The U.S. President and other leaders are gathered at a
Paris airshow, where expectations are high for the
introduction of a new supersonic jet. But few could have
imagined a worse scenario. The F-38, called the Ares,
disappears into the sky. In the ensuing panic, they find
that the pilot was attacked and someone else took his
place.
Now, the humiliated U.S. government must scramble to find
out who stole the jet and, most importantly, get it back
before terrible harm can be done. The challenge is that the
jet is a stealth machine and is capable of state-of-the-art
fighting. Can they even get it back?
U.S. Air Force Major David "Jesse" James should have been
piloting that plane, but had stepped aside gracefully for
his boss to take over. Now, he's as determined as anyone to
get it back.
Stewart knows how to build suspense, and this military
thriller is proof aplenty of his talent. While sometimes
technical and definitely for the military-minded reader and
all the technogeeks who love learning what this plane can
do, it was an interesting and exhilarating read. Jesse is a
likable character, and he humanizes the book tremendously.
The United States military is about to debut its most
effective war plane ever: the Ares, named for the Greek God
of war. No one has ever seen or even imagined such an
incredible weapon of war: equipped with an ultra powerful
laser and the ability to easily outmaneuver an attack, this
plane ushers in a totally new way of fighting an aerial
battle. For the government well understands the old axiom
of war: when you control the skies, you control the war.
With the Ares, the U.S. is in a perfect position to
maintain its powerful strategic edge for years to come.
The unthinkable happens though: in front of an
international gathering during its unveiling, the Ares is
stolen. Since it has fallen into the wrong hands, and time
being of the essence, the President of the United States
and his defense team are forced to use outdated materials
and technology to try and stop their own greatest creation
before it's used not only against our own people, but the
world over.
Into the fray steps Colonel "Jesse" James as a last hope
for us all. But instead of everyone getting out of the
colonel's way, he has to deal with more obstacles
internally than the seemingly Herculean task of saving the
world. James faces scrutiny and suspicion from the inner
circle of the office of the President, as well as a
romantic liaison whose allegiances are debatable, and
finally confirming a terrorist plot that seems too obvious
to be believable...but frighteningly may be just that -- an
ultimate terrorist threat of the worst kind.