Showing posts with label action adventure. Show all posts
Showing posts with label action adventure. Show all posts

Golden Buddha (The Oregon Files) Review

Golden Buddha (The Oregon Files)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Cussler is one of the few authors who have NEVER disappointed me and I buy his books day of release without fail. I even liked his collaborations with Dirgo as it always seemed to me to be a Cussler book, UNTIL NOW. I totally agree with the reviewer who wrote that the book just died. Reading about the Dali Lama got me hooked as i thought there would be a few plots going on at once and the Dali Lama part could be quite intriguing. Did Cussler even see the book before Dirgo went to publisher?
I kept waiting for something other than the one event to happen. All these uninteresting characters that were not developed and no place for them to go. Who cares about this caper? I am on page 300 now and i couldn't believe that it took 300 pages to get to this point in the story so i came to Amazon to see it if was just me. It's not. I am only finishing this book because the name Cussler is attached. If this had been an unknown author, I would have stopped a long time ago as it is a terrible story, terribly concocted with only the first chapter or two having any interest. This is SO NOT CUSSLER. The writing is repetitive and boring as if he is trying to be Cussler but failing miserably. Ok, done. Wish the book was.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Golden Buddha (The Oregon Files)



Buy NowGet 25% OFF

Click here for more information about Golden Buddha (The Oregon Files)

Read More...

Operation Belize Review

Operation Belize
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This would be a fine book to take on vacation to Belize.
I read it while lounging by the bay at Corozal after having driven through the terrain described in this novel. The author described the landscape quite well. He was overly generous with the wildlife (no monkeys about in this area; macaws are almost extinct in Belize) but he captured the feeling of the area. The characters were not as detailed as in truly great literature but well enough to carry the plot. I had a little trouble at the start because so many characters were introduced I occasionally lost track of who was double-crossing whom. By mid-book, the central cast had narrowed and the action tightened. By the end, I handed it to my wife and said, "this one is good!"

Click Here to see more reviews about: Operation Belize

Fred Ball, the American Secretary of State, is kidnapped in Belize. American Special Forces attempt a rescue. The small but elite group of highly trained soldiers must overcome the difficulties of terrain, politics, mercenaries, and a nefarious plot hatched by various individuals in the governments of Mexico and Guatemala. A very powerful drug lord complicates the rescue by enlisting the services of a Belizean bandit, who, in turn, is set upon by both Mexican and Guatemalan soldiers. Washington and its politics are drawn into the maelstrom that Latin America becomes as a result of the kidnapping. Fred Ball survives numerous firefights, a brutal trek through the jungle and a helicopter crash.

Buy Now

Click here for more information about Operation Belize

Read More...

Sky Hunters: Anarchy's Reign Review

Sky Hunters: Anarchy's Reign
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I ran across the first of this series,X-BATTALION, and bought it because of the title. After reading it I found that I liked it, so I went on to the second one, OPERATION SOUTHWRN CROSS, and went directly to the FINAL one, ANARCHY'S REIGN. I will get back to that word FINAL in a moment.
These book are action filled like many other techno war books. However what separates this series is the character developement. Autry,Mungo,and McCune are fully define
men, men with definite character flaws. These flaws plus the idea of bucking the system are the things that make this series interesting. ANARCHY'S REIGN takes place in L.A. It is fun that the action takes place on American soil. The only hope to save L.A. are the SKY HUNTERs, but they are disbanded it because they are too good and the other services hate them. They are a loose cannon that can't be trusted. Needless
to
say like in the other two novels they win because they are un predictable.
Now that word FINAL!!! After reading this book, I screamed and threw the book across the room. For you see the author ends this series with this book. All those great characters will not return. The funny part of all this is that I went to the author's web page and wrote him a letter telling him how I felt. He answered my email!! Yes hesaid this was the end, but that I ahould try out his other works by his other name Jack Moloney of the WINGMAN series, STARHAWKE series, and the CHOPPER OPS series. I have read these and they are almost good enough to make me forgive him for killing this series. ALMOST but no!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sky Hunters: Anarchy's Reign

