It's been thirty years since Tom Clancy captured the essence of the submarine cold war with the thriller 'The Hunt For Red October", and almost that long since I last crossed the brow of the USS William H. Bates. Since then, I have not found a submarine novel that came close to gold standard of naval fiction that Clancy so deftly penned. For those of you that have been on a similar journey, I may have some good news for you.
I have recently come across a new submarine novel called the Trident Deception, written by Rick Campbell, a former boat sailor himself, who wrapped up his naval career as XO of the USS Maryland (SSBN-783). I found out about this book from a USS GRENADIER (SS-525) sailor, Reggie Thurlow, that has recently joined us here at SSN-680.org, and having heard the author's story, I decided it was worth letting you know about it as well.
So far this is just an FYI. I can't give an endorsement yet, since I've only had the opportunity to read the first three chapters, but it shows definite promise. You can order it on Amazon through our Ship's Store if you are interested, so click on the image, and remember that every purchase through our store throws a few percent of the purchase price into the Rec Fund!
But I digress...
Here are the author's own words,
I’m Rick Campbell, a submarine officer who retired last year after thirty-two years in the Navy. As I approached retirement, I decided to try my hand at writing novels and ended up with a book deal with Macmillan / St. Martin’s Press, one of the biggest publishers in the country.
My first book, a submarine thriller titled The Trident Deception, is getting fantastic reviews. Booklist has even hailed it as – the best submarine novel written in the last 30 years – since Tom Clancy’s classic The Hunt For Red October! (I’ve pasted the early reviews below.) My publisher is very excited about the book and is heavily promoting it, and the book will be featured at the front of all Barnes & Nobles nationwide for two weeks. However, over 1000 novels are published each week, and my publisher can keep me at the front of bookstores for only so long before it’s swept into oblivion by the tidal wave of new books.
I’ve got a short window for my book to become a success. If the book doesn’t catch on, publishers these days won’t give you a second chance – they’ll toss you aside and look for the next hot thing. The book is getting great reviews, but that’ll amount to a hill’s worth of beans if not enough people hear about the book. My publisher is doing everything they can via traditional means, and I’m doing my best to help, reaching out to those I think would enjoy reading it.
I think former GRENADIER (and William H. Bates! - Ed.) crew members are the perfect audience and would enjoy reading The Trident Deception. I was wondering if it were possible for you to forward this email to former crew members. I’d really appreciate it!
As I mentioned, my publisher is very excited about the book and is sinking a ton of money promoting it at Barnes & Noble, and will also be advertising on Fox News (computer, tablet, and mobile) starting March 11th, totaling 2.3 million impressions (ads). However, with that kind of investment, word on the street is - if my book doesn’t do well, St. Martin’s is going to torture and dismember me. (Just kidding! Maybe. I’m not exactly sure…)
So that’s my pitch. Can you help me? I’ve put a ton of work into writing the book, finding an agent, getting a book deal, and now I’ve got a narrow window to turn my dream of becoming a successful writer into a reality (and keep my arms and legs). I would really appreciate it if you would spread the word about a great combination espionage/submarine thriller that's getting fantastic reviews to former GRENADIER crew members.
You can find out more about The Trident Deception, as well as read the first 3 chapters at: rickcampbellauthor.com. If you like what you read, you can order the hardcover from Amazon or Barnes & Noble, etc. or the eBook (for your Kindle, Nook, iPad, or Android device).
Here are the reviews!
“Fans of submarine thrillers who are saddened by the demise of Tom Clancy will welcome Campbell’s debut.” — Publishers Weekly
“A terrific thriller debut. Campbell does an amazing job, balancing character interaction with high-octane action, all the while keeping the technical jargon to a level understandable by nonmilitary readers. This is the best novel about a submarine since Tom Clancy’s classic The Hunt For Red October (1984).” — Jeff Ayers, Booklist (starred review)
“No one puts the reader inside a submarine like Rick Campbell does in The Trident Deception. I couldn’t put it down. Compelling and thrilling, this novel is a must read." — Jack Coughlin, New York Times bestselling author of Shooter and Time to Kill
“The Trident Deception is a fistfight of a thriller. A masterpiece.” — Dalton Fury, former Delta Force, and New York Times bestselling author of Kill Bin Laden and Tier One Wild
Sincerely,
Rick Campbell
rickcampbellauthor.com
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