Kursk Down
Beneath the waves, one mission will change the course of modern warfare.
A Cold War never truly ends beneath the sea.
In the icy grip of the Barents Sea, a deadly game of shadows turns catastrophic when the Russian nuclear submarine K-141 Kursk collides with the USS Toledo, a stealthy Los Angeles-class hunter. Realizing he’s not alone, Kursk’s captain launches a desperate torpedo – only for the USS Memphis to return fire, triggering a cataclysmic explosion that sends Kursk and 118 Russian sailors to the ocean floor.
As the crippled Toledo limps away, Commander John Rourke of the Memphis makes an impossible choice, drawing the furious Russian Northern Fleet into pursuit to buy time for his wounded ally. But Admiral Viktor Chernov, thirsting for vengeance, unleashes nuclear depth charges and an armada of hunters.
Meanwhile, CIA black-ops agent John Smith is deployed to extract a defecting Russian officer carrying secrets that could expose the true cause of the disaster – and ignite World War III.
Aboard the massive Pyotr Velikiy, visiting Chinese admirals play their own game. A covert operative masquerading as a naval attaché is stealing Russia’s revolutionary Shkval super-cavitation torpedo technology – turning tragedy into opportunity.
As the undersea war escalates toward nuclear brinkmanship, Putin and Clinton face a final confrontation where one misstep could end civilization.
Ultra-realistic, relentless, and terrifyingly plausible, Kursk Down reimagines the infamous 2000 Barents Sea tragedy as a breathtaking techno-thriller – perfect for fans of Patrick Robinson, Tom Clancy and Mark Greaney.
You won’t be able to put it down.
About the Book
Well-known West Australian serial entrepreneur Ross Smith makes his fiction debut with Kursk Down, a gripping submarine techno-thriller that plunges readers deep into the high-stakes world of naval warfare and espionage.
Described by Australian media as a “colourful mining and technology entrepreneur,” Smith built his reputation as a bold and visionary dealmaker. After founding the acclaimed Colonial Brewing Co. in Margaret River, he went on to list the first, second and third medical cannabis companies on the ASX – a feat that cemented his status as one of Australia’s most unconventional innovators. Now he is a part time gold explorer and producer in north Western Australia.
From booze to buds to bullion and now books, Smith has lived an extraordinary life that most only dream of. Now retired from corporate life, he divides his time between his villa on the idyllic island of Koh Samui, Thailand, his luxury apartment in Perth and the dusty red dirt of his gold mining projects in Western Australia’s Murchison.
Drawing on decades of high-pressure business, travel and adventure, Smith brings authenticity, grit and realism to his writing, infusing every story with the pulse of experience and the intrigue of global geopolitics.
Kursk Down is the first in a series of realistic, emotionally charged military thrillers that will transport readers into the shadowy depths of modern submariner conflicts.
Meet the Author
Ross Smith - entrepreneur, gold miner, and now novelist - is no stranger to bold ventures. Known as the “Wolf of Weed” for pioneering Australia’s medical cannabis industry, Ross built an empire that spanned brewing, biotech, and mining before trading business briefs for battle scenes.
His debut novel, Kursk Down, combines real-world experience with a fascination for strategy, technology, and the human side of warfare. Between Perth, the Murchison goldfields, and his villa in Koh Samui, Ross writes stories that dig deep into ambition, danger, and the choices that define us.
Behind the Story
Hear Ross talk through how he approached writing Kursk Down, the choices that shaped the narrative, and the early feedback that encouraged him to keep going.
Contact Ross
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“In the silent depths of the ocean, power is measured not by strength - but by who survives unseen.”
This book was proudly published by Hembury Books, a Sydney-based hybrid publisher that helps authors bring their stories to life while retaining full creative control and royalties.