The Intruders

Jake Grafton #2

by Stephen Coonts

1973. The skies over Vietnam have finally gone silent. America has pulled out, the war is over. But for Lieutenant Jake Grafton, USN, fresh from two combat cruises and a harrowing shoot-down over Laos, the personal battle is just beginning.... His country has not welcomed him home with open arms, but with closed minds and closed fists. When his girlfriend's father called him a murderer, Jake walked away. But when a stranger in a bar challenged his honor, the man was not so lucky - the guy landed in the hospital. Jake landed in jail. And Grafton's shore-duty commander, who bailed him out, has devised the perfect punishment for his ace flight instructor: an eight-month cruise on the aircraft carrier Columbia teaching jarheads - Marines - the nuances of carrier aviation. Flying missions over Vietnam was a living hell; now, as a Navy man working side by side with Marines who have no carrier aviation experience, Grafton's about to discover another world of fresh hell. The Marines may be made of tempered steel and brass balls, but taking off and landing from a slippery flight deck, on a choppy sea in a pitch-black night, there is no margin for error - or for animosity. And men like Marine Captain Flap Le Beau, his bombardier and navigator, have a real gift for pushing Jake's buttons. But he's going to have to learn to live with him...or die trying. They belong to the same society of warriors, they fought in the same war, they drink the same whiskey to toast fallen comrades. Now they must fly together in the same cockpit, must lock into each other and into their million-dollar machine, and make the split-second decisions which will insure that, tonight, their fellow pilots won't raise a glass to them.

2 cassettes, 3 hours

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Military Fiction, Adventure, Action, War, Aviation

354 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 1994

About the author

Stephen Coonts (born July 19, 1946) is an American thriller and suspense novelist.

Coonts grew up in Buckhannon, West Virginia, a small coal-mining town and earned an B.A. degree in political science at West Virginia University in 1968. He entered the Navy the following year and flew an A-6 Intruder medium attack plane during the Vietnam War, where he served on two combat cruises aboard the USS Enterprise (CVN-65). He accumulated 1600 hours in the A-6 Intruder and earned a number of Navy commendations, including the Distinguished Flying Cross. After the war he served as a flight instructor on A-6 aircraft for two years, then did a tour as an assistant catapult and arresting gear officer aboard USS Nimitz (CVN-68). His navigator-bombardier was LTjg Stanley W. Bryant who later became a Rear Admiral and deputy commander-in-chief of the US naval forces in Europe.

After being honorably discharged from duty as a lieutenant in 1977, Coonts pursued a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree at the University of Colorado, graduating in 1979. He then worked as an oil and gas lawyer for several companies, entertaining his writing interests in his free time.

He published short stories in a number of publications before writing Flight of the Intruder in 1986 (made into a movie in 1991). Intruder, based in part on his experiences as a bomber pilot, spent 28 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists in hardcover and launched his career as a novelist. From there he continued writing adventure-mysteries using the character from his first book, Jake Grafton. He has written several other series and stand-alone novels since then, but is most notable for the Grafton books.

Today Coonts continues to write, having had seventeen New York Times bestsellers (out of 20 books), and lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with his wife and son.

Taken from Wikipedia

Learn more about Stephen Coonts on the Macmillan website.

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in 1994 but set in 1973. This is a great glimpse into what life aboard a US Navy warship is like during a WestPac deployment. I was deployed for 15 months on two deployments from 1988-1991 aboard amphibious shipping in the same waters. It’s also a familiar glimpse into naval aviation and its allure and danger. It should be eye opening to those unfamiliar with life at sea.

Jake Grafton, a pilot, gets in a bar fight while on shore duty and is sent as punishment TAD with a Marine A-6 squadron on deployment. Two different cultures. His bombardier navigator is a seasoned combat veteran who was originally an infantry officer. He’s also African American and quite a talker. These two have quite a few adventures and near death experiences. Jake is ready to leave the Navy and wrestling with the decision to stay or leave. He’s also in love with a woman in Chicago who’s not returning his letters. The author handles his inner struggles realistically. Just a great read.

