Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

East Wind Returns

Rate this book
A young but veteran recon pilot in WW2 finds the fate of the greatest invasion in history—and the life of the nurse he loves—resting perilously on his shoulders. East Wind Returns is a story of WW2 set in July-November 1945 which explores a very different road to that conflict’s historic conclusion. The American war leaders grapple with a crippling their secret atomic bomb does not work. The invasion of Japan seems the only option to bring the war to a close. When those leaders suppress intelligence of a Japanese atomic weapon poised against the invasion forces, it falls to photo reconnaissance pilot John Worth to find the Japanese device. Political intrigue is mixed with passionate romance and exciting aerial action—the terror of enemy fighters, anti-aircraft fire, mechanical malfunctions, deadly weather, and the Kamikaze. When shot down by friendly fire over southern Japan during the American invasion, Worth leads the desperate mission that seeks to deactivate the device. Turning back the clock to 1942, follow John Worth’s exploits as an eager rookie pilot in Grasso’s Operation Long Jump.

359 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 19, 2011

269 people are currently reading
72 people want to read

About the author

William Peter Grasso

24 books76 followers
A lifelong student of history, William Peter Grasso served in the US Army and is retired from the aircraft maintenance industry. His devotion to all things historical, military, and aviation remains unabated and continues to inspire his fiction.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
229 (44%)
4 stars
173 (33%)
3 stars
80 (15%)
2 stars
20 (3%)
1 star
7 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Profile Image for Ryan.
164 reviews1 follower
April 16, 2012
East Wind Returns
William Peter Grasso
350 pages, read in paper-back

In October 1945, just after the passing Monsoon season, The United States is poised for invasion. Large Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Army assets from the south will begin with operation Olympic; followed in the Spring of 46 by another initiative which will enter from the east, titled Operation Coronet. The invasion is expected to cost the allied forces millions in human lives. On August 6th 1945, the United States dropped the first of its atomic arsenal on Hiroshima, soon followed on August 9th with a second bomb delivered to Nagasaki. These bombs killed an estimated 150,000- 246,000 deaths with no Allied losses and six days later Japan surrendered to the allied forces. But what if...we never succeeded in building a bomb that could be delivered via long air voyage and pin point accuracy drop methods? What if the Empire of the Rising Sun possessed a nuclear bomb and Allied forces did not?

East Wind returns in a piece of historical fiction that deals with that last question, what if Japan had a nuclear bomb and we do not, through the eyes of John. John is an officer stationed in Okinawa prior to the invasion and mans a P-38 Lightning stripped of all offensive capability and laden with aerial photography equipment. John's job is simple, fly through hostile airspace and penetrate the interior to take reconnaissance footage and of course return with the footage. With no guns and in hostile airspace, John must rely on his speed and capability to save him.

Grasso's writing is superb for the subject matter and it is obvious he has done his research on both the war and aviation for the time period. The chapters are short and organized perfectly; I don't think I saw one out of place chapter or chapter without purpose. Each chapter covers what needs to be covered without a lot of frills unless needed. One thing in particular that I want to call out is Grasso's ability to facilitate the absolute chaos and panic that a World War II fighter pilot would have to endure while still being able to describe the maneuvers of planes and overall action of the embroiling aerial combats simultaneously. It's fantastic.

3.5 stars.
Profile Image for Jeff Dawson.
Author 23 books107 followers
September 4, 2013
East Wind Fizzles.

I am an avid student of WWII history and am always looking for a well written, driving story. Sadly, this wasn’t one of them.

The pros of the story are the historical accuracy of the main players, both Japanese and American. It’s a great primer for those who aren’t familiar with the history or need to brush up a bit. I was intrigued with the idea of Japan possessing an A-bomb and using it in hopes of stemming the American onslaught on Japan.

The cons. Way too many. The main one is editing! Tenses are all over the place. Out of fifty-six chapters, there are eight which are only filler. They do nothing to push the story forward, only bog it down with irrelevant issues. Ch’s 33, 34, 25, 26, 27, 39, and 45. Ch 51 should have been hard-hitting and exciting; it missed the mark.

