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Lockout
A passenger plane is electronically hijacked—and may be aimed at a target that could kill “A wild ride through the night sky.” —Capt. “Sully” Sullenberger, #1 New York Times–bestselling author Over the Atlantic in the dark of night, the electronic brain of Pangia Airlines Flight 10 quietly and without warning disconnects all the cockpit controls and reverses course on its own. The crew of the huge Airbus 330 at first senses nothing, the flight displays still showing them on course to New York. But with puzzled passengers reporting stars on the wrong side and growing alarm over the sudden failure of all their radios—not to mention armed fighters pulling alongside to force them to land—the confused pilots discover that Flight 10 is streaking back toward the hyper-volatile Middle East, and there is nothing they can do about it. An alphabet soup of federal agencies struggle for answers. Messages fly between Washington and Tel Aviv as suspicions grow about a plot to spark a nuclear war. The presence of a hated former head of state in first class fuels fearful speculation. As time and fuel run low, flying at full throttle toward a hostile border, Capt. Jerry Tollefson and First Officer Dan Horneman have to put their personal animosities aside and risk everything to wrest control from the electronic ghost holding them—and perhaps the world—on a course to certain disaster. And in the war room in Tel Aviv, the interim Prime Minister of Israel grapples with a horrifying choice between three hundred airborne lives and the probability of millions more casualties . . . “King of the modern-day aviation thriller.” —Publishers Weekly
414 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 15, 2016
457 people are currently reading
425 people want to read
About the author
John J. Nance
66 books227 followersJohn J. Nance is an American pilot, aviation safety expert, and author. He served in the USAF during the Vietnam War and also as a Lt. Colonel in Operation Desert Storm.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
November 8, 2016
What a great read this book is, fasted paced with a thrilling plot. The story unfolds from multiple view points and this really added to the suspense of the novel. This novel is about a plane being hacked and taken over remotely and given today's world you do not have to suspend belief to believe. The novel is a real page turner as you struggle along with the characters in the novel to solve the problem.. If you love technical detail and explanations you will love this novel, Nance really seems to know is stuff. If you love a good thriller this one is for you. I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review,
February 22, 2022
Overall, I was left disappointed by this book. As someone who works in the aviation industry (a former Airbus engineer, a private pilot, and a leasing executive), I knew I had to park reality at the door, and not let the technical inconsistencies or the inaccuracies of procedure influence my review. After all, it’s meant to be an aviation based thriller, which it is, and the quick pace of the book and short chapters keeps you turning the pages to find out what transpires.
The disappointment, for me, came from the writing style of the book; it was cliched, with unnecessary sexual overtones and objectification of women in the writing. Every female character had, at at least one if not multiple sexual references made about them, be that their looks or their sexual desires during what is supposed to be a major emergency. It’s clear from reading these passages that this was written by an older man purely to appeal to middle aged and older men. These are wholly unnecessary passages that really do not add to the narrative or character development.
While this is a story that will appeal to aviation enthusiasts, and makes for light and passive reading, it felt to me like Nance was purely writing this book with the singular aim of converting it into a movie at some later stage. There just isn’t that depth to the book or characters that I expect from fiction books, while it reads and feels like it’s at a level sufficient to form the script for a 90-120 minute movie. Regretfully, I cannot see any major production companies jumping on this one any time soon.
The disappointment, for me, came from the writing style of the book; it was cliched, with unnecessary sexual overtones and objectification of women in the writing. Every female character had, at at least one if not multiple sexual references made about them, be that their looks or their sexual desires during what is supposed to be a major emergency. It’s clear from reading these passages that this was written by an older man purely to appeal to middle aged and older men. These are wholly unnecessary passages that really do not add to the narrative or character development.
While this is a story that will appeal to aviation enthusiasts, and makes for light and passive reading, it felt to me like Nance was purely writing this book with the singular aim of converting it into a movie at some later stage. There just isn’t that depth to the book or characters that I expect from fiction books, while it reads and feels like it’s at a level sufficient to form the script for a 90-120 minute movie. Regretfully, I cannot see any major production companies jumping on this one any time soon.
November 15, 2016
If you love aviation thrillers, as do I, no one writes them better than John Nance and his new book due out in November is no exception.
This time a passenger jet, bound for New York from Israel, is technically high jacked. But not by the usual means. This time the crews finds themselves unable to control their aircraft at all or prevent it from making a complete 180 turn and heading back to Tel Aviv. And did I mention, the former Prime Minister of Israel is on board, maybe a part of this?
Buckle up! It's going to be a thriller ride!
Highly recommended!
This time a passenger jet, bound for New York from Israel, is technically high jacked. But not by the usual means. This time the crews finds themselves unable to control their aircraft at all or prevent it from making a complete 180 turn and heading back to Tel Aviv. And did I mention, the former Prime Minister of Israel is on board, maybe a part of this?
