Riders of the Wind [Kindle Edition]

via the books description: "Riders of the Wind is a fascinating tale of romance and adventure in the pioneering world of aviation", I jumped to the book for the chance to read a good love story and received so much more. I was totally entertained with the adventures and love between Charlie and Doretta Cross, while being subtly educated about aviation and points in history. I loved this book and can't wait to read DeBurgh's next book in the series Winds of Fate.

Riders of the Wind by Robert F. Deburgh (Robert Burroughs)
Reviewed by Alex Canton-Dutari
I have always loved stories about flying. This one did not let me down as I was taken through a history of US aviation up to World War II, accompanied by a love story difficult to match nowadays.
A bonus was the not-well-known story of the antecedents of the eventual destruction of the Amazonian rainforest. I had read about the invisible tribes and the legends surrounding the subject. The narration of the fantasies that may have proven their existence was truly enchanting.
The creation of the major US airlines was very interesting, and Mr. Deburgh made sure the conniving was well exposed.
Least I forget, the bit about the tiny Cambiru fish that can get into any human orifice was a very interesting fact.
Captain Deburgh is a pilot that grew culturally through his profession.
I will definitely read other works by him.

Riders of the Wind is the first in an epic series that outlines the very beginnings of the aviation industry as we know it today. The story is weaved through the life of Charlie Cross, who starts out as simply a man who discovers his love of flying as a teenager and follows his dream becoming a mail courier pilot and eventually part owner in an airline servicing the budding passenger airline industry amid such soon-to-be big name players as Pan Am, TWA, and Continental.

The book details changes in airplane technology as well as political and cultural climates from the late 1920s through the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Central to the plot is the romance between Charlie and his wife Doretta, who through their adventures become heroes in their own right.

Overall I thought the story was charming, and as a reader I appreciated the depth and care that the author paid to developing each of the characters- there is a large supporting cast that eventually become integral to the Cross's lives, both personally and professionally. There is a deft handling to the larger issues of times- the bootlegging days of the late 1920s, the devastating impact of the Great Depression, and the fear and uncertainty as the world watched Germany and Japan move against the rest of the world. There is even a subplot that takes Charlie and Doretta to Brazil, where they explore the Amazon and meet an "invisible" indigenous people and fight to help them protect their way of life.

My only complaint would be that the pacing of the overall story seemed a bit uneven. The front end of the book seemed overlong with the majority of it being spent in 1929 and the very early 1930s. But once the timeline picked up, the next ten years literally flew by (I say a bit tongue in cheek).

Anyone with an interest in aviation will definitely appreciate the level of detail in this novel and find it an entertaining read.

*I was provided a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.*