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Raven One #1
Raven One
Librarian Note: Alternate Cover Edition for ISBN-10: 1939398223 / ISBN-13: 9781939398222.
UNARMED OVER HOSTILE TERRITORY...
For a moment Wilson froze and looked at the white-helmeted pilot who sat high on the nose of the colossal fighter. Across the small void, he saw the pilot’s eyes peer over his mask. Dark, chilling eyes…
Wilson kicked right rudder to slide closer and jam any chance for a bandit gunshot. When the bandit pulled all the way over, almost on its back but in control, he cursed in frustration at what he knew was coming next. The hostile fighter reversed over the top in a negative-g maneuver, his nose tracking down on Wilson like a falling sledgehammer in slow motion. Horrified, Wilson realized he faced an imminent snapshot. With the little air speed he had, his inverted his Hornet to avoid the attack.
His aircraft still rolling and ruddering, Wilson saw that the monster had another weapon at its disposal…
UNARMED OVER HOSTILE TERRITORY...
For a moment Wilson froze and looked at the white-helmeted pilot who sat high on the nose of the colossal fighter. Across the small void, he saw the pilot’s eyes peer over his mask. Dark, chilling eyes…
Wilson kicked right rudder to slide closer and jam any chance for a bandit gunshot. When the bandit pulled all the way over, almost on its back but in control, he cursed in frustration at what he knew was coming next. The hostile fighter reversed over the top in a negative-g maneuver, his nose tracking down on Wilson like a falling sledgehammer in slow motion. Horrified, Wilson realized he faced an imminent snapshot. With the little air speed he had, his inverted his Hornet to avoid the attack.
His aircraft still rolling and ruddering, Wilson saw that the monster had another weapon at its disposal…
360 pages, Paperback
First published June 26, 2014
1183 people are currently reading
1085 people want to read
About the author
Kevin Miller
6 books179 followersCaptain Kevin Miller, a 24-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, is a former tactical naval aviator and has flown the A-7E Corsair II and FA-18 Hornet operationally. He commanded a carrier-based strike-fighter squadron, and, during his career, logged over 1,000 carrier-arrested landings, made possible as he served alongside outstanding men and women as part of a winning team. Captain Miller lives and writes in Pensacola, Florida.
His first novel, RAVEN ONE, was published in June 2014 and peaked at #29 in Amazon's sales ranking. The sequel, DECLARED HOSTILE, was published in August, 2016. HIGH DESERT REFLECTIONS is an autobiographical short story of his flying experiences in the American mountain west. FIGHT FIGHT was published in 2018 followed by HIGH END in 2024 to complete the R1 series, In June 2020, his long-awaited Battle of Midway historical fiction novel, THE SILVER WATERFALL, was published going on to win five writing awards. Please follow Kevin on Bookbub:
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kevin...
Raven One
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Declared Hostile
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Fight Fight
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
The Silver Waterfall
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
High Desert Reflections
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
His first novel, RAVEN ONE, was published in June 2014 and peaked at #29 in Amazon's sales ranking. The sequel, DECLARED HOSTILE, was published in August, 2016. HIGH DESERT REFLECTIONS is an autobiographical short story of his flying experiences in the American mountain west. FIGHT FIGHT was published in 2018 followed by HIGH END in 2024 to complete the R1 series, In June 2020, his long-awaited Battle of Midway historical fiction novel, THE SILVER WATERFALL, was published going on to win five writing awards. Please follow Kevin on Bookbub:
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kevin...
Raven One
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Declared Hostile
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Fight Fight
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
The Silver Waterfall
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
High Desert Reflections
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 177 reviews
September 5, 2018
Better than average naval aviation action thriller. The author, a former aviator himself, covers every aspect of a carrier based fighter-attack squadron.
As with most military novels of this type, the author depicts the great officers and the dregs who somehow skated along to a higher rank. In this one the Peter Principle comes up strong with one officer.
There are parts of this novel that are obviously designed to be enjoyed by those who actually do fly or have flown off a carrier. The very first sequence involves night operations in a stormy, pitching, deck. Add to that a low fuel situation with the airborne tankers either dry or having failed equipment. As this sequence goes on for a good portion of the first quarter of the book, it seemed to me that the author was trying to bring back memories to his fellow naval aviators.
All in all, well worth the read for those who like military thrillers.
As with most military novels of this type, the author depicts the great officers and the dregs who somehow skated along to a higher rank. In this one the Peter Principle comes up strong with one officer.
There are parts of this novel that are obviously designed to be enjoyed by those who actually do fly or have flown off a carrier. The very first sequence involves night operations in a stormy, pitching, deck. Add to that a low fuel situation with the airborne tankers either dry or having failed equipment. As this sequence goes on for a good portion of the first quarter of the book, it seemed to me that the author was trying to bring back memories to his fellow naval aviators.
All in all, well worth the read for those who like military thrillers.
February 6, 2021
I have the privilege of introducing current thriller readers to a writer I recently discovered, though he published this, his first, in 2017, it was written several years prior. Kevin Miller has subsequently released several more. RAVEN ONE is a superbly written multi-faceted novel, based on the life, and lifestyle of today’s military jet fighter pilot on a carrier. The story is told from three viewpoints, all intricately intertwined to appear as one. Some might find it a little off-putting, thinking it is JUST an action novel. It goes much deeper. This novel is the perfect gift for someone interested in joining the aviation end of the Navy or Marines and wants to discover the intricacy and preparation involved in launching a fighter jet from a carrier.
It is the reality of naval life at sea.
The author, Kevin Miller was a professional carrier fighter pilot for years with multiple deployments. As he states, “Readers of RAVEN ONE are going to experience a deployment as part of a strike-fighter squadron.” The first viewpoint presented is what it entails to prepare for a strike. Miller has used examples of carrier personnel encountered to instruct readers of how the command structure is delineated, their respective job responsibilities,what is entailed in leadership decision making, what is involved in surface combat maneuvers and modern close air support procedures. You the reader are introduced to the specific, precise steps, like a checklist, involved in takeoff. He examines the roles and responsibilities of naval personnel who work so diligently in the bowels of this massive ship to prepare the jet fighters for flight, examining and testing every system within the plane from engines to cockpit instrumentation, hydraulics, and the mounting of multiple armament missiles used to decimate targets. From mechanics to those on deck manning the launching system, the reader is familiarized with every step involved.
One doesn’t grasp immediately the sheer numbers of personnel involved. An FA-18C Hornet fighter squadron can employ 15 pilots for 11 jets supported by some 160 sailors, each having specialized tasks to perform. This is for one squadron. The Nimitz class nuclear aircraft carrier portrayed
is the VALLEY FORGE, 1100 ft in length with 18 decks from bilge to tower. Twelve exist in the fleet, carrying a combat load out of 100,000 tons on each. Add to all this the necessary support personnel who keep everyday life on a carrier running smoothly - cooks, the laundry, technical support, office personnel, the list goes on. This is how carriers build crew numbers from 4200 to 5000 in size.