[Alec · Rating 4 out of 5]

The opening page of this book starts with an Author's note which I dutifully read. I am grateful I did, for it contained a critical piece of information which shifted my perspective as I read this book and which made putting it down difficult to do. It said, "the in-flight emergencies featured in this novel are based on actual incidents." From that sentence on, I was primed for the book and consumed it from incident to incident. It is a work of fiction, based on reality. The reality of the skills, dedication, and professional pride of our fighting men and women was made obvious through Mr. Coonts writing. Also obvious was the stress and toll a career as a carrier pilot must carry with it.

When I picked up the Jake Grafton series, I was hoping to find a series I could read for entertainment purposes, one which I could relax to and one which was mostly completed so I didn't have to worry about when the next book came out. This series is checking a number of boxes for me- entertaining: check, mostly completed: check. It is, however, proving to be far from relaxing thus far.

In terms of the overall story arc, this book gives us a bit more insight into Jake Grafton, what drives and motivates him, and who he may become over time. It sets things up nicely for future novels while also giving him room to grow and mature as age and experiences affect him. I'm really looking forward to reading future books in this series.

[Geoff Battle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Those familiar with the previous (or indeed latter) Jake Grafton escapades will know what to expect. Intense detail around the military hardware and processes aid the delivery of a traditional action-adventure yarn at sea. In less deft hands such minutiae may disengage the reader from the story however Coonts blends it with ease and produces a technically proficient scenario, utilising the hardware to create compelling danger. Grafton, the rebellious and talented pilot is fascinating and The Intruders follows his romantic path too, fleshing out his character further. Coonts also introduces a buddy-movie approach to add levity to the danger at sea and this ensures Intruders remains an enjoyable romp from cover to cover. At times, as with many books within the genre, it stretches belief although remains entertaining.

[Marshall Snyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Almost as good as the first book - The Flight of the Intruder! Jake Grafton sure is a good pilot, but he keeps crashing his airplanes.

[Francis T. Villante · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring

the first 60percent of this book was all technical. if I wanted that I would have have looked up the schematics of the A 6 and a aircraft carrier. it was the most boring Stephen counts bok I ever read. I would like my money back for what I spent on what I thought would be an interesting Jake Grafton novel. I would not recommend t h is book at all. I couldn't even waste my time finishing this book. I don't recommend it at all. and I am a big Stephen counts fan.

[Gordon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much flying and not enough story.

[Stephanie Pieck · Rating 3 out of 5]

This fast-paced sequel to "Flight of the Intruders" was a smooth continuation of the story of Jake Grafton. He is an ace pilot and has the confidence to match that skill. But he's also got a contemplative streak and a romantic streak, neither of which fit well into the cockpit of a fighter jet.
Jake has clear ideas about justice and respect, and this story begins when he gets into a bar fight after a man makes a negative comment about another man at the bar who is a veteran and an amputee. Jake puts the civilian through a plate glass window and lands himself in jail for the weekend. But his penance doesn't end there: He's sent to train Marine airmen in the finer points of carrier-based flight.
Eight months at sea, or in the air over the sea, is more than enough time for Grafton to exercise his doubts and get into a variety of scrapes. Girl trouble, engine trouble, gripes about not getting to fly or having to do the flying on pointless missions ...
As with the preceding book in the series, Jake Grafton does all the things an action thriller hero is expected to do, but he does them while being terrified and questioning himself at just about every opportunity. While I enjoyed this installment and applaud the author for leaving readers with a perfect setup for the opening of Volume 3, my time with Grafton is at an end. The trouble with a thriller series is that each new book demands a whole new set of harrowing, high-stakes situations for the hero to get through. As the number of books in the series grows, there is always the threat that the thrill will be gone. The natural inclination is to up the ante, making each new story more dangerous, more personally costly. Eventually, there's a tipping point. I've said before that I don't have a high tolerance for fantasy-spinning. Usually, this shows up in my avoidance of books with magical swords, talking unicorns, and princes in disguise. I've looked over the plot summaries of the rest of the Grafton series. There are no magical swords anywhere to be found, and Grafton is a character with a lot more depth than many action heroes have. But when the salvation of nations depends on the singlehanded actions of a character who somehow manages to be the only person qualified for such a salvation project, well ...
Even with that said, Jake Grafton is an intelligent, thoughtful protagonist. Any author who can draw a man with a history degree and a Virginia farm background into a world of spies, crime, and international drama and make the fit feel natural is an ace author who deserves all the bestsellerdom and rave reviews he's gotten.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Intruders follows Jake Grafton, an A-6 pilot fresh out of Vietnam (with a bit of lingering trauma), as he goes on his first post-war cruise to train Marines to be better A-6 pilots. Coonts once again gives us a front-row seat to life in a carrier air wing. If you are an aviation enthusiast, you will get all sorts of interesting details that have the ring of authenticity that can only come from someone who has actually lived the life.

Unfortunately, that's all there is. The plot struggles to hold together as well as the Flight of the Intruder. I think it is intended to be summed up early when one of the characters jokes that things happen to Marines. Things do indeed happen to Grafton through the story; instead of dodging SAMs, Grafton has to deal with a long string of aircraft malfunctions that try--in one case successfully--to kill him, his BN, and his shipmates. The very end of the book puts Grafton and his BN in the only legitimate combat situation in the story, but it takes on an action-hero tone that loses some of what makes Coonts' writing good.

The book also explores Grafton's struggle to decide if he wants to stay in the Navy and fly, or get an "eight-to-five" in the civilian world, but we never get inside Grafton's head enough to understand how or why he chooses to do what he does.

If you enjoyed Flight of the Intruder, or love books about aviation, give this one a read. You'll like it. But, like me, you'll probably be left hoping that the next book in the series is better.

[Mark Horvath · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many many years ago, a younger me saw a novel by Stephen Coonts called Fortunes of War. Having read and enjoyed it, I sought out more, eventually finding Stephen's trademark character, Jake Grafton. Somehow I'd begun my Stephen Coonts journey with one of the few books that didn't involve that character.

I also haven't read the first novel in this series, the sensation that was Flight of the Intruder. That didn't matter much. Coonts does a great job bridging the gap between novel events without making the prior book a requirement. The marking of a great novelist who wants every book to feel like an adequate starting point.

That said, this tale can feel rather slow to start to some, but explores the differences between Marines and Navymen while also giving intimate detail about flying fighter jets. The author's personal expertise makes for fantastic descriptions and terrific narrative. Coonts does aircraft battles better than Tom Clancy, no small feat.

The back half of this novel quickly spirals and advances quickly. This can feel a bit disjointed, where the frontside of 60% of The Intruders splurging in flight terms and training exercise descriptions is offset by plenty of action and intrigue in the latter 40%. This is why this novel doesn't feel like a 5-star novel, but still is a worthy sophomore story of Jake Grafton, who was a Stephen Coonts mainstay for decades to come.

[Randy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pretty set on 3 stars for this book until I hit the end of the book and just had to bump it up. I still think the first book of the series was a little better.

This book spent a lot of time again on the carrier which is still so difficult for me to get my brain behind. The descriptions are great even for someone who has never seen a carrier up close let alone set foot on one. Even though that was a big part of the first book, I don't think this felt redundant. Watching the relationship between Jake and the Marine Bombadier/Navigator (BN), Flap develop was a (the?) highlight of the book. I get the feeling Flap might only be in this book, but I would love to see him back. He was an intriguing character. I was beginning to think the book would not be an engaging read considering the transition from war time to peace time, but I think the author saved the book with the final mission.

