Firefox Down

Poor Mitchell Gant, the burnt-out Vietnam vet and ex-fighter jock dragooned by "The Company" to sneak into Russia and steal the latest Soviet wonder fighter plane, "Firefox". Having barely survived storms of Russian missiles and a close dogfight with the other Firefox prototype, he discovers (in the first few pages of "Firefox Down") that he's running out of fuel. Mustering all of his flying skills, and after another un-in with other Russian jets, Gant lands on a frozen lake in Finnish Lapland, outside of Russia - but not far enough. Barely getting out of the empty Russian jet before it sinks under a frozen lake, Gant is captured by the Russians. The western spymasters, too late to save Gant, quickly locate the Firefox, but are cut off by a blizzard. Thus starts the race - for the west to break out of the storm before the Russians learn the superplane's location.Few sequels measure up to their original, fewer ofcourse succeed, but "Down" is atleast the match of the first book. Picking up exactly where the last let off, Thomas displays his masterful sense of precisely paced action, riveting aerial scenes and nuanced charachters. Not as personal a novel as "Firefox", which was more centered around pilot/pirate Mitchell Gant, "Down" is more of an ensemble piece with more charachters in the trenches. Still, Gant, seemingly played out in the last book, continues to reveal more scars, unpeeling himself like an onion. This isn't your typical paper-thin technothriller, but you knew that already if you read "Firefox".

This novel is an excellent follow up to FIREFOX, and it takes place right where the first book left off. If you are eager to find out what happens to Gant and the Firefox after the first book, or the movie, you must read this book! Warning though, this book is VERY suspenseful, with Gant forced to land in Finland and NATO and Soviet forces rushing to retrieve the incredible superfighter. This book holds onto all the great qualities of the first book, and you will not put it down. For fans of FIREFOX, aircraft, espionage, supense, and military fiction, this is a must read and you will not be disappointed.