Comfortably Numb

Rating:
Summary: Jones' Debut Masterpiece
Review: As the old cliché claims, "You never get a second chance to make a first impression." Nevertheless, as in the case of his debut novel, Comfortably Numb, Guy Jones doesn't need to worry about that cliché, because the first impression he makes with his masterful endeavor is nothing short of spectacular. Comfortably Numb is a well-plotted, workmanlike-written military suspense thriller with loads of action and twists and turns aplenty; from page to page, I had no idea of what was going to occur next-and I found myself emotionally involved throughout this literary adventure. Admittedly, although every now and then I had an urge to skim or skip certain parts or pages to get to the ending as quickly as I could, I'm glad I forced myself to read every single sentence of every single paragraph on the front and back of every single page, permitting myself to completely absorb the book.
Jones tells the story of Drew Martin and Jamie Dupree, two college graduates who enlist in ROTC and find themselves as second lieutenants on a secret Joint STARS mission of the U.S. Air Force. While aboard the E-8C Joint STARS modified Boeing 707 jet, the lives of Drew and Jamie are completely up-heaved as their newly-developed skills are put to the ultimate test-with their survival hanging in the balance-thanks to the wrong decisions and actions of their inept Mission Crew Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Bill ("Alpha Hotel") Maxwell, whose ego won't let him surrender his power, which he never rightly gained in the first place, for the safety of his crew. Instead, the real hero, Captain Jason ("Weeds") Lee-a slightly odd, half-Korean-half-American Zen master-ultimately receives unfair recognition and treatment for trying to free the jet from the life-threatening situation that Drew and Jamie, along with everyone else, get caught in. The circumstances that Drew and Jamie-at 27,000 feet in the air-are unfortunately apart of, however, as the two gradually realize, prove to be little more than an introduction to a secretive, much larger problem involving the President of the United States and a few other countries-a problem Drew and Jamie find themselves getting deeper and deeper into, a problem with presumably no way out. Comfortably Numb is a fictional testament of the unbreakable bond between two young people who share a willingness to survive; they will overcome any obstacle and employ their experiences-at times horrendous, at times inspirational-to make the truth of the problem known.
Employing his extensive knowledge of and experiences in the Air Force, along with utilizing the input of outside sources, Guy Jones conveys an incredible story that will be both hard to put down and hard to forget long after it's read. Although Comfortably Numb is a fabricated tale that is, evidently, set in the present time, I can't help but compare it to the current situation of the United States and certain parts of the world; the book left me trying to distinguish its all-too-possible reality from its fictitious content.
For all of its positive attributes, though, the book is, alas, not perfect; despite being caught up in the story, I found myself unable to totally ignore the printed words-throughout the 518 pages I spotted several surface errors, most of which concern punctuation. Nonetheless, the minimal typos subtract absolutely nothing from the story itself, which kept me entertained throughout and satisfied me at the end. In fact, to be honest, I didn't want the book to end-Jones could have doubled the length without fear of losing any of the novel's power-yes, Comfortably Numb was just that fascinating to read.
I liked the main characters, since they're young people in the prime of their lives; yet, from their life-altering Air Force experiences, they both learn more than the rest of their lives could ever teach them. Presenting the story in third-person point-of-view, Jones' narration, voice-tone, style and setting description really shine through. Some of the language in the character dialog, although adding realism to the already well-developed cast of characters, was rough, but for me at least the overall pacing and plotting of the story made the language ignorable.
If you, dear reader, enjoy military-type suspense novels and want to experience the spectacular first impression of a remarkable new author, then by all means I suggest for you to pick up a copy of this book and prepare yourself for the adventurous literary ride that is Comfortably Numb.

Rating:
Summary: Inside looking out.
Review: Doctors, lawyers, and military people who write books have always given us the most real and heartfelt glimps of their worlds. An insider's view point, so to speak. So it is with author Guy "Indy" Jones, former Air Force.

In "Comfortably Numb" (I've achieved this state on numbness on occasion. I was sitting in a dentist's chair, so I can relate, somewhat, to his characters) yet what a descriptive title for a book. We do what we have to do regardless of the danger it presents to our lives.

"Regadless of the danger" should be the creedo of every military soul. So it was for Air Force reqruits Drew Martin and Jamie Dupree. Through the eyes of Jamie and Drew author Jones shows us the world of two young heros. From training to real life and of death and ultimately heroism.

The setting is aboard a JOINT STARS aircraft. North Korea is about to invade South Korea. Or is it? Life and death decisions have to be made in the blink of an eye. Some will die. Some will live. When the dust settles and the smoke clears, all will carry the badge of "hero."

