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Independent #3
Chains of Command
Two years after Operation Desert Storm, the problems facing military forces around the world have changed dramatically. In the US, active-duty military units have been drastically cut and reserve forces built up. Then an unusual mission comes up. By the author of "Night of the Hawk".
603 pages, Paperback
First published July 7, 1993
354 people are currently reading
812 people want to read
About the author
Dale Brown
160 books1,142 followersFormer U.S. Air Force captain Dale Brown is the superstar author of 25 consecutive New York Times best-selling military-action-aviation adventure novels: FLIGHT OF THE OLD DOG (1987), SILVER TOWER (1988), DAY OF THE CHEETAH (1989), HAMMERHEADS (1990), SKY MASTERS (1991), NIGHT OF THE HAWK (1992), CHAINS OF COMMAND (1993), STORMING HEAVEN (1994), SHADOWS OF STEEL (1996) and FATAL TERRAIN (1997), THE TIN MAN (1998), BATTLE BORN (1999), and WARRIOR CLASS (2001). His Fourteenth Novel AIRBATTLE FORCE will be published in late Spring 2003... Dale's novels are published in 11 languages and distributed to over 70 countries. Worldwide sales of his novels, audiobooks and computer games exceed 10 million copies.
Dale was born in Buffalo, New York on November 2, 1956. He graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Western European History and received an Air Force commission in 1978. He was a navigator-bombardier in the B-52G Stratofortress heavy bomber and the FB-111A supersonic medium bomber, and is the recipient of several military decorations and awards including the Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Combat Crew Award, and the Marksmanship ribbon.
Dale was also one of the nation's first Air Force ROTC cadets to qualify for and complete the grueling three-week U.S. Army Airborne Infantry paratrooper training course.
Dale is a director and volunteer pilot for AirLifeLine, a non-profit national charitable medical transportation organization who fly needy persons free of charge to receive treatment. He also supports a number of organizations to support and promote law enforcement and reading.
Dale Brown is a member of The Writers Guild and a Life Member of the Air Force Association and U.S. Naval Institute. He is a multi-engine and instrument-rated private pilot and can often be found in the skies all across the United States, piloting his own plane. On the ground, Dale enjoys tennis, skiing, scuba diving, and hockey. Dale, his wife Diane, and son Hunter live near the shores of Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
Dale was born in Buffalo, New York on November 2, 1956. He graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Western European History and received an Air Force commission in 1978. He was a navigator-bombardier in the B-52G Stratofortress heavy bomber and the FB-111A supersonic medium bomber, and is the recipient of several military decorations and awards including the Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Combat Crew Award, and the Marksmanship ribbon.
Dale was also one of the nation's first Air Force ROTC cadets to qualify for and complete the grueling three-week U.S. Army Airborne Infantry paratrooper training course.
Dale is a director and volunteer pilot for AirLifeLine, a non-profit national charitable medical transportation organization who fly needy persons free of charge to receive treatment. He also supports a number of organizations to support and promote law enforcement and reading.
Dale Brown is a member of The Writers Guild and a Life Member of the Air Force Association and U.S. Naval Institute. He is a multi-engine and instrument-rated private pilot and can often be found in the skies all across the United States, piloting his own plane. On the ground, Dale enjoys tennis, skiing, scuba diving, and hockey. Dale, his wife Diane, and son Hunter live near the shores of Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
July 31, 2015
This book was ok. Not great, not terrible. But worth the listen. Three is pretty low for me because of numerous issues about how the book sometimes was really a struggle.
The love angle in the book is cute... but seriously is a male's view of women pilots. The women is a great pilot. Yippee. Not all women pilots need fall for cute Air Force officers and not all USAF men must pursue them.
The lack of any response from other countries seems a far fetched plot tool.
Now a non-book thing
I was an F-111E crew dog (aka a crew chief - SSGT) at Upper Heyford in 1978 and 111D's at Cannon AFB. Maybe pilots called themselves "Crew Dogs' but I never heard one. Crew Dogs were the Crew Chiefs. Aircraft maintenance techs. But if you say so...
BTW: Though a lot of what the author says about the 'F111-G' (which AFAIK never existed) is for the book, much of it did apply to F111's in general. Highly underrate aircraft because of their failure to meet the early 1960's TFX criteria set for it when the technology did not exist until the late 60s. Even then, the F14 was a heavy beast.
