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185th out of 200 books
—
84 voters
The Mullah's Storm
by
Tom Young (Goodreads Author)
An extraordinary debut novel about courage and survival in Afghanistan, written as only a man who has "been there and done that" could tell it.
"When you write fiction, your best work may come from what scares you the most," writes airman Thomas W. Young. "When I first flew to Afghanistan, what scared me the most wasn't the thought of getting shot down and killed. It was t
...moreebook, 288 pages
Published
September 7th 2010
by Berkley
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Major Michael Parson is the navigator on a C-130 Hercules transport plane that takes off from Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan into an approaching winter storm. The cargo is a captured Mullah who is a high-priority target in the war on terror. Also on board is a female Army Sergeant who is serving as the interpreter. It's a perfectly routine flight, at least until an RPG slams into the plane and it crashes in the mountainous Hindu Kush.
Parson survives the crash, although with a broken wrist. The p...more
Parson survives the crash, although with a broken wrist. The p...more
#1 in the Maj. Michael Parson & Master Sgt Sophia Gold series. Military action from a new perspective shows how non-combat arms are forced into combat in an arena without a defined front. Major Parson is the Air Force co-pilot of a transport plane and Army MSgt Gold is a Pashto interpretor. The series has three entries at this point (Nov. 2012) and I'm curious to see how this odd couple continues after the series debut.
Maj. Michael Parson & Master Sgt Sophia Gold series - A transport pla...more
Maj. Michael Parson & Master Sgt Sophia Gold series - A transport pla...more
If you have seen pictures of our troops stationed on the high mountains of Afghanistan with nothing but mountain and rocks and dirt around them and were awed by the desolation and isolation and danger, you must read this book. A US plane is hit by a missle immediately upon take-off in a snow storm. It is leaving Afghanistan with a full crew, a female Army interpreter, several CIA operatives and a captive,aged mullah who is being spirited out of the country to be interrogated. Many are killed, se...more
In present day Afghanistan, a popular Mullah, is captured by American Forces and is being transferred to another facility. The Mullah and a woman Army interpreter, Sergeant Gold, board a C-130 even though the conditions are far from good for flying.
The C-130 is hit by a missle and crash lands. The Mullah, Sergeant Gols, and navigator, Michael Parson, in trying to complete their mission, set out on foot. The conditions continue to worsen as night falls upon them. It is bitterly cold, windy, and s...more
The C-130 is hit by a missle and crash lands. The Mullah, Sergeant Gols, and navigator, Michael Parson, in trying to complete their mission, set out on foot. The conditions continue to worsen as night falls upon them. It is bitterly cold, windy, and s...more
Major Michael Parson is co-piloting a C-130 Hercules across Afghanistan. The crew is transporting a highly dangerous and valued Taliban Mullah prisoner. Things were going just fine until they were shoot at by a oncoming missile. The C-130 is shot down. Help is on the way but it a long way a ways. Now it is up to Major Parson and Master sergeant Gold, an interpreter to transport the prisoner across the snowy plains of enemy territory to safety. It will be one of Major Parson’s most dangerous miss...more
I received this book as a book giveaway from Goodreads and I found it to be a book that was hard to put down. It wasn't because of great character development or well thought out plot that I found it hard to put down. It was the situation that the characters were placed in and the author's description of the environment that I found to be compelling. The author was able to provide a description of what American and Nato military forces face in fighting a war in Afghanistan.
The characters were un...more
The characters were un...more
Hmmmmm. Well, I did finish the book, so it couldn't have been too bad, but at the same time, I couldn't tell you what it was about the story that kept me reading.
The main character - Michael Parson - felt realistic in a competent but definitely not always likeable way. His female army interpreter companion was well written, and highly competent in her own way, but somehow still didn't *quite* work for me, although I couldn't tell you why.
Perhaps part of my issue with the book was the plot, whi...more
The main character - Michael Parson - felt realistic in a competent but definitely not always likeable way. His female army interpreter companion was well written, and highly competent in her own way, but somehow still didn't *quite* work for me, although I couldn't tell you why.
