Ward Recommends: Masters Of The Air

I recently began watching Masters of the Air on Apple TV.

As a pilot I’m particular to details when it comes to aviation, and this series gets it right. I have never flown a B-17 (maybe someday?) but the cockpit scenes strike me as highly authentic. The banter among the crew, the way they run routine checklists, and their responses under fire are spot-on depictions of combat flying.

Squadron life, too, is displayed realistically. When the pilots land after a mission, their first stop is to the debriefing area to record perishable information. The mortality rate for bomber crews in the European theater during World War II was off the scale, and the varied ways that the crewmen deal with the stress is evident. Some drink to blow off steam, others isolate. Those on the ground—friends, family, mechanics, and commanders—also have to deal with the trauma.

All in all, I give Masters of the Air a solid thumbs up!

A New Series: Now Available For Preorder

Big news! Dark Vector is now available for preorder, and will be hitting the shelves on February 4, 2025.

This book is a transitional story. David Slaton, the perfect assassin, still figures prominently, and will continue to do so, but new characters are being introduced. Primary among them is Truman “Tru” Miller, a new operator in the CIA’s Ground Branch. Here’s a rough sketch of the story:

In the wilds of Siberia, a top-secret Russian fighter goes missing on a test flight. The Russian Air Force begins a search, oblivious to their error: they are looking in the wrong spot. The pilot, Colonel Maksim Primakov, has crash landed during an attempted defection.

The new chief of CIA clandestine operations, David Slaton, wants desperately to find him, but only one man is in a position to reach Primakov―Tru Miller, a rookie operator. Slaton plots a rescue deep inside Russia, not realizing that he will have to outfox the one other man who knows the truth. Victor Strelkov is a general in Russian intelligence. His search for Primakov is deeply personal―and if he doesn’t succeed it will cost him his life.

Soon a small group of Americans, including its top female test pilot, Kai Drake, find themselves hunted in the wilds of Russia. Their survival will depend on one thing―just how resourceful and lethal they can be.

PREORDER YOUR COPY!

Ward’s Top-5: Things I’m Thankful For This Holiday Season

Each month I post Top-5 Lists covering a variety of topics: books, movies, foods, etc. If you have a topic you want me to provide a list for, contact me.

Tis the season for thanks, and with that in mind here are 5 things I’m thankful for:

  1. Family always comes first for me, and this time of year is undeniably special. My family always finds a way to reconnect, and when I’m out flying, I find it uplifting that I’m joining people with those they care about the most. Yes, there can be stress, both in travel and family gatherings, but there are also more smiles in the jetway than any other time of year.

  2. This is the season of giving. Show your appreciation to those who make all our lives better—the teachers, police officers, and garbage men who are so easily taken for granted. Give a helping hand to someone in need. And if you’re looking for a new friend, your local Humane Society will be happy to help you find one.

  3. I’m thankful for readers. I’ve always been one myself, and there’s nothing better than discussing a great story. The biggest downside of being a writer is that it cuts into my reading time!

  4. How dreary would life be if not for friends? Find them, engage them, embrace them. And be the best one you can be.

  5. Peace on Earth. Trite as it sounds, given world events, one must always keep perspective. Conflicts lead the headlines every day, and yes, we should pray and strive to resolve them. Yet there is also peace and happiness that too often goes unnoticed. So wish your neighbor “Good morning,” brew a cup of tea for a friend, and go into the New Year happy and healthy!

About Ward: USAF Flying Safety Officer School

During my time in the Air Force, I attended the USAF Flying Safety Officer School. The name is a bit misleading, as it’s actually a course on air accident investigation. While the NTSB covers civilian air crashes, each military service investigates its own mishaps. It was a really interesting school, covering engineering, aerodynamics, physiology, and human factors.

The highlight of safety school is applying what you learn in the “laboratory” which is basically a few acres where the wreckage from actual crashes has been brought in and laid out exactly as it was found in the field.

I relied heavily on what I learned in this course to write my Jammer Davis series—a hybrid police procedural and thriller centered around various air crashes.

Ward’s Top-5: Writers Whose Books I Never Miss

Each month I post Top-5 Lists covering a variety of topics: books, movies, foods, etc. If you have a topic you want me to provide a list for, contact me.

I stay pretty busy writing and flying, but here are a few authors whose books I make time for:

Mark Greaney
Mark is a pro who’s been writing for a long time, and his Gray Man series is not to be missed. As an author I appreciate how he comes up with such great, timely ideas—even his side plots are highly entertaining.

Michael Connelly
Harry Bosch is an iconic character, and the TV series is a top-notch adaptation. Also love the Lincoln Lawyer books, and enjoy how Connelly weaves the two series together.

Brad Thor
I’ve been a Scot Harvath fan for over twenty years. If you want today’s headlines read The New York Times. If you want tomorrow’s read Brad Thor.

Lee and Andrew Child
Jack Reacher is a force of nature, and I look forward to the yearly installment like a kid in a candy store. Pure entertainment.

Vince Flynn
I got hooked on Vince’s books right out of the gate. His untimely passing was a great loss, but Kyle Mills picked up the stories without missing a beat. Next year Don Bentley takes the reins, and I can’t wait to see his plans for Mitch Rapp.