Official Review: 49K by Earl E Rogers

MsH2k · Post by **MsH2k** » 01 Dec 2019, 15:56

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "49K" by Earl E Rogers.]

3 out of 4 stars

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49K by Earl E. Rogers is a book that takes the reader on a day with Richard Reynard, the pilot of a tailwheel Beech 18 aircraft, as he transports mail for the U.S. Postal Service. Route 49K, round trip from Carbondale to Chicago with stops at Centralia and Champaign, is his standard route, but this day’s events are anything but standard. Reynard is recently divorced, his thirtieth birthday is next month, and his company is planning to cancel their contract for his mail route. The confluence of these events provides a time ripe for reflection. It’s a December day in Illinois, and the weather forecast is ominous. Besides reminiscing, Reynard will need to stay alert if he wants to see his next birthday.

This book was written as a prequel to Captain I and Captain II. I have not read either of those novels, but this book reads well as a stand-alone. The story is told from an omniscient third-person point of view, with the reader serving as an invisible passenger alongside Reynard as he travels his solitary route.

The writing style is descriptive but no-frills. One need not be a male or a pilot to enjoy this book (I am neither), but it helps if the reader appreciates the aviation profession. What I liked most about this book was seeing Reynard realize how much he had learned in the first thirty years of his life as he remembered those who taught him these important skills. There was one brief mention of his parents, but his memories on this day were of three people who influenced him most as an adult. His flight instructor, his high school Spanish teacher, and his Air Force tech sergeant taught him more than their respective areas of expertise. He now understood that they also taught him about life. He learned by both emulating and eschewing what they did.

I gained a deeper appreciation for the meticulous preparations a pilot makes before takeoff and the attention required to details that may be a warning that something is amiss. Reynard not only had to know his aircraft, but he also needed to understand the weather and how it might affect his flight plan. Also, I never realized the significance of takeoff for a pilot. “Only another pilot could ever really understand what Reynard felt each time the moment an aircraft he was piloting became airborne. It was no use to try to explain the magic of it to anyone who hadn’t felt it.”

What I disliked most was the slow pace of the story when the narration dwelled on technical flying details. Pilots will most likely appreciate this part. I flipped right past the VOR-A diagrams and quickly skimmed through flow pattern and checklist descriptions, but I credit the author with providing a helpful glossary of aviation terms at the end of the book.

I rate 49K 3 out of 4 stars. There were several grammatical errors, none of which were distracting; many were around comma usage. I deducted one star because of the grammatical errors and the periods of slow pacing. I recommend this book to adults who would enjoy a character-based story with a focus on aviation and how it relates to life. There is very little profanity in this book. There are discussions about adult romantic relationships that are not overly explicit, but I would not recommend this book to teens. I do not recommend this book to those who are looking for an action-packed thriller or a romantic read. It is, however, a delightful day spent with a reminiscing young pilot.

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49K
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Kanda_theGreat · Post by **Kanda_theGreat** » 12 Dec 2019, 11:54

I was attracted by the short title that spoke less of the contents in the book and your review has performed an excellent task of higlighting the plot of the novel.
Thanks for the review.

MsH2k · Post by **MsH2k** » 12 Dec 2019, 13:30

Kanda_theGreat wrote: ↑12 Dec 2019, 11:54 I was attracted by the short title that spoke less of the contents in the book and your review has performed an excellent task of higlighting the plot of the novel.
Thanks for the review.

The title attracted me to the book too. I don’t think I would have chosen it otherwise, but I’m glad I did. Thank you for your comment.

Miller56 · Post by **Miller56** » 12 Dec 2019, 16:15

Thanks for the review. I am not sure I would enjoy this book. It sounds like it may be a little more focused on the actual plane operation and pilot readiness than I would enjoy.

MsH2k · Post by **MsH2k** » 12 Dec 2019, 23:07

Miller56 wrote: ↑12 Dec 2019, 16:15 Thanks for the review. I am not sure I would enjoy this book. It sounds like it may be a little more focused on the actual plane operation and pilot readiness than I would enjoy.

If you’re a pilot, it might not be too much. It provided breaks during his reminiscing. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.

AvidBibliophile · Post by **AvidBibliophile** » 13 Dec 2019, 22:55

The confluence of events and concern of canceling contracts... I loved all the "c" words in your first paragraph, instantly pulled me in! I admittedly know very little about aviation, but it sounds like this reminiscing young pilot and third-person perspective would offer quite the engaging fly-by read! Thanks for the lovely review.

MsH2k · Post by **MsH2k** » 14 Dec 2019, 01:12

AvidBibliophile wrote: ↑13 Dec 2019, 22:55 The confluence of events and concern of canceling contracts... I loved all the "c" words in your first paragraph, instantly pulled me in! I admittedly know very little about aviation, but it sounds like this reminiscing young pilot and third-person perspective would offer quite the engaging fly-by read! Thanks for the lovely review.

I have never wanted to be a pilot, but I have always been in awe of their skill. It was a pleasant day with the twenty-nine-year-old aviator. Thanks for stopping by!