Perhaps part of my issue with the book was the plot, whi...more
I won a copy of this book on First Reads. I'd like to start my review, by first THANKING Thomas W. Young for his service to our country! Next, I'd like to congratulate him on an excellent novel. This was a real page-turner and I couldn't put it down! It's a shame that this IS actually going on in Afghanistan......as well as other middle Eastern countries. The best thing I got out of this book, was a better understanding of just how our service men and women FEEL! He points out in the book, that...more
I really enjoyed this. It was fast paced and suspensful while still believable. Things went from bad to worse in the story very rapidly. It was one of those don't blink stories.
The military lingo was right on. You knew you were reading a book by a person who had spent years in the military. You didn't have to spend a lot of time saying things like "they wouldn't do that!" That was a huge plus.
The hero was not a spec ops guy who knew everything and could do it all with his hands ties behind his...more
The military lingo was right on. You knew you were reading a book by a person who had spent years in the military. You didn't have to spend a lot of time saying things like "they wouldn't do that!" That was a huge plus.
The hero was not a spec ops guy who knew everything and could do it all with his hands ties behind his...more
Aug 23, 2010
Danielle
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
goodreads-give-away,
own-it
3.5 stars
I got this book by way of the goodreads giveaway first reads thing (awesome!) and so, of course, i had to read it. It was free, how could i not? At first glance, not really my kind of book. It’s about a pilot who gets shot down in Afghanistan and has to get out with the only other survivors. Sargent Gold (a chick, yay!) the translator, and a mullah (Islamic spiritual leader, old, completely hateable) who's a prisoner and the reason the plane got shot down in the first place. It’s set in...more
I got this book by way of the goodreads giveaway first reads thing (awesome!) and so, of course, i had to read it. It was free, how could i not? At first glance, not really my kind of book. It’s about a pilot who gets shot down in Afghanistan and has to get out with the only other survivors. Sargent Gold (a chick, yay!) the translator, and a mullah (Islamic spiritual leader, old, completely hateable) who's a prisoner and the reason the plane got shot down in the first place. It’s set in...more
Wow, this was a wonderful adventure story, set in a war. I literally could not put it down, reading it cover to cover!
I usually don’t go for war stories, but I had a feeling that this would be different and it was. Young has done an excellent job of explaining what it feels like during a war. As the parent of a USAF pilot, it was wrenchingly poignant to read about events that might occur during her career.
Characterizations are always important to me in novels and Young has written all of his cha...more
I usually don’t go for war stories, but I had a feeling that this would be different and it was. Young has done an excellent job of explaining what it feels like during a war. As the parent of a USAF pilot, it was wrenchingly poignant to read about events that might occur during her career.
Characterizations are always important to me in novels and Young has written all of his cha...more
This was Tom Young's first novel and he did a very good job. It is not a long book, but in order to make the novel work it had to kinda drag on as they went through different situations while they were traversing the Afghan's Hindu Kush Mountain range. It was exciting, thought, and a pretty high powered ending. I should say a high powered fight at the end of the book. But, the ending left you hanging as the "hero" of the story was still on the ground after something happened to his transportatio...more
Young is an excellent writer who grips the reader through each page of this thriller about the current war in the Middle East. Major Mike Parson is the navigator of a plane whose mission is to transport a Mullah to be interrogated. The Taliban leader was about to order a fatwa giving his permission to launch nuclear missiles at an American city, The plane is brought down by rocket fire in a blizzard in the snowy mountains of Afghanistan. The commanding officer on board, who has suffered two brok...more
Tom Young has become an excellent writer who keeps you turning pages til the end. His writing inspires me to want to learn more about Afganistan and what has gone on there for hundreds of years.
This was the 1st of 3 novels so far about our military and what the men & women who sacifice each day for what? Renagades was the 3rd novel of his that I read first. Now I am reading the first two. You should read them in order Mullah's Storm, Silent Enemy and then Renegades.
