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Tom Clancy's The Division: Recruited: An Operation: Crossroads Novel
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 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 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.
281 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 1, 2022
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217 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
November 29, 2021
Great book!
To be honest I was skeptical with some of the dialogue in the beginning but this book Recruited (huge fan of the games, over 1000 hours...I take Tom Clancy's The Division seriously) turned out to take some turns I did not expect positively, some cool in-game lore references while easy to catch if you at all play the games.
Recruited most importantly added a lot of well-written action scenes that were lacking from some of the other books. Those were great as well but this one really felt like you were starting up a game and not creating a character, but diving into an already-developing and recruited Agent for the first time from equipment to emotions. Something the game can't do as well as reading Recruited did.
Highly recommend for anyone who is a hardcore fan of the game or action/sci-fi fans in general!
To be honest I was skeptical with some of the dialogue in the beginning but this book Recruited (huge fan of the games, over 1000 hours...I take Tom Clancy's The Division seriously) turned out to take some turns I did not expect positively, some cool in-game lore references while easy to catch if you at all play the games.
Recruited most importantly added a lot of well-written action scenes that were lacking from some of the other books. Those were great as well but this one really felt like you were starting up a game and not creating a character, but diving into an already-developing and recruited Agent for the first time from equipment to emotions. Something the game can't do as well as reading Recruited did.
Highly recommend for anyone who is a hardcore fan of the game or action/sci-fi fans in general!
January 21, 2024
A mediocre piece that was probably restrained and dictated by Ubisoft. Cardboard characters, superficial motivations, average plot, and the mandatory DE&I nonsense that's been plaguing all forms of media recently.
January 15, 2022
Once again I would like to thank Aconyte for granting me access to this ARC for a fair and honest review. A growing name in publishing tie-in fiction, I am beginning to wonder if they can actually do anything not to perfection! I would say it is a problem, but it is the exact opposite. Being an adult brings with it adult responsibilities and you find you can’t always sit down to play a good board game, video game or set up a RPG be it table top or otherwise but there is always time to fit in a quick chapter or two and the folks at Aconyte and their writers just keep on delivering.
The latest to join the roster of growing fiction is Tom Clancy’s The Division: Recruited. Those who know the game can guess what they are in for, it certainly isn’t going to be happy and comforting. There will be tension, there will be death, there will be violence. It’s part of the post-apocalyptic staple. It’s something that comes along with the territory and it’s something that Thomas Parrott does fantastically.
The first thing I adored was the main premise of the novel. A newly recruited, albeit untrained in Division’s ways, agent is integral in preventing a nefarious plot from ripping The Division apart.
As we see from the synopsis Maria 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 is becoming a battle as new factions emerge trying to burn her city and any survivors to the ground. Until The Division arrives, inspiring hope. When one of the agents is brought down by a grenade, Maria suddenly has a chance to make a real difference as a raw new Division recruit. If she passes the tests and on top of this overcome the enemies plotting to permanently see the end of the Division once and for all.
When we meet Maria Kanhai. She is doing her best to try and survive and help others in this new post-apocalyptic world. Already suffering from survivor guilt and the wrath of people looking to point blame anywhere but themselves she is trying to get by. Only the somewhat safety that her community have secured is a fragile thing at best and with increasing risks from raids and supplies running low it falls to Maria, the unofficial second in command, to try and come up with a plan. But as with everything in the Division world it’s never easy or clear cut. Before any plan can be actioned the community comes under attack and takes a large hit. If it weren’t for several Division agents the whole community would have been lost. Seeing a chance to provide some real help to the new world and see much needed supplies reach her community Maria offers to join the ranks of the Agents on their mission.
From the very first chapter we are made aware of how unforgiving the world has become and how every day is a fight for survival. Parrott masterfully weaves tension and action together, capturing the true nature of the game. As the story advances we begin to see our protagonists begin to face near impossible odds, when you consider there are just three agents, one a new recruit, facing down several well armed and very nearly mad opponents. I often hate spoilers due to wanting people to experience the twists and turns firsthand. But I have to say that it takes a very good author to make you become invested in characters you’ve only just met. Needless to say the characters who do not make it do leave an impression be it good or bad and fit the universe setting perfectly.
The story is fast-paced but well thought out, that is to say you aren’t just dragged from fight to fight. You are kept wondering who or what is targeting the Division. The characterisation and characters are wonderful. Each having a brilliant balance of flaws and virtues. Peppered between the action and tension there are moments where we see the weakness and ‘human’ side of the elite agents. This is a side that is a little lacking in the game since while you can play with friends and online there isn’t much element of roleplay or character building in that sense. This, I feel, is what sets this book apart. We don’t just see special agents taking down the bad guys, we see the weakness of those agents, we see the softer side, we see how the epidemic changes them and sometimes not for the better and to me that was and is fantastic.
Most definitely a must read for fans of The Division games but also could easily be a stepping stone into the universe and games or to someone who just enjoys a good post-apocalyptic read. I have to say it reignited my love for the game and thankfully I managed to convince a few friends to load it up too. I really hope more titles are released in this series in the future.
The latest to join the roster of growing fiction is Tom Clancy’s The Division: Recruited. Those who know the game can guess what they are in for, it certainly isn’t going to be happy and comforting. There will be tension, there will be death, there will be violence. It’s part of the post-apocalyptic staple. It’s something that comes along with the territory and it’s something that Thomas Parrott does fantastically.
The first thing I adored was the main premise of the novel. A newly recruited, albeit untrained in Division’s ways, agent is integral in preventing a nefarious plot from ripping The Division apart.
As we see from the synopsis Maria 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 is becoming a battle as new factions emerge trying to burn her city and any survivors to the ground. Until The Division arrives, inspiring hope. When one of the agents is brought down by a grenade, Maria suddenly has a chance to make a real difference as a raw new Division recruit. If she passes the tests and on top of this overcome the enemies plotting to permanently see the end of the Division once and for all.
When we meet Maria Kanhai. She is doing her best to try and survive and help others in this new post-apocalyptic world. Already suffering from survivor guilt and the wrath of people looking to point blame anywhere but themselves she is trying to get by. Only the somewhat safety that her community have secured is a fragile thing at best and with increasing risks from raids and supplies running low it falls to Maria, the unofficial second in command, to try and come up with a plan. But as with everything in the Division world it’s never easy or clear cut. Before any plan can be actioned the community comes under attack and takes a large hit. If it weren’t for several Division agents the whole community would have been lost. Seeing a chance to provide some real help to the new world and see much needed supplies reach her community Maria offers to join the ranks of the Agents on their mission.
From the very first chapter we are made aware of how unforgiving the world has become and how every day is a fight for survival. Parrott masterfully weaves tension and action together, capturing the true nature of the game. As the story advances we begin to see our protagonists begin to face near impossible odds, when you consider there are just three agents, one a new recruit, facing down several well armed and very nearly mad opponents. I often hate spoilers due to wanting people to experience the twists and turns firsthand. But I have to say that it takes a very good author to make you become invested in characters you’ve only just met. Needless to say the characters who do not make it do leave an impression be it good or bad and fit the universe setting perfectly.
The story is fast-paced but well thought out, that is to say you aren’t just dragged from fight to fight. You are kept wondering who or what is targeting the Division. The characterisation and characters are wonderful. Each having a brilliant balance of flaws and virtues. Peppered between the action and tension there are moments where we see the weakness and ‘human’ side of the elite agents. This is a side that is a little lacking in the game since while you can play with friends and online there isn’t much element of roleplay or character building in that sense. This, I feel, is what sets this book apart. We don’t just see special agents taking down the bad guys, we see the weakness of those agents, we see the softer side, we see how the epidemic changes them and sometimes not for the better and to me that was and is fantastic.
Most definitely a must read for fans of The Division games but also could easily be a stepping stone into the universe and games or to someone who just enjoys a good post-apocalyptic read. I have to say it reignited my love for the game and thankfully I managed to convince a few friends to load it up too. I really hope more titles are released in this series in the future.
May 4, 2024
THE DIVISION: RECRUITED is an expanded universe novel set in the universe of TOM CLANCY’S THE DIVISION by Ubisoft. The premise is the United States (and probably world) has been devastated by a plague called the Green Poison. With the majority of the human race dead, the survivors attempt to eke out an existence in the aftermath with various lawless factions rising to compete for limited resources. Standing in the way of utter chaos is the Division, a secret agency of disaster responders with special equipment as well as training. Oh and the authority to shoot any individuals who are standing in the way of you rebuilding America.
This book is set around the time of The Division 2 and in the Washington D.C. area. Maira Kanhai is a cyber security specialist from the US Navy who served her term before the pandemic occurred. After a failed attempt to rejoin the US Army, she ends up the protector of a small community of survivors that is just barely holding on as the lawlessness of DC continues. After a bloody battle that results in many deaths, she is taken on as a probationary member of the Division.
Maira proceeds to travel with a pair of other Division agents as they leave the DC area and start a lengthy road trip to the Midwest in hopes of setting up food convoys to prevent famine from finishing off the millions of survivors on the East Coast. It’s a very good acknowledgement of the infrastructure being the real issue that would finish off humanity’s remnants. The apocalypse can’t continue as a scavenger-esque society for more than a year as eventually the survivors would go through all remaining supplies.
I give props to the writer as they successfully create new factions to add to the Division universe rather than just reusing the ones from the games. We are introduced to the Freighties and the Roamers, two bands of truckers who have developed radically different ideas of what they should do with their gasoline powered transports in a society where that suddenly means a lot of power. We also have a plot related to a Division agent going rogue because it seems they can’t keep their personnel from doing so in any spinoff.
I have a few complaints about the book related to the fact that it sometimes imitates the game a little too much. For example, over the course of the book, our protagonists kill something akin to a hundred or more Outcasts. You know, the plague obsessed crazy cultists menacing DC from the second game. That’s me being literal about their numbers rather than exaggerating too. They get into several pitched battles with the Outcasts rushing them like Zerg. In the game, that’s understandable, but you’d think that would be a significant chunk of their actual forces. It just took me out of the book, especially since Tom Clancy’s name is attached despite him being a brand rather than actually involved in the IP.
Even so, I overall really enjoyed this book and think that it will be a good introduction for people trying to become acquainted with The Division franchise. While you’re probably going to get more out of it if you’re already a fan, I had a lot of fun with it. I recommend getting the audiobook over the Kindle or paperback version as well. The narrator does a fantastic job
This book is set around the time of The Division 2 and in the Washington D.C. area. Maira Kanhai is a cyber security specialist from the US Navy who served her term before the pandemic occurred. After a failed attempt to rejoin the US Army, she ends up the protector of a small community of survivors that is just barely holding on as the lawlessness of DC continues. After a bloody battle that results in many deaths, she is taken on as a probationary member of the Division.
Maira proceeds to travel with a pair of other Division agents as they leave the DC area and start a lengthy road trip to the Midwest in hopes of setting up food convoys to prevent famine from finishing off the millions of survivors on the East Coast. It’s a very good acknowledgement of the infrastructure being the real issue that would finish off humanity’s remnants. The apocalypse can’t continue as a scavenger-esque society for more than a year as eventually the survivors would go through all remaining supplies.
I give props to the writer as they successfully create new factions to add to the Division universe rather than just reusing the ones from the games. We are introduced to the Freighties and the Roamers, two bands of truckers who have developed radically different ideas of what they should do with their gasoline powered transports in a society where that suddenly means a lot of power. We also have a plot related to a Division agent going rogue because it seems they can’t keep their personnel from doing so in any spinoff.
I have a few complaints about the book related to the fact that it sometimes imitates the game a little too much. For example, over the course of the book, our protagonists kill something akin to a hundred or more Outcasts. You know, the plague obsessed crazy cultists menacing DC from the second game. That’s me being literal about their numbers rather than exaggerating too. They get into several pitched battles with the Outcasts rushing them like Zerg. In the game, that’s understandable, but you’d think that would be a significant chunk of their actual forces. It just took me out of the book, especially since Tom Clancy’s name is attached despite him being a brand rather than actually involved in the IP.
Even so, I overall really enjoyed this book and think that it will be a good introduction for people trying to become acquainted with The Division franchise. While you’re probably going to get more out of it if you’re already a fan, I had a lot of fun with it. I recommend getting the audiobook over the Kindle or paperback version as well. The narrator does a fantastic job
July 25, 2022
Tom Clancy’s The Division: Recruited By Thomas Parrott, is a video game tie-in novel based on the Tom Clancy Division games.
If you are a Tom Clancy fan in general, or a serous The Division player, then you will probably really enjoy The Division: Recruited. It’s not a groundbreaking novel by any means, but does what it should as a tie-in title for a popular video game. Fans of the game will likely be thrilled to see the continuation of that story.
Set in a dystopian, near-future setting in the United States. After a virulent and highly lethal virus – the Green Poison – has devastated much of the continental United States, killing millions, as the result of a deliberate terrorist attack, huge swathes of the United States have been lost from government control and descended into pseudo-anarchy. Members of the secretive, newly-activated Strategic Homeland Division – or ‘The Division’ for short – must now work with military and civilian forces to secure major cities and urban areas across the United States and attempt to restore law and order. In Recruited, cybersecurity expert and US Navy veteran Maira Kanhai finds herself trying to lead a rag-tag band of survivors to maintain control of Maryland, only for a costly mistake leading to the death of her brother. Losing hope, a chance for redemption comes in the form of contact with agents from The Division – and a chance to join the agency, if she can both pass their tests, and help overcome the myriad of enemies trying to eliminate her and her Division agent allies.
Sadly this story isn’t groundbreaking, or revolutionary in pretty much any way. That isn’t to say that this is a terrible book, far from it. But it hits the standard tropes and doesn’t really hold your attention if you aren’t invested in the story of the games this is adapted from. It’s got all the standard post-apocalyptic cliché’s, from tragically murdered family members of a local community leader who is our lead character to running into the secret government agency that is trying to bring back civilization while on a milk run operation, somewhat literally in this case.
The one part that was rather standout was the fact that our main character is female, which is a nice touch instead of the standard grizzled former military veteran that is the typical lead in these sorts of military techno thrillers
If you are a Tom Clancy fan, or really interested in the world of The Division, you’ll probably get a lot of fun out of reading this novel. For those of us who aren’t invested in those two things, Recruited isn’t going to be nearly as enthralling or exciting, and instead will just read like most other post-apocalyptic books.
Again, this isn’t a bad book, but it fails to accomplish the second most important goal of a video game tie-in novel, which is to make readers interested in seeing what the original source material is all about. It does accomplish the most important goal, expanding the world from the original material, but it doesn’t quite stick the landing.
