Strike of the Cobra - Softcover

Rizzi, Timothy

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0843936304 ISBN 13: 9780843936308

Publisher: Leisure Books, 1994

Synopsis

Making an emergency landing right in the middle of a Palestinian terrorist compound, the space shuttle Atlantis and its deadly nuclear cargo is in danger until the Cobra Team mobilizes every high-tech resource at its disposal. Reprint.

About this title

From Kirkus Reviews

A routine space shuttle mission goes sour, turning into a Libyan-US conflagration, with the PLO tossed in for good measure-- in a second novel from Rizzi (Nightstalker, 1992). The US agrees to accommodate the new Russia and recover an ailing Kosmos satellite during its latest space shuttle mission- -except that maverick Russian General Popivich fires the Kosmos' rockets after recovery, starting a fire, and the shuttle emergency lands at Madadhi air base on the Chad-Libya border, an unbeknownst secret PLO base. Aboard the Kosmos are ten nuclear warheads that the US mustn't learn about. The PLO head fanatic, Ajami, the shuttle landing in his lap, envisions the huge ransom he can extract from the hated Americans. Enmeshed in the fray is head astronaut General Richard ``Duke'' James, central character of Nightstalker, appearing in a lesser role here. Things heat up when a Libyan weapons expert arrives at Madadhi (the Libyans are supporting the PLO logistically) and discovers the warheads. Ajami has now leaped from fat city to the whole enchilada. He can nuke New York City or Tel Aviv. Meanwhile, the US and the Libyans, also alerted to the warheads' existence, are drawing battle plans. On the one side, cunning Libyan Major Nittal is using the PLO as cannon fodder so he can do a snatch and grab; on the other, the US deploys its new age Cobra Strike Force, supported by all the high- tech gewgaws the American taxpayer can provide. In the middle sit the PLO fanatics, their three American astronaut hostages, and the warheads. Let the battle begin. Heart-in-mouth, max G-force, stunningly realistic air action- -here unimpeded by too-fleshy characters. -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

From Publishers Weekly

Rizzi zooms past his debut Nightstalker to rival Tom Clancy in this space-based techno-thriller. Solid data for technophiles is salted through the most visceral air battles since CNN's coverage of Desert Storm. When the Russian government requests the aid of the U.S. space shuttle Atlantis to lasso the out-of-orbit satellite Kosmos , it neglects to mention the nuclear warheads aboard. General Duke James and his astronaut crew tuck the renegade bird into their cargo bay. Enter General Popivich, an old Soviet warhorse who once controlled Kosmos , who hijacks the Atlantis and activates the satellite's reentry boosters with the intent to destroy both ships and thus keep his nuclear secret. But Atlantis survives reentry with good luck (Duke spots a runway in Chad) and bad luck (the airstrip belongs to Libyan supported terrorist Abu Ajami). When the U.S. Air Force identifies the nuclear warhead parts, the Cobra Special Operations Team--a crack squadron stationed in the area--moves into action to retrieve the warheads and rescue the astronauts. Rizzi converts satellite and military data into speed-readable action with an appealing cast of men and women on both sides of the conflict. Rescue maneuvers, Pentagon planning and Libyan/terrorist interaction are equally engrossing right up to the cinematic ending.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Leisure Books
• Publication date: 1994
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0843936304
• ISBN 13: 9780843936308
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• Number of pages: 477