Buckle up! It's going to be a thriller ride!
Highly recommended!
October 3, 2016
*I received this book from NetGalley and WildBlue Press in return for a fair review.*
This is/was a quite thrilling, heart-pounding thrill-ride (hmm, I sound like I’m lifting something from a movie poster). Not start to finish, but a thrill-ride was in there.
It wasn’t a thrill-ride start to finish for an odd little reason – people. I didn’t particularly like any of the people/characters in the beginning, though most grew on me over time. Not necessarily to liking them so much as accepting them (though there were a few I grew to like). It was the human snippets that seemed a little much.
Like, I wasn’t sure why we needed the brief little POV snippets on the former Israeli PM’s mistress/Mossad plant. And all that stuff – all those pages after everything was ‘resolved’ – one way or another, seemed . . . anti-climatic. Some was probably needed, to a little extent, but mostly I found it annoying. I kept expecting to come to the end of a chapter and there’d be ‘The End’, but no, another chapter. Days/weeks/months later. Mmphs.
One major problem that I’ll put behind spoiler as it may or may not be fixed by the time the book is actually published.
Right. So. Previously to reading this book, I’d read three books by Nance.
This one here is about a plane, Pangia Airlines Flight 10 (Airbus 330), flying from Tel Aviv (well, from some point before that, though its initial starting point wasn’t mentioned) to New York (not sure if New York was ultimate end point). Roughly around Ireland, the plane makes a U-turn and heads back to Tel Aviv Israel. Everyone on the ground is confused and attempts to get a response from the plane – but no answer.
Meanwhile, most on the plane, and the pilots, are happily going along the way, thinking that they are still heading the correct direction. The instrument displays lied. And the pilots were actually locked out of control of the plane. But it took a while for them to notice – because of the lying instruments. Locked out of control, and locked out of radio communication.
Meanwhile it turns out that an Airplane storage facility has found out that they have accidentally switched two planes – sending one to Pangia Airlines when it belonged to a leasing company. Several people attempt to unravel what occurred, and fix this issue. Both planes involved are the same model Airbus.
Meanwhile times . . . um, three? There’s this woman working in NSA attempting to figure out some strange signal noise hiding in satellite communications. She calls in help from the DIA.
Several story lines and several point of views, though those were the three main ones – switched planes, NSA woman, and plane flying outside of its pilots control.
As mentioned, I enjoyed the book. As I normally do when I read a Nance book – not really sure why this is only my fourth I’ve read.
October 3 2016
This is/was a quite thrilling, heart-pounding thrill-ride (hmm, I sound like I’m lifting something from a movie poster). Not start to finish, but a thrill-ride was in there.
It wasn’t a thrill-ride start to finish for an odd little reason – people. I didn’t particularly like any of the people/characters in the beginning, though most grew on me over time. Not necessarily to liking them so much as accepting them (though there were a few I grew to like). It was the human snippets that seemed a little much.
Like, I wasn’t sure why we needed the brief little POV snippets on the former Israeli PM’s mistress/Mossad plant. And all that stuff – all those pages after everything was ‘resolved’ – one way or another, seemed . . . anti-climatic. Some was probably needed, to a little extent, but mostly I found it annoying. I kept expecting to come to the end of a chapter and there’d be ‘The End’, but no, another chapter. Days/weeks/months later. Mmphs.
One major problem that I’ll put behind spoiler as it may or may not be fixed by the time the book is actually published.
Right. So. Previously to reading this book, I’d read three books by Nance.
This one here is about a plane, Pangia Airlines Flight 10 (Airbus 330), flying from Tel Aviv (well, from some point before that, though its initial starting point wasn’t mentioned) to New York (not sure if New York was ultimate end point). Roughly around Ireland, the plane makes a U-turn and heads back to Tel Aviv Israel. Everyone on the ground is confused and attempts to get a response from the plane – but no answer.
Meanwhile, most on the plane, and the pilots, are happily going along the way, thinking that they are still heading the correct direction. The instrument displays lied. And the pilots were actually locked out of control of the plane. But it took a while for them to notice – because of the lying instruments. Locked out of control, and locked out of radio communication.
Meanwhile it turns out that an Airplane storage facility has found out that they have accidentally switched two planes – sending one to Pangia Airlines when it belonged to a leasing company. Several people attempt to unravel what occurred, and fix this issue. Both planes involved are the same model Airbus.
Meanwhile times . . . um, three? There’s this woman working in NSA attempting to figure out some strange signal noise hiding in satellite communications. She calls in help from the DIA.
Several story lines and several point of views, though those were the three main ones – switched planes, NSA woman, and plane flying outside of its pilots control.
As mentioned, I enjoyed the book. As I normally do when I read a Nance book – not really sure why this is only my fourth I’ve read.
