Reviews of The Iceman

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THE ICEMAN by P.T. Deutermann (SMP): At the start of this exciting WWII naval thriller set in 1942 from Deutermann (Red Swan), Lt. Comdr. Malachi Stormes launches a submarine attack on a German U-boat base in France that destroys three enemy subs. His daring earns him a promotion and the command of the USS Firefish, a new long-range sub based in Perth, Australia, replacing a timid skipper more concerned with preserving torpedoes than engaging foes. The Firefish's crew members are unprepared for his aggressive and unorthodox tactics. The phlegmatic captain earns the nickname "the Iceman" for his cool detachment, even taking time to grab a smoke while an enemy destroyer bears down on his boat. But a family history of alcoholism and violence back home in Kentucky haunts the captain and could adversely affect his judgment. Deutermann packs authentic information on submarine tactics and naval warfare in between the taut underwater action. Fans of old-school submarine novels like Run Silent, Run Deep will be rewarded.
      - Publishers Weekly

Book review: "The Iceman," by North Carolina author P.T. Deutermann, is a naval thriller set aboard a World War II submarine.

Cruising close in the wake of Douglas Reeman and Edwin L. Beach Jr., North Carolina author P.T. Deutermann serves up a rip-roaring World War II submarine adventure, guaranteed to please fans of military thrillers.

"The Iceman" in the title of Deutermann's latest novel is Cmdr. Malachi Stormes, USN. A rough-hewn veteran of Kentucky coal mines, young Storms enlisted in the Navy as a teenager to dodge a prison sentence, then earned a berth at Annapolis and an officer's commission.

For his exploits in the North Sea in an World War I-vintage S-boat (early U.S. sub), Stormes is promoted and reassigned to command of the USS Firefish, a brand-new "fleet"-class sub based in Freemantle, Australia. A silent loner with a record of taking risks, Stormes is replacing a gentlemanly old-school officer who was relieved for being overly cautious.

Things change fast. Stormes is soon out on patrol, pushing Firefish far below its "test depth" of 300 feet to see how deep the boat can hold up. (Note: In Navy parlance, all submarines are "boats," even giants like today's attack sub USS North Carolina.) He risks a surface attack, with deck guns on a Japanese tanker convoy, and he's maneuvered Firefish under a sinking ship to elude pursuing destroyers.

Those stunts yield results, and a gold star to attach to Stormes' Navy Cross. But rough seas are brewing. Like other American skippers, Stormes is plagued by poor U.S. torpedoes, notably the Mark XIV, whose magnetic detonator almost never works as intended, and which is known to veer off in wide circles and sink the sub that shot it. (Firefish has to dodge a rogue "fish," and it's a close-run thing.)

Unfortunately, the admiral in command at Freemantle made his reputation by helping develop the Mark XIV, and he insists all his skippers use the torpedo according to Bureau of Ordnance doctrine. Other captains quietly ignore the order but Stormes, who's no diplomat and honest to a fault, insists on confronting the boss with the inconvenient facts.

Meanwhile, there's trouble back on the Firefish. Stormes develops a reputation for nerves of steel, quietly grabbing a cigarette in intense engagement. The men see him as a daredevil -- and frankly, some are afraid of him. Will the crew break, or revolt, in a moment of stress?

Fortunately, there are consolations ashore -- notably Dr. Kensie Richmond, a statuesque, stunning Australian trauma surgeon (one pictures Elle MacPherson in the movie version) who can drink men under the table and who takes a liking to Stormes. (Having grown up with a violent, alcoholic father, Stormes limits himself to one beer to unwind, maybe two for a wild celebration.)

"The Iceman" occasionally stretches credulity; Stormes seems in danger of sinking the entire Japanese navy before the book is over.

However, Deutermann, a retired Navy captain and former commodore of a destroyer squadron, keeps his yarn convincing most of the time. Although he won't be mistaken for a literary stylist, his sailors talk like sailors (with a few expletives deleted) when they're on patrol. (Ashore, the dialogue sometimes get a tad stilted.)

The narration is brisk and stripped for action, which comes fast and furious. Deutermann throws in enough technical detail to satisfy any Tom Clancy enthusiast. (You'll find out more about the inner workings of the Mark XIV than you thought you ever wanted to know.) Expressions of feelings are few and far between.

To paraphrase Admiral Nelson: No spouse can do very wrong if she buys "The Iceman" for the Man Cave library.