Review of Against the Wind

[Kutloano Makhuvhela]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Against the Wind" by A.W. Baldwin.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Do you like adventure? Do you like flying? Do you love reading about those two? Then Against the Wind by A.W. Baldwin might just be the perfect book for you. This entertaining thriller will have you hooked from start to finish with its upbeat tempo that never lets go. From the first page, it opens with suspense and action until the very last page. The author is described as someone whose work has won him multiple awards. He has many titles under his belt, like Wings Over Ghost Creek, Raptor Canyon, Desert Guardian, and others. I haven’t read any of them except this one. Against the Wind is a perfect spell-binding book.

It opens with a character by the name of Chloe sneaking around at a hangar, trying not to be spotted. She is anxious. What she is about to do might backfire on her. To succeed, she must move fast. She is trying to steal a plane. The area seemed deserted, at least at this time, so she garners strength and goes ahead with it. She turns the propeller herself because this is not exactly a brand-new plane. But soon, she does her pre-flights and takes off unseen. Phew! She is free. Now she can fly to her grandfather, who lives in Washington. She is an orphan because her parents were fatally involved in a car crash.

Richard Dochauser, Ph.D., is a quantum physicist who works closely with students at the University of Azteca. He and a Ph.D. candidate, Belle Smith, have worked on a very sophisticated prototype that promises to advance the whole of science forward and change the world, but he’s not yet ready to publish until he’s overly satisfied. He gets to his laboratory early in the morning and finds Belle with the mysterious man talking about their prototype. What happens there quickly leaves Dochauser running for his life.

I have enjoyed reading this book so much. It has everything one needs in a good crime thriller and much more. It was a gift that kept on giving, and kudos to the author for the fantastic work. As I said in my opening paragraph, the book hooks you from start to finish. The author’s prose is something one cannot help but understand and love. The way the author arranged the events was unusual but good. Two people from different backgrounds with different goals are brought together on a treacherous journey to an unknown destination.

The characterisation was the first thing I loved about this book. The main characters were Chloe and Doc, with a few supporting characters appearing here and there to assist where they were needed and a couple of antagonists. This made the author take time to develop every one of them. I loved that the characters were realistic. They felt alive. The things they did felt real. The mistakes they made were relatable. Their fears, emotions, scars, and hopes are some of the things most readers will resonate with.

The writing was absolutely stunning. It was flowing and didn’t hold the action back. Because the book was not that long, each word and sentence had to count, which is what the author did. Every word painted vivid pictures that made me feel like I was there. My favourite scenes happened in the air, where most actions happened. The descriptions gave out needed details for picturing but still left enough for my imagination to take over. This meant I didn’t feel like I was outside the window looking in.

The dialogue and narration complemented one another. The former highlighted the personalities of the characters, while the latter made sure the exposition was properly executed. The chapters were many but short. This retained the novel’s upbeatness. Both Chloe and Doc were my favourite characters because they were different and balanced with each other.

The conclusion was very well done. I didn’t see it coming, especially because many loose ends remained untied throughout the novel to leave the reader guessing. But in the end, they were all fixed, and it made sense. I could say the journey changed both the main characters in some way because, at the end of it all, they had changed their viewpoints and knew what they wanted to do in the future.

I found minor errors that didn’t affect the quality of the book, proving the book was professionally edited. That’s why I am glad to rate this book five out of five stars. I would strongly recommend it to everyone who loves thrillers. Teenagers and adults should read it because each will feel represented and accommodated. My favourite line from the book is: ‘Life is but a field of chaos, with isolated patterns in between.’ [page 141].

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Against the Wind
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[Martin Shae]

If you're an adventure enthusiast who loves thrilling stories about flying, Against the Wind by A.W. Baldwin is a must-read. This award-winning author's latest novel will captivate you from start to finish with its relentless pace and gripping suspense. Even if you haven't read Baldwin's other works, this spell-binding thriller stands on its own as an exhilarating ride.

[Alissa Nesson]

I love a good page-turner! Sounds like a good read. Thank you for your recommendation!