From Publishers WeeklyWith this well-crafted first novel, the publishers of The Hunt for Red October again demonstrate a sure eye for picking winners in the thriller genre. Jake Grafton is an A-6 Intruder pilot during the Vietnam War who flies his bomber on sorties past enemy flak and SAM missiles, and then must maneuver his plane, often at night, onto the relatively small deck of an aircraft carrier. Former Navy flyer Coonts gives an excellent sense of the complexities of modern air raids and how nerve-wracking it is, even for the best airmen, to technically solve sudden problems over and over, knowing that even a twist of fatea peasant wildly firing a rifle from a fieldcould wipe out the crew. Grafton alternates between remorse over the fate of his unseen Vietnamese victims on the ground and a gung-ho "let's win this war" sentiment that lashes at both policymakers who select less-than-important targets for the dangerous missions and advocates for peace back in the States. The action, though, is realistically detailed and absorbing. 75,000 first printing; $80,000 ad/promo. Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. [Coonts's] gripping, first-person narration of aerial combat is the best I've ever read. Once begun, this book cannot be laid aside. The Wall Street JournalCoont's pilots are the real McCoy and his compassion for them sustains his story from first page to last . . . a sometimes exhilarating, often nightmarish tale. Kirkus sA winner. Philadelphia InquirerKept me strapped in the cockpit of the author's imagination for a down-and-dirty novel. St. Louis Post-DispatchExtraordinary! Once you start reading, you won't want to stop! Tom ClancyPacked with action, emotion, suspense, and tragedy. Clive CusslerCoonts makes us see, smell, hear, taste, and feel battle. Cleveland PlainDealerFrom the Back Cover"A smash bestseller that spent over six months on the "New York Times" bestseller list, "FLIGHT OF THE INTRUDER" became an instant classic. No one before or since ever captured the world of Navy carrier pilots with the gripping realism of ""Vietnam"" veteran Stephen Coonts, who lived the life he wrote about. More than a flying story, "FLIGHT OF THE INTRUDER" is also one of the best novels ever written about the ""Vietnam"" experience. It's all here--the flying, the dying, the blood and bombs and bullets, and the sheer joy--and terror--of life at full throttle.""GRIPPING...SMASHING."?"The Wall Street Journal"Grazing the Vietnam treetops at night at just under the speed of sound, A-6 Intruder pilot Jake "Cool Hand" Grafton knows exactly how precarious life is. Landing on a heaving aircraft carrier, dodging missiles locked on his fighter, flying through clouds of flak--he knows each flight could be his last. Yet he straps himself into a cockpit every day. "EXTRAORDINARY!"--"Tom Clancy"Then a bullet kills his bombardier while they're hitting another 'suspected' truck depot. Jake wonders what his friend died for--and why? Hitting pointless targets selected by men piloting desks just doesn't make sense. Maybe it's time to do something worthwhile. Something that will make a difference... "SUPERBLY WRITTEN."?"Washington Times"Jake and his new bombardier, ice-cold Tiger Cole, are going to pick their own target and hit the enemy where it hurts. But to get there and back in one piece is going to take a lot of nerve, even more skill, and an incredible amount of raw courage. Before it's over, they're going to fly into hell. "When Grafton is at the controls of his Intruder, the novel comes alive with a jolt."?"Washington Post Book World" what is a book blog Flight of the Intruder: A Jake Grafton Novel (Jake Grafton Novels)
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Steven Coonts Obliterates the Target with Flight of the Intruder!By Jane Beth GreenExcellent story; my husband spent his career as an engineer supporting the A-6E Intruder as well as the F-14, F-8, A-7, P-3 and a few other aircraft. He enjoyed the read. He said that based on accounts related to him by flight crews during the 'Nam conflict, the adrenaline-filled scenarios and technical details were portrayed pretty accurately with good character development. He kept the interest throughout the story with totally believable characters and the duality of life for flight crews forced to play by political rules. Par for the course for Stephen Coonts' work!1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A great read for anyone interested in what it might be like to fly combat from a carrier.By Justin R. WallerI've read this book, I don't know how many times. I read it first as a high school freshman in 1990-1991, as the movie was coming out and the Gulf War was in the news. I read it over and over again until my parents got the letter from the county library with the fine for being so overdue. I remember finally watching the movie when it got to VHS and thinking at first how great it was, keeping exactly with the story in the book, right up until when Jake lands on the carrier. Then Hollywood decided to go all to $#!t with the script. DO NOT JUDGE THIS BOOK BY THE MOVIE! It really is a great read.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. SUPERB BOOK - EVEN BETTER THAN THE MOVIE!!By johnCoonts has always written great stuff, and this first of the "Grafton" novels is as close to Tom Clancy's writings as you're gonna find, I think. One of the essential reasons that Coonts does so well with these types of stories is the fact that he LIVED the life for quite some time - flying A-6 Intruders in the US Navy off of an aircraft carrier. So it stands to reason his "expertise" on the subject would flow naturally into the story line - which it does in spades! Also, one other thing to consider: Naval Institute Press is a HUGELY respected publishing house - they only publish "top-of-the-line" stories as well as non-fiction publications and books as well. If they had decided to publish Coonts' novel, then you KNOW - AUTOMATICALLY - that this is going to be one HELLUVA book!! And it is! Along with "Cannibal Queen" (a non-fiction look at Coonts his [then] 14-yr. old son on an aerial odyssey across America in an old restored Boeing PT-17 Stearman Kaydet biplane), this is one of his VERY best works - bar none...!! If you've never read this book, you WON'T be disappointed...!!