Edward Latimer Beach Books

Commander Edward Richardson and his exec, Jim Bledsoe, are bound together by wartime duty, divided by jealousy, pride and love for one beautiful woman. Their home is the USS Walrus, part of the "silent service" engaged in a crucial drive to destroy the Japanese navy in the dark days of WW II.In an heroic undersea mission, Richardson, Bledsoe, and their crew--the hunters and the hunted--confront their most formidable opponent in the vicious battle to survive and control the seas."If ever a book has a ring of reality, this is it...combat passages rank with the most exciting writing about any branch of service." (The New York Times)

Cold Is the Sea followed, in 1978, Edward L. Beach's extraordinarily successful first two novels, easily meeting their high standards. But unlike these earlier World War II novels, this book is set fifteen years after the war's end as the U.S. Navy converts its fleet of conventional submarines to nuclear-powered ships. The focus of the story is the USS Cushing, whose sixteen missile silos carry more explosive power than all the munitions used in both world wars. The Cushing is on a secret mission to the Arctic Ocean to determine whether her missiles are effective if fired from beneath the ice. When the submarine is incapacitated, with a suspicious Russian sub lurking in the vicinity, the scene is set for a dramatic thriller, rich in technical detail and submarine lore.

Set against the backdrop of the United States Naval Academy, this narrative follows the life of a First Classman navigating the challenges of military training and personal growth. The protagonist grapples with intense academic demands, the pressures of leadership, and the complexities of camaraderie among peers. Themes of honor, sacrifice, and the pursuit of excellence are explored, offering an insider's perspective on the rigorous path to becoming a naval officer and the profound impact of these formative experiences on character development.