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The Pilot
Led by former Navy SEAL Victor Seymour, an elite team of mercenaries are sent by the CIA to rescue hostages, and secure data from an under siege top-secret island facility. But upon arrival, they discover ravaged military equipment, a mass grave, and a platoon of hostile forces already in retreat. As the team investigates, they uncover the secret that the island has contained for centuries. For the first time, modern man will come face-to-face with a being from beyond the stars. A member of a deadly intergalactic invasive species, the beast is ravenous, cunning, lacking emotion or empathy. With his team dwindling, Seymour must fight to keep the beast from leaving the island, and to save humanity from the terrifying extraterrestrial known as The Pilot.
221 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 4, 2019
150 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
About the author
Michael R. Cole
40 books122 followersMichael R. Cole is an author of creature horror and science fiction. He was born in Toledo, Ohio and grew up in lower Michigan. He has a profound love for monster movies and book as well as the action genre. In addition to writing, his hobbies include martial arts and fishing.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
February 23, 2019
This was my second read by the author. The creature feature of his I read about a year ago didn’t really warrant it (actually I reviewed it as being too schlocky for my taste), so this was one of those oh why not, maybe he’s improved sort of selections. And to be fair, he did improve. This one wasn’t nearly as schlocky. But alas too military scifi for me. Actually just too military for me, I like scifi. But then again military was sort of expected in this tale of mercenaries on a remote island hunting down an alien aggressor. Does it sound like Predator at all? To me it did, so much. No dreadlocks, but the eponymous Pilot seems very much like that sort of a killing machine on a mission. And Predator movies are fun and funny and this one just took itself too seriously. The book did feature some interesting takeover concepts, especially when it came to terraforming, and had some decent science fiction elements, albeit few and far in between and dramatically overwhelmed by all the action. But knowing what to expect going in, it’s very possible to have some fun with this book. It certainly at the very least entertained without assaulting one’s intelligence, which is a lot more than can be said for Cole’s last book. So there’s that. The version provided by the publisher through Netgalley was very readable (minus some clumped together words and minor things like that), but entirely in italics. Very odd and makes for a very odd reading experience as in it read much slower than page cunt warrants, so reader beware. But the book was decent. Not quite for me, this one was just too much like an action flick, not something that merits actual reading time, but then again seems like something that should be able to find audience. Thanks Netgalley.
August 16, 2019
The alien Pilot is a cross between a Predator and an Alien. It’s a danger to all of humanity, and our heroes will have a hard time surviving its attention. The pacing of this book is quite good–the tension slowly builds, and about two-thirds of the way through it becomes wonderfully tense. That’s also the point at which the narrative became a bit smoother, as though the author had really hit his stride. Prior to that some of the writing seemed a bit stilted and awkward.
The book could have used another round of editing. There were a number of misspellings of the sort a spell-checker won’t catch (one word substituted for something one letter off). I’m also pretty sure that the author intended to say that the eight-foot-tall alien had 12 INCH fangs, not fangs “twelve feet in length”. It’s still hard to imagine fangs a foot long being at all wieldy, mind you.
The characters are an odd mix of stereotypical and non-stereotypical. For instance, I’m just shocked that the sole Japanese mercenary was inscrutable, nigh-silent, and proficient with a sword. The Korean soldiers the good guys encounter are used just as soulless cannon fodder, and everything the characters do to them (including torture in one case) is depicted as perfectly reasonable. (Content note for blood, guts, explosions, and torture.)
I don't want to give away spoilers, so I'll just say that some of what the alien is capable of toward the end, and the assumptions the heroes make about that, don't add up right. If you’re looking for a tense military-vs-monsters book and don’t care whether the details add up, this would be an engaging read. If you’re looking for sense, however, try something else.
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2019/08/r...
The book could have used another round of editing. There were a number of misspellings of the sort a spell-checker won’t catch (one word substituted for something one letter off). I’m also pretty sure that the author intended to say that the eight-foot-tall alien had 12 INCH fangs, not fangs “twelve feet in length”. It’s still hard to imagine fangs a foot long being at all wieldy, mind you.
The characters are an odd mix of stereotypical and non-stereotypical. For instance, I’m just shocked that the sole Japanese mercenary was inscrutable, nigh-silent, and proficient with a sword. The Korean soldiers the good guys encounter are used just as soulless cannon fodder, and everything the characters do to them (including torture in one case) is depicted as perfectly reasonable. (Content note for blood, guts, explosions, and torture.)
I don't want to give away spoilers, so I'll just say that some of what the alien is capable of toward the end, and the assumptions the heroes make about that, don't add up right. If you’re looking for a tense military-vs-monsters book and don’t care whether the details add up, this would be an engaging read. If you’re looking for sense, however, try something else.
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2019/08/r...
