The Last Pilot

by Benjamin Johncock Narrated by Donald Corren

Overview

Jim Harrison is a test pilot in the United States Air Force, one of the exalted few. He spends his days cheating death in the skies above the Mojave Desert and his nights at his friend Pancho's bar, often with his wife, Grace. She and Harrison are secretly desperate for a child-and when, against all odds, Grace learns that she is pregnant, the two are overcome with joy.

While America becomes swept up in the fervor of the space race, Harrison turns his attention home, passing up the chance to become an astronaut to welcome his daughter, Florence, into the world. Together, he and Grace confront the thrills and challenges of raising a child head-on. Fatherhood is different than flying planes-less controlled, more anxious-however the pleasures of watching Florence grow are incomparable. But when his family is faced with a sudden and inexplicable tragedy, Harrison's instincts as a father and a pilot are put to the test. As a pilot, he feels compelled to lead them through it-and as a father, he fears that he has fallen short.

The aftermath will haunt the Harrisons and strain their marriage as Jim struggles under the weight of his decisions. Beginning when the dust of the Second World War has only just begun to settle and rushing onward into the 1960s, Benjamin Johncock traces the path of this young couple as they are uprooted by events much larger than themselves. The turns the Harrisons take together are at once astonishing and recognizable, their journey both frightening and full of hope. Set against the backdrop of one of the most emotionally charged periods in American history, The Last Pilot is a mesmerizing story of loss and finding courage in the face of it from an extraordinary new talent.

Editorial Reviews

Kirkus Reviews

2015-04-14
British novelist Johncock's debut takes place on American soil—and in American airspace—at the peak of the space race, from 1947 to 1968. Fictional Air Force test pilot Jim Harrison works in Muroc, California, at the future Edwards Air Force Base. He and his wife, Grace, struggle to accept infertility; are thrilled by a surprise pregnancy and parenthood; and drift away from each other after a tragic loss. Grace, who's grown accustomed to being alone as a pilot's wife, needs more from her husband after the death of their daughter. Instead, Harrison throws himself into his role as a member of the New Nine—the second class of astronauts and, more importantly, the first that will fly manned missions into space. Harrison's career leads him to interactions with real-life characters Gus Grissom, Jim Lovell, and Pancho Barnes. The novel moves quickly as a result of minimalist, quotation-mark-free dialogue. At times, multiple characters named Grace and Jim cause confusion—an awkward choice on the writer's part. Johncock's extensive research, as evidenced by his long list of book and film sources, is a double-edged sword. The novel gains significant life from Pancho Barnes, the kind of character who can't be invented, and Johncock's mastery of the jargon and mechanics of test piloting and space flight is impressive. However, the flight process and lingo can diminish focus on the characters. The space race is as much a character here as the Harrisons and their social circle, so much so that the people are sometimes overpowered by the mechanics. The book ends with things as they should be between Grace and Jim, but their happy ending is overshadowed by other astronauts' achievements. An ideal read for history buffs and space race enthusiasts.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169893946
Publisher:	Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Publication date:	07/07/2015
Edition description:	Unabridged

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