The Balloon Hunter: A Found Novel

Dear Apocalypse #1

by Hugh Howey, Elinor Taylor

Shoot anything you don't understand. That's been my motto, and it's kept me alive.
So when I saw something drifting above the fog, I lined it up in my sights and took it out.
Only realized after that it was a balloon. With a note attached.
Rita. Who are you? Where are you?
Hang tight. I'm coming.

Genres: Dystopia, Science Fiction, Post Apocalyptic, Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction Fantasy, Mystery

Kindle Edition

Published May 31, 2023

About the author

I'm the author of WOOL, a top 5 science fiction book on Amazon. I also wrote the Molly Fyde saga, a tale of a teenager from the 25th century who is repeatedly told that girls can't do certain things -- and then does them anyway.

A theme in my books is the celebration of overcoming odds and of not allowing the cruelty of the universe to change who you are in the process. Most of them are classified as science fiction, since they often take place in the future, but if you love great stories and memorable characters, you'll dig what you find here. I promise.

Reviews

[Winter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boom!

Hugh Howey had me at Silo Ok!

I had no idea his writing resume was so expansive and this mind blowing.

Balloon Hunter was such an amazing read, I hated when I came to the end of the book.

However, that ending was "SUPERB!"

Absolutely, absolutely, DID NOT SEE THAT COMING!!!

OMG! MIND BLOWN!

BOOM💣💣

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anything by Hugh Howey is going to be good. As to this one, love the premise, not sure about the execution.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy crap! This totally surpassed my expectations! The "found novel" aspect of the storyline, completed through the fronts and backs of postcards is so cleverly done. The pacing is tight, and I was taken aback by the ending. I wasn't even sure exactly what had happened, until I went back and reread the last few exchanges and I was shocked. This book definitely packs a satisfying little punch.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a lot of dystopian and apocalyptic novels and this could be one of the most depressing books I have ever read. In a strange way, that is a huge compliment.

Hugh Howey is one of my favorite Science Fiction authors and his series Wool and novel Beacon 23 are some of my favorite reads. Howey’s fame has escalated recently with Wool and Beacon 23 being turned into television shows which caused me to be concerned that he might be corrupted into going “main stream”. With the release of The Balloon Hunter Howey has reassured me that he has not lost his edginess and creativity.

Howey has collaborated on this book with British author Elinor Taylor. I was previously unfamiliar with her work but, immediately after reading The Balloon Hunter, I rushed to purchase one of her books.

The first interesting thing about The Balloon Hunter is that it is told through a series of postcards. Not satisfied with the theory of this style, apparently Howey and Taylor actually wrote the book on postcards and then scanned them in for publication.

The Balloon Hunter is a dystopian novel set after the world’s atmosphere has been turned into a killing fog. Those who are not immediately killed turn into some type of violent creature. One woman, Rita, has survived and is now holed up in a store where she has food, shelter, and an nearly endless supply of postcards, balloons, and tanks of helium. Each day she writes a note on a postcard, sometimes addressed to a lost family member and sometimes to the world in general, and releases them into the wind. Meanwhile, Clayton, a former solder with PTSD, finds one of her communiqués and sets off to follow the trail of balloons to meet up with Rita. Each page is a postcard from Rita and the next is Clayton’s written response to it on the picture side of the card. Via their messages we become intimately acquainted with Rita and Clayton, we learn of their lives before the apocalypse, their current situation, and Clayton’s developing Adam and Eve fantasy of life once he meets up with Rita.

Without revealing anymore of the storyline, I can safely say that this book will suck you in, grip your heart, and compel you to keep turning pages, or postcards, like no other I have ever read. I started it at ten at night and could not go to bed until I had read it cover to cover. The gestalt created by Howey and Taylor’s pairing is evident from the first pages. Hopefully, Howey enjoyed this new collaborative style and it will inspire him to write more books with Taylor and/or other authors soon.

[Andy Parkes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a big Hugh Howey fan so was very excited to see this had been released

Interesting concept, story is told from two opposing points of view where someone sends a postcard and the reply is written on the reverse. (presumably Hugh was one of the characters and co-author Elinor the other)

They used actual postcards which is neat though I did struggle to read some of them in Kindle format. Does mean I'm tempted to pick up the physical book!

It's a really short story but does an awful lot of world and character building in that time and while the ending wasn't entirely unpredictable it was a clever little twist.

Really enjoyed and I'd been keen of another story in this world to flesh out a bit more of what's going on

[J.R.E. Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Just wow!

I was not expecting the unexpected to say the least! Hugh continues his reign as one of the best authors out there.

[Abbys⚔️Book World · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know what I was expecting but what I got was fantastic!!!

📖 A Post-Apocalytic told through hand written postcards between two people.

It follows Rita and Clayton. Rita is holed up in a Costco and sends out postcards in the hopes someone will find them. Clayton finds these postcards and starts collecting them writing his thoughts on the back. This also leads him on a journey to find Rita. But Clayton doesn't find or receive all of Rita's postcards and the ones he does are out of order.

