Threat Vector

Michael Pacino #6

by Michael DiMercurio

Submarine commander Alexi Novskoyy has been sprung from prison by a multibillion-dollar organization with a very special mission in mind. The company has designed a new submarine - the VEPR - which they will use to wreak havoc on international trade. To test its new weapon, Alexi must sink a cruise ship carrying the entire brass of the U.S. Navy - effectively decapitating the American fleet.

The legendary USS DEVILFISH is called in to stop the catastrophe, only to be ambushed by the ultra-advanced VEPR. With the Devilfish down, the Navy sends CAPT "Kelly" McKee and the newest sub in the U.S. arsenal to hunt down and destroy the super sub. What they don't realize is that Alexi has his own plans, which have him heading straight for the shores of America.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Military Fiction, War

555 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published March 1, 2000

About the author

Michael DiMercurio is an honors graduate of the Naval Academy at Annapolis, and has served as a paratrooper, Navy diver, and as a lieutenant and Chief Propulsion Officer aboard the U.S.S. Hammerhead.

Reviews

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you love reading passages like "The changes in the control room were among the most noticeable, including the elimination of the periscopes and the periscope stand, the "conn", in favor of a total commitment to phontonics, the electronic sensors mounted on non-hull-penetrating masts in the sail able to display 360 degrees of view at once, with the output displayed on huge flat-panel displays angled in the overhead of the control room." to essentially say "big TV's", then you may love this book. Very much in the spirit of Tom Clancy but dedicated to naval activity only, it was a pretty good story of international warfare set about 20 years in the future. It isn't as 'broad' as many books such as this, focusing on just a handful of people on the "good" and "bad" side while still making it seem like the fate of the world hung in the balance. DiMercurio sometimes over-focuses on the minutiae from my view, spending 3 pages explaining how a multi-phase torpedo of the future works, but for many that could be the draw. His stories about the personal dramas involved probably could have used that level of attention as there really is a 'sheen' to it that is a bit too facile.

You'll see "Hunt for Red October" comparisons - which are somewhat apt but only in a "NFL is football, so is high school football". I'd probably pass on going to sea with DiMercurio again, but for those that love these stories, I'm sure you'd find worse.

[Raymond Anthony Meece · Rating 4 out of 5]

At times I couldn't put the book down, I also had to skim past for the repetitive

At times, I couldn't put the book down, and then there were times I skipped due to page filling. The amount of background detail of characters than having little bering on the storyline is exhausting .
The premis that a sub of any nation could enter out most sentive port without us hearing them days away a good laugh for the unknowingly especially the VA basin which you can't fart in those water without being heard and molested, (iykyk) but it is a story and it lives in the land of Narnia. Enjoyed the read

[Ian Birtwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story and good scenario. The characters have believable interplay and the tech is well thought out and described in an easy to understand manner. Another very enjoyable book; More to come in the next in the series, Terminal Run.

[Ronald C Bateman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Character Development

Good story line. Efficiently pulled together. Good character development. Leaves you with positive feelings for characters on both sides of the conflict.

[Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author spend a great deal of this novel describing the weapons systems. This took away from the plot.
Less enoyable.

[John Taussig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weapons and technology - too much

Seems like only the subs improve and you only need o e to stop an entire fleet - etc.
Lots if action but getting too tech for me.

[William F Kimpflein · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review

Another great read in the books. Can't wait for the next one to begin. I love this author, and this series.

[Bogusław Muraszko · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fajnie się czyta książki DiMercurio. Ale autor ma wyraźnego pecha, bo miał wielkiego poprzednika, nieodżałowanego Toma Clancy. Niestety, każdemu będzie trudno wytrzymać na tym polu po takim mistrzu political-thrillera. W swojej serii z komandorem a potem admirałem Paccino, autor popuścił trochę fantazji w zakresie technologii uzbrojenia, no chyba, że on o tym już coś wie, a my jeszcze nie, ale to najmniejszy problem. W tej części trochę nie klei się akcja. Trzy czwarte książki to dobrzy zbierają baty, a potem jak się nie odmachną... To ręka noga mózg na ścianie. I zwycięża dobro. I przewidywalne, i naiwne. To już w "Płomieniach pod lodem" akcja jakoś się komplikowała, kleiła i nawet jako całość wypadła nieźle. Hmmm. Mam jeszcze kilka innych tytułów tego autora. Dam mu jednak szansę. Ale ten tom oceniam bardzo przeciętnie.

[Barrie Eliasson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr DiMercurio is, in my view a gifted story teller. I have nearly finished what I believe to be his last available book and am completely hooked. I don't know who I'll read next. His stories are utterly compelling that lend stronger meaning to the term "Unputdownable".
Mr DiMercurio - Ahead - Emergency Flank more books required!

[Pete · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story here is not bad for the most part and the battle engagements are tense and exciting. The commander of the enemy sub was a man of honor and I liked that. Most readers are going to find this novel much too technical however.

[Michael Abberton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just wish I could rate these higher. I enjoy sub tech thrillers, but DiMercurio's books get more implausible and silly as they go.

[Jinsong · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't like this book. The author needs to do his homework before writing anything beyond what he knows.

[Lis · Rating 3 out of 5]

E' il secondo libro di DiMercurio che leggo ma già mi sembrano tutti uguali.
Vanno bene come lettura leggera, magari in viaggio o come distrazione, ma solo per appassionati del genere.