Multiple squadrons of fighters are on a carrier with each flying a different form of fighter jet. There are the two-seater AF-18F Super Hornets with Marines flying their own specialized jets. Our protagonist, Lt.Commander Jim “Flip” Wilson flies an AF-18C Hornet and serves as Operations Officer for one of the eight squadrons, a seasoned veteran at 35 yrs of age, with some 3000 hours logged in the cockpit.
It is through the eyes of Jim Wilson, you see the preparedness requirements to launch each and every jet. The order of launch is determined by the mission support they provide. Miller uses such fantastic descriptive technique, the readers see themselves looking over Wilson’s shoulder as he goes over the detailed checklist, burned in his brain, for launch. Close your eyes and you can smell the jet fuel fumes, the exhaust of the just launched jet in front of you. As a former Hornet pilot, this training to attention to detail by Miller makes the scenes come alive in this novel.
From launches to complicated carrier landings which have you holding your breathe, Miller fixates your attention because of the precise detail. You walk away awed at the exact mathematics and physics required daily to figure fuel usage and need, flight configurations in making turns and G-forces pulled, and the visual estimates performed by the minute,whether it is distance to target, separation from enemy combatants,or landing blind on a carrier deck in the middle of a raging storm with decks itching in the massive ocean waves. Whether it is takeoff or landings, in blinding sunlight or blackness of night, from multiple dogfights, they all require precise execution or it becomes disaster. This is the first viewpoint presented to the reader, the acute precision required to fly these planes, with no mistakes allowed, day in and day out, for hours at a time. Equally so the precision it takes to do mid-flight refueling, and how quickly you can be sucking fumes.
Thirty years ago Tom Cruise portrayed the best of fighter pilots in the world in TOP GUN. You realize in reading this book how Hollywood that film was. It doesn’t begin to capture the intensity of flight, the adrenal rush from a successful takeoff or the debilitating, nerve wracking, life draining tension of a bad landing or worse yet,seeing a fellow pilot, a brother, your wingman,blown out of the sky. You see it through the eyes of Kevin Miller, the victory of besting an opponent, the successful completion of an assigned strike, and the heartbreak of loss of one of your own. This is the first viewpoint presented to you the reader.
The second viewpoint presented is the actual storyline of the novel, tracing the day to day activities of a squadron leader in a fighter jet. As expected, you see the camaraderie of military warriors, and the fierce competitiveness also displayed among similar groups. In places, it reminded you of high school clique crap with the one-upmanship. My family is fifth generation military, and from tales told, I think the author portrays the personality aspects accurately-the crappy,humiliating pettiness of lesser senior officers who like to throw their weight around. We have all met asses like this in life and we know it takes great self discipline not to react, physically or emotionally. Call it legal bullying.We’ve all encountered these type of people in civilian life as well as in the military.
The novel traces the preparedness needed for missions, what it takes in execution to successfully complete a mission. It takes you through the process of dogfighting and how different aircraft design can give you the advantage or be a detriment. Jim Wilson is beginning to feel the pressure, the drain, the beginnings of burnout. He worries about his wife, his kids, how she copes with all the deployments and what happens when he runs out of luck. When Karma strikes back. The missed childhood of his kids because dad has spent a dozen years at war. Tragedy strikes and it really hits home. But he has five months left on his deployment. All these issues resonate in the storyline, in the daily ship life and how the crew reacts and interacts. This is a fascinating study of human nature as seen through the eyes of what is basically middle management. He sees how decisions affect superiors and how it touches subordinates. And he sees the grim realities of military life, its rewards and its repercussions.
The third viewpoint I took from this book and didn’t realize it until I was halfway through the book. Lt. Commander Jim “Flip” Wilson is an African-American. This book takes place in 2008 at the height for warfare in Iraq and Afghanistan. To be a fighter pilot for a dozen years, puts it mid- 1990s when it was prestigious for an African American to attain such a position. You still see racism in society today,25 yrs later. The arrogant, smarmy put downs from his immediate superior should have clued me in, but this type of personality still occasionally occurs today across society’s spectrum. It’s a power thing. And all the secondary characters were subject to this same behavior.
The call sign of “Flip” should have clued me in. Flip Wilson was a renown black comedian in the 70s, 1980s. But a brief reference to Jim’s race stopped me in my tracks and had me retrace my reading. It’s why it took so long to read and review. I went back to the beginning. I saw the address of this senior officer for what it was, racism. Not totally blatant, as this character treated all subordinates as yesterday’s garbage. But it served to pull the naval community on the carrier together, as a cohesive unit. I saw this same subtle racist attitude in the offices in DC when I worked there through the 90s. Kevin Miller portrayed it accurately. It lends itself to a certain satisfaction at the final outcomes for all in this tale. Karma was met.
This is a terrific book on so many levels. Military pilots will read it and remember fondly days of old, the camaraderie, friendships, the brotherhood, the Adrenalin rushes, and yes, even the shits they encountered. Those with aspirations to become a fighter pilot, one of the elite, will read it, see all the hard, focused, concentrated devotion needed to become one of the best. Be it in high school,contemplating one of the academies, realizing it takes a great amount of math and science knowledge, or just sheer determination and perseverance to make a transition to pilot, this novel lays it all out. Succinctly and clearly. It also shows how far minorities, and yes even women, have progressed in today’s military in specialized duties and positions. Harry Truman led the way in desegregating the military. There is still some attitude adjustment work to be done considering the dust up in the SEALs in 2020.
Kevin Miller has produced an exceptional novel of today’s Navy, and the crucial role of fighter pilots on carriers in future foreign policy stakes. One has only to look at the South China Sea to see the application to today. This is one hell of a book ,Kevin. I had to go back and reread RAVEN ONE to ensure I captured all nuances in it. I give it a 5* and then some if I could. I look forward to tracking down the novels you subsequently wrote after this, your first. A wonderful achievement and salute to all military pilots. Kudos!
It is the reality of naval life at sea.
The author, Kevin Miller was a professional carrier fighter pilot for years with multiple deployments. As he states, “Readers of RAVEN ONE are going to experience a deployment as part of a strike-fighter squadron.” The first viewpoint presented is what it entails to prepare for a strike. Miller has used examples of carrier personnel encountered to instruct readers of how the command structure is delineated, their respective job responsibilities,what is entailed in leadership decision making, what is involved in surface combat maneuvers and modern close air support procedures. You the reader are introduced to the specific, precise steps, like a checklist, involved in takeoff. He examines the roles and responsibilities of naval personnel who work so diligently in the bowels of this massive ship to prepare the jet fighters for flight, examining and testing every system within the plane from engines to cockpit instrumentation, hydraulics, and the mounting of multiple armament missiles used to decimate targets. From mechanics to those on deck manning the launching system, the reader is familiarized with every step involved.
