Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Bond delivers a naval thriller on a stage that covers half the globe. China has overreached by trying to grab the tiny, resource-rich Spratly Islands and make the South China Sea its private preserve. Their submarines start sinking other nations' merchant vessels. Some of its angry neighbors, including India, Japan and Vietnam, form the Littoral Alliance to fight China's expansionism. Soon, war breaks out, and the United States very much wants to stay out of it--or better yet, stop it. Cmdr. Jerry Mitchell is among those tasked to interfere with attacks on shipping by placing his submarine between attackers and their targets. Still, the conflict escalates. Thousands of people die on both sides, and the conflict could go nuclear. What can the United States possibly do? Cmdr. Mitchell has the president's ear and offers up an idea that's either a cockamamie scheme or a brilliant tactic. This novel is rich with weapons terminology and will please any fan of naval fiction. Every nation gets its point of view in scenes that often switch back and forth quickly. There seem to be no villains, only nations with competing interests. The hero is the United States, specifically Mitchell. That's fair enough, although with the lengthy cast of characters it's hard for the reader to get emotionally invested in anyone else. But the tradeoff is the impressive scope and complexity of the plot. One may well hope that nations are not still such fools as to risk their existence the way they do in this story or that their salvation might lie in one brave man's outlandish idea. But for fiction, it holds together well. Both benefits and suffers from its broad scope, as some scenes could easily be cut. Still, a highly readable yarn.]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

Jerry Mitchell, Bond's hero in three previous adventures, now commands his own sub, the USS North Dakota. While trailing a Chinese nuclear sub, Mitchell observes it torpedoing a Vietnamese ship. Soon Mitchell and his crew find themselves watching a war build up around them. Orders from high say they can only observe, and they cannot fire on another vessel, even if it means their own destruction. They can only hope the situation can be resolved diplomatically before the entire globe burns. Bond has plenty of military background, and his novels ooze authenticity, but readers expecting an action-packed novel along the lines of Vince Flynn will be disappointed. This one is more about realism and the nuances of military power than explosions and high-tech derring-do. Still, those who like their military thrillers grounded in the real world will be eager for another story featuring Mitchell and his crew.--Ayers, Jeff Copyright 2010 Booklist

Publishers Weekly
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In bestseller Bond's exciting fourth novel featuring aviator-turned-submariner Jerry Mitchell (after 2012's Exit Plan), Jerry commands the U.S.S. North Dakota, one of the most deadly attack submarines in the Navy. With expanded sonar capabilities, a new hull design, no periscope, and other updates, this is definitely not your father's submarine. Jerry and crew, while trailing a Chinese sub in the South China Sea, witness the sinking of a Vietnamese merchant ship, which is the first blow struck in what will become a shooting war between China and the Littoral Alliance: Vietnam, India, Japan, and several other Asian Rim countries. The U.S., in its neutral role, attempts to buy time to come up with a plan that will avert nuclear war. This is a classic submarine thriller, modern-style, with plenty of underwater action. As the politicos strategize, Jerry does what he does best-which is drive the sub and save the day. Agent: Robert Gottlieb, Trident Media. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.