Depth of Revenge: Slate's nuke porn analysis

[Onkel Neal]

Ok, I'm getting enough e-mail and PMs about the current Subsim new topic Depth of Revenge: Slate's nuke porn analysis that I better explain in more detail

I posted that article, related to this post.


I'm interested in nuclear war and apocolytic scenarios. Rosenbaum wrote an interesting piece a few weeks back about the Letter of Last Resort being carried on Brit subs.

The reason I posted the link on the news, author Richard Golden sent me a copy of his book Depth of Revenge to review a few weeks ago, and he is mentioned in the Nuke porn article. Book reviews in Subsim don't get very much attention, but add the word "porn" and bingo, everyone notices

(BTW, I have heard the term porn used in conjunction with obsessions, such as "gun porn". Rosenbaum claims in the article to have created the phrase "_ _ _ _ _ porn" some time back. Hmmm. )

My news link picks up the article on page 3, where Depth of Revenge is mentioned. The article begins here. Start there and the whole thing makes a little more sense. Slate also has the article on their main page, click the number three tab.

I should finish the Depth of Revenge review in a day or two. It's a solid submarine thriller, I think it will gain a more attention as time goes by.




Aside from the similarities to porn, what do you think is the fascination with nuclear war scenarios?

[Onkel Neal]

Review is up.

What Depth of Revenge is not, is a wish fulfillment story; the carefully crafted build up to the novel's climax steers clear of heroics or sermonizing. Golden's novel is a sober, genuinely thought-provoking examination of the next September 11, on a vastly more terrifying scale, and will likely be regarded as prophetic in the years after theocracies like Iran develop their own nuclear arsenal.

[CaptainHaplo]

Bill is a great writer. I live in the same area and have had the privelege of speaking with him on a few occasions. If you think he is good on this subject, try talking civil war history with the man! Just because he teaches the subject doesn't mean he is an expert - too many professors just know what the "books" say - Dr. Forstchen has gone and visited and studied and delved into the subject like few scholars have.

I can highly recommend any of his books.

[UnderseaLcpl]

I am totally buying this book.

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by CaptainHaplo

Bill is a great writer. I live in the same area and have had the privelege of speaking with him on a few occasions. If you think he is good on this subject, try talking civil war history with the man! Just because he teaches the subject doesn't mean he is an expert - too many professors just know what the "books" say - Dr. Forstchen has gone and visited and studied and delved into the subject like few scholars have.

I can highly recommend any of his books.

William R. Forstchen - One Second After

Thanks for the extra info, I will go and get his book after your recommendation. It's always a joy to discover new authors, or authors that somehow I missed (like Patrick O'Brian, didn't know he existed until the M&C movie ).

Neal

[geetrue]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

Aside from the similarities to porn, what do you think is the fascination with nuclear war scenarios?

Sometimes, not all the time, but sometimes our captain on the Ethan Allen would sound the alarm,

"Now man battle stations missile" "We have just recieved a message from the president of the United States to launch missiles" "Man battle stations missile"

without adding that this is a drill.

Sonar was and is a small compartment and during these drills all nine sonarmen were crowded into sonar together.

I wish I could tell you that this was a sober moment, but it wasn't. Farting, moaning, whining, complaining, some still half asleep, the chief always wanted a cup of coffee amd then the usual question, "Hey did the ole man say this was a drill"?

"Nope"

"Maybe this is the big one"

"Well kiss your ass good-bye if it is, cause we only have 15 mintues after we fire before they back track us down to pay us back"

"Hell I'm only 24 ... I'm too young to die"

"What's for dinner"

"Not that again"

"That's all he knows how to cook"

"Whats the movie tonight"

"We saw that one last week"

Those are just some of the moments of living the real thing with a real crew on a US FBM boomer during the late 60's.

To answer the question on why nuclear war scenarios are so fascinating ... because they are so real. They could really light them all off someday.

Just look how many countries that don't even get along with each other have nuclear weapons. Look at all the stock piles of nuclear weapons.

You can't trust what men say, you can't trust what men will do ...

The end is really the beginning when all that's left is to start all over again.