One doesn’t grasp immediately the sheer numbers of personnel involved. An FA-18C Hornet fighter squadron can employ 15 pilots for 11 jets supported by some 160 sailors, each having specialized tasks to perform. This is for one squadron. The Nimitz class nuclear aircraft carrier portrayed
is the VALLEY FORGE, 1100 ft in length with 18 decks from bilge to tower. Twelve exist in the fleet, carrying a combat load out of 100,000 tons on each. Add to all this the necessary support personnel who keep everyday life on a carrier running smoothly - cooks, the laundry, technical support, office personnel, the list goes on. This is how carriers build crew numbers from 4200 to 5000 in size.
Multiple squadrons of fighters are on a carrier with each flying a different form of fighter jet. There are the two-seater AF-18F Super Hornets with Marines flying their own specialized jets. Our protagonist, Lt.Commander Jim “Flip” Wilson flies an AF-18C Hornet and serves as Operations Officer for one of the eight squadrons, a seasoned veteran at 35 yrs of age, with some 3000 hours logged in the cockpit.
It is through the eyes of Jim Wilson, you see the preparedness requirements to launch each and every jet. The order of launch is determined by the mission support they provide. Miller uses such fantastic descriptive technique, the readers see themselves looking over Wilson’s shoulder as he goes over the detailed checklist, burned in his brain, for launch. Close your eyes and you can smell the jet fuel fumes, the exhaust of the just launched jet in front of you. As a former Hornet pilot, this training to attention to detail by Miller makes the scenes come alive in this novel.
From launches to complicated carrier landings which have you holding your breathe, Miller fixates your attention because of the precise detail. You walk away awed at the exact mathematics and physics required daily to figure fuel usage and need, flight configurations in making turns and G-forces pulled, and the visual estimates performed by the minute,whether it is distance to target, separation from enemy combatants,or landing blind on a carrier deck in the middle of a raging storm with decks itching in the massive ocean waves. Whether it is takeoff or landings, in blinding sunlight or blackness of night, from multiple dogfights, they all require precise execution or it becomes disaster. This is the first viewpoint presented to the reader, the acute precision required to fly these planes, with no mistakes allowed, day in and day out, for hours at a time. Equally so the precision it takes to do mid-flight refueling, and how quickly you can be sucking fumes.
Thirty years ago Tom Cruise portrayed the best of fighter pilots in the world in TOP GUN. You realize in reading this book how Hollywood that film was. It doesn’t begin to capture the intensity of flight, the adrenal rush from a successful takeoff or the debilitating, nerve wracking, life draining tension of a bad landing or worse yet,seeing a fellow pilot, a brother, your wingman,blown out of the sky. You see it through the eyes of Kevin Miller, the victory of besting an opponent, the successful completion of an assigned strike, and the heartbreak of loss of one of your own. This is the first viewpoint presented to you the reader.
The second viewpoint presented is the actual storyline of the novel, tracing the day to day activities of a squadron leader in a fighter jet. As expected, you see the camaraderie of military warriors, and the fierce competitiveness also displayed among similar groups. In places, it reminded you of high school clique crap with the one-upmanship. My family is fifth generation military, and from tales told, I think the author portrays the personality aspects accurately-the crappy,humiliating pettiness of lesser senior officers who like to throw their weight around. We have all met asses like this in life and we know it takes great self discipline not to react, physically or emotionally. Call it legal bullying.We’ve all encountered these type of people in civilian life as well as in the military.
The novel traces the preparedness needed for missions, what it takes in execution to successfully complete a mission. It takes you through the process of dogfighting and how different aircraft design can give you the advantage or be a detriment. Jim Wilson is beginning to feel the pressure, the drain, the beginnings of burnout. He worries about his wife, his kids, how she copes with all the deployments and what happens when he runs out of luck. When Karma strikes back. The missed childhood of his kids because dad has spent a dozen years at war. Tragedy strikes and it really hits home. But he has five months left on his deployment. All these issues resonate in the storyline, in the daily ship life and how the crew reacts and interacts. This is a fascinating study of human nature as seen through the eyes of what is basically middle management. He sees how decisions affect superiors and how it touches subordinates. And he sees the grim realities of military life, its rewards and its repercussions.
The third viewpoint I took from this book and didn’t realize it until I was halfway through the book. Lt. Commander Jim “Flip” Wilson is an African-American. This book takes place in 2008 at the height for warfare in Iraq and Afghanistan. To be a fighter pilot for a dozen years, puts it mid- 1990s when it was prestigious for an African American to attain such a position. You still see racism in society today,25 yrs later. The arrogant, smarmy put downs from his immediate superior should have clued me in, but this type of personality still occasionally occurs today across society’s spectrum. It’s a power thing. And all the secondary characters were subject to this same behavior.
The call sign of “Flip” should have clued me in. Flip Wilson was a renown black comedian in the 70s, 1980s. But a brief reference to Jim’s race stopped me in my tracks and had me retrace my reading. It’s why it took so long to read and review. I went back to the beginning. I saw the address of this senior officer for what it was, racism. Not totally blatant, as this character treated all subordinates as yesterday’s garbage. But it served to pull the naval community on the carrier together, as a cohesive unit. I saw this same subtle racist attitude in the offices in DC when I worked there through the 90s. Kevin Miller portrayed it accurately. It lends itself to a certain satisfaction at the final outcomes for all in this tale. Karma was met.
This is a terrific book on so many levels. Military pilots will read it and remember fondly days of old, the camaraderie, friendships, the brotherhood, the Adrenalin rushes, and yes, even the shits they encountered. Those with aspirations to become a fighter pilot, one of the elite, will read it, see all the hard, focused, concentrated devotion needed to become one of the best. Be it in high school,contemplating one of the academies, realizing it takes a great amount of math and science knowledge, or just sheer determination and perseverance to make a transition to pilot, this novel lays it all out. Succinctly and clearly. It also shows how far minorities, and yes even women, have progressed in today’s military in specialized duties and positions. Harry Truman led the way in desegregating the military. There is still some attitude adjustment work to be done considering the dust up in the SEALs in 2020.
Kevin Miller has produced an exceptional novel of today’s Navy, and the crucial role of fighter pilots on carriers in future foreign policy stakes. One has only to look at the South China Sea to see the application to today. This is one hell of a book ,Kevin. I had to go back and reread RAVEN ONE to ensure I captured all nuances in it. I give it a 5* and then some if I could. I look forward to tracking down the novels you subsequently wrote after this, your first. A wonderful achievement and salute to all military pilots. Kudos!
August 20, 2025
What an unexpectedly interesting read this was. I say that primarily because there was no central overall plot or conflict for roughly the first half of the book... but I didn't mind because the dramatic action being described was engaging enough to hook me. On the one hand this feels like the "wrong" way to write and structure a novel. On the other hand, it doesn't matter because fighter jets are fucking awesome.
