THE WEIGHT OF WATER

BOOK TWO, THE USS ARIZONA SERIES

By: William Ferrier Jr.

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

"Masterful character development and impeccable historical detail. Ferrier has created something rare—a Pearl Harbor novel that's as much about identity as it is about war."

"THE WEIGHT OF WATER delivers on every level—psychological depth, moral complexity, and the kind of prose that reminds you why you fell in love with literary fiction. This is Pulitzer-caliber work."

"Ferrier doesn't just write about the USS Arizona—he makes you feel the weight of command, the cost of transformation, the burden of becoming real. Unforgettable."

On December 7, 1941, at 0755 hours, Lieutenant Thomas Avery stands on the bridge of the USS Arizona as officer of the deck. The morning watch. Fifteen hundred men depending on his leadership. Five minutes until relief.

He's thinking about breakfast. About church services. About a quiet Sunday in paradise.

He doesn't know that in five minutes, Japanese aircraft will appear overhead. That the magazine will explode beneath his feet. That everything he's become will be tested in ways he cannot imagine.

He doesn't know if twelve years of fighting his nature was enough.

Neither do we. His fate—like that of every crew member in this six-book series—remains unknown until the final volume.

The Weight of Water is the second book in The Arizona Series, following five crew members of the USS Arizona through their lives to the moment of December 7, 1941. Each book stands alone. Each ends in suspension. Only Book Six reveals who lived and who died.

For readers who love:

• Character-driven military fiction
• Moral complexity and psychological depth
• Pearl Harbor and WWII naval history
• Literary fiction with unforgettable characters
• Stories about transformation and identity

From the author of Before the Water Rose comes a powerful story about the cost of becoming authentic in a world that rewards performance. About leadership under pressure. About whether change holds when tested by fire.

Thomas spent twelve years trying to become someone real.

On the morning of December 7, 1941, he discovers if he succeeded.

Beautifully Written, Deeply Haunting

I’ve read plenty about Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona, but this novel made the history feel deeply human. Rather than focusing only on the moment of destruction, the story honors the lives, relationships, and quiet moments that existed before and after December 7, 1941. That choice gives the tragedy real emotional weight.

The writing is restrained and respectful, never sensationalized. You feel the inevitability of what’s coming, yet the characters are drawn with such care that you can’t help but hope alongside them. The result is heartbreaking in the best possible way.