With just a couple of weeks until book 2 of the Weight of the World series is released, I thought it would be a great chance to take a look at what you can expect in Recall Order.
I mean, I know that Reality Check was so vivid and amazing (obviously) that you probably remember EXACTLY what happened, but just in case – just in case – I’m going to jog your memory. I’m really proud of how Recall Order has evolved, and it takes the series to a whole new level. It’s darker and deals with much more turbulent themes than it’s predecessor. Even at it’s darkest, Reality Check had some hope and belief running throughout, but I can’t promise the same in this new book.
So, if you haven’t read book 1, Reality Check, yet, stop reading now. Some spoilers for my debut novel below.
The genre and themes
Like my first book, Recall Order is a military science fiction story. It’s a direct continuation of the alien invasion story from Reality Check, but we’re going to be exploring the consequences and ramifications of what happened.
You could say that we had a coming-of-age story for Ryan last time out, and while his journey continues, there’s more of mystery and suspense this time around. He’s more aware of what happens if he fails, and that fear is present throughout.
The big question I know a lot of readers have comes from the final page of Reality Check. What is the word on the screen at the end of the epilogue? Well, that’s not something I’m going to spell out for you, but the opening scene of Recall Order will give you an answer. That’s a promise.
A time skip
I thought long and hard about how much time should pass between each book in the Weight of the World series (and I’m not telling you – yet – how much time passes for book 3). I wanted enough time to pass for the effects of Reality Check to sink in without rushing past some of the more obvious issues that they would inevitably have faced.
We’re returning to Ryan and co 18-months after the events of book 1, and if you were hoping that life would be rosy and good for them, well, I’ve got news for you…
Evolving characters
One of the more surprising things for me with Reality Check was how some characters seemed to grow with the story, becoming more important and relevant than I thought they would be. Captain Ryder is a good example of this – originally, she wasn’t going to be as relevant after book 1, but there was a lot more of her story to explore and I couldn’t imagine letting her fade into the background.
And, let’s face it, Flare Squadron wouldn’t be the same without her.
That said, our characters have to change. They have to grow. The alien invasion changed things for heroes, and not in great ways. There were losses to balance the victories. Pain to counter the glory.
We’re going to see first-hand how Ryan, Captain Ryder, Wisp, and the rest of Flare Squadron have handled the bitter taste of war, and how that’s impacted their lives since. Given that most were civilians before the invasion and not fully trained Enforcers, have they been able to escape without scars?
Then, of course, there were Ryan’s injuries…
Upping the stakes
You might argue that the fate of the entire world is hard to top, given that’s what was at stake in Reality Check.
We got a feel for this world on a smaller scale, but a lot of time was spent in space, away from the planet they were trying to protect. It creates tension, but what is this world our characters are trying to save?
In Recall Order, we’re going to see a lot more of Earth, covering different parts of the planet and why it matters to our heroes.
I will say it’s not just the planet that’s at risk, but to say more would definitely be a spoiler, so you’ll have to read the book to find out.
Get your copy of Recall Order
Okay – we’re all caught up! I could go into so much more detail, and I can’t wait for you to read Recall Order so you can let me know your thoughts. I’m genuinely excited for you to read it (and terrified that you’ll hate it, but that was/is true of Reality Check, too, ha!), so I’m going to have to practise some patience until I start hearing from you.
Make sure you’re signed up to my mailing list so you can be the first to know when Recall Order is on sale!