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Mitchell Gant #3
Winter Hawk
New York Times
“A thrill ride . . . The technical details and intricate depiction of Soviet life fascinate.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
American pilot Mitchell Gant barely escaped the USSR alive after stealing its cutting-edge stealth fighter. Nevertheless, he’s going back again—this time, to rescue an American agent with evidence of a looming threat. A group of highly placed, power-hungry Soviets, who want to undermine any hope of a treaty between the superpowers, has plans to put a laser battle station into orbit and destroy America’s space shuttle. To stop them, Gant will first have to maneuver across a thousand miles of airspace—in a helicopter. Once he arrives, he will find himself teaming up with an unexpected ally . . .
“With this third Mitchell Gant adventure Thomas firmly establishes himself in the forefront of today’s adventure/thriller writers.” —Publishers Weekly
American pilot Mitchell Gant barely escaped the USSR alive after stealing its cutting-edge stealth fighter. Nevertheless, he’s going back again—this time, to rescue an American agent with evidence of a looming threat. A group of highly placed, power-hungry Soviets, who want to undermine any hope of a treaty between the superpowers, has plans to put a laser battle station into orbit and destroy America’s space shuttle. To stop them, Gant will first have to maneuver across a thousand miles of airspace—in a helicopter. Once he arrives, he will find himself teaming up with an unexpected ally . . .
“With this third Mitchell Gant adventure Thomas firmly establishes himself in the forefront of today’s adventure/thriller writers.” —Publishers Weekly
768 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1987
27 people are currently reading
325 people want to read
About the author
Craig Thomas
87 books92 followersDavid Craig Owen Thomas was a Welsh author of thrillers, most notably the Mitchell Gant series.
The son of the Western Mail rugby union writer, JBG Thomas, Craig was educated at Cardiff High School. He graduated from University College, Cardiff in 1967, obtaining his M.A. after completing a thesis on Thomas Hardy. Thomas became an English Teacher, working in various grammar schools in the West Midlands, and was Head of English at the Shire Oak School, Walsall Wood.
After unsuccessfully trying script writing for radio, Thomas wrote part-time, with his wife as editor, in two fields: philosophical thoughts in books of essays; and techno-thriller genre, which although invention is often attributed to the better-known Tom Clancy, many feel that Thomas was its true originator. Most of Thomas's novels are set within MI.6 and feature the characters of Sir Kenneth Aubrey and Patrick Hyde.
His best-known novel which brought him to global prominence, Firefox became a successful Hollywood film, both directed by and starring Clint Eastwood. After writing his third novel, 1960s Cold War espionage thriller Wolfsbane, he left teaching altogether in 1977. His later books include Snow Falcon and A Different War. Shortly before his death he finished a two-volume commentary on German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.
Thomas and his wife Jill had lived near Lichfield, Staffordshire, but moved to Somerset in 2010. He died on April 4, 2011 from pneumonia, following a short battle with acute myeloid leukemia. He was 68.
The son of the Western Mail rugby union writer, JBG Thomas, Craig was educated at Cardiff High School. He graduated from University College, Cardiff in 1967, obtaining his M.A. after completing a thesis on Thomas Hardy. Thomas became an English Teacher, working in various grammar schools in the West Midlands, and was Head of English at the Shire Oak School, Walsall Wood.
After unsuccessfully trying script writing for radio, Thomas wrote part-time, with his wife as editor, in two fields: philosophical thoughts in books of essays; and techno-thriller genre, which although invention is often attributed to the better-known Tom Clancy, many feel that Thomas was its true originator. Most of Thomas's novels are set within MI.6 and feature the characters of Sir Kenneth Aubrey and Patrick Hyde.
His best-known novel which brought him to global prominence, Firefox became a successful Hollywood film, both directed by and starring Clint Eastwood. After writing his third novel, 1960s Cold War espionage thriller Wolfsbane, he left teaching altogether in 1977. His later books include Snow Falcon and A Different War. Shortly before his death he finished a two-volume commentary on German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.
Thomas and his wife Jill had lived near Lichfield, Staffordshire, but moved to Somerset in 2010. He died on April 4, 2011 from pneumonia, following a short battle with acute myeloid leukemia. He was 68.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
December 17, 2022
-Thriller ochentero donde los haya.-
Género. Novela.