I would still definitely recommend For those who like: Post-apocalyptic adventures, Drama, Action, Tom Clancy.
If you are a Tom Clancy fan in general, or a serous The Division player, then you will probably really enjoy The Division: Recruited. It’s not a groundbreaking novel by any means, but does what it should as a tie-in title for a popular video game. Fans of the game will likely be thrilled to see the continuation of that story.
Set in a dystopian, near-future setting in the United States. After a virulent and highly lethal virus – the Green Poison – has devastated much of the continental United States, killing millions, as the result of a deliberate terrorist attack, huge swathes of the United States have been lost from government control and descended into pseudo-anarchy. Members of the secretive, newly-activated Strategic Homeland Division – or ‘The Division’ for short – must now work with military and civilian forces to secure major cities and urban areas across the United States and attempt to restore law and order. In Recruited, cybersecurity expert and US Navy veteran Maira Kanhai finds herself trying to lead a rag-tag band of survivors to maintain control of Maryland, only for a costly mistake leading to the death of her brother. Losing hope, a chance for redemption comes in the form of contact with agents from The Division – and a chance to join the agency, if she can both pass their tests, and help overcome the myriad of enemies trying to eliminate her and her Division agent allies.
Sadly this story isn’t groundbreaking, or revolutionary in pretty much any way. That isn’t to say that this is a terrible book, far from it. But it hits the standard tropes and doesn’t really hold your attention if you aren’t invested in the story of the games this is adapted from. It’s got all the standard post-apocalyptic cliché’s, from tragically murdered family members of a local community leader who is our lead character to running into the secret government agency that is trying to bring back civilization while on a milk run operation, somewhat literally in this case.
The one part that was rather standout was the fact that our main character is female, which is a nice touch instead of the standard grizzled former military veteran that is the typical lead in these sorts of military techno thrillers
If you are a Tom Clancy fan, or really interested in the world of The Division, you’ll probably get a lot of fun out of reading this novel. For those of us who aren’t invested in those two things, Recruited isn’t going to be nearly as enthralling or exciting, and instead will just read like most other post-apocalyptic books.
Again, this isn’t a bad book, but it fails to accomplish the second most important goal of a video game tie-in novel, which is to make readers interested in seeing what the original source material is all about. It does accomplish the most important goal, expanding the world from the original material, but it doesn’t quite stick the landing.
I would still definitely recommend For those who like: Post-apocalyptic adventures, Drama, Action, Tom Clancy.
May 12, 2022
What a truly awesome story. Within the first 30 or so pages I was hooked and found myself whisked along on an action-filled trail across the US, following our two division agents and the protagonist, all three of whom were well-rounded, great characters who I grew to wholeheartedly enjoy and root for.
I legitimately can only think of a couple other authors whose action scenes I like as much as I like Parrott’s. He masterfully weaves percussion and gravity into the blood-pounding pacing, and the focus and descriptions of the action happening to and around the protagonist are just descriptive enough to leave some room for the imagination to blossom but I’m never left disoriented or wondering what is going on. (Unless that’s the point!) But the action never feels like a Michael Bay movie, it always feels terrifyingly real and intense.
I’ve played a tiny bit of the Division 2 game, enough to get some of the references to in-game weapons and tech, but even if I hadn’t I imagine I would have liked this just the same. I’m not sure if the “Operation: Crossroads” on the cover is a reference to something in-game, but if it isn’t, I really hope it’s a hint that a sequel or series could be coming. I need more of this team!
I legitimately can only think of a couple other authors whose action scenes I like as much as I like Parrott’s. He masterfully weaves percussion and gravity into the blood-pounding pacing, and the focus and descriptions of the action happening to and around the protagonist are just descriptive enough to leave some room for the imagination to blossom but I’m never left disoriented or wondering what is going on. (Unless that’s the point!) But the action never feels like a Michael Bay movie, it always feels terrifyingly real and intense.
I’ve played a tiny bit of the Division 2 game, enough to get some of the references to in-game weapons and tech, but even if I hadn’t I imagine I would have liked this just the same. I’m not sure if the “Operation: Crossroads” on the cover is a reference to something in-game, but if it isn’t, I really hope it’s a hint that a sequel or series could be coming. I need more of this team!
June 20, 2022
I thought it was a good book. Good story and just easy to read. Nothing great, but if you're a Tom Clancy fan then it's okay.
March 20, 2022
I have no experience with Tom Clancy's The Division, I have the first game loaded on my Xbox thanks to GamePass, but have yet to actually find any time to play it. I know the basic premise of the game, that a virus has caused untold chaos in the US, killing many and bringing the rest of society to its knees, resulting in those left behind having to rebuild their lives as best they can. But outside of that, I was unaware of any particular characters, groups, or important events that take place within this universe. As such, Recruited became my introduction to this franchise; and thanks to the quality of the book it's a game series I definitely want to play now.
