Destroy the Kentucky: Destroy the Kentucky [Paperback]

Bart Davis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1992

When Central Asian nationalists hijack the U.S.S. Kentucky--a well-armed, super hi-tech mini-sub--and threaten Moscow with its nuclear warheads, the Soviets ask the United States to track down and destroy the submarine.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

With the setting alternating between an underwater sub and the vast Kara Kum desert, Davis's ( Raise the Red Dawn ) new military novel is a winner in which people, not gadgetry, are paramount and adventure is delivered at satisfying clip. Turkmenistan, a Soviet republic, backs its bid for independence with some serious fire power: its agents steal the USS Kentucky, a new small, fast submarine armed with four cruise missiles. Sending the Kentucky to sea with two missiles, the separatists hide the other two in the Kara Kum desert. While the Soviets have a new sonar system that might be able to locate the deep-diving sub, only the Americans have the full scoop on the Kentucky, so they pool their resources: Capt. Peter MacKenzie of the U.S. Navy takes a Soviet sub out to destroy the Kentucky , but the mission only will be accomplished if he can convince his slack Soviet crew to stop thinking of him as the enemy and pull together as a team. Meanwhile Justine, Peter's wife and an experienced and deadly CIA agent, joins with a Soviet general and the chief of a desert tribe to find the two hidden missiles. Each member of this unusual trio distrusts the others--and with good cause.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Pocket (February 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671696645
• ISBN-13: 978-0671696641
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #731,462 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Light but enjoyable submarine technothriller, February 12, 2003

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Rottenberg's rotten book review (nyc) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Destroy the Kentucky: Destroy the Kentucky (Paperback)

This was one of the earliest attempts to save submarine technothrillers from the end of the cold war. In this one, a band of Central Asian fanatics somehow manage to hijack a high-tech US Sub (SSN Kentucky) that is virtually undetectable. The Russians have developed technology that may allow them to locate the sub, but they insist that the Americans provide an ASW expert who can guide them to it. With little direction, the uninspiring crew of the equipped Russian sub don't quite cooperate with their new American crewman. On the flipside, the American is a washed-up former sub skipper with a terrible secret, one that undermines his killer instinct. The Russian sub equipped with the souped-up sonar is a Victor II class sub, an ancient nuclear boat (their successors, the Victor III first put to sea about 20 years ago). The plan is to train the crew on using the wonder sonar, then transfer both it and crew to a more advanced sub. Assuming there's time.

This was an interesting book, and between going into the novelty of its premise and the regular snatches of modern submarine technology, it's an interesting book. What sinks this story is the idea that it could have been an even more interesting book. We never get more than bare bones of an idea that the Victor II and its crew are at the bottom of the Russians pecking order (there's an evil Russian admiral with a topnotch flagship - a Sierra class attack sub that gives way to no boat; his disdain for the American and his new crew is one of the forces that slowly but surely elevates the hero in the eyes of his new crew). Unfortunately, neither the crew or the broken down Victor II become more than cardboard figures - so it's no fun when they swap ends and decide to help the American. The techno aspect of the book is somewhat light (not as much as Pat Robinson) and won't intimidate or enlight landlubbers like me.