There are a slew of bad sentences and punctuation. Too many too list.

The love affair between John and Marge is interesting at first but then becomes contrite and boring.

The action scenes all become the same as the book progresses and why are we still being weighed down with descriptions of aircraft and weapon seventy-five percent into the work? I found it maddening. It had all been previously covered. FILLER!

At times I thought I was reading a remake of Disney’s “Pearl Harbor” or a Sgt. Rock Comic Book. The later kept my attention.

SPOLILER ALERT!
The ending was anti-climatic at best.

If the historical aspects of the book wouldn’t have been dead on, I would have given it two stars. As it is, a two-and-a-half star push.
Profile Image for Jeffrey Cavanaugh.
399 reviews7 followers
May 28, 2012
A mildly interesting alternative history is shot down by flat, boring characters and even worse prose. Overall: Meh.
Profile Image for Genie Higbee.
Author 2 books29 followers
March 13, 2022
Rick's opinion

Interesting story. Eddie Richenbacker in his bio liked the p 38 when he was England WW 2. Did not know heating problems in high altitudes. They always had problems with the B29. That is why so many Marines died at Iwo Jima we needed air bases closer to Japan. My father-law was part of that crew that crashed in Seattle before the war. He had a life time of bad sinuses. He not fly that day. He lost a lot friends. He told me they always had Engine fires they thought they could correct it.
102 reviews
March 9, 2018
A Great Story About Captain John Worth

Captain John Worth was introduced in the Jock Miles series and this book continues his combat service as a photo recon pilot. I have read both the Jock Miles and the Moon Brothers series and this is my favorite book by Mr. Grasso so far. If you have not read Mr. Grasso, try one of his books, you will not be disappointed.
Profile Image for janice moore.
37 reviews
December 23, 2019
Not impressed

Too dramatic and not based on historical fact. Factual basis for any novel is desirable for most readers. Especially, this one, but this novel deviated too much to be enjoyable. Old soldiers prefer historical military novels to be just that. Too much deviation from factual occurrences. Read history reads better with a factual conclusion. O-4, USA, retired
36 reviews
September 9, 2017
Right Stuff

After finishing Operation Fishwrapper I looked for more by Grasso and found East Wind Returns. I'm not an alternate history fan, but the author uses his historical alterations well and spins a captivating tale.
Profile Image for Greg Oaster.
177 reviews
September 2, 2019
Interesting alternative history

Another great. Book by Mr. Grassy. Unlike his other historical fiction novels,this one takes a little twist to the ending of the second world war. Well written and I like the story as seen from the eyes of a photo recon pilot.
153 reviews3 followers
September 5, 2020
One of Grasso's best!

Keeps you involved every second...and gives you the impression that you're reading history, not fiction. The characters are believable -- some you love and some you despise. Made for some late nights: hard to stop reading!

7 reviews
July 29, 2021
Too much Romance. I would have liked a factual account of McCarthy

MaCArthur's role in ending the war. I have always
admired President Truman and his dealings with MacArthur in 1945 and in Korea
Profile Image for Chaplain Stanley Chapin.
1,978 reviews21 followers
December 22, 2016
A little different perspective

Taking a character from another novel in which he was a secondary participant and developing a different story was interesting.
432 reviews
November 22, 2022
Amazing

Extremely well written, the book left me hanging on every word. A lesson life, war and love. None better
Rock on!
331 reviews3 followers
June 29, 2022
Great book!

One more to chalk up as a top notch story by Mr. Grasso. He sure knows how to make fictional characters come to life. Keep em coming!
Profile Image for Sebastian Breit.
Author 1 book14 followers
August 16, 2011
What if the Trinity test explosion fails because of a design failure of the implosion device? What if through accidents and negligence the available enriched uranium of the US nuclear bomb program has been destroyed, forcing the United States to go ahead with its planned invasion of the Japanese home islands? And worse, what if the Japanese themselves have built their own nuclear device, using the enriched German uranium?

