What do you think?
The Icarus Code #2
First Watch of Night
Who is Eberin Das?
Decoding an ancient message that survived the destruction of Mars could be the key to avoiding the same fate for Earth in this action-packed sequel to The Cold Light of Stars.
Decoding an ancient message that survived the destruction of Mars could be the key to avoiding the same fate for Earth in this action-packed sequel to The Cold Light of Stars.
- GenresScience FictionFiction
448 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 8, 2024
About the author
Rysa Walker
75 books1,531 followersRYSA WALKER is the author of the bestselling CHRONOS Files series. Timebound, the first book in the series, was the Young Adult and Grand Prize winner in the 2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards. The CHRONOS Files has sold nearly half a million copies since 2013 and has been translated into fourteen languages.
In addition to speculative fiction, she occasionally writes mysteries as C. Rysa Walker.
Rysa currently resides in North Carolina with her husband, two youngest sons, and a hyperactive golden retriever. When not working on the next installment in her CHRONOS Files universe, she watches shows where travelers boldly go to galaxies far away, or reads about magical creatures and superheroes from alternate timelines. She has neither the time nor the patience for reality TV.
If you see her on social media, please tell her to get back into the writing cave.
For updates, check her website: www.rysa.com.
In addition to speculative fiction, she occasionally writes mysteries as C. Rysa Walker.
Rysa currently resides in North Carolina with her husband, two youngest sons, and a hyperactive golden retriever. When not working on the next installment in her CHRONOS Files universe, she watches shows where travelers boldly go to galaxies far away, or reads about magical creatures and superheroes from alternate timelines. She has neither the time nor the patience for reality TV.
If you see her on social media, please tell her to get back into the writing cave.
For updates, check her website: www.rysa.com.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 9, 2025
3.5 Stars ⭐️
The craziest thing happened. I started this series on audio and after book one was completed, I was in the middle of something - listening on air pods with my phone in another room - so I kept on listening. The next book in the series automatically started (I was actually NOT planning on continuing) but I let it play.
Imagine my surprise when I found myself interested. I don't mean that in a bad way. It is just that I spent the entire first book WAITING. Waiting for things to happen. Waiting for explanations or the beginning of explanations. But with book two - things started getting interesting right away.
So, on I went.
This book has our FMC Claire Echols back on Earth and in the middle of a hornet's nest. She finds herself in the bulls-eye from the organization The Earth Watch Alliance - better known as The Flock - and they aren't messing around. She is beginning to realize that there are ties between her family's pharmaceutical company and one of their main competitors that all link back to The Flock.
Claire met the leader of The Flock on Mars and learned that she was given access to information that changes everything. Unfortunately, The Flock has changed tactics, and nothing is off the table now. Murder and arson are no longer a bridge too far.
I enjoyed following Claire and Wyatt - two reporters chasing the same story from different sides. We also had their developing relationship as they were working together and uncovering things that normally would be way too "out there". The more they learn, the more they realize that truth just might be stranger than fiction.
The craziest thing happened. I started this series on audio and after book one was completed, I was in the middle of something - listening on air pods with my phone in another room - so I kept on listening. The next book in the series automatically started (I was actually NOT planning on continuing) but I let it play.
Imagine my surprise when I found myself interested. I don't mean that in a bad way. It is just that I spent the entire first book WAITING. Waiting for things to happen. Waiting for explanations or the beginning of explanations. But with book two - things started getting interesting right away.
So, on I went.
This book has our FMC Claire Echols back on Earth and in the middle of a hornet's nest. She finds herself in the bulls-eye from the organization The Earth Watch Alliance - better known as The Flock - and they aren't messing around. She is beginning to realize that there are ties between her family's pharmaceutical company and one of their main competitors that all link back to The Flock.
Claire met the leader of The Flock on Mars and learned that she was given access to information that changes everything. Unfortunately, The Flock has changed tactics, and nothing is off the table now. Murder and arson are no longer a bridge too far.
I enjoyed following Claire and Wyatt - two reporters chasing the same story from different sides. We also had their developing relationship as they were working together and uncovering things that normally would be way too "out there". The more they learn, the more they realize that truth just might be stranger than fiction.
March 31, 2026
Rysa you are killing me with the blather about how much Claire and Kai avoid each other. Pages and pages of drivel. And for what? Like we have established not only in book one plenty about this, but now MORE and MORE on it. Puh-lease, we are beating a dead horse out here.
I've gotten literally TWO things of clarity that went off like a lightbulb when it was revealed. YAY ALIENS! But still, not enough.
Classifying this as a "sci-fi thriller" is WILD. This is not suspenseful at all, it's annoying. So many words about a whole lot of nothing.
sigh I was ready. This was FINALLY supposed to delve into the unknown. Well guess what, virtually nothing happened until 99% of the book. Literally the last 3 pages. I will not continue the series as much as that saddens me.
The last two books could very easily have been one, maybe even half of one.
I've gotten literally TWO things of clarity that went off like a lightbulb when it was revealed. YAY ALIENS! But still, not enough.
Classifying this as a "sci-fi thriller" is WILD. This is not suspenseful at all, it's annoying. So many words about a whole lot of nothing.
sigh I was ready. This was FINALLY supposed to delve into the unknown. Well guess what, virtually nothing happened until 99% of the book. Literally the last 3 pages. I will not continue the series as much as that saddens me.
The last two books could very easily have been one, maybe even half of one.
February 8, 2024
First Watch of Night by Rysa Walker is the highly anticipated sequel in the Icarus Code series. No trip to the Moon or Mars this time around for Claire Echols, but she encounters plenty of harassment and danger on Earth, which tests her resolve to have the mysterious symbols excavated on Mars deciphered and find answers to who sabotaged the facilities, causing loss of life, and threatens her survival at home.
‘Worthy’ hardly seems like a worthy adjective to portray this sequel to The Cold Light of Stars, but I find it difficult to decide which superlatives to use.
I highly recommend First Watch of Night and eagerly await the conclusion in Dark Little Worlds.
‘Worthy’ hardly seems like a worthy adjective to portray this sequel to The Cold Light of Stars, but I find it difficult to decide which superlatives to use.
I highly recommend First Watch of Night and eagerly await the conclusion in Dark Little Worlds.
February 29, 2024
A great follow up to The Cold Light of Stars. This one is set back on earth but the mystery that started on Mars continues to grow. It is true sci-fi that ends on quite a cliffhanger which is so I'm really glad the final book in the series will be out later this year. The character development is great and we really get to know some of the characters that were introduced in book one, which focused a lot on aspects of terraforming Mars. I'm hoping there will be a trip back to Mars in the final book. All I can do is wait to see.
February 13, 2024
Love this series!
Wow! What a great series full of interesting surprises. I have loved Rysa Walker's previous CHRONOS series and this one us just as good. No time travel here, but good old sci-fi that's not too technical for the average reader. Another cliffhanger in this second book of the series...do we really have to wait a year for the next book? I sure hope not!
Wow! What a great series full of interesting surprises. I have loved Rysa Walker's previous CHRONOS series and this one us just as good. No time travel here, but good old sci-fi that's not too technical for the average reader. Another cliffhanger in this second book of the series...do we really have to wait a year for the next book? I sure hope not!
March 4, 2024
Is this our future?
Oh, my, lots of suspense, mystery, politics, and possible science in this not-so-far-away-in -time scenario. So plausible, realistic conflicts, strange bedfellows, and so much more. Must we really wait a year for more?
Oh, my, lots of suspense, mystery, politics, and possible science in this not-so-far-away-in -time scenario. So plausible, realistic conflicts, strange bedfellows, and so much more. Must we really wait a year for more?
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews