From Publishers Weekly
Proving himself solidly in control of cutting-edge military material, Griffin bases his new series not on wars past but on today's murky exigencies of terrorism and international political intrigue. Army Maj. Carlos Guillermo Castillo, whose Spanish name belies his fair-haired, blue-eyed appearance (he had a German mother), is working as a special assistant to the secretary of homeland security. Because of post-9/11 concerns, when a Boeing 727 is hijacked from a remote airport in Angola, it becomes a top priority for the U.S. government. Vicious infighting between several agencies results in a snafu that leads the U.S. president to assign Charley Castillo to use the search for the plane as an excuse to launch an investigation into the internal workings of all the government agencies and personnel who need to cooperate in terrorist situations. Griffin is more interested in military procedure than in blood, sweat and derring-do, and he resists no urge to meander through scores of pages of backstory to round out the many characters who will be series regulars. In the end, there are a few bodies to account for, but its' the meticulous investigation that leaves readers standing on the tarmac waiting for Charley Castillo and his newly minted band of can-do compatriots to touch down and carry them away again on a new adventure. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Lest we forget, Griffin is the author of five series: Honor Bound, Brotherhood of War, The Corps, Badge of Honor, and Men at War--34 books in total, for those readers who are counting. His latest novel is the first volume in a new series, and it clocks in at more than 500 pages. It concerns a Boeing 727 jet that is hijacked in Angola; the two-man crew is killed. The American president, seeking to know who did the hijacking and why, asks the help of an army intelligence officer serving as an assistant to the secretary of Homeland Security. He's Delta Force Major Carlos Guillermo Castillo, a West Point graduate, pilot, and veteran of Desert Storm. Much of the plot deals with flying and a variety of aircraft, both military and civilian, and there is lots of jargon on navigation systems, landings and takeoffs, airspeeds, guns, satellite imagery, and radar--which, of course, Griffin's fans thrive on. The novel's locales include Germany; Saudi Arabia; Chad; Costa Rica; Washington, D.C.; South Carolina; Georgia; and Philadelphia--a range sure to suit, again, his legion of readers, who probably will guess the story's outcome from the start. But, of course, it is the getting there that is the fun. George Cohen
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Book Description
Over the years, W.E.B. Griffin's stories of the military and police, told with crackling realism and rich characters, have won him millions of fans and acclaim as "the dean of the American war adventure" (Publishers Weekly). Now he vaults into the present day with a series as exciting as anything he has ever written.

At an airfield in Angola, two men board a leased Boeing 727; then, once it is in the air, slit the pilot's throat and fly to parts unknown. The consternation is immediate, as the CIA, FBI, FAA, and other agencies race to find out what has happened, in the process elbowing each other in the sides a little too vigorously.

Fed up, the President of the United States turns to an outside investigator to determine the truth, an Army intelligence officer serving as special assistant to the Director of Homeland Security. Major Carlos Guillermo Castillo, known as Charley, is the son of a German mother and a Tex-Mex father, a Medal of Honor winner who died in Vietnam. A pilot, West Point graduate, and veteran of Desert Storm and the Special Forces, Castillo has a sharp eye for the facts-and the reality behind the facts. Traveling undercover, he flies to Africa, and there, helped and hindered by unexpected allies and determined enemies, begins to untangle a story of frightening dimensions-a story that, unless he can do something about it, will end very, very badly.

About the Author
W.E.B. Griffin is also the author of the bestselling Corps, Brotherhood of War, Men at War, Badge of Honor, and Honor Bound series.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"Two armed men board a 727 all but forgotten at an airfield in Angola. Hijacking the jet, they then slit the throat of the lone crew and fly to parts unknown. The consternation is immediate, as the CIA, FBI, and other agencies race to find out what happened, in the process elbowing one another in the sides a little too vigorously." Fed up, the president of the United States turns to an outside investigator to determine the truth, an Army intelligence officer serving as special assistant to the secretary of homeland security. Delta Force major Carlos Guillermo Castillo, known as Charley, is the son of a German mother and a Tex-Mex father who was killed in the Vietnam War and awarded a Medal of Honor. A West Point graduate, a pilot, and a veteran of Desert Storm, Castillo has a sharp eye for the facts - and the reality behind them. Traveling undercover, he flies to Africa, and there, helped and hindered by unexpected allies and determined enemies, begins to untangle a story of frightening dimensions - a story that, unless he can do something about it, will end very, very badly indeed, not only for Castillo...but for all of America.

FROM THE CRITICS

Andrew Santella - The New York Times

Part of Griffin's appeal is his dogged attention to detail. He has bothered to learn the lifting capacity of the external cargo hook on a MH-53J ''Pave Low III'' helicopter, and is determined to pass the information along, even if it requires a footnote. And even the most jargon-laden exchanges between officers -- the kind of gritty talk best delivered with a well-chewed stub of cigar between the teeth -- are filled with camaraderie and go down easily.

Publishers Weekly

Proving himself solidly in control of cutting-edge military material, Griffin bases his new series not on wars past but on today's murky exigencies of terrorism and international political intrigue. Army Maj. Carlos Guillermo Castillo, whose Spanish name belies his fair-haired, blue-eyed appearance (he had a German mother), is working as a special assistant to the secretary of homeland security. Because of post-9/11 concerns, when a Boeing 727 is hijacked from a remote airport in Angola, it becomes a top priority for the U.S. government. Vicious infighting between several agencies results in a snafu that leads the U.S. president to assign Charley Castillo to use the search for the plane as an excuse to launch an investigation into the internal workings of all the government agencies and personnel who need to cooperate in terrorist situations. Griffin is more interested in military procedure than in blood, sweat and derring-do, and he resists no urge to meander through scores of pages of backstory to round out the many characters who will be series regulars. In the end, there are a few bodies to account for, but its' the meticulous investigation that leaves readers standing on the tarmac waiting for Charley Castillo and his newly minted band of can-do compatriots to touch down and carry them away again on a new adventure. (Jan. 2) Forecast: Those who love Griffin's stories of past wars will take to this new series based on present and future conflicts. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

After writing more than 30 books about military and police activities, the almost impossibly prolific Griffin, author of such best-selling series as "The Corps," "Brotherhood of War," "Men at War," "Badge of Honor," and "Honor Bound," has turned his energies to the very near future and the war on terror in a new series debut. Charley Castillo, a U.S. Army major, is the executive assistant to the secretary of homeland security. He is also multilingual, rich, and a Special Forces vet of the first Gulf War. When terrorists in Africa steal an old Boeing 727, Castillo and his team coordinate the search for the plane while dealing with FBI and CIA types who are much more interested in protecting their turf than their country. This is typical Griffin, which means plenty of action, high-level intrigue, interesting characters, flip dialog, romance, and a whole lot of drinking and other carrying on. His fans will enjoy it immensely. Recommended for most popular fiction collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 9/1/04.]-Robert Conroy, Warren, MI Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews