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Captain

by Thomas Block (Goodreads Author)

4.09 of 5 stars 4.09 · rating details · 32 ratings · 18 reviews

Thomas Block has created "Captain" - his most ambitious, intricate and action-packed aviation tale yet . It is a chilling and all-too-real story about a routine Trans-Atlantic airline flight that suddenly turns absolutely insane. In the doomed airliner's cockpit, inside the passenger cabin and on the ground, a complex array of characters have been propelled at jet speed in...more

Paperback, 348 pages

Published April 7th 2012

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Aug 13, 2012 Lisa Rostocki rated it 4 of 5 stars

I received won this book from Goodreads.
This book was really good. I enjoyed the plot lines and how many different stories were woven together. Even though the actual plane ride was the most suspenseful the rest of the characters in the book were interesting as well.

Although I really don't know anything about planes except being a casual passenger I could get a feel for how the pilots in the book were struggling to get through this experience. I was very interested throughout the whole story.

I w...more

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Jan 10, 2013 Dawn WHIDDEN rated it 5 of 5 stars

JUST STARTED and CANNOT put it down...
I have been so hungry for a good book and the last two ( my favorite authors, so disappointed me.) I am so glad to find a new author to invest my time in.

If you have read NELSON DEMILLE and enjoyed him ( well that is redundant isn't it? Never met anyone who read DeMille and didn't rave about him) you will recognize Thomas Block as being the co author of MAYDAY.
SO far this book is as great as MAYDAY and I am sure I will purchasing more of Mr. Block IN THE FU...more

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Apr 13, 2013 Robert Slaven rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

As I almost always say at the beginning of every review, I received this book as part of a GoodReads drawing. Despite that kind consideration I will provide my utterly candid opinion below.

Many other reviewers have pointed out the dramatic aspects of this novel and I won't disagree with them. The story runs along the typical line of air disaster movies that were so popular in the 70's and 80's and is a reasonable example of such. The standard 'plot complications' that arise in the story are reas...more As I almost always say at the beginning of every review, I received this book as part of a GoodReads drawing. Despite that kind consideration I will provide my utterly candid opinion below.

Many other reviewers have pointed out the dramatic aspects of this novel and I won't disagree with them. The story runs along the typical line of air disaster movies that were so popular in the 70's and 80's and is a reasonable example of such. The standard 'plot complications' that arise in the story are reasonably novel and one does feel educationally edified by the end of things. Block's work grabs the attention and then holds on to it rather fitfully for what seems like a very long time. "Captain" is a standard pulp airline suspense novel.

At its heart the story has a good idea but at times the rendering is shaky. The text could use extensive editing and part of the reader's soul dies each time the author uses the phrase "can't hardly", drops one of several unnecessary profanities or uses the same trite phrase four times in the span of two pages of text. Block's rendering of the technical aspects of flying are wonderfully credible and solid but once he wanders outside his realm of immediate knowledge things seem to come apart. The interactions between characters range from maudlin to plastic and fail to sound the ring of truth in the reader's ear. Block also has a tendency to use rather obsolete terminology and wording that made me check repeatedly that the novel wasn't actually a reprint of one written 20 years ago. The pervasive use of the term "internet message" over the more common term "email" was especially distracting.

From a content perspective, it's clear Block knows his way around a plane but it's equally clear that he has a bone to pick with the manner in which the airline industry has evolved over the past few decades. I'm certainly in no position to make any value judgement on whether those changes are good or bad but it is evident what Block's opinion is. He spends considerable effort painting the old school pilots as heroes who get their jobs done despite the utter incompetence of their higher-ups. This results in some befuddlingly implausible situations that dilute Block's obvious knowledge of piloting an aircraft.

In summary, "Captain" does offer us a dramatic insight into the world of a commercial airline pilot. Unfortunately, some of the points of execution are firing rather amiss and the result is a novel that is obviously written by an airline pilot and not by a professional writer. There is much merit to be sure but this one needs quite a bit of additional polish to make it a quality novel.
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Jan 07, 2013 Victor Gentile rated it 3 of 5 stars

Thomas Block in his new book, “Captain” published by the author gives us an airline disaster thriller.

From the back cover: Thomas Block has created ‘Captain’ – his most ambitious, intricate and action-packed aviation tale yet. It is a chilling and all-too-real story about a routine Trans-Atlantic airline flight that suddenly turns absolutely insane. In the doomed airliner’s cockpit, inside the passenger cabin and on the ground, a complex array of characters have been propelled at jet speed into...more Thomas Block in his new book, “Captain” published by the author gives us an airline disaster thriller.

