Santorini

From Publishers WeeklySailing in the Aegean, NATO spyship HMS Ariadne sights two disasters at once, a bomber crashing into the sea and a large yacht sinking. The plane turns out to have been loaded with nuclear weapons, and the survivors rescued from the yacht appear somehow responsible for the plane's destruction. With potential saboteurs aboard, the crew of the Ariadne must raise the one activated weapon and carefully dispose of it. MacLean (The Lonely Sea has trumped up so many aspects of this novel that he has taken the fun out of it. Rather than have the spies seized and flown off, he keeps them on the frigate. Instead of bringing in experts to remove the weapons, he leaves the job in the hands of the ship's captain. He also ups the stakes: if the unstable nearby volcano, Santorini, erupts, the combined explosions would create a nuclear winter. The contrived plot together with MacLean's stiff writing style make for a lazily composed adventure. Paperback to Fawcett. Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library JournalIn the Aegean a large airplane crashes at almost the same time a luxurious yacht is sinking. Commander Talbot of the Ariadne , a sophisticated British ship that is part of NATO, picks up the yacht's survivors, among them a wealthy Greek businessman. The downed plane, it is learned, contains hydrogen bombs and atomic mines, one of which is ticking. If the mine explodes in that spot, earthquakes, volcano eruptions, tidal waves, ozone cracking, and possibly the end of the world could ensue. Talbot and his crew piece together a fiendish plot involving the Greek, drugs, terrorism, and international blackmail. While a large portion of the book reads like a field manual for reclaiming submerged atomic devices, the pace is swift and relentless. (The involvement of the U.S. President, and his decision to keep the whole thing quiet to avoid credibility problems, is more than a bit eerie.) Fans of MacLean will enjoy this, as would any reader of thrillers. Robert H. Donahugh, Youngstown Mahoning Cty. P.L., OhioCopyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.