FAQ - Depth of Revenge

HOW MUCH OF THIS NOVEL IS TRUE?

The disclaimer in one of the late Michael Crichton's recent novel states, "This novel is fiction, except for the parts that aren't..." Likewise, Depth of Revenge is a novel and therefore a work of fiction. However, the reader can determine that the capabilities of the submarine and its weapons correspond to what has been reported in reputable media.

ARE YOU AN ISRAELI MILITARY OR SUBMARINE VETERAN?

No. I'm an American. I've followed political and military developments for years and spent many hours conducting research while writing Depth of Revenge. I also had a draft reviewed by a recently retired 20 year veteran sonar operator and made changes necessary to keep the story as realistic as possible.

ARE YOU SURPRISED BY THE BOOK'S SUCCESS?

I'm not surprised that the ideas in the book would resonate with so many people. I'm a bit surprised that I was the one who was able to write the book.

WHERE DID YOU GET THE IDEA FOR DEPTH OF REVENGE?

I've thought about "what if" scenarios concerning Israel for some time. It seemed like a good idea for a story that showed one possible outcome to these events.

HOW DID YOU GET ALL THE INSIDE INFORMATION FOR DEPTH OF REVENGE?

The information isn't really so "inside." There have been many articles about Israel's deterrent force and the Iranian threat. The information about the nuclear procedures is purely speculative.

ARE ISRAELI SUBMARINE COMMANDERS GIVEN A LETTER LIKE THE ONE FEATURED IN DEPTH OF REVENGE?

We now know that British submarine commanders have been given a letter of last resort prior to the departure of their ballistic missile submarines. See the excellent slate article by Ron Rosenbaum concerning the letter of last resort. Israel is only about the size of New Jersey and has many more enemies than Britain so it is reasonable to suppose the existence of such a letter.

WHY DID YOU WRITE DEPTH OF REVENGE IN THE FIRST PERSON AND WITH RELATIVELY LITTLE DIALOGUE?

I wanted to convey the submarine commander's thoughts at the time the events were taking place and to illustrate how impressions are formed and decisions made based on limited information and assumptions. I also wanted the reader to know what alternative courses the submarine commander considered before taking action.

IS THERE AN ACTOR OR OTHER PERSON YOU HAD IN MIND FOR ANY OF THE MAIN CHARACTERS IN DEPTH OF REVENGE?

No. If there were to be a movie based on the book, I would hope that the commander and most of the characters be portrayed by an actor no older than mid-thirties for maximum realism.

IS THERE A WAY I CAN GET A SIGNED AND INSCRIBED COPY OF DEPTH OF REVENGE?

Yes. See the link under "Purchase" on the home page of this site.