Straits of Power [Paperback]

Joe Buff (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: William Morrow (2004)
• ASIN: B000OF4ZES
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Example of the Genre, November 29, 2004

By 

Christopher Griffith (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Straits of Power (Hardcover)

The latest installment of Joe Buff's highly original futuristic submarine series stands as an excellent example of the genre. As faithful fans know, this series pits the Anglosphere (US-UK) against a restored Wilhelmine Germany and its Boer-ish South African ally in a WWIII fought mainly at sea with low-yield tactical atomic weapons. Buff deserves kudos just for coming up with such a plot. Considering his premise's inherent implausability (Germany's 3rd World growth rates, moribund regulatory structure, aging population, and pacifist sensibilities combined with the increasingly dictatorial ANC regime in the RSA make them highly unlikely bad guys), the reader spends very little time questioning the book's politics because the action moves along at such a brisk pace.

In Straits of Power, Cmdr. Fuller heads into the Med. to forestall a German move on the Middle East. Buff also tries his hand at some spy vs. spy plot lines for the first time and succeeds brilliantly. The characters are a bit weak, but, thankfully, the love story angle is downplayed. The one character who comes alive is, once again, that old WWII movie standby, the conflicted Kraut -- Klaus Mohr.

Buff's description of the tactical details of sub warfare are the book's strongest part. You. Are. There. And the frequent use of low-yield nukes reminds the reader that, not so long ago, we faced an adversary in the USSR who considered the use of tactical nuclear weapons to be a vital part of their war-fighting doctrine -- and could again. After all, who says asymmetrical warfare has to employ low tech methods like the murderers of 9/11 did? A capable nation-state opponent could choose to counter our conventional superiority via high tech weapons like ASATs or nuclear torpedoes instead of box cutters.

Although not up to the standards of the amazing second book in this series (Thunder in the Deep), Straits represents a fine example of the modern technothriller and essential reading for anyone who likes a good submarine story. If Tom Clancy were still alive, he might write something like this.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding, as always, May 14, 2005

By 

Roy DeMeo (Bronxville, New York United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Straits of Power (Hardcover)

In this 5th book, Joe Buff continues to dazzle the reader with a brilliantly creative story, sharply drawn characters, and fast-paced action in which you never quite know what is happening next. This book is probably represents the greatest departure from the norm in that it is actually a spy thriller in addition to being a submarine novel. Buff has never done this before, but he brings it off superbly. As always, the technical detail and research is amazing, and explains why it takes him a full year to write each book. But that of course is what makes each book worth the wait.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Getting to Know What good Is!, April 24, 2005

By 

J. Ross (Bronx New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Straits of Power (Hardcover)

Reading a Joe Buff novel has become like eggnog for me.I only drink it at Christmas with my daughters, so I wait a long time. When we do drink it we savor every drop untill its all gone.When I started reading his newest offering STRAITS of POWER, it was right after Cristmas and I just finished it this April around the 20th.I purposely took my time because I hate to have to wait for the next one to come out.To me his writing is that good.
In this instalment we find the good captain Jeffery Fuller on another daring mission but not against Cap.Beck.Fuller has to travel to pick up a man who has information that could turn the tide of the next big battle or he could be a double agent.He also has to work in tangent with another sub whose captain is not happy about being placed under Fuller's command.If that's not enough there is a new high speed enemy sub that the allies know nothing about waiting to destroy allied assets!
Joe Buff fills this novel with plots within plots that keep you guessing till the last page.Several times I was saying to the characters, come on come on as if I were seated in a theater.You care what happens to them.To me that is the biggest indication that a story has touched you.So I say Joe Buff has done it again!
This is a great read that makes you think with action and suspence a plenty!