Roll Call
Book #1 in the Roll Call Trilogy
by Gwen Mansfield
372 pages
Published March 12th 2015
In 2067 the asteroid Jurbay severs the
continent, amputating
22 western states and submerging them into the Pacific
Ocean in the course of a day. Sixteen years later, caught in
the 2083 post-apocalyptic world, Avery DeTornada, the 22
year old daughter of great leaders, struggles to step into
leadership herself and release her community from the
domination of The Third. Avery and her comrades Shaw,
McGinty and Pasha operate undercover, working in the city
of Reichel within the oppressive government of The Third.
Their undercover status allows them to work quietly,
developing covert strategies to assimilate information and
pass it on to the others in The 28 United rebellion. Avery and
her team have no idea how many of those loyal to the 28
United there are, and without that information it is impossible
to move on to the next step of opposing The Third.
In a dystopian society The Third successfully obtains the
allegiance of its citizens by removing their memories of
family and home, creating a need for misplaced devotion.
The Third suspects there may be those inside their ranks that
believe in an alternative government based on the outdated
workings of democracy. They acknowledge the only way to
root out the rebels is to place GEBs (genetically engineered
beings) among the workers to uncover those disloyal. The
Third secretly replaces chosen citizens with GEBs who
collect information and report back to The Third.
Avery discovers two of her own have been replaced, and by
purposely getting herself arrested she is able to find and
free Shaw and Pasha who join up with her and McGinty.
Once The Third discovers the rebels have escaped they
become the hunted and flee for Red Grove, the command
center of The 28 United. Along the way they collect a ragtag
army of dump pickers, library boys and minstrels, coming
face to face with the creatures of the dump, the
brainswappers of the forest and the effects of the 14
Deadlies. Avery meets Raben, a leader among the dump
pickers. Through their intense escape, the danger of
rebellion and the growth of The 28 United Raben and Avery
find a love for each other, but Avery struggles with letting go
of her longtime friend, McGinty and reconciling her feelings
for him that have always bordered on more than friendship.
Once they arrive at Red Grove Avery DeTornada says, “If
only we knew how many loyal ones we are dealing with. Is it
a hundred? A thousand? Ten thousand? With a hundred we
are only trying to hide, avoid The Third and maybe convince
them that we are no threat. With a thousand we might
attempt planting a few more subterraneans inside The Third.
But with ten thousand we form an army. With ten thousand
we go to war. We have to get a count—have a roll call.”
Pasha discovers how to send a secret message to The 28
United rebels and hundreds show up at Red Grove. After
being compromised by GEBs, Avery realizes she must send
the loyal ones up to the New Coastline to colonize and train
for battle while she, McGinty, Shaw and Pasha return once
more inside The Third, this time undercover in the night
patrol, collecting valuable information for an offensive plan.
After capturing Degnan, a scientist and doctor on the outs
with The Third, Avery and the others join in an unholy
alliance with Degnan, living by day in his hidden tunnel
adjoining the GEB lab.
They discover sinkholes sucking down sections of the city.
There are secrets in the caverns of the History Labyrinth
deep underground. Will Avery and her friends be able to
escape The Third before they are discovered? With The
Third on the verge of recognizing the rebels in their midst and
Avery getting closer to the discovery of The Third’s battle
plans, an army of four inside The Third isn’t enough.
22 western states and submerging them into the Pacific
Ocean in the course of a day. Sixteen years later, caught in
the 2083 post-apocalyptic world, Avery DeTornada, the 22
year old daughter of great leaders, struggles to step into
leadership herself and release her community from the
domination of The Third. Avery and her comrades Shaw,
McGinty and Pasha operate undercover, working in the city
of Reichel within the oppressive government of The Third.
Their undercover status allows them to work quietly,
developing covert strategies to assimilate information and
pass it on to the others in The 28 United rebellion. Avery and
her team have no idea how many of those loyal to the 28
United there are, and without that information it is impossible
to move on to the next step of opposing The Third.
In a dystopian society The Third successfully obtains the
allegiance of its citizens by removing their memories of
family and home, creating a need for misplaced devotion.
The Third suspects there may be those inside their ranks that
believe in an alternative government based on the outdated
workings of democracy. They acknowledge the only way to
root out the rebels is to place GEBs (genetically engineered
beings) among the workers to uncover those disloyal. The
Third secretly replaces chosen citizens with GEBs who
collect information and report back to The Third.
Avery discovers two of her own have been replaced, and by
purposely getting herself arrested she is able to find and
free Shaw and Pasha who join up with her and McGinty.
Once The Third discovers the rebels have escaped they
become the hunted and flee for Red Grove, the command
center of The 28 United. Along the way they collect a ragtag
army of dump pickers, library boys and minstrels, coming
face to face with the creatures of the dump, the
brainswappers of the forest and the effects of the 14
Deadlies. Avery meets Raben, a leader among the dump
pickers. Through their intense escape, the danger of
rebellion and the growth of The 28 United Raben and Avery
find a love for each other, but Avery struggles with letting go
of her longtime friend, McGinty and reconciling her feelings
for him that have always bordered on more than friendship.
Once they arrive at Red Grove Avery DeTornada says, “If
only we knew how many loyal ones we are dealing with. Is it
a hundred? A thousand? Ten thousand? With a hundred we
are only trying to hide, avoid The Third and maybe convince
them that we are no threat. With a thousand we might
attempt planting a few more subterraneans inside The Third.
But with ten thousand we form an army. With ten thousand
we go to war. We have to get a count—have a roll call.”
Pasha discovers how to send a secret message to The 28
United rebels and hundreds show up at Red Grove. After
being compromised by GEBs, Avery realizes she must send
the loyal ones up to the New Coastline to colonize and train
for battle while she, McGinty, Shaw and Pasha return once
more inside The Third, this time undercover in the night
patrol, collecting valuable information for an offensive plan.
After capturing Degnan, a scientist and doctor on the outs
with The Third, Avery and the others join in an unholy
alliance with Degnan, living by day in his hidden tunnel
adjoining the GEB lab.
They discover sinkholes sucking down sections of the city.
There are secrets in the caverns of the History Labyrinth
deep underground. Will Avery and her friends be able to
escape The Third before they are discovered? With The
Third on the verge of recognizing the rebels in their midst and
Avery getting closer to the discovery of The Third’s battle
plans, an army of four inside The Third isn’t enough.
Wow what a book! This
is the first book by Gwen Mansfield
and is really an interesting well-written
book. I've already got
the second book to read.
This is Avery's
story. And be warned this book will really tug
at your emotions. I cried, was
mad, happy, and so angry
I wanted to reach in the book and kill. Especially the
jackass
that killed kids. I was so proud of her taking charge but the
things
she has been through would have killed anyone else.
Then there is Morris that
kid is so smart him and the little
librarians. If she can keep them alive. Then
I love the way
they defy the third when it comes to marriage but not to sure
about who gets married. And I can see there is more than
one who wants Avery.
This book is truly amazing t would
make a wonderful movie well several as it is
a series.
Oh and wait till you meet Ulysses and Pepper that was
something and
then there is Chapman such a sweet kid.
I am off to read book two now.
Now before I ruin
this for you I will leave off here. I hope you
enjoy this book as much as I
did. If you do like this book,
please consider leaving a review. The Authors
really like it
when you do; they value your opinions too
GWEN MANSFIELD is the author of the
historical fiction
EXPERIMENT STATION ROAD, the musical RESISTANCE!
and the stage plays: GRACE DINER, EXPERIMENT
STATION ROAD, and YOU'VE GOT 90 SECONDS. This is
her first novel in the young adult genre. The characters and
plot surprises she discovered while writing ROLL CALL made
it impossible to say goodbye to Avery DeTornada and
inspired her to continue writing books two and three, INSIDE
THE THIRD (available in December 2015) and RELUCTANT
WARRIORS. Gwen lives in the Northwest with her husband
and children.
Words from Gwen...
"DON’T MAKE ME WRITE THIS BOOK! What is it that calls
a writer who just finished writing a historical fiction about a
quirky kid in the sixties fighting for social justice (Experiment
Station Road) to write a young adult trilogy? Dystopian
literature? Post-Apocalyptic storytelling? I don’t think so.
I like to read the genre--not interested in writing it. So why?
It’s the haunting. The idea dropped in my head while driving
to school and my teaching job in early February 2013—
complete with Avery DeTornada and her identity crisis,
leading the way and accompanied by a cast of characters I
found both engaging and revolting. Could I really say “forget
it”? I did say that, more than once. But I couldn’t turn the
ideas off, and everything I was working on that was unrelated
to Roll Call just ran away into the sunset, waiting for another
day. Haunting—it’s a good thing."
EXPERIMENT STATION ROAD, the musical RESISTANCE!
and the stage plays: GRACE DINER, EXPERIMENT
STATION ROAD, and YOU'VE GOT 90 SECONDS. This is
her first novel in the young adult genre. The characters and
plot surprises she discovered while writing ROLL CALL made
it impossible to say goodbye to Avery DeTornada and
inspired her to continue writing books two and three, INSIDE
THE THIRD (available in December 2015) and RELUCTANT
WARRIORS. Gwen lives in the Northwest with her husband
and children.
Words from Gwen...
"DON’T MAKE ME WRITE THIS BOOK! What is it that calls
a writer who just finished writing a historical fiction about a
quirky kid in the sixties fighting for social justice (Experiment
Station Road) to write a young adult trilogy? Dystopian
literature? Post-Apocalyptic storytelling? I don’t think so.
I like to read the genre--not interested in writing it. So why?
It’s the haunting. The idea dropped in my head while driving
to school and my teaching job in early February 2013—
complete with Avery DeTornada and her identity crisis,
leading the way and accompanied by a cast of characters I
found both engaging and revolting. Could I really say “forget
it”? I did say that, more than once. But I couldn’t turn the
ideas off, and everything I was working on that was unrelated
to Roll Call just ran away into the sunset, waiting for another
day. Haunting—it’s a good thing."
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