Product Description

Tensions between Siberia and Moscow are running high, but the sudden disappearance of leading top-tier Siberian politicians and oil executives sparks open outrage in the vast lands east of the Ural. Terrified that Siberia will sever their ties and deprive Russia of its most important oil source, Moscow turns to a new supplier in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands. In an undercover mission, they persuade Argentina to invade the islands again. In return for oil rights, Moscow's hunter-killer submarine, Viper 157, will take out the British aircraft carrier arriving to recapture the islands, leaving Argentina free to claim the 'malvinas.' The United States are furious at this act of international piracy - and the fact that their largest oil giant owns the very same oil rights. Under the stern eye of Admiral Morgan, the navy SEALs bring in the legendary Commander Rick Hunter. Their mission is to hammer Argentina's military and free the Falklands. For the fabled Hunter, the assignment has struck close to home. His English brother-in-law and an SAS special forces team are trapped on East Falkland, on the run from an Argentine shoot-to-kill man-hunt, out of contact...

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #32637 in Books
• Published on: 2007-06-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 576 pages

From the Publisher
The new action thriller from the SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLING author

From the Inside Flap
Tensions between Siberia and Moscow are running high, but the sudden disappearance of leading top-tier Siberian politicians and oil executives sparks open outrage in the vast lands east of the Ural. Terrified that Siberia will sever their ties and deprive Russia of its most important oil source, Moscow turns to a new supplier in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands. In an undercover mission, they persuade Argentina to invade the islands again. In return for oil rights, Moscow’s hunter-killer submarine, Viper 157, will take out the British aircraft carrier arriving to recapture the islands, leaving Argentina free to claim the ‘malvinas.’
The United States are furious at this act of international piracy – and the fact that their largest oil giant owns the very same oil rights. Under the stern eye of Admiral Morgan, the navy Seals bring in the legendary Commander Rick Hunter. Their mission: to hammer Argentina’s military and free the Falklands. For the fabled Hunter, the assignment has struck close to home. His English brother-in-law and an SAS special forces team are trapped on East Falkland, on the run from an Argentinean shoot-to-kill man-hunt, out of contact…

From the Back Cover
Praise for Patrick Robinson

‘An absolutely marvellous thriller writer’ Jack Higgins
‘The new Frederick Forsyth’ Guardian
‘Rivals the best of Tom Clancy and Dale Brown’ Courier-Times
‘Patrick Robinson is quickly replacing Tom Clancy as the pre-eminent writer of modern naval fiction’ Florida Times-Union
‘Britain’s answer to Tom Clancy’ Sarah Broadhurst, Bookseller
‘Watch out for Robinson. He is in the same league as Clancy’ Birmingham Post
‘An edge-of-your-seat terror ride. Patrick Robinson has tapped into our fear to create a spellbinding novel’ Herald Express
‘A gripping tale rich with excitement and suspense’ Tampa Tribune
‘A ripping yarn … like a big-screen disaster movie in the making’ Peterborough Evening Telegraph
‘Fast-paced, hi-tech, high thrill action with a nightmare scenario’ Northern Echo

Customer Reviews

Bemused
A new Patrick Robinson book, good I thought, wish i'd never bothered. I found the book to be an absolute insult to intelligence. Fair enough his premise that the British armed forces are in decline (set in the year 2011) and that the Russians would aid Argentina in retaking the Falkland Islands, all well and good. Some characters in the book likeable and (semi) believable, but his description, and portrayal, of the Falkland Islanders, ground troops, American and British, just unbelievable. Loads of inaccuracies, weapon mistakes, cooking roast lamb, ham & cheese sandwiches whilst hiding from Argentine forces!, (did he bother talking to any soldiers?) maybe a bit petty on my behalf, and it's fiction after all. The one thing that really got my goat was the quisling behaviour of the FI's, What was PR thinking?

What's happened, Patrick?
Well, I am a real Robinson fan (based on many of his other books). But this book is......well.....not good! You almost get the feeling his agent was on his back to get another novel 'out on the shelves' ASAP. Well, in that respect he succeeded. But the quality of this book is just quite unbelievably bad. If you really want to buy this book, go get it from your local library as it will save you a fiver and the walk will do you good. Otherwise, if you like your submarine warfare novels, go try out Joe Buff or one of the other more recent military/techno-thriller/political authors!

Old, tired mix
Since reading Nimitz Class I have read all of Robinsons books, but somehow none of them quite lived up to it. The suspense, the tension, the guessing that accompanied that great work have steadily diminished from Patrick Robinsons writing.

If I could sum up Ghost Force in one word, it would be Predictable. After reading the synopsis I suspected that the author had not utilised his usual sources of advice on naval matters and the acknowledgements confirm this - the result is not the usual detail-perfect work we have come to expect. Key capabilities of the Royal Navy are overlooked, leading to a horrible battle halfway in that actually prompted me to put the book down and write this review.

Patrick Robinson has, in my view, failed to grasp several key changes in the RN that happened as a direct result of the Falklands Conflict of 1982. In this book, a conflict on the same battleground many years later, Robinson has beefed up the Argentinians and their military strength and capabilities while mistaking a numerical cut in the Royal Navy for a corresponding cut in capability.

At the same time, the usual ensemble of characters is beginning to grow old and tired. As someone who has read each book in order of writing, it's disappointing to see established characters growing stale and dull because of a lack of organic growth and development.

If you're a first time reader of Patrick Robinson, try Nimitz Class instead. Long term readers, my advice would be to give this one a miss and hope the author returns to consulting his usual sources for his next book.