Bobby Autry has always been a maverick. One of the best pilots in America's elite helicopter unit, nobody expected Autry to succeed when he was ordered to create a unit that could fly better than the Nightstalkers, shoot better than the SEALs, and think smarter than the CIA, but he delivered. He never cared about stepping on toes, only on getting results. But now Autry faces his biggest test. In the past, his strength as a soldier was in being able to operate independently, autonomously, without oversight. But now, he might have to take it one step further––he might actually have to break the law to get the job done. Autry has discovered a new threat to America, and it's coming from the inside. After intercepting a cache of weapons, he discovers that their destination is to be within one of America's biggest cities. A group of anarchists, hoping to fan of the flames of a politically–divided country, intends to transform the World Economic Summit into a war zone. With the time ticking down and government beuracracy slowing down the required response, Autry knows that the only way to defend his country is to break the law, arm his renegades, and pre–empt an insurrection on his own soil. If he isn't killed, he's almost certainly be court martialed, but caring about the rules was never Autry's style...

Buy Now

Click here for more information about Sky Hunters: Anarchy's Reign

Read More...

The Last Phoenix Review

The Last Phoenix
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I have always enjoyed Mr Herman's books and believed he had a good grasp of what he writes about.
However, being a Malaysian who currently resides in Singapore, I'm apalled at what I've read so far. Yes I'm only halfway through the book but am already wondering about whether to continue reading.
While it is a work of fiction, the factual errors in the book coupled with a poor understanding of Malaysia and Singapore has greatly reduced my opinion of Mr Herman.
He may be an ex fighter pilot and writes well enough about aerial conflict and the workings of the American political and military machine, Herman should have at least put some effort into making the bits about Malaysia and Singapore beliveable.
The Malaysian Army for example is one of the few forces in the world to have successfully put down a communist insurgency. The way he portrayed Malaysian troops makes them sound more like the Iraqi Republican Guards.
US Marines and Rangers regularly train in Malaysia and have acknowledged their professionalism. The Malaysian Armed Forces may not be quite ready to fight a major conventional war, but in the context of this book, they would undoubtedly more than hold their own.
It's fine if you're only catering to the American market who still think Malaysia is a country somewhere in the Carribean but for those of us here who appreciate good fiction, this is a poor effort.
Let's hope he puts more effort into his next book. And no, watching Ben Stiller's Zoolander is not enough if you want to know about Malaysia.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Last Phoenix



Buy Now

Click here for more information about The Last Phoenix

Read More...

End Game (Dale Brown's Dreamland) Review

End Game (Dale Brown's Dreamland)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This is the first Dale Brown book I have read and it has made me want to read more. Based on this book he is a very interesting military writer and builds a good story that is not hard to follow. There is plenty of action and more than one storyline keeping you involved throughout the entire book. If you enjoy military fiction books I would recommend giving this author a shot I think you will be well pleased.

Click Here to see more reviews about: End Game (Dale Brown's Dreamland)


A volatile U.S. ally has fallen prey to the terrorist beast. India is the target of radical Islamic jihadists, and the world watches breathlessly as tensions escalate between the uneasy giant and its longtime nemesis Pakistan—with China waiting in the wings, eager to flex its military might. A nuclear showdown seems inevitable, unless the masterminds at Dreamland can get to the mysterious source of the terror and end it, swiftly and permanently. Every technological wonder the military possesses must be employed to avert an all-out Apocalypse—from an awesome new hybrid Navy destroyer to robot Flighthawks. But the fate of the region and the world will depend on the newest brainchild of the Dreamland team: an unproven instrument of ultimate power code-named End Game.


Buy Now

Click here for more information about End Game (Dale Brown's Dreamland)

Read More...