October 3 2016
March 2, 2022
I usually like a aviation disaster as long as it is in fiction. I know there will be lots of technical jargon and coming-of-age stories and underdogs turning heroes. Even though I know the passengers are going to get saved in the end, the whole plot of 'how' they manage to get out, makes it exciting.
This book was also similar and had its nail-biting moments. But once everyone started spouting far fetched conspiracy theories, it started feeling like a video game.
Added to that, there were so many groups separately working to save the plane and not trusting each other. I would have preferred if all the action was on the plane.
Will and Jenny's track was super boring. She just finds the code and pops into the white house without prior appointment to give the code?
Why do these disaster thrillers have only one person having access to the entire code and no backup for a secretive mission? I am not interested in these usual tropes anymore.
For me, the best fiction on aviation disaster was the Runway Zero-Eight and Airport both by Arthur Hailey.
This book was also similar and had its nail-biting moments. But once everyone started spouting far fetched conspiracy theories, it started feeling like a video game.
Added to that, there were so many groups separately working to save the plane and not trusting each other. I would have preferred if all the action was on the plane.
Will and Jenny's track was super boring. She just finds the code and pops into the white house without prior appointment to give the code?
Why do these disaster thrillers have only one person having access to the entire code and no backup for a secretive mission? I am not interested in these usual tropes anymore.
For me, the best fiction on aviation disaster was the Runway Zero-Eight and Airport both by Arthur Hailey.
September 27, 2016
As usual Nance creates a world of tension, complications, in depth knowledge of the aviation industry and imparts this to his readers in a succinct, easily understood manner through the voices of his likable, strong characters. In each of his novels I am impressed by his technical k owlege and awareness of what such specific types of characters go through emotionally.
Always well worth your time
Always well worth your time
April 10, 2024
This was a high tension thriller of a frightening scenario with the potential of devastating proportions. Well done.
August 22, 2017
I am about halfway thru and it's a cliffhanger scary story.
especially if you can imagine yourself in the aircraft.
Looking forward to the ending.
especially if you can imagine yourself in the aircraft.
Looking forward to the ending.
October 1, 2016
https://perfmaverick.wordpress.com/20...
Would I love to see Tom Hanks play the protagonist maneuvering a 240 tonne plane with absolutely no possible machine control?
HELL YEAH!
Imagine you're sitting comfortably in the aisle seat of an airplane and reading a novel which you'd picked up before getting on the flight. You're devouring the pages and slowly you drift off into a blissful deep slumber. Eons pass and, suddenly, you wake up with a startle, look out the window and you "feel" that the plane is performing a steep turn. You ignore it, though. But several minutes later, the captain announces that the plane has done a 180 degree flip and the cockpit is locked out with no working controls for the pilots. In short, the plane is now effectively a "hung system". You're gobsmacked and then swooped right back into suspense of the next chapter!
Pick up any page in Lockout and the tension is crackling, akin to what rattled you previous paragraph. This is an aviation thriller which has every element required of a typical Hollywood action feature. Mystery brews in this action thriller and takes the shape of an epic international conspiracy. Intelligence agencies of multiple countries are involved to assess the situation which seems to spiral out of control every second.
Start the book and it turns into a comfortable read, thanks to brilliant writing and some wonderfully crafted suspense. There is but one problem(for me) and that is the use of the innumerable aviation jargons. There are some heavy terms - paragraphs related to aviation and avionics - used at several places and they tend to go over your head at times. While such technical terms are necessary for the author to bring in a sense of realism and authenticity, it can, I feel, dilute the overall impact sometimes due to its excessive usage.
This was otherwise a breezy read for most of its 400+ pages and the way the whole conspiratorial mess is solved in the last few chapters is quite interesting. So, if you can excuse the plot heavy techno-jargons, Lockout should be a proper thriller experience for a weekend.
I've tried my best not to spoil the plot and to keep the review simple and concise. Hope you enjoy the book.
Would I love to see Tom Hanks play the protagonist maneuvering a 240 tonne plane with absolutely no possible machine control?
HELL YEAH!
Imagine you're sitting comfortably in the aisle seat of an airplane and reading a novel which you'd picked up before getting on the flight. You're devouring the pages and slowly you drift off into a blissful deep slumber. Eons pass and, suddenly, you wake up with a startle, look out the window and you "feel" that the plane is performing a steep turn. You ignore it, though. But several minutes later, the captain announces that the plane has done a 180 degree flip and the cockpit is locked out with no working controls for the pilots. In short, the plane is now effectively a "hung system". You're gobsmacked and then swooped right back into suspense of the next chapter!
Pick up any page in Lockout and the tension is crackling, akin to what rattled you previous paragraph. This is an aviation thriller which has every element required of a typical Hollywood action feature. Mystery brews in this action thriller and takes the shape of an epic international conspiracy. Intelligence agencies of multiple countries are involved to assess the situation which seems to spiral out of control every second.
