The Interceptor Pilot

by Kenneth Gangemi

Remorseful for his actions in the Korean War, James Wilson, an American fighter pilot, joins forces with the North Vietnamese to intercept American jets

127 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1975

About the author

American poet and fiction writer.

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 2 out of 5]

“I thought of what I was doing as describing a film, not writing a manuscript.”

Describing an imaginary film is an intriguing idea, but Kenneth Gangemi’s concept of a film is Hollywood B-movie and his concept of description is a frame-by-frame account in a “cut to a close-up of his face” style.

The imaginary film concerns an American fighter pilot flying for the North Vietnamese, so it’s not 1960s Hollywood in its political allegiance...but, that apart, it reads like a rather dull plot summary of a tv movie.

Having admired and enjoyed Olt, The Interceptor Pilot is a disappointment. An experimental novel that isn’t.

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absorbing, easy read with an ending that gave me goosebumps. Presented in the style of a film script replete with jump cuts, montage sequences and other assorted camera techniques gives the story a lot of emotional punch.