Lo que nos cuenta. El libro Halcón de invierno (publicación original: Winter Hawk, 1987) nos lleva a finales de los años ochenta cuando los Estados Unidos de América y la Unión Soviética están a punto de firmar un tratado en Ginebra para la reducción de armas estratégicas, pero los norteamericanos saben que todo eso no tiene importancia porque los soviéticos van a poner en órbita un tipo de armamento que está fuera de cualquier tratado ya que se supone que no existía: las armas láser. El presidente necesita pruebas para denunciarlo ante la opinión pública mundial, por lo que se recurre a Mitchell Gant para llevar a cabo una operación secreta. Tercer libro de la serie Mitchell Gant.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
https://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com...
Género. Novela.
Lo que nos cuenta. El libro Halcón de invierno (publicación original: Winter Hawk, 1987) nos lleva a finales de los años ochenta cuando los Estados Unidos de América y la Unión Soviética están a punto de firmar un tratado en Ginebra para la reducción de armas estratégicas, pero los norteamericanos saben que todo eso no tiene importancia porque los soviéticos van a poner en órbita un tipo de armamento que está fuera de cualquier tratado ya que se supone que no existía: las armas láser. El presidente necesita pruebas para denunciarlo ante la opinión pública mundial, por lo que se recurre a Mitchell Gant para llevar a cabo una operación secreta. Tercer libro de la serie Mitchell Gant.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
https://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com...
July 10, 2023
In this third outing for Mitchel Gant, the hero (anti-hero?) of Firefox and Firefox down, we are taken to the late 1980s. The US and USSR have negotiated an arms treaty, and the president is due to travel to Geneva to ratify the treaty – it seems the Cold War might be about to close.
However, Kedrov, a double agent based at Baikonur, the centre of the Soviet space programme reveals the Soviets are about to launch a laser weapon into space. The treaty means the West are defenceless and a decade behind. With nothing to lose, the US President OKs a mission to get the agent out of harm’s way, hopefully with evidence of the Soviets duplicity. Gant must travel a thousand miles into the USSR, and get back out again without being caught.
This is another of the classic 80s technothrillers now available on Kindle, and well worth a read. For me this is the best of Mr. Thomas – although he can be a bit verbose, he rachets up the tension as Gant makes his away across Central Asia, against all the odds. This is a fantastic read, and takes the fears of Soviet technical prowess to the limit in this taut thriller.
However, Kedrov, a double agent based at Baikonur, the centre of the Soviet space programme reveals the Soviets are about to launch a laser weapon into space. The treaty means the West are defenceless and a decade behind. With nothing to lose, the US President OKs a mission to get the agent out of harm’s way, hopefully with evidence of the Soviets duplicity. Gant must travel a thousand miles into the USSR, and get back out again without being caught.
This is another of the classic 80s technothrillers now available on Kindle, and well worth a read. For me this is the best of Mr. Thomas – although he can be a bit verbose, he rachets up the tension as Gant makes his away across Central Asia, against all the odds. This is a fantastic read, and takes the fears of Soviet technical prowess to the limit in this taut thriller.
January 21, 2021
I enjoyed Firefox, both the movie and the book when I was younger, so when I saw this in a charity shop I picked it up.
I’m going to keep this short, all the way through I got the distinct impression that I had either read this book or watched an adaption of this on TV etc. It was not until the final couple of chapters where I realised that I had not actually read it. And that is this books main problem, well not really as this was published way before anything I have read or watched but reading it now (2021) it feels so generic. That is not to say it’s not entertaining, it is and it also features some nicely rounded characters however when put up against Clancy and Swallow it does not compare nor age favourably.
Still worth the minor amount of pocket change I paid for it, so if you like tech thrillers set in the 80s Cold War and it’s not too much then give it a go but make sure you’ve read Firefox and Firefox Down first or you won’t need to as this book summarises those completely.
I’m going to keep this short, all the way through I got the distinct impression that I had either read this book or watched an adaption of this on TV etc. It was not until the final couple of chapters where I realised that I had not actually read it. And that is this books main problem, well not really as this was published way before anything I have read or watched but reading it now (2021) it feels so generic. That is not to say it’s not entertaining, it is and it also features some nicely rounded characters however when put up against Clancy and Swallow it does not compare nor age favourably.
Still worth the minor amount of pocket change I paid for it, so if you like tech thrillers set in the 80s Cold War and it’s not too much then give it a go but make sure you’ve read Firefox and Firefox Down first or you won’t need to as this book summarises those completely.