From the back cover: Thomas Block has created ‘Captain’ – his most ambitious, intricate and action-packed aviation tale yet. It is a chilling and all-too-real story about a routine Trans-Atlantic airline flight that suddenly turns absolutely insane. In the doomed airliner’s cockpit, inside the passenger cabin and on the ground, a complex array of characters have been propelled at jet speed into a sudden and frantic race for survival.

‘Captain’ is about the individual and collective struggles of each of these men and women as they attempt to deal with and ultimately fight against the odds and circumstances that are stacked against them.

I have always been a big fan of the airline disaster books and movies. I guess it has to do with being all alone in the sky with no one to help you up there but what you have available with some assist from the ground. That is why I was very excited about reading and reviewing this new book from Thomas Block. I figured I was in for a wild ride of a thriller. I am sorry to say I am really disappointed with “Captain”. I found “Captain” to be very slow-paced, it takes over 80 pages before the disaster occurs. Once the plane is in trouble the book becomes very exciting then, suddenly, we are ripped from the plane to the ground where we then go through the business of misunderstanding and trying to take the plane down. “Captain” had the potential to be a highly exciting thriller that Mr. Block has given us before however he did not achieve thrill with this offering. My other regret is the “R” rated language that is used liberally by the characters. I feel that it detracted from the story and didn’t need to be there. However, keep in mind this is just my opinion. As I said there are moments of great excitement in this book however, I feel they are not enough to carry the whole story. Others have reviewed this book and enjoyed it a lot, regretfully I did not. In the end you will have to judge for yourself.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Pump Up Your Book. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”(less)

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Dec 03, 2012 Ravina Andrea Kurian rated it 4 of 5 stars

There were many different layers to this book and each of it seemed to be buried under technical details. There were bits that were so nail-biting and enjoyable, then there were bits you just couldn't relate to. I liked the way Captain Thomas Block introduces all these little issues that sidetrack you from the real story. Quite like a MacGuffin and kept the book going.

How would I have done it differently? Less on the technicalities. Yes, when you're a pilot it's easy to understand things from t...more

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Aug 28, 2012 Wendi rated it 4 of 5 stars

I found Captain by Thomas Block to be a very engaging and engrossing story. I know next to nothing about aviation, short of the few flights we take every now and then, so I am certainly not speaking from any type of expert point-of-view - that is for the author, who retired as an airline pilot with a lot of experience.

This book gives readers an inside look at some of the possible situations being faced by today's airline pilots, crews, companies and passengers.

Thomas Block created some wonderful...more

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Aug 17, 2012 Ruth Hill rated it 5 of 5 stars

Are you ready for one of the wildest rides of your life? This book was incredible! When I began reading it, I thought I might be bored with the book. After all, what on earth do I know about airplanes. And, yes, some of this book is technical, and I did not understand all of those sections. But you know what? I did not matter! This book was filled with such nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat action that I almost could not put it down.

The characters were quite intriguing. There was a lot more going f...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have always found flying an airplane fascinating, so i was excited to read Captain by Thomas Block. The story focuses on a retired captain who had lost his wife in an airplane crash. What was to be a trip home on Flight 3, ended up to be one that helped him let go of the guilt that had plagued him since the death of his wife. The story jumps from the drama in the airplane, to the drama in the control room as well as the management of the airlines. It took me some time to adjust to the change b...more I have always found flying an airplane fascinating, so i was excited to read Captain by Thomas Block. The story focuses on a retired captain who had lost his wife in an airplane crash. What was to be a trip home on Flight 3, ended up to be one that helped him let go of the guilt that had plagued him since the death of his wife. The story jumps from the drama in the airplane, to the drama in the control room as well as the management of the airlines. It took me some time to adjust to the change between scenes but once I got a grasp about what was going on, I could not put the book down.

The characters had a way of drawing you in. I enjoyed how Thomas Block was able to intertwine the characters on the doomed flight. From retired Captain Clark to air stewardess Tina's unrequited love of Clark, and the doctor on flight, the intriguing relationships had me rooting for the characters. Block also handled the unfolding of Peter' breakdown in the cockpit very well, and I was at the edge of my seat when the drama unfolded. On ground level, the characters played a big role as well. The change from in the air and on the ground in each chapter was very well done. It gave me, the reader, an insight of the bureaucracy and politics that goes on in the airlines industry.

