Death Dive

DEPTH FORCE #2

by Irving A. Greenfield

While attempting to salvage an incalculable fortune in gold from an ancient wreck, America's high technology submarine, the Shark, faces a Soviet killer sub with the same mission and a suspected double-agent aboard.

235 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1984

About the author

Irving Greenfield was born in Brooklyn, New York. He was a youthful runaway, a merchant seaman, and a soldier during the Korean War, afer which his writing talent burst into print. His novel, The Ancient of Days, was a best-seller for six weeks and Tagget was made into a film for TV. his work has appeared in a variety of media, but, of all his works, Only the Dead Speak Russian is his masterpiece.

Reviews

[David B · Rating 4 out of 5]

After Captain Jack Boxer and the crew of the high-tech U.S. submarine Shark rescue survivors from a downed commercial airliner, one of the passengers is murdered, raising the possibility of a traitor in the crew. At the same time, the Shark has to salvage a fortune in gold from an ancient wreck before a Soviet killer sub closes in. This is the best of the first four books, mostly because it stays focused on a solid structure—rescue at sea + murderer/traitor onboard + race for a wreck’s gold + Soviet sub closing in—without the less interesting land lubber digressions and awkward romances that figure so prominently in some of the other volumes. The story builds to an exciting and satisfying action climax, even if some of the developments feel implausible. I’m willing to believe Irving A. Greenfield knows more about subs than I do, but there still seems to be a lot of handwaving, the ending is abrupt, and we never learn who the murderer is. Still, if you’re here for the series’ pulpy promise, Death Dive delivers for the most part, and the covers remain a selling point in their own right.

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[Neale · Rating 1 out of 5]

Improbable and impossible

Let's walk across a mined seabed and get blown up.

Let's go out in impossible conditions, tie two MASSIVE submarines together and using muscle-power pull the two MASSIVE submarines together to simultaneously without co-ordination speed up slow down rise and sink together.

Honestly just reading to see how much more stupid and improbable it gets.

I'm starting to think the author doesn't know what he's writing about.

[Tim Lowe · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unbelievable!

I just kept wanting to scream ! It made no sense at all. How can you tie two subs together underwater, what would you use as fenders, and why would you ever want to do that? LOL (-:

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gotta have faith

Lots of very unexplained technology. Things I just can’t happen. No man can walk on the ocean floor in a 40 knot current.

[Kregory Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thrill ride!

The author spins a good tale. I did notice a few discrepancies, mostly small technology items. But all in all the book was very entertaining.

[KerryO · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only problem with this series -- I lose sleep as I can't put the book down until I finish. A fascinating insight into the nuclear submarine world.

[Kevin H · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointing

I wanted to read an action book, not a sleeze book. Action was OK, but between was a lot of unnecessarily sleeze and cursing that added nothing to the story.