We follow a US aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf in the mid-2000's (references to Outkast and The Black-Eyed Peas really hammer the timeframe we're dealing with), and focus on an individual pilot with occasional POV shifts to other characters. But before you even get to the fiction, there's a glossary of terms some five pages deep that you're gonna wanna study beforehand because there is a ton of navy jargon that's thrown at the reader. At times I did find myself having to slow down and decipher the dialogue and abbreviations that characters were throwing at each other, but it felt more rewarding than tedious. If nothing else, this felt accurate and authentic as hell.
It does take a while for events to begin building on each other and give a sense of narrative momentum in a conventional sense because a good portion of the first half of the book follows a single night where a young pilot (with the unfortunate nickname of "Sponge Bob" because he's the youngest of the squad) is having a rough time landing back on the carrier. This was such a stressful reading experience that I didn't even care that we spent so much time on it. But we do eventually see some development in our protagonist, and touch on themes of race in the military, gender in the military, nepotism in the military, and "what the fuck am I even doing all the way out here?" in the military.
The climax did feel a bit abrupt to me, but to be fair, fighter jet dogfights at supersonic speeds do tend to resolve themselves quickly. I've dabbled in military fiction a few times now, and this felt like one of the more believable depictions of what real-world combat looks like; no one-man hyperviolent Rambo fantasies going on here. I haven't decided if I'll continue with this series, but I appreciated the breath of fresh air in the genre that wasn't trying to score unnecessary domestic culture war digs and instead focused on - you know - the military serving its actual function in a fictional scenario.
We follow a US aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf in the mid-2000's (references to Outkast and The Black-Eyed Peas really hammer the timeframe we're dealing with), and focus on an individual pilot with occasional POV shifts to other characters. But before you even get to the fiction, there's a glossary of terms some five pages deep that you're gonna wanna study beforehand because there is a ton of navy jargon that's thrown at the reader. At times I did find myself having to slow down and decipher the dialogue and abbreviations that characters were throwing at each other, but it felt more rewarding than tedious. If nothing else, this felt accurate and authentic as hell.
It does take a while for events to begin building on each other and give a sense of narrative momentum in a conventional sense because a good portion of the first half of the book follows a single night where a young pilot (with the unfortunate nickname of "Sponge Bob" because he's the youngest of the squad) is having a rough time landing back on the carrier. This was such a stressful reading experience that I didn't even care that we spent so much time on it. But we do eventually see some development in our protagonist, and touch on themes of race in the military, gender in the military, nepotism in the military, and "what the fuck am I even doing all the way out here?" in the military.
The climax did feel a bit abrupt to me, but to be fair, fighter jet dogfights at supersonic speeds do tend to resolve themselves quickly. I've dabbled in military fiction a few times now, and this felt like one of the more believable depictions of what real-world combat looks like; no one-man hyperviolent Rambo fantasies going on here. I haven't decided if I'll continue with this series, but I appreciated the breath of fresh air in the genre that wasn't trying to score unnecessary domestic culture war digs and instead focused on - you know - the military serving its actual function in a fictional scenario.
January 5, 2025
One of the biggest compliments I can give a book is to declare it a hazard to my bedtime, and given I find myself sitting here at almost 0330 with it finished, this one certainly qualifies for that distinction. The descriptions of environments and events are so vivid and enthralling, and I very much enjoyed getting to know the multifaceted cast of characters - especially Olive and Psycho. As a girl who grew up looking up to such women - and as someone who didn't fit the mold her family wanted her to and paid the price in criticism - I appreciated the attention to detail and thoughtful research that must have gone into crafting them (especially the scene where they're getting ready for a night out - so many other male writers would not have portrayed that scene so believably, but it was pitch perfect as far as I'm concerned).
March 21, 2022
I’d probably rate this closer to 3.5 overall but some of the book deserves a solid 4. Initially, the narrative lacks any explanation of what Wilson is actually doing, he seems to be wandering around the carrier doing various jobs but we aren’t given any reason why. The author also assumes his readers are up to speed with carrier ops so he doesn’t give any explainers which would be helpful. There’s a glossary, but this is only useful to decipher acronyms.
The flight scenes are described well and I really enjoyed the relationship between the characters. I’m looking forward to reading the second book in the series.
The flight scenes are described well and I really enjoyed the relationship between the characters. I’m looking forward to reading the second book in the series.
November 13, 2023
Wonderfully patriotic and exciting war thriller with twists that give a good sense of fighter pilot danger, which helps engage readers. Some romance, on- and off-board ship. Narrator induces more interest and is clear. Recommended. 4-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 13, 2021
Loved It
Great plot, developed characters, and vivid descriptions of a Navy fighter pilot's experiences serving his country. A great, great novel.
Great plot, developed characters, and vivid descriptions of a Navy fighter pilot's experiences serving his country. A great, great novel.
September 10, 2015
Raven One by Kevin Miller was quite possibly one of the most enjoyable reads I’ve had in a military genre book. After coming off a series of boring technical manuals from Tom Clancy, Red Storm Rising and The Cardinal in the Kremlin, Raven One was a refreshing, suspenseful, and riveting reading experience.
From the tightly written prose, to the realistic characters, to the authentic portrayal of life on an aircraft carrier, this book is the pinnacle of quality military fiction. What Raven One lacks in plot is more than made up for in terms of excellent characters who feel unique and distinct from each other.
I think it’s safe to say that most of us who have not been in the military or have military friends might assume that these pilots, soldiers, engineers would be composed of professional men and women working towards the same goal. Everyone that’s Captain rank or higher is expected to be highly proficient at their job and deserve to wear the insignias on their shoulders.
Turns out being in the military can potentially be the same as working at a corporate job. People who don’t deserve to be paid more than you and are incompetent at doing their jobs exist in the military too. Miller highlights this point by introducing us to XO, 2nd in command, “Saint” who tries to rule the squadron with an iron fist while the commander “Cajun” is away. Our main character “Flip” Wilson is subordinate to these two characters and is constantly subjected to Saint’s stupidity.
From forcing him to write up some BS reports about maintenance and crew rotations to suggesting an idiotic bombing route that could get the entire squadron killed. Saint is quite possibly the most despicable character I’ve read that comes close to mimicking real life. Saint is a coward, lacks the backbone to stand up to his superiors, and constantly burdens the squadron with unnecessary busy work while also chastising them for his mistakes.
Sound familiar? If so, I am sorry for your frustrations.
The characters feel incredibly authentic and the details Miller weaves into the book makes me feel like I’m living on an aircraft carrier with a bunch of hot shot pilots. This ain’t no Tom Cruise, Top Gun movie where authenticity was second place to action and excitement. No, Raven One is a realistic experience told from a retired Navy Fighter pilot which also means that some of the jargon can and will go over your head.
