Mayday (novel)

Mayday

First edition
Author	Thomas Block with Nelson DeMille
Publisher	Richard Marek Publishers
Publication date	November 1979
Pages	346
ISBN	0-446-60476-3
OCLC	38146516
Preceded by	By the Rivers of Babylon
Followed by	Cathedral (DeMille) Orbit (Block)

Mayday is a 1979 thriller novel by American author Thomas Block. The novel was updated in 1998 by authors Thomas Block and Nelson DeMille and re-released as a paperback.^[1]

Plot summary[]

A supersonic passenger jet flying over the Pacific Ocean is struck by an errant missile. Due to the effects of decompression and oxygen deprivation, all but a handful are incapacitated. Three survivors must attempt to land the airplane, despite attempts to cover up the disaster.

Film adaptation[]

Mayday was adapted in a television film that premiered on CBS-TV as a Sunday night movie on October 2, 2005. The movie stars Aidan Quinn, Gail O'Grady, Dean Cain, Charles Dutton, Michael Murphy, and Kelly Hu.

The name of the airline in the original novel was Trans-United (a possible merger between TWA and United), but changed in the movie to Pacific Global (a fictional airline from another thriller novel, Shadow 81 by Lucien Nahum). Other differences included navy pilot Peter Matos refusing to destroy the stricken airliner and diverting to an aircraft carrier (he was originally tricked into ditching his plane at sea), Harold Stein staying on board the flight (in the novel, he committed suicide by jumping from the airliner with his wife) and insurer Wayne Metz replaced by Anne Metz.

References[]

External links[]

• Mayday on Nelson DeMille's Official Website
• Mayday on Thomas Block's Official Website

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