February 21, 2019
Thank you Michael Cole for your new novel The Pilot, as I now have a permanent picture of the being in this book implanted in my memory. And I say that with positive sincerity. As a huge sci-fi fan I found the premise familiar (alien invasion vs. humanity), yet very well done. As I was reading the book I was reminded of several classic movies actually, like Predator, Alien, and The Thing. It has everything a reader (or movie audience for that matter) could want: Tough military hero (check), creepy horrific alien (check), terrifying action building to a blast-filled crescendo (check), sleazy government agents/scientists (check).
If you are looking for a great classic sci-fi book with shooting, scary aliens, and macho killing of said aliens, this is your next read. I encourage you to read it soon so you can be the first to say "I read it before it was a movie!" If you are a film producer, please option this book right away because it could easily be your next blockbuster (reference the aforementioned permanently etched image of the alien on my brain).
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review, thank you.
If you are looking for a great classic sci-fi book with shooting, scary aliens, and macho killing of said aliens, this is your next read. I encourage you to read it soon so you can be the first to say "I read it before it was a movie!" If you are a film producer, please option this book right away because it could easily be your next blockbuster (reference the aforementioned permanently etched image of the alien on my brain).
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review, thank you.
January 20, 2020
Just like Scorpion Swarm by the same author. There is lots of action, almost too much of it. It's interchangeable with Scorpion Swarm, in that monstrous creature is almost invincible and the hero has to save the day. Great if you look lots of gore and action.
January 8, 2020
(See all of my Book Reviews) - “The Pilot” eBook was published in 2019 and was written by Michael Cole. Mr. Cole has published nine novels.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence and Mature Language. The story is set in the near future. The primary character is former US Navy SEAL Victor Seymour.
Seymour leads a team of elite mercenaries on a mission for the CIA. He has been told that hostages are being held on a remote island by the North Koreans. Seymour and his team are dropped off and make their way onto the island. What they find is far from what they expect. Korean forces on the island seem to have already come under attack and are trying hard to leave the island.
As Seymour and his team investigate, they find strange growth in the jungle around the island. They have stumbled upon a foe that they are not prepared for. An alien, the pilot, has been released on the island and it is killing and infecting all living creatures on the island. Not only must Seymour and his team struggle to stay alive, they must find a way to prevent the alien from leaving the island and infecting the rest of planet Earth.
I enjoyed the 6.5+ hours I spent reading this 221-page science fiction thriller. I liked the basic plot, but, as so often with thrillers, actions stretch beyond the believable. While nominally a science fiction story, there is an edge of horror in it as well. I like the selected cover art. I give this novel a 3.8 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence and Mature Language. The story is set in the near future. The primary character is former US Navy SEAL Victor Seymour.
Seymour leads a team of elite mercenaries on a mission for the CIA. He has been told that hostages are being held on a remote island by the North Koreans. Seymour and his team are dropped off and make their way onto the island. What they find is far from what they expect. Korean forces on the island seem to have already come under attack and are trying hard to leave the island.
As Seymour and his team investigate, they find strange growth in the jungle around the island. They have stumbled upon a foe that they are not prepared for. An alien, the pilot, has been released on the island and it is killing and infecting all living creatures on the island. Not only must Seymour and his team struggle to stay alive, they must find a way to prevent the alien from leaving the island and infecting the rest of planet Earth.
I enjoyed the 6.5+ hours I spent reading this 221-page science fiction thriller. I liked the basic plot, but, as so often with thrillers, actions stretch beyond the believable. While nominally a science fiction story, there is an edge of horror in it as well. I like the selected cover art. I give this novel a 3.8 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
December 17, 2020
Victor Seymour and his team are mercenaries, guns for hire. They can pick and chose their jobs but then comes one Seymour cannot refuse to take. The CIA goes to him and to them he can’t say no.
It seems a pretty straightforward job: rescue hostages and secure data. They need to travel to an isolated island where they have to almost immediately face their first problem: a huge storm is coming. But the storm will be the least of their problems. As they finally land on the island itself, they discover huge destruction and a platoon of hostile forces already on the run. But who caused this destruction? What made their enemy run? What they discover makes their blood freeze…it froze mine for sure.
I raced through The Pilot because I soooooo love stories about aliens. Michael Cole’s story gave me goosebumps and nightmares for sure.
This story is full of action, a gory images and excitement and shooting and fighting and everything you could possibly want from a story like this.
I liked the characters too. Not much is known about them but in this case I don’t really mind because what they do on the island is what matters.
I will read more books by Michael Cole because I loved this one. Highly recommended.
THank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for my copy.
It seems a pretty straightforward job: rescue hostages and secure data. They need to travel to an isolated island where they have to almost immediately face their first problem: a huge storm is coming. But the storm will be the least of their problems. As they finally land on the island itself, they discover huge destruction and a platoon of hostile forces already on the run. But who caused this destruction? What made their enemy run? What they discover makes their blood freeze…it froze mine for sure.
