South of the Clouds

May 1944. Ted “Boots” Scherpenberg of Cincinnati has one goal as the only son: to live up to his father, a decorated Great War veteran. But when the army assigns Boots to ground radio navigation, he fears he’ll never have the chance. And then they send him not to Europe—but to an area most people couldn’t find on a map—Yunnanyi, China. The base of the Himalayas. Where violent winds and jagged peaks claim more American planes than enemy fire. The world’s most dangerous air route.

Despite unlikely friendships with other “leftovers” and the local Chinese people, Boots struggles to find purpose in his behind the scenes role: guiding lost planes. And as he navigates cultural complexities, Japanese air raids, and questions of whether his job even matters, he also uncovers a troubling pattern—someone sabotaging their already impossible operations. Now Boots must decide what kind of hero he wants to be, choosing between loyalty or duty before anyone else pays the price.