Stephen Coonts

The author recounts his three-month, forty-eight-state flight into the heart of America in a 1942 Stearman bi-plane in the summer of 1991, describing the panorama of forests, mountains, rivers, and valleys beneath him.
the culture of the private plane comes delightfully to life as Coonts marvels at a country where every little town has its strip, its laconic air controller, its cheap, clean motel just down the road. His observations on world politics seem pedestrian, but his insight into show more general aviation is clear and noteworthy: ``The general aviation industry is dying. Federal regulation and the legal system have driven it to the lip of the grave where it is waiting to expire and fall in.'' Middle-class, upbeat to a fault, and unmeditative. Yet the descriptions of flight and the portrait of an America seemingly trapped in a time-warp are arresting. show less

As a Story, It’s Great; As a Precautionary Note, It’s Muddled

In Liberty’s Last Stand, President Barry Saetoro’s uses the cover of terrorist attacks to declare martial law, adjourn Congress, suspend the constitution, and jail his detractors. He wants to be dictator of the United States. There’s also a political message in the book, a precautionary note about liberal, left-wing politics. That message, however, becomes extremely muddled, significantly detracting from an otherwise show more outstanding thriller.

Politics aside (if you can do that), this is an extremely well written story. It grabbed me in the opening scenes with good action and interesting characters, and it never let go. Series figures Jake Grafton and Tommy Carmellini are featured and right in character. But we’re also introduced to a host of new players, and Coonts does an admirable job developing them and making them feel real. Plot twists and suspense aren’t highlights of this book; it’s clear where it’s going from the outset. But Coonts keeps the tension building and uses a few, well-placed misdirects. There is one plot flaw, at least for me. It was much too convenient the way Grafton organizes resistance that appears after the coup but claims he couldn’t have done the same beforehand. And he’s Director of the CIA? Really?

With the rather consistent references to left-wing politics and their devastating effect on the country, the thriller aspect of the novel almost takes a back seat to the politicking. That’s unfortunate, not so much because it occurs, as many authors decry a variety of excesses of that harm society. But the problem with the politics in this book was that the message got quite muddled because Saetoro wasn’t a left-wing politician. He was a fascist. Even with the varying and conflicting meanings of left and right-wing, Saetoro was a right-wing wolf in left-wing sheep’s clothing, complete with delusions of absolute power and a chosen race. His claims to typical left-wing causes were a ruse. To him, climate change was a means to keep the masses under his rule, not a way to save the planet. And because of that, all the diatribes in the prose and dialog about left-wing politics, all the attacks on Saetoro’s label rather than the man, became tedious sermonizing.

Overall, it was an extremely well written, political thriller, but in the end, trying to tie the condemnation of left-wing politics to someone who wasn’t left-wing became too tiring. show less

What might happen if, following almost simultaneous terrorist attacks in three American cities, the president of the United States declared martial law? CIA Director Jake Grafton, CIA operative Tommy Carmellini . . . and the American people . . . are about to find out.

With well-developed characters and a plot that offers up several unexpected surprises, Stephen Coonts spins a thrill-a-minute roller coaster ride describing one possible scenario as an outcome to that fictional premise. show more Political issues and hot buttons aside, the narrative is an edge-of-your-seat thriller that draws the reader into the story, keeps those pages turning, and makes it almost impossible to set the book aside before reaching the final page.

“Liberty’s Last Stand” isn’t the first book to posit overthrowing the government. Think “Seven Days in May” by Fletcher Knebel and Charles W. Bailey II or “It Can’t Happen Here” by Sinclair Lewis. It certainly won’t be the last highly-charged political thriller spun from a gifted author’s pen.

Fiction often asks its readers for a willing suspension of disbelief; in this timely tale, it’s not about whether or not the characters on the pages of this book represent real people or if the situations that play out in the narrative represent real life. It’s about accepting the imagined premise and seeing where the fictional journey takes you. Good writing makes the reader consider . . . speculate . . . think.

Without question, “Liberty’s Last Stand” is good writing; readers won’t be sorry they took the journey.

Highly recommended. show less

This was a great follow up book to the Coonts' first Saucer book...doesn't suffer from second hand syndrome. It is entertaining and thought provoking -- intrigue, world conquest and humor. Cartoonish characters with names like Senator Blohardt and Texas used car salesman turned space tourist Joe Bob Hooker add to the fun. Satirical comments like: "if we put sanctions on the French, then we must have a Wine for Food program" and "if Washington gets destroyed, we'll rebuild the capitol in show more Kansas - it's closer to Texas anyway" are roll on the floor kinda stuff. Readers with half a brain couldn't fail to recognize that it's all in fun. However, the Audible narrator is talent-less. He has a good voice, but personality and emotion are void. Yank and bank fighter pilot stuff with flying saucers was a fun listen. On the whole, despite stretching the laws of physics in a few places, the story is a good read. show less