Falling is everything you want in a summer blockbuster; fast paced, frightening, and funny.
While the premise of the story is not necessarily new to fans of the genre (a pilot’s family is kidnapped and will be killed if he doesn’t crash the plane), it is the characters that set this story apart from any comparisons.
There is no Tier One operator on board ready to save the day with a flurry of punches and kicks in a confined space. There is no extravagant plan to fly someone up and infiltrate through the cargo hold. There are just everyday people in an extraordinary situation and all they can rely on is themselves.
Newman has created incredibly relatable and realistic characters, putting you right inside their heads as the tension elevates page after page. Sympathetic antagonists, admirable and resourceful protagonists, and understandable supporting characters are all on display throughout the book. You can’t stop reading because you truly care about the outcome. I think people would be hard pressed to not immediately identify the characters with someone in their own lives.
A sharp and descriptive writing style moves the book along quickly and the unique vantage point of how a flight crew would respond in such a scenario is a refreshing change up to a thriller set at 35,000 feet. The fact that this is a debut novel is all the more impressive to me.
The general action and suspense of the story is praiseworthy on its own, but I want to point out and applaud Newman for highlighting and bringing renewed attention to a particular and important topic. I will refrain from spoiling it here, but after reading the book... for those of you unfamiliar with or with a passing knowledge on the subject, as T.J. suggests in her story... perhaps it is time we all educate ourselves further and then determine how best to help.
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Purchase Falling
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