Start the book and it turns into a comfortable read, thanks to brilliant writing and some wonderfully crafted suspense. There is but one problem(for me) and that is the use of the innumerable aviation jargons. There are some heavy terms - paragraphs related to aviation and avionics - used at several places and they tend to go over your head at times. While such technical terms are necessary for the author to bring in a sense of realism and authenticity, it can, I feel, dilute the overall impact sometimes due to its excessive usage.
This was otherwise a breezy read for most of its 400+ pages and the way the whole conspiratorial mess is solved in the last few chapters is quite interesting. So, if you can excuse the plot heavy techno-jargons, Lockout should be a proper thriller experience for a weekend.
I've tried my best not to spoil the plot and to keep the review simple and concise. Hope you enjoy the book.
October 31, 2016
John Nance has been called the "master of the aviation thriller" and in "Lockout", his first book in ten years, he proves he fully deserves that title.
"Lockout" narrates in real-time the battle to save a stricken airliner, from the ground and on the plane itself, as time (and fuel) run out. The "Lockout" in the title relates to the pilots being unable to regain control of the plane after its in-flight controls lock: not by accident but rather by deliberate electronic interference. Nance is an aviation veteran and the technical detail provided in the book, which add to the vivid reality of the drama, is excellently described by the former airline and test pilot. The drama is set amidst sky high Middle East tension between Iran and Israel and allows insight into the rivalry between the various American intelligence agencies as the suspicion develops that Pangia 10's plight is the result of an undercover Black Op gone wrong.
Packed full of action, thrill, political intrigue and tension this book is bound to be a bestseller and deservedly so.
(My review was based on an eBook file provided to me free of charge by the publisher through NetGalley. My review is totally independent.)
"Lockout" narrates in real-time the battle to save a stricken airliner, from the ground and on the plane itself, as time (and fuel) run out. The "Lockout" in the title relates to the pilots being unable to regain control of the plane after its in-flight controls lock: not by accident but rather by deliberate electronic interference. Nance is an aviation veteran and the technical detail provided in the book, which add to the vivid reality of the drama, is excellently described by the former airline and test pilot. The drama is set amidst sky high Middle East tension between Iran and Israel and allows insight into the rivalry between the various American intelligence agencies as the suspicion develops that Pangia 10's plight is the result of an undercover Black Op gone wrong.
Packed full of action, thrill, political intrigue and tension this book is bound to be a bestseller and deservedly so.
(My review was based on an eBook file provided to me free of charge by the publisher through NetGalley. My review is totally independent.)
November 30, 2017
I read it in one sitting because it was too good to put down, but I didn't enjoy it as much as Blackout and Turbulence, which were altogether more suspenseful with more developed sympathetic characters. I'm an academic and human rights researchers that works in the Middle East, so on the geopolitical front, the plot also didn't make sense. But then I don't live in the United States where news networks bombard me with the Donald Trump/John McCain view of Iran as a country of mad suicidal people with whom one cannot negotiate which, given all the times the United States and Iran have cooperated on issues, is just straight wrong.
July 10, 2023
Riveting read.
Loved the premise of the story which is becoming much more of a real possibility. I prefer flying in older planes that don't have computer controls. Fly by wire planes are inherently dependent upon excellent programmers. I prefer a good pilot who doesn't depend on computer decision making.
Enjoyed how he wove politics into the story, and based the decision to use a drone-like device to control a passenger aircraft to avoid future 9/11s. Lots of intrigue and action. I recommend it.
Loved the premise of the story which is becoming much more of a real possibility. I prefer flying in older planes that don't have computer controls. Fly by wire planes are inherently dependent upon excellent programmers. I prefer a good pilot who doesn't depend on computer decision making.
Enjoyed how he wove politics into the story, and based the decision to use a drone-like device to control a passenger aircraft to avoid future 9/11s. Lots of intrigue and action. I recommend it.
November 28, 2016
While this book was fairly well-written, I can't give it more than 3 stars... primarily because it's a theme that's been overworked in the past couple of years, and this rendition doesn't contain many elements that elevate it from the rest of the crowd. If this is a theme that's of continual interest to you, then I'm sure you'll enjoy it. For me, it was just too "here we go again" to get me excited or immersed in the plot.
September 9, 2022
WOW! Amazing Read.
I do a lot of light reading interspersed with thrillers or mysteries; David Baldacci, Dan Brown or Tom Clancy or the like. I never read any by John J. Nance but Lockout captured my interest and what a book! It is the definition of “page turner”. I couldn’t read fast enough and it kept me at the edge of my seat. I definitely will look for another John J. Nance book.
