The First Fighter Pilot - Roland Garros

The Life and Times of the Playboy Who Invented Air Combat

By: Ed Cobleigh

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

In the Spring of 1915, a Parisian playboy took to the lethal skies of World War I, becoming the world’s first fighter pilot. Never before had a lone pilot hunted down other aviators. Roland Garros’ aerial exploits unleashed unlimited air combat and changed warfare forever. Before leaving French café society for the Western Front, the young pilot set aviation records, won air races, and introduced manned flight to thrilled crowds in the USA, Europe, and Latin America. Garros scouted for the US Army, strolled as a Boulevardier, sold sports cars, played classical piano, was a lawyer, a professional bike racer, and a world-class athlete. Learn how a pioneering pilot of La Belle Epoque, the Gilded Age, descended into the man-made hell of the Great War. He was shot down, escaped, made his way back to Paris and the waiting arms of an exotic dancer before returning to the front lines. Garros needed two more victories to become an ace. The little-known story of Roland Garros’ exciting life and fascinating his times is a riveting tale well worth the telling. This narrative non-fiction biography delivers that stirring account right on target.

if you don't like AI this ain't for you

The AI rendering is rough. Lots of mis pronunciations. fokker dVII is pronounced "D veeee". 1915 is pronounced one thousand nine hundred fifteen. Lots more.

Virtual voice ruined the story

It was a great story, but when virtual voice pronounces the main characters, name, three different ways within five minutes, or announces a; in the middle of a sentence, it totally ruins it.

more than a tennis player

great story about a pioneer in aviation and the world's first fighter pilot. the audio version is read by a virtual narrator, which performed well for most of the book but would have unnatural pauses and awkward pronunciations of names. (ex: pronounced "Garros" correctly and then "Jarros" tennis seconds later). if I am paying for an audio book I would like more than a non-effort from the publisher to make that version engaging, for an otherwise extraordinary character no less is deserved.

Excellent story on early aviation

I found the story to be quite engaging and recommend.

I believe this is the first book I’ve listened to with computer generated narration. It does a pretty good job, but there’s some obvious areas that computer is not familiar with common words. U-N well for example. While I generally would prefer a real person narrating, I do like the idea of this generating more books to an audio platform.

the details of flying

I also had many dreams of flying by simply "THINKING" and would soar into the sky as a young boy until my age 50's and 60's. When my two kids were young in my dreams I could fly with them on my back.
As they grew and I aged I dreamt of flying but could no longer leave the ground. This book was a good substitute.