The powers of old and new are on a collision course in the land of Thanderley. Ancient gods have broken free of their imprisonment and cursed the lands with a terrible winter, a scourge that is sweeping science and the new ways from the earth. In the city of Ral Tora, Bramwell, a young engineer, battles to save his home from the encroaching ice. But there will be no exceptions. The gods will reclaim what was theirs and destroy any who oppose them.
Once more, the balances are tipped. Magic and science cannot exist in harmony, yet Bramwell must master both to save everything he loves from destruction.
Everwinter is the first novel of the fantasy series, The Wrath of the Northmen.
Elizabeth Baxter was born and raised in England. In her spare time she enjoys reading, hiking, traveling the world and watching England play cricket. She’s been writing since she was six years old and plans to continue for as long as she’s able to hold a pen (or a keyboard).
Just how the hell can it be possible, that this genius of a woman hasn´t already found a publishing house for her works?
"Everwinter" is, I think, one of the most enjoyable books I´ve read this year. I actually picked it up, because I wanted something light to read, and since I instantly imagined Ral Tora looking like the city of the classic Christmas Carol movie (not the terrible version from 2009, but the ORIGINAL) I thought it might be a great read, light so short before christmas.
I had no expectations whatsoever about this book and I fell in love with it. Bramwell Thronley is the most inovative protagonist I´ve read about in years, I´m not even kidding here. Because he just feels so real. So NORMAL. He is an engineer and works for the city of Ral Tora, has made his University degree some years ago and now lives the pleasurabel, calm life of a bachelor with a stable income that likes to get drunk with his friends in tavers after their work is over. Sounds relatabel? Yup, because whereas many fanatsy protagonist are depicted as your "avereage-guy" but fail to be the one, Bram IS your average guy. I was really happy that it didn´t start out with a "chosen-one" story like many other fantasy books, and even at the end, Baxter is not going down on it it as hard as some other authors. Nevertheless, this book is just brilliant, I think most and foremost because IT.IS.NOT.SET.IN.A.MEDIEVAL.SETTING!!!!!!!! Seriously, how many non-steampunk fanatsy, non urban fantasy books have you read that don´t have a medieval european landscape as a setting? See. And thats a pitty, because Baxter can show you in just 300 pages just how much potential a different setting can have.
It feels so different, to see people that have a work, a stable income ( i know I repeat myself, but how many fantasy protagonists do you know that have a stable income, seriously?! Or even a job, for crying out loud!), that lives by himself and doesn´t show any hint of a prophecy-driven destiny (yet ;D).
I really love periods in books or movies where people just live their standart everyday life - my favourite parts in Harry Potter always were the scenes showing actual standart school life in hogwarts, without any Voldemort or Malyfoy in them - and "Everwinter"´s first half is basically just that. Then things get different and suddelny you are confronted with the most extreme and intense "fights" in a "democracy" you will ever come across, even if you, like me , have read A song of ice and fire.
And yeah, you´ve read right: Democracy. Just for yourself, name one other fanatsy book that has another established form of power than a king, queen or emperor. And tell me, because I can´t figure out another one, and I recognized that i just love the system of having a somewhat democratic(ish) approach to a city or state in fanatsy novels.
Also, besides being a great novel in itself, it is a even better setup for the next volume. Many questions get asked in this novel and just a few answered, but you don´t feel annoyed by it, there is this shroud of mystery to it, that just fits so well to the world of "Everwinter" where people don´t really know about magic, where magic is unknown to exist, weere peole in their entire life have never seen a magicl beast or another race than the human one.
Do yourself a favour and buy this book, even if it is for the sole reason of reading about a character that has an everyday life even besides the adventure that is going on in the story. On reddit fanatsy a month or so ago, there was a real hype about the question if there were some books about a person in a fanatsy world just living his normal life. And I have to admit; this book is as close as I´ve ever got to an aswer to this question.
A really great first book in a series, our focus switches from Princess Falen to Bramwell Thornley with the most deepest secret of any! Can a mission to fallen Varliss bring victory in the face of so much darkness? But wait! In the final battle of book 1, both an Ice Dragon & two sea dragons blaze across the in mortal claw and fang.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I sooo wanted to LOVE this book! I really did! Come on, epic fantasy meets science... I've gotten excited for less than this! The fact that it was building up rather slow, and even though I understand it helped in the development of the characters, give depth to the plot, it kinda made me lose interest more than once. I might not have enough patience. This is probably what you need to actually get the feeling you are really going somewhere. Or should I have read the prequel first? Silly enough, I didn't know about it until now. It makes me wonder... I quite liked Baxter's style, so I might give it a try and possibly end up rereading Everwinter!
It was with that simple tagline, just eight simple words, that my interest in Everwinter was first kindled. It sounded like an interesting tale, and I was more than willing to give Elizabeth Baxter a chance to tell it. I had a hard time getting into it - in fact, several false starts kept it on my 'currently reading' list for far longer than I would have anticipated - but the investment of time and effort turned out to be worth it.
In terms of setting and world-building, Everwinter is glorious . . . and cold. Ral Tora is a city of science - a land of intellect, ingenuity, and invention. Chellin, on the other hand, is a city of religion - a land of faith, devotion, and following. Somewhere between the two lies the core story, part conflict and part compromise. It's not quite the adversarial confrontation of ideas that I expected, but Baxter develops it well, weaving a story that's fresh and original. I had some early concerns with Bram as a main character, but Baxter balances his scientific pragmatism with his honest optimism, lending the story a spirit of open-mindedness that's infectious.
The characters are interesting (if not spectacular), and the story's a little anachronistic in terms of dialogue, but overall the people strong enough to carry the plot. That's where the story truly shines, especially once the groundwork has been laid and the events are give free reign to race forward in the latter half of the book. It's fun, it's entertaining, and it's got more than a few surprises along the way. I would have liked some more physical detail, and I wish the opening chapters had been a bit better paced, but overall this was a fine effort that finished strong.
Something new, I found it bright and the plot moved on fast paced. The characters are very different, some not what they seem. I liked it so much I am going to get the follow up.
The prologue of Elizabeth Baxter's "Everwinter" has all the trappings of an epic fantasy--a loyal but conflicted soldier and his men escorting his King on what he feels is a fool's errand into the mountains. All the while a monk who is obviously up to no good is whispering words of madness into the king's ear. Clearly this will not end well...
From there we go to the city of Ral Tora, the city of the engineers, and spend half the book there. Most of this is setup, and if it were not clear that this is the first book in a series, it might be too long a stay. We spend most of our time with Bram Thornley, a young engineer, and are introduced to the world through his eyes. As he is exposed to the events in the novel, we slowly see that there is more to the world than he imagined, such as fantastical creatures like the sea serpent "tashen" and the giant sea-otter "dolarchu". Beyond these there is clearly "magic" at work, and we share Bram's confusion as he tries to make sense of it all...and not get killed in the process.
The pace picks up substantially in the second half of the book as we travel to the religious city of Chellin. Yet once we get there, the pace accelerates to a climax that feels almost rushed. The reader is swept along for the ride with the protagonists through several fights and chases that happen so fast it is almost difficult to picture just what is going on. The city of Chellin itself is described in good detail, but there are few detailed descriptions of the combatants to give a mental image to the reader. For example, we know that the "Panthers", a regiment of elite warriors, wear uniforms and fight with swords, and while fighting they "jump and spin and kick." But that's it. As a reader I wanted to know more about them: what do their uniforms look like? Do they wear armor? What kind? Do they only use swords, or other weapons as well? By the "jumping/spinning/kicking" description we get an idea that they practice some form of unarmed combat as well, but the description provided barely scratches the surface. The Panthers are but one example, and the lack of detailed descriptions throughout the novel was frustrating. Perhaps the author has a well-defined mental image of these things, but as a reader I was left to come up with my own interpretation.
Throughout the book there are anachronistic words that did feel jarring (as mentioned by another reviewer), but in retrospect there are few descriptions that pin down the story into any particular time period. Most readers expect fantasy to be in a somewhat medieval/renaissance time period, but after spending so much time in Ral Tora, I began to feel like it was more steampunk/victorian than medieval, simply because of all the engineering associated with it. Once we travel to Chellin the book takes on a more classical feel to it with the intrigue in the Chellin senate. Even so, some of the word choices do seem out of place for this kind of book. That said, the novel has been copy-edited well and it is not filled with the spelling errors and typos that I have seen in many other ebooks.
The story talks primarily about three cities: Ral Tora, Chellin, and Variss. Yet contact between these cities is apparently rare--there are multiple mentions that no one from each city has contacted each other for years at a time, so they seem like they must be like isolated islands in a sea of empty wilderness. Some exposition as to why they do not contact each other would be helpful, or perhaps the inclusion map would help to put it in context. I realize that this is an ebook, and sometimes maps don't work well in that medium, but perhaps a link to one on her website would be helpful to further engage the reader.
All in all Everwinter was a good read, and I feel that the author has opened a door for us to see into her world--but she needs to show us more of it, and in greater detail, for it to truly shine. Future books in the series will have the opportunity to do this.
Due to the ponderous pace at the beginning of the novel, I give this epic fantasy (first in a series) 3.4 stars. First of all, it started with a prologue that contained characters we never meet again. The cast is enormous (it is epic after all) and difficult to keep up with at times. It seems to be Bram's story, but I felt like I didn't really know what he wanted. If he wanted recognition for his work as an engineer, he didn't get it and he walked away from that job mid story. I couldn't connect with him. Several events included in the story had no impact on furthering the plot or characterization. They could have been cut and should have been cut. Just because something is "epic" doesn't mean it needs to be information-heavy or contain pointless anecdotes (the night at the play is a good example). So much about the magic system, the various political systems, and the numerous religions is still unknown. This is information the reader could value. Not that I wanted it dumped on me, but there were times when Bram explored (the library for example) that more information about those various entities could have be sprinkled into the narrative. Things were finally beginning to make a little sense, the pace picked up to a brisk walk, and then the book ended. It made me want to read the next installment for about ten minutes. Then I forgot about it because I wasn't in love with any character in the story. I have no desire to wade through another swamp of epic storytelling without getting a payoff. When weighing my review, please remember that I'm not a fan of epic fantasy. When will I stop reading it then?
Very interesting story. Who is Bramwell Thornley? The creation of Elizabeth Baxter in the debut series of The Wrath of the Northmen, Everwinter takes on a journey where an engineer seems to be destined for more. Bran is unsure of himself, yet curious and trusting. Pull strings are tugging his life in different directions and the ensemble cast deserves a nod of respect, making it a fascinating read. It isn't the typical spin on fantasy. This is more sci-fi to start - science and religion battling to secure a foothold. Unawares of magic even when , the focus provides an interesting segue that you don't necessarily see coming. With enough plotting and conniving to make GOT take a peek over its shoulder, Everwinter delivers. You can feel the chill seep into your bones as we make our way through the book.
Most interesting, to me, was the setup. This was not a plod right through to get to fighting and magic and fantasy. It was a methodical approach to building the character depth and world. As we progress through, we begin to jog, and then we begin to run. Let's hope the next one in the series makes us sprint.
Engineer Bramwell (Bram) Tully lives in Ral Tora and loves to puzzle new ideas out. Bram doesn't see himself much like the other engineers yet does his best at what he's doing at the time. Fellow Engineer Falen Godwinsson, a native of Variss, is highly skilled engineer and requested to do a project with Bram. Falen will mostly likely do all the figuring then only let Bram help when it suits her. Engineer Rassus sends Bram out on errands to keep him busy. A surprising vistor from Variss appears at the North gate much to the surprise of the residents of Ral Tora and especially Falen with some surprising news. Meanwhile a delegation from Chellin is sailing for Ral Tora in hopes of alliance and something more. Regal Astrid searches for something hidden in the city on which all future plans will flow. What is so special about Bram? What message is from Variss? What will Falen do? What are the true motives of Regal Astrid? Your answers await you in Everwinter.
I thought the prequel Summer Storm showed the dire straights the lands surrounding Variss would suffer but never could I imagine this~broken people and broken hope. Everwinter is so aptly named that it's not surprising the endless winter has fallen upon Ral Tora. I'm fascinated byt the relationship with Bram and Falen. I look forward to seeing how that develops. I'll definitely be interested in reading next book in series.
In some ways, this book is standard epic fantasy fare: there is magic here, and mythical sea creatures, and old gods with human offspring. Just with science added in.
What makes Everwinter different, though, is the way Baxter avoids replicating sexism-as-default in her world-building. Too many books in the genre are set in worlds that prioritise the exploits of men while marginalising women - all because this would, supposedly, be more realistic. The book is set in the city-states of Ral Tora and Chellin – two very different societies that epitomise (not always subtly) the tensions between science and religion, reason and magic, that lie at the heart of the story. From the beginning, however, Baxter makes it clear that men and women have an equal stake in the resolution of these tensions - and that their occupations are not divided along gender lines. The result is an original and refreshing read.
Great story that's got it all: deep and intriguing characters, beautifully described landscapes, good fight scenes, and mystery. In addition to the MCs, each supporting character is interesting in his/her own way. The swordfights illustrated throughout make you hold your breath, the scenes feel so real. This is a good start to a wonderfully unique epic fantasy.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. One of my favorite genres is SciFi/Fantasy. This book does not disappoint. the world Elizabeth Baxter creates is complete and realistic. The characters are so well done they seem to come right off the page. These are flesh and blood people. The story and the people grab you right away and don't let go. I was disappointed when it ended. This was the first Elizabeth Baxter book I have read and it will not be my last! Great read!!!!
I liked it for the most part. It took me a minute to get into reading it. The beginning was a little slow for my taste, but once Astrid showed up, I couldn't put it down. Shes a force to be reckoned with.
Can't really think of a good way to say anything without spoilers except Bram is clumsy funny, Falen is secretive but likable, the Panthers are a ball of laughs. And this story needs a book 2 already!! Need to see whats up north already.
So glad I gave this book a shot. It starts out by really developing the characters in a setting that I loved. To me this is the strong part of the book. I love to read about new places and characters and get to know them and the city of Ral Tora was fun to get to know. The rest of the book was really good also but your typical fantasy novel. Hope the next book comes out soon. There is a prequel that I just downloaded so I will check this out also.
The beginning of an epic series! I devoured it! The plot was great, loved the characters and the atmosphere was wonderful...when can I have the next one??? :)
this is a story world to get lost in... I fell in love with the characters, the creatures and the world they live in. Looking forward to more in the series.