Day of the Cheetah Review

Day of the Cheetah
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
A classic techno-thriller! Much of the plot, concerning the theft of a high-tech experimental fighter plane was inspired by FIREFOX by Craig Thomas, as was the thought-controlled weapons systems and navigation. However, Dale Brown goes several steps better. The technicalities behind the Dreamstar aircraft are well explained without too much babble and could be feasible one day. The aerial dogfighting sequences, utilising a variety of aircraft(National Guard F-16s, Nicaraguan MiGs, Mexican F-20s and so on, and the 767 AWACS was an inspired idea!)and interesting locations in Central America are also first rate. I've only had a trial lesson in a light aircraft as a birthday present from my ever-patient wife, but I can still visualise the settings, manouvres and procedures described in his narrative as well as that day. This book would make a power-packed movie, so come on, Hollywood!If you like aircraft, thrills, future technology and fast paced action then this is the book for you. One minor point, there were two goofs - the B-1B bomber is known as the Lancer and not the Excalibur, and the B-2 stealth bomber is known as the Spirit and not the Panther, but considering this 1996-set book was written in 1988 the we can let Dale off the hook! The story also brings the McLanahan Timeline up to date, despite a few inconsistencies before the 'prequels' such as SKY MASTERS and HAMMERHEADS were written.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Day of the Cheetah



Buy Now

Click here for more information about Day of the Cheetah

Read More...

Nerve Center (Dreamland, No. 2) Review

Nerve Center (Dreamland, No. 2)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I am an avid Dale Brown fan. I was excited to read Dreamland Nerve center. I was quite disappointed. I am not sure how much input Mr. Brown had on this project but it would be better if he took his name off of it. It was stale, predicatble and very cheesy. I think the characters are good but the only person who would actually enjoy reading this is a female highschool wall flower. It should be displayed in the cheap romance novel catagory. The next book in the Dreamland series can be nothing but better than this one. I will give Dreamland another chance because I like Mr. Brown. But, that being said, I can only take so much cheap romance.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Nerve Center (Dreamland, No. 2)



Buy Now

Click here for more information about Nerve Center (Dreamland, No. 2)

Read More...

Charlie Mike Review

Charlie Mike
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
As a Viet Nam veteran this is the first book on Nam that I have ever finished and I am ordering three more of his books today. I lost track of the number of times I cried when I read this book and that was only one of the many emotions I felt. If you like action or want a realistic idea of what Nam was like you will love this book.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Charlie Mike

If war may be said to bring out the worst in governments, it frequently brings out the best in people. This is a novel about some of the very best. Some led. Some followed. Some died. Meet Sergeant David Grady, Sarah Boyce, Major John Colven, Lieutenant Le Be Son...in the great Vietnam war novel, CHARLIE MIKE.

Buy Now

Click here for more information about Charlie Mike

Read More...

Wet Desert, a Novel Review

Wet Desert, a Novel
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Wet Desert. It is rare for a book to generate such a compulsion for me to turn the pages. I felt as if I was being pulled through the book. It's fast-paced, intelligent, thought-provoking, cohesive, and entertaining. Wet Desert not only met those criteria, it takes a place among my favorite books, in company with others from Clancy, Crichton, Grisham, and Cussler.
I liked the fact that it was technical enough to lend credibility, but not so much as to be tedious. Characters are well-defined and remain believable and consistent throughout the story. The book presents some thought-provoking issues and offers fascinating facts and insights, but for the most part allows the reader to draw his or her own conclusions. Specifically, the novel provides interesting historical details about the Colorado River, the Glen Canyon and Hoover dams, Lake Powell, and the Colorado River Delta. I found it so intriguing that I did further research, starting with Wikipedia. (In fact, you might want to refresh your knowledge of the Colorado River before you read.) Most importantly, I couldn't wait to set aside time to read Wet Desert and looked forward to turning each page from beginning to end.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Wet Desert, a Novel

Grant Stevens, a mid-level manager for the Bureau of Reclamation, only wanted to build dams. He never imagined he would be swept into a desperate race against an environmental terrorist bent on restoring the Colorado River by blowing up the dams. Left temporarily in charge of the Bureau, Grant must react when the first dam is attacked. He faces the unthinkable task of mitigating the massive flood roaring down the Colorado. The flood will eventually threaten the mighty Hoover Dam, and if Hoover fails, the other dams downstream will fall like dominos. Working with the FBI, Grant uses his engineering skills, river knowledge, and plenty of gut instinct in an attempt to outmaneuver the terrorist. The chase will lead all the way downstream to the Gulf of California in a cat and mouse game where the stakes are high and the potential for destruction is enormous.