I raced through The Pilot because I soooooo love stories about aliens. Michael Cole’s story gave me goosebumps and nightmares for sure.
This story is full of action, a gory images and excitement and shooting and fighting and everything you could possibly want from a story like this.
I liked the characters too. Not much is known about them but in this case I don’t really mind because what they do on the island is what matters.
I will read more books by Michael Cole because I loved this one. Highly recommended.
THank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for my copy.
December 10, 2024
I usually enjoy Michael Cole's books, but The Pilot didn’t have the zing I’ve come to expect from his work. The pilot, who should have been the central source of fear, never really scared me. The book lacked atmosphere—it didn’t have the chills or tension that would have elevated it into something memorable.
The pacing was also inconsistent. At times, the story was frantic, only to slow down into subdued moments that felt disconnected. It never gave the impression that it was building toward the inevitable climax, which left the story feeling flat overall.
That said, the book isn’t bad. It’s popcorn fun—a quick, light read that’s enjoyable in the moment but easily forgotten afterwards. If you’re looking for something entertaining without much substance, The Pilot might be worthwhile. For me, though, it fell short of Cole’s usual standards.
The pacing was also inconsistent. At times, the story was frantic, only to slow down into subdued moments that felt disconnected. It never gave the impression that it was building toward the inevitable climax, which left the story feeling flat overall.
That said, the book isn’t bad. It’s popcorn fun—a quick, light read that’s enjoyable in the moment but easily forgotten afterwards. If you’re looking for something entertaining without much substance, The Pilot might be worthwhile. For me, though, it fell short of Cole’s usual standards.
August 28, 2019
I liked this thriller. Yes, it will remind you of Predator or Hunter (James Bryon Huggins), but so what? A sci-fi alien killer who is pretty tough to kill, and kills in pretty gruesome ways to tough to not like. The usual suspects go along with this story, as the small squad sent in to take care of things. Of course they were not given ENOUGH pertinent information to know what they were facing.
I enjoyed the characters in the squad. A few stereotypes, but no one was superman, all human to a point. Plenty of action all the way to the end. I will now look around for other Michael Cole stories.
I enjoyed the characters in the squad. A few stereotypes, but no one was superman, all human to a point. Plenty of action all the way to the end. I will now look around for other Michael Cole stories.
December 17, 2020
Victor Seymour and his team are mercenaries, guns for hire. They can pick and chose their jobs but then comes one Seymour cannot refuse to take. The CIA goes to him and to them he can’t say no.
It seems a pretty straightforward job: rescue hostages and secure data. They need to travel to an isolated island where they have to almost immediately face their first problem: a huge storm is coming. But the storm will be the least of their problems. As they finally land on the island itself, they discover huge destruction and a platoon of hostile forces already on the run. But who caused this destruction? What made their enemy run? What they discover makes their blood freeze…it froze mine for sure.
I raced through The Pilot because I soooooo love stories about aliens. Michael Cole’s story gave me goosebumps and nightmares for sure.
This story is full of action, a gory images and excitement and shooting and fighting and everything you could possibly want from a story like this.
I liked the characters too. Not much is known about them but in this case I don’t really mind because what they do on the island is what matters.
I will read more books by Michael Cole because I loved this one. Highly recommended.
THank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for my copy.
It seems a pretty straightforward job: rescue hostages and secure data. They need to travel to an isolated island where they have to almost immediately face their first problem: a huge storm is coming. But the storm will be the least of their problems. As they finally land on the island itself, they discover huge destruction and a platoon of hostile forces already on the run. But who caused this destruction? What made their enemy run? What they discover makes their blood freeze…it froze mine for sure.
I raced through The Pilot because I soooooo love stories about aliens. Michael Cole’s story gave me goosebumps and nightmares for sure.
This story is full of action, a gory images and excitement and shooting and fighting and everything you could possibly want from a story like this.
I liked the characters too. Not much is known about them but in this case I don’t really mind because what they do on the island is what matters.
I will read more books by Michael Cole because I loved this one. Highly recommended.
THank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for my copy.
February 20, 2019
With a fiery cover and a gripping description, "The Pilot" is something I couldn't pass up. I didn't even realize that it's written by an author that I've previously read, Michael Cole, who's book "Thresher" I read last year. After I found that out, however, I was even more interested, because I enjoyed that book. I would say that I liked this book just as much as the other one.
Check out my full review here!
https://radioactivebookreviews.wordpr...
Check out my full review here!
https://radioactivebookreviews.wordpr...
October 11, 2024
This book will inevitably draw comparisons with the movie Predator; this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it was a great film, and can sometimes be a draw for readers like me. Unfortunately, the alien in this one is pretty daft, even for a creature feature. Coupled with the main cast of characters being almost universally dislikable, and I’m afraid I can’t really recommend it. The author has done far better work.
