I just finished reading an extremely good book that was so thrilling I couldn’t stop reading. It’s my first read from this author and I cannot wait to get into another one in the Jack Lamburt Vigilante Justice Thriller series. I haven’t read a book like this in a long time that really had me waiting to turn every page since there was so many actions, twists, and turns. I held my breath many times wondering what was going to happen next. I was surprised by some of the reviews being so negative but it’s got my vote 100%. Yes, there was bad language, and some of the things that happened are a far stretch but so what it’s a book and a very enjoyable book. I’m glad I got to read it and look forward to more from the author. ( )

The story is good and well written. The characters are quite shallow, but the author makes this seem realistic. The pace is good. ( )

WARNING: If you are a nervous flyer DO NOT read this book!

Wow, what a rollercoaster ride Airliner Down turned out to be. The plot felt scarily plausible in today's world and it was obvious that the author is a seasoned pilot himself because his knowledge of planes and flying was extensive.

The prologue had me on the edge of my seat and, although the first few chapters were slow as characters were introduced and events leading up to the explosion were developed, the rest of the novel was action-packed. I haven't any nails left! True, there were so many life-threatening incidents that the passengers and crew of Flight 2262 had to face that they began to stretch the imagination, however, they were all part of the overall excitement of this novel.

With engaging characters and full of suspense and drama, Airliner Down was hard to put down and would make a fabulous disaster movie. I will be looking for more books by this author. ( )

2.5 stars rounded up to 3. I felt this book was too over the top. Most of the characters were little more than cardboard cutouts. It's a decent beach read but too many times the events depicted pulled me right out of the story. I'm disappointed because the number of 4 and 5 star reviews led me to believe that this would be a much better book. ( )

Airliner Down by John Etzil is a sit on the edge of your seat suspense story that is difficult to put down. Two hours into the flight to Hawaii, a bomb explodes in the nose of the aircraft and has devastating results on the passenger jet; a portion of the fuselage is blown away and passengers, still belted into their seats, are sucked out enmass into the atmosphere. Miraculously, the plane is still flying but nobody is able to communicate with the pilots. Are they still alive? Who is flying the plane? Will the survivors land safely in the tropical paradise? Who will save them?

Kevin, an off-duty pilot and passenger is en-route to Hawaii to meet a fellow employee for a week-long vacation. After the explosion, he checks his phone's gps app to check their location and search for nearby islands in the event they have to ditch in the ocean. What he discovers is that the flight has veered off the route and was flying away from their destination and heading into the vast emptiness of the Pacific Ocean - so far off the beaten path that nobody will think to search there for them. Is there enough fuel? How long do they have left before the airliner nose dives into the deep seas?

Now the pace quickens as time is against them. How do they change directions? The pilots are not responding and it's almost impossible to get into the cockpit to make the necessary changes. They're doomed unless Kevin, with the help of a former airline mechanic, and a couple kids can save the day. However, nobody expected the terrorist who originally planted the bomb to be on the aircraft with them - and he still wants everyone aboard to die!

Well worth reading to see the outcome. Well done Mr. Etzil!

John Podlaski, author
"Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel" and "When Can I Stop Running?" ( )