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The First Team
Moscow has taken the USA without a shot.Student protesters are being slaughtered in the Midwest.The Jewish pogroms have begun.You are now living in Soviet–occupied America!One nuclear submarine and a handful of determined patriots against the combined might of Russia and Soviet–occupied America… The Most Explosive and Gripping “What If” Novel of Our Time!
448 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1971
38 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
John Ball Jr.
8 booksName used by John Dudley Ball for writing "books for boys" early in his career.
(From 1960 dustjacket bio) "JOHN BALL, JR., has led a double life, giving half of his time to flying and half to writing.
"As a youngster, he washed airplanes for barnstorming pilots in order to learn about aviation and get an occasional ride. In later years, a ground and flight instructor for Pan American World Airways, he lost track of the number of times he crossed the Atlantic. He was a commercial pilot, a member of the editorial staff of Fortune, music editor of the Brooklyn Eagle, assistant curator of the Hayden Planetarium, and a columnist on the New York World-Telegram and Sun, before he combined his two careers in his present job as Director of Public Relations of the Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences. Mr. Ball has written many articles, stories, and books. His previous book for boys was Operation Space, which drew on the experience acquired in both phases of his dual life, as does Spacemaster 1."
Now Ball is best known for mystery novels involving the African-American police detective Virgil Tibbs. Tibbs was introduced in the 1965 novel In The Heat Of The Night, which won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel from the Mystery Writers of America and was made into an Oscar-winning film of the same name. Ball's departure from the mystery genre was a bestselling what-if political thriller The First Team.
(From 1960 dustjacket bio) "JOHN BALL, JR., has led a double life, giving half of his time to flying and half to writing.
"As a youngster, he washed airplanes for barnstorming pilots in order to learn about aviation and get an occasional ride. In later years, a ground and flight instructor for Pan American World Airways, he lost track of the number of times he crossed the Atlantic. He was a commercial pilot, a member of the editorial staff of Fortune, music editor of the Brooklyn Eagle, assistant curator of the Hayden Planetarium, and a columnist on the New York World-Telegram and Sun, before he combined his two careers in his present job as Director of Public Relations of the Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences. Mr. Ball has written many articles, stories, and books. His previous book for boys was Operation Space, which drew on the experience acquired in both phases of his dual life, as does Spacemaster 1."
Now Ball is best known for mystery novels involving the African-American police detective Virgil Tibbs. Tibbs was introduced in the 1965 novel In The Heat Of The Night, which won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel from the Mystery Writers of America and was made into an Oscar-winning film of the same name. Ball's departure from the mystery genre was a bestselling what-if political thriller The First Team.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 16, 2022
Read this in the 70's, loved it then.
August 21, 2022
I first read this book many years ago, and since this time have read it a few more times, as I find the characterization and plot to be very well structured. The author did a fair bit of research into the workings of various parts of the United States government, as well as the US Navy.
The story deals with the essentially bloodless takeover and occupation of the United States by Russian forces. While this may seem somewhat impossible to many people the events depicted in the story leading up to the successful takeover are quite plausible, although today somewhat dated as it has been 51 years since this book was first published.
When you consider recent political events in the United States I find it quite likely that something like this could've happened. In the book and outgoing president foresees the future and the dangers coming towards the country when the president-elect takes power and creates an underground to forestall any problems. An intelligent act like this seems to me something that President Obama would've done. When you take into account the idiot who succeeded him, and who is portrayed in the book as a totally ineffectual president then this becomes even more realistic.
At the time I'm writing this review Russian forces are still in the Ukraine after having invaded six months ago. There are massive casualties on both sides, due primarily (in my humble opinion) to the egotistical stupidity of Vladimir Putin, and his attempt to make a name for himself. Unfortunately it's quite likely this name will be warmonger, or something possibly even worse.
While the premise might seem a little unlikely, the novel is well written and for those fans of intrigue and espionage novels is a must read.
The story deals with the essentially bloodless takeover and occupation of the United States by Russian forces. While this may seem somewhat impossible to many people the events depicted in the story leading up to the successful takeover are quite plausible, although today somewhat dated as it has been 51 years since this book was first published.
When you consider recent political events in the United States I find it quite likely that something like this could've happened. In the book and outgoing president foresees the future and the dangers coming towards the country when the president-elect takes power and creates an underground to forestall any problems. An intelligent act like this seems to me something that President Obama would've done. When you take into account the idiot who succeeded him, and who is portrayed in the book as a totally ineffectual president then this becomes even more realistic.
At the time I'm writing this review Russian forces are still in the Ukraine after having invaded six months ago. There are massive casualties on both sides, due primarily (in my humble opinion) to the egotistical stupidity of Vladimir Putin, and his attempt to make a name for himself. Unfortunately it's quite likely this name will be warmonger, or something possibly even worse.
While the premise might seem a little unlikely, the novel is well written and for those fans of intrigue and espionage novels is a must read.
June 18, 2021
Probably ghost-written in Langley by one of their Harvard/Yale recruits and then published under a semi-respectable by-line (the author of In the Heat of the Night) this heavy-handed piece of cold war propaganda sees the Soviet Union occupy the USA in a bloodless coup. The mechanics of this are that the US has been brought down from within by degenerate folk singers, civil rights activists and liberal senators. One such Kennedyesque senator obtains a Supreme Court judgment that the draft is illegal and the US is therefore defenceless. From there the author goes full Commie-Nazi on the Soviets. Bear in mind that this farrago of nonsense was written and published while the US was carpet-bombing Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
July 13, 2018
This book was something else. There were parts where the story telling was masterful, and everything felt well organized. There were parts where sentences were nearly gibberish from typos. The author tried to put a few twists in, and some worked really well, others... well he tried. I spent a few hours trying to figure out exactly how this was going to be rated, but the lack luster, predictable ending, the stereotypical characters, and a few seemingly racist and misogynistic moments really hurt it. If you want to read it, do it for the novelty, but otherwise, you can pass on this title.
November 13, 2012
The First Team (1971) treats the military surrender of the U.S. to Russia (although in the book it is an unnamed Slavic country). Written during the wrap-up of the VietNam conflict it seems to be a Science Fiction future but now that over 40 years have passed, it reads like an alternative history. The novel is slow to start and barely made my 50-page rule of quitting any book that hadn't grabbed me by that point. Once it got rolling, it made up for the slow start.
Non-series - The First Team concerned the idea that the USA has been invaded by the Soviet Union without the USSR having to fire a shot. The takeover is possible because of widespread cultural malaise. Undermined by anti-war protestors, corrupt military-industrial complex producers, weak-willed US Senators, and the superpower that was the USSR's propaganda machine, the USA was unable to defend against Soviet power. The leader of the occupation forces is an iron-willed Soviet bureaucrat, backed up by a vicious Soviet Colonel. US White House interpreter Raleigh Hewitt, kept at his post by the invaders, comes to be recruited into a secret underground resistance organization called "The First Team." It turns out that the fall of the United States wasn't altogether unforeseen, and this resourceful band of patriots schemes to free the USA from USSR Stalinist-like rule.
Non-series - The First Team concerned the idea that the USA has been invaded by the Soviet Union without the USSR having to fire a shot. The takeover is possible because of widespread cultural malaise. Undermined by anti-war protestors, corrupt military-industrial complex producers, weak-willed US Senators, and the superpower that was the USSR's propaganda machine, the USA was unable to defend against Soviet power. The leader of the occupation forces is an iron-willed Soviet bureaucrat, backed up by a vicious Soviet Colonel. US White House interpreter Raleigh Hewitt, kept at his post by the invaders, comes to be recruited into a secret underground resistance organization called "The First Team." It turns out that the fall of the United States wasn't altogether unforeseen, and this resourceful band of patriots schemes to free the USA from USSR Stalinist-like rule.
May 24, 2022
I read The First Team over forty years ago as an undergraduate. I found it engaging, well paced and thoroughly enjoyable. In addition, much of the plot and characters have remained clear in my memory. This was one of the first alternate history/thrillers I had read. It remains one of the best.
At its core, it is a political espionage story with carfully crafted situations. While it remains a cold war story entrenched in the 1970s, along with a handful of Alistair MacLean novels, it remains one of the first techno-thrillers. Interesting parralels can be drawn to Ice Station Zebra and The Hunt For Red October.
Highly recommended for Louise, Doc and Kent.
At its core, it is a political espionage story with carfully crafted situations. While it remains a cold war story entrenched in the 1970s, along with a handful of Alistair MacLean novels, it remains one of the first techno-thrillers. Interesting parralels can be drawn to Ice Station Zebra and The Hunt For Red October.
Highly recommended for Louise, Doc and Kent.
March 16, 2015
Good the second time around
The basic premise is a bit of a stretch, but it's an enjoyable book. I read this when it first came out. Now, with Russia's involvement with Ukraine, it's timely again.
The basic premise is a bit of a stretch, but it's an enjoyable book. I read this when it first came out. Now, with Russia's involvement with Ukraine, it's timely again.
March 20, 2018
Ok read
Didn't feel the need to go right out and get the next book in the series. Found the premise of the book hard to believe, characters were ok, Frank, the cabbie being my favorite. Read it if you can find it on sale or free.
Didn't feel the need to go right out and get the next book in the series. Found the premise of the book hard to believe, characters were ok, Frank, the cabbie being my favorite. Read it if you can find it on sale or free.
April 2, 2011
I didn't read this, but it didn't look good
Read
February 17, 2014didn't finish
April 27, 2015
I read this as a teenage and was pleased to get the chance to read it again. It may be a bit dated but was still good after all those years.
April 18, 2016
Great plot
This is a great read , though at
times it seemed to drag a little but I would certainly read another book by this author . Enjoyed the plot.
Mike
This is a great read , though at
times it seemed to drag a little but I would certainly read another book by this author . Enjoyed the plot.
Mike
June 6, 2023
Even though this book is now dated, it still packs just as much punch as the first time I read it. 30 years before Goodreads was around.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews