THE GULF

by David Poyer ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 1990

Poyer's naval series that began with The Med (1988) continues with a look at the US Navy's role escorting supertankers through the Persian Gulf at the height of the Iran-Iraq war. Dan Lenson, last seen as a staff lieutenant, has been promoted to lieutenant commander, lost his wife to divorce, and gone to work as the executive officer of the U.S.S. Turner Van Zandt, a guided missile frigate. Ben Shaker, Van Zandt's new captain, is a hard charger who lost his last ship to the fire that followed a surprise Iranian missile attack. Shaker's strategy for avoiding a recurrence of that disaster includes the removal of anything flammable on his new ship, as well as the adoption of some aggressive but unauthorized battle practices. Lemon is uncomfortable with Shaker's pugnacity but follows orders as the ship steams into convoy duty. While the line of supertankers heads for the gulf oil ports, a team of explosive ordnance demolition specialists prepares to undo the Iranian mines protecting an island full of terrorist missile boats--and a beautiful congressional aide flies from sheikdom to sheikdom and ship to ship getting a handle on the military situation and a very close look at Lt. Commander Lenson. Tensions will have to be released in a WW II style shootout at the terrorist base. All right, so the gorgeous Senate staffer is hokey; the naval stuff, Poyer's specialty, is authentic and engrossing.

Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1990

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: St. Martin's

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1990

Categories: FICTION