I do a lot of light reading interspersed with thrillers or mysteries; David Baldacci, Dan Brown or Tom Clancy or the like. I never read any by John J. Nance but Lockout captured my interest and what a book! It is the definition of “page turner”. I couldn’t read fast enough and it kept me at the edge of my seat. I definitely will look for another John J. Nance book.
October 24, 2016
A definite page turner. Great story keeps you in the middle of the action. We all hear about technology hacking, so this is not as far-fetched as it would have seemed a few years ago. Just hope it doesn't happen for real. Extremely readable and totally enjoyable.
December 24, 2016
Wonderful read. Great character development and almost believable.
Plot was complex, but not daunting as sometimes happens in techno thrillers. The combination of current events with political ideology was brilliant.
Plot was complex, but not daunting as sometimes happens in techno thrillers. The combination of current events with political ideology was brilliant.
December 2, 2019
Convoluted Thriller on Steriods
There were too many subplots in this novel to follow. The story itself was more of a political thriller than just an air flight novel. To bring the story to a satisfying end, the author tied the loose ends of the plots too neatly.
There were too many subplots in this novel to follow. The story itself was more of a political thriller than just an air flight novel. To bring the story to a satisfying end, the author tied the loose ends of the plots too neatly.
February 10, 2017
Loved it!
Excellent story in true John J Nance style! Characters and story line are carried though the end. I enjoyed it.
Excellent story in true John J Nance style! Characters and story line are carried though the end. I enjoyed it.
July 15, 2017
OK as far as thrillers go. The mystery of why and who sabotaged the plane kept me reading but the resolution was ultimately not very satisfying; a bit too farfetched and complicated.
January 27, 2020
Too drawn out.
Usual enjoy books about in-flight drama. This book was convoluted and too drawn out. Too much technical information and too many characters with no large roles.
Usual enjoy books about in-flight drama. This book was convoluted and too drawn out. Too much technical information and too many characters with no large roles.
October 19, 2017
Something very strange is happening at 35,000 feet. A misplaced and unresponsive Airbus is feeding false data to its pilots, assuring them that they're halfway over the Atlantic and nearing New York, but any glance out the window tells the crew they're headed across France and seemingly towards Tel Aviv. The Airbus is carrying an ousted Israeli prime minister, who did everything he could to push Israel and Iran over the brink of war while in office. In DC, three intelligence agencies and the Department of Defense are scrambling over one another's toes and endangering innocent lives trying to figure out what's going on and what to do next. If the Airbus continues on its present course, it could very well pass over the border of Iran and trigger a nuclear war between the mullahs and the Israelis. Such is the story of Lockout, in which a couple of pilots and their passengers become the unwitting collateral damage of one or more black ops projects.
Confession: I didn't realize aviation thrillers were a genre. I've seen plenty of crisis-on-an-airplane movies course -- Air Force One, Taken, Flightplan, Nonstop, etc -- but didn't imagine that kind of dramaa could be rendered in books. Well, John Nance has certainly proven me wrong. Lockout's narrative takes readers through diplomatic intrigue, technical puzzles, street chases, counterespionage schemes, jet combat, and ordinary "whodunit" questions. The author, a Vietnam pilot turned airline pilot, doesn't shy away from putting his technical knowledge about jet aircraft to work; the key problem of the story is that computer controls over the Airbus have ceased to function, and manual control systems...well, those are soooooo 1980s. Restoring control of the plane to the pilots involves descending into the pit of the electronics bay and figuring out the power and wiring relays down there enough to interrupt the automatics without reducing the plane to a falling airframe. Admittedly, characters working through circuit logic with one another might not reach a large audience, so these scenes are only part of the ensemble of mystery. The main plot takes place over a matter of four hours, as several on-the-ground mysteries converge into the one -- a plane that delivered where it shouldn't have been, whose electrical work doesn't match Airbus specs, who had intelligence agencies looking for it before they even knew it was in trouble, and which might provoke World War 3. For fans of thrillers and airflight, this is a fun one.
Confession: I didn't realize aviation thrillers were a genre. I've seen plenty of crisis-on-an-airplane movies course -- Air Force One, Taken, Flightplan, Nonstop, etc -- but didn't imagine that kind of dramaa could be rendered in books. Well, John Nance has certainly proven me wrong. Lockout's narrative takes readers through diplomatic intrigue, technical puzzles, street chases, counterespionage schemes, jet combat, and ordinary "whodunit" questions. The author, a Vietnam pilot turned airline pilot, doesn't shy away from putting his technical knowledge about jet aircraft to work; the key problem of the story is that computer controls over the Airbus have ceased to function, and manual control systems...well, those are soooooo 1980s. Restoring control of the plane to the pilots involves descending into the pit of the electronics bay and figuring out the power and wiring relays down there enough to interrupt the automatics without reducing the plane to a falling airframe. Admittedly, characters working through circuit logic with one another might not reach a large audience, so these scenes are only part of the ensemble of mystery. The main plot takes place over a matter of four hours, as several on-the-ground mysteries converge into the one -- a plane that delivered where it shouldn't have been, whose electrical work doesn't match Airbus specs, who had intelligence agencies looking for it before they even knew it was in trouble, and which might provoke World War 3. For fans of thrillers and airflight, this is a fun one.