It gives me hope that we h...more
This was the 1st of 3 novels so far about our military and what the men & women who sacifice each day for what? Renagades was the 3rd novel of his that I read first. Now I am reading the first two. You should read them in order Mullah's Storm, Silent Enemy and then Renegades.
It gives me hope that we h...more
Despite the minor plot inconsistencies and slightly uncomfortable passages, Young's first novel is a heroic effort, and, for fans of war novels and thrillers alike, will certainly not disappoint in the realms of riveting action and accurate historic detail. And for those of us struggling to wrap our minds around the actual experiences of the wars in which we find our country currently embroiled, The Mullah's Storm is a digestible and easily understood insight into the world of the warfighter. Ju...more
Aug 15, 2010
Dolly
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
people who enjoy military fiction
Shelves:
first-reads,
2010,
afghanistan,
military,
arabic-arabia,
aviation,
english,
historical-fiction,
russia,
other-usa
This was a unique win for me for the Goodreads book giveaway. The story is about an Air Force Navigator who is a Major. I am also an Air Force Navigator and a Major, although I fly on different aircraft from the protagonist. So, how could I not love a book that stars one of my compadres as an action hero in Afghanistan? It was a very good story, one that gave me serious flashbacks to my time in Survival school. The drama that unfolds is one that would test anyone, and the cold weather hunting ex...more
Mullah's Storm is a gripping read from start to finish. The action takes place in Afghanistan between a downed pilot, a military translator and a band of mujahideen. Unable to be rescued due to wild winter weather in the Hindu Kush, the pilot sets out with the translator and their high value prisoner, a Taliban Mullah. They encounter terrifying storms, pitiless Taliban fighters, a hospitable family, and a special forces group. We gain a picture of the epic and seemingly hopelss struggle for the...more
So, you’re put off by anything in the middle east, don’t like war stories, and you want a light, entertaining read at bedtime or in the beach chair. How about a page turning, suspense thriller with a downed aircraft, a blizzard in unforgiving terrain and good guys who are being followed by bad guys who want something the good guys have? I have a suggestion for you. It’s called THE MULLAH'S STORM.
Did I mention that it’s set behind enemy lines in current Afghanistan and that the good guys include...more
Did I mention that it’s set behind enemy lines in current Afghanistan and that the good guys include...more
Having just put myself through a "novel" by Vince Flynn, I was a little concern to see his endorsement on the cover of this book. Not to worry-this book is how a thriller should read!
The action was relentless from beginning to end. And speaking of the end, I liked how Young finished this book although I would understand if some readers would be disappointed.
No political preaching, real characters, bad guys to hate-oh, did I mention the action?
Young has taken his real world experience and put it...more
The action was relentless from beginning to end. And speaking of the end, I liked how Young finished this book although I would understand if some readers would be disappointed.
No political preaching, real characters, bad guys to hate-oh, did I mention the action?
Young has taken his real world experience and put it...more
Great story. Enough militaristic jargon, generally explained, without losing the reader. I loved the various scientific descriptions of weather, frostbite, equipment, etc. This gave confidence that the author ( and characters) knew there stuff. I found the real protagonist to be Gold as she gives Biblical one or two word explanations of her view of the Moslem people although not explicitly calling herself a follower of Christ. I loved the chivalry and the description of the camaraderie and care...more
At the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, Mullah was to be transported to be questioned by the military. When the plane was shot down by hostiles, two of the survivors were told to walk mullah and themselves back to the base 50 miles away. The detainee was too important to the military to let him escape. Major Parson and Sargent Gold with Mullah in tow trek through enemy territory during a blizzard to try to return to the air Base.