Buy NowGet 25% OFF

Click here for more information about Wet Desert, a Novel

Read More...

Sky Hunters: Operation Southern Cross Review

Sky Hunters: Operation Southern Cross
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Just like the first book of the XBattalion series, "OSC" moves like a race car jammed into fifth gear. The top-secret XBat copter force is ordered to put out several political brush fires in South America, only to discover that one of them might involve nothing less than the fate of the world. All the while, the CIA's multi-billion dollar, ultra-sophisticated spy satellite system is failing, and no one knows why. The two plot lines collide in one of the most unlikliest places on Earth, causing the book's heroes to make an incredibly harrowing last-minute flight to save all. The action scenes are very realistic; the flying sequences are not for the faint of heart. The balancing act that many special forces members must endure between their personal lives and service to their country is also well brought out. According to a web site given on the book's cover -- www.XBattalion.com -- apparently no one really knows who the author Jack Shane is. But obviously, he knows his stuff. I'm looking forward to Book 3.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sky Hunters: Operation Southern Cross


The expert, the fearless, the crazy-the most lethal weapon in the U.S. arsenal

Only the best can make it in X-Battalion, the top-secret experimental arm of the U.S. military's TF-160 Nightstalkers. The mavericks and madmen who fly the highest tech attack helicopters make their own rules as they shuttle CIA spooks and Special Ops commandos to high-risk zones -- and leap into the fight without question whenever the need arises.

But fresh from a successful mission against a Colombian drug lord, XBat finds itself the target of a new and unexpected enemy: fighter jets from a revitalized Venezuelan air force. A brutal new-age SS is coming alive in this volatile South America powderkeg, with the power to start a war and a terrifying weapon to help them win it. But now they've got XBat's rogue warriors on their tail, who are determined to pursue the growing threat from Caracas to Cuba . . . and eliminate it by any means necessary.
--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Buy Now

Click here for more information about Sky Hunters: Operation Southern Cross

Read More...

Air Battle Force Review

Air Battle Force
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I've read every single one of Mr. Brown's books and this one is by far the weakest. Still good though but not his best. It was nice to see old characters like General Furness and Colonel Mace. But Thorn has to go. Hopefully he gets ousted from office in the next book. The plot in this one is kinda a weak but it seems to set up the next book nicely. (A war with Russia?) The robot planes are totally unbelieveable though. It breaks my heart to see Mr. Brown, a former navigator himself, take the real heros out of the picture. Whats the fun in flying if your gonna do it from the ground? A lot seems to be missing from Air Battle Force. But hopefully its just a set up for the next one.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Air Battle Force



Buy Now

Click here for more information about Air Battle Force

Read More...

Black Wolf: A Dreamland Thriller (Dale Brown's Dreamland) Review

Black Wolf: A Dreamland Thriller (Dale Brown's Dreamland)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
The author of flight of the old dog, and all the other great Dale brown books did not write this junk. Sorry but no way is this up to par with his past work. Took me 5 long nights to read it. I kept falling asleep and I had to speed read over some parts that were just too boring and were useless to the story. The my Refrence in the story about new super technology called MY-PID is such a copy of apples I-PAD it's laughable and sad at the same time. This from the author who made the b52 super fortress come to life ripping off the I-PAD.
Don't know if the author is bored with the story line or it's not his writing and he signed off on it with out reading it. I hope it's the 2nd option. Been reading and looking forward to his books from the time of The Hammerheads. Maybe Mr Browns just out of ideas or tired of writing. If so please retire and don't let me have to buy the next one hoping it's better. Anyone who has bought this should get credit on his next book so we don't get ripped of twice. I wish I had bought this in the store not on my I-PAD, or as the author writes my super secret Dreamland device the MY-PID so I could toss it in the real trash can, and not the computer one.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Black Wolf: A Dreamland Thriller (Dale Brown's Dreamland)


The deadliest weapon . . . is man

Top NATO representatives meet in Kiev to forge a new alliance . . . Powerful elements within a newly resurgent Russia decide the alliance must be stopped at all costs . . .

