jaclynday's review against another edition
5.0
This book hit me hard in the gut. The pilot/NASA story is inventive and interesting, but the book is really about personal relationships and healing. The characters are fleshed out with incredible detail, especially Pancho–a good friend of our two married main characters. This is one of the better books I’ve read this year. I guess I’m a sucker for a rich story with beautiful writing. I wish I could write more about this, but I just finished it yesterday and it’s still a little raw. Sitting too close to the surface. Anyway, you should read it.
in2reading's review against another edition
3.0
It was OK. A story of a test pilot and his family and friends in the early NASA days. A personal tragedy strikes. I found the dialog a little confusing to follow and nothing particularly insightful about the pilot's internal journey. The little details of a test pilot's career and the media frenzy around the first astronauts were interesting.
ladulcinella's review against another edition
2.0
I’m not very enthousiastic about this novel. It’s not very bad, but a rather boring story on the first generation of astronauts.
hertelturtle's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
kniphofia7's review against another edition
2.0
The premise of this novel intrigued me and I really wanted to like it, but the writing really lets it down. "He sat on his bed and ate. When he was done, he drank a little water and put the glass down on the bedside table and the empty plate on the floor. Then he lit a cigarette and looked out the window." Really?? I feel the author did some research on the astronaut program then tried to fill up the space around it. Watch "The Right Stuff" instead.
exurbanis's review against another edition
4.0
(Fiction, Historical, American)
The last pilot is set in 1960 and 1961, during the early days of the American space program when US Armed Forces pilots were ‘testing-driving’ jets over the Mojave Desert and dying at an alarming rate in crashes.
Johncock has peopled his novel with the real players in the game – the real astronauts, the real bar owner, and so on, except for the main characters of Jim Harrison and his wife Grace. This fictional couple desperately want a child and think constantly about new life even as the news in the bar almost weekly seems to be the death of another colleague.
There are problems inherent in using actual historical figures that limit the possibilities for the fictional ones. The story never seemed to really take-off (no pun intended). In addition, I was irritated that the author moved between calling the protagonist ‘Jim’ and ‘Harrison’ for no apparent rhyme not reason. There was also a mention of placing clothes in large black trash bags which were not available for home use until the late ’60s – early ‘70s.
On the balance, I found the book to be somewhat interesting (the actual history) but ‘meh’ as far as the story.
3½ stars
The last pilot is set in 1960 and 1961, during the early days of the American space program when US Armed Forces pilots were ‘testing-driving’ jets over the Mojave Desert and dying at an alarming rate in crashes.
Johncock has peopled his novel with the real players in the game – the real astronauts, the real bar owner, and so on, except for the main characters of Jim Harrison and his wife Grace. This fictional couple desperately want a child and think constantly about new life even as the news in the bar almost weekly seems to be the death of another colleague.
There are problems inherent in using actual historical figures that limit the possibilities for the fictional ones. The story never seemed to really take-off (no pun intended). In addition, I was irritated that the author moved between calling the protagonist ‘Jim’ and ‘Harrison’ for no apparent rhyme not reason. There was also a mention of placing clothes in large black trash bags which were not available for home use until the late ’60s – early ‘70s.
On the balance, I found the book to be somewhat interesting (the actual history) but ‘meh’ as far as the story.
3½ stars
yarnandcameras's review against another edition
Misleading blurb: Harrison is in the test pilot program and/or space program for all but the last chapter.
His personal life is sad, but it was interesting getting an 'insider' perspective of the beginnings of the space race.
His personal life is sad, but it was interesting getting an 'insider' perspective of the beginnings of the space race.
mibookobsession's review against another edition
4.0
Jim Harrison is a test pilot in the air force, a dangerous job that his wife, Grace, struggles to deal with...never knowing if her husband will come home. After having trouble getting pregnant, they finally have a child. Jim tries to balance work and home life, taking a new job as an astronaut for NASA. Then tragedy strikes, threatening everything he loves.
I loved the setting of the early space race in this book that is ultimately about relationships, family, grief, acceptance, and forgiveness. I don't know much about test pilots or NASA, but the author does a good job describing both programs and their related jobs without too much boring detail so the reader understands better the dedication of the pilots and the stress on the family life of the astronaut's wives.
I loved the setting of the early space race in this book that is ultimately about relationships, family, grief, acceptance, and forgiveness. I don't know much about test pilots or NASA, but the author does a good job describing both programs and their related jobs without too much boring detail so the reader understands better the dedication of the pilots and the stress on the family life of the astronaut's wives.
hollyisodd's review against another edition
DNF - though when reading this book it was fine I had no want to ever pick it up, I had to force myself