Foxbat

Paul Richter #3

by James Barrington, Peter Stuart Smith

The third high-octane techno-espionage thriller featuring agent Paul Richter In 1976, a Russian front-line pilot defected to Japan in a MiG-25 Foxbat interceptor, flying virtually at sea level to avoid pursuing fighters and surface-to-air missiles. With about 30 seconds of fuel remaining, he landed at Hakodate Airport, bursting a tire and skidding off the runway. Before the aircraft was handed back to the Russians, American intelligence agencies reduced it to a pile of components and then rebuilt it—but they completely failed to realize the purpose for which the Foxbat was created. Now, American satellites have detected unusual activity at several Algerian air bases, and at Aïn Oussera one large hangar has been cordoned off and armed guards posted outside. Western intelligence agencies suspect that Algeria might be planning an attack on Libya or Morocco, and that they might be keeping new aircraft or weapon systems in the guarded hangar at Aïn Oussera. The only way to find out is to get someone to look inside the building, and it will have to be a covert insertion. This is where Paul Richter is called in, as "a deniable asset," in an exciting non-stop thriller that moves rapidly through Bulgaria, Russia, and ultimately North Korea

Genres: Thriller, Fiction

456 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2007

About the author

I also write as Max Adams, James Becker, Tom Kasey, Thomas Payne and Jack Steel.

Reviews

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perhaps one of the more interesting North Korea scenarios other than a full scale war like Larry Bonds or Tom Clancy. Office 39, the North Korean's agency responsible for black ops, has concocted a daring but complex plan: steal MiG-25 Foxbats, bring them to North Korea, recruit foreign mercenaries, and then attack Seoul with nukes. All the while, daring the hated West to attack first to give the NK the pretext to invade.

It's up to Paul Richter to figure it out. Now, I have not read the first two books in the series but I feel like you don't necessarily have to because the author does not make references to previous books in the series. You can jump right in and follow Paul. He might be a rival for James Bond, minus the seducing women, or having taunting super-villains to reveal their nefarious plans at the last minute, or the gadgets from Q-Branch. Richter has his own charm.

[Josef Tadich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, so I have a new favorite junk-food writer! Move over Preston & Child, agent Pendergast has a new contender with Paul Richter.

It’s like Michael Crichton had a love child with Tom Clancy: North Korean espionage, stolen Soviet-era aircraft, nuclear and biological weapons, secret underground test labs (are there any other kind?). All shaken up in a cocktail mixer of plausible detail and poured over an ice-filled glass of realistic action sequences.

Why is this not a film by James Cameron yet? Awesome!

[Walt Mccluskey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Foxbat

Another detailed flying adventure with real situations and logical order to the plot and the telling. Barrington seems able to fully develop a tale from one or two simple truths that rings true from start to finish.

[Harry · Rating 4 out of 5]

By its title, one would think that this book is about the MiG-25, an obsolete Russian-built interceptor without solid-state circuitry. That is only partially true. It is more about an ambitious plan for North Korea to invade the South while threatening the U.S. and Japan with nuclear weapons. It is British covert asset and Harrier pilot, Paul Richter, to thwart N. Korea's intentions.

Barrington displays his extensive knowledge of Korean politics and military capabilities. The author builds tension to the invasion by the frequent interplay between North Korean aggression and the U.S. and British response to it. The finale depicts a dog fight between the supersonic MiG-25 Foxbat and the slower, but vary agile Harrier jump jet.

[Monroe Bryant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Action packed

Lots of action but many technical,terms that are not fully explained until you read the glossary. Otherwise a good read.

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

Very good and exciting. Never a dull moment. The author keeps you turning the pages and or the edge of your seat. Can't wait to start on book 5

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining!

High excitement. Better than the last book and more true to the Richter character. Fun to see the brits come to the rescue time and time again.

[Michael Sannes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good story, timeless and fun

Like the flying and weapons description. Well written fun book. Would definitely recommend it. Author has great knowledge of flying

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richter flies again

Another great adventure with our underrated protagonist, Paul Richter. This time, he’s in a more military rather than espionage setting, though it still works.

[Brian Turner · Rating 2 out of 5]

Previous books featuring Paul Richter were quite good (Overkill, Pandemic). In this one, he follows orders, goes where he's told, finds out what he's meant to find out, and reports back to base.

The premise of the story is quite good, but Richter has very little to do. This isn't a Bond-esque car chases, shoot outs, spying type of novel. It picks up in the last 50 pages or so but is otherwise a bit of a slog to get there.

[Neville · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book to waste your day on. The story line focused on the nut cases in North Korea and seems to fit in with the opinions about them today. Paul Richter is the main focus of the story and needs to find out what has happened to some stolen aircraft.

You will enjoy the read and makes a change from the usual storylines.

[Andrea Dashwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excting

Once I started reading I couldn't stop - no dinner got cooked and I missed the end of the tour de France - THAT could only result from "an unputdownable". That is what this is. Great writing style too.

[Shwetabh Mathur · Rating 4 out of 5]

ok... there is virtually non existent dogfight with the foxbat

[Billy Forbes]

great techno thriller.