The warriors of Dreamland have moved on. Some, like Breanna and Zen Stockard, to positions of power and influence; others, like Danny Freah and Nuri Lupo, into Whiplash, a cutting-edge combination of brain and brawn. Tasked by the President to handle the country's most deadly and sensitive jobs, the elite SpecWarfare unit marries muscle to technological prowess.

But can even Whiplash stand up to a covert Russian army of genetically enhanced assassins known only as the Wolves?

The stories about them sound like sheer fantasy: the killers are said to be nearly invisible and virtually unstoppable, endowed with super-human strength and endurance. But when Danny Freah and company discover they do exist, Danny stumbles on an even darker and deadlier secret:

One Wolf, the most ferocious of all, comes from the heart of Dreamland itself. And Danny saw him die more than a decade before.


Buy Now

Click here for more information about Black Wolf: A Dreamland Thriller (Dale Brown's Dreamland)

Read More...

The Majors (Brotherhood of War) Review

The Majors (Brotherhood of War)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
There are two kinds of book series: Ones that can more or less be read in any order (James Bond comes to mind), and ones that work better when read in order of internal chronology. Griffin's "The Brotherhood of War" is the second kind of series, and it's virtually impossible (and certainly unfair) to review one of its "middle" books *except* as part of the larger series. _The Majors_ doesn't match the standard set in _The Lieutenants_ and _The Captains_, but it's a workmanlike entry that keeps the series moving.
"Brotherhood of War" is, as another reviewer said of a different volume in the series, a "military soap opera." It's concerned, for the most part, not with battles but with the rhythms of Army lives and careers: changes of post, changes of assignment, promotions, decorations, unexpected reunions with old comrades, and so on. The series has, by now, upwards of three dozen significant continuing characters . . . six or eight of whom qualify as major (in significance, not rank). That's a lot of fictional lives to keep straight and a lot of storylines to keep in motion, but Griffin pulls it off with considerable skill. _The Majors_ keeps you abreast of all the main players from the earlier books, and adds several new ones. Its a fast, satisfying read, and left me eager to pick up _The Colonels_.
That said, _The Majors_ is a step down from _The Lieutenants_ and _The Captains_. There're a few gunfights, but no big combat scene like the mountain battle in Greece (Bk. 1) or the commando raid into North Korea (Bk. 2). Craig Lowell and Sandy Felter, whose growth as people and as officers gave the first two books much of their depth, are less compelling in _The Majors_. Felter has become more of a plot device than a person. Lowell is in danger of becoming what he threatened to be early in _The Lieutenants_: an insufferable twit with more money than brains. The rest of the main characters fare better, but none of them has the kind of life-changing story arc that Felter got in Book 1 or Lowell got in Book 2.
If you loved the first two books in the series, _The Majors_ will have plenty to keep you interested. If you found yourself wishing that the first two books had more shooting and less soap opera, you'll be even less satisfied this time around.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Majors (Brotherhood of War)

Summoned to help beat back the guerrilla forces of Ho Chi Minh, a group of American soldiers finds themselves in the heart of the secret war in Indochina, where they reach for the heights of glory while assisting the French. Reissue.

Buy Now

Click here for more information about The Majors (Brotherhood of War)

Read More...

Angels on my Wings Review

Angels on my Wings
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Where was the editor? All of a sudden the angels became angles and whether became weather. Very distracting. Reviewing from my Kindle. Insufficient punctuation.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Angels on my Wings

Transcons flight three seven departed from Los Angeles bound for JFK airport in New York. Sometime after they reached their cruising altitude, the first officer noticed the pressure dropping in the cargo hold below. Neither the captain nor the first officer was aware that a partially filled propane tank had been loaded into the cargo hold and was about to explode.Mayday, mayday Transcon flight three seven. Rapid decompression, explosion onboard. Descending to one-zero thousand. Clear all traffic below! These words echoed into the headset of the flight controllers at Lincoln Center and a desperate feeling came over them as they watched flight three seven descend on their radar screen.

Buy Now

Click here for more information about Angels on my Wings

Read More...

Shadows of Steel Review

Shadows of Steel
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Dale Brown almost always writes gripping stuff. Shadows of Steel is no different. While Dale Brown certainly takes quite a few creative liberties and some of the scenarios in his books may seem far fetched, Shadows of Steel is generally realistic. Iran is the key country in this book, and Brown gives them the military might to hold all the power in the Persian Gulf. It's up to Brown's hero Patrick McLanahan to destroy the Iranian threat using America's finest, the B-2 Bomber.
The only real problem I had with the book was its cover. If you read Cyrillic and know your Russian navy, the aircraft carrier on the cover is the "Kiev". Brown's carrier in the book is the "Varyag", a totally different ship than the cover, and which was not completed and currently remains in dry dock in the Ukraine, rusting away indefinitely. Despite the incorrect cover, I praise Dale Brown for his originality in predicting the sale of the carrier to China, something which is very likely to happen.
Another good book by Dale Brown that every serious military techno-thriller enthusiast should have on their bookshelf. For people who don't like all the technical information that is critical in a book in this genre, stay away! Dale Brown puts all the technical information in his books for a reason, to make them realistic. People who get overwhelmed by these kinds of books shouldn't write negative reviews just because of that. If you don't like technical information, don't read techno-thrillers. But don't put down the author for authenticity. Still, serious fans will enjoy this book.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Shadows of Steel



Buy Now

Click here for more information about Shadows of Steel

Read More...