More book:
The constant need for the author to spell out weapons designations, is a really amateur hour. I am sure the author's editor must have insisted "the tech boy will 'eat it up'". It was useless jargon and designations for jargon sake and i mentally checked out of it early in the book. And it was repeated several places in the book!
The authors hatred for President Clinton and Hillary was obviously a major driving point behind writing the book. Now it is 'Hillary-i-ous' that she might be the next President of the USA. I disliked the Clintons way back when, and Hillary in particular, for their distain of the military. But if you loved them (or you love Hillary) you might want to wait to read the book or you'll blow a blood vessel. Say what you want, but she WAS an un-elected, un-accountable co-President.
Finally I say again, DO NOT read a techno-thriller if you hate jargon. Even as excessive as it is in this book, jargon is at least in some way, part-and-parcel of the genre.
The love angle in the book is cute... but seriously is a male's view of women pilots. The women is a great pilot. Yippee. Not all women pilots need fall for cute Air Force officers and not all USAF men must pursue them.
The lack of any response from other countries seems a far fetched plot tool.
Now a non-book thing
I was an F-111E crew dog (aka a crew chief - SSGT) at Upper Heyford in 1978 and 111D's at Cannon AFB. Maybe pilots called themselves "Crew Dogs' but I never heard one. Crew Dogs were the Crew Chiefs. Aircraft maintenance techs. But if you say so...
BTW: Though a lot of what the author says about the 'F111-G' (which AFAIK never existed) is for the book, much of it did apply to F111's in general. Highly underrate aircraft because of their failure to meet the early 1960's TFX criteria set for it when the technology did not exist until the late 60s. Even then, the F14 was a heavy beast.
More book:
The constant need for the author to spell out weapons designations, is a really amateur hour. I am sure the author's editor must have insisted "the tech boy will 'eat it up'". It was useless jargon and designations for jargon sake and i mentally checked out of it early in the book. And it was repeated several places in the book!
The authors hatred for President Clinton and Hillary was obviously a major driving point behind writing the book. Now it is 'Hillary-i-ous' that she might be the next President of the USA. I disliked the Clintons way back when, and Hillary in particular, for their distain of the military. But if you loved them (or you love Hillary) you might want to wait to read the book or you'll blow a blood vessel. Say what you want, but she WAS an un-elected, un-accountable co-President.
Finally I say again, DO NOT read a techno-thriller if you hate jargon. Even as excessive as it is in this book, jargon is at least in some way, part-and-parcel of the genre.
October 5, 2021
"Interesting! It's definitely not something that I would like to see happen. Dale Brown keeps the realization in your mind. "
September 23, 2014
I grabbed the book out of intrigue due to the potential parallel events that are happening in today’s world with Russia and the Ukraine. It was a mistake. I’m sure there’s a great storyline in there somewhere. As much as I appreciate the thorough research, the flood of acronyms and technical terms thrown at the common reader is unnecessary most of the time. I found the author took far too long to develop the characters and scenes. I was disappointed. No need for a spoiler alert since I couldn’t get through half of the book.
March 19, 2019
Chains of Command is classic Dale Brown, fast paced, action & detail heavy.
The story line is loosely based in reality around the Transnistria War - in the book a section of Moldova declares independence and Russia uses this as a pretext to launch military strikes against Moldova, Ukraine & Romania. Among this tension a passive US President is reducing US military capability and moving active personnel to the reserves in order to reduce budgetary pressure. Russia launches a nuclear, neutron bomb attack against the Ukraine who gains support from Turkey, a NATO ally who then requests US assistance. From this point the action continues with engagements between Russia and Turkey/Ukraine/US.
I really enjoyed this one and despite being 603 pages it whizzes by as the action unfolds, definitely worth picking up if you've ever enjoyed a Dale Brown, Richard Herman, Gordon Kent, Larry Bond or Tom Clancy book.
The story line is loosely based in reality around the Transnistria War - in the book a section of Moldova declares independence and Russia uses this as a pretext to launch military strikes against Moldova, Ukraine & Romania. Among this tension a passive US President is reducing US military capability and moving active personnel to the reserves in order to reduce budgetary pressure. Russia launches a nuclear, neutron bomb attack against the Ukraine who gains support from Turkey, a NATO ally who then requests US assistance. From this point the action continues with engagements between Russia and Turkey/Ukraine/US.
