Shattered Bone [Hardcover]

Chris Stewart (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 23, 1997

A blazing technothriller of a first novel.

Editorial Reviews

From Kirkus Reviews

The US is drawn by design into a potentially dangerous belligerency pitting Russia against Ukraine: a top-notch technothriller from first-timer Stewart, an active duty Air Force officer honored for his feats as a B-1 bomber pilot. Posted to America by the Soviet Union as Richard Ammon, at age 18, Ukrainian Carl Vadym Kostenko earns a from UCLA and becomes a USAF jet jockey. Eleven years later (during which time the USSR implodes), Kiev calls in Ammon (who has long since disclosed his deep-cover status to American intelligence authorities). Although puzzled by the postCold War summons, the F-16 pilot plays along. Once back in his nearly forgotten homeland, the Air Force captain learns that he's the linchpin in a fantastic scheme devised by Ukrainian armed forces to protect the newly independent nation from a Kremlin madman bent on restoring the Soviet Union. While the two neighbors get into a costly shooting war, then, Ammon returns to the States, accompanied by the dastardly Morozov, of uncertain loyalties. Covertly assisted by the White House and Pentagon, the crew--soon working at cross purposes, as Morozov shows his true colors--makes off with a Stealth bomber and heads for the battlefields of Eastern Europe. Ammon is gravely concerned about his beloved wife, who's being held hostage by Morozov's cronies, but he soldiers on nonetheless, carrying out a desperately risky, low-level mission that could precipitate a global holocaust in a Shattered Bone--USAF code for the unauthorized flight of a B-1B loaded with nuclear weapons. An impressive debut, complete with suspenseful action, plausible geopolitical scenarios, and authoritative detail on the small wonders of advanced military technology. (Book-of-the-Month Club alternate selection) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: M.Evans & Company (September 23, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0871318318
• ISBN-13: 978-0871318312
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,485,736 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Chris Stewart is a bestselling author, world-record setting pilot and president of The Shipley Group, a nationally recognized consulting and training company. He is a member of the Renaissance Organization, a private group of leaders from across the globe who meet to explore the "Renaissance spirit."

Chris served for fourteen years as a pilot in the United States Air Force, where he piloted both the B-1Bbonber and rescue helicopters. On June 3, 1995, he led a flight of two B-1S on a nonstop flight around the world, setting three world-speed records in the process, and received the MacKay trophy for the "most significant aerial achievement of the year."

Chris is the author of three highly popular military techno-thrillers. His books have been selected by The Book of the Month Club and published in twelve different countries. He has also been a guest editor for the Detroit News, commenting on matters of military readiness and national security concerns.

Chris and his wife, Evie, are the parents of six children and live in Utah.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting read, few flaws for first-timer, December 28, 2004

By 

UT Woodsman (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shattered Bone (Hardcover)

I read the reviews and almost didn't get the book, there were so many outright negatives, but there were enough USAF insiders who praised it that I took a chance. I'm glad I did! It held my interest, but had a few flaws. Labeling the Typhoon Class as US subs is a major flub--a decent editor would have caught that one. One reviewer griped about numerous spelling and grammatical errors. Forewarned, I was on the lookout and saw none.
As far as believability: I don't know the B1, but I find the scenario once over Russia a bit implausible.
(***** Spoiler coming!!!! *****)
#1 -- if I'd been prepping the aircraft with the special missile, I'd have removed the nukes as a precaution. With a longer prep window, I would have locked out the navigator's ability to launch same.
#2 -- For you B-1 jocks, doesn't the aircraft commander/pilot have the ability to override actions of the navigator/weapons officer?
#3 -- First we're told that the ground troops wouldn't hear the B-1 until it was immediately upon them--to late to do anything. Then a lone misfit ground soldier has time to not only notice the B-1 coming, but to load, shoulder and launch his missile and down the aircraft--huh?
(**** Done spoiling ******)
Is Chris Stewart the next Tom Clancy? Not yet. He needs a better publisher and editor, and doesn't equal Clancy's research, but the potential is there. I'm encouraged that Stewart has taken the high road and avoided the "commercial" pitfall of coarse language and sex that Clancy fell into after his first couple of books. I'm eager to read his follow-on books and see how this author develops.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Pretty bad - Imagine Iron Eagle with a B-1, January 19, 1999

By 

Scott R. Stimpert "yankeereader" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shattered Bone (Paperback)

I found the book rife with unnecessarily complicated plot devices that detracted from the overall read. If they needed to "bring in" Capt Ammon, why didn't he just disappear one day? Or have a car crash? Why this unbelievably complex ejection situation? Were his handlers worried that someone would say, "Hey, an F-16 pilot disappeared. Maybe he's going to steal a B-1!!" And why did they run away at low altitude/high speed after stealing the B-1, which presents a huge, unique signature to anyone with a radar, instead of simply climbing, slowing down, and "looking" on radar like every other bizjet enroute to New Orleans? So much of the plot reads as nonsensical, as if it was only put there to make the story more exciting, not plausible. As an Air Force fighter pilot, I found the technical side filled with inaccuracies that didn't need to be there, even if you get past the "B-1 is the most awesome warplane in the known universe" tripe. "Stew III?" F-16's at Bitburg?

Overall, I found the whole book contrived and unbelievable. I almost quit halfway through, but kept thinking, "Surely this gets better." Nope.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Stewart's Star is Rising in This One, January 10, 2006

By 

John R. Linnell (New Gloucester, ME United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Shattered Bone (Hardcover)

As with a number of authors lately, I seem to have read their most recent effort first and having found them worthy have gone back to read others of theirs. Chris Stewart is a case in point. I read his The Fourth War recently and decided that he was worth looking into and therefore ordered this book inspite of the checkered reviews it got.

I do not have any B1 bomber knowledge other than a basic understanding of the aircraft and it's mission, however the author would, having flown one and been decorated for doing so. Therefore, I will defer to him on the questions some raised about the actions Richard Ammon took while over Russia. Another reviewer here who is a B1 instructor pilot says Stewart got it right and not only presented factual info on most all of the flying, but related the thought processes that go through a pilot's mind

What I do know, is that the author kept my attention and my interest right to the end of the book, although I have some reservations about the motivation of the US government to allow him to pursue the mission that he did and the manner in which the attacks, both by the B1 and the Russians were concluded.

This genre of novel is always in need of an accomplished author and it appears it has added one in the personna of Chris Stewart. I continue to read him going backwards in time while he is hopefully busy on his next one.