The story of Recruited takes place after the initial events of the plague, when the Dollar Flu has done the most damage and the people left behind are trying their best to recover. It's in the remains of Washington DC that we meet Maira Kanhai, a former Navy computer specialist who's living in an apartment block with a group of around fifty other survivors. The group has come together in order to survive, trying to make life comfortable and manageable with things like solar panels to generate power, and scavenger missions to gather supplies and important equipment from the surrounding area. The only person there with military training, Maira has become the head of security for the community, arranging the defences of the building and being in charge of those that have been trained up to defend the place.
Despite seeming to have things running well Maira isn't viewed as well by everyone, and there are some in the community who dislike her, and blame her for a supply run that went wrong that cost the lives of several members of the group, including Maira's own brother. However, when the community comes under attack from a roving band of infected anarchist it's Maira's defences that hold them back long enough for help to arrive. That help comes in the form of three Division agents, who end up driving the attackers back, and wiping them out.
When the agents inform the survivors that they've been passing through as part of an important mission that could help save millions of people Maira volunteers to join them. They lost one of their number stopping the attack, and Maira feels even more unwelcome in the community now. The Division leader agrees to take her on in a trial capacity, giving her the chance to prove that she has what it takes to be a member of the Division as they head out into what's left of the world, hoping to do some good.
The world that Thomas Parrott crafts for Recruited is an interesting one. Thanks to the popularity of post-apocalypse stories we've all seen a fair amount of stories that follow survivors as they attempt to rebuild the world, struggling to get by whilst those left fight over resources. This book does have some of that, especially to begin with, and whilst Parrott does hit on some similar notes to other stories, with worries about supplies and so forth, it never feels boring, or like it's repeating what's come before. There's enough different here in the early parts of the book that you don't end up feeling jaded by it; and by the time the Division agents head out into the world we get to see this post apocalypse in a completely different way too.
What I really enjoyed about it was that we get to see a lot of different types of survivors and communities over the course of the novel. There's the regular people having to come together to survive, there's the loners out in the woods going self sufficient, there are folks who just want to see the world burn and will sow chaos wherever they go, there are groups of soldiers who've tried to maintain order, and there's even a fleet of truckers who have formed their own society. There's a big mix of different types of folks in this book, showing different viewpoints to this new world, different methods of survival and adaptation; yet it never feels bloated or that Parrott is giving the reader too much. He's able to integrate so many elements in a way that it feels natural as we learn more about it. It's impressive.
One of the biggest factors to the success of the book has to be the characters though, particularly Maira. Maira is our point of view character, we experience everything that happens through her eyes. We learn about the Division and the other groups of survivors as she does, and her relatively sheltered experience of staying with one group of survivors makes her a great gateway into this world. She has enough experience and ability to be able to keep up with the other agents, yet still feels like she's learning and growing as a character.
Speaking of the other Division agents, I really enjoyed these two too. The leader of this little trio is a woman named Brenda, who from the very first time we meet her gives the sense that she's an open, caring person. She's a professional soldier, but she takes the time to talk to people around her, to reassure them, and probably gives out a little bit more information that you'd expect, but does so because she knows its the decent thing to do. She seems to understand that she's there to help others, that her job is to ultimately benefit the people, and as such makes sure to do good and be kind wherever she goes. I also liked the relationship that formed between her and Maira, where she seemed to fall into some kind of big sister type role, helping the other woman out and encouraging her whenever it was needed.
The other Division agent is Leo, a big, silent type of guy who I actually took a while to figure out if I liked or not. To begin with he seemed a bit of a dick, refusing to really open up, not wanting Maira to join them, and being cold towards her. But over time he began to open up, to show more of his personality, and by the end of the book I'd come to like his gruffness and his stoic nature. He felt like the kind of guy that once you got through his tough outer shell would be the kind of person who'd always be there for you, and would be great fun to be around.
Recruited: A Tom Clancy's The Division Novel is a book where I wasn't sure what to expect from it. I didn't know if this was going to be a survival story, a post apocalypse story, or an action story. And in the end it was all of them, but it was also a story about people. It was a story about the people who stand up and help others, who put their lives on the line to do the right thing even when it puts you in danger and others are refusing to act in a good way. And that's not just the Division agents either. The book shows normal people doing the right thing even when it's the hard thing to do. Despite being about the what's left of the world after awful events it's a book that shows the good in humanity, and has a surprising amount of hope in its message.
The story of Recruited takes place after the initial events of the plague, when the Dollar Flu has done the most damage and the people left behind are trying their best to recover. It's in the remains of Washington DC that we meet Maira Kanhai, a former Navy computer specialist who's living in an apartment block with a group of around fifty other survivors. The group has come together in order to survive, trying to make life comfortable and manageable with things like solar panels to generate power, and scavenger missions to gather supplies and important equipment from the surrounding area. The only person there with military training, Maira has become the head of security for the community, arranging the defences of the building and being in charge of those that have been trained up to defend the place.
Despite seeming to have things running well Maira isn't viewed as well by everyone, and there are some in the community who dislike her, and blame her for a supply run that went wrong that cost the lives of several members of the group, including Maira's own brother. However, when the community comes under attack from a roving band of infected anarchist it's Maira's defences that hold them back long enough for help to arrive. That help comes in the form of three Division agents, who end up driving the attackers back, and wiping them out.
When the agents inform the survivors that they've been passing through as part of an important mission that could help save millions of people Maira volunteers to join them. They lost one of their number stopping the attack, and Maira feels even more unwelcome in the community now. The Division leader agrees to take her on in a trial capacity, giving her the chance to prove that she has what it takes to be a member of the Division as they head out into what's left of the world, hoping to do some good.
The world that Thomas Parrott crafts for Recruited is an interesting one. Thanks to the popularity of post-apocalypse stories we've all seen a fair amount of stories that follow survivors as they attempt to rebuild the world, struggling to get by whilst those left fight over resources. This book does have some of that, especially to begin with, and whilst Parrott does hit on some similar notes to other stories, with worries about supplies and so forth, it never feels boring, or like it's repeating what's come before. There's enough different here in the early parts of the book that you don't end up feeling jaded by it; and by the time the Division agents head out into the world we get to see this post apocalypse in a completely different way too.
What I really enjoyed about it was that we get to see a lot of different types of survivors and communities over the course of the novel. There's the regular people having to come together to survive, there's the loners out in the woods going self sufficient, there are folks who just want to see the world burn and will sow chaos wherever they go, there are groups of soldiers who've tried to maintain order, and there's even a fleet of truckers who have formed their own society. There's a big mix of different types of folks in this book, showing different viewpoints to this new world, different methods of survival and adaptation; yet it never feels bloated or that Parrott is giving the reader too much. He's able to integrate so many elements in a way that it feels natural as we learn more about it. It's impressive.
One of the biggest factors to the success of the book has to be the characters though, particularly Maira. Maira is our point of view character, we experience everything that happens through her eyes. We learn about the Division and the other groups of survivors as she does, and her relatively sheltered experience of staying with one group of survivors makes her a great gateway into this world. She has enough experience and ability to be able to keep up with the other agents, yet still feels like she's learning and growing as a character.
Speaking of the other Division agents, I really enjoyed these two too. The leader of this little trio is a woman named Brenda, who from the very first time we meet her gives the sense that she's an open, caring person. She's a professional soldier, but she takes the time to talk to people around her, to reassure them, and probably gives out a little bit more information that you'd expect, but does so because she knows its the decent thing to do. She seems to understand that she's there to help others, that her job is to ultimately benefit the people, and as such makes sure to do good and be kind wherever she goes. I also liked the relationship that formed between her and Maira, where she seemed to fall into some kind of big sister type role, helping the other woman out and encouraging her whenever it was needed.
The other Division agent is Leo, a big, silent type of guy who I actually took a while to figure out if I liked or not. To begin with he seemed a bit of a dick, refusing to really open up, not wanting Maira to join them, and being cold towards her. But over time he began to open up, to show more of his personality, and by the end of the book I'd come to like his gruffness and his stoic nature. He felt like the kind of guy that once you got through his tough outer shell would be the kind of person who'd always be there for you, and would be great fun to be around.
Recruited: A Tom Clancy's The Division Novel is a book where I wasn't sure what to expect from it. I didn't know if this was going to be a survival story, a post apocalypse story, or an action story. And in the end it was all of them, but it was also a story about people. It was a story about the people who stand up and help others, who put their lives on the line to do the right thing even when it puts you in danger and others are refusing to act in a good way. And that's not just the Division agents either. The book shows normal people doing the right thing even when it's the hard thing to do. Despite being about the what's left of the world after awful events it's a book that shows the good in humanity, and has a surprising amount of hope in its message.
March 14, 2022
When I found out Thomas Parrott had written this book, I knew it would be a great read. While using characters and situations created by Tom Clancy, this book is brilliant in its own right. The Division fascinated me back when I first heard of it, so I couldn’t wait to dig in. Even though the book is part of the Operation: Crossroads series, I didn’t feel I had missed out on too much; maybe a little context and backstory. What I found was a well written, fast paced, and compelling story, the subject matter of which sounded eerily plausible. Clinging on to some semblance of order in a world ravaged by disease, then dealing with localised warfare and battles for supplies and for survival.
Each character felt essential to the story, and all were nicely fleshed out and credible. The Death of one Division team member early in shows they aren’t just portrayed as these invincible warriors. This made them more human and more likeable. I liked Maira straight away, with her faults and acknowledgement of mistakes, especially where loss of life resulted. She knew her limitations and I could feel her self-confidence slipping and doubt finding its way in. It made her so much more likeable and I felt a measure of empathy for her and the inner struggles she faced.
Overall, I am glad I read this book and will be actively seeking out the other books with The Division. Would I recommend this book? Definitely. Not just to those who read post-apocalyptic books, but anyone wanting a brilliant action packed story. I gave Tom Clancy’s The Division: Recruited, by Thomas Parrott, five stars.
Each character felt essential to the story, and all were nicely fleshed out and credible. The Death of one Division team member early in shows they aren’t just portrayed as these invincible warriors. This made them more human and more likeable. I liked Maira straight away, with her faults and acknowledgement of mistakes, especially where loss of life resulted. She knew her limitations and I could feel her self-confidence slipping and doubt finding its way in. It made her so much more likeable and I felt a measure of empathy for her and the inner struggles she faced.
Overall, I am glad I read this book and will be actively seeking out the other books with The Division. Would I recommend this book? Definitely. Not just to those who read post-apocalyptic books, but anyone wanting a brilliant action packed story. I gave Tom Clancy’s The Division: Recruited, by Thomas Parrott, five stars.
January 31, 2022
I received this book through "NetGalley" and the publisher and I am voluntarily providing an honest review.
In this story, the country has suffered and major tragic event which impacted many people. The story introduces Maira a Navy vet who winds up being in charge of security for a group of families that are trying to survive. Earlier she had attempted to procure items that would help the families survive, but she wound up in an ambush where several members of her team were killed including her brother. Later the families gathered and discussed how they were going to be able to survive. The group ultimately decided that they would need to scavenge further out to locate more supplies. As a result, it appeared to bring an assault by the "Outcasts" to their site. As battle was fought and many people were killed. They were helped by the "Division" in the end and managed to survive.
The remainder of the story had Maira joining with Leo and Brenda, the Division members, on the journey. It highlights the risks and obstacles they had to overcome if they were going to be able to accomplish their task. With assistance from unexpected people, they eventually came to their destination. At this juncture they had a battle that they needed to win.
To ind out who they were helped by, what their objective was, who was trying to stop them, then you need to read this story.
In this story, the country has suffered and major tragic event which impacted many people. The story introduces Maira a Navy vet who winds up being in charge of security for a group of families that are trying to survive. Earlier she had attempted to procure items that would help the families survive, but she wound up in an ambush where several members of her team were killed including her brother. Later the families gathered and discussed how they were going to be able to survive. The group ultimately decided that they would need to scavenge further out to locate more supplies. As a result, it appeared to bring an assault by the "Outcasts" to their site. As battle was fought and many people were killed. They were helped by the "Division" in the end and managed to survive.
The remainder of the story had Maira joining with Leo and Brenda, the Division members, on the journey. It highlights the risks and obstacles they had to overcome if they were going to be able to accomplish their task. With assistance from unexpected people, they eventually came to their destination. At this juncture they had a battle that they needed to win.
To ind out who they were helped by, what their objective was, who was trying to stop them, then you need to read this story.
April 2, 2024
I was really surprised with how much I liked this book. I have never played the Division but this novel actually made me want to play it.
The main character is Maira, who starts the novel trying to re-enlist in the navy after a devastating plague has devastated the United States. However, there is no one left alive at the recruitment office. Some time passes and she is the head of security in a community that has taken over an apartment building. They must expand their search for scavenging supplies that brings a rival gang and a fight ensues. They are in trouble until they get the help from 3 strangers, the Division.
There is a lot of travel in this book but it's also paired with a lot of action. The dialog is fairly quipy which was fun. I'm not a big fan of the clumsy girl troupe and Maira loses her gun several times. There is a running dialogue about what does it mean to take things to far and how does one know when they get there.
The main character is Maira, who starts the novel trying to re-enlist in the navy after a devastating plague has devastated the United States. However, there is no one left alive at the recruitment office. Some time passes and she is the head of security in a community that has taken over an apartment building. They must expand their search for scavenging supplies that brings a rival gang and a fight ensues. They are in trouble until they get the help from 3 strangers, the Division.
There is a lot of travel in this book but it's also paired with a lot of action. The dialog is fairly quipy which was fun. I'm not a big fan of the clumsy girl troupe and Maira loses her gun several times. There is a running dialogue about what does it mean to take things to far and how does one know when they get there.
December 24, 2021
RECRUITED is a smooth, solidly written read - more action than Character, but enough insight to keep you curious about future novels in the series.
It is action packed, and strewn with marvelous visuals - Semis rigged out as mobile weapons platforms.
As in Gaming, the team takes damage, but keeps on going to the goal.
Many plot-ploys are recycled cliches because the action and events don't arise from the Characters internal conflicts. They aren't in this karmic stew of a survival marathon to learn specific lessons and elevate their spiritual understanding of why they are alive.
In other words, the novels is as shallow as a video Game, which might be just what you want to read on an airplane and toss when you get where you are going. It's a fun novel, but not memorable.
It is action packed, and strewn with marvelous visuals - Semis rigged out as mobile weapons platforms.
As in Gaming, the team takes damage, but keeps on going to the goal.
Many plot-ploys are recycled cliches because the action and events don't arise from the Characters internal conflicts. They aren't in this karmic stew of a survival marathon to learn specific lessons and elevate their spiritual understanding of why they are alive.
In other words, the novels is as shallow as a video Game, which might be just what you want to read on an airplane and toss when you get where you are going. It's a fun novel, but not memorable.
March 19, 2023
I loved the main premise of the novel. From the very first chapter we are made aware of how unforgiving the world has become in this post-apocalyptic story and how every day is a fight for survival. Parrott masterfully weaves tension and action together. His characters are well-developed though not necessarily likeable. None of them are whom they appear to be. The twists and turns keep you on the edge of your seat right to the last page. It was so captivating and exciting that I simply couldn't put it down! This provocative, somewhat dark and twisted story grabs you from the first page and keeps you guessing until the very end!
Thank you to NetGalley and Aconyte Books who provided me with a copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Aconyte Books who provided me with a copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
January 30, 2024
Does what a tie-in book should do: feels familiar enough to fans of the original works to place me back in the world of the Division while capitalizing on the strength of the alternate medium, in this case specifically, letting the story leave the major cities of the first two games.
Getting to see Division agents hit the road not only expanded the lore big time, it made me really crave a linear 'Last of Us' style game set in this world. There's so much available richness in seeing how different pockets of the country (eventually, the world) responded to the fallout of the Green Poison attacks that the style of the first two games (despite efforts) just can't get into.
Getting to see Division agents hit the road not only expanded the lore big time, it made me really crave a linear 'Last of Us' style game set in this world. There's so much available richness in seeing how different pockets of the country (eventually, the world) responded to the fallout of the Green Poison attacks that the style of the first two games (despite efforts) just can't get into.
May 23, 2023
This is a fun read for Division 2 fans, with lots of lore tying into the events and backstory of the game. If you're not that invested in the game's world, I wouldn't think you'd find it that engaging. But if you are, and if you've ever wondered about all those cryptic (no pun intended) Season 11 references to what happened in St. Louis, this is the place to find out. As another reviewer pointed out, the Division is full of strong female characters, and Maira is a welcome addition to that crew. Even Agent Kelso and Manny Ortega are alluded to in passing, so you know this is legit!
July 17, 2024
The Division Recruited by Thomas Parrott is a great expansion to the Division universe. The overall story is a non stop thrill ride. I constantly was wishing they would turn this into a game. It also answers several questions to what is happening to the rest of the world besides for New York and D.C. Every character is extremely well written. The Narrator Amanda Dolan did a fantastic job telling this story and really bringing it to life. I truly recommend this one to anyone and everyone.
November 7, 2022
My biggest gripe with this book is the way it ends on a major cliffhanger. There's a lot of buildup to the final climactic gunfight, and it pays off really well, but then he drops a major plot point and that's the end. If you haven't already picked this one up, wait for the sequel and read them back to back. Really quick, fun, easy read set within Clancy's post apocalyptic Division universe.
March 23, 2022
‘Meh’ - best way to describe this one.
Nothing wrong with the writing at all, easy to read. The story just didn’t wow me. There was very little here in terms of world building and the plot just wasn’t overly interesting.
Not awful, but not great.
Nothing wrong with the writing at all, easy to read. The story just didn’t wow me. There was very little here in terms of world building and the plot just wasn’t overly interesting.
Not awful, but not great.
July 1, 2022
Really enjoyed the suspense, events flow and the way the title resonated to the book. Surely a good read.
July 17, 2022
Light reading for The Division fans. Made me smile in a number of places
July 27, 2022
100% guilty pleasure read. It moves quick and doesn’t waste your time.
August 24, 2022
Loved this book. Fast paced story, engaging characters and, as always, fantastic writing. Can't wait to read the next one.
January 20, 2023
I really liked the writing, but the story doesn't feel like anything tremendously special. A very good adaptation of the video games nonetheless.
February 11, 2023
Solid action and engaging characters expand “the division’s” universe in great ways
March 24, 2023
Good book. Enjoyed the plot
September 29, 2023
Entertaining enough. Looking forward to the next installment.
January 23, 2024
I really love the games and listen to stories about The Division for me it is awesome. This was actually really good. It had a good story and good action. Will listen to this whole trilogy.
April 29, 2024
Post Apocalypse Warrior Porn
This has little or nothing to do with Tom Clancy except it is what I call Warrior Porn. Strong females
Amanda Dolan's narration is clear and easy to follow.
This has little or nothing to do with Tom Clancy except it is what I call Warrior Porn. Strong females
Amanda Dolan's narration is clear and easy to follow.
September 29, 2024
Engaging story with lots of action till the end.
February 21, 2022
This is an interesting spin on the often overworked dystopian future. The author does have some novel ideas. I appreciate the character development, along with the evolving story line, and use of technologically advanced weaponry. Although a thriller dystopia meets military vs. sci fi thriller, the author plants some play prose at times to break up the tension with some laughs. The ending leaves a cliffhanger, so I look forward to the next drafts. Overall, I am surprised and impressed.
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