I really wanted to like this book since I planned on reading the sequel. Unfortunately this is another one of those all too common books with glowing reviews where neither the author or the readers seem to know anything about the real world. Okay, I know it's science fiction and some suspension of disbelief is necessary, but important plot points are so far fetched I just couldn't get past them. Even science fiction has to have some basis in reality and physics.My review process is that all books start out with five stars and I deduct based on plot, characters, grammar /misspellings, and plausibility / lack of research.1. A space craft crashes straight into the ground at 800-900 MPH (as stated in the book) and a woman survives with only a cut on her cheek. I repeat 900 MPH. And that's after going through re-entry which would have in itself cooked anyone on board. She is wearing no special magical anti-gravity suit or even a space suit. Note to author- that's just impossible. She would have been burned to a crisp and then crushed beyond recognition. I should have pretty much stopped reading right then and there because the whole story is based on this event, but I wanted to give it a chance. Couldn't you have at least jury rigged up something (like she was in an escape pod)? But no she is tied to her cockpit seat! Minus One Star for this whopper.2. A helicopter gunship is flown at Mach 2 (twice the speed of sound). Not in this physical universe. A helicopter by it's very nature cannot break the sound barrier. It is technically impossible for any helicopter to transition to supersonic flight, because half of the time the blades are moving in a direction opposite of the forward motion of the craft. Minus Another Star for this whopper.3. This very same magical helicopter gunship flies 8 hours across the Pacific to Australia on one tank of fuel. I might have bought this one until the author wrote that the aircraft used regular jet fuel. To understand how ludicrous this is: An Apache gunship can only travel 248 miles with an external fuel tank holding 230 gallons. It's absolute maximum range with no armament and carrying four external tanks totaling 920 gallons is only 1181 miles. And all this is at a cruising speed of 140 MPH. At Mach 1 (761 MPH) the fuel would be gone in 15 minutes! That's why the military uses aerial tankers. Note to author: Please check your facts - there is no way a fully armed helicopter gunship (or ANY fighter aircraft for that matter) could carry enough fuel at turbine burn rates to travel 7500 miles. By the way, why do they go to Australia? Well no particular reason except maybe to show off the author's knowledge of the Outback. Oh, and did I mention it has unlimited bullets. All that (and physics) ain't going to change 50 years into the future. Minus a Third Star for this whopper.Then there is Jeffery, the main character. He's a hard person to like. He observes someone tampering with his aircraft and then blithely takes off anyway. He is pretty much an ass who thinks he knows everything and is better than anyone else. When he finally lands after that cross Pacific flight he sheds his clothes and takes a swim, ignoring the people with him under dire circumstances while he satisfies himself.The book descends rapidly into graphic mean spirited violence for no real reason. The whole thing was so frustrating... The author apparently assumes his readers will buy anything he is selling. I don't. With a few tweaks this could have been a good book, but it's easier to ignore reality than to have to deal with it I guess. I mean look, I would have bought into the story if some imagination was involved, like the gunship was nuclear powered and manufactured its own bullets on the fly, but I guess that didn't fit into the ridiculous plot.Finally, and most damning is the central premise of the plot: about a defense contractor and the hand that feeds them. It makes no sense. Need I say I won't be purchasing the sequel? I'm not much of a sci fi reader, however I managed to read this book in a few hours. I thought it was a great book. Enough details and character development to keep the story going. Many sci fi books I've read tend to be bogged down in the tiniest details.My only complaint is a few more details of the "mythical" war, would've been great. However I may have read an interview that says another book is coming soon....fingers crossed.
What do You think about Hammerhead (2011)?
Great book! Easy and exciting read. Looking forward to his next book.
—Alejandra
Great concept, tightly scripted but too much chase scene for me.
—jen2read
Not quite a pot boiler novel but pretty close.
—DHEZ