I'll probably take a little break before reading the next book in the series, but pretty sure I will continue. Before reading "Flight of the Intruder" and "The Intruders", I had started reading "Under Seige" (Book 5) which had a very intriguing start. I decided I should get some back story on the main characters to fully enjoy that one, so I do have that motivation.

[Kevin Bracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stephen Coonts has an amazing level of detail around carrier flight operations. The story of Jake Grafton includes very detailed accounts of take offs, landings, preparation, and the exhileration of flight. The author's work either comes from a great deal of personal experience or in depth research and interviews with pilots / carrier personnel.

The book itself reads like a series of short stories. Much like the character he's writing about, there is no overriding purpose. The chapters take you from one take off to the next and a number of harrowing experiences (almost crashing into the sea, seeing another pilot get killed with a bad take off, getting shot down by pirates, hand to hand combat, etc.). There are any number of times where the main character, Jake Grafton, is reliving the Book of Job. Like any good hero, he suffers, perseveres, and carries on. Oh, and (spoiler!!!), he gets the girl.

Overall, the book is a good read, but if you're looking for traditional story with plot twists and a climatic ending, this isn't it. This book captures what can be the realities of life where there are some big events intermixed with a whole lot of boring reality of getting the job done and waking up to repeat it again tomorrow.

[Curtis Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Sailor's Book. If you have served on an Aircraft Carrier, Aviation Maintenance, or want to know what that life style is like then this is a book for you. It is Carrier Ops during a 70's Westpac. It is from A-6 pilot Jake Grafton and his actions during this cruise. As viewed from the Air, on the Flight Deck, and then down through the ship spaces the Lt. tells his story of Post Vietnam. You can see how the Carrier operates as you are taken out of San Fransciso and begin the your Westpac during the new Cold War. The ports are real, the stories are the authors, and you are there to decide if they are based on true Liberty Calls. The Flight operations brings lots of memories back to this old Master Chief who earned those anchor's in the Western Pacific during this time frame. Great Sea Stories, Graphic actions, and Liberty Calls to some wonderful Port-O-Calls. There is language equal to the '70's fleet Sailor and Marines but the there are those liberty ports...... Grab your seabag and return to the actions of the Sea from the comforts of your couch. Oh, this is book #2 of the series of Jake Grafton. There is more to come.....

[wally · Rating 3 out of 5]

finished 29h july 2025 good read three stars i liked it no more no less kindle library loaner jake grafton #2 entertaining story set in the years immediately after vietnam 1973, a lot of carrier scenes, flight scenes, ocean scenes and near shore. detailed description of take off and landings on a carrier. all the things that need to be ticked off, with precision and timing, by a number of people working together. plus some insights into our military in that era...air to ship missile capability...would have thought it was more...to our advantage though that's not entirely true since i recall standing behind a plexiglass board listening to simulated missile attacks on our frigate and plotting those on the board...bend over and kiss it goodbye...and looks what an exocet can do a british ship falklands. hi ho. hi ho. and so it goes.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stephen Coonts finds a way to make peace interesting for Jake Grafton. After surviving Vietnam, Jake finds he doesn't really fit into the civilian world, throws a peacemonger through a plate glass window and gets assigned to teach Marines how to fly A-6s off an aircraft carrier as "punishment."

It's the height of the Cold War, so Jake and his Marines are constantly training for a war that may never come, and training is almost as dangerous as war. This book is a bit slow moving, with lots of inner monologue about what Jake wants to be, what will become of Callie, what the point of it is, etc. But there are some good action sequences, and Coonts keeps things moving.

