Barracuda, Final Bearing [Paperback]

Michael DiMercurio (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1997

In this acclaimed undersea thriller, Michael DiMercurio, a veteran submarine officer and author of Threat Vector and Piranha Firing Point, takes readers behind the scenes of a naval crisis-and below the surface...

A new independent nation has emerged in Asia-with a nuclear arsenal. And its most powerful geographic neighbor has launched a preemptive strike against them. The result: worldwide outrage. When a U.N. blockade against the aggressors is met with underwater attacks, Admiral Michael Pacino is forced to take on one of the world's strongest nations-and destroy one of the greatest submarine fleets.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

As a former officer of the USS Hammerhead, DiMercurio knows his submarines, and the high-tech detail that he brings to his fourth undersea thriller (after Phoenix Sub Zero) should delight fans of the genre. Especially impressive here are the futuristic methods employed by a Japanese spy infiltrating a new nation's atomic missile site, and the unique means employed by Japan to try to render that site useless. When those means backfire, events escalate into a U.N. blockade of Japan and a confrontation between the U.S. and the Imperial sub fleet. All this takes place early in the next century, as the first female president follows the lead of a returning DiMercurio hero, the maverick Admiral Michael Pacino, in agreeing to the step that puts the world at the brink of war. The initial confrontation with Japan leaves Pacino in charge of a minimal fleet against overwhelming odds, but a lone, specially armed American sub may save the day?if it can reach the Sea of China in time. DiMercurio's matter-of-fact style squeezes much of the tension out of the story, and some readers may find his characters' sub-speak awfully dry. Those who thrill to the blip of sonar and the thud of torpedoes, however, will relish the author's latest deep-water dive.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Onyx (March 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451407423
• ISBN-13: 978-0451407429
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,244,483 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tops Clancy, February 16, 2000

By 

Larry L. Gauper (Fargo, North Dakota, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Barracuda, Final Bearing (Paperback)

Loved this book! I like techo thrillers that are realistic, "hard" type sci fi, and Dimercurio's Barracuda Final Bearing is on target (almost a pun, but non intended). If you like Clancy you'll love this book...but what you'll like even better about DeMercurio over Clancy is this author is more economical with words, shoots cleanly at the goal of keeping you in page turning suspense as he thrills you (certainly thrilled me) with a simple but very real and frighteningly possible outcome. Clancy has gotten too wordy (for me) and forget those collaborative "Net Force" books. Not good, shame on you T.C. DeMurcurio seems to keep in mind - for the reader's benefit -what Clancy seems to have lost. Don't get me wrong, I still admire Clancy's plots and work; he's had some great, classic stuff. "Hunt for Red October" was perhaps one of the best submarine thrillers ever but see if you don't agree: I think DeMercurio might have surpassed Clancy's "Red October" classic on this one. Am now anxious to read this author's newest: "Threat Vector," about a cruise ship and a sub. Try this guy. You'll love the way he plots and writes. Funny Hollywood hasn't picked up a couple of these. In my opinion, they're "missing the boat," again: no pun intended. Barracuda Final Bearing would be an excellent movie if they can make it half as good as the book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Home in on THIS superior Techno-Thriller!, January 24, 2001

By 

Jeff Edwards "RadioJeff" (Twin Falls, Idaho) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Barracuda, Final Bearing (Paperback)

The absolute unchallenged King of the underwater submarine adventure has DONE IT AGAIN! I almost want to join the Navy after reading his exciting stories (...ALMOST...). Trying to avert WWIII...a daunting task, but thank heavens our Sub force is up to the task. I echo another reviewers praise of Mr. DiMercurio's talent for getting TO the point without unnecessary literary mumbo-jumbo that serves no purpose other than to make the book bigger and ultimately less entertaining (a trap that Clancy has been falling into since 'The Sum of All Fears'). Always a few years ahead, DiMercurio's stories give us descriptions of weapons that just MIGHT be invented and implemented on subs in the near future (if they actually haven't already). I also appreciate the insight into the minds of those manning these incredible weapons of war, very interesting to say the least.

On a side note, recently I visited Portland, Oregon and floating on the Willammette River at the Oregon Museum of Science & Industry is the decommissioned sub, USS Bluefish (remember the sub that came shooting out of the water in 'The Hunt For Red October' the movie? Well THAT is the same sub). I took a tour on this, the smallest American sub on active duty for many many years, and it was absolutely thrilling and amazing to walk the decks of a ship that had actually trailed Russian subs during the Cold War. It reminded me very much of reading Mr. DiMercurio's novels (ALL of which are awesome). If you ever get the chance to tour a sub, I suggest you do NOT pass it up--it was an incredible adventure to see first hand a little of what life was like on board one of these ships. 'Barracuda Final Bearing' is easily one of the best sub stories available in print today. A MUST read for any submariner or anyone interested IN subs.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "Barracuda" Great Read, May 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Barracuda, Final Bearing (Paperback)

Mr. DiMercurio has written an all-around great military thriller with "Barracuda Final Bearing". He clearly knows his subs and their crews.His descriptions make you feel like you were on board a Seawolf-class submarine. He also has made great predictions in his technology. This book would have made five stars if Mr. DiMercurio's had decided not to include his description of future aircraft. As an avid aviation enthusiast, I can tell when some one isn't in their element concerning flight. Despite this flaw, this is still a great book. I look forward to reading "Pirahna Firing Point."