As someone who loves military fiction, technology, tactics, and lingo. There were several terms in this book that flew over my head. Thankfully, the beginning of the book includes a glossary of most of the terms that will be used throughout the novel. So if you don’t know what JDAM, CAG, Angels, or CAS means, don’t worry, just jump back to the front and look it up.
Now generally, whenever a book includes a lot of jargon it can sometimes mean that the prose is dreadfully boring. I mean, just look at a Tom Clancy book which is filled with jargon and technical mumbo jumbo that will put even a die hard military fan to sleep. Not the case with Raven One. In fact, one of the best things about this book was how Miller crafted his prose to make you experience a dangerous nighttime carrier landing.
He throws in some technical lingo at you but then follows up with a very simple, clear, direct explanation of whatever he mentioned. Let me tell you, when I read about a junior pilot getting ready to land on an aircraft carrier at night, during a storm, with low fuel, and had to be caught in a net rather than the arrestor cables, my heart pounded.
I was so engrossed in the descriptions of the scene that I didn’t even realize the train conductor next to me was asking for my ticket during my commute to New York. It was THAT good.
What was especially surprising and refreshing to see was that our main character Lt. Commander “Flip” Wilson is black! I must have gone halfway through the book without putting any race identifiers onto “Flip” until a-hole XO “Saint” decided to make a comment about his race.
Just the fact that “Flip” was black made me love this book even more because it emphasized how race isn’t important in the grand scheme of things. “Flip” can fly and is one of their best pilots and a great leader and that’s all that mattered, not his skin color. So good, so refreshing, so much more entertaining than boring old Clancy.
In closing, this book has action, it has a strong human connection, it’s suspenseful, and it totally immerses you in the world of navy fighter pilots. Though it has no grand plot with surprising twists and government conspiracies, it didn’t really need one. A day in the life of a navy fighter pilot is more than enough content to keep you riveted until the last page.
If you love jets, military fiction, and great, descriptive prose, then do not pass up the opportunity to read Raven One.
From the tightly written prose, to the realistic characters, to the authentic portrayal of life on an aircraft carrier, this book is the pinnacle of quality military fiction. What Raven One lacks in plot is more than made up for in terms of excellent characters who feel unique and distinct from each other.
I think it’s safe to say that most of us who have not been in the military or have military friends might assume that these pilots, soldiers, engineers would be composed of professional men and women working towards the same goal. Everyone that’s Captain rank or higher is expected to be highly proficient at their job and deserve to wear the insignias on their shoulders.
Turns out being in the military can potentially be the same as working at a corporate job. People who don’t deserve to be paid more than you and are incompetent at doing their jobs exist in the military too. Miller highlights this point by introducing us to XO, 2nd in command, “Saint” who tries to rule the squadron with an iron fist while the commander “Cajun” is away. Our main character “Flip” Wilson is subordinate to these two characters and is constantly subjected to Saint’s stupidity.
From forcing him to write up some BS reports about maintenance and crew rotations to suggesting an idiotic bombing route that could get the entire squadron killed. Saint is quite possibly the most despicable character I’ve read that comes close to mimicking real life. Saint is a coward, lacks the backbone to stand up to his superiors, and constantly burdens the squadron with unnecessary busy work while also chastising them for his mistakes.
Sound familiar? If so, I am sorry for your frustrations.
The characters feel incredibly authentic and the details Miller weaves into the book makes me feel like I’m living on an aircraft carrier with a bunch of hot shot pilots. This ain’t no Tom Cruise, Top Gun movie where authenticity was second place to action and excitement. No, Raven One is a realistic experience told from a retired Navy Fighter pilot which also means that some of the jargon can and will go over your head.
As someone who loves military fiction, technology, tactics, and lingo. There were several terms in this book that flew over my head. Thankfully, the beginning of the book includes a glossary of most of the terms that will be used throughout the novel. So if you don’t know what JDAM, CAG, Angels, or CAS means, don’t worry, just jump back to the front and look it up.
Now generally, whenever a book includes a lot of jargon it can sometimes mean that the prose is dreadfully boring. I mean, just look at a Tom Clancy book which is filled with jargon and technical mumbo jumbo that will put even a die hard military fan to sleep. Not the case with Raven One. In fact, one of the best things about this book was how Miller crafted his prose to make you experience a dangerous nighttime carrier landing.
He throws in some technical lingo at you but then follows up with a very simple, clear, direct explanation of whatever he mentioned. Let me tell you, when I read about a junior pilot getting ready to land on an aircraft carrier at night, during a storm, with low fuel, and had to be caught in a net rather than the arrestor cables, my heart pounded.
I was so engrossed in the descriptions of the scene that I didn’t even realize the train conductor next to me was asking for my ticket during my commute to New York. It was THAT good.
What was especially surprising and refreshing to see was that our main character Lt. Commander “Flip” Wilson is black! I must have gone halfway through the book without putting any race identifiers onto “Flip” until a-hole XO “Saint” decided to make a comment about his race.
Just the fact that “Flip” was black made me love this book even more because it emphasized how race isn’t important in the grand scheme of things. “Flip” can fly and is one of their best pilots and a great leader and that’s all that mattered, not his skin color. So good, so refreshing, so much more entertaining than boring old Clancy.
In closing, this book has action, it has a strong human connection, it’s suspenseful, and it totally immerses you in the world of navy fighter pilots. Though it has no grand plot with surprising twists and government conspiracies, it didn’t really need one. A day in the life of a navy fighter pilot is more than enough content to keep you riveted until the last page.
If you love jets, military fiction, and great, descriptive prose, then do not pass up the opportunity to read Raven One.
November 13, 2020
On the one hand Raven One is a stunning success in capturing the culture and nature of military operations in the Middle East. He is able to re-create a sense of tension that exists in every take off and landing that Naval Aviators must experience. The missions his characters fly have a ring of truth to them and he seems to capture the essence of those moments.
While doing all of that he also manages to keep the content accessible while also using authentic lingo, jargon. Effectively allowing the reader to stay engaged the whole time.
What keeps this book from transcending being a "good read" and becoming an "excellent read" is the weak characters, and lack of moral ambiguity instead opting to lean in a more overtly and rather cliched Patriotic Tone. Certainly nothing wrong with that, but it does keep it firmly locked in the "Military Fiction" genre.
I certainly look forward to reading more of his books.
While doing all of that he also manages to keep the content accessible while also using authentic lingo, jargon. Effectively allowing the reader to stay engaged the whole time.
What keeps this book from transcending being a "good read" and becoming an "excellent read" is the weak characters, and lack of moral ambiguity instead opting to lean in a more overtly and rather cliched Patriotic Tone. Certainly nothing wrong with that, but it does keep it firmly locked in the "Military Fiction" genre.
I certainly look forward to reading more of his books.
