Status
Available
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
Jove (2004), 608 pages
Description
Fiction. Literature. Suspense. Thriller. When a leased Boeing 727 is violently hijacked from Angola and flown to parts unknown, the President turns to an outsider�??Major Carlos Guillermo Castillo�??for answers. A pilot, West Point graduate, and veteran of Desert Storm, Castillo has a sharp eye for the facts�??and the truth behind them. In Africa, he is helped and hindered by unexpected allies and ruthless enemies, and begins to untangle a plot of horrific dimensions�??a plot that, unless Castillo acts quickly, will end very,
User reviews
LibraryThing member Romonko
I was so excited to begin this new W.E.B. Griffin series, and this book didn't disappoint. Charley Castillo I think will be a force to be reckoned with. In this book Griffin touches on terrorism and life in a post-911 America. We have a wonderful bunch of new characters that I can't wait to get to
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read more about. As usual Griffin can write a story! He does go into a lot of detail about the military, and about some of the military gadgets that are out there, but I didn't find this upsetting because it is all told as part of the story. The suspense throughout the book kept me turning pages, and I can't wait to read other books in this series. I love W.E.B. Griffin books. Show Less
LibraryThing member amacmillen
Charlie Castillo is a new hero in this series. He is ordered by the president to find a Boeing 727 that is stolen in Africa and is being fitted and diverted to crash into the liberty bell in Philadelphia. A Russian mob leader is helping with information.
LibraryThing member readafew
Carlos "Charlie" Castillo is many things to many people and he sometimes has a hard time keeping them all straight. He's an Army Major, ex-Delta Force, pilot, secret Service Agent, spy, aid to the Secretary of Homeland security. as well as a mulit-linguist, is independently wealthy and is an all
Someone has stolen a 727 in Angola and no one seems to no by who, why, where is going or what it is to be used for. The president decides he wants to do a little test on his intelligence corps. Our poster boy Carlos, who is working for the Homeland Security Secretary is picked to do the snooping. Carlos uncovers a few things among them a plot to crash the plane into Philadelphia. Carlos becomes the lead man in trying to stop the terrorist plot.
Overall a fun book to listen to and Griffin is a great story teller. We keep doing flashbacks with Carlos to find out how he became the man we see today. The writing decent and as long as you don't mind that Carlos seems to be near perfect and Generals seems to be common as house flies and just go along for the ride you'll have fun.
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around nice guy. Makes Jack Ryan look like a second rate wammabe. Someone has stolen a 727 in Angola and no one seems to no by who, why, where is going or what it is to be used for. The president decides he wants to do a little test on his intelligence corps. Our poster boy Carlos, who is working for the Homeland Security Secretary is picked to do the snooping. Carlos uncovers a few things among them a plot to crash the plane into Philadelphia. Carlos becomes the lead man in trying to stop the terrorist plot.
Overall a fun book to listen to and Griffin is a great story teller. We keep doing flashbacks with Carlos to find out how he became the man we see today. The writing decent and as long as you don't mind that Carlos seems to be near perfect and Generals seems to be common as house flies and just go along for the ride you'll have fun.
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LibraryThing member nursewidener
I have enjoy many of WEB Griffin's books. I loved this book and have quickly finished the series and currently waiting impatiently until the next book comes out in December. If like action adventures with military special ops thrown in you will love this book and series. This guys do what needs to
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be done when and how it needs done. Show Less
LibraryThing member buffalogr
Exciting book that was a fun listen. The characters were very well (over) developed, probably because this was the first of a series. I'll read #2.
LibraryThing member MissJessie
This book is the first in the series about Charlie Castellio, a super-hero kind of guy that we all wish actually existed and worked to save us all.
The story line was interesting, and moved right along. In fact, it jumped around a little too much for my tastes.
My complaint with this one is the
There was absolutely no resolution to this question--it just drifted off into space. A major annoyance to me were the outright lies one of the members of an agency told about a situation that nearly cost the USA a great deal of misery; absolutely nothing in the book regarding what if anything was done to this person when it was discovered. Not one word. Or, come to that, what was done about an injustice done to another agent due to this other than a vague "It'll be alright" kind of thing. And the main female lead was so unlikely as to be a detriment. And, of course, the constant calling of the lead character "Don Juan" was just idiotic.
My true problem with this edition, however, is the HORRIBLE audio book properties. There are clever sound effects added, esp. when a battle rages, as they always do in this series. I don't need gunfire, loud booms, sirens, and God knows what else screaming in the background, in spots nearly drowning out the narrator. Very amateur, very childish, very distracting, very irritating. Had I know these things were part of the edition, I would not have listened to it.