Captain made me think about how much the airline industry is changing and at the hands of it are older pilots who often go by gut and instinct rather than by the book. It makes one wonder what would happen if all pilots end up like Peter, a stickler for rules, but unable to handle the pressure when things become bad. It also opened my eyes to our reliance in technology and how one would react if technology fails us and we have to fall back on skills. Captain by Thomas Block will keep you at the edge of your seat and send you through a variety of emotions as you root for Clark and Linda, pray for Maynard and wish Peter dead.

I do have to warn you about the language in the story and would recommend this book for older more mature teens, and adults only.(less)

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Aug 02, 2012 Rae Ryans rated it 4 of 5 stars

I don't read a lot of suspense novels, though books I do enjoy contain this element in one form or another. For some this tidbit may not matter, but it is always a good idea to understand what the reviewer enjoys on a regular basis.

We are quickly introduced to the sides of aviation. Yes, sides. We see multiple point of views, all on the same situation. A flight on its way back to America has had both engines run away, an impossible scenario that today’s newer, by the book pilots can't wrap their...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Amber rated it 3 of 5 stars

Captain by Thomas Block is an aviation thriller. I found the book energetic and the plot quite believable. From Captain Jack to flight attendant Linda each character offers something to the book . A different perspective, a different story about the journey of Flight 3.

Flight 3 a Trans-Atlantic air flight begins quite normal. Normal does not last long on this flight. Very quickly things go from bad to worse. This Mama gripped her kindle for dear life as she lounged by the water park pool last w...more

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Jan 07, 2013 Kathleen Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: finished

After reading this book I am not sure if I am going to get on an airplane again...seriously, this book was so descriptive of what can happen when human error is involved. Then there are computers that run everything and we know how a computer virus can really mess with stuff. So put those things together along with an airplane carrying 200+ passengers on a routine international flight and you have one scary situation.

There are pilots, flight attendants, owners of the airline, and a myriad of ot...more

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Aug 10, 2012 Melissa Haggerty rated it 4 of 5 stars

This will be the first book I have read in the aviation field. I think Thomas Block did an amazing job of giving information about aviation. I felt like I was learning so much at the same time as I was enjoying a good book. Captain was on wild ride! I was constantly on the edge waiting to see what would happen next.

I enjoyed all the different character views. Block wrote from so many characters' point of views that it was like a very complete story. You didn't just get one main character's way o...more

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Dec 06, 2012 Meagan Myhren-bennett rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, drama, friendship, fiction, new-york, scary

Captain
By Thomas Block

When you combine a runaway plane, a delusional co-pilot, an unscrupulous Board of Directors, a reporter after the story, and a retired airline pilot you get Captain! Thomas Block has created an intense setting that will hold you riveted until the very end.

Trans-Atlantic Airlines has a secret that is about to be exposed and you are about to discover what that secret is....

The company is about to be sold off those only a few people know this and someone has leaked this to Jen...more Captain
By Thomas Block

When you combine a runaway plane, a delusional co-pilot, an unscrupulous Board of Directors, a reporter after the story, and a retired airline pilot you get Captain! Thomas Block has created an intense setting that will hold you riveted until the very end.

Trans-Atlantic Airlines has a secret that is about to be exposed and you are about to discover what that secret is....

The company is about to be sold off those only a few people know this and someone has leaked this to Jennifer Lane who is determined to get the story and what a story she is about to get.

Flight 3 out of Rome was a typical flight, not filled to capacity but still full enough. Retired pilot Ray Clarke is returning to New York after exploring Northern Italy. The Consolidated 768 was a converted Boeing 767 and to his eye it was a 767. Against company and TSA policy and the objections of co-pilot Peter Fenton, Captain Jack Schofield invited his old friend to the cockpit for takeoff..

But when a oddity that was not possible according to "the books" occurs, Jack asks Ray for his opinion on the matter and how he would handle it. What follows next is a panicked radio message and gunshots! As Consolidated Flight 3 struggles to survive actions are set into motion that could doom this flight before it can reach its final destination.

As everyone scrambles to determine the truth and figure out what went wrong lives hang in the balance and Consolidated President Brandon Kyle maneuvers to save his upcoming financial windfall regardless of the costs.

Lives are going to be lost, it is just a question of whose and how many.....

I found this to be an extremely intense "what's going to happen next" type book. And before you ask there are no women going into labor. (Ugh!!!!) The only distraction I found was the touches of swearing that the characters used occasionally in moments stress (unfortunately one hears worse from kids walking down the street). But overall I enjoyed Captain and would recommend it.

