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Once a Knight: A Novel of Aerial Combat & Romance in World War I
Although a love story forms the backbone of this novel, it most definitely does NOT fall under the romance genre umbrella. It is an adventure novel.
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World War Air combat is invented in the skies above the battlefield.
May 1917: America is gearing up to enter the brutal conflict, and the Sopwith Camel is entering combat service. Many individual Americans, however, have long since signed on to fight the war.
In 1916, Everett Ross quit the Texas Rangers and traveled to England to join the Royal Flying Corps, trading his horse for a Nieuport pursuit biplane. No stranger to violence and death, now-Lieutenant Ross duels with German pilots in the pristine skies above the grimy trenches where foot soldiers fight for victory foot by bloody foot.
Between dogfights, Ross loses his heart to a young French beauty whose domineering mother fights her own battle to protect Geneviéve from this American cowboy decked out in a British uniform. Ross soon must decide between love and duty, between orders and necessity.
This fast-moving story combines romance and combat action in a land knocked out of kilter by a deadly war often seemingly without objectives.
As a pursuit pilot in the "War to End All Wars," Ross struggles to maintain his own sense of honor and valor in the midst of chaos and death.
The combat sequences are told as only an experienced military pilot and historian can. Walt Shiel, long fascinated by the rapid evolution of aerial warfare in the First World War, has studied innumerable books and articles written by the men who flew and fought in the Great War. His understanding of aviation, combat tactics and their development brings the aerial scenes to vivid life. His knowledge of how those knights of the air lived, loved and died puts the reader in their flying boots and cockpits, complete with the emotions that drove them, the doubts that haunted them, the death that stalked them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
World War Air combat is invented in the skies above the battlefield.
May 1917: America is gearing up to enter the brutal conflict, and the Sopwith Camel is entering combat service. Many individual Americans, however, have long since signed on to fight the war.
In 1916, Everett Ross quit the Texas Rangers and traveled to England to join the Royal Flying Corps, trading his horse for a Nieuport pursuit biplane. No stranger to violence and death, now-Lieutenant Ross duels with German pilots in the pristine skies above the grimy trenches where foot soldiers fight for victory foot by bloody foot.
Between dogfights, Ross loses his heart to a young French beauty whose domineering mother fights her own battle to protect Geneviéve from this American cowboy decked out in a British uniform. Ross soon must decide between love and duty, between orders and necessity.
This fast-moving story combines romance and combat action in a land knocked out of kilter by a deadly war often seemingly without objectives.
As a pursuit pilot in the "War to End All Wars," Ross struggles to maintain his own sense of honor and valor in the midst of chaos and death.
The combat sequences are told as only an experienced military pilot and historian can. Walt Shiel, long fascinated by the rapid evolution of aerial warfare in the First World War, has studied innumerable books and articles written by the men who flew and fought in the Great War. His understanding of aviation, combat tactics and their development brings the aerial scenes to vivid life. His knowledge of how those knights of the air lived, loved and died puts the reader in their flying boots and cockpits, complete with the emotions that drove them, the doubts that haunted them, the death that stalked them.
245 pages, Kindle Edition
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About the author
Walt Shiel
12 books22 followersAlthough born in Michigan, I was raised across the US and around the world as an Air Force “brat.” I started school on the Pacific Island of Guam during the Korean War and finished high school in France during the Vietnam War. Shortly after graduation, Charles DeGaulle kicked all American forces out of the country, but hey, it wasn't my fault. Not completely, anyway.
In 1969, I talked Michigan State University our of a BSEE degree, the Air Force out of a commission and pilot wings, and Kerrie out of running away when I asked her to to marry me. I went on to log some 4,000 flying hours.
As a civilian, I have worked on the B-2 bomber program at Northrop and the F-16, F-35, and F-22 fighter programs at Lockheed Martin.
Since 1990, I've written articles for magazines in the US, England, and Australia, two monthly columns for aviation magazines, military aviation history books, historical novels, and several collections of short stories.
Kerrie and I now have two daughters and two grandchildren and live on a 40-acre farm in Michigan's Upper Peninsula populated with horses, cats, dogs, and an abundance of wildlife.
In 1969, I talked Michigan State University our of a BSEE degree, the Air Force out of a commission and pilot wings, and Kerrie out of running away when I asked her to to marry me. I went on to log some 4,000 flying hours.
As a civilian, I have worked on the B-2 bomber program at Northrop and the F-16, F-35, and F-22 fighter programs at Lockheed Martin.
Since 1990, I've written articles for magazines in the US, England, and Australia, two monthly columns for aviation magazines, military aviation history books, historical novels, and several collections of short stories.
Kerrie and I now have two daughters and two grandchildren and live on a 40-acre farm in Michigan's Upper Peninsula populated with horses, cats, dogs, and an abundance of wildlife.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 19, 2015
The year is 1916, and former Texas Ranger, Everett Ross joins the Royal Flying Corps in England to help with the war effort. America did not officially get involved in World War I until a year later. Ross and his fellow pilots using Nieuport biplanes are involved in dogfights in France with the Germans. There are many crashes and some deaths as they battle the Germans in the air while the infantry fights on the ground. Lieutenant Ross loves the adventure but also enjoys his time off visiting the local drinking establishment. There he meets Genevieve, a French girl whose mother owns the bar and protects her daughter from the soldiers. Ross does not know the French language but he does know the international language of love and though the mother tries to keep them apart Ross does not give up but pursues Genevieve.
After time off one night, Ross returns to the barracks to find they have a new leader. With him also came the newest combat aircraft, the Sopwith Camel. Ross is a great pilot but even he is challenged when he takes this airplane up and puts it through its rounds. It takes some getting used to but with practice, Ross sees that this airplane gives much more control to the experienced pilot.
Author, Walt Shiel, himself a former Air Force pilot gives the reader the excitement of the combat and enough information about flying without getting too technical. The aerial duels seem very real and you as a reader are in the cockpit with Ross as he goes on missions. The story moves quickly and Shiel does well to combine the action and the romance. You are definitely rooting for Ross as he finds himself behind enemy lines looking for Genevieve. How does he get himself out of this mess? You will have to read Once a Knight to find out.
This book is part of The Dawn of Aviation Series and I look forward to reading more from Shiel who as a historian and pilot himself gives a personal touch to his stories.
After time off one night, Ross returns to the barracks to find they have a new leader. With him also came the newest combat aircraft, the Sopwith Camel. Ross is a great pilot but even he is challenged when he takes this airplane up and puts it through its rounds. It takes some getting used to but with practice, Ross sees that this airplane gives much more control to the experienced pilot.
Author, Walt Shiel, himself a former Air Force pilot gives the reader the excitement of the combat and enough information about flying without getting too technical. The aerial duels seem very real and you as a reader are in the cockpit with Ross as he goes on missions. The story moves quickly and Shiel does well to combine the action and the romance. You are definitely rooting for Ross as he finds himself behind enemy lines looking for Genevieve. How does he get himself out of this mess? You will have to read Once a Knight to find out.
This book is part of The Dawn of Aviation Series and I look forward to reading more from Shiel who as a historian and pilot himself gives a personal touch to his stories.
December 18, 2017
I abandoned this one about a third of the way in. Every cliche you can think of is present here, the action scenes are boring, and there's no character development. And on the audio version, the narrator reads somewhat quietly and then actually yells some parts, which makes a bad book even worse.
October 16, 2011
MWSA 2011 Award Winner
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews