Departure

Flight 305 crashes into the English countryside, but the survivors emerge to find themselves in a changed and unfamiliar world. Harper Lane, a ghostwriter working on a breakthrough scientific manuscript, must work with Nick Stone, a fellow passenger and venture capitalist, to uncover the truth about their situation. The survivors split into factions as they encounter mysterious technology, unexplained phenomena, and evidence that their crash may not have been an accident. Time becomes fluid as past, present and future blur together, forcing the characters to question everything they know about reality and their own identities. A blend of science fiction and suspense drives this story about survival, identity, and the consequences of human innovation. The novel explores themes of fate versus free will, and asks what price humanity might pay for its relentless pursuit of technological progress.

Readers note the book combines multiple genres - sci-fi, thriller, and mystery - with fast pacing and frequent plot twists. The parallel storylines converge into an intricate narrative. Liked: - Quick-moving plot that maintains tension - Creative blend of time travel and aviation disaster elements - Well-developed characters, especially Harper and Nick - Scientific concepts explained in accessible ways Disliked: - Complex timeline jumps confuse some readers - Romance subplot feels forced - Final third becomes convoluted - Some find the ending unsatisfying "Too many sci-fi elements competing for attention," notes one Amazon reviewer. "The first half hooks you completely, but it loses focus later," writes another. Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (41,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (16,000+ ratings) Audible: 4.2/5 (9,000+ ratings) The audiobook narration by Nicola Barber and Scott Aiello receives particular praise for handling the dual perspectives.

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🛫 A.G. Riddle wrote Departure while working full-time in an internet startup company, dedicating his early mornings to writing before heading to the office. ✈️ The novel was initially self-published in 2014 and became such a success that HarperCollins acquired and republished it in 2015, launching Riddle's career as a full-time author. 🌍 The book combines elements of time travel with aviation disaster, drawing parallels to real-life mysteries like Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which disappeared in March 2014. ⏰ The story's complex timeline required Riddle to create detailed charts and diagrams to keep track of multiple versions of characters existing simultaneously in different time periods. 🎬 The film rights to Departure were purchased by Fox-based producer Steve Tzirlin, with the intent to adapt it into a major motion picture.