October 9, 2023
I really wanted to like this book. I’d probably rate it a 2 1/2 stars because it was a quick read.
I absolutely cringed at the way this author incorporates—what he must assume is—spicy talk.
Good lord the fact that some of these characters were in their 30s or older, saying some of the things about sex that they said?? Yiiiiiiikes. It was bad. Real bad.
Like, think how 7th grade kids would discuss sex? That’s how half of it sounds. The other half is just very weirdly placed—like several sexual references/jokes in the White House Situation Room while everyone’s panicking to get intel on a possibly hijacked plane.
Example of weird sexual comments (I tried to keep it as spoiler-free as possible but be aware):
A girl gets chased down by a guy she’s working with and when he catches her she just jumps right in and asks him if ‘he’s going to rape her,’ and if that’s the case, ‘have at it you bastard.’
Then it continues on the very next page where he tells her he’s not who she thinks he is and she doesn’t believe that, so, being the professional adult she is, she tells him this, right?
Not quite.
What she actually tells him, is she ‘believes’ him about as much as she believes she’s a guy—then promptly tells him to ‘yank her panties down and see for himself’.
Like, ma’am? What??
Overall just really weird stuff . . . And I’m always down for a spicy/dirty novel, but the stuff in this one was just . . . Bad and badly placed. Honestly, while I don’t recommend it, you’d really just have to read it to see for yourself. It won’t take you long to find one because they’re littered in damn near every chapter.
The other issue I had, and I’d really need to download a digital copy to see for myself, but holy mother of ‘as-you-know-Jerry’. I want to Ctrl+F (word find) this phrase so I have an actual number to use, but almost every conversation in this book has characters using this ‘as you know’ line.
Not to mention the name dropping in dialogue. I’ve never read a book that had this many people using each other’s names in my life. What even was this?
The plot was alright. It kept me interested enough although the onslaught of super cringey sex comments nearly made me put it down. Just talk like sexually experienced adults, please! Not like hormonal teenagers and definitely not when your characters are in their 30s.
I absolutely cringed at the way this author incorporates—what he must assume is—spicy talk.
Good lord the fact that some of these characters were in their 30s or older, saying some of the things about sex that they said?? Yiiiiiiikes. It was bad. Real bad.
Like, think how 7th grade kids would discuss sex? That’s how half of it sounds. The other half is just very weirdly placed—like several sexual references/jokes in the White House Situation Room while everyone’s panicking to get intel on a possibly hijacked plane.
Example of weird sexual comments (I tried to keep it as spoiler-free as possible but be aware):
A girl gets chased down by a guy she’s working with and when he catches her she just jumps right in and asks him if ‘he’s going to rape her,’ and if that’s the case, ‘have at it you bastard.’
Then it continues on the very next page where he tells her he’s not who she thinks he is and she doesn’t believe that, so, being the professional adult she is, she tells him this, right?
Not quite.
What she actually tells him, is she ‘believes’ him about as much as she believes she’s a guy—then promptly tells him to ‘yank her panties down and see for himself’.
Like, ma’am? What??
Overall just really weird stuff . . . And I’m always down for a spicy/dirty novel, but the stuff in this one was just . . . Bad and badly placed. Honestly, while I don’t recommend it, you’d really just have to read it to see for yourself. It won’t take you long to find one because they’re littered in damn near every chapter.
The other issue I had, and I’d really need to download a digital copy to see for myself, but holy mother of ‘as-you-know-Jerry’. I want to Ctrl+F (word find) this phrase so I have an actual number to use, but almost every conversation in this book has characters using this ‘as you know’ line.
Not to mention the name dropping in dialogue. I’ve never read a book that had this many people using each other’s names in my life. What even was this?
The plot was alright. It kept me interested enough although the onslaught of super cringey sex comments nearly made me put it down. Just talk like sexually experienced adults, please! Not like hormonal teenagers and definitely not when your characters are in their 30s.
July 17, 2017
When I was presented the option of purchasing this book at an inexpensive price, I nearly did not take the option. I have read so, so, so, many fictional books with an aviation background that were horrible, usually because the author didn't really understand how airplanes worked. In fact, I have the same problem with many, if not most, general science based fiction. If the science isn't right, or in this case if the airplane and flying information isn't right, the book sucks. I don't care how compelling the story might be. I care not how tight the actual writing may be. The science has to work. (OK a Sci-Fi book is allowed one or two stretches, or even downright breaking of scientific laws, as long as THEY KNOW IT and have some EXPLANATION for it, however superficial it may be.
