Empty Cradle: The Untimely Death of Corey Sanderson

by Emmy Jackson

Ivy Aniram can’t afford to make stupid mistakes. A scavenger in a post-apocalyptic America where long-distance travel can be deadly to the few who attempt it, Ivy is a rare commodity--fertile woman untouched by the epidemic “Empty Cradle.” When she’s ambushed and nearly killed thanks to an offer of trust she shouldn’t have extended, the villagers who save her demand a hefty price in return–a baby born of her womb. She may have tumbled out of the frying pan and into the fire. Corey Sanderson, a farmboy who’s eager to escape his bleak rural existence at all costs, proves to be Ivy’s salvation. She agrees to take him on a treacherous 2,300-mile trek through hostile terrain to deliver a mysterious piece of cargo. For the injured Ivy to complete this nearly impossible task, she’s got to trust Corey, but his youthful enthusiasm makes him both an asset and a liability in a world of scarce supplies, determined bandits, equipment-stealing gleaners, and mutated, half-human "biters." The other passengers Ivy takes on–a traveling historian with a mysterious past, a cheerfully abrasive mercenary and her deer-shapeshifter companion–add their own unique complications. Though she’s the driver and travel-master, Ivy quickly learns that getting her cargo to its destination isn’t going to happen without their help.

Genres: Fiction, Dystopia, Steampunk, Post Apocalyptic

378 pages, Paperback

First published August 6, 2011

About the author

Emmy Jackson is a novelist and self-syndicated freelance automotive writer, an avid reader with interests in multiple genres and a long-time player of tabletop RPGs. The second book in his "Empty Cradle" post-apocalyptic urban-fantasy series, Shiloh in the Circle expands the world readers were introduced to in The Untimely Death of Corey Sanderson. During the fifteen years he spent building the world of Empty Cradle, he often lived like one of the scavengers from his stories, rescuing and repurposing forgotten items. He even spent three years living a nomadic life in an RV. Emmy lives outside of Detroit, Michigan, with a dumb but adorable cat and frequently annoys his neighbors by dragging home misguided automotive projects.

Reviews

[Patty Templeton · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH MY GAWD. I loved The Untimely Death of Corey Sanderson. Seriously. It’s a dusty, road-dog, land-pirate adventure ride reminiscent of Mad Max. Comparing it to the Mad Max franchise may be unfair because The Untimely Death of Corey Sanderson has SO MUCH MORE. There are shapeshifters! And I actually got to see a plethora of women in the world – evil women, good women, women on the road, women in town, women who have guns, women who have families. It sounds silly to crow about women – but a lot of books only have like…eh, maybe two women characters and one is usually a girlfriend. The Untimely Death of Corey Sanderson is a fast-paced, post-apocalyptic road trip full of compelling characters of all ages, genders, and species. And, holy crap, the WORLDBUILDING! There are class issues. There are townies vs. road folk politics. There are gender and conception talks to be had. I want to see more of this world. I want to talk about this world with other people. I am so glad this is a SERIES.

I am totally buying the second one, Shiloh in the Circle, as soon as I get paid.

[Lori Alden Holuta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't often read post-apocalyptic tales as I'm not drawn to the horror and violence aspects of them, but Empty Cradle won me over by overwhelming my apprehension with a rich, well thought out world, deeply crafted characters I really cared about, and non-stop action. I stayed up far too late at night aiming for that last page. And I'm left needing the sequel!

[Robyn Bennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a little worried going into this book, because I'm a little worn out on post-apocalyptic grease-punk. Luckily, Empty Cradle is a fresh and thoughtful take on the genre, and I absolutely loved it. It's reminiscent of Station 11 (which, now that I check, came out several years after Empty Cradle,) in that all of the characters have real depth, including the antagonists. These aren't mindless mobs of post-apocalyptic mooks, they're real people with all-too-believable (and all-too-atrocious) motivations. The world, too, is fleshed out. We spend most of our time in or around Ivy's truck, which feels familiar and lived in thanks to the author's loving, expert, but not overdetailed descriptions of the post-apocalypse's automotive technology.

In short: I loved this book, and I highly recommend it for anyone, even if you're worn out on the apocalypse.

[Sarah Rigg · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book has complicated, realistic characters, fast pacing, exciting conflicts, well-drawn scenes and just about anything else you could ask for in a blockbuster novel. The story takes place in an apocalyptic near future where many women have been rendered infertile by a mysterious disease called "Empty Cradle." The main character, Ivy, is a scavenger who is looking for her long-lost twin, and she brings several fellow travelers with her on a cross-country trip. I really liked it.
Next in the series are Empty Cradle: Shiloh in the Circle and Empty Cradle: The Return of Holly Aniram.

[Airsucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would say it's the best novel of it's kind that I've ever read, but there are no others like it. This is an excellent read with compelling characters and a familiar world reforged into a place new and dangerous.

[Gwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Post-apocalyptic story of a scavenger named Ivy as she travels around the former US in her rig with interesting passengers. My favorite book I read this year!

[Jayma Baumeier · Rating 4 out of 5]

good book

[Kevin C Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

The most striking part of this well-constructed, imaginative world Emmy Jackson has created, is it's underlying theme of hope and simple beauty. In most post-apocalyptic or dystopian fiction, there seems a crushing fear and hopelessness. Don't misunderstand though, there is plenty of tension and dread in this fictional world. The title is a constant reminder of the mortality of all the characters. Equal parts action, drama, world-building with the occasional sprig of comedy, usually after an occasion of the ever-present brutality.
Shortly before finishing the book, it occurred to me that one of the most essential parts of the book, something I'd taken for granted up to that point, was the feeling of worldliness. Emmy spends a lot of time traveling all over the country doing reviews for the latest cars, which feeds into the next essential part of the book, his love of all things mechanical. He is also an incredibly fascinating and complex person, which glows clearly throughout the book. These characters, the wandering-Tinkerish, Ivy; the swashbuckling, Swan; the ever-inquisitive, Marcus McEvoy; the deadly, taciturn, Kroni; and the rookie rambler, Corey Sanderson, have all thrived in Emmy's mind for years and now are set loose to wander in the pages of this enchanting book. A journey across a blighted country, peppered with struggling micro-cultures, and over-grown with vengeful nature. With this first of what appears to be a series of books, I feel like I was on those dirt-tracks and 'troll roads' with Emmy and his patchwork band of survivors. I loved the reality of the emotions, the fear of violence and death that seemed to enlighten every joyful moment, and the veneration for how vast and amazing America can be once one's eyes have been opened to it. Even the gloomiest characters, saddest moments, are quickly turned aside for happiness and survival spirit. These characters are tough, resourceful, deadly, but not hardened to their humanity. I hope to have the occasion of spending time with them again with the second book.

[Gary Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Civilization has fallen, ravaged by apocalyptic wars and an infertility epidemic caused by the Empty Cradle virus. Ivy Aniram, a trader who is also one of the few women untouched by Empty Cradle, makes a deal with Corey Sanderson, a farmboy who longs to escape the isolated rural town of his birth, in order to escape a trap set by that town's elders. So begins a long and dangerous journey across what used to be America, aided by some and threatened by many. Along the way, Ivy and Corey learn to rely on one another and their new companions... but as the title implies, sometimes even that is not enough.

Emmy Jackson's story is set against a world of considerable depth and detail, which somehow comes across without any obvious 'infodumps' (other than the quotes from the notes of one of the characters, a historian). Unlike many 'post-apocalyptic' novels, this is one that is largely persuasive in how it presents life going on and even thriving. It also helps that the pacing of the story is solid, the action when it comes is riveting, and the characters have depth and chemistry. I'm eagerly anticipating the next book in this series.

[Aerospace Girl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ingenious backdrop of a ruined America returning to the resourcefulness of it's roots plays nicely against the fast-paced plot. Enjoying the original juxtaposition of a slight science-fiction bent with the cowboy aesthetic of life on the road. Definitely an entertaining read thus far...

I really like the way that this book moves. It is a fast read, but the action is not a steep rise and continual plateau, it has an ambling and pleasing rise and fall tempo that seems to pair appropriately with the nomadic and quest-like plot line. The story makes you really want to get to the next chapter to see what is around the next bend in the road... Quite literally.

As far as character development goes, I feel like I have just scratched the surface of this merry little band. I know there is more to each, but I am not yet privy to their secrets. I have to travel with them a bit more do that I can get their stories along the way. It's as if that is what is required of me in order to be in the know...

[Jennifer Jamieson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazingly, I've discovered I hadn't posted a review on Goodreads for this yet!

Love love love this post-apoc road epic.

Characters are well developed and interesting, and the world building gives a rich and nuanced setting that will easily fuel many more books, and I look forward to reading them all. Pacing is spot on and steady, and the narrative tells us there's far more to the story somewhere down that long road to Ivy's sister.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked that it wasn't all doom and gloom like a lot of apocalyptic books. Life's not easy in this world but it's also not impossibly difficult. I will definitely be ready the rest of this series.

Second time around and I liked it even more!! 2018

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Post apoc world with shifters, friendship, and violence. Swan's smart mouth will make you smile AND roll your eyes. You won't want to put the book down and will want more once it's done.