Night of the Hawk Review

Night of the Hawk
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Another epic technothriller of redundant proportions. "Hawk" follows the adventures of Pat Maclanahan and the crew of the "Old Dog" in post-Soviet Europe. Brown's novels circulate through several geo-political hot-spots (China, Iran and former east-bloc states). Here, the accent is on the Baltic states, upon which former soviet Russia (not "former" enough for Brown's liking) seeks to reassert her power. Lithuanians trying to remake their country must stand alone against the might of the Russian military. Meanwhile, Russian hardliners inside of Lithuania hope to bring the former east-bloc state into the Russian fold - apparently by creating an extensive laboratory called Fisikous that designs and builds high-tech weapons, including a stealthy strike-fighter designed by the captured American Dave Lugar and patterned along the same technology as the EB-52. As Russian aggression becomes more overt, American forces bolster a coalition of Turkish and Lithuanian warplanes to turn back the tide.
This was a peculiarly messy Brown novel, adding to the problems you normally run up against in his books. For one thing - what's it even about? The specter of a powerful post-Soviet Russia using its military to rebuild its Soviet-era supremacy isn't a new idea for Brown (or one he'll abandon - witness "Warrior Class"). There is no central threat that must be eliminated by a certain deadline, so there's no tension or any sense that the story is building to a climax the way "Storming Heaven" did. We're supposed to root for the brave Lithuanians who quickly become the "Davids" in a high-tech David-and-Goliath story, but when their leader reveals that he's training an army of warriors patterned after Lithuania's medieval knights, you wonder how loopy "David" can be while remaining the favored underdog. The subplot about wicked ex-Soviets designing and building high-tech weaponry ready for battle is ludicrous. As a former air warrior himself, Brown must appreciate that you need more than fancy computers to actually turn out a prototype airplane - let alone one that can integrate a complex weapons and sensors suite and take the punishment of combat. Furthermore, with the Soviet position as unpopular in Lithuania as Brown can make it, it's impossible to reasonably imagine what good these Soviet wannabes can expect from their gleaming weaponry. (You figure that the pricetag of any one of Fiskous's aircraft, these Russian hardliners could arm thousands of Russian convicts with assault rifles and RPG's and airdrop them into Lithuania). Instead, as if on an episode of "Airwolf", the bad guys decide to cast caution to the wind, and duke it out against the heroes in the air. It's almost as if the researchers of Fisikous are in another book entirely - while Europe struggles to throw off the yoke of the new Russia, these guys sit around their labs arguing about aerodynamics and radar cross-section. Ofcourse, Brown doesn't let the plotting get too far along (when it does, he quickly summarizes everything) before fast-forwarding to the action - which in "Hawk" alternate between air warfare scenes and blatant Clinton bashing (whether you loved the Clinton years or loved to hate the Clintons themselves, and unless you're a rabid basher of Billary, you're likely to find Brown's barbs gratuitous at best and outright malicious at worst).
The story's biggest weakness is meant to be its surprise - Dave Lugar returns! Feared dead when left behind at the end of the original "Flight of the Old Dog", we now know that he was "rescued" by the Russians, who brainwashed him into turning over America's deepest military aviation secrets. Somehow passed to Fisikous, he's become the unwitting creative genius behind its stealthy fighter. Unfortunately, Lugar's story is only one of many details from other Brown books to make an appearance here. Brown obviously likes the idea that he's created a continuum of characters whose lives are wider than the covers of any one of his books. Unfortunately, the characters are so one-note (Brown prefers to summarize them in miniature dossiers rather than develop them as organic characters) that any attention paid to their adventures in other books seems out of place and distracting. This creates an odd paradox: you've had to have read any of the other books to appreciate the significance of the references Brown makes to them, but "Hawk" so follows the formula of those older books without bringing anything new to the reader, that Browns fans will have the least fun reading this one. We still have overly exhaustive explanations of how new weapons are based on what's tried and true of existing technology, Brown's pilots still exchange extended long dialog while flying their high-performance aircraft into battle, Brown's villains (liberals, Russians and US Naval officers) continue to annoy, and Brown himself treats his stories as an opportunity to demonstrate everything he knows about the military - even when the plot or the need to develop it in get in the way. Whether Brown's details are even correct is a subject I'll save for "true brothers". Grasp of details, however, is not the same thing as making those details flesh out the story or even the scenes in which all of that technology comes to bear. Though by the end of "Hawk" you'll know what a radar-warning receiver sounds like, or what an EW display looks like, the thrill of flying in combat is missing - Brown neglected to give his characters enough feeling to convey the rigors of being shot at while flying at 600 mph. This is one of Brown's weaker books - fans should opt instead for "Skymasters" or "Battle Born".

Click Here to see more reviews about: Night of the Hawk



Buy Now

Click here for more information about Night of the Hawk

Read More...

Revolution (Dale Brown's Dreamland) Review

Revolution (Dale Brown's Dreamland)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
The story line is ok, same old, same old mostly. The strength as always is the technological imagination and imaginative battles. Unfortunately, the research and writing (and copy editing) have gotten so sloppy as to be disracting. Several times in the first few pages "criteria" is used as a singular noun (ie, the criteria is...). Biceps is parsed to bicep, as if that makes it singular, and, most amusingly, during a scene at a Lakers' game, Kobe Bryant banks in a foul shot to win the game. I'm pretty sure Kobe has never banked in a foul shot intentionally. All in all, a lazy effort.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Revolution (Dale Brown's Dreamland)


The masters of astonishing military technology that enables them to deploy almost instantaneously to any part of the Earth, the Dreamland team must now stop a dangerous revolution in the making in Eastern Europe—wherea mysterious group of insurgents has blown up an essential pipeline, thereby disrupting Europe's gas supply. With NATO and the EU paralyzed by the crisis, it falls to Dreamland's best and brightest to keep the world from the brink of another Cold War. But the secret hand of an old enemy is pulling the strings from the shadows, hoping to reap the rewards of chaos. And the devastating results could erupt with intense, white-hot fury.


Buy Now

Click here for more information about Revolution (Dale Brown's Dreamland)

Read More...