Customer Reviews

The Sixth Battle

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Starting with civil war in South Africa the novel draws American and Soviet Carrier forces into an enormous battle in the Indian Ocean East of Africa.

The descriptions of Carrier Aviation, Soviet and American, are woven into brilliant panoramas of Naval wafare.

A huge range of flight operations are described from aerial refuelling, ground attack, intercepts, anti - ship and more.

I've read this book right after I finished reading Tillman's "Warriors". He describes in a fascinating way a conflict between the Soviet Union and the United States off the coast of South Africa. If you like reading Tom Clancy, you have to read this book.

This novel is the bible of Harpoon game players. Tillman's description of naval technology and tactics is second to no one. Character development is more than adequate and the plot moves at a fast clip. I just hope he gets around to writing another novel set in the present day.

This book is a lost gem compared to any other in its genre,its descriptions of modern naval warfare put Clancy to shame.Its story line is similar to Larry Bonds "Cauldron" but places the emphasis on the action at sea but still carries the story of the land war very well. Why has he not written more books of this kind ?

Barrett Tillmans prose and character development aren't great but are adequete. Where he shines is in describing Naval Aviation and the men who strap on the airplanes and fight the battle. This is a fascinating look at a carrier battle between the US Navy and Russia describing the equipment, electronic environment, and the tactics each side would employ. Its a great book for the Naval aviation buff

Today in the geo-political world, this book is dated. However, if you are interested in wanting to read a good fictional story about naval warfare and the technology, strategy, and scenarios associated with any nation having to deal with the US Navy pre-eminance on the high seas, this book hits the nail squarely on the head.

In addition, I found the characterization and action surrounding the South African land campaign (again, though outdated in terms of current geo-political realities) well done from a fictional, techno-thriller standpoint.

But the true strength and weight of this novel is, as many reviewers have mentioned, in the naval warfare arena. Though geo-political realities have changed from the scenario presented here, most other nations that would serve as potential agressors to the US Navy on the high seas today are still grappling with the exact same issues presented in this tale. How do you nullify or take out a US carrier strike group? What would it take in terms of air powerr, submarines, surface combatants, etc.? This book covers in riveting detail the type of conventional weaponry and attack profiles that would have to be employed and defended against today just as they would have had to been employed 14 years ago...and that is because it is the same hard nut to crack.

As to the one reviewer's comments about this being some kind of fluff fest and self congratulatory piece for the US Navy, I do not believe that reviewer really understands the typical US Navy veteran mind set. Without giving away too much of the plot or providing any spoilers...for the US Navy to suffer the kind of losses it does in Tillman's novel is in itself ample testimony to the contrary of such assertians.

Anyhow, I would recommend this book to absolutely anyone interested in modern battle and strike at sea concepts, and for anyone wanting a good military techno-thriller read.

This book is by far, the best Naval book I've read, followed by Red Storm Rising. The level of technological content and tactics is well to the liking of readers of Tom Clancy or Dale Brown. It contains suspense, action, anything you could ask for. This would make a great movie...IF they follow the book.

The Sixth Battle describes a very technical detail of modern carrier war. I don't think all people can understand the true meaning of this book. But for naval warfare fans..this book is next to King James Bible. I always play the war in my head when I'm going to sleep. APG 71 Up.....Fox Three...Fox Three.

This story is the epitome of what modern naval warfare is all about. Tillman does a fantastic job of describing not only the vessels, technology and hardware, but also of introducing strong, believable characters.

The battle scenes are riveting...and there are a lot of them...which I really enjoyed.

The story line remains plausible even today, 13 years later, though it is dated and though the Russian Navy has lost most of the assests described herein.

The only books that come close to this in later years are Jeff Head's, Dragon's Fury Series, which pit a modernized and rapidly expanded PLAN and its allies, with some significant technological break throughs, against the US Navy in a seven year long World War III fought out on all five populated continents.

If you have served in the US Navy and want a book that tells you that you're fantastic, look no further.

If however you're looking for a good war novel / thriller, keep on moving.

It's a puff piece. In a novel about a conflict of this scale hardly any other US armed service even gets mentioned.

That's an aside. What really makes it painful is that this book has some of the most untalented writing that I have ever seen in print.
The dialog is very poor; the characterisation is appalling (Tillman seems to have great difficulty in writing about characters with different perspectives than his own, but don't worry, he wastes no oportunity to tell us that he's right); the domestic politics of this conflict are barely touched upon, and the depiction of the President is so infantile as to actually be very funny.

To be fair, while this book has all the subtlety and sophistication of a 50's western, it still has its strong points. Tillman manages to convey the very complicated combined operations of modern warfare very well. His action scenes (which form the major portion of the book), do keep you reading, so those that are interested in Naval Warfare may well be interested.
As a techno thriller it fails however, because the weapons, tactics and political scene described are now so dated.

Just to re-iterate, so there's no mistake - the writing is B.A.D. I can't stress that enough.

I can't help feeling that these other reviews where written by his mates.

If you find yourself out at sea with just Sixth Battle for company, you too will be wishing for the Russians to come.