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Karl's Last Flight
Death From Above.
Karl Alexander had been an adrenaline junky for twenty five years. Whether flying Harriers in the Marines, piloting the shuttle for NASA, or as the chief astronaut for StrataCorp Space Flight his happiness was only found when he hit five Gs. But when a series of minor mishaps sends his ship crashing into the desert of an unknown country, Karl finds a new kind of adrenaline rush as he is swept into a raging torrent of the world at the edge of war. Spies, insurgents, secret police, and an infamous Saudi millionaire terrorist all threaten to make his next flight, his last.
Be sure to put your tray table in the upright and locked position and fasten your safety belt... it's going to be a wild ride.
"Sands is fearless in his storytelling, and tireless in his quest to connect directly with his audience. Big Publishing? Watch out for this guy." - Scott Sigler, NYT Bestselling Author of Infected, Contagious and Ancestor
"Basil Sands has a knack for blending action and intrigue in an all-too realistic setting. In Karl's Last Flight, the future is reminiscent of our recent past. I just hope there are heroes like Basil's heroes fighting on our side." - Evo Terra, Founder of Podiobooks.com
Karl Alexander had been an adrenaline junky for twenty five years. Whether flying Harriers in the Marines, piloting the shuttle for NASA, or as the chief astronaut for StrataCorp Space Flight his happiness was only found when he hit five Gs. But when a series of minor mishaps sends his ship crashing into the desert of an unknown country, Karl finds a new kind of adrenaline rush as he is swept into a raging torrent of the world at the edge of war. Spies, insurgents, secret police, and an infamous Saudi millionaire terrorist all threaten to make his next flight, his last.
Be sure to put your tray table in the upright and locked position and fasten your safety belt... it's going to be a wild ride.
"Sands is fearless in his storytelling, and tireless in his quest to connect directly with his audience. Big Publishing? Watch out for this guy." - Scott Sigler, NYT Bestselling Author of Infected, Contagious and Ancestor
"Basil Sands has a knack for blending action and intrigue in an all-too realistic setting. In Karl's Last Flight, the future is reminiscent of our recent past. I just hope there are heroes like Basil's heroes fighting on our side." - Evo Terra, Founder of Podiobooks.com
366 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 21, 2011
Karl's Last Flight was my first novel. It is a fast paced work, and from folks have said pretty exciting. I know I found it so when I was creating it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
February 12, 2020
Action filled paramilitary testosterone fest full of weaponry, aircraft, blood, and gore set in two time frames but centering on one character. Told as current with flashbacks to twenty years prior when Karl was still active duty USMC pilot there's plenty of nastiness but balanced by a CIA looney by the name of Kharzai who had me spewing my coffee. Great read for some of us.
I am based toward the USMC.
Basil Sands gives his own narration and ramps up the urgencies dramatically without being dopey. Loved it!
I am based toward the USMC.
Basil Sands gives his own narration and ramps up the urgencies dramatically without being dopey. Loved it!
March 8, 2015
This was an enjoyable read overall, but could have been a 5 star book with some editing. There were a ton of mistakes throughout the book - extra words, incorrect words, missing words, mixed grammar, etc. Normally, a few of these errors here and there don't bother me much, but there were just too many - enough to keep pulling me out of the enjoyment of the story. I also found the constant switching between the flashback story and current story a little jarring. I suspect this might have worked better as a book containing two novellas - the first the flashback story (loved the Harrier!) and the second the Iran story, rather than trying to weave them together. I know sometimes this concept works quite well, but it was just a little too jarring in this case. However, I did enjoy both stories quite a bit, hence the four star rating. This is my second book by this author, and I've enjoyed both enough to keep reading his other books. The two I've read so far are his earliest works, so I'm hoping the editing tightens up and he gets to the 5 star level.
March 21, 2015
This book started out action packed, ended action packed, and it was action packed in between. I love how he was able to combine two completely different professions very believably. Astronaut and Marine. You get two great stories in one book with the suspenseful flashbacks. The only thing keeping me sane was, I knew he lived through the past.
One thing that really stood out for me was the fighting; the way he describes the action, gore, suspense, and the fear. It takes real skill to be able to picture the fighting scene in your head then recreate it in writing, on paper, for the reader; but with his skill narrating, it adds a whole new level to the book, making it tremendously entertaining. His ability to create the characters so flawlessly and bring life to the accented voices, makes me think he is inhuman. Excellent! I will recommend it to many!
One thing that really stood out for me was the fighting; the way he describes the action, gore, suspense, and the fear. It takes real skill to be able to picture the fighting scene in your head then recreate it in writing, on paper, for the reader; but with his skill narrating, it adds a whole new level to the book, making it tremendously entertaining. His ability to create the characters so flawlessly and bring life to the accented voices, makes me think he is inhuman. Excellent! I will recommend it to many!
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June 27, 2019MWSA Review
Karl’s Last Flight by Basil Sands is a fast-moving book that tells Karl’s current story as a space tourism pilot and accidental infantryman in Iran in addition to his 1985 experience as a Marine Harrier pilot in Burma. Both stories are well told with many believable plot twists and turns. There is both action and intrigue as it reflects history, the present, and the future. Well worth reading.
Review by Nancy Kauffman (June 2019)
MWSA's evaluation of this book found a number of technical problems--including some combination of misspellings, grammar, punctuation, or capitalization errors--which indicate that further editing would lead to a much-improved final product.
Karl’s Last Flight by Basil Sands is a fast-moving book that tells Karl’s current story as a space tourism pilot and accidental infantryman in Iran in addition to his 1985 experience as a Marine Harrier pilot in Burma. Both stories are well told with many believable plot twists and turns. There is both action and intrigue as it reflects history, the present, and the future. Well worth reading.
Review by Nancy Kauffman (June 2019)
MWSA's evaluation of this book found a number of technical problems--including some combination of misspellings, grammar, punctuation, or capitalization errors--which indicate that further editing would lead to a much-improved final product.
October 18, 2012
The first couple chapters were interesting and funny, the rest is not unfortunately. It quickly degenerates into a poor Tom Clancy clone with a dash of Top Gun split into two narratives set about 30 years apart. The first being in Iran (USA new enemy No1) with flashbacks to Burma in the mid 80's fighting the Soviets and Mujahideen? In Burma?!!
It is filled with the typical American gung ho and very sanctimonious American BS, why do they hate us after all we done for them/world etc...
Oh please! So much so it's becomes nauseating. Strictly for American viewers of Fox News.
It is filled with the typical American gung ho and very sanctimonious American BS, why do they hate us after all we done for them/world etc...
Oh please! So much so it's becomes nauseating. Strictly for American viewers of Fox News.
May 10, 2013
Although the action was fast-paced, I was severly distracted by the constant fliiping back and forth between two different flashbacks --- much like trying to read two books at the same time! Also, this edition is badly in need of editing.
Perhaps I was just lucky, but I managed to purchase the Kindle download for $0.99, and for that reason can't complain.
Perhaps I was just lucky, but I managed to purchase the Kindle download for $0.99, and for that reason can't complain.
October 15, 2012
A good spy thriller which starts out in a most unusual fashion. I needed to suspend reality several times, however the book is fast paced and great fun to read. Basil Sands does a nice job with this genre.
January 11, 2015
A bit overblown but still fun around the edges. Not worth rereading, however.
February 22, 2011
Listened to on iTunes several times. Great tale.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews