- Hardcover: 296 pages
- Publisher: PELICAN PUBLISHING (Jun 17 2005)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1589802373
- ISBN-13: 978-1589802377
- Product Dimensions: 22.7 x 14.1 x 2.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 544 g
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #2,038,122 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
Product Description
What is the 'right stuff', and how do fighter pilots get it? The war in Vietnam in 1966 remains etched in the memories of all who served there. This thrilling barrel-ride of a novel takes readers inside the cockpit in the heat of modern battle and examines the inner conflict of people serving their country in extraordinary circumstances. Don Henry is the veteran of 129 combat missions in F-105's over Laos and North Vietnam. His novel has been referred to as an equal on modern warfare to Stephen Crane's 'Red Badge of Courage'.
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Customer Reviews
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.6 out of 5 stars (5 customer reviews)
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A fast-paced account of the Right Stuff, Mar 14 2005
By Lowell E. Waite - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Thunderchief (Hardcover)
Thunderchief is a novel about the making of a fighter pilot. The story follows the trials of Lt. Ashe Wilcox, a rookie Air Force pilot flying the Republic F-105 fighter-bomber in combat missions over Vietnam. The author, himself a decorated veteran combat pilot, provides a gripping story the gamut of physical and psychological stresses associated with war in the air. There are harrowing missions, evasion, losses, doubt, self-examination, exhilaration, comedy, irony, sadness and valor; in other words, everything one might expect from a well-written war memoir. That this particular work is a novel should not deter those interested in military history, nor those interested in the psychology of warfare and warriors. The story reads like an authentic chronicle in all respects, and I doubt you will be disappointed with its scope and message.
Thunderchief starts fast and escalates from there. Don Henry hits the target with this narrative; I hope there are more fighter pilot tales to come from this author!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Novel From A Great Pilot And Patriot, Mar 19 2007
By Robert I. Hedges - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Thunderchief (Hardcover)
In "Thunderchief" former USAF fighter pilot Don Henry chronicles the molding of a young fighter pilot, First Lieutenant Ashe Wilcox, into a mature warrior and leader flying the mighty F-105 from Takhli RTAFB, Thailand in the awful year of 1966. Ashe (who reminds me of real-life hero Karl Richter, a close personal friend of Henry) is mentored by a somewhat spooky former POW who only answers to the name "Hunter," and is a full-blooded American Indian, which makes the title of the book into not only a description, but a clever play on words.
I read the book straight through in one sitting, and enjoyed it immensely. Although fiction, many elements of fiction only serve to obscure specific people: there is no doubt that this book feels definitely authentic, and far better than most war fiction. I found the characters and situations encountered compelling and intriguing, and found the account of the aerial actions highly readable.
I only have a few quibbles with the book, all of which pale in comparison to the outstanding qualities the book has. I found the "Indian" references occasionally heavy-handed and pushing the limit of being believable. Clearly the Hunter character is central to the story, but some of his personality traits and behaviors seem like contrived plot points rather than natural and realistic characteristics of a true warrior and fighter pilot. I found the conclusion to be predictable, even though it was well written: the foreshadowing was unmistakable since the first time the subject of Hunter's obsession with the Doumer bridge was brought up very early in the story. Having said that, the character of Hunter serves as a model for Ashe and in that role is very effective. I especially found the Epilogue to be an ingenious method of revealing an intriguing conclusion: Henry clearly crafted the last two pages very carefully, and he got them exactly right.
Although I have to admit that I would have preferred a similar book of historical nonfiction from Henry (the Broughton and Rasimus books are my favorite books on war ever written, perhaps my favorites of all time) this is an excellent and exciting book, and I recommend it without reservations.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good read, April 10 2007
By C. R. Bogard "bogie from AZ" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Thunderchief (Hardcover)
Interesting read since I was there during the time frame he writes about.
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