Sea Leopard

SEA LEOPARD THE PRIZE: The most sophisticated piece of military equipment in the world - codenamed "Leopard" - is suddenly up for grabs. Now, it is aboard the British nuclear submarine HMSS Proteus on a perilous mission to chart the Soviet underwater defense system... a mission that explodes when the Russians spring a deep-sea death trap and race to steal the deadly prize THE MEN: Five key men clash in a lethal game that could determine the future of the free world: Aubrey and Hyde from the SIS; Adrenyev of the USSR Clark of US Intelligence; and a shadowy, brilliant man named Quin, the inventor of "Leopard"... a man who has mysteriously vanished, but who will reappear to play a crucial role in the kidnap of his world-shattering device.

"Sea Leopard" refers to a revolutionary device for immunizing submarines against detection. When the novel opens, it's already been loaded on the RN submarine Proteus. It's the cutting edge for submarines, but the British believe the system virtually compromised - thinking that the Russians have already kidnapped its inventor. The black-joke is on the British - the Soviets haven't nabbed Leopard's creator yet. Instead, they plan to grab both the scientist and his invention simultaneously - the latter in an act of unprecedented piracy below the waves. "Sea Leopard", set within the same continuity as "Firefox" is a great CT novel - it's fast, and has his trademark deft character descriptions and terse dialog. Though not a submariner, Thomas gives "Leopard" a great feel for its surroundings - the forbidding wastes of the North Sea, the close confines of a submarine, the situation rooms of either side (where digital symbols dance on Perspex screens like fireflies) - making you feel like you're a part of the action, even if much of the action seems to stretch credibility. "Sea Leopard" is solid reading, cover-to-cover.

"Sea Leopard" refers to a revolutionary cloaking device that makes submarines immune from detection. Certain that the Russians have already kidnapped Sea Leopard's inventor, and compromised its technology, the Royal Navy rushes a prototype to sea aboard the submarine "Proteus". The joke's on the Brits - Leopard's inventor is only in imminent danger of kidnap, and the Red Navy resorts to an outrageous course of piracy to grab a hold of Leopard's technology by grabbing the Proteus."Sea Leopard" tries your credibility sometimes, but it's otherwise perfect Craig Thomas - the Russians, the Arctic, thos fast paced, unsentimental prose. If you've never read Craig Thomas, this book may convert you.

A fast-paced, exciting and well researched thriller from British technothriler pioneer Craig Thomas. The Birmingham locations such as Edgabaston and the NAtional Exhibition Centre are authentic, as I live in this city and can idnetify with places described. The submarine scenes are highly throlling and supercharged - the Catherine Wheel weapon inspired Dale Brown! Rather feasible. As for the Leopard anti-sonar device - is that prophecying stealth technology?(this book was written around 1980). Altogether, if you can get hold of this, this is well worth a read. Written before 'The HUnt For Red October', but on the whole just as good, if not better, if you love submarine novels as much as I do at times. The British settings add to the interest.