seems to be a bigger concern than stopping terrorists. Wait...why does that sound so familiar?
I like the new cast members. I guess it just got too hard to keep a 6'7" blonde as a secret intelligence agent.
In previous books the POTUS interacted directly with Rubbins at critical times and was supportive of the military and intelligence agencies. The new President doesn't know who Rubbins is and is vitriolic towards these same agencies. Keeping the rest of the world content seems to be a bigger concern than stopping terrorists. Wait...why does that sound so familiar?
May 16, 2011
Yet another story of a secret US Counterintelligence group (disliked by the usual NSA, FBI, DHS Depts) which is trying to foil yet another Muslim attack on the US, this time by creating a tidal wave to inundate the East Coast by exploding a series of suitcase nukes in the Canary islands to create a massive tidal wave. The book is interesting enough with its somewhat unique plot, well-enough written to be readable with enough technical detail to give it the appearance of reality.
(One cannot help but wonder if the Muslims read these books to get new ideas that might be applicable to their purposes).
(One cannot help but wonder if the Muslims read these books to get new ideas that might be applicable to their purposes).
January 8, 2012
Stephen Coonts is one of my favorite authors. "Under Siege" is an absolutely FANTASTIC book. My first book of the "Deep Black" series sold under his name was disappointing.
I have no idea how much of the writing Coonts did, and how much his co-author did, (William Keith) but "Death Wave" was not very good, leading me to believe this "partnership" was heavily slanted towards Keith writing.
There's no depth to the characters, nor tension to their situation. They're successful in every instance.
The plot is a whiz-bang techno spy thriller: Chasing terrorists all over the world. Well-plotted it just had no soul.
I have no idea how much of the writing Coonts did, and how much his co-author did, (William Keith) but "Death Wave" was not very good, leading me to believe this "partnership" was heavily slanted towards Keith writing.
There's no depth to the characters, nor tension to their situation. They're successful in every instance.
The plot is a whiz-bang techno spy thriller: Chasing terrorists all over the world. Well-plotted it just had no soul.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews