To Kill the Potemkin

This underwater adventure will evoke immediate comparison to The Hunt for Red October, and, for the most part, the comparison is favorable. Set in 1968, the year that the American nuclear submarine Scorpion was lost without explanation, the novel speculates about the possibility of a secret submarine war that existed between the U.S. and Soviets. The hidden conflict consists of ""cat-and-mouse'' games under the oceans, games that take a serious turn when the Soviets unleash a new weapon, the Potemkin, a top secret sub capable of diving deeper than previously thought possible. Crippled in an accident, Potemkin tries to limp home to safety but is stalked by the American hunter-killer sub Barracuda. Joseph keeps the action taut, engrossing and informative, without succumbing to excess high-tech baggage. This is a winner of a story that will appeal to readers of such deep-sea thrillers as The Bedford Incident and Das Boot. (August 26)