UNDER PRESSURE: Amazon.ca: Frank Herbert: Books

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Customer Reviews

7 Reviews

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

Average Customer Review

4.4 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)

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3.0 out of 5 stars Underwhelming, Mar 11 2004

By	David Hood (Wesley Chapel, FL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I give this a 3.5 rounded down to a 3.

This book is really an early techno-thriller treading water that Tom Clancy would later plow more effectively in The Hunt for Red October. It is science fiction only due to its age and the idea of a device monitoring psychiatric/psychological functions.

Our protagonist, a psych agent in the military is put aboard a sub to see what is wrong with the captain, and there is possibly a traitor on board. The pressure the title refers to is both the pressure of the deep deep water, and the pressure of being cooped up in a sub with other people doing an incredibly stressful job. We see the coping mechanisms of the submariners as they are under stress.

Unfortunately I couldn't really care about the main character, and I found the sub hunts were not paced well to create any real tension. The ending though is a lot better and finally some excitement and real tension is created, enough to redeem the book but not enough to make it the classic it is revered as.

Points for the idea of a techno-thriller but due to a generally uninteresting story this is only an average work.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Classic Science Fiction, Oct 16 2001

By	Jack Cade (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Under Pressure (Paperback)

"Under Pressure" succeeds where so many of today's doorstopper novels fail: Herbert is able to sketch believable, smart characters quickly and desicively then send them out into a taut plot that keeps one turning pages. A smart, smart novel by a master. Don't miss it!

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5.0 out of 5 stars under pressure by frank herbert, Sep 23 2001

By	jan d jud (keokuk, ia. United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Under Pressure (Paperback)

great book-would make a great movie as i love submarine movies!!updating this for the big sceen would take very little effort. i think of this story as more of a suspense/mystery novel rather than sci-fi. i see James Cromwell as the sub commander. economics,deceit,paranoia,loyalty,and betrayal!Herbert wrote a very strong story with characters that are flawed,couragous,and real.A hidden gem! -tough to put down.

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Submarine Adventure
This is a very exciting book that takes place in a not so distant future. The world is divided in two and they are a war.

Our side is stealing oil with submarines. Read more

Published on Oct 26 2000 by Scott Shepherd

5.0 out of 5 stars A classic that still lives
This book, originally published in the 50s as "The Dragon in the Sea", was one of the first adult hard-sf books I ever read and my copy of the paperback original has... Read more

Published on Aug 8 2000 by David A. Farnham

5.0 out of 5 stars solid and captivating work
Under pressure takes place in submarine with a small crew on a top-secret mission. Herebert does a fantastic job of creating interesting situations and relationships between the... Read more

Published on April 25 2000 by mirimoo

4.0 out of 5 stars Under the sea.
Herbert is a master storyteller, and his excursion into the depths of the sea reflects his talents.