[Paul Parsons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somewhere between "The Red Horseman" and this book, Stephen Coonts became a writer. He's always been a good story teller, but the craft of writing was flawed...until now. Copyrighted in 1994, this military tale of flying fighters after Vietnam is as entertaining as his previous works, minus the clumsiness of awkward point of view changes. Still told from multiple POVs, which I like as it allows for multiple characters to develop, it flows much better. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of his works.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a lover of Naval aviation, so damn near any author of its experience could sell me a book. I read this because I enjoyed "Flight of the Intruder", but it wasn't nearly as well structured or interesting. It's kind of the beating of a tired horse.
It's worth a read for the love of the characters, not so much for the story.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picking up the loose ends with respect to the Jake Grafton history. Although a former Naval officer, I can’t speak to carrier operations but the book appears to be well written and discusses carrier operations extensively. If I could give the book 1/2 point, I’d probably give it 4-1/2 as the average reader might find the carrier operations and flight details boring.

[Monzenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only negative for me to be honest is the subject matter. The daily life of an aircraft carrier pilot ain't too interesting. Otherwise, though, the strong points of book 1 were again in book 2. The camaraderie, the philosophizing, the romance, and the traditional end-of-book sortie / event. All as good as the first book.

[Jose C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good carrier life story, not as intense as Flight of the Intruder, but it did takek me back. I guess it tried to fill 'a' gap. No problem with me, I'm a sucker for matter-o'-fact naval novels, without a who-done it plot. I've got 6 more 80's Grafton books to go. Because they're Navy, I'll enjoy them more than the last 4 Reacher books, I'm sure of that.

[Michael A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!

I served aboard an Aircraft carrier for 2 years. Every page of this book took me back to that time. The hot decks, noises, steam, I can still smell the steam. I was ship’s company, not a Naval Aviator but the Launches, traps, bad weather, night ops remain fresh in my memory. Thanks Stephen from this old retired black shoe officer.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting. This felt like it was autobiographical, and a series of short stories about events taking place on a carrier than a smooth flowing story. Tonnes of technical detail - and I do mean tonnes. Quite slow in places, but it finished with a bang.

[Jay Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starts out slow. The Vietnam War is over and what is it like being a peace time Navy. Jake is floundering. The book gives you a good deal about machinery on a 1973 ship. Interesting, but not really what makes people flock to a book. Don't worry though, the book has a very strong ending.

[Ronald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fine book in the series. I picked this up immediately after reading flight of the intruder. Again, the characters feel alive, the technicalities realistic and the story engaging. Highly recommended

[Tani Garberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I totally read these out of order so that’s not good, but I also noticed that it seems like each one was written out of order. I find conflicting things on the good old inter webs. I did like this book and having read the first one second its all making sense. Good read!

[Neal Hogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

He understands

Stephen Counts understands how American service men think. His ability to capture naval aviation in prose is outstanding. His ability to plumb the call of duty and honor sublime.

[kent wisecarver · Rating 5 out of 5]

And it ends with a bang

I forgot that I previously read this edition And couldn't stopsto turning the pages... It's another thriller And rather awesome all Within itself Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did. Amen!

[Bennett Lahn · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love love love love this book. it takes airplanes very seriously. it encapsulates the casual recklenssness inherent in naval aviation beautifully. oh, and it's also extremely romantic? whatttt? read it in a day.

[Kenn Triebelhorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best read yet!

I've read several of Mr. Coonts' books, and this is one of the best ones yet. His stories are so real with believable detail and intrigue. I can't wait to start reading the next one.

[Russ · Rating 3 out of 5]

My main reason that this book didn't get more stars is just simply because there was no real plot - no one main problem to solve, or any purpose that moved the story forward. It had lots of excitement, yes. But it was mostly just unconnected aerial emergencies, and then at the end a mini-story that was as exciting as it was unbelievable.

Throughout the book there was a LOT of Jake philosophizing to himself and others about the Navy, whether he had a purpose for staying in, etc. It was not very compelling and I skimmed a lot of it.

[Stuart Leopold · Rating 5 out of 5]

As Expected, Excellent Read

There has yet to be a book by Stephen Coonts that has failed to capture me as a reader. This one is another example of the ability of this author to grab me from the beginning and hold my attention until the end.