An incredible follow up to Chris Hadfield’s debut fiction novel, The Apollo Murders - The Defector picks up directly where it leaves off, with many of the same characters as the first.

A MiG pulls off an emergency landing, the pilot is a defector, willing to share information that has never been accessible before. Kaz Zemeckis is brought in to accompany the defector to a top secret test site and the stakes begin to increase with every chapter.

Chris Hadfield has a knack for fiction, weaving his scientific and political knowledge into a page turner duology (hopefully a series?) - this isn’t the type of book I’d naturally gravitate towards but I’m glad I gave The Apollo Murders a chance and was able to see how he shines in the sci-fi/thriller world.

This is a case where the sequel was just as good as the first book. I’d recommend picking them up if you like a good book that’s a bit outside the box - a fantastic setting that takes us to an untapped corner of the political fiction world.

Thank you Chris Hadfield, NetGalley and Penguin Random House for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a ride.

So many questions, though: I know Hadfield says that many of the following incidents are true, but I wonder how many? and which ones?

Like, was there actually a defector? and Did the US lose a plan in the 70s? And what happened to the female cosmonaut? and WHOSE BRILLIANT IDEA WAS IT TO TAKE Gryph TO VEGAS?!

The ending was bonkers. Kaz finally got to actually DO something, instead of just being along for the ride.

Like many others, I found there to be an over-abundance of bomb/plane/gun description, but I quite enjoyed the history and science bits.

Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada, and Mulholland Books for this techy ARC.

I remember reading The Apollo Murders when it came out and thinking 'this isn't the kind of book I normally read but I like Chris Hadfield so I'll give it a go' and then deeply enjoying it. So I went into its follow up expecting more of the kinds of things I loved about The Apollo Murders - a quick, interesting plot and lots and lots of little details that can only come from someone who is very familiar with their subject material. These were definitely delivered - I really enjoyed all the technical details and the verisimilitude of the pilots and astronauts and cosmonauts. However the plot didn't grip me as much. This could be a matter of taste - I'm not a big fan of realistic war-type stories. I found the beginning especially hard to get into, but reading further I got more caught up in the story. The breakneck pace of the final conflict and resolution too made me speed through the end. Even though it's not the kind of story I'd normally pick up on its own, Hadfield's writing is engaging and really expertly crafted.

Hadfield delivers another wonderfully crafted story with twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat right to the last page. His well-developed characters and wonderful writing style, full of twists and turns, will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first page, trying to anticipate where this story would go. This is a definite page-turner that I couldn’t put down until the very last page.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada who provided me with a copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

I have always enjoyed this author's writing - at the beginning of the book I felt a bit confused about what was happening and I had to take my time reading it as it had a lot of technical language that was a bit above my head in the first 9 chapter — after that, the defector was introduced and everything from the previous chapters became much clearer and became more fast-paced for me. This is a kind of historical fiction topic that one doesn’t normally get the chance to read — I enjoy learning about these kinds of topics and behind the scenes of what it’s like to work as an astronaut. But the defector ( Sasha) has a dark side and it’s quite terrifying what he’s capable of doing! Some of the descriptions made my stomach turn. It’s also terrifying how easy it was for the US government to get infiltrated and the fact that this is based on real events - yikes! This story it’s hard to put down and will keep you on the edge.

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for this ARC - This is my honest review.

What I really liked about this is that Apollo Murders could have been a standalone novel - it works on its own - but this books serves to extend the storyline. For those testing the waters on Hadfield, Apollo Murders is enough. Those that really liked it, like me, will be satisfied with this second installment. This one definitely ends with more open questions, however, so I'll be watching for the next one.

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.

Apollo Murders book #2

This top gun thriller is rich with inside details and political intrigue taken from real events and people that made the news at the time.

It opens in Israel in October 1973 when a Soviet MiG fighter pilot crashes his mythical “Foxbat” MiG-25 on landing and pleads to defect to the USA. Kaz Zemeckis, a former test pilot, is assigned to accompany him to the military’s most secret site in the US, Area 51. What happens next is a thrill on its own....and nerve- shredding rush of aerial combat till the very end. Tom Cruise step aside....

From start to finish the plot moves at full throttle and is an adrenaline laced espionage page turner at its best. This Cold War era story is drawn from the author’s combat experience. As a fighter pilot, test pilot and astronaut Chris Hadfield has a lot to say and makes his story of the Soviet-era exciting to read. We are taken to the sky in aerial combat to hunt down a high-level defector and at the same time uncover Soviets secrets what a way to get readers attention. I like the characters, they are well-defined and many represent real-life people both in the USA and Soviet Union. The narrative brings a vast knowledge in science and technology including the development of fighter jets and missiles.

Dogfight described by one that was once a fighter pilot is exciting. We are immediately placed in the cockpit; you can feel the pressure and the thinness of the air and the rotation you are subject to at high speed. Strap yourself in and enjoy the wild ride I know I did. Well said and well-done.

The Defector by Chris Hadfield was a very interesting book to read. Part truth and part fiction, it comes from his extensive knowledge of both the Soviet Union's race for space and that of the US.
Filled with detailed information about different types of planes, his expertise makes this a really good book for anyone interested in flying too.
A great story of spies and counterspies during the Cold War era, where what you see is not necessarily what you get, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it for everyone.

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley in return for my honest opinion.

A terrific follow-up to Chris Hadfield's thriller, The Apollo Murders. It feels authentic and realistic and centres around the facilities and activities in Area 51, Nevada, in the 1970s. This was a highly secured area where fighter jets were being built and updated during the Cold War to keep ahead of Russia and are tested and commanded by top test pilots. Area 51 is also included in preparing for the first International Space Station to carry American and Russian crews in a cooperative effort. It was also involved in the above-the-ground nuclear tests in the 1950s. Now the focus of conspiracy theorists who spread rumours that it is the site for secretive research into UFOs recovered crashes and alien bodies. Due to its highly guarded and mysterious nature, it poses a challenge for spies and a target for covert operations.

The characters are well-defined. Some appeared in the Apollo murders, including the welcome return of its main protagonist. The believable plot is populated by many real-life characters, including actual astronauts, cosmonauts, politicians, diplomats, and heads of various legitimate agencies and places in the USA and Russia. This is a propulsive, high-octane thriller with tension and suspense throughout, a book which I was reluctant to put down. The villain was so brilliant and accomplished it was difficult not to root for his success.

Because of the author's amazing range of knowledge and experience, much hard science and technology is included in developing and testing fighter jets and missiles. This hard science added to the authenticity of the story. How the pilots react to any problems that arise was interesting and informative. The dynamic events occurring at Area 51 led to injuries and murders.

It ends with some resolution, but I think there is room for a sequel. Has there been a mole inside Area 51? We have no definite proof that the antagonist is really dead. The Defector is the work of a great storyteller.

Canadian Chris Hadfield is one of the world's most accomplished astronauts and test pilots. He was the top test pilot for both the US Air Force and the Navy. During the Cold War, he was a fighter pilot intercepting armed Soviet bombers in Canadian air space. He is the veteran of three space flights, did a spacewalk, and served as commander of the International Space Station. He captured the attention of millions of viewers with a video where he sang Bowie's Space Oddity from the Space Station.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the ARC, my most anticipated book this year. It immediately went to the top of my tower of books waiting to be read. I became engaged in the thrill of piloting test planes and the joy of astronauts and cosmonauts when they learn they will travel into space. This was a mystery and an intense, pulse-pounding thriller written from experience and a history of the location in the 1970s. The Defector is due to be published on October 10th.