Unknown Rider

Former Navy pilot Stewart fails to integrate his technical expertise with a satisfying narrative in this disappointing debut thriller. As Navy Lt. Colt “Mother” Bancroft pilots his stealth fighter jet off the coast of southern California on his way to investigate a group of unidentified aerial phenomena surrounding the USS Abraham Lincoln, the controls of his aircraft falter, first becoming unresponsive and then actively antagonistic, nearly causing him to crash into the ship. When technicians fail to pinpoint a problem with the plane, Colt downloads the maintenance records for his own investigation. The download flags the attention of Lance Corporal Adam Garett, a treasonous sailor aboard the Lincoln who organized the attack on Colt’s plane; Garrett informs his Chinese handler, Chen Liling, that Colt has compromising data that could threaten their mysterious mission. Then NCIS agent Emmy “Punky” King, who’s part of a joint NCIS/FBI operation to apprehend Garett and Chen, catches wind of the incident, and teams up with Colt to prevent another one. Stewart clearly knows his way around a jet—readers could take over the control stick on a stealth fighter with all the detail he provides—but he flounders when he leaves the cockpit, shuttling through a revolving door of forgettable supporting characters who still sport richer backstories than his heroes. This top gun adventure is strictly bottom-shelf. Agent: John Talbot, Talbot Fortune Agency. (Nov.)