Hello and welcome to this Cover Reveal article here on Track of Words, where today I’m delighted to offer a first look at Recruited by Thomas Parrott, a new novel based on Tom Clancy’s The Division that’s coming in 2022 from Aconyte Books. I haven’t played the video game this is based on but it sounds like an ideal setting for this sort of technothriller…and I love a good thriller! I’ve also enjoyed all of Tom’s stories that I’ve read so far – for Aconyte, Black Library and his own original work – so I’ve got a feeling I’m going to enjoy Recruited – and I’m sure I won’t be the only person to do so.
Later on I’ll include the synopsis of Recruited and some of Tom’s thoughts on the cover art, but first of all let’s take a look at the cover itself, with artwork by René Aigner:
Click on the image to see it in full size
I think that looks great – I can’t quite work out what it is, but there’s something about that artwork which reminds me of one of my favourite contemporary artists, Simon Stålenhag – which is always a good thing! If you’d like to see more of René Aigner’s work, take a look at his Artstation page here.
Now you’ve seen the cover though, let’s take a look at the synopsis for Recruited:
A newly recruited agent is the Strategic Homeland Division’s best hope to prevent a nefarious plot from ripping the agency apart, in this brand new post-apocalyptic thriller from Tom Clancy’s The Division.
Maira Kanhai has had enough: since the Green Poison epidemic hit DC, her Cybersecurity degree is worthless, she can’t rejoin the US Navy, and her early efforts to secure Maryland led to a costly mistake: the death of her brother. Every day new factions emerge, trying to burn her city to the ground – until the Division emerges, inspiring hope. When a grenade kills one of their agents, Maira suddenly has a chance to make a real difference as a raw new Division recruit … if she can pass the tests, and overcome the enemies plotting to permanently eliminate the Division once and for all.
That sounds fun, right? Between the cover art and the synopsis it sounds like this is going to be a topical, gritty thriller, with plenty of potential for intrigue and breathless, contemporary action. Don’t just take my word for it, though. I asked Tom a few questions about both the cover art and his novel in general, so read on to find out more!
Track of Words: What do you make of the cover for Recruited?
Thomas Parrott: I think it’s lovely! I think it captures a spirit of exploration, which is key to the book. We have our three heroes happening upon an alarming scene, kind of the greater setting of the novel writ small. Our protagonist and her companions are venturing into the dangerous unknown in this book.
ToW: How does this artwork compare to the image you have in your head for the overall book, or the character(s)/scene that it represents?
TP: The artist did a great job in my opinion. The Division IP is a mixture of technothriller and grounded action, and that’s what you get here. I’m not sure it lines up perfectly with any particular scene from the book, but it easily could and that’s the key. If this hooks you, you’ll like what you encounter between the covers.
ToW: What can we expect from Recruited as a novel?
TP: There’s a grand element of this ongoing effort by the Division [a government agency otherwise known as the Strategic Homeland Division] to beat back the tide; the world has fallen apart in the wake of a terrible pandemic, and they’re trying to keep the light of civilization burning for as long as they can. Stuff like that is always fun to write. But there’s a personal level too. Maira Kanhai is not your stereotypical hardened operator. She’s a computer geek with a REMF [let’s just call it, um…noncombat…for those unfamiliar with the term] military background (no disrespect to REMFs! I was one too. I was so REMF that other people in the Air Force turned their nose up at me) who has found herself confronted with horrifying circumstances. There’s a question in it that’s very fundamental to the human experience: when everything falls apart, what do you do? Do you pick yourself up and fight for what you believe in, or do you give up?
You can also expect scenes of deadly danger, fancy cutting edge technology, moral conundrums, and a bear.
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Thanks so much to Tom for taking the time to chat to me about Recruited, and to Aconyte Books for working with me for this cover reveal! To find out more about Thomas Parrott’ writing, check out all of the reviews and interviews I’ve published for his work, right here on Track of Words.
I hope this has got you interested in Recruited – it’s due out in global ebook and US paperback in February 2022, with the UK paperback following in March 2022, and it’s available to pre-order right now!
(If you buy anything using this link, I will receive a small affiliate commission – see here for more details)
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Thomas Parrott grew up reading science fiction and fantasy from a very young age. This was only compounded by the discovery of video games and tabletop roleplaying. This has led to a life of dealing with the mundane while dreaming of dragons. He has written Isha’s Lament, The Test of Faith, and Loyal to the End, all for the Warhammer 40,000 setting, as well as short fiction for Arkham Horror and KeyForge anthologies. He lives in Georgia.
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