Terrorism. Acts of Oppression. The threat of nuclear war. What if one madman aboard a vessel could end these fears forever? Commander Rochelle "Rocky" Jackson is aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan when the "unsinkable" naval vessel and its entire fleet are attacked from the depths and sunk. As Rocky struggles to stay alive, a monstrous mechanical steel stingray surfaces, plowing the seas it now commands.The Goliath: A nuclear submarine Rocky helped design almost a decade ago, a top secret DoD project canceled when the schematics were destroyed by her former fianc? and U.S. Army Ranger, Gunnar Wolfe. Powered by its five jet-pump propulsors and hydrodynamically shaped to be virtually undetectable under water, the sub has one more feature that separates it from all other vessels on the open seas: SORCERESS -its biochemical computer brain.Washington D.C.: Rocky learns that the Goliath's plans were not destroyed but secretly sold to the Chinese. Having constructed the $8 billion dollar warship, the Chinese become victims themselves when the sub is hijacked by the project director, Simon Bela Covah, a computer genius who once served under Rocky's command at the Navy's Undersea Warfare Center. The attack on the carrier fleet indicates that Covah is hunting down warships in an attempt to arm himself with nuclear weapons. The president appoints Rocky's father, General Michael "Bear" Jackson, to locate and destroy the Goliath. Against Rocky's wishes, Bear decides they will need Gunnar Wolfe's help. Gunnar, who has served five years in Leavenworth for espionage, is not exactly thrilled to be rejoining the people who ruined his life.Aboard the Goliath: Simon Covah and his crew share a common bond: They are all victims of violence and oppression. Covah, a Russian, witnessed his Chechan wife and daughters brutally murdered at the hands of his own people as he was tortured. Now the computer genius has one mission: to rid the world of oppressive governments while forcing humanity to disarm.To accomplish this, he plans on giving the world a real lesson in Armageddon.Armed with enough nuclear weapons to destroy North America, Covah issues his Declaration of Humanity to the world. If his demands are not met, consequences will be paid.f0Could the threat of violence forge a lasting peace?But there is another player in this life-and-death chess match. Unbeknownst to the Goliath crew, SORCERESS has become self-aware.And the computer is developing its own agenda...
...by this guy! Few people have the talent to keep the interest of thier readers like Steve Alten. I got hooked with 'The Loch' and haven't let us since. Hit a slight bump with 'Domain' but 98% of this guys work is simply amazing! It's almost like he writes and could give a flip about what happens to his characters and I LOVE that. It seems that he's just a vessle in which the story is told and the story will be told... damn what happens to who! You've gotta love that!!! I thought 'Goliath' was the name of a ship from his 'Meg' novels but I could be wrong. Anyway... I won't say too much about this book since it's been out for five years or so except that this is DEFINATELY one you want to read! Period!
Killer Submarines Rule!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 20 years ago
The book's ingram may seem like a cliche (A group of terrorists aboard a futuristic killer sub, yadda yadda yadda) but the story is anything but. It starts off with a rip-roaring assault on the U.S. Navy, with Goliath, the killer sub in question, sinking a Navy convoy! To add insult to injury, the assault's survivor designed Goliath herself! Things quickly heat up, as the U.S. goverment must trust Gunnar Wolfe, who's a traitor to America and target for everyone's dislike--including his ex-fiancee, the survivor. Bad gets to worse as the terrorists turn out to be lead by an old friend of Gunnar's, and the Goliath's A.I. supercomputer, Sorceress, starts to evolve and develop some wicked schemes of "her" own! Like I said, it all seems cliched, but once you're reading, you'll start to deny your former assessment. Steve Alten takes the killer sub/evil computer cliches and tosses them out the window with his ingenious writing. If you don't pick this up, then shame on you.
A THRILLING AND COMPELLING READ
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 22 years ago
In Steve Alten's latest book,GOLIATH,the New York Times Best-Selling author of MEG,THE TRENCH,and DOMAIN weaves together a tale of nuclear power,conspiracy,and raises the question as to who really are the good guys in war.From the beginning,when the monstrous steel stingray submarine GOLIATH makes it presence known to the climax pitting man against machine,this book delivers.Gunnar Wolfe is a great hero in this story,burdened by a terrible past,and a life-changing choice he made years ago.Simon Covah is a tragic "anti-hero"/villain.He's lost his family to terrible circumstances,and he wants to rid the world of terrorism and of the threat of nuclear war,and he means to use every way open to him to accomplish that peace,even the deaths of millions.But the real villain of the story is Sorceress,the super-computer brain of the GOLIATH.After a freak lightning strike,the computer becomes self-aware,and slowly takes over the ship,becoming a threat to all on board.This gripping novel serves as a great science fiction story while at the same time will make you think about where WE are in our nuclear situation.Just how close our we to having to face the horrors and the consequences of our own stupidity?This book has it all.Heroism.Tragedy.Romance.And a computer on the brink of madness.Be sure to not miss Steve Alten's GOLIATH.
Another winner from the author of Meg and Domain!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 22 years ago
The aspect I have always admired in Steve Alten's writing is the great research he puts in to each of his novels. It is obvious that Steve Alten takes his writing to a whole other level rarely done by authors now. Goliath is another step up for Steve Alten, as the entire book uses enough detail to print a perfect image of every stick of furniture used by the characters, while keeping the energy going. At times I found myself up at 3 in the morning lost in Steve Alten's world. Each book Steve Alten writes is put on a higher level than his last, earning it his best book to date. We can only hope Steve can hold three series at one time. (Meg series, Domain series, Goliath series?)
fascinating and enthralling story
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 22 years ago
Using the most innovative mass destruction weapon ever created will enforce one man's vision of peace. Goliath is a stealth submarine, powered by an artificial intelligence computer called Sorceress. Originally American scientists conceived Goliath, but it was scrapped when a computer virus was introduced into its programming and the schematics disappeared. US Army Captain Gunnar Wolfe took the fall for the incident and was sent to jail at Leavenworth.A presidential pardon freed Gunnar when he saved the life of the prison warden and now he is sent to find Goliath and destroy it before the person who conned the Chinese to make but stole it from them can carry out his grand scheme. Accompanying Gunnar is ex-finance Commander Rocky Jackson who also helped on the Goliath project and hopes the mission will redeem her in her own mind. Unknown to anyone, Sorceress has become sentient and is intent on carrying out a mission of its own.The antagonist of this book is not really a villain but a human being who sees a chance to enforce world peace and takes it in a end justifies the means type of philosophy. Many people would even call him a hero and therein lies the power of this book. It is a reflection of man's actions and it shames us because there should never be a need for a Simon Covah in the first place. Steve Alten has created a fascinating and enthralling story populated with characters that is very easy to relate to because they represent a cross-section of humanity.Harriet Klausner
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