This novel was gripping and graphic. Some scenes were hard to read...more
This novel was gripping and graphic. Some scenes were hard to read...more
PROTAGONIST: Michael Parson and Sgt. Gold
SETTING: Afghanistan
SERIES: Debut
RATING: 3.75
WHY: A transport plane carrying an elderly mullah is shot down shortly after taking off from Bagram, Afghanistan. Navigator Michael Parson and Army translator Sergeant Gold continue the mission to get him to interrogation. Facing a hostile winter environment, they work against horrible weather and the enemy to do so. Setting is very well done, but characterization is weak and the book ends abruptly. Despite tha...more
SETTING: Afghanistan
SERIES: Debut
RATING: 3.75
WHY: A transport plane carrying an elderly mullah is shot down shortly after taking off from Bagram, Afghanistan. Navigator Michael Parson and Army translator Sergeant Gold continue the mission to get him to interrogation. Facing a hostile winter environment, they work against horrible weather and the enemy to do so. Setting is very well done, but characterization is weak and the book ends abruptly. Despite tha...more
Jun 29, 2011
Alexis
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Alexis by:
Goodreads
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I read this book a couple months ago when I received it as a first-reads win. Not the type of story I typically indulge in, but it was well written (read: grammatically well composed as well as thoughtfully constructed), and the story was gripping enough to make my bus commute to/from work fly right on by. The ending was kind of a let down, mainly because there wasn't really one, but I didn't lose any sleep over it since the book had already surpassed my somewhat low expectations. I'd say that i...more
The Mullah's Storm kept me up all night. It was exciting, terrifying and fascinating. It was not ripped from the headlines but came from what the headlines don't tell us about the war in Afghanistan. This book gave a glimpse into what our troops go through, the training they receive, and the dangers they face while still wrapped in the package of a novel. What happens when your plane goes down in enemy territory during a massive snowstorm. IF THIS IS THE FIRST NOVEL FROM THOMAS W.YOUNG, I CAN'T...more
the characters seem to be real thier feelings real. the confusion of war. the action keeps going. The snowy weather seems really clear for me since everything is white and cold out of windows. the violence seems to real because i know their are soldiers suffering for real and their families. I wish war did not have to be. but I am greatful for all the soldiers before and now that lets us be free to read books for my girls can get as much education as they want. thank you. i enjoyed the book it w...more
The Mullah's Storm is a pure airport paperback... not that well written, not that believeable, but just interesting enough to keep you reading. The hyper-heroic navigator and interpreter were the biggest distraction. The thing that kept my attention was the glimpses of the desolation and confusion of what it might be like in the Hindu Kush of Afghanistan. Plenty of action, although some of the longer traipses through blizzards threaten to bog me down. If you need a basic military-adventure airpo...more
This is not a book that I would normally read. I did think that it looked good. I loved this book. It was able to keep me reading and wanting more. This author worked very hard to tell a good story. The best part is that it could also have been a true story.
The descriptions of the terrain in Afghanistan were amazing. I could imagine the mountains and the ruggedness just by the way it was described. I found the descriptions in the book to be very lifelike.
The story was great. I thought that the w...more
The descriptions of the terrain in Afghanistan were amazing. I could imagine the mountains and the ruggedness just by the way it was described. I found the descriptions in the book to be very lifelike.
The story was great. I thought that the w...more
Do not read this book if you're looking for a geopolitical treatise on our recent wars in the mideast. Do not read this book if you're looking for a profound exploration of the damaging effects of war, battle, death, and torture on soldiers. However, DO read this book if you're looking for a thrilling page-turner about brave American soldiers doing their job under unimaginable conditions in Afghanistan.
The story in a nutshell-- an American pilot-navigator and his crew are shot down in Afghanista...more
The story in a nutshell-- an American pilot-navigator and his crew are shot down in Afghanista...more
I believe in supporting first time author's and I'll admit, some people should hang it up before they start! Thomas Young was not one of those. The descriptions in this book were amazing and if I wasn't warm and toasty in my house while reading this, I would have felt like I was experiencing things with the author. This is definitely going to be one of those books where I don't know if I read it or saw the movie! I look forward to reading more by this author!
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Tom Young served in Afghanistan and Iraq with the Air National Guard. He has also also flown combat missions to Bosnia and Kosovo, and additional missions to Latin America, the horn of Africa, and the Far East. In all, Young has logged more than four thousand hours as a flight engineer on the C-5 Galaxy and the C-130 Hercules, while flying to almost forty countries. Military honors include two Air...more
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Jun 07, 2011 06:50pm