(Yes, I do have an engineering background. I do work in the aviation field. I have actually flown an airplane a couple times, performing instrument approaches no less.)
Then I read the author profile. I read some of the reviews. I decided that this book had a chance. And am I ever glad I did. I think I may have discovered a new go-to author for a thriller with an aviation focus. Were there stretches? Probably. But were there any blatant, "There's no way in hell that will work" entries. Not that I detected.
Great book.
(Yes, I do have an engineering background. I do work in the aviation field. I have actually flown an airplane a couple times, performing instrument approaches no less.)
Then I read the author profile. I read some of the reviews. I decided that this book had a chance. And am I ever glad I did. I think I may have discovered a new go-to author for a thriller with an aviation focus. Were there stretches? Probably. But were there any blatant, "There's no way in hell that will work" entries. Not that I detected.
Great book.
July 13, 2018
WildBlue Press and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Lockout. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.
John J. Nance has extensive knowledge of the world of aviation, both as a pilot and as an analyst. This is evident in his novels, as his terror in the skies plot lines are intricately detailed and suitably frightening.
After the cockpit controls lose power for a minute, they come back online with crucial differences. All communications with the ground have been severed and the aircraft is no longer heading to their desired destination. As it becomes increasingly clear that the new flight path will take the airplane over restricted airspace, it is up to the pilot, copilot, and crew to figure out how to return home safely.
As the element of surprise is what draws me to reading the novels of John J. Nance, I do not want to spoil Lockout for other readers. I would suggest that this book be read while on the ground and preferably well before any scheduled flights. I am glad that this is a work of fiction, or I might have given it some thought before taking to the skies myself. Readers who like well written thrillers that take place in the world of aviation will enjoy, not only Lockout, but the other novels by this veteran author.
John J. Nance has extensive knowledge of the world of aviation, both as a pilot and as an analyst. This is evident in his novels, as his terror in the skies plot lines are intricately detailed and suitably frightening.
After the cockpit controls lose power for a minute, they come back online with crucial differences. All communications with the ground have been severed and the aircraft is no longer heading to their desired destination. As it becomes increasingly clear that the new flight path will take the airplane over restricted airspace, it is up to the pilot, copilot, and crew to figure out how to return home safely.
As the element of surprise is what draws me to reading the novels of John J. Nance, I do not want to spoil Lockout for other readers. I would suggest that this book be read while on the ground and preferably well before any scheduled flights. I am glad that this is a work of fiction, or I might have given it some thought before taking to the skies myself. Readers who like well written thrillers that take place in the world of aviation will enjoy, not only Lockout, but the other novels by this veteran author.
September 25, 2022
I can only describe this book as a car wreck: awful but you can't look away. I debated giving up on this book several times but wanted to know the outcome of the electronically hijacked plane.
The premise was interesting but that's where the positive ended for me. Characters were one dimensional and women were written exceedingly poorly. There was barely a passage with a female character that didn't reduce her to being a sexual object. Several of the other characters weren't treated much better. The pilot was a former Navy pilot yet incapable of handling a stressful situation. The co-pilot was all "people hate me because I am rich." There was an electrical engineer for whom a drone was a completely novel concept.
I also found the dialogue cringeworthy. Writing dialogue that sounds realistic and natural is a talent that isn't fully appreciated until you read something that is overwrought, corny and makes you literally groan at how bad it is.
The final straw for me was an amateur grammatical error when referring to being followed by a car and saying "it's headlights" instead of "its headlights".
I am sure that writing a book is extremely difficult and I wish all the best to this author. Unfortunately, this book didn't do it for me.
The premise was interesting but that's where the positive ended for me. Characters were one dimensional and women were written exceedingly poorly. There was barely a passage with a female character that didn't reduce her to being a sexual object. Several of the other characters weren't treated much better. The pilot was a former Navy pilot yet incapable of handling a stressful situation. The co-pilot was all "people hate me because I am rich." There was an electrical engineer for whom a drone was a completely novel concept.
I also found the dialogue cringeworthy. Writing dialogue that sounds realistic and natural is a talent that isn't fully appreciated until you read something that is overwrought, corny and makes you literally groan at how bad it is.
The final straw for me was an amateur grammatical error when referring to being followed by a car and saying "it's headlights" instead of "its headlights".
I am sure that writing a book is extremely difficult and I wish all the best to this author. Unfortunately, this book didn't do it for me.
November 25, 2023
Pangia Airlines flight 10 left Tel Aviv for an 11 hour flight to New York. Once it began to cross the Atlantic Ocean passengers and crew began to notice that constellations seemed to be on the wrong side of the plane and somehow they were seeing land mass and lights below them. Impossible, as all the cockpit indicators showed that the plane was still on course and should be over water. Suddenly the pilots realize that the instruments are locked, there is no radio communication and a rudimentary compass shows the plane headed back towards the Middle East. Something is seriously wrong and the flight crew is unable to change it.
