Crash Dive by Larry Bond

This is a collection of short stories about submarine warfare. The stories were, for the most part, penned by the men who lived them. The statistics showing the loss of boats and lives were daunting. The stories show the character and courage of the sailors that were courageous enough to fight our countries enemies from beneath the sea.

I didn’t know that submariners were all volunteers nor did I realize how much submarine action took place on the surface of the sea rather then beneath the waves. I toured a WWII submarine one time. I’m over 6 feet tall and I know I would never have survived in a sub. Between cracking my head and my shins I felt lucky to survive a walking tour let alone a cruise in war time. The people that staff submarines are a special breed. They are better educated and more accomplished than the rest of the navy. They may be working on a nuclear reactor or peeling potatoes but they do it underneath the waves. If a ship springs a leak there is a high likelihood that no one will be injured. If a sub springs a leak while submerged there is a high likelihood no one will survive. T

These stories are illustrative of the finer attributes of the warriors willing to put their life on the line for their country.

I recommend the book.

Body of work of Larry Bond

Web Site:

The Forever Hero by L.E. Modesitt Jr.

This is a trilogy compiled under one cover. I like that since it means I only have to buy one book to get the whole enchilada. “Dawn for a Distant Earth”, “The Silent Warrior” and “In Endless Twilight” comprise the trilogy. These were all published in the 1987 time frame and considered Modesitt’s first major work. The characterization shown in Modesitt’s later work is displayed in these three works. A strong, self depreciating, angst driven, goal oriented, terse protagonist is a recurring theme in his stories. In these stories a strong statement of concern for what we are doing to our planet is central to the story line. Earth is a backwater of the galaxy due to depleted resources and life ending pollution. The central plot is the resurrection of the planet’s ecology and livability.

The heroic efforts to that end by Devulkid, Greg Gershwin, provide the action and motivation of the books. Modesitt clearly illustrates that progress or innovation may not necessarily be a positive move for the average person. I have read most all of Modesitt’s books and there is most definitely a pattern to his characters and plots. I don’t find that to be a bad thing. There is a warm, ill defined, pleasant familiarity when reading his stories. I recommend all three of the books, there is enough action to satisfy the thrill seeker and enough meat to placate the moralizer.

Body of work of L.E. Modesitt

Site: http://www.lemodesittjr.com/