Eight stars
Chris Hadfield is back with another stunning thriller that is sure to keep readers flipping pages well into the night. Hadfield pulls on his past experiences to flavour this novel with strong themes and exciting plot lines. Delving into the world of aeronautics and space travel, Hadfield develops a strong story that is sure to entertain and educate throughout. A great read that gets the heart pumping!
While Israel finds itself at war once more in October 1973, a Socviet-made aircraft is speeding over the region and promptly disappears. Speculation runs rampant, but it is only when news is received about the pilot's state that a cold truth comes to the surface. Rushing to alert the Americans, the Israeli prime minister seeks help in ensuring the brewing conflict with the Arab world does not include direct Soviet assistance, which the Americans hope to guarantee.
Kaz Zemeckis is at the centre of the aircraft and defecting Soviet pilot, though he is not sure why. Former test pilot and a top NSAS Flight Controller, Zemeckis finds himself at the centre of the accusations, lies, and saying between the two Cold War superpowers as the truth about a possible Soviet defection comes to fruition. Zemeckis tries to befriend the Soviet and learn from him, though the language barrier may prove to be significant for a time.
With the defector comes the ultimate secret in Cold War military machinery, details about the "Foxbot MiG-25", a super-fast and highly useful aircraft that could turn the tables on Cold War supremacy. However, there is more to the story than meets the eye, something that Kaz knows all too well. With double-agents and secret intel being leaked at the height of the conflict, he must suss out truths and falsehoods before the Americans are left with egg on their proverbial faces.
Kaz is tasked with bringing the defector to the middle of the American's top-secret plans and hope that this is not an instance of being double-crossed. With these secrets, Kaz and the entire US Air Force could build a superior plane, but they could also be giving everything away if there is a plan to infiltrate. Everything hangs in the balancer, as the Soviet's seek to play nice, at least superficially.Hadfield offers up a stunning novel set in the middle of the Cold War that thriller fans will find very alluring.
When I read Hadfield's first piece of fiction, I was so impressed and let many know of my discovery. This second novel, while vastly different in many ways, is just as good and has the potential to really get to the heart of the matter. Hadfield builds up a strong narrative and keeps the reader on edge as things progress nicely. The momentum helps push things along and takes the reader to the core of the issue.
Building upon Kaz Zemeckis as a character, Chris Hadfield has taken a deeper look at his protagonist. There is a great deal that Kaz brings to the story and there is much more offered up in this novel. Zemeckis shows more of his personal and professional side in this novel, which gives the reader a glimpse into the meatier matters during the Cold War. Hadfield infuses much of his personal experiences into his protagonist, who shines throughout this piece. Secondary and minor characters are peppered throughout this piece and help support the larger narrative, which makes this book even more intense.
Many good thrillers are full of strong twists and turns, all of which keep the reader eager to forge onwards. Hadfield crafts his narrative effectively and provides sensational twists, supported by historic events, to keep the reader wanting to know more. I was amazed at how realistic and thorough Hadfield makes the reading experience. Cold War novels can be too cliché, given the wrong flavouring, but Hadfield does a great job at presenting the facts and keeping the reader from predicting too much. I hope there is another novel in this series, as I want to know more and learn whatever Hadfield has to teach!
Kudos, Mr. Hadfield, for taking things to new levels once more.
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