Someone once called Poyer "the thinking man's Tom Clancy" and I'd have to agree. He creates fantastic action and settings so well you feel like you're there (I'd never have even condsidered there'd be oil floating on top of the water in the Middle East). The main character in this series, Dan Lenson, has many flaws and this makes him a character you root for because he's just like us. I also learned a lot about Navy life and the things that happenend when women began working on destroyers alongside men. This book is a great example of how you can writer action-adventure and still have sophisticated craft.The only thing that wasn't for me was the jargon - I had to rearead sections a few times and crossreference pages to remember what some of the terms were. Then again, it was a good reminder of what many of my students have to do (or should do) when they have to read texts that are complicated for their reading level or background knowledge.
