Book Review: Blackout (by John J. Nance)
Another in a series of great airliner adventure, action and suspense!By FlightSim.Com Staff (5 February 2001)
ometimes reading a good flying book can be almost as great as doing flightsim or flying in real life. Recently, I had the time to do a bit of reading whilst nursing a bad cold, and this book was one that could not be put down. Blackout, released recently last summer, is the latest in a series of great books written by none other than real 767 pilot, John Nance. Nance has been a favorite author of mine for years, and you'll be able to find his airliner fiction novels in most big book store chains.
This story takes place after a dramatic in-flight destruction of an MD-11, somewhere over the Gulf of Mexico. You'll be in the cabin for this one, and get chills just reading what happens. Then, shortly thereafter you'll be aboard another doomed airliner, a 747-400 that has "lost" its flight crew! And, you know what this means don't you? "Attention ladies and gentleman, we have a problem in the flight deck that has necessitated us to ask if there are any willing licensed pilots aboard that would help us in this situation. If you are a licensed pilot or one with previous flight experience, please come forward at once".
Well, I for one would have to race forward, risking trampling any flightsimmers that tried to beat me to it :) I can imagine someday, this really happening, and a brawl breaks out over whom gets to fly the plane!
John Nance keeps you on the edge of your seat in this unfolding story of mystery, action, and suspense. There's some terrorism, first-hand style accounts, as well as lots of realistic flying action, that you can trust is very, very realistic. That's the key to all of Nance's books. They are based on his experience as a heavy jet airline pilot, and there are never any silly parts nor complexities brushed over for the non-flying reader. You'll need to know a bit about airplanes in order to enjoy his books, which certainly all FlightSim.Com readers will not have a problem with.
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The only drawback to this book, is the last 50% of the book does not take place in an aircraft, as some of his previous books have. The Last Hostage was his previous book, and that one took place in at least one airliner the entire time. However, don't let that discourage you, the book is so good that the adventure and suspense make up for the lack of airplane addiction.
If you are not a John Nance reader, please become one right away! His books are made for pilots, flightsimmers and aviation enthusiasts alike! And you will not be able to put it down! Trust me, I generally don't read any books that don't involve air transportation or really good action and suspense. One day I read 170 pages! That is a record for me.
I'd rate Blackout, by John Nance, a 93 out of 100 points. Out of his five books I have read, this ranks the second best by far!