Nimitz Class, by Patrick Robinson

July 20, 2009 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Arnold Morgan, book review, Main character, military fiction, naval fiction, Patrick Robinson, Thriller 

Nimitz Class was Patrick Robinson’s first thriller and a very successful debut. It is also first in a series of political thrillers about Nimitz Class, by Patrick Robinson Admiral Arnold Morgan. The novel is based on a disaster scenario: One of the extremely powerful US Navy Carrier groups that dominate the oceans of the world is attacked and an aircraft carrier is sunk.

In Nimitz Class, the carrier USS Thomas Jefferson, manned by a complement of 6000 crew members, patrols the waters of the Indian Ocean. Then suddenly her blip simply disappears from the radar screens of the other warships in her battle group. The ensuing investigation by the Director of the NSA, Admiral Arnold Morgan, and nuclear expert Lieutenant Commander Bill Baldridge, uncovers a complex plot that has been executed by a foreign submarine with a brilliant commander.

Baldridge and Morgan are gradually able to pin down the submarine used to perform the terrible deed. Searching from Scotland to Russia to Turkey to the South Pacific, they also manage to identify the commander of the sub – Benjamin Adnam, an Israeli citizen. But finding out whom, how and why is only half the job. The second part of the job is to locate the submarine and to permanently stop it. That turns out to be by far the most difficult task for Baldridge and Morgan.

Nimitz Class is a great suspense thriller. It is apparently not 100% correct as far as technology and US Navy operation is concerned, but as a thriller it works very well. It is written in a clear and compelling style, creates an aura of tension and surprise, is intelligently told and is very suspenseful. I also have to admit that I really love the character of Admiral Arnold Morgan, one of the saltier characters in modern thriller series. Overall, Nimitz Class is one of Patrick Robinson’s best thrillers.

“The New Frederick Forsyth.” — Guardian

“One of the crown princes of the beach-read thriller” — Stephen Coonts

Links to the books by Patrick Robinson at amazon US, amazon UK, and amazon CAN.

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