December 18, 2019
Excellent; I haven't enjoyed a military aviation thriller this much since The Flight of the Intruder. Looking forward to the rest of the series.
April 9, 2021
A great fast paced read.
I really enjoyed this book. Kevin’s life experience really brings a really authentic story here. I will be reading more of his work going forward.
I really enjoyed this book. Kevin’s life experience really brings a really authentic story here. I will be reading more of his work going forward.
September 7, 2017
Fantastic
This guy knows lots and lots about the subject and can impart that knowledge in a meaningful and exiting evolution of events that without realising becomes a story. The detail takes over, for me at least, as I tried to follow the scenario. It's impossible unless you are one of the very very few with the background to assess it all comprehensively. It's only as the book develops that you realise complete understanding isn't needed. I can't follow all the call signs and technical information but I can follow the excitement as it builds. What came out of this for me was a real appreciation of the people who do an impossible job in impossible circumstances with almost detached professional expertise. They are American but that's beside the point they are professionals and that distinction is what makes this a great book not simply another storey about mighty America saving the world again. Well written and well done the only annoying thing is the author is an outstanding achiever in his field and has now gone on to be an outstanding author is there anything he can't do.
This guy knows lots and lots about the subject and can impart that knowledge in a meaningful and exiting evolution of events that without realising becomes a story. The detail takes over, for me at least, as I tried to follow the scenario. It's impossible unless you are one of the very very few with the background to assess it all comprehensively. It's only as the book develops that you realise complete understanding isn't needed. I can't follow all the call signs and technical information but I can follow the excitement as it builds. What came out of this for me was a real appreciation of the people who do an impossible job in impossible circumstances with almost detached professional expertise. They are American but that's beside the point they are professionals and that distinction is what makes this a great book not simply another storey about mighty America saving the world again. Well written and well done the only annoying thing is the author is an outstanding achiever in his field and has now gone on to be an outstanding author is there anything he can't do.
January 29, 2018
A real in the cockpit, seat of the pants, novel!
While reading this exciting book I lost sleep because I couldn't find a tranquil spot in the book to end my reading session. Kevin Miller tells a story that only an experienced naval aviator can tell.
His express purpose for writing this book was to "tell you what it's like" to be a naval fighter pilot on a cruise.
This a a techno-thriller in name name of Stephen Coonts and Tom Clancy with a modern update.
While reading this exciting book I lost sleep because I couldn't find a tranquil spot in the book to end my reading session. Kevin Miller tells a story that only an experienced naval aviator can tell.
His express purpose for writing this book was to "tell you what it's like" to be a naval fighter pilot on a cruise.
This a a techno-thriller in name name of Stephen Coonts and Tom Clancy with a modern update.
December 25, 2017
Very thoroughly written .
I must say I think this is the most complete and thoroughly written book on combat aviation I've ever had the pleasure to read. Well done.
I must say I think this is the most complete and thoroughly written book on combat aviation I've ever had the pleasure to read. Well done.
August 12, 2023
Excellent job describing the joys of flying and the hazards involved with carrier aviation
August 7, 2017
Gripping page turner
Mr. Miller's attention to detail, literally puts you in the pilots seat. So realistic my mouth was dry during the combat sorties. Outstanding novel which honors America's finest flyers.
Mr. Miller's attention to detail, literally puts you in the pilots seat. So realistic my mouth was dry during the combat sorties. Outstanding novel which honors America's finest flyers.
December 28, 2016
Outstanding Aviation Thriller!
This is a story about Naval Carrier Ops. I personally am former Air Force. I like to read this type of aviation fiction. This novel was perhaps one of the finest works of this type I have ever read! If you like this genre, do yourself a favor and READ IT! As soon as I finish this review, I am going to buy the next Kevin Miller book.
This is a story about Naval Carrier Ops. I personally am former Air Force. I like to read this type of aviation fiction. This novel was perhaps one of the finest works of this type I have ever read! If you like this genre, do yourself a favor and READ IT! As soon as I finish this review, I am going to buy the next Kevin Miller book.
March 22, 2023
Be prepared for an in-depth ride into the world of the modern Navy aircraft carrier and the life of a Naval fighter pilot. Miller will take you into the cockpit during catapult launches, mid-air re-fueling, night landings and flight assignments. You will come to see that, while many procedures are carried out time and time again, nothing is ever routine. Something can go amiss at any time. Dealing with the “something” is the stuff of Naval aviation and Miller reveals the creativity and courage of the pilots, based on his years of experience behind the controls.
This book (one of a series of three) takes place in the context of the war in the middle East. The details of planning and co-ordination of missions are fully described and give the reader an appreciation for the complexity and precision of planning that go into mission preparation. Once the action begins the reader feels they are present with the anxiety, fear, challenge and excitement. When the mission is completed the reader enters the more routine world of day to day operations. As Miller says somewhere in the book, being a Naval aviator is living in a world of intense excitement followed by long periods of routine.
Miller doesn’t give a comic book picture of his actors. He reveals their character, personal struggles, inter-personal conflicts, and psychological development quite well. By the end of the book you will feel that you know these people and will be left wondering: what happens to them next? Fortunately, there are two more books (Declared Hostile and Fight, Fight, Fight) which follow the careers of several of the main characters and will give you hours of great, exciting reading ahead.
This book (one of a series of three) takes place in the context of the war in the middle East. The details of planning and co-ordination of missions are fully described and give the reader an appreciation for the complexity and precision of planning that go into mission preparation. Once the action begins the reader feels they are present with the anxiety, fear, challenge and excitement. When the mission is completed the reader enters the more routine world of day to day operations. As Miller says somewhere in the book, being a Naval aviator is living in a world of intense excitement followed by long periods of routine.
Miller doesn’t give a comic book picture of his actors. He reveals their character, personal struggles, inter-personal conflicts, and psychological development quite well. By the end of the book you will feel that you know these people and will be left wondering: what happens to them next? Fortunately, there are two more books (Declared Hostile and Fight, Fight, Fight) which follow the careers of several of the main characters and will give you hours of great, exciting reading ahead.
April 19, 2020
Navy Fighter story
This was an amazing story. Well written, suspenseful,and kept me interested to the end. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes military books.
This was an amazing story. Well written, suspenseful,and kept me interested to the end. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes military books.
January 28, 2020
Others have mentioned it, and I must agree, this book is definitely loaded with jargon. Naval aviators, aviators in general, speak a language of their own. This is reflected in the writing, however, if you peel away those layers you will find a story that is worth the effort. My only disappointment is that the main character is of the opinion that the maintainers are perhaps a bit ignorant in the ways of the world whereas the button mashers are enlightened. As a former maintainer myself I was not surprised to see this misguided opinion make an appearance. Maybe this changes in subsequent works, maybe not, either way it is merely a minor annoyance. I think the spirit of the book follows in the footsteps of other authors such as Derek Robinson or Douglas Reeman.
November 4, 2016
Excellent novel!
The only negative I can muster up is the fact that I stayed up till 2am reading this book for 3 nights in a row. Having been deployed as a member of a fighter squadron, it was easy to identify with the trials and tribulations of pilots at sea. Captain Miller's description of the effect of being away from wives, children and other loved ones was particularly poignant to me...the letter to Flip from his wife was very similar to one I received back when.
The descriptions of flight ops and air to air combat were spot on...left me physically exhausted! I hope Captain Miller doesn't stop with one book...I'm looking forward to his 2nd!!!!
The only negative I can muster up is the fact that I stayed up till 2am reading this book for 3 nights in a row. Having been deployed as a member of a fighter squadron, it was easy to identify with the trials and tribulations of pilots at sea. Captain Miller's description of the effect of being away from wives, children and other loved ones was particularly poignant to me...the letter to Flip from his wife was very similar to one I received back when.
The descriptions of flight ops and air to air combat were spot on...left me physically exhausted! I hope Captain Miller doesn't stop with one book...I'm looking forward to his 2nd!!!!
November 1, 2017
Great story of modern era US naval aviation. Detailed and nicely written insight of everyday life of Navy pilots during their cruise in the Persian Gulf. You can get the real sense of the training, discipline, courage, and sacrifice it takes to be a naval aviator. Combat scenes are vividly depicted, almost to technical for a non-flyer, but doesn't detract from the story. Will definitely read Mr. Miller's next book.
May 20, 2017
If you're a fan of military thrillers with lots of jargon, this book is for you. Unfortunately for me, the author chose to start the book with a list of the jargon to be used--and there was quite a bit--too much for me to absorb--and then just jumped right into the book, using the jargon--I never quite got a grasp on what the storyline was supposed to be from the book itself.
December 2, 2015
Buckle up
As a pilot I found this book a welcome page turner,I had a hard time putting it down,love the tie in too Nas OCEANA ,where I love attending the airshow,watching a few pages in the book fold out before my eyes ,a must read
As a pilot I found this book a welcome page turner,I had a hard time putting it down,love the tie in too Nas OCEANA ,where I love attending the airshow,watching a few pages in the book fold out before my eyes ,a must read
May 26, 2017
Not just a man's book!
Well written book....Evan a woman understood and enjoyed it. Thanks for writing and explaining in a way that was real!y good!
Well written book....Evan a woman understood and enjoyed it. Thanks for writing and explaining in a way that was real!y good!
March 12, 2019
Great book for any DCS pilot..
February 17, 2025
There are a number of books in Swedish Military History that has truly spoiled me for any other books in the genre and they are all written by the same person; Michael Tamelander. What makes his books outstanding is that they are written in an almost the same manner; solid history foundation with a trace of being novels. Scenes and Battles will often be written in the same manner as a novel would and it makes it better knowing it is all based on real history. The reason I mention this in a international review that may never get to know exactly how good the Swedish book Operation Cerberus 1942 is because Raven One seems like a reversal of the concept.
What I mean by that is that Raven One feels mostly like a Tamelander book. It may be fiction but its underlining writing style, events and asides that explains the concepts of Naval Avitation lures one into the impression that you are reading historical events – and in terms of the Close Air Support missions over Iraq, they are undoubtedly based on real events and felt more taken out of the ”A Nightmares Prayer” than a fictional book. The only thing that somewhat ruins this impression is the lack of downtime – the book flies (pun intended) from one point of action to another but this is by no means a bad thing.
The language in the book is pretty easygoing and not difficult to follow, even if English happens to be your second language. The jargon and the different brevity calls may make the action difficult to follow for somebody less fluent in this but the authors way of making asides or putting in exposition helps out – and if that does not help, there is always the dictionary at the start of the novel to look back to.
What makes this a solid read for any aviation enthusiast is the sheer magnitude of topics brought together under a single umbrella. Management of personnel, arranging flights, training, personal matters, conflicts between staff and more are all covered making the novel a comprehensive and honest look into the life onboard an aircraft carrier. While some topics may be exaggerated to better suit the novel format, I would not be surprised to know most were lifted straight from real life.
The only gripe I have is with the characters but considering how many the author had to put in to fully reflect Carrier life; this can be forgiven. Some characters seem a bit too onedimensional but since their roles are more delegated to extras this can be forgiven. I am also happy to see that some of the characters have very real flaws – if these flaws are something only I see as character flaws or this is intended I will real unsaid but to me I will always like a story that has humans in it; not avatars that simply look like but do not act like humans.
Raven One spent a long time on my reading list and after finally getting there, I must admit I wondered why the hell I spent waiting to order it. While the book have some minor drawbacks, none of them are severe enough to detract from any of the fun. The fact that the entire thing was also made into a campaign for DCS World will most likely make sure that I experience the story from more angles than one and I look forward to that – and future Kevin Miller books too for that matter.
What I mean by that is that Raven One feels mostly like a Tamelander book. It may be fiction but its underlining writing style, events and asides that explains the concepts of Naval Avitation lures one into the impression that you are reading historical events – and in terms of the Close Air Support missions over Iraq, they are undoubtedly based on real events and felt more taken out of the ”A Nightmares Prayer” than a fictional book. The only thing that somewhat ruins this impression is the lack of downtime – the book flies (pun intended) from one point of action to another but this is by no means a bad thing.
The language in the book is pretty easygoing and not difficult to follow, even if English happens to be your second language. The jargon and the different brevity calls may make the action difficult to follow for somebody less fluent in this but the authors way of making asides or putting in exposition helps out – and if that does not help, there is always the dictionary at the start of the novel to look back to.
What makes this a solid read for any aviation enthusiast is the sheer magnitude of topics brought together under a single umbrella. Management of personnel, arranging flights, training, personal matters, conflicts between staff and more are all covered making the novel a comprehensive and honest look into the life onboard an aircraft carrier. While some topics may be exaggerated to better suit the novel format, I would not be surprised to know most were lifted straight from real life.
The only gripe I have is with the characters but considering how many the author had to put in to fully reflect Carrier life; this can be forgiven. Some characters seem a bit too onedimensional but since their roles are more delegated to extras this can be forgiven. I am also happy to see that some of the characters have very real flaws – if these flaws are something only I see as character flaws or this is intended I will real unsaid but to me I will always like a story that has humans in it; not avatars that simply look like but do not act like humans.
Raven One spent a long time on my reading list and after finally getting there, I must admit I wondered why the hell I spent waiting to order it. While the book have some minor drawbacks, none of them are severe enough to detract from any of the fun. The fact that the entire thing was also made into a campaign for DCS World will most likely make sure that I experience the story from more angles than one and I look forward to that – and future Kevin Miller books too for that matter.
January 3, 2021
Raven One is an engaging fictional novel on F/A-18 carrier operations. It provides a realistic look at the process in and out of the cockpit, while also ramping up some theatrics for the reader's entertainment.
