David Graham (2) (1919–1994)

Terrific apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic fiction from 1979. A bit dated, and slow for the first quarter of the book, but then edge-of-the-seat suspenseful until the very last page.

Jonah Scott, a British pilot who makes rescue flights across the Atlantic to a failed and violent post-oil America, tells of the days before and after uncontrolled nuclear war erupts. Among those on board a flight from New York to London are 150 children, several scientists, a large group of returning British soldiers, diplomats from several competing countries, and two stowaways Jonah is hoping to sneak through heavily-armed British customs. They are mid-way across the Atlantic when they hear reports of cities being bombed, and one by one their possible landing sites become unapproachable. Desperate to find somewhere, anywhere, they can land, Jonah and his crew search for a landing site or a ship to contact if they have to ditch in the water.

A keeper to read again.… (meer)

This was an interesting, believeable cold-war nuclear drama set in the 1980s. Nuclear war breaks out while a large "797" jet is midair on a cross-Atlantic flight, and the crew struggle to find a safe place to land and, potentially, save what remains of the human race. The main character, the plane's pilot, is a bit of a chauvinist pig, slapping flight attendants on the rear end by day and sleeping with them by night. There are a few "oh, that's convenient" plot elements which threaten the suspension of disbelief. Also, the story has 3 potential endings, depending on which edition of the book you have. My own copy (a 1986 printing from Fawcett Crest/Ballantine Books with 23 chapters) had the happier "Americanized" ending, which was more satisfying than some of the other options available. My understanding is that some editions end after chapter 21, and chapter 22. Recommended for fans of the post-apocalyptic genre.… (meer)