The governments of the US and Israel believe the plane has been hijacked and fear that it may be headed for Iran which would cause an enormous international incident if not the start of a nuclear war. The fact that a deposed Israeli official with a hawkish agenda is on board Pangia 10 complicate matters. Has he somehow electronically sabotaged the airliner? Tensions accelerate as the Israeli Prime Minister weighs shooting down a plane full of innocent people before Iran does so.
Except for quite a bit of aviation tech speak this was a thrill ride from start to finish. Nance can definitely write suspenseful stories and I loved it.
The governments of the US and Israel believe the plane has been hijacked and fear that it may be headed for Iran which would cause an enormous international incident if not the start of a nuclear war. The fact that a deposed Israeli official with a hawkish agenda is on board Pangia 10 complicate matters. Has he somehow electronically sabotaged the airliner? Tensions accelerate as the Israeli Prime Minister weighs shooting down a plane full of innocent people before Iran does so.
Except for quite a bit of aviation tech speak this was a thrill ride from start to finish. Nance can definitely write suspenseful stories and I loved it.
April 20, 2019
I have always been thrilled to see a John J. Nance show up in a search, and this time was no exception. My experience with his previous works has been always positive, and this one did not disappoint. LOCKOUT is a fast-paced, well-written, action-packed thriller of the sky. Nance delivers a concisely written political thriller that is current and intelligent, and, therefore, quite frightening. His characters are well developed and believable. While at the heart of this plot is the nature of coincidence versus control, Nance does create several coincidental events beyond those essential to the plot that try the readers' suspension of disbelief, including a well-timed car wreck and an unfortunate bout with the worst flu ever. I think we had enough to do in trying to accept the coincidences surrounding the flight. We did not need more to get the point across that if we set certain things in motion, we may just lose control and suffer the consequences we believed would never have been unleashed without our directive. Once again, I was very pleased with Nance's work and would recommend it highly. My only regret is that he doesn't publish more often.
January 4, 2020
This book is filled with the most exciting details and adventurous complicated venues I have ever read it is a wonderful book to read and read and read finish it in 23 days you’ll enjoy it and remember it foreverThis book because of the details and the venues and the things that are happening today which parallel the exciting avenues of adventure with your happening in the book it’s hard to believe the book was not published this very day because of the news which is enveloping the whole country is book seems real and probably could happen
The details in the book keep you guessing from time to time and the places and the fax which are portrayed one never knows what exactly is happening at any given time nor is it possible to guess the ending of this book which makes it so pleasurable read it probably twice and then you’ll realize how much it portrays news events that are even happening today
The details in the book keep you guessing from time to time and the places and the fax which are portrayed one never knows what exactly is happening at any given time nor is it possible to guess the ending of this book which makes it so pleasurable read it probably twice and then you’ll realize how much it portrays news events that are even happening today
October 5, 2017
This is a good thriller that has some pretty intense moments – the author does a great job of making you feel as if you are right in the middle of the action and scenes. The author knows a lot about planes and avionics, and does a pretty good job of not only weaving that into his story but being able to break it down into understandable concepts for those of us who are not so inclined. The conclusion was refreshing – it had an ending but left the possibility there could be more with the characters: I would be fine either way and I wouldn’t mind reading more from this author.
I picked this one up for 99 cents during a Kindle promotion vs. its regular price of $6.99 - if you like engaging thrillers, I would recommend this one as I certainly received more than $6.99 worth of entertainment value.
I picked this one up for 99 cents during a Kindle promotion vs. its regular price of $6.99 - if you like engaging thrillers, I would recommend this one as I certainly received more than $6.99 worth of entertainment value.
January 17, 2023
While I don't think any special aviation knowledge is needed to enjoy the book; as a pilot, I especially appreciated the technical accuracy and realistic portrayal of what could be real interpersonal dynamics on the flight deck. While the conflicts here were perhaps a little larger than life, they were somewhat magnified versions of the dysfunction (and function) that can happen. Crews spend a lot of time training how to work together in difficult situations and this explores that (among other things)
The book also plays on that, usually subliminal, concern about being in control that accompanies computer controlled, fly by wire, aircraft. Although thus concern doesn't really happen in the real world, it still resonates with many.
A great story, it keeps one engaged and doesn't upset those in the field with inaccuracies like so many aviation themed tales do.
The book also plays on that, usually subliminal, concern about being in control that accompanies computer controlled, fly by wire, aircraft. Although thus concern doesn't really happen in the real world, it still resonates with many.
A great story, it keeps one engaged and doesn't upset those in the field with inaccuracies like so many aviation themed tales do.
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