Customer Reviews

Straits of Power

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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!

It took me a few pages to warm up to Joe Buff. The date of this story being told is 2011. Now, I don't know about you, but I have a hard time believeing in the premise of this story, i.e. that the world is going to be confronting Germany and S. Africa as the new Axis powers and that there is a real shooting war brewing over it.

OK, a hundred or so pages past that premise I was turning the pages because Mr. Buff can flat out write. I have not read any of the foregoing novels he has written, but I understand this is a story that is based on sequels. This book is stand alone, but may be more interesting if read seriatum.

In any event, it is worth your time to read it. Good stuff!

Joe Buff continues his reign as the premiere submarine writer
with Straits of Power. He continues to incorporate new technology with an understanding of geopolitics that frequently
scares the daylights out of you it is so real. With the precision of a surgeon Mr. Buff choreographs the battle sequences in such a way as to let you in on his formidable under
standing of tactical nuclear war. I had to slow my reading down so I would'nt finish to quickly. Jeffrey Fuller continues to evolve as a warrior and commander. The stakes for his life and career have never been higher than in Straits of Power.
As is the mark of a great writer Mr. Buff leaves you wondering about the fate of at least one of his major characters.

I have read all of Joe Buff's books todate and he has a great imagination and a superb grasp of Submarine Tactics.This book is a bit of a departure from his other storylines as the center of the story is story of espianage and spycraft as Commander Jeffery Fuller takes the CHALLENGER into the Mediterranian a bastion of Axis power to extract a defector from Turkey with information that may save Israel from sudden attack and stop the Axis powers from siezeing control of the Middle East and the worlds oil supply chokeing the Allies into submission.
Also the love story between Fuller and Ilse Reebeck is still in limbo as they serve seperatly(He aboard his Sub and her at the Pentagon) and are only in company at the begining of the book at a staff meeting.But there is a secondary story running in this book about Reebeck.She is under investigation by the FBI as a double agent for the Axis Powers and in a shocking ending is arrested and charged with espianage and may face execution! A definate leadin to another novel for the characters!!

This is an addictive, fast paced series with a seamless blend of what is with what could be in the future. Caution: Don't start it lest your Next Page button gets worn out!

This book is BAllIN!!!! If you at all like to read techno thriller novels and are into that kind of thing this book is for you! It' about submarines Navy SEALs the whole nine yards. You'll love it! I did.

Another good book by a submarine-adventure author I enjoy. Amazon provides a good way to find early books by authors one enjoys. Books are consistently in the condition advertised and are shipped promptly.

I just finished the book and thought it was just OK. Nothing special, and not good enough to recommend to friends.

Cons:

I thought the last 1/4 of the book covered a lot of ground without the detail that was provided in the rest of the story.

I liked that the story covered a lot more than just underwater fight sequences, but I think the scope was a little too big to be covered convincingly.

Pros:

The techno portion of techno-thriller was very good. I enjoyed all of the technical details.

The story was interesting, even though it was a bit fragmented.

Options:

Instead of this book, I'd recommend Larry Bond's Dangerous Ground (the best sub book I've read since Clancy's The Hunt for Red October, still my all-time favorite sub book.)