I really enjoyed this one and despite being 603 pages it whizzes by as the action unfolds, definitely worth picking up if you've ever enjoyed a Dale Brown, Richard Herman, Gordon Kent, Larry Bond or Tom Clancy book.
August 15, 2014
Jingoist tripe with cardboard characterization, insufferable protagonists, silly "plot" and tons of unnecessary exposition. In addition, there's an obligatory romance subplot devoid of all chemistry and character while one character's fiancée exists only to die and facilitate his righteous man-rage.
The first 150 pages or so are somewhat readable, since they are actually about flying. For the rest of the book you are treated to simplistic political ranting and rushed flight scenes as the author struggles to bring this awful doorstopper to an end.
The first 150 pages or so are somewhat readable, since they are actually about flying. For the rest of the book you are treated to simplistic political ranting and rushed flight scenes as the author struggles to bring this awful doorstopper to an end.
November 30, 2022
Timely read about Russia and Ukraine
This plot took place decades ago but it could be from today's news with Russia attempting to pull together all the surrounding lands that they lost when the Soviet Union broke up. The technical dialogue during flights will appeal to all the flyers and plane lovers. It was nearly enough to put me to sleep at times but then the author usually jumped right into a narrow escape or tragedy that brought me to the edge of my seat quickly. It was very educational about many of the world issues and about nuclear weapons. It also gives a vivid picture of the lives of our military and an appreciation for those who put their lives on the line each day. A good read for November and Veteran's Day. Thank you for your service guys and gals!
This plot took place decades ago but it could be from today's news with Russia attempting to pull together all the surrounding lands that they lost when the Soviet Union broke up. The technical dialogue during flights will appeal to all the flyers and plane lovers. It was nearly enough to put me to sleep at times but then the author usually jumped right into a narrow escape or tragedy that brought me to the edge of my seat quickly. It was very educational about many of the world issues and about nuclear weapons. It also gives a vivid picture of the lives of our military and an appreciation for those who put their lives on the line each day. A good read for November and Veteran's Day. Thank you for your service guys and gals!
March 28, 2019
This book is now 26 years old, an example of the good old techno thriller genre. It is interesting to see what it got right in retrospect... and wrong. It's VERY technical... a non-pilot and/or someone unfamiliar with the technical aspects of modern air combat will probably be lost and not enjoy much of the book. Some of the characterizations, especially of the President, his wife, and a couple of the senior military officers are over the top and detract from the story, but most are good. The political scenarios are very well thought out and realistic. The aerial combat sequences are very tight and exciting. Overall a fun read.
March 3, 2023
This book centers the story around one of my favorite military planes, the F-111 and its variants. The premise is a reduction in the military and a greater emphasis on reserve units. Events in the Ukraine initiated by the Great Bear, Russia, set in motion a series of escalating events culminating in the deployment of F-111 Aardvarks to Turkey and a major role in fighting the Russian Bear.Where this falls short in my estimation are the characters-when in their military roles the are spot on, but weak when not in uniform and the weakest of all is the manner in which two of the main characters fall for each other like snapping your fingers. It is worth the time, though.
January 1, 2025
One of Dale Brown's best books - and sadly timely, even with the F-111 phased out of US Air Force & Royal Australian Air Force service. Ukrainian fighting spirit, as portrayed here, is true, even though Ukraine in the 2020s has retired the MiG-23s and Su-22s portrayed here. But the concept of using Western weapons carried out in the 2020s is still valid.
Don't want to give away all the plot. Will say the scene of Darren Mace taking over RF-111 Maintenance still strikes a chord with this grateful civilian to this day.
Don't want to give away all the plot. Will say the scene of Darren Mace taking over RF-111 Maintenance still strikes a chord with this grateful civilian to this day.
November 4, 2019
Sorry but not sorry. There are several mistakes in this book. First, it looks like the president was a dog to First Lady while standing in the same security clearances as the president. Second, too many details/explanations about stuff...Third, too weak with characters interactions inside the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2021
I would have liked to give this book a higher score because of the sheer effort the author made to write over 600 pages. Unfortunately, the story was buried by the chaff of dense writing, overdone description, and excessive and unnecessary technical information. The inept President of the U.S. and his overbearing wife didn't help. But I'm sure aviation mad youngsters would love it.
