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Fatal Terrain
by Dale Brown
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Putnam (1997-06-01)
ISBN: 039914241X
EAN: 9780399142413
Dewey Decimal #: 813.54
Binding/Media: Hardcover - 448 pages
Edition: 1st
SKU: 6002-Fatal
Condition: Used: Very Good
Comments: First edition book in excellent condition. Very gently read and can pass for like new.
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Editorial Reviews
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Product Description
With the People's Republic of China and its allies launching their own territorial campaigns, conflicts are breaking out across the Asian continent, and it is up to aerial strike warfare expert Patrick McLanahan and his untried Umanned Aerial Attacker force to turn the tide before World War III erupts."
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Customer Reviews
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Politically improbable, technologically unlikely, fiscally impossible
Rating  (2)
Date: 2006-07-17
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
This is fairly typical Dale Brown fare. Start with some global tension, add a sprinkling of improbably stealthy B52 bombers, throw in some political intrigue, a dash of air combat, and you have a fairly standard techno-thriller.
The basic premise is that Taiwan declares independence. Mainland China tries to invade. Zany antics, of course, ensue.
The ubiquitous megafortresses (nuclear weapon capable strategic bombers that somehow a private company has modified to become stealthy) are sent to Taiwan because the US routinely makes a habit of sending privately owned experimental modifications of obsolete aircraft to hotspots around the world. Bad things happen. Our heroes are blamed. Our heroes defy the government. Our heroes save the day. Our heroes are not sent to Leavenworth, since the President thinks "Boys will be boys".
Politically improbable - Taiwan independence is a complex issue. Taiwan is more likely to erupt into civil war than declare independence.
Technologically unlikely - While refitting B52's with air to air missiles is certainly possible, making them stealthy is pretty unlikely.
Fiscally impossible - The idea that a private corporation could somehow rebuild, finance and run a fleet of B52 bombers is ludicrous. Most small nations would find it a strain on their defense budget.
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Missiles and More Missiles
Rating  (4)
Date: 2005-10-19
Dale Brown's "Fatal Terrain" explores a possible scenario of Taiwan declaring its independence from the People's Republic of China, and PRC's response to that. For its part, the USA chooses to use a private company that has modified B-52 bombers that are the EB-52 Megafortresses: high-tech platforms of misery and woe for the foe.
Brown throws in a lot of technical language, but this is usually fairly well explained, as are the expressions and other military jargon. At some points, the explanations appear in the dialogue, which can make the dialogue seem a little unnatural. For example, Elliot is talking to his friend Patrick and mentions "littoral regions", with an explanation of what they are. Now, I had no idea what "littoral regions" are, but the character Patrick surely would not have needed any explanation.
Apart from that, I found the writing to be of a high standard, and at times I couldn't read fast enough to keep up with the action. It was intense at times to try and read faster to see what happens next. Combat scenes abounded and they were festooned with missiles, it seemed. The aircraft and so on were well decribed, balancing detail with movement of the action.
I did not find any problems with the political intrigues that Brown described, but then I have little knowledge of the U.S.A.'s political system or that of China or Taiwan.
Some details of plausibility are still open to question in my mind. One galring one would be the plausibility of nations setting off nukes near the Philippines and being able to largely conceal it. Along with "combat over the USA" on the part of the main characters, these details make me wonder if Brown knows something we don't.
This book really is Tom Clancy with aeroplanes, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. A great read on most counts, and one that I would happily recommend.
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A big blast wind from the east !
Rating  (5)
Date: 2004-05-28
Since Sky Masters - when the B2 was on top of South East Asia's Sea, I found another big blast wind from the east. Brown took more serious what happen if China invades Taiwan (I am hoping it's never happen). I read Brown's thriller even more scary this time. All the ballistic missiles ready to aim Taiwan, major scales battle! Hardly to imagine. Definitely Very accurate story and Yes! another best writter from Brown.
Don't ever miss this!
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Fun Read
Rating (5)
Date: 2003-11-11
2 out of 2 customers found this reveiw helpful
Despite the liberal posters and armchair military experts, I loved this book! Sure, many of the weapons and situations are fictional (as far as I know).
The excessive military jargon was almost humorous and actually fun to read. Brown makes sure you know what all the acronyms mean. The situations and flight duals with jets and missiles were great. The plot had some great twists.
It had me looking up all the different aircraft used. A fun and hard to put down book, I would highly recommend it!
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Another Excellent Book from Dale Brown
Rating (5)
Date: 2003-04-20
1 out of 2 customers found this reveiw helpful
Fatal Terrain is another excellent book by Dale Brown. In this wonderful book, the Chinese are going to invade Taiwan. When the USA runs to thier side to defend them, they find themselves in a heap load of trouble around the world. Join Patrick McLanahan, Brad Elliot, and Jon Masters in this exciting book to defeat the Chinese War Machine. I recomend you read Sky Masters and Shadows of Steel before you read Fatal Terrain.
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