Living in SE Virginia, near the largest naval base in the Country, I have had many friends in the Navy. I have been regaled with some great stories over the years, and it is rare if you go to Virginia Beach that you don’t hear, or see, a Navy jet on a fly over. But after all the stories I have heard, even from a former pilot, I have never fully understood what it felt like to be stationed on a carrier or what it is like to be in a Navy jet; until I read this book.
Raven One takes place during a deployment on the Carrier USS Valley Forge, en route to combat in the Persian Gulf. It is told through the eyes of Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) Jim “Flip” Wilson. Flip is the Operations Officer for a Strike-Fighter Squadron (call sign Raven), and an aviator who flies the FA-18 Hornet.
During the deployment, LCDR Wilson shows us the many facets of being a naval aviator. From being a mentor to the junior officers, being the Operations Officer for his squadron and having to deal with a very antagonistic Executive Officer (XO), to dealing with a wife who just wants him to come home. But we see him at his best when he’s behind the stick of his FA-18 Hornet. I am not going to spoil anything but suffice it to say, there is enough action and nail-biting moments when Flip is on his missions, to keep you on the edge of your seat.
From the opening scenes, Miller grabs you in, and gives you a front row seat to the action aboard an aircraft carrier. With his first-hand knowledge, and very descriptive narrative, the reader is literally the “Fly on the wall” in the story. There were times I almost gave myself a call sign. Kevin Miller says that this story is not autobiographical, but with the years he spent on carriers, there has to be a little of his story in here. So first of all, I would like to say “Thank you” for your service, and congratulations for writing a damn good book.
Follow Derek on Twitter or contact him via the site.
Purchase Raven One
(Note: most indie bookstores can fulfill an order as quickly as larger retailers. Please consider contacting them for your next purchase.)
Barrington Books
Chapter 2 Books
Murder By The Book
Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
The Poisoned Pen