I listened to this on Audible, and the narrator has a sort of beetle-browed intensity that did nothing for the story either.
I listened to this on Audible, and the narrator has a sort of beetle-browed intensity that did nothing for the story either.
January 29, 2024
A New Predator
The Pilot by Michael Cole is an extremely fun listen. The first two hours were so good with the mercenary/ CIA stuff I almost forgot this was a creature feature it was that good. However once the creature does show up the story just gets more exciting. The Pilot deff gave me Predator vibes while it’s off spring reminded me more of an Aliens vibe. The overall story is really engaging and a non stop thrill ride. I would recommend this to anyone and everyone.
The Pilot by Michael Cole is an extremely fun listen. The first two hours were so good with the mercenary/ CIA stuff I almost forgot this was a creature feature it was that good. However once the creature does show up the story just gets more exciting. The Pilot deff gave me Predator vibes while it’s off spring reminded me more of an Aliens vibe. The overall story is really engaging and a non stop thrill ride. I would recommend this to anyone and everyone.
August 1, 2024
Predator but not as good,
I can't really give the synopsis as it's just the story for Predator. Army soldiers big and badass fight a bigger badder alien that's kinda like an insect so I guess you can throw in some Alien in there?
I love monster stories and just carnage but I didn't enjoy this because it was SUCH a rip of Predator. The whole time I was just thinking how much better Predator is.
In movie terms, this is the Danny Devito to Arnold Schwarzenegger.
I can't really give the synopsis as it's just the story for Predator. Army soldiers big and badass fight a bigger badder alien that's kinda like an insect so I guess you can throw in some Alien in there?
I love monster stories and just carnage but I didn't enjoy this because it was SUCH a rip of Predator. The whole time I was just thinking how much better Predator is.
In movie terms, this is the Danny Devito to Arnold Schwarzenegger.
November 3, 2024
DNF. I quit right at the start of the 35th chapter. I got so pissed off at the wack assed. musclebound meathead. cro-magnon. poppycock. I speak of the dialog between the boss man and the two surviving ‘chicks’ left alive on the island. (Picture a drunken frat boy scratching himself “like dude, threesomes are like cool”) This book started of so well. And for it to come to this cliché garbage, is most infuriating.
May 23, 2021
Victor Seymour and his team of mercenaries are blackmailed by the CIA into a hostage rescue mission. Once they arrive on the scene, they soon realise that they are in way over there heads, as his team is slowly taken down, they are in a fight for there lives, up against a mysterious being not from earth. Good book that moves at a nice pace, with a good set of characters.
May 19, 2024
Get to the chopper!!
Oh no, wrong book… it must be hard to write a book about an elite team hunting an alien life form and not be similar to Predator.
This book has enough differences to not be a carbon copy of the film, but also comes pretty close at times.
Oh no, wrong book… it must be hard to write a book about an elite team hunting an alien life form and not be similar to Predator.
This book has enough differences to not be a carbon copy of the film, but also comes pretty close at times.
September 5, 2024
Alien meets Invasion of the body snatchers
They never expected the level of horror they ended up encountering. Creatures created from different lifeforms after being hatched. Created to continue to propagate and survive to hunt prey.
The ending was not as I expected.
They never expected the level of horror they ended up encountering. Creatures created from different lifeforms after being hatched. Created to continue to propagate and survive to hunt prey.
The ending was not as I expected.
August 4, 2019
Okay
Just another typical alien monster story. Sort of a combination of Alien, Predator, and, especially, The Thing from Another World.
Just another typical alien monster story. Sort of a combination of Alien, Predator, and, especially, The Thing from Another World.
August 5, 2019
THEM ILLEGAL ALIENS ARE AT IT AGAIN, THEY ARE...
Hello, this story was just plain okay. Not good, but not awful either. It just didn't grab your attention. Thanks.
Hello, this story was just plain okay. Not good, but not awful either. It just didn't grab your attention. Thanks.
April 7, 2022
When you order Predator from wish
February 17, 2023
If you enjoy lots of mindless killing and torture, this is the book for you. I did not find the story entertaining in the least.
March 8, 2023
Predator, but with some creepy additions.
May 9, 2023
I’ve read this ‘movie’ before. PREDATOR!!! Couldn’t finish it. some
Of Cole’s other books are very readable.
Of Cole’s other books are very readable.
January 1, 2025
It was pretty good.
March 6, 2019
Have you ever seen the Schwartzenegger film "Predetor"? If you have then there is no need to read "The Pilot". There is very little to distinguish between the two. Cole attempts to inject humor but does it rarely and fails. I will admit this is a good action novel but reading through constant blood and gore is difficult.
Want to read
May 17, 2019Review to come.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews