Customer Reviews

UNIFORM ROMEO

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Navy Lieutenant Commander Joseph Raincloud Malloy is one cool cat. The full-blooded Apache indian from Arizona never changes expression, worries about danger, and only speaks every other Thursday. When not flying his helicopter with the maneuverability of an agitated eagle, he drives his junior co-pilot crazy by going into a trance where he appears to communicate with an unseen dimension. The daring and enigmatic pilot clashes with the difficult captain of a 'goofball' ship during a ten week mission to the South Atlantic. As Uniform Romeo's central protagonist, Malloy, known as The Apache, is a memorable character.

This book has a lot: intense flight sequences, subtle ethnic humor, colorful dialogue, and nice descriptions of tropical island locations where much of the action takes place. The snappy cover is a real 'grabber.' I thought the storyline was a bit predictable until the ending caught me by surprise.

This novel is a Navy comedy/drama that is character driven. The ornery ship's captain needs a perfect mission to sustain his career and worries about an on-board helicopter operation being flown by a daring Native American flier and his rookie co-pilot. A 2nd level of zany characters includes a group of salty-talking Irish enlisted men and some entertaining local women. The crew find adventure and frivolity in idyllic tropical islands in the Caribbean and off the coast of Brazil.

The story is balanced between humorous dialogue and thrilling action flight sequences that made me feel as if I were flying the helicopter. Mr. Libby's strength is his detailed scene descriptions.

A rookie navy helicopter pilot sets out on his first mission: a ten week cruise to the South Atlantic aboard an antiquated ship full of colorful characters. The cruise takes place in beautifuly described islands in the Caribbean and Brazil. His 1959 rite of passage includes memorable experiences with an ornery Captain, an enigmatic Indian senior pilot, and a hilarious romantic tryst with a Brazilian woman on a beach in Rio.

The author combines thrilling flight sequences with constant salty Navy humor to produce an enjoyable read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. From thrilling helicopter ops to playful liberty calls, the action and humor are nonstop. The characters, including a taciturn but highly skilled pilot, a green but observant co-pilot, an Irish CPO with a following, an oversexed doctor,a bumbling but dumb-lucky supply officer, and a CO who is on the edge of mandatory retirement are all believable and typical of the men who manned the ships and aircraft at the time and place.

Mr. Libby provides a fun peek at some of Navy life and technology. His subtle humor is based on his life experiences with helicopters and a flying career.

Open Uniform Romeo and prepare for a hearty serving of salt, spice and even a little sex. Leave your inhibitions behind and climb aboard for an adventure by sea, land, and air that will have your head spinning faster than a set of rotor blades.

Duke Libby manages to craft gripping prose with enough clarity to ensure that the average civilian will know what it feels like to perform crazy maneuvers alongside The Apache. At the same time, the language has spark enough to keep even the most seasoned naval officer at the edge of his seat. Ladies, don't be shy about joining this crowd of characters. The men may be a bit rough around the edges, but any woman with a sense of fun and adventure will find herself in delightful and spirited company.

A young Navy helicopter pilot embarks on his first operational sea cruise. His indocrination will include a nervous ship's captain, a chaotic vessel, less-than-serious shipmates, and harrowing flights with his senior pilot: a fearless Native American who seems to seek metaphysical guidance from trance-like states. It isn't all bad. Liberty stops at Caribbean islands and Brazil provide an opportunity to experience the "... sailor's three favorite cultural aspects of any foreign port: the food, whiskey, and women." I partucularly liked the chapter dealing with the chance encounter with a famous Hollywood screen idol.

Uniform Romeo is a series of entertaining adventures in paradise. The flight scenes are suspenseful, the description of the tropical locations and exotic foods enticing, and the characters all have dimension. As an ex-navyman, I don't remember my cruises being so much fun. I wish they had been.