He hunts by night. But it’s the ghosts of war that won’t let him rest.
From the award-winning author of Sunward I’ve Climbed and The Shouting Wind comes the heart-pounding third novel in Frank A. Mason’s acclaimed Sunlit Silence series - an unflinching portrayal of sacrifice, vengeance, and survival in WWII’s deadliest skies.
Flight Lieutenant Trip Gibson has lost more than comrades. The war has taken friends, lovers, and pieces of his soul. Now flying with the RAF’s elite night fighters, Trip takes to the skies under cover of darkness - haunted, hardened, and hell-bent on revenge.
The Blitz is in full force. London is in flames. When off duty, Trip drowns grief in reckless nights and hollow laughs. By night, he stalks the German bombers leaving the city in ruins. His Bristol Beaufighter becomes a weapon of retribution, and Trip begins to wonder if he’s flying toward redemption or oblivion.
Then comes a mission deep into occupied France… and a revelation that shatters everything he thought he knew about love, loyalty, and Barbara - the woman he couldn’t save.
Can Trip survive the war without losing himself completely? Or will the burning blue of combat consume what’s left of him?
An emotionally gripping WWII aviation novel perfect for fans of Bomber Boys, Hornet Flight, and A Higher Call.
The Sunlit Silence Series of WWII in the
Sunward I’ve ClimbedThe Shouting WindThe Burning Blue
Frank A. Mason is the pen name for author Robert (Bob) F. Amason, Ph.D.
Professor at Large at Northern Illinois University (Semi-Retired). He earned his Ph.D. from Georgia Tech and University of Florida. A retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel, Bob Amason was a college professor for 25 years. As an officer in the USAF, Bob flew B-52s during the Cold War, was a flying training instructor, and directed high-level staff organizations over 22 years of his early adult life.
He is a life member of the Sons of the American Revolution. He now lives in Florida with his wife, who is also university professor and author
Winner of the 2023 Gold Royal Palm Literary Award, the highest award from the Florida Writer's Association
This is an excellent series (fictional) about WW2. It gives a good portrayal of the politics of the time and the effect on regular people. The characters are great and make you support them through good and bad. There is happiness, sadness, laughter, crying, love and death. It is the time our parents struggled to save their world and the prices they paid. You will love the characters, especially Trip even more so if you love flying and air combat. I hated to finish the read since the next issue isn't on the horizon but I can't wait for it to come out, hurry, please!
I enjoy a simple good read while exercising. I’m a student of anything relating to WWI and WWII, the more “technical” the better. Know enough about a lot of things to be dangerous. This read fulfilled more than my minim requirements. The only parts that didn’t ring true were the sex scenes. I assume they were included to add that zing to the story, probably a good choice, but then I digress. Time to say goodnight.
I’ve read too many WWII novels to count. My father fought in WWII. I’m always so intrigued by the bravery exhibited in that war of all wars. Here, I loved the balance of frightening excitement, personal relationships, affairs, and fairly intricate details of flying and WWII fighter planes. Many tears reading this book. Well done lad!
Frank A. Mason crafts a wonderful reading experience in historical war novels. His flight knowledge and ability to spin a yarn with realistic characters, exciting plots, and emotions galore not only,y from the characters but being able to jerk the reader’s emotions as well.
I hope future readers of this series are as entertained as I was.
Frank A. Mason has presented us with another thrilling, emotional and even sad novel. Thursday is series shows the quality of style and characters we know of from Mr. Mason. I look forward to Trip's next adventure.
Fun fact: Once shot down over continental Europe you can never fly in combat again. The policy was if you were shot down again you might reveal, under torture, those involved in your escape.
A very gripping tale combining tales of fictitious Trip Gibson in accurate historical adventures during World War II. Very entertaining social escapades are sprinkled throughout his aerial encounters with German adversaries. Truly enjoyable read.
This series remains interesting as Trip transitions to night fighting. Enter the Beaufighter, heavily armed with two engines and radar. New skills are also needed, as are new tactics. Fighting over occupied territory provides Trip with another escape challenge.
Brilliant part three. This series gets better and better. I am overwhelmed by the technical expertise of flying airplanes. And it’s so interesting to see the humbleness of Major Trip.