I was provided a copy of this title for the purpose of this review all opinions expressed are my own.(less)

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Feb 07, 2013 H.W. Bernard rated it 4 of 5 stars

Thomas Block spins a great yarn in CAPTAIN, an exciting, multi-faceted tale about a modern commercial airliner in dire trouble on a trans-Atlantic flight.

It’s a tale of old aviators vs. young, of experience vs. by-the-book. Of the fly-it-by-hand generation vs. the computer-reliant generation. It’s a story that highlights how much can go wrong when someone makes decisions based on only snippets of information, or on the basis of the bottom line instead of concern over people.

BUT. (Always one of...more

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Nov 12, 2012 Dave rated it 4 of 5 stars

I received this as a Goodreads First Reads offer.

Thomas Block obviously knows his stuff, both aviation and writing. I worked in the aviation industry for about seven years, despite that I wasn't sure how much I'd enjoy a novel about aviation.

I have to say, I couldn't put it down. I read it in two sittings, and just when I thought I'd guessed at some of the plot points, Block threw in a twist or surprise. Well done. Block writes in a way that whether you've sat in a cockpit yourself or you've ne...more

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Jun 03, 2012 Wayne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: aviation

Definately one of the best aviation-related books I have read. Fast-paced action once you're past the first few chapters that introduce the main characters. Not surprisingly, the actions of the airline executives and government agencies are more focused on covering their asses rather than on the plight of the stricken aircraft and her passengers and crew. Heroic and unconventional actions by experienced, seasoned pilots faced with out-of-control computer automation.

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Aug 07, 2012 Read Ng rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I got this book for free from good reads. I probably would have left it on the shelf in the store from just glancing at the cover and title. You should not judge a book by its cover. Parts were fairly technical, but I liked the attention and logic of the situation. For the majority of readers, I would be concerned that they do not appreciate the work it takes to get these details correct. I thought the character development could have been better. It was not as suspenseful as it could have been....more

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Mar 12, 2013 Linda D. rated it 4 of 5 stars

I thought this was a time travel book! Not so. Also, not my usual book I would buy, but this was an adventure! Exciting, dangerous, thrilling ride. Highly recommended for anyone that knows anything about airplanes. I don't yet I really enjoyed this book.

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About Thomas Block

Thomas Block has written a number of aviation-oriented novels, many which have gone on to acquire best-seller status in numerous countries. His novel writing began with the publication of "Mayday" in 1979. That novel was rewritten with his boyhood friend, novelist Nelson DeMille in 1998 and remains on DeMille's extensive backlist. "Mayday" became a CBS Movie of the Week in October, 2005.

Several of...more Thomas Block has written a number of aviation-oriented novels, many which have gone on to acquire best-seller status in numerous countries. His novel writing began with the publication of "Mayday" in 1979. That novel was rewritten with his boyhood friend, novelist Nelson DeMille in 1998 and remains on DeMille's extensive backlist. "Mayday" became a CBS Movie of the Week in October, 2005.

Several of the other novels by Block include "Orbit" (a top bestseller in Germany, among other nations), "Airship Nine", "Forced Landing" (also done as a radio serialization drama in Japan), "Skyfall", "Open Skies" and "Captain". Thomas Block is still writing both fiction and non-fiction, and has edited and updated his earlier novels into ebooks in all the major formats and also into new full-sized (trade soft cover) printed versions.

Block's magazine writing began in 1968 and over the next five decades his work has appeared in numerous publications. He worked 20 years at FLYING Magazine as Contributing Editor, and as Contributing Editor to Plane & Pilot Magazine for 11 years. Block became Editor-at-Large for Piper Flyer Magazine and Cessna Flyer Magazine in 2001. During his long career as an aviation writer he has written on a wide array of subjects that range from involvement with government officials to evaluation reports on most everything that flies.

An airline pilot for US Airways for over 36 years before his retirement in April, 2000, Captain Thomas Block has been a pilot since 1959. Since 2002, he has lived on a ranch in Florida with his wife Sharon where they board, compete and train horses. Complete information (including direct links to booksellers) is available at http://www.ThomasBlockNovels.com or through the author’s additional website at http://www.FlyingB-Ranch.com. For Facebook users, complete information about Thomas Block Novels can also be found at two interlinked Facebook sites:
http://www.Facebook.com/Captain.by.Th...
http://www.Facebook.com/ThomasBlockNo....

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