Founding fathers. Fathers. Daddy issues.

Welcome to Mars.

Mars has declared its independence from Earth—but now has to figure out how to function as a country. And that takes more than a new flag, an arena-worthy anthem, and naming Pluto the donkey the national animal. As the Red Planet spirals into political upheaval, Flip Buchanan—the irreverent, reluctant son of the most powerful man on Mars—finds himself pulled through two tumultuous decades of alien discoveries, killer clones, and the chaos of a new nation still working out the kinks.

Always second-best in a family obsessed with being first, Flip is forced to confront the absurdity of Martian society and the gravity of a legacy he never asked for as he tries to step out of his father's shadow and define self-worth on his own terms. A feat that can feel as impossible as climbing Olympus Mons.

Equal parts hilarious and heartfelt, The Second World is a satirical coming-of-age space epic exploring found family, generational divides, and the outrageous struggle to make your finite life matter in an infinite universe—with sharp takes on power, sensationalized media, and fractured culture.

For fans of John Scalzi and Kurt Vonnegut, The Second World blends absurd, irreverent wit with surprising emotional depth and bold worldbuilding.