As a direct descendant of a legendary English privateer, Lord Alexander Hawke is skilled in the ways of sea combat -- and one of England's most decorated naval heroes. Now, Hawke returns to the Caribbean on a secret mission for the American government. A highly experimental stealth submarine is missing. She carries forty nuclear warheads, and is believed to be in the hands of an unstable government just ninety miles from the American mainland. In a race against time, Hawke must locate the sub before a strike can be launched against the U.S. -- and, after a lifetime of nightmares, finally avenge himself upon the men who slaughtered his family....

Featuring electrifying action, international intrigue, and a hero worthy of the finest adventure fiction, Hawke heralds the exciting debut of a bold new talent.

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"""Hawke is a fast-paced adventure...truly an exciting read,"" says Nelson DeMille. ""Rich, spellbinding, and absorbing, Hawke is packed with surprises,"" raves Clive Cussler. Readers beware, this stunning, high-caliber thriller is not recommended for the faint of heart. Lord Alexander Hawke is a direct descendant of the legendary English pirate Blackhawke and highly skilled in the cutthroat's deadly ways himself. While still a boy, on a voyage to the Caribbean, Alex Hawke witnesses an act of unspeakable horror. Hidden in a secret compartment on his father's yacht, Alex sees his parents brutally murdered by three modern-day pirates. It is an event that will haunt him for the remainder of his life. Now, fully grown and one of England's most decorated naval heroes, Hawke is back in the same Caribbean waters on a secret mission for the American government. A highly experimental stealth submarine, built by the Soviets just before the end of the Cold War, is missing. She carries forty nuclear warheads and is believed to be in the hands of a very unstable government just ninety miles from the American mainland. Hawke is in a race against time. His mission: Find the deadly sub before a preemptive strike can be launched against the U.S., and confront the murderous men behind the personal nightmare that haunts him before they find him first. Featuring breathtaking action, international intrigue, and a hero worthy of the very finest adventure fiction, Hawke heralds the exciting debut of a bold new talent. "

Directly descended from the notorious English pirate Blackhawke, Lord Alexander Hawke knows a lot about seafaring, and a bit about skullduggery himself. As a child he witnessed a horrific scene - the brutal murder of his parents aboard their yacht. Hidden in a compartment the boy was privy to the brutality of the crime and the identity of the killers.

As an adult and one of the most decorated heroes in England, Hawke returns to the Caribbean waters where his parents were slain. He's on a secret mission for the U.S. government - find a Soviet built experimental sub carrying 40 nuclear warheads before there is mass destruction.

Is there any connection between the criminals controlling the sub and the murderers of Blackhawke's parents?

Those with a taste for seagoing adventure and international intrigue will find "Hawke" much to their liking.

- Gail Cooke


Poorly constructed "adventure" novel   February 27, 2004
 14 out of 35 found this review helpful

This debut novel was displayed in the front of both Borders, as well as, Barnes and Noble, with both stores pushing it as a superior and fun summer read. It should be a swashbuckling adventure novel but it has to rank as one of the most poorly constructed books I have read in quite some time.
Alex Hawke witnesses the death of his parents aboard their yacht by pirates when he was a child. He has since grown to adulthood and works for both the CIA and British secret service. He is assigned to look into the disappearance of a Soviet sub that could launch strikes against the US mainland. Of course, his assignment eventually takes him into the direct path of his parent's killers.
Don't waste your time on this downright idiotic almost unreadable work.


"Wow! All I Can Say Is WOW!!"   July 10, 2003
 12 out of 18 found this review helpful

Steve Martin's line from "Dirty, Rotten Scoundrels" is right on for this first work from Ted Bell. I could NOT put this one down until I finished it. Plotting, characterization and pace are outstanding, and the quality of the prose is remarkable for a book of this genre. There has been a real dearth in swashbuckling adventure fiction of late, due, in my opinion, to the current fascination with courtroom drama (which, being an attorney, I CANNOT understand!). "Hawke", one hopes, will bring similar books to the fore, again. I cannot say enough in praise of this one, folks; I only hope that Mr Bell is working hard at the next Alex Hawke book. This book is guaranteed to please any lover of adventure fiction.


Life is too short, time is too valuable...   August 2, 2004
 12 out of 20 found this review helpful

I paid $7.99 for this book and read all of three chapters. The author did not earn the right for me to read more. I heard a talk-show host recommend his new book "Assassin" and I thought I'd read the first novel always looking for a good new author.

"Hawke" failed miserably. I don't have the technical background many of the other reviewers have, but I know bad writing when I see it and this is it. Oh my gosh. The dialogue is VERY BAD, as if Bell didn't even read it himself before submitting it for publication. It doesn't flow like real people talk.

Also, the first three chapters are about the main character, Alex Hawke. No problem normally. But Bell treats us in each chapter as though we've never met the character.

The first, prologue, sums up the tragic murder of Hawke's parents when he was a boy. Fine there, except that no one would notice the hold where he's hidden? Even before his father is murdered and left in a way to conceal it? They rip the ship apart, but miss a little used, but non-hidden part of the ship? Also, a key and map are going to remain in a pajama pocket with a boy curled up for four days, it wouldn't fall out? Finally, when the boy was taken to the hospital, the map wouldn't have been studied by countless personnel or even the people who rescued him?

The first chapter introduces us to someone called "The Englishman", in uppercase mind you, hinting that it's a different character. Nope, it's Hawke who is just called and "hired" by the president of the US to find a super-de-duper submarine that's gone missing. Ugh. And then when all that's done, super-cool Hawke has the woman calling offer phone-sex (since they are former lovers, but he's dumped her for another, he's so cool).

Finally, the second chapter has Hawke and his well-connected Scotland Yard buddy waiting in the Bahamas or somewhere to meet some former KGB goons. Here the dialogue is REALLY BAD. Also, when Hawke is introduced in this chapter, it's like we've never read the previous part of the book. Like Bell expects someone to pick up a book and start in the middle.

Listen seriously to the one-star reviewers here. This book IS that bad. Not sure I'll give "Assassin" a chance now. Sad, I really wanted a good new author.


Loved It !   November 30, 2004
 12 out of 16 found this review helpful

First off this is mind candy reading. It is a fantasy land read and it is a great one at that. Many of the situations and timelines etc don't really match. I did not find that too distracting. Afterall, the story is about some cocain bandits taking over a country and the little boy who watches them kill his parents grows up to be a secret agent. A little thing like time lines being out of whack does not seem to hard to accept.

The writing is fast paced and the illusions are just plain fun. I liked the nautical references as well.

Great read for fun.