Southern California Book Festival Honorable Mention Best Fiction
In 1999, the world teeters on the edge of war with Russia as a fleet of experimental Russian attack subs wage an all-out assault on the Atlantic shipping lanes, increasing the need for the U.S. to transport military cargo by air. America urgently needs to replace its aging fleet of giant C-5 Galaxy cargo planes, one of which crashed due to wing failure. Responding to this need, an aging, visionary industrialist assembles a crack team of engineers to refurbish and fly the giant 52-year-old Hughes H-4 Hercules Flying Boat, the Spruce Goose, as a prelude to building a fleet to replace the Galaxies as quickly as possible. These events set the stage for a tale of international intrigue, undersea warfare, cut-throat competition between aircraft manufacturers, and an unexpected military rescue mission into Northern Russia the Hughes Flying Boat must undertake. It is a fast-paced story about the resurrection of a legendary aircraft and the redemption of the man destined to fly her.
Pikasho Deka, Readers’ Favorite –
Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Readers’ Favorite
The Return of the Flying Boat is a historical drama by Dale Morton. It’s the late 1990s. The Russian government has ramped up attacks on shipping corridors all over the Arctic and Atlantic with covert, cutting-edge technology-equipped stealth submarines. Among them, the USS Buffalo is the first United States attack submarine since World War II to be destroyed by the enemy. The US government soon realizes that the Galaxy fleet is outdated and no longer viable to enforce superiority over the seas. But eccentric millionaire Jeremy Kingsley has an audacious plan. Jeremy teams up with former test pilot and engineer Charlie Layton to design a class of seaplanes inspired by Howard Hughes’s Flying Boat, the H-4 Hercules. However, the military is looking for a savior in the Goliath, designed by Jeremy’s rival.
Historical fiction aficionados will absolutely love The Return of the Flying Boat. Author Dale Morton does a fantastic job of illustrating the arms race between two superpowers, and how it is triggered with increasing infractions on a small scale. The humor sprinkled throughout the narrative took me by surprise, especially considering the subject matter. Some of the interactions were really hilarious, particularly the dialogue between Jeremy and Faulkner. I also enjoyed the dynamic between Jeremy and Charlie. They work together well and make a great duo. The Spruce Goose was another highlight of the book for me, a true blast from the past. The mission is filled with tension and suspense. Overall, this was a very entertaining read, and I heartily recommend the book to historical and military fiction readers.