Customer Reviews

Ultimatum

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"Ultimatum" was R.J. Pineiro's second published techno-thriller. Unlike his more recent novels that deal with the computer/high tech industry, this novel is a military thriller that takes place soon after Desert Storm. Saddam Hussein has nuclear missiles and is readying them for deployment against neighboring countries and U.S. troops stationed in the area.

The central figure, Lt. Kevin Dalton, is a fighter pilot in-training who nearly is stripped of his ability to fly due to the direct disobedience of orders. However, the CG makes an exception and gives Dalton another chance. Dalton doesn't make the best of his second chance and is soon on the run from the Iraqis. He meets a Mossad agent named Khalela and soon they join forces to locate where Hussein is producing his weapons. What ensues is a non-stop, action-filled search that concludes with a resounding climax. The door is left open for a sequel and Pineiro took advantage of that with his next novel entitled "Retribution".

While a departure from the them of his later novels, "Ultimatum" is a highly entertaining read and most of the statements regarding military weaponry, planes, etc. seem fairly accurate. If you enjoy military thrillers with little fluff, I recommend giving "Ultimatum" a read. If you find this one enjoyable, read the sequel although it's more of a spy thriller than military thriller.

WOW!!! Even though I am only in eigth grade,that's what came into my mind after I finished this book. It is a really great book and if you like war and action books, read this one. It also has a touch of romance in it between the two really MAIN characters, Leutenent Dalton and Kahlela. Touching too. Trust me. You'll like it. It's AWESOME!

Interesting, though somewhat implausible storyline (read the other reviews for details). Believability is stretched to the extreme as a small band of misfits incapable of following orders or carrying out missions somehow manages to go "Downtown" and destroy Iraq's fledgling nuclear arsenal and avert Middle East Armageddon. While Bill Clinton may rejoice in being portrayed as a keen, level-headed and sometimes brilliant Commander-in-Chief, one has to wonder how the U.S. military must feel about its personnel being depicted as incompetents. Three botched rescue missions (even the last one, in which Lt. Dalton is finally dragged aboard a helicopter, had a body count) and F-14s, Apaches, Thunderbolts and an F-117 falling out of the sky like so many targets at a carnival shooting gallery doesn't exactly paint a glowing portrait of allied air power. The Village People would have fared better. Unfortunately, Pinero's tome follows the same worn-out script we've seen thousands of times: the hero (heroes or heroines, if you like) stumbles his way through one misadventure after another, always miscalculating until . . . poof! After 400 pages he finally gets it right and saves the day.

This book was a very good takeoff on the Gulf War. The dictator of Iraq, Saddam Hussein has secret nuclear weapons that have to be found. These nuclear missiles are aimed at Isreal,Iran,and American airplanes in Saudi Arabia. An American named Dalton and an Isreali named Kalela are given the task of locating these missiles. Of course a romance blossoms between the two. This book turns into an exciting story. This was my second book that I had read by Pineiro. The team of Dalton and Kalela finally locate the nuclear missiles and destroy them. They have a rough time doing so. Once again a good book from R.J. Pineiro. Be sure to read the sequel to this book,Retribution.

As Hussein's finger reaches for the Go button of 30 neuclear missles, a few intrepid Americans reach maximum overload trying to take them out. Our heros, while not helped by a couple of self-serving politico/military types, attempt to overcome truly horrible odds, with the help of courageous local characters. The dialog is superb. The plot twists will give you physical somatics.