My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Once again, I feel like I'm in the minority because I didn't love this book. To sum up, the book is based around the idea that the British have found a huge oil deposit in Antarctica and have a base set up researching and protecting it. They are attacked by Venezuela who is working with Argentina and want to take control of the deposit as they are worried about another country getting a piece of the fuel money pie in South America. The book follows various characters, my favorite being Austin Rivers, a Leftenent in the British army I believe, who is stationed at the base in Antarctica. His story was the most interesting to me as he has a son (from a one-night-stand he has begun a relationship with as well as keeping in touch with the mother. The author does a great job of painting the picture of the big burly army dude baby talking at his son. Various other characters are introduced, though often fairly quickly dismissed as their subs are sunk! I thought there would be more suspense and espionage, though this really is a very much a military novel, following the attacks and defense of subs as well as Rivers, his fellow army man, and the civilian engineers' capture and subsequent treatment. This book is published through a Christian publishing house, though honestly, I found very little Christian content in it, other than a character or two who are or have become Christians (not in the novel's timeframe), and people occasionally talking about praying. Overall, I did enjoy the book even though it wasn't what I was expecting. However, it was one of the other main characters, Pete Miranda, who really kind of ruined the book for me. I was ok with Pete, although he really is a ladies' man but at the beginning of the book meets a girl who then follows through out the book as his love interest. However, I really felt their relationship was more of a lustful one that anything with substance. Its frequently mentioned about how amazing she looks, how he feels when he looks at her, but really nothing to substantiate any kind of solid relationship is presented at all. The whole thing felt unnecessary and silly, especially when he invites her to visit his family in Texas at the end. The whole relationship is very sexual, and yet he (though never showing any spiritual inclination) wants to avoid a sexual encounter with her when she tries to seduce him over peach pie at her apartment. One of the last sentences of the book has Pete saying that they are going to "finish that peach pie".
Honestly if you are just looking for a fairly clean military novel, you'll probably enjoy this. But if you pick it up thinking its going to be a Christian military suspense novel, i think you'll be sorely disappointed. I won't read it again, and won't be rushing to pick up any more of this author's books either. Not to say I wouldn't read one at some point, but its definitely not my favorite.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Honestly if you are just looking for a fairly clean military novel, you'll probably enjoy this. But if you pick it up thinking its going to be a Christian military suspense novel, i think you'll be sorely disappointed. I won't read it again, and won't be rushing to pick up any more of this author's books either. Not to say I wouldn't read one at some point, but its definitely not my favorite.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
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