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ja_hopkins's review
3.0
Yet another technothriller from the late-80s I have revisited having read the paperback. Dale Brown takes his lead from the first three books in the ‘Old Dog’, Lt. Col. Patrick McLanahan out of the cockpit, mostly. The latest in hi-tech aeronautics (for the time, but also for now to an extent) is the basis for a new fighter plane, codename DreamStar. Revolutionary, it promises to give the US a massive edge over the Soviets. Unfortunately, the prototype has been hijacked from Dreamland, and McLanahan must find a way to get it back.
This is not a bad story. I remembered the very last page, so not much suspense this time round, but no problem. It is interesting that in some ways the tech is still cutting edge, although in others less so. The introduction, first act and ending are not too bad. However, the middle feels rather baggy – I am sure losing a hundred pages would not harm the story. Brown tends to go into a bit more technical detail than the likes of Tom Clancy and Steven Coonts – sometimes it can be a bit too much. That said, I might revisit some of the earlier in the McLanahan series, although not quite sure how he stretched it out to 19 books. Final point – there are a fair few typos/formatting issues in this book.
This is not a bad story. I remembered the very last page, so not much suspense this time round, but no problem. It is interesting that in some ways the tech is still cutting edge, although in others less so. The introduction, first act and ending are not too bad. However, the middle feels rather baggy – I am sure losing a hundred pages would not harm the story. Brown tends to go into a bit more technical detail than the likes of Tom Clancy and Steven Coonts – sometimes it can be a bit too much. That said, I might revisit some of the earlier in the McLanahan series, although not quite sure how he stretched it out to 19 books. Final point – there are a fair few typos/formatting issues in this book.
jbrito's review
adventurous
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
jfranco77's review
3.0
I re-read this book after going back and re-reading Flight of the Old Dog. Well, if Old Dog held up really well, Cheetah didn't hold up quite as well. Don't get me wrong, it was solid, but it didn't blow me away.
Eight years after the Old Dog, Brad Elliot is in charge of Dreamland. Of course the whole gang is there and Patrick McLanahan is running the Dreamstar project, basically a combination of a thought-controlled airplane and a next-generation jet with a lot more maneuverability and technology than the current version.
Unfortunately the test pilot for Dreamstar is Kenneth James, who is actually a deep cover Soviet spy who was put in place before he even joined the Air Force Academy. The Russians come up with the idea that James should steal Dreamstar, since they haven't been able to replicate the technology with the information he's been giving them. He succeeds and then McLanahan has to chase him all over the Western hemisphere.
There's a lot here. Sci-fi. Spy drama. Military jargon. An old-fashioned revenge novel. Some parts work better than ever. 25 years later, I'm not sure Dale Brown convinced me that a thought controlled airplane is better than one powered by a computer built in 2014. But the flying is good and the spy drama is good.
Probably 3.5 stars overall.
Eight years after the Old Dog, Brad Elliot is in charge of Dreamland. Of course the whole gang is there and Patrick McLanahan is running the Dreamstar project, basically a combination of a thought-controlled airplane and a next-generation jet with a lot more maneuverability and technology than the current version.
Unfortunately the test pilot for Dreamstar is Kenneth James, who is actually a deep cover Soviet spy who was put in place before he even joined the Air Force Academy. The Russians come up with the idea that James should steal Dreamstar, since they haven't been able to replicate the technology with the information he's been giving them. He succeeds and then McLanahan has to chase him all over the Western hemisphere.
There's a lot here. Sci-fi. Spy drama. Military jargon. An old-fashioned revenge novel. Some parts work better than ever. 25 years later, I'm not sure Dale Brown convinced me that a thought controlled airplane is better than one powered by a computer built in 2014. But the flying is good and the spy drama is good.
Probably 3.5 stars overall.
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