Not the one to be missed… An electrifying read.
Etzil delivers his taut aviation thriller with a heaping serving of thrills, action, and intrigue as his protagonist struggles to take control of a doomed flight headed for the ocean. Bound for Hawaii, Flight 2262 is instead headed straight for the middle of the Pacific Ocean after a vengeful terrorist manages to blow out part of the plane midair. With the pilots gravely injured, Kevin, an off-duty pilot, is the only one who can save the plane from getting lost into the fathomless depths of the Pacific. But the cockpit door is locked from inside, and a rookie air marshal takes it upon himself to protect the cabin crew. With a storm on the way and limited fuel supply, all the parties soon realize that trusting each other may be their only hope of survival. But keeping themselves together in the face of the approaching catastrophe is not as easy it seems. Writing with the flair of a veteran author, Etzil underscores Flight 2262’s passengers’ escapade with skill and perception. He not only succeeds at creating a scary atmosphere, but also keeps a strict leash on many different story lines, keeping various threads of the main plot together. Though this is a fast-paced action thriller, the characters’ backstories are infused into the narrative skillfully, making their fears, insecurities, and very existence seem intimate for the reader. The mini subplot about the terrorists’ operation in both Afghanistan and USA rings true, and Kevin’s backstory is delightfully intriguing. Etzil raises the stakes to a fever pitch as the fuel supply begins to diminish at lightning speed and with the part of the plane blown apart, Kevin and the surviving crew struggle to take control of the plane in the middle of the storm. The terrifying scenario of getting sucked out off the plane midair is sketched with credibility and skill, and multiple scares including an approaching storm, bomb explosion, fuel shortage, dead pilots, a barricaded cockpit among others provide non-stop action, leaving enough room for surprise. Etzil’s creative depiction of the midair calamity is credible and gripping, and the growing bond between the motley crew of survivors is sure to conquer readers’ hearts. The non-stop twists and turns and high action make this an roller-coaster ride. Eerily realistic and unrelenting, this is a techno thriller done right.