Dark Wing [Hardcover]

Richard Herman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1994

In the years after the Cold War, civil war breaks out in China, threatening the world's stability and thrusting Colonel Matt Pontowski, commander of the 303rd fighter squadron of the Reserves, and his men into the center of the action.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The A-10 tank-killer aircraft, so effective during Desert Storm, is nicknamed the "Warthog" in affectionate recognition of its stubby but powerful lines. Herman's latest tribute to Air Force machismo (after Force of Eagles ) takes an A-10 squadron into Southeast Asia in the near future, as civil war erupts in China. Colonel Matt Pontkowski, grandson of a former U.S. President and a featured player in earlier Herman novels, takes command of the motley but earnest group common to this genre, including beautiful and skilled female pilot Skeeter Ashton and a band of resourceful scavengers known as "The Junk Yard Dogs." At the same time, the Chinese rebel leader has rescued a Rambo-like Hawaiian MIA from a Vietnamese prison; joined by a young Chinese woman with ESP, they launch their own plan to save China from succumbing to a brutal military dictatorship. The large but stereotyped cast of characters only just manages to stay in control of the situation and one another; particularly unfortunate is the author's assumption that unattached men and women thrown together in crisis will necessarily fall in love. Herman's speculations about possible future conflicts are interesting but unsurprising, while his prose is serviceable but forgettable, weakened by reminders of his previous books and hints of more to come. Overall, this is a weak entry that matches the Warthog's inelegance but not its power; meanwhile, the workhorse of Desert Storm awaits a more imaginative champion.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

The last of a long line of military men, Pentagon desk jockey Col. Matt Pentowski wangles his way to command of the 303rd Air Force Squadron, flying A-10 Warthogs. Upon his arrival, Pentowski must choose between deactivating the 303rd or volunteering for a clandestine operation, code-named Dark Wing. His mission is to provide air support for Chinese rebels battling the Communist government in Beijing. Along with his friends Tango, Ripper, Maggot, and the Junkyard Dogs, he's in his element in a Warthog cockpit. At the same time, he must fight political battles with the rebels, his superiors, and Washington, D.C. The Warthogs finally turn the tide of battle, forcing Beijing to negotiate a peace with the rebels. Herman captures Air Force life and combat tactics well, as he takes the reader through the crisis from several characters' viewpoints. He commands the reader's attention until the last page. A high flier that is highly recommended for all fiction collections.
Grant A. Fredericksen, Illinois Prairie Dist. P.L., Metamora
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 413 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (May 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671873067
• ISBN-13: 978-0671873066
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,008,869 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Too many sub plots but great airborne action, May 31, 1999

By 

Mr N Forbes-warren "author of RESURGENCE and ... (Newport, South Wales, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dark Wing (Paperback)

Alas, I was disappointed. The book's best parts were undoubtedly the A-10 Warthog scenes in the air over China. The research here is as detailed as Dale Brown's best! The Hong Kong scenes were also very well done(more good research there), but in between the action, there is too much talk. The Washington scenes seem to be all planning and not-going-anywhere; I found Shoshana's death quite infeasible(yeah, right, as if someone with a baby at home and a husband would selfishly let her past Mossad training suddenly take over her life) and an unnecessary subplot which turned Matt Pontowski into an unlikely Schwarzeneggar hero. And there are also too many references to actors, TV, and so on, as a device to emphasise a character description or action scene. I am trying to get a manuscript sold myself and I know from experience that this method will send that ms straight to the rejection pile, unless you're a bestseller . . . Nonetheless, I will still give the rest of Herman's work a go! If you're new to him, read FIREBREAK or CALL TO DUTY first, these are the best!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fast moving book about a very slow plane., May 7, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Dark Wing (Paperback)

I like reading books about planes. My favorite are about F-15 Eagles. I,ve read all Richard Herman jr.'s books and they are all very good. I didn't think he could take a plane like the A-10 and turn it into a fast moving book, but he did. Even though it has very slow airspeed it is very agile and maneuverable. It is a very well written book and I recomend it highly.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars an execellent book, January 31, 2000

By 

Taylor Brown (CO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dark Wing (Paperback)

dark wing is an excellent book it covers everything from a to z it gives extrodinary detail on the A-10 warthog, and if you dont understand some of the aberviations in the book it has a glossary in the back