Ghost Flight by Bear Grylls

"Ghost Flight" by Bear Grylls - Nazis?

This book is published by Orton in 2016 and has 480 pages. This is Book 1 of Will Jaeger series. 

Will Jaeger, who lost his wife and child 4 years ago, is at Black beach prison, undergoing unimaginable torture, in African island nation of Bioko. Raff, his friend, extracts him as an assignment is waiting them. Assignment to lead an expedition to Brazil in Amazon rain forest to a downed World War II plane, a mystery air wreck, a plane that has no record, a model that is not known, the plane that never was, a Ghost Flight. Andy Smith, his best friend was to lead this expedition but he died. Was he killed? The Gost Flight is later identified as Junkers Ju 390, Hitler's America bomber. It appears that there is a Dark force at work trying to prevent Will and his team. Reichsadler is it's symbol.

Will Jaeger take the assignment? What is the Ghost Flight? What's in it? What is the dark force? How will the trek through Amazon rain forest turn out? What about Nazis?

The team that will go to search Ghost Flight is formed by Irina Narov, ex-Spetsnaz, smoking hot Russian settled in America. New Zealander Joe James, African American Lewis Alonzo, French Sylvie Clermont, Japanese Hiro Kamishi, Polish German Peter Krakow, Brazilian Letitia Santos and duo of Aussie Mike Dale & Slovak Stefan Karl for filming the mission. 

The story is based on the well known theory that towards end of WW II, allies allowed a number of Nazi's to relocate to their countries to leverage their technical know how. A number of ranking Nazi officials escaped to South America, particularly Argentina, and lived long life. But did they live a peaceful and withdrawn life? Hans Kammler was the plenipotentiary, most powerful man after Hitler in Nazi regime. He plundered everything of value (gold bullion, artworks, diamonds, cash) from europe. When war was over it all disappeared, vanished off the face of earth, one of the greatest mysteries and scandals of second world war. 

The story is good. But it's fluid, thrilling and slow in patches. The trek through Amazon forest slows the story down. But the Amazonian creatures like Poisonous deadly spiders (Phoneutria), Caiman crocodiles, mosquitos, leaches, piranhas, vampire fish etc. make the narrative interesting. The journey through amazon rainforest and battling with nature, insects and creatures is described in convincing details.

The para jump is beautifully described, it gets your adrenaline going. The jump that lasts minutes takes an eternity to finish but the technical details, the thrill and danger is captured beautifully. 

Has the seed of this story, that of Nazi fourth Reich, lost its appeal almost 70 years after the fall of Nazism? To consider a plot to rise again by the defeated force is one thing but such a plot by their children is another. Nevertheless, should it be possible, it makes a compelling idea.

The book ends but story doesn't. The book ends at an interesting turn where the story has two possible important leads. It remains to be seen which one author pursues for the next book or will he chose to pursue both. Next two books are already published and are on my wishlist.

It appears like Author has modelled the character of Will on himself + what he would have liked to be. He informs us in the author's Notre that Will's grandfather is based on his grandfather. 

Why did I read this book? Goodreads rating.

What I didn't like? Why would oneness guys capture someone's family rather than killing?

What did I like? Narration.

Read if you plan to read the series.