July 1, 2013
Craig Thomas back on form after the satisfying (but slightly too short) 'Firefox Down' - he pits Mitchell Gant agains the might of the Russians once again in a meaty page turner. Putting the techno back in TechnoThriller - a roller coaster ride of double cross, betrayal and just plain gutsy spy work that we've come to love from everyone's favorite PTSD Über-pilot. The addition of space technology does not feel out of place - and serves to convincingly raise the stakes rather than just being there for the sake of needing higher technology
April 23, 2022
I enjoy this author's Cold War thrillers but this had passed under my radar, like a stealth fighter...at night. It follows on from "Firefox Down" and features that novel's American pilot hero, Gant (as played by Clint Eastwood in "Firefox"). There's a US/Soviet arms deal to be signed but those sneaky Russians have a secret space laser weapon to give them the upper hand. There's an even more secret plan, hatched by the Soviet army, to use the weapon against a high-profile target. Gant is sent deep behind enemy lines to the launch facility at Baikonur to collect a vital agent.
It's great fun with helicopter duels, frantic escapes and even a good guy KGB colonel, Priabin. The setting of Baikonur is distinctive and well-drawn, as is the internecine plotting of the Soviets. Gant sure goes through the mill in this book - shot at, captured, (they wee on his bedclothes!) frozen, shot at again etc etc. Gant's 'Nam flashbacks are kept to a merciful minimum and Priabin is an interesting conflicted character.
Unfortunately the book is just too darn long (600 pages). After such a marathon, the ending is a bit abrupt. The writer's style is awkward at times, lacking the pace & brevity needed for such a plot. "His wrists rested on his thighs, his hands faced each other like armoured and frightened crabs, weighing each other" (?!) There's a lot of this.
I will definitely return to this author and his main series featuring spymaster Aubrey & his Aussie bagman Hyde. This was still an OK thriller, perhaps just in need of some judicious pruning.
While I'm on, many of this author's books feature the Russian Hind helicopter gunship on their covers, sometimes despite tenuous links to the subject. This book involves lots of Hind action from start to finish, so guess what's on the cover of my edition? A space shuttle! D'ohhh.
It's great fun with helicopter duels, frantic escapes and even a good guy KGB colonel, Priabin. The setting of Baikonur is distinctive and well-drawn, as is the internecine plotting of the Soviets. Gant sure goes through the mill in this book - shot at, captured, (they wee on his bedclothes!) frozen, shot at again etc etc. Gant's 'Nam flashbacks are kept to a merciful minimum and Priabin is an interesting conflicted character.
Unfortunately the book is just too darn long (600 pages). After such a marathon, the ending is a bit abrupt. The writer's style is awkward at times, lacking the pace & brevity needed for such a plot. "His wrists rested on his thighs, his hands faced each other like armoured and frightened crabs, weighing each other" (?!) There's a lot of this.
I will definitely return to this author and his main series featuring spymaster Aubrey & his Aussie bagman Hyde. This was still an OK thriller, perhaps just in need of some judicious pruning.
While I'm on, many of this author's books feature the Russian Hind helicopter gunship on their covers, sometimes despite tenuous links to the subject. This book involves lots of Hind action from start to finish, so guess what's on the cover of my edition? A space shuttle! D'ohhh.
August 16, 2025
Typical cold war thriller staring Mitchell Gant. This time he is sent into Russia in a stolen helicopter in order to rescue a spy at Baikonour centre who has proof that the Russians have not only developed a space based laser, but they plan to use it to destory the Spae Shuttle Atlantis at a time to coincide with a the signing of a weapons reduction treary. The rationale, the army don't want the power given away by politicians and hope to cling onto power by demonstrating their superiority.
Needless to say things don't go quite to plan, Grant's accompanying helicopter carry the extra fuel needed to get him out is destroyed. He himself is captured just at the moment he finds the spy, and to makes maters worse he's captured by Priabin his adversary from the Firefox stories, who simply wants to kill. Priabin has been searching for the spy as he too has found about the army's plans and wants to stop them. Thrust together with indentical aims, can they work together to secure peace? Leaping from one life threatening sceanrio to another, Gant races agains time to get proof to the US before the treaty is signed.
Fast paced, full of detail and an excellent read.
Needless to say things don't go quite to plan, Grant's accompanying helicopter carry the extra fuel needed to get him out is destroyed. He himself is captured just at the moment he finds the spy, and to makes maters worse he's captured by Priabin his adversary from the Firefox stories, who simply wants to kill. Priabin has been searching for the spy as he too has found about the army's plans and wants to stop them. Thrust together with indentical aims, can they work together to secure peace? Leaping from one life threatening sceanrio to another, Gant races agains time to get proof to the US before the treaty is signed.
Fast paced, full of detail and an excellent read.
August 10, 2021
Mettiamola così: un buco nell’acqua in una intera estate può essere sopportato, in particolare se riguarda un libro su cui non è che avessi proprio delle aspettative clamorose, ma che mi incuriosiva da un po’.
Mi incuriosiva al punto da rivolgervi al (grandioso) mercato dell’usato, perché di Craig Thomas non trovavo un tubo di disponibile in libreria e mi era rimasto il dubbio: da appassionato cultore del genere tecnothriller, specie se di derivazione militare, sono sempre alla ricerca di autori che possano anche solo lontanamente avvicinare il buon (e ahimè fu) Tom Clancy, e Thomas non prometteva male, vantando in curriculum la scrittura di Firefox da cui è stato tratto un film (quasi decente) del 1982 di aeronautico contenuto.
Piattume dei personaggi, prevedibilità della trama, macchiettistica presentazione delle altre sfere militari o non sia lato URSS che fronte USA, e mi fermo qui.
Un buco nell’acqua in una intera estate ci può stare.
Mi incuriosiva al punto da rivolgervi al (grandioso) mercato dell’usato, perché di Craig Thomas non trovavo un tubo di disponibile in libreria e mi era rimasto il dubbio: da appassionato cultore del genere tecnothriller, specie se di derivazione militare, sono sempre alla ricerca di autori che possano anche solo lontanamente avvicinare il buon (e ahimè fu) Tom Clancy, e Thomas non prometteva male, vantando in curriculum la scrittura di Firefox da cui è stato tratto un film (quasi decente) del 1982 di aeronautico contenuto.
Piattume dei personaggi, prevedibilità della trama, macchiettistica presentazione delle altre sfere militari o non sia lato URSS che fronte USA, e mi fermo qui.
Un buco nell’acqua in una intera estate ci può stare.
January 2, 2023
Gant is back! 18 months after the event of Firefox, Gant is again in the thick of action. The world remaining superpower is on the verge of a nuclear proliferation deal that would capped the remaining nukes on both sides. However, a mole in the Soviet Union has some disturbing news that prompted the US to sanction a daring action to exfil the spy from under the Soviet noses in order to confirm that the Soviet has been hiding their laser program from the treaty which both would sign in 4 days time. For the US president, he need the prove that the Soviet had not been truthful in the treaty in order to pull out of signing it while the Soviet are trying to prevent the secret from coming out. Gant was given 48 hours to extract the mole with an audacious plan. Will he succeed or fail? What we know is that the Soviet is expecting him.
August 31, 2025
You may have read / seen Firefox. This time it's helicopter gunships and a space laser weapon. Most of the action occurs in Baikonur, Russian airspace. A US pilot has to sneak in to observe something picked up by a paid spy. There's a lot of conflict between a Russian officer and the pilot, also the officer seems to despise his own staff. I spotted one woman, sometimes referred to as 'the girl'. Even after she had a good idea and tracked where an agent was spending a lot of time as a decoy for other activities. More female characters please.
The big event comes near the end of the long book. My copy is 600 pages which is a lot of sneaking around and yelling in Russian. This is a thriller so there are deaths and danger.
The big event comes near the end of the long book. My copy is 600 pages which is a lot of sneaking around and yelling in Russian. This is a thriller so there are deaths and danger.
July 8, 2022
Another nail-biter! Up to the last 3-4 pages, I still didn't know how it was going to be resolved with so little space. Clint Eastwood (I mean Mitchell Gant) is a superman, Vietnam Veteran, pilot, spy, survivalist, secret agent, all-around bad-man! The middle part, flying through Afghanistan, hunting and being hunted, was nerve wracking to read/follow. I love how the events start out when we have little time to put a good plan in place, all action is desperate and last-minute. Some circumstances are fortuitous, but believable (if you've seen Rambo III, you may know what I mean).
September 5, 2024
I bought this book having completed "Firefox" which I thought was a brilliant read. This book on the other hand despite having some cool plot points like the quest to foil a satellite cannon from being used by the Soviets, this book was much weaker. I believe this is because the book was too long for the story it was trying to tell. It also constantly swapped between the Americans and Soviets which while meant to show both perspectives meant that I wasn't able to keep track of the actual plot.
All in all, cool story but weak delivery.
All in all, cool story but weak delivery.
December 3, 2020
4 Stars
Winter Hawk (Mitchell Gant, #3) by Craig Thomas
USSR. KGB. Espionage. Nuclear arms. High Tech. Helicopters. Weapon of mass destruction. Drama. Danger. Thrills. Drama. Action. Adventure.
Craig Thomas was one of my first "grown up" reads. Loved his books then, still enjoy them now all these years later. Buddy read with my mother while she is recovering from her 4 months in hospital.
Have read this series a few times over the years and still enjoy it.
Review to come.
Winter Hawk (Mitchell Gant, #3) by Craig Thomas
USSR. KGB. Espionage. Nuclear arms. High Tech. Helicopters. Weapon of mass destruction. Drama. Danger. Thrills. Drama. Action. Adventure.
Craig Thomas was one of my first "grown up" reads. Loved his books then, still enjoy them now all these years later. Buddy read with my mother while she is recovering from her 4 months in hospital.
Have read this series a few times over the years and still enjoy it.
Review to come.
July 29, 2025
Best one so far in the Gant series in my opinion. Constant action and we know some of the characters better now. Having spent time in Kazakhstan and Central Asia, the setting in Baikonur was really interesting to me. Well plotted, relentlessly moving back and forth between the ‘cat’ and ‘mouse’ as time runs out…
January 7, 2025
This is the third in the Firefox series. It was written in 1987 and played largely to Cold War fears. I picked up the entire set, in paperback, at a library sale, so I will eventually get to the fourth and final book.
May 13, 2017
Wel een aardig verhaal, maar kan toch niet tippen aan Brown, Baldacci of Ludlum. Kon er niet echt goed inkomen, veel zinnen die herhaald werden.
July 9, 2020
Breathtaking, exhausting, nerve racking. Impossible odds, incredible obstacles and unbelievable endurance. And then there is Soviet totalitarian psychosis, revenge and bureaucratic infighting.
March 10, 2022
This really picked up pace towards the end, but far too much detail in the early chapters (which are also too long)
June 2, 2025
Second time I have read this book, not as good as I remember.
March 19, 2010
Winter Hawk was not one of the best books I've ever read. It could have been, but after following the detailed exploits of 4 major characters throughout the book, the author left two of them (Priabin and Kedrov) dangling in the wind. The reader could easily imagine what might have happened to Rodin, the GRU officer. However, Priabin and Kedrov had helped the agenda of the Americans, not the GRU, and it was not so clear cut what happened to them. I was rather disappointed by this oversight.
August 19, 2012
Oh... Good Read! Gant's feats have gotten more fantastic (as goes action stories).
Definitely action packed from beginning to end - holds your attention!
Since it's set in the "Cold War" era, younger generations may not relate, but the action is definitely there to satisfy any fan of the genre - even with Gant's surrealistic luck!
Definitely action packed from beginning to end - holds your attention!
Since it's set in the "Cold War" era, younger generations may not relate, but the action is definitely there to satisfy any fan of the genre - even with Gant's surrealistic luck!
July 16, 2016
A good book, even though the propaganda was highly pro-Western. It argues that the Soviets were the only immoral people. One of the stark examples of inconsistency was the book's treatment of homosexuals (which are only on the Soviet side, implying the moral superiority of the West, and their equal treatment).
May 14, 2012
Focusing a little too much on the anxieties of each character, slowing the read. Otherwise, a great 1980's Cold War techno-thriller. I enjoyed Mitchell Gant in his appearances in the Firefox books ... would've liked a little more action for him.
November 13, 2007
Ole Gant was my guy until the USSR fell. He must be wandering the tundra or something. It was a good book back when but now is dated.
January 10, 2008
More military action/fantasy:) Read this book in 1994 and again last week on the train
Read
October 8, 2008A Tho
April 21, 2009
Firefox hero Mitchell Gant heads back to Russia one more time to rescue a defector who has information on the latest Russian plot to take on the Capitalist scourge.
June 16, 2011
What a great yarn. A russian Megalomaniac intent or returning Russia to the top of the superpower tree up against Major Mitchell Gant, a one man army. Super stuff, well worth the read.
Want to read
July 13, 2012The Stichting Overal in Nijmegen cleared out some shelves. I received part of the books from hema-verf in a book box in Castricum. Thanks!
September 9, 2016
Mitchell Gant is back and yet again, Craig hits a homerun with another fantastic action/drama thriller. Shall we ask Craig for a 4th installment to Mitchell Gant's awesome missions? Yes please!
July 17, 2014
chunky and wordy but builds nicely
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews