Authentic aerial combat fiction from someone who's been there.
Sam 'Slammer' Richardson Series — Book 2
Shot down over Mosul. Captured by Iran. Presumed dead.
For Slammer Richardson, the hardest part wasn't surviving. It was figuring out what was worth surviving for.
Like Fire From Heaven — the sequel to Lions of the Sky.
A Sam 'Slammer' Richardson Novel
A pulse-pounding aerial combat thriller that takes you inside the cockpit of a Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet. When Lieutenant Sam 'Slammer' Richardson is thrust into a deadly mission over hostile territory, he'll need every ounce of skill and courage to survive—and to save his squadron. Drawing on two decades of real-world experience, Paco Chierici delivers an authentic, adrenaline-fueled story that will leave you breathless.
"Paco is one of the best pilots I know. LIONS OF THE SKY is gripping, fast-paced, and authentic."
"A riveting tale that puts you in the cockpit."
"Chierici delivers an authentic, pulse-pounding aerial combat thriller."
“Better than the movie Top Gun.”
“This is what happens when you put someone with the literary talent of Le Carré into the seat of a $60M fighter plane as it's slingshotted off a carrier.”
“Keeley is the perfect female lead. She could hold her own against the men — and gave back more than she received — with the skills to back it up.”
“I'm a retired F-16 driver — Paco brought me right back. I swear I've seen some of these fictional characters walking around my old squadrons.”
“I would love to see this book optioned for a movie someday.”
“I could hear the roaring engines, feel the g's and spatial disorientation, and smell the jet fuel. How freaking cool is that?”
“A page-turning deep dive into the closed world of Navy Fighter Pilots.”
“No one has yet achieved the ability to transport the reader so accurately into our world.”
“This is the first novel I've read where I really felt like I was inside the head of an actual Rhino driver — in the cockpit on deployment, or simply relaxing with squadron mates in the ready room.”
“Unlike Top Gun, where the characters were one-dimensional archetypes, the main characters here display multiple human dimensions as they grapple with the challenges of integrating women in combat.”
“The action had me on the edge of my seat, flipping Kindle screens to see what would happen next.”
Reviews keep Lions of the Sky visible to new readers — and help build momentum for the sequel. If the book moved you, take 60 seconds to leave a star rating.
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Francesco "Paco" Chierici is a former U.S. Navy pilot with 25 years of flying experience. He flew the A-6E Intruder and F-14A Tomcat on active duty, then spent ten years as an F-5 adversary pilot, and today he is an Airbus A-350 captain. He is the author of Lions of the Sky and the creator and producer of the award-winning documentary Speed And Angels.
Lions of the Sky is an aerial combat thriller following Lieutenant Sam 'Slammer' Richardson, a Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet pilot thrust into a deadly mission over hostile territory. Drawing on Paco Chierici's real-world experience, it delivers authentic, adrenaline-fueled action.
Like Fire From Heaven, the sequel to Lions of the Sky, is expected in 2027. Sign up for the newsletter to be the first to know the exact release date, cover reveal, and pre-order details.
Lions of the Sky is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble in paperback, hardcover, and Kindle editions.