The Times stated: "Both have central characters who are using their wits to escape the aerial carnage; both are haunted by an omnipresent injured airman, invisible inside a white body cast". Stating he had never read Falstein's novel, or heard of him, Heller said: "My book came out in 1961[;] I find it funny that nobody else has noticed any similarities, including Falstein himself, who died just last year".
The Times noted: "Both have main characters employing their intelligence to avoid aerial destruction; both are troubled by a persistent injured airman, unseen within a white cast". Heller claimed he had never read Falstein's novel or heard of him. He stated: "My book was published in 1961; it amuses me that no one else has noticed any similarities, including Falstein himself, who passed away just last year."