Product Description

From the author of The Kill Box and Shattered Bone, comes Chris Stewart's next timely technothriller: The Third Consequence.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #567729 in Books
• Published on: 2005-08-08
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 288 pages

From Publishers Weekly
This follow-up to The Kill Box sets Stewart alongside top techno-writers like Clancy and Bond, as his mix of fact and fiction explodes off the page with the immediacy of a live CNN war-zone video feed. Killing his commander in mid-flight is just the first step in Stealth pilot Lt. Col. Luther Wright's plans to gain control of the Air Force's elite Ninth Fighter Squadron crisis-response team. Wright has sold out to Iranians who plan to coerce the West into accepting huge oil price increases by launching missile attacks on Western oil tankers in the Persian Gulf and Suez and by setting off an underground nuclear test to show the world they have nuclear weapons. The U.S. battle response is sabotaged by high-tech knockouts of spy satellites and the sinking of tankers right under the navy's nose. Squad pilot Ryan Cooney suspects something strange is going on, but Wright plots to have him shot down, making it seem as if Cooney is in the pay of the Iranians, has bombed American facilities in Iran and then has turned his Stealth bomber over to the enemy. Cooney's cagey counterplot and his seat-of-the-pants flying theatrics throw Wright a curve and threaten to derail his nefarious plan. Stewart's knack for making tech lingo sing on the page and his flair for the elaboration of battle scenes and slimy villains will keep action and techno fans hooked. A former Stealth pilot, Stewart demonstrates an easy familiarity with military life and battle tactics while offering up strong characters, a credible plot and a quirky, satisfying finale. (Sept.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
In Stewart's third gripping technothriller, Iran is buying nuclear weapons from Pakistan and traitors in the ranks of the U.S. Air Force's F-117 Stealth pilots, too. F-15 driver Ryan Cooney, in deep trouble because of a general's inept flying, is offered a Stealth squadron slot as a way out. But things begin to smell even before Iran declares a Persian Gulf blockade, and smell even worse once the Stealth fighters are deployed to a remote airstrip in Pakistan, with the principal traitor as their CO. Then Iran explodes one of its bombs to intimidate the neighbors into honoring an oil embargo. Cooney learns what is going on, but is apparently killed in a shootout with his CO. Some U.S. special operations people and Cooney's determination bring him through and blow the lid off the plot. Don't expect anything except the flying and other action scenes to be really well developed, and, since those are gems, you won't be disappointed. Roland Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author
Chris Stewart

Customer Reviews

A potentially good yarn spoiled by sloppiness,
I got this book in the hope that Stewart would have corrected the errors he made in his two previous novels.

Others have described the outline of the plot which is just about plausible, but only just.

However, as a former military pilot I found that I couldn't get over the many basic errors and mistakes that the author made is describing simple flight manouvres and even naming elements of an airfield. We also encounter a world first in this novel, and that is a compass containing more than 360 degrees. Truly marvelous. Add to that the frequent occasions when pilots bank sharply left to turn through a mere 45 degrees to the right ... yeah, like every pilot will go the long way round the compass dial.

I found the errors, both technical and in English so distracting that my potential enjoyment of this novel was eroded sharply. The spelling is extremely dubious in places (even excusing Americanisms), the grammar is truly appalling, and characters, aircraft, locations even change name or other details within a chapter. Very SLOPPY editing has let this writer down. If the editors can't understand military flying, they should employ someone who does. In addition, it is quite clear that too much reliance has been placed on computer spell-checkers, with the result that homonyms have cropped-up where lucky, otherwise some totally random (but correctly spelt) word appears, which is good for a laugh if nothing else. My overall feeling is that the production quality of this book is an insult to its readers.

Wow wow wow
The last time I stayed up all night to read a novel was Clancy's Hunt for Red October. I lost another nights sleep on the Third Consequence. And I felt even better about it.

Plausible Thriller
This book by Chris Stewart is a great read for someone who enjoys books that intertwine global politics with military technology and strategy.

There are some parts of the book that could be improved through some better editing.

However, Stewart's experience in the cockpit and his knowledge of Stealth technology was conveyed in this novel.

I plan to read his other books and highly recommend this book.