Ward Carroll

“Strap on your jet, hit the afterburners, and fire off the catapult into a thrilling, true-to-life drama of modern naval aviation. Punk’s Force delivers with the kind of authenticity, action, and suspense that leaves you screaming for more. A must-read!”—M. P. Woodward, New York Times bestselling author of Tom Clancy Shadow State and Red Tide: A Novel of the Next Pacific War In the electrifying fourth novel of the Punk Series, Adm. “Punk” Reichert must prove that the Navy’s newest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), can survive a hypersonic missile attack. Punk assembles a formidable team of former squadmates and brilliant engineers to deploy a cutting-edge, directed-energy weapon, leveraging the latest in machine-learning technology for battlefield supremacy. Yet, as he battles bureaucratic obstacles and personal crises—including his wife’s cancer diagnosis—he soon realizes that something far more sinister is afoot. A ruthless tech magnate with a vendetta, a traitor in Punk’s ranks, and an elaborate scheme to dismantle traditional sea power all threaten the very future of naval warfare. Will Punk’s crew rise to the occasion and secure their legacy, or be lost to the tides of technology?

Ward Carroll's electrifying debut, Punk's War, blew away readers, critics, and Navy veterans with "an intriguing look at the modern military [that] honors the men and women who serve" (Library Journal). In his second novel, Carroll brings back Navy lieutenant Rick "Punk" Reichert--with a training squadron of new pilots--on a collision course with danger and destiny. When the F-14 Tomcat of the only female flier in Punk's training class rolls wildly during a hop, nearly causing a midair collision, Punk connects the dots to a similar accident that claimed the life of one of his fellow trainers and suspects a cover-up involving the use of faulty parts. But no sooner does he bring on the heat with his allegations that a far more important crisis calls Punk's squadron into active duty. This time, it is not a training drill . . . it's America's next war.

Punk's War reveals the inner workings of the U.S. Navy as only an insider can. An authentic and riveting thriller, it is a highly acclaimed novel of a fighter pilot's experience in the era just before 9/11. As the U.S. military enters another post-conflict period, the themes of leadership during crisis and accomplishing the mission make Punk's War more relevant than ever.

On a mission over central Afghanistan, Punk is hit--and taken captive by the Taliban. And after he escapes, the challenge is not over. Because now Punk must navigate the war-torn country not from the skies, but on the ground--seeing up close for the first time the world of resistance fighters, warlords, CIA undercover ops, and corrupt officers who are putting their lives on the line.