My other quibble -- why does one of the main characters, an American Colonel, speak with a British accent? Ridiculous.
This book would be a good bathtub or beach read, but I can't recommend this audio edition -- the production flaws outweigh the reasonably good story, albeit one without adequate resolution of plot lines.
The story line was interesting, and moved right along. In fact, it jumped around a little too much for my tastes.
My complaint with this one is the
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absolute lack of any resolution of the many point of the plot--in fighting and territorialness in the various intelligence agencies in the USA. The main point of the book was that good ole Charlie/Carlos at a tender age it seems to me was asked by the President to examine the intelligence agencies to see what each knew about a particular incident.There was absolutely no resolution to this question--it just drifted off into space. A major annoyance to me were the outright lies one of the members of an agency told about a situation that nearly cost the USA a great deal of misery; absolutely nothing in the book regarding what if anything was done to this person when it was discovered. Not one word. Or, come to that, what was done about an injustice done to another agent due to this other than a vague "It'll be alright" kind of thing. And the main female lead was so unlikely as to be a detriment. And, of course, the constant calling of the lead character "Don Juan" was just idiotic.
My true problem with this edition, however, is the HORRIBLE audio book properties. There are clever sound effects added, esp. when a battle rages, as they always do in this series. I don't need gunfire, loud booms, sirens, and God knows what else screaming in the background, in spots nearly drowning out the narrator. Very amateur, very childish, very distracting, very irritating. Had I know these things were part of the edition, I would not have listened to it.
My other quibble -- why does one of the main characters, an American Colonel, speak with a British accent? Ridiculous.
This book would be a good bathtub or beach read, but I can't recommend this audio edition -- the production flaws outweigh the reasonably good story, albeit one without adequate resolution of plot lines.
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LibraryThing member DonaldBuehler
No more W.E.B. Griffin
I love the military - I love war novels. And I am a sucker for serialized novels.
A few years ago I finally picked up a W.E.B. Griffin book (do not remember the title). I was excited - read it. but really struggled with the fact that there was almost no action in the book. So
Recently I have picked up 3 of his novels from the "Presidential Agent" Series - and am now 450 pages into "By Order of the President." No way am I going to clog thru the next 150 pages. In the beginning of the book - a pilot and his co-pilot get their throats slit - and then the action stops. The President and a bunch pif his minions (Secy Defense, etc.) fumble around - talk in cryptic language (they all were buddies in a past life) - and generally just engage in office politics, until I want too blow my head off!
No more best buddy - past relationships which are called upon - no more "rules be damned" I'm going to do what I know is best (that worked for Jack Bauer, but not for the characters in W.E.B.'s world) - no more of the endless flying around, commandeering military planes - or using your rich families planes to do the government's business. I have had it. W.E.B. Griffin (or your son, whoever is writing this stuff) - you will not steal another hour of my precious life.
I am giving up on "By the Order .." and giving away my unread books (about 5 of them) because I do not want to be bored out of my mind. NOTE: I have NEVER given books away!!!!
This must be someone(s) out there that likes this drivel. But NOT MEEEEEEE!
DonB
I love the military - I love war novels. And I am a sucker for serialized novels.
A few years ago I finally picked up a W.E.B. Griffin book (do not remember the title). I was excited - read it. but really struggled with the fact that there was almost no action in the book. So
Show More
I put him off.Recently I have picked up 3 of his novels from the "Presidential Agent" Series - and am now 450 pages into "By Order of the President." No way am I going to clog thru the next 150 pages. In the beginning of the book - a pilot and his co-pilot get their throats slit - and then the action stops. The President and a bunch pif his minions (Secy Defense, etc.) fumble around - talk in cryptic language (they all were buddies in a past life) - and generally just engage in office politics, until I want too blow my head off!
No more best buddy - past relationships which are called upon - no more "rules be damned" I'm going to do what I know is best (that worked for Jack Bauer, but not for the characters in W.E.B.'s world) - no more of the endless flying around, commandeering military planes - or using your rich families planes to do the government's business. I have had it. W.E.B. Griffin (or your son, whoever is writing this stuff) - you will not steal another hour of my precious life.
I am giving up on "By the Order .." and giving away my unread books (about 5 of them) because I do not want to be bored out of my mind. NOTE: I have NEVER given books away!!!!
This must be someone(s) out there that likes this drivel. But NOT MEEEEEEE!
DonB
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Subjects
Language
Original publication date
2004
Physical description
608 p.; 6.7 inches
ISBN
0515139777 / 9780515139778