Well done Mr. Jones.

Rating:
Summary: Duty vs. Obedience
Review: Having served with Indy (Guy) in the Middle East during Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, I was able to get a unique perspective of both the man and the author. Both surprised me. It was hard for me to believe that a man so involved and proficient in the technical details of his Joint STARS mission could relay that same technical information in a layman's point of view in his book, and do it in such a way as to keep a reader interested. There just aren't many people out there who have the technical brains and the creativity to convey that so eloquently in prose...Indy is one of those few.

As for the book itself, as with some of the other reviewers, it took me a while to really get into the story. I began to wonder where all the character development was going to take me and when all the technical information would factor into the main plot. However, about a third of the way through it all became clear and I could not stop reading. Guy's understanding of the military-political relationship is incerdible. He lays out exactly how the Korean peninsula fits into the whole political/economic/militray structure of Asia, and subsequently the world, and how one little mistake can have vast-reaching global effects. Jones also brings to bear the dilemma that haunts most military officers...the choice between morality, duty, and obedience. In most cases, those three qualities overlap nicely. In Comfortably Numb, Jones goes into what can happen when the leadership places their warfighters into a situation where those qualities do not synch up. Jones emphasizes the necessity of having skilled officers who know how to properly chose the correct path, and not flow through their careers with blind obedience. Some of the events discussed may seem a little far-fetched, but I think recent events have proven that this book may not be as way off as we would like to think. For military and civilian leaders alike, there are some greast points that Jones has offered. I would hope that those who read this book would understand the importance of not putting your people into a situation such as this.

Indy, you've helped me find my chi.

Rating:
Summary: Bring on the Sequel
Review: I have to admit as I first began to read Comfortably Numb, it was difficult for me to keep my mind on the story, but I pressed on and I am so glad that I did.
The background and the setting of the characters is vital to the meat of the story that awaits you.

Drew and Jamie are as close as friends can be, both computer Guru's, Drew talks Jamie into signing up for the military. Jamie is reluctant as she is
strongly against killing in any form, but her life is about to change.
After graduation, they both received orders to attend ABM training at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. Their final assignment would be with Joint STARS at Robins AFB. There they would be onboard aircrafts
helping to find targets and fixing any problems that might arise.

Jamie was a natural using the radar. She could predict the enemy's air-to-air tactics and tell the fighters what they needed to do, but Jamie still could not settle the issue of killing in any form in her heart.

It was at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia that Drew and Jamie met Captain Lee or better known as "Weed." To me, this is where the story truly begins. Weeds takes Drew under his wing and although his training is controversial he is one of the finest.

This part of the story was very good as you learn about "Weeds" and read intently as he teaches Drew more then he would learn from a text-book. Jamie also profited by his unique training, and a bond is
formed between the three.
There is so much activity now in this work that it is impossible for me to give you a good overview, but I'll tell you, you will not be bored!

The story moves on and you find the crew onboard a plane helping our men in North Korea.
We have, of course, Weeds, Jamie and Drew, our main players in this novel.
We then come to dear sweet Alpha Hotel, as the crew liked to call him. Aircraft Commander of the plane that Drew, Jamie, Weeds and the rest were
now in, flying over North Korea, where they should have never been.

Weeds insisted that they quickly leave the area but Alpha Hotel, in his arrogant way would not allow it.
He would not admit that his errors had brought the plane into enemy territory.
A struggle incurs onboard the plane and Weeds is knocked out by a lucky punch from Alpha Hotel.

The plane crashes in enemy territory and only a handful survive, including Jamie, Drew, Weeds and Alpha Hotel. This is where the story gets really intense as they are captured by the North Koreans and are tortured and some are killed.
My adrenalin was flowing and I couldn't read fast enough to see what was going to happen. I wanted to jump into the pages and stop the pain and suffering I was reading! How intense is that?

Mr. Jones does an excellent job of making you one with his characters, letting you feel their emotions
in this see-saw read of adventure.
You will cringe at the torment the young women go through at the hands of the evil North Koreans, and your heart will break at the death of some of the characters. Can people be so cruel and is it indeed a foreshadow of things to come and things pasted? I shudder at the thought!

I will tell you this, it has a surprised ending, but not before it twists and turns and takes you on a ride of your life! I loved it!
Highly recommended! A wonderful read!

Rating:
Summary: "Comfortably Numb" ? Not while reading this book.
Review: I just finished reading "Comfortably Numb" by Guy Jones and have the same warm feeling one gets after realizing a new relationship will last a life time. As with developing relationships, this book exposes the reader to the lives of the Joint STARS crew in ever deepening levels of detail. Guy gently draws the reader into the lives of the operators as they establish relationships with one another and the reader. I found myself becoming intertwined with their lives to the point of being hopelessly on the path to "living the story". This is a story of human nature, the goodness of love and commitment and the evil precipitated by jealousy and an insatiable desire for power. I found myself "sweating" the training, feeling nervous during the mission planning and training flights and an adrenalin rush as the plane deployed to Korea. This story has more twists and turns than an amusement park ride and around every bend lies the unknown; enticing you to keep going. As the mission started to go sour, I found myself "choosing sides" and predicting outcomes; only to be surprised by the unexpected. Through the well developed characters in this book, I cried, laughed, became angry, and jumped for joy to such an extent that it was not until I finished the book that I "realized" that this had been an extremely well written piece of fiction. Then again ... was it?

Rating:
Summary: Sleepless Nights
Review: Not many men can say that they caused me sleepless nights, but thanks to his book Guy Jones made the list. Once I started reading I could not put the book down. When I was about two thirds through the book I thought I had figured out who the crook was and felt almost personally challenged by this low-life, but then the plot made another surprising twist and the far more dangerous enemy was somebody I would never have expected. Although there are a lot of astonishing parallels to our current political situation in the world, I can only hope that the book is all fiction and nothing like that could really happen.

Rating:
Summary: Anything but Numb!
Review: This book is captivating and intriguing! The plot twists and turns on every page to keep the reader guessing and wondering what will happen next. I'm eagerly awaiting the sequel!

Rating:
Summary: A Potboiler of Urgent Possibilities
Review: What immediately stands out in "Comfortably Numb" is the easy way sophisticated technology is meshed with the plot. So often, such technology, though intriguing, intimidates the reader, diffusing the impact of the story, but not in the hands of new author, Guy Jones. He makes computerized weapons and defense technology as simple to understand as driving a car-an important feat, for technology is as big a star in this story as the characters.

While the pace starts off slowly during the set up of the characters and plot, it picks up speed and never lets go. The reader becomes embroiled in the lives of Drew Martin and Jamie Dupree, who are thrust in Harm's Way repeatedly with no visible control to stop events overtaking them. This represents the most frightening frustration that military people face, but Drew and Jamie do not accept the "do or die" code of military order. Rather, they assume a "can do" attitude and rise above the conspiracy threatening them and the world at large.

Guy Jones is an author who sticks to his vision. This is evident in his character development, where the background of Captain Jason ("Weeds") Lee becomes a story within the story. This treatment breaks all conventional writing techniques, but it works and utterly engages the reader's sympathy. Taking his readers inside the lives of America's "warriors," Guy Jones shows the dedicated courage they bring to their jobs every moment of every day.

Through an evocative plot that twists and turns like a plane in an uncontrolled spin, Jones barely pulls it out in time, thus making "Comfortably Numb" a thrill ride no reader can forget. It's also a chilling experience, for the possibilities portrayed serve as a stark and scary look into a future that may already be here. Above all, "Comfortably Numb" is a tribute to the Joint STARS that raises this lesser known of our armed forces' "guardians" to public view where, at last, they can be fully appreciated and honored.

Rating:
Summary: The Title Misleads
Review: While the state of comfortable numbness may be an appropriate description of USAF personnel doing long shifts on JSTARS or AWACS, that description does not apply to readers of Guy Jones' book with that title. Numb, maybe, over the first pages as Jones sets the stage a little slowly; but never comfortable and definitely not numb over the entire book.

The promotional blurbs on the cover liken this book to the "techno-thrillers" of Tom Clancy and Dale Brown. I disagree. There is technology: JSTARS and AWACS do their job using very sophisticated technology, but the technology is pertinent to the story only as necessary for a thriller set in that environment. I liken this story more to the "anxiety dreams" of Robert Ludlum, but where Ludlum was the suave sophistication of Cary Grant, Jones creates a situation with more of the down-to-earth coping of Andy Griffith.

Two college friends, different genders but with no sexual relationship (her doing, not his), go into ROTC and JSTARS/AWACS training together, and are assigned together for duty. Their on-the-job mentor and training officer is more than a little weird, and definitely on the outs with their commanding officer. They all end up on a mission where the fan starts being pelted. Their ensuing adventures, blundering through a Ludlumesque environment, end up exposing a major international plot. All's well that ends well, and the characters go off to live happily ever after-or do they?

This is a great read, and I look forward to more-either the continuation of this story as set up very well by Jones, or something new. Based on this book, either will be welcome.