Set against the impending - and later, unfolding - events of Operation Downfall (specifically: Operation Olympic, the invasion of Kyushu), Grasso spins a very convincing story. With the American uranium stores destroyed in a fire - with both, scientists and army guards blaming one another - and the initial plutonium-based device not working, President Truman sees no alternative other than to go ahead with putting American boots on Japanese ground. Unbeknownst to the him, the Japanese have successfully tested an atom bomb of their own off the coast of Korea and are now planning to put their remaining weapon to good use. The Navy opts for a suicide run against either San Francisco or the invasion fleet. The Imperial Army wants to use the weapon on a key invasion beacj to inflict horrible casualties on MacArthur's task force and break the US spearheads in two. And the new prime minister secretly prays for common sense to prevail and a peace deal to be reached.

Like much the Japanese Navy proposed during the latter days of WW II their suicide run turns out to be impractical. The weapon is too large to be carried inside even their bigger submarines, and to be activated they would have to surface and manually prime it - in the middle of enemy forces. Thus the task of putting the bomb to good use is awarded to the army. The author also explains quite vividly why a delivery by airplane would be impossible for the Japanese. In an already strong novel, these are the strongest parts. It clearly shows that Grasso knows his trade, filling the flight scenes with just the right mix of technical knowhow and lively imagery. It is here where the danger of flying lurks just beneath the surface: mechanical and human failure can turn even straight flights in good weather into deadly events. It only gets worse when its cold, you're flying through anti-aircraft fire, and you've got Japanese fighters on your tail.

I've got to commend Grasso for his choice of tense and point of view.
The author employs a strange mix of past and present tense narration, but at no point in the novel was I put off by that. In fact, it immersed me deeper into the story, making it actually feeling closer, more personal.

The main POV character of East Wind Returns is Cpt. John Worth, a recon pilot operating from an airfield on Okinawa. He's an expert flyer, and we witness most of the story through his eyes as he experiences the uncertainties and dangers of war: new comrades appear, only to never return from a mission; the Japanese adapt their tactics to ever more deadly ones; trouble brews back on the base with a pampered fighter jock; and true love blossoms between him and Lt. Marjorie Braden. Grasso writes a believable love story in the face of war without it being cheesy or overbearing, and quite unlike what I thought when I began reading the novel, it adds to it more than I thought it would detract (because most people can't write good romance).
There's not a single character in it without a certain depth to him or her; even the secondary ones are more than fleshed out. If I sound as if I'm heaping praise on East Wind Returns... well, I am, deservedly so. Without it feeling rushed or shortened, Grasso manages in barely 90,000 words to feature a love story, the story surrounding an American invasion of Kyushu, a nuclear plot, personal rivalry and - something I criticized as severely lacking in my last fiction review Hitler's War - a look on the macro-perspective, showing the discussions and decision-making of the Japanese and American leadership. This also includes a twist at the end.

Final Verdict: 5/5. This is the hallmark of a well-structured novel. It's got everything: alternate history, adventure, drama, and a love story. You can get East Wind Returns on Amazon or Smashwords for only $0.99. I highly recommend you do so.
Profile Image for Robert W Jenkins.
59 reviews2 followers
July 21, 2019
Knowledgeable, well grounded in the military, all branches except navv

Read all his books so far. Many sleepless nights. Cant believe his knowledge of the military along with great writing and character development. It’s so easy to get emersed in his characters. No “But Fors” in his books
Profile Image for Kim.
Author 15 books245 followers
June 6, 2011
Being an Army vet, I absolutely love military fiction of all kinds. East River Returns is a unique take on the genre in that it is an interesting blend of actual history and a "what if" path that history could have taken. The story centers around John Worth, a photo recon pilot in WWII, a part of the aviation of the time that has always been largely ignored in the genre. Worth fell into the photo recon arena during flight school when his instructors decided he wasn't "aggressive" enough to be a fighter pilot. Instead, Worth has flown more missions in the same areas than the average fighter in his plain f-stop, always without any kind of armament.

While there was a lot of technical detail when describing missions or equipment, I never felt that it was overwhelming. Instead it enabled the reader to really feel as if they were present in the story with the characters. The characters, both fictional and actual, were blended seamlessly, making it easy to forget that this was, in fact, a fictional novel. I loved Worth's character because he had a sense of honor and nobility about him, the epitiome of a hero of the time. Not only was he dedicated to his job and his mission, he was humble. The romance between himself and Margie, although secondary to the thrust of the story, kept the human side of the story alive and kept those technical details from becoming overwhelming.

I also liked that the story often switched between the American side of the story and the Japansese. Most books I have read in the genre generally tell the story from one side or the other, so this was an interesting mix. There were also a lot of sub-plots throughout the story, mimi stories that really added to the realistic feel of the novel. They may not have directly related to the main plot, but they showed sides to military life at the time and really filled out the story. I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes the military fiction genre!
Profile Image for Underground Book Reviews.
266 reviews40 followers
June 5, 2013
With this book, Grasso firmly establishes credibility as an alternative-history and action-adventure writer. East Wind Returns vaguely echoes Harry Turtledove’s alternative fiction novels, but unlike Turtledove, Grasso never slows down and never bores the reader. While his research and technicals are impeccable, Grasso doesn’t
bog you down in excessive detail. It’s this pacing that gives East Wind Returns its breakneck speed. Not only does this book move quickly, but it has a high degree of quality in its characters and plot presentation.

Grasso boldly tells this story in present tense, but a few times he slips into past tense. Given the nature of this historic subject matter, I can’t believe he didn’t do it more. However, his few tense slips are minor and do not detract from the overall story.

This book could have been released by a leading publishing house. It feels professional, from its slick cover art to its almost error-free pages.

Read the rest of this review at Underground Book Reviews:
http://www.undergroundbookreviews.com...
Profile Image for Mike.
497 reviews2 followers
July 24, 2014
Interesting premise that the Japanese also developed the atomic bomb. This may sound far fetched but there is historical evidence the Japanese were working on uranium enrichment and the Allies captured a German u-boat loaded with enriched uranium that was bound for Japan...but I digress. That was my long winded way os saying I found the premise plausible. Over all it was well written except the dialouge between characters felt unnatural most of the time. The characters seem like actors who are aware of being on stage and speak woodenly. That being said conversation isn't a big part of the novel and it is worth reading.
Profile Image for Aashish.
52 reviews22 followers
August 14, 2014
This book is an Alternative History book, where the real events from world war 2 are juxtaposed with the author's narrative.

The book is a racy read, with good plot twists at the key moments. The book also details a lot of things related to fighter aircrafts and warfare in general - the author's background is very evident.

At some places, the book starts resembling Bollywood movies, with its love track and an attempt to integrate mush with a story which actually does not go too well with it. This is the only downside of the book - it could have easily been 10% shorter than what it is.

Overall, for anyone who likes war stories, this is a good quick read.
24 reviews
January 5, 2014
Liked this book.

enjoyed reading this authors exciting world war two stories. have read all but one of his books (just downloaded it a few moments ago). I like his interweaving of real characters in the "what if" happens scenarios. Peter puts you in the cockpit at the controls of the recon plane. love this author.
192 reviews1 follower
June 1, 2016
Very good read.

Mr. Grasso's character John Worth was totally believable, and a really nice guy. I wonder though, how many people found a silent partner when John Worth describes as his feelings about his mother are laid bare for the world to see. A very easy to like protagonist, this guy Mr. John Worth.
Profile Image for Kelly Willcoxbrackeen.
344 reviews13 followers
March 7, 2016
Historical fiction at its best...

This is a flying story first and foremost, a wartime romance second and very well written historical fiction last. What if our a-bomb didn't work? That's just the scenario proposed here and one of the possible outcomes...
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews