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Tidal Wave: The Pilots, the Princess, and the Enemy Ace - A True Story of Courage and Survival in WWII
Win a free print copy of this book!
1 day and 05:49:22
25 copies available
U.S. only
From the author of the New York Times bestsellers A Higher Call, Spearhead, and Devotion comes an astonishing true story set in an untold arena of World War II.
“Tidal Wave is epic in every way. Like all good WWII books, it reminds us again, in the starkest terms possible, how much we owe to those who won that war.”—Daniel James Brown, author of The Boys in the Boat
It’s summer 1943, and the world is on fire.
Lieutenant Ernie Poulson, a twenty-two-year-old outdoorsman from Utah, finds himself at the controls of America’s most advanced bomber, the B-24, brought to North Africa for a top-secret mission.
On the far side of Europe, Lieutenant Constantin Cantacuzino, Romania’s most daring ace, duels Soviet fighters on the Eastern Front while searching for purpose in an unwinnable war.
In Nazi-aligned Romania, Princess Catherine Caradja walks a perilous line between loyalty to her country and quiet defiance, as German forces dig in around the oil refineries in her backyard.
And in the royal palace, twenty-one-year-old King Michael of Romania—mocked and sidelined by a Nazi-backed dictator—quietly plots to seize his nation’s destiny before it is lost forever.
In Tidal Wave, Adam Makos brings these lives together in a sweeping saga of courage and survival, set against history’s most audacious air raid: the treetop assault on “Hitler’s gas station” at Ploesti, Romania. What begins in flames on August 1, 1943, sparks bonds no one could have foreseen—alliances between enemies—that will decide whether these men and women are consumed by war, or seize their chance at escape and redemption.
Drawn from years of extensive research and told with Makos’s signature cinematic intensity, Tidal Wave will remind you that even in war’s darkest hours, humanity has a way of breaking through.
“Tidal Wave is epic in every way. Like all good WWII books, it reminds us again, in the starkest terms possible, how much we owe to those who won that war.”—Daniel James Brown, author of The Boys in the Boat
It’s summer 1943, and the world is on fire.
Lieutenant Ernie Poulson, a twenty-two-year-old outdoorsman from Utah, finds himself at the controls of America’s most advanced bomber, the B-24, brought to North Africa for a top-secret mission.
On the far side of Europe, Lieutenant Constantin Cantacuzino, Romania’s most daring ace, duels Soviet fighters on the Eastern Front while searching for purpose in an unwinnable war.
In Nazi-aligned Romania, Princess Catherine Caradja walks a perilous line between loyalty to her country and quiet defiance, as German forces dig in around the oil refineries in her backyard.
And in the royal palace, twenty-one-year-old King Michael of Romania—mocked and sidelined by a Nazi-backed dictator—quietly plots to seize his nation’s destiny before it is lost forever.
In Tidal Wave, Adam Makos brings these lives together in a sweeping saga of courage and survival, set against history’s most audacious air raid: the treetop assault on “Hitler’s gas station” at Ploesti, Romania. What begins in flames on August 1, 1943, sparks bonds no one could have foreseen—alliances between enemies—that will decide whether these men and women are consumed by war, or seize their chance at escape and redemption.
Drawn from years of extensive research and told with Makos’s signature cinematic intensity, Tidal Wave will remind you that even in war’s darkest hours, humanity has a way of breaking through.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published November 3, 2026
About the author
Adam Makos
11 books727 followersHailed as “A masterful storyteller” by the Associated Press, Adam Makos is the author of the New York Times bestseller, A Higher Call, and the critically-acclaimed, Devotion. Inspired by his grandfathers’ service, Adam chronicles the stories of American veterans in his trademark “You Are There” style, landing him “in the top ranks of military writers,” according to the Los Angeles Times. In pursuit of a story, Adam has flown a WWII bomber, accompanied a Special Forces raid in Iraq, and journeyed into North Korea in search of an MIA American serviceman.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
“You can handle more than you think you can.”
Adam Makos is the author of Spearhead, which is one of the most engaging, well researched and written, readable military history books I’ve ever read. It came out in 2019, and I’ve been watching for his next book ever since. It’s here! Tidal Wave is the sort of story that, if it were published as historical fiction, would be panned by many as simply unbelievable. Where’s the credibility? But it did happen, and this is not fiction.