The book's greatest strength is the hornet itself. I found every flight scene to be quite gripping, and was surprised to find my favorite moments were some non-combat flight scenes. The book conveys building tension and explains developing events in such a way that I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.
Author Kevin Miller draws on his rich knowledge from his experiences in the navy and translates each scene in steps, guiding the reader through combat operations while pushing forward with the action. It was mostly easy to follow, though at a lot of points, I got lost in jargon and radio communications not covered in the glossary. Although over time, I grasped at least some understanding through context.
I also appreciated a look at what pilots do when not flying. And there are some interesting character moments at debriefings, bunkrooms, and mess halls. The main characters are explored, with chapters devoted to their personal motivations, struggles, and fears, which gave the book a greater depth. There is also an honest look into interpersonal conflict, the characters are not perfect, and I felt the conflict and friction presented a personal drama that further grounded the story.
However, towards the end of the book a lot of the side characters have their plots overlooked or rushed, ending their development at one-dimensional.
While the book competently conveys emotion and complicated flight operations, it sometimes delivers clunky dialogue. There are a few moments where characters delve into wordy monologues that come across as the author's mouthpiece rather than a human character.
Overall, it's a good military fiction with characters readers can root for, and exciting action to keep them reading.
The book's greatest strength is the hornet itself. I found every flight scene to be quite gripping, and was surprised to find my favorite moments were some non-combat flight scenes. The book conveys building tension and explains developing events in such a way that I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.
Author Kevin Miller draws on his rich knowledge from his experiences in the navy and translates each scene in steps, guiding the reader through combat operations while pushing forward with the action. It was mostly easy to follow, though at a lot of points, I got lost in jargon and radio communications not covered in the glossary. Although over time, I grasped at least some understanding through context.
I also appreciated a look at what pilots do when not flying. And there are some interesting character moments at debriefings, bunkrooms, and mess halls. The main characters are explored, with chapters devoted to their personal motivations, struggles, and fears, which gave the book a greater depth. There is also an honest look into interpersonal conflict, the characters are not perfect, and I felt the conflict and friction presented a personal drama that further grounded the story.
However, towards the end of the book a lot of the side characters have their plots overlooked or rushed, ending their development at one-dimensional.
While the book competently conveys emotion and complicated flight operations, it sometimes delivers clunky dialogue. There are a few moments where characters delve into wordy monologues that come across as the author's mouthpiece rather than a human character.
Overall, it's a good military fiction with characters readers can root for, and exciting action to keep them reading.
April 3, 2022
I had never heard of Kevin P. Miller when I received Raven One as part of a promotional bundle. The first thing that caught my attention and aroused my interest was the book’s cover. It’s simple, yet elegant and forceful appearance, reminded of the covers used by many of my favorite authors of military aviation thrillers—authors like Dale Brown, Larry Bond, Brad Taylor, and Tom Clancy, to name just a few. Like many of the greats, Capt. Kevin P. Miller, USN Retired, has walked the walk and has experienced firsthand what he now writes about.
For a story about some fast movers, Raven One gets off to a slow start. Too slow for my tastes, but once it moves, it never stops. If a story hasn’t captured my attention within the first ten to fifteen pages, I toss it aside and move on to another, but, in this case, I kept reading, anyway. Why? Perhaps it was my military and aviation background. I identified with the characters. Miller took almost twenty-five pages to hook me on Raven One, but once he had me hooked, I couldn’t stop reading. The first half of this incredible story move slowly but steadily forward. These pages are interesting, and they do hold the readers’ attention, but there isn’t much real action in the first half of the book. But the promise of coming action is there.
In the second half of the book, the action hits the reader like a runaway freight train on a downhill grade. The reader experiences the tension, just as if he or she was in the cockpit of an F-18 Hornet doing close quarter aerial combat with the enemy. The second half of Raven One will keep you glued to the edge of your seats, your knuckles turning white as you grasp your book or e-reader tighter and tighter in your desperate need to find out what will happen next. This book ends in a way that will blow your socks off.
If you have never been there, if you have never done that, but want to experience what the action was like, then you will want to read Raven One.
October 25, 2024
If you are in any way interested in aviation, this is an excellent read. There’s not much of a new perspective I can offer here regarding the extremely precise technical detail in this book. Kevin Miller is a decorated combat aviator and clearly succeeds in bringing the reader into the world of a naval fighter squadron. You really feel at times as if you’re aboard a carrier as it drifts through the Persian Gulf.
So immersion factor, 100% there.
This book is a fast-paced story of VFA-64 as it safeguards the Strait of Hormuz and friendly Gulf nations. I had a hard time putting this book down and finished it in like a week.
That said, I do have a few reasons why I didn’t give it 5 stars. For one, I think this book could have used more editing as far as the story structure goes. There were several subplots that honestly didn’t contribute anything to the main storyline, didn’t have much continuity, and felt like a distraction.
Another gripe would be that most of the characters lacked any real depth. There were only a few characters that Miller gave any context on their background and their motivations for being where they were. And even then, some of the character development didn’t contribute much to the story itself and feels out of place as you progress through the squadron’s sorties flown. This book’s characters were similar to a lot of Tom Clancy books in that they’re these one-dimensional ‘patriot’ archetypes that don’t show any weakness or make mistakes. Also, the ‘villain’ in this book wasn’t really developed much, and provided only so much suspense to the plot.
I think writing a story about fighter pilots and their combat exploits is a pretty complicated task for an author, especially trying to balance technical detail but also readability. I think for the most part Kevin Miller succeeded in keeping you engaged in between pages. Just when I consider the whole book, I think the overall plot could have been more nuanced.
So immersion factor, 100% there.
This book is a fast-paced story of VFA-64 as it safeguards the Strait of Hormuz and friendly Gulf nations. I had a hard time putting this book down and finished it in like a week.
That said, I do have a few reasons why I didn’t give it 5 stars. For one, I think this book could have used more editing as far as the story structure goes. There were several subplots that honestly didn’t contribute anything to the main storyline, didn’t have much continuity, and felt like a distraction.
Another gripe would be that most of the characters lacked any real depth. There were only a few characters that Miller gave any context on their background and their motivations for being where they were. And even then, some of the character development didn’t contribute much to the story itself and feels out of place as you progress through the squadron’s sorties flown. This book’s characters were similar to a lot of Tom Clancy books in that they’re these one-dimensional ‘patriot’ archetypes that don’t show any weakness or make mistakes. Also, the ‘villain’ in this book wasn’t really developed much, and provided only so much suspense to the plot.
I think writing a story about fighter pilots and their combat exploits is a pretty complicated task for an author, especially trying to balance technical detail but also readability. I think for the most part Kevin Miller succeeded in keeping you engaged in between pages. Just when I consider the whole book, I think the overall plot could have been more nuanced.
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