July 8, 2024
Could have happened today
Excellent thriller featuring USAF pilots. When Russia invades Ukraine, the world is faced with the possibility of WW III ... and Russia is willing to use nuclear weapons. How will the USA react?
This novel is set in the 1990s, but still relevant today. It's highly recommended for anyone who enjoys military thrillers.
Excellent thriller featuring USAF pilots. When Russia invades Ukraine, the world is faced with the possibility of WW III ... and Russia is willing to use nuclear weapons. How will the USA react?
This novel is set in the 1990s, but still relevant today. It's highly recommended for anyone who enjoys military thrillers.
August 8, 2024
Dale Brown at his best!
What a fabulous read this has been, I’ve been reading his books for a long time but can’t remember enjoying one as much as this. I genuinely loved the technical descriptions throughout and the personal interactions between the various characters. Another Masterpiece. Thank you.
What a fabulous read this has been, I’ve been reading his books for a long time but can’t remember enjoying one as much as this. I genuinely loved the technical descriptions throughout and the personal interactions between the various characters. Another Masterpiece. Thank you.
April 18, 2025
Ok book. Very detailed as to weapons and plane instruments. I liked the story but didn’t care what ARV-4*fnyg 13 was loaded on the D 555 plane. Honestly, to me all the air force jets go fast. I. Might be enjoyed more by Airforce people. And it’s to good of a story to just reach those people. It deserves the rest of us.
September 8, 2019
Excellent story!
The premise of the story is very believable. Inclusion of the NATO countries made it even more believable. A minor nit was the lack of closure with General Eyers. I think all the readers would have enjoyed hearing of his comeupence.
The premise of the story is very believable. Inclusion of the NATO countries made it even more believable. A minor nit was the lack of closure with General Eyers. I think all the readers would have enjoyed hearing of his comeupence.
December 12, 2023
Looking through a charity shop and took a pint at this for £1
Very interesting considering the events of the last couple of years in Ukraine. Bit slow in the middle but picked up towards the end, definitely worth a read.
Very interesting considering the events of the last couple of years in Ukraine. Bit slow in the middle but picked up towards the end, definitely worth a read.
December 19, 2023
5+ stars
I loved this book! It was another homerun for the author. The plot was up with the times. Some parts were long winded but they kept the story going. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys this style of book.
I loved this book! It was another homerun for the author. The plot was up with the times. Some parts were long winded but they kept the story going. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys this style of book.
July 4, 2017
I enjoyed this book because I learned a lot about the complexity of the military concerning use of air power and nuclear weapon precautions.
July 12, 2017
Don't bother
September 17, 2017
Fast moving
Non-stop action from start to finish. A number of love hate characters. Great amount of detail in the action and a big twist at the end. Just read.
Non-stop action from start to finish. A number of love hate characters. Great amount of detail in the action and a big twist at the end. Just read.
September 25, 2017
Complicated to begin but The set up paid off. Exciting on many levels. Couldn't put it down the last hundred pages.
October 25, 2017
Gzt
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THE SAME AS THE NEW YEAR
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THE SAME AS THE NEW YEAR
October 26, 2017
A very good read
So well done you felt you were in the cockpit with the good guys. Without realism you are just looking at words.
So well done you felt you were in the cockpit with the good guys. Without realism you are just looking at words.
May 9, 2018
The Chains are not broken
This novel is full of those tasty things that Dale Brown is famous for: suspense, technology, interesting characters and twisted endings.
This novel is full of those tasty things that Dale Brown is famous for: suspense, technology, interesting characters and twisted endings.
Read
July 6, 2019Very detailed
July 21, 2019
Third World War Averted At What Price
The book was a page turner without a doubt. I don't want to give away anything, but suffice it, the ending left a little to be desired.
The book was a page turner without a doubt. I don't want to give away anything, but suffice it, the ending left a little to be desired.
February 22, 2020
479 pages
March 21, 2020
Master craftsman
As ever a Dale Brown novel is full of explosive action from the first page to the last. I just love this guys books.
As ever a Dale Brown novel is full of explosive action from the first page to the last. I just love this guys books.
October 1, 2020
Enjoyed it. Having had F111 flying off my back fence for a couple of years it was good to enter the world of 111 for a while.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews