We’re excited to be giving away two copies of Orion Rising by Chard Pawley to our GrownUps members!
To be in the draw, simply make sure you’re a GrownUps member, signed up to our newsletter, and fill in your details at the bottom of the page.
A New Zealand Sea Captain has written a thrilling, dystopian novel with an emotional heart, set in a reimagined New Zealand and surrounds, sixty years after a catastrophic war.
A.D. 2080
It has been sixty years since the Wars. Most of Earth is an uninhabitable wasteland. The remaining human population is crammed into Australia, New Zealand, and the ruins of the Indonesian archipelago.
In the Commonwealth, most believe the Wars to be long over. Technology has saved them from extinction. Colossal sea-rises clutter the coasts, housing entire cities. All food is supplied from vast fleets of floating farms moored at sea. But tension is rising in the northern Fringes, where for many the Wars never ended.
Onboard the Cassiopeia, second officer Orion Trayfer enjoys his job battling the waves and weather to tend the crop barges in New Zealand’s eastern waters. But his world is soon shattered by the news of a friend’s supposed suicide. With the help of Sam, the new trainee, Orion embarks on his own investigation, uncovering secrets that someone will go to any lengths to keep buried.
All the while, a far greater threat is looming, one which threatens to fracture the fragile peace between the Commonwealth and the Fringes.
‘Reading like a thriller by David Baldacci or Lee Child, Orion Rising is unputdownable from start to finish. It has the perfect blend of a well-crafted, unforgettable hero, a cast of characters to care for, a love story with emotional depth and chemistry, plenty of action, and thought-provoking themes. It’s bound to be adapted for the screen in the future, but do yourself a favour and go and grab a copy as soon as you can!’ – NZ Booklovers
Author Note
‘Writing about the sea came naturally. The boats, the way they move, what they can and can’t do under pressure, the mercurial nature of the water itself, all of that comes directly from two decades of professional maritime experience. It isn’t research I had to chase; it’s the world I work in.
The research challenges came elsewhere. Future technology. Energy systems. Fusion. Hydroponics. How societies adapt under pressure. My worlds are deliberately grounded— Orion Rising was written before the explosion of generative AI, and my characters never quite get there either. That absence was a conscious choice. I’m interested in how humans cope when technology helps but doesn’t save them.
My fascination with war comes from my love of history, not in the glory of it, but in its consequences. I’m interested in what happens to ordinary people when systems fracture, institutions fail, and when survival collides with morality. For Orion Rising, I pushed those forward in time and asked a simple question: What if we had another one?
The through-line in all my work is the ocean. I can’t separate myself from it, so it always finds its way onto the page, in different forms, moods, and metaphors. Time spent on watch, staring into black water, gives you room to think. And room to dream.’
About the Author
Chard Pawley joined the merchant navy at seventeen and earned his captain’s stripes by twenty-nine—a role he still commands today. His career has taken him across the globe on container ships, charter boats, and offshore vessels, visiting ports in every ocean.
A lifelong mariner and self-professed history nerd (with the degree to prove it), Chard draws on two decades at sea to bring grit, realism, and atmosphere to every story he writes. His debut series, The Commonwealth Collection, blends high-stakes adventure, survival, and near-future intrigue drawn from a career spent staring down the horizon.
Despite the demands of command, he continues to write prolifically, most recently completing Jurassic Mars, a science-fiction adventure for his dinosaur- and space-obsessed son. He is now at work on his fourth book, a return to his signature brand of ocean-bound dystopian fiction.
When he’s not navigating the world’s oceans, Chard can usually be found near or in the water—swimming, paddle-boarding, or SCUBA diving—or on the couch, with a book in one hand and a coffee in the other. He lives in New Zealand with his wife, fellow author J.L. Pawley, their two children, a fiercesomely cuddly Labrador, and a cat that rules with an iron paw.
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Terms and conditions
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You must be a GrownUps member and subscribed to our newsletter to be eligible to enter.
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The competition closes on 22nd April 2026. Winners will be notified via email by 23rd April 2026.
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It is your responsibility to provide a correct New Zealand postal address for prize delivery. GrownUps is not responsible for prizes sent to incorrect addresses.
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Winners will be drawn at random by the GrownUps administration team.
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GrownUps employees and their immediate families are not eligible to enter.
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By entering, you agree to GrownUps using your name on social media as a winner of the competition.
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One entry per household.
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The prize is non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash or other items.
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You must reside in New Zealand, as the prize can only be delivered within New Zealand.
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You must be over 50 years of age to enter. Please ensure your membership details are up to date in your dashboard.
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