My thanks go to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the review copy. This book will be available to the public November 3, 2026.
We start with an elite group of pilots from the U.S. Air Force. It’s the autumn of 1943, and the boys—and back then, they were all boys and young men—have been sent to North Africa on a top secret mission. They are to fly nonstop to Romania, which is an Axis nation, also known as “Hitler’s Gas Station” for its large-scale oil refineries, and they are to bomb the living hell out of those refineries in broad daylight at low altitude, to avoid radar detection and diminish civilian casualties. It’s massively dangerous; some might call it a suicide mission. But if successful, it will deal a massive blow to the Nazi war machine.
“If not one bomber returns tomorrow, but that target is wiped out, the mission will still be a success.”
Meanwhile, Romanians are chafing under Nazi rule. Nobody there volunteered for this; the Nazis came in and announced they were taking all the oil, and they would pay for it at below market prices. The Nazis were tolerated because they promised to return territory that was usurped by the Soviet Union at the conclusion of World War I.
Add to this story a royal family that determines to covertly help the American pilots that have been shot down over their country, and for good measure, sprinkle it with local orphans, and you have—in author Makos’s capable hands—one hell of a war story. The captured pilots make a break for it, and their struggle, along with the danger they face, makes this story a nail-biter even though we know how it’s going to turn out, at least in large measure.
Those that sigh and sit back after seeing the genre—military history—should know that this reads like narrative nonfiction. I was reading a couple of pretty good novels alternately with this one, but this is the one that kept me awake late at night, because I had to know who made it and who did not. Add into this the twist at the end regarding the Romanian princess and the enemy pilot, and you have a matchless story.
Highly recommended to all.
Adam Makos is the author of Spearhead, which is one of the most engaging, well researched and written, readable military history books I’ve ever read. It came out in 2019, and I’ve been watching for his next book ever since. It’s here! Tidal Wave is the sort of story that, if it were published as historical fiction, would be panned by many as simply unbelievable. Where’s the credibility? But it did happen, and this is not fiction.
My thanks go to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the review copy. This book will be available to the public November 3, 2026.
We start with an elite group of pilots from the U.S. Air Force. It’s the autumn of 1943, and the boys—and back then, they were all boys and young men—have been sent to North Africa on a top secret mission. They are to fly nonstop to Romania, which is an Axis nation, also known as “Hitler’s Gas Station” for its large-scale oil refineries, and they are to bomb the living hell out of those refineries in broad daylight at low altitude, to avoid radar detection and diminish civilian casualties. It’s massively dangerous; some might call it a suicide mission. But if successful, it will deal a massive blow to the Nazi war machine.
“If not one bomber returns tomorrow, but that target is wiped out, the mission will still be a success.”
Meanwhile, Romanians are chafing under Nazi rule. Nobody there volunteered for this; the Nazis came in and announced they were taking all the oil, and they would pay for it at below market prices. The Nazis were tolerated because they promised to return territory that was usurped by the Soviet Union at the conclusion of World War I.
Add to this story a royal family that determines to covertly help the American pilots that have been shot down over their country, and for good measure, sprinkle it with local orphans, and you have—in author Makos’s capable hands—one hell of a war story. The captured pilots make a break for it, and their struggle, along with the danger they face, makes this story a nail-biter even though we know how it’s going to turn out, at least in large measure.
Those that sigh and sit back after seeing the genre—military history—should know that this reads like narrative nonfiction. I was reading a couple of pretty good novels alternately with this one, but this is the one that kept me awake late at night, because I had to know who made it and who did not. Add into this the twist at the end regarding the Romanian princess and the enemy pilot, and you have a matchless story.
Highly recommended to all.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Tidal Wave is fantastic from beginning to end. Adam Makos brings an untold story to life in such incredible detail. It is rare that a history writer can capture the reader in this way. I feel so fortunate to get to experience this book and more importantly the story of these brave men in this way. Adam Makos has an incredible talent for brining history to life and this book is no exception. A must read.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC
November 3, 2026
While many WW2 books exist, this is a rare look at what was happening in another part of the world, Romania. Going into this, I knew nothing of that part of the world and how critical it was to Germany. The book does a great job of blending the military mission alongside the cultural and leadership dynamics that were at play. The various points of view keep the book engaging and exciting. You will walk away with a newfound respect for both our American troops and the Romanian people. I highly recommend it!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was an outstanding story of an event in WW2 that very few history books discussed. The courage of the people involved to defy the Germans and save over 1,000 allied soldiers is truly inspiring. This is a great read and highly recommended.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
July 18, 2026
As usual, Adam Makos brings an incredible wartime story to life. He’s one of my favorite nonfiction authors because of his ability to make history feel immediate and deeply personal. His writing places you right in the middle of the action, making every page feel cinematic.
This is a book I could easily see myself rereading, and I sincerely hope it one day gets adapted into a film. Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read an advance copy of another outstanding book from one of my favorite authors.
This is a book I could easily see myself rereading, and I sincerely hope it one day gets adapted into a film. Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read an advance copy of another outstanding book from one of my favorite authors.
November 13, 2026
This book, about a WWII mission code named Operation Tidal Wave, began with a most remarkable coincidence! in 2018 FedEx founder Fred Smith, who had a personal connection to the raid through his early legal counsel, told Adam Makos about an American bomber, Chattanooga Choo Choo, that crash-landed near the estate of a Romanian princess during World War II. Makos and his team went looking for ANYONE still alive from the 1,700 airmen on that mission; recognizing these men would be about 100+ years old now! So, what are the astonishing odds that Makos would uncover just ONE veteran from that mission who UNBELIEVEABLY was the copilot of that very plane!! He found Ernie Poulson, then 97, living in Utah. Ernie was still sharp and his vivid memories became the heart of this wonderful book.
The first 1/3 of the book is about Operation Tidal Wave in August 1943 which was a bombing raid on the Romanian oil refineries that fueled Hitler’s war machine. The author writes his well-researched books like a novel and describes action, dialogue, emotion and the surroundings as if you are in the cockpit yourself.
But the real story, the latter 2/3 of the book, is what came after Operation Tidal Wave. The downed bomber crash-landed near the estate of Romanian Princess Catherine and here the book really takes off! Princess Catherine, her cousin Prince Cantacuzino, (Romania’s top fighter ace) and 21-year-old King Michael all have significant roles in the incredible story of the captured American airmen.
A bit of a history lesson too, Makos writes how trapped Romania was caught between Hitler and USSR's Stalin (at that time an ally of the USA) with many ordinary Romanians wanting no part of the war and showing real kindness to the captured airmen.
So why is this story so little known? We Americans remember much of the war through Britain, France, Germany and the Pacific. After the war, Romania fell under Stalin’s control and behind the Iron Curtain where the people who had saved our airmen were silenced for decades. It was sheer luck that Makos found Ernie Poulson when he did. Ernie died just two years later in 2020, and this extraordinary story nearly died with him
Tidal Wave is an engrossing war story but also a moving account of kindness, compassion and the best of humanity even across enemy lines. From a reader who has read many books about WWII: The Boys in The Light, Beneath a Scarlet Sky, Unbroken, and Spearhead to name a few, Tidal Wave is a solid 5+ stars!!
The first 1/3 of the book is about Operation Tidal Wave in August 1943 which was a bombing raid on the Romanian oil refineries that fueled Hitler’s war machine. The author writes his well-researched books like a novel and describes action, dialogue, emotion and the surroundings as if you are in the cockpit yourself.
But the real story, the latter 2/3 of the book, is what came after Operation Tidal Wave. The downed bomber crash-landed near the estate of Romanian Princess Catherine and here the book really takes off! Princess Catherine, her cousin Prince Cantacuzino, (Romania’s top fighter ace) and 21-year-old King Michael all have significant roles in the incredible story of the captured American airmen.
A bit of a history lesson too, Makos writes how trapped Romania was caught between Hitler and USSR's Stalin (at that time an ally of the USA) with many ordinary Romanians wanting no part of the war and showing real kindness to the captured airmen.
So why is this story so little known? We Americans remember much of the war through Britain, France, Germany and the Pacific. After the war, Romania fell under Stalin’s control and behind the Iron Curtain where the people who had saved our airmen were silenced for decades. It was sheer luck that Makos found Ernie Poulson when he did. Ernie died just two years later in 2020, and this extraordinary story nearly died with him
Tidal Wave is an engrossing war story but also a moving account of kindness, compassion and the best of humanity even across enemy lines. From a reader who has read many books about WWII: The Boys in The Light, Beneath a Scarlet Sky, Unbroken, and Spearhead to name a few, Tidal Wave is a solid 5+ stars!!
November 11, 2026
I received an ARC of this book from Random House and NetGalley.
Operation Tidal Wave was the daring plan to destroy the various oil refineries in Ploiesti, Romania which supplied fuel to Hitler's war machine. Comprised of B-24 bombers from five different bomb groups, the attack went in at low level and achieved mixed results with heavy casualties.
One of the bombers which went down, Chattanooga-Choo-Choo, ended up crashing on the estate of a Romanian Princess, Catherine Caradja. This book tells the story of the crew, its subsequent internment in Romania, and the extraordinary steps Princess Catherine took to ensure the American crew and dozens of others who were shot down on the raid would not fall into German hands. The book also tells the story of Catherine's cousin, Prince Constantin "Bâzu" Cantacuzino, a pilot in the Romanian Air Force serving on the Eastern Front. Constantin is no great fan of the Germans either and he ends up playing a critical role in helping over 1000 Allied POWs safely return from Romanian captivity.
Author Makos has once again written a great book which shows the human face of war and how enemies can still behave in a civilized manner. The story flows smoothly and you don't really want to put it down. There are a fair amount of pictures and a few simple maps, but the maps aren't really all that crucial to the story. The actual raid on Ploiesti isn't covered in much detail, just what the crew of Chattanooga-Choo-Choo experienced, so if you're looking for a book about the mission you might be disappointed in the coverage of this book. But read the book anyway because it really is a good one!
Operation Tidal Wave was the daring plan to destroy the various oil refineries in Ploiesti, Romania which supplied fuel to Hitler's war machine. Comprised of B-24 bombers from five different bomb groups, the attack went in at low level and achieved mixed results with heavy casualties.
One of the bombers which went down, Chattanooga-Choo-Choo, ended up crashing on the estate of a Romanian Princess, Catherine Caradja. This book tells the story of the crew, its subsequent internment in Romania, and the extraordinary steps Princess Catherine took to ensure the American crew and dozens of others who were shot down on the raid would not fall into German hands. The book also tells the story of Catherine's cousin, Prince Constantin "Bâzu" Cantacuzino, a pilot in the Romanian Air Force serving on the Eastern Front. Constantin is no great fan of the Germans either and he ends up playing a critical role in helping over 1000 Allied POWs safely return from Romanian captivity.
Author Makos has once again written a great book which shows the human face of war and how enemies can still behave in a civilized manner. The story flows smoothly and you don't really want to put it down. There are a fair amount of pictures and a few simple maps, but the maps aren't really all that crucial to the story. The actual raid on Ploiesti isn't covered in much detail, just what the crew of Chattanooga-Choo-Choo experienced, so if you're looking for a book about the mission you might be disappointed in the coverage of this book. But read the book anyway because it really is a good one!
November 12, 2026
Tidal Wave is a remarkable and deeply compelling account of courage, sacrifice, and humanity amid the chaos of World War II. Adam Makos brings together an extraordinary collection of real-life stories, weaving the experiences of a young American bomber pilot, a Romanian fighter ace, a courageous princess, and a king determined to reclaim his country's future.
November 7, 2026
This is such an awesome book! Adam writes like few others! You totally get hooked. It’s definitely one of my favorites for the year! If you like history and especially World War Two stories, this is your book!
November 12, 2026
While this isn't my favorite Adam Makos book, the story he retells is pretty great here. You should definitely read this book. I would have liked it more if the picture section didn't spoil the ending! It's truly amazing this is a non-fiction piece.
November 5, 2026
Review of advance copy
Another excellent read from Adam! A masterly woven narrative that combines suspense, hardship, and hope amidst the Second World War. I truly enjoyed Tidal Wave and highly recomend it.
Another excellent read from Adam! A masterly woven narrative that combines suspense, hardship, and hope amidst the Second World War. I truly enjoyed Tidal Wave and highly recomend it.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews