One of the most exciting new thriller talents in years! Vince Flynn, #1 New York Times bestselling authorThere are writers, and there are fightersreaders are lucky that Tom Young is both. Alex Berenson, #1 New York Times bestselling authorFans of Clancy, Coonts, and Dale Brown need to add Young to their must reads lists. BooklistYoung is an excellent storyteller, creating memorable characters with Hemingway-like understatement and precision. Kirkus sAbout the AuthorTom Young has logged nearly 4,000 hours as a flight engineer for the Air National Guard in Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo, and elsewhere, including Latin America, the Horn of Africa, and the Far East. Military honors include two Air Medals, three Aerial Achievement Medals, and the Air Force Combat Action Medal. He continues to serve with the Air National Guard as a Senior Master Sergeant.He holds degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and studied writing there and at the Sewanee Writers' Conference, among other places. He is also the author of the oral history The Speed of Heat: An Airlift Wing at War in Iraq and Afghanistan, and contributed to the anthology Operation Homecoming, edited by Andrew Carroll. how do i find a good book to read Silent Enemy (A Parson and Gold Novel)
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Bludgeoning the question What could possibly go wrong?By Mr. JoeWhen we last met the central characters of this story, Major Michael Parson and Sergeant Major Sophia Gold, it was in Tom Youngs previous book, The Mullah's Storm (A Parson and Gold Novel), set several years previous in Afghanistan. At that time, Parson was the navigator aboard a C-130 transport carrying a high-value Taliban prisoner and translator Gold that is shot down over the Hindu Kush. Parson and Gold survive the crash of the transport, but the latter is captured and tortured by the Taliban. Parson, a survivalist and a crack shot, goes to her rescue.Here in SILENT ENEMY, which again begins in Afghanistan, Gold, now an English language instructor of Afghan police personnel, sustains cracked ribs when the police HQ is Kabul is devastated by an explosion. Along with several severely injured Afghanis, shes placed aboard a C-5 Globemaster, the U.S. militarys largest air transporter, for evacuation to a medical facility in Germany. The plane is piloted by Parson, whos upgraded his skill set and job description since we first met.Shortly after achieving level flight, the C-5 receives a cryptic radio message from ground control not to descend under any circumstances. They later learn that the Taliban has claimed that all aircraft leaving Bagram air base that day had bombs placed aboard. Parson and his crew are told that at least one other transport has gone down, presumably from a bomb activated by a barometric trigger.A search of their own aircraft reveals a bomb secreted in the tail assembly with an apparent tilt-activated trigger attached externally (in addition to the presumed internal barometric trigger). I must point out here that this isnt a plot spoiler. Indeed, the explosive device is only the tip of Parsons and Golds subsequent problems.As a myriad of crises begin to accumulate for the Globemaster and its riders, one is tempted to read the pages through spread fingers with increasing dread. However, after a certain point, as the author continues to pile-on challenges for those on-board to apparently bludgeon the question What could possibly go wrong?, I simply wanted to put my head in my hands and suspend belief. I mean, really? By comparison, the troubled flight of Apollo 13 was but an inconvenienced carriage ride in Central Park.Sometimes, less is better. This is one of those times. Though I finished the book and can state categorically that it is a thriller," reaching the last page was a relief that I could move on to something on my shelf not so over-the-top. Ill just award a neutral three stars recognizing SILENT ENEMY isnt my cup of tea and leave it to other reviewers to rate it highly or not.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A techno thriller on par with the late Tom Clancy or Vince FlynnBy Sean K. QuinnSilent Enemy is an incredibly detailed, yet fast paced thriller that truly puts the reader in the cockpit of the USAFs largest transport plane. Young writes a harrowing tale that made it difficult to put down and kept me asking myself, "what would I do of I were on a medevc flight with a hidden bomb?". I thought that all the terminology used was very authentic ( and as Young himself has military and flight experience, it makes sense) but I do wish there was a bit more of an explanation what some terms meant...I found myself using Google a bit to decypher things. Over all I was a fan of this book and I would recommend it to anyone who wants an exciting and authentic story.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Another Powerful Thriller From Young !!By Keith C.Second great action novel from Young! What was impressive with his first novel, Mullah's Storm, was the great writing in a plot that focused on a few characters in an isolated situation. In Silent Enemy Young takes it a step further, working with a plot in which the characters are even more isolated, yet the conflict and pressure never let up and nothing is predictable. TV writers would call it a "bottle episode", which is very difficult to write successfully. Young's books are known for their action and military detail, but he should be equally respected for his craft as a writer.