✨ Review ✨
Okay that doesn't actually sound that exciting but this honestly had me on the edge of my seat and the ending had my jaw on the floor I instantly had to read book 2.

The format made for a unique read and I would describe it as a graphic novella. It is told through the postcards Rita writes on the back and Clayton writes on the picture side. The artwork was stunning and it was such a fun experience.

It's only downside is accessibility as the handwriting can be messy, while I could read it, at times I found it difficult and I have great eye sight so I imagine others could struggle with this.

[M Stephenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightfully creepy. For most of the story I was scared for Rita as it became clear that Clayton was murdering other survivors during his journey to her. I had to reread the last few postcards to get the twist, but man I did not see that coming.

[Ive · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️ Even if you don’t get really any information it’s intriguing.
I enjoyed Clayton’s postcards more, there were more information (even though some shocking) in it though I hated the layout because it was sometime difficult to read. Rita was kind of funny and sad. And because I need to know how it’s going to end, I have to read the second one.

[Buzz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t get it.

The ending was too confusing to follow… I re-read the last 20 postcards several times, and still have no idea WTF happened. Ames me angry, and a little bit sad. I hate it when authors try to get a little too cutesy with their stories. This guy probably wrote the final scene for the Sopranos as well.

[Alas Amazon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great idea, but…

I was captivated by this work in the beginning. Had some trouble reading the words on the backs of some of the postcards due to the script and lighting. Managed anyway. Then I got to the end. What? I read it several times. Could not make sense of it.

[Melody Stiles · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh wow

I did not see that coming. Damn. Nicely done, guys.
I hope there is a second book. Don’t stop yet.

[Noel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started this last night - couldn't put it down. I have no idea wtf happened at the end. Started the next book, Death to Anyone Who Reads This, and I still have no idea wtf is happening. Goes to show you what an outstanding writer Howey is (and Elinor Taylor - I'm intrigued as to who she is) - that I keep reading even though I have no idea what's happening.

[Joseph Barber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Postcards

Rita is writing to any survivors in the apocalypse (but really don’t want to be found). Is there anyone out there? Is anyone reading my postcards? Rita sends the cards by helium balloon’s.

Clayton discovers many of the postcards and with small clues, as the whereabouts Rita is hiding, Clayton heads out to find her.

Clayton is falling in love with Rita but has not yet found her. Is everything what it seems?

It is the Apocalypse!

[Billie Lang · Rating 5 out of 5]

I NEED MORE NOW

Absolutely riveting after the first few pages. Read it straight through without stopping, other than switching up from my kindle paper white to the Kindle app on my phone (Samsung Ultra 22) Absolutely hated to see it end

[Meredith Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I sobbed

[Jeff Koeppen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love post-apocalyptic fiction and Hugh Howey's books so I ordered a personalized, signed copy from him while he was live streaming a book signing on YouTube. It came with a postcard (how fitting) signed by his co-author Elinor Taylor. This is the first book Hugh Howey has written with another author.

This is a short novel consisting entirely of a back-and forth conversation between two people on postcards send via balloon. The novel is set in an unnamed destroyed big city - the female protagonist, Rita, is holed up in a Costco; and the male protagonist, Clayton, is a well armed former soldier who makes the rounds and scavenges to survive. Each page of the novel is a post card send by Rita with Clayton's response on the picture side. It sounds weird but it works, and the process explained better in the book.

Since Rita is sending out tons of postcards and Clayton only receives the ones which land in his area he doesn't get her full story, or her story in order. He begins by collecting the cards and eventually figures out a way to send them back to her with his responses so they become aware of each other.

That's all I'll say, anything else is too much. We get to know the characters situations and past lives piecemeal through the postcards which they happen to find and the ending is surprise.

Any fans of Hugh Howey's dystopian fiction will enjoy this. I only wish it was longer. I've ordered the sequel which is also a short novel.

Fun facts: most of the images on the postcards are pictures Hugh took on his trips around the world (he tried to use photos with enough white space), and he had his friend's daughter who has perfect penmanship write the Rita parts.

[Lori Anaple · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read and interesting format. We are dropped into an apocalypse with no idea of how it started, why, how long, no context. I didn’t mind it.

Rita is our main balloon writer and it’s mostly like Twitter with a balloon. Clayton finds her cards and develops an infatuation. He begins writing her back. She gets one card and falls for him.

The story ends abruptly without us knowing for sure what happened. We are left to guess that Clayton was lured by a cannibalistic fog man. Did Rita ever exist? Did Clayton have the right place? Did fog man capture Clayton? All these questions and more hopefully answered in the next installment.

Clayton seemed like a real whack a do! Like I was scared for Rita!!!! Then she starts with her balloon flirting and I was like- why????? I would think it would freak her out more knowing someone was actively looking for her. Then again, if it was cannibalistic fog man the whole time of course he would try to be enticing. Granted, if she was sending the balloon tweets, she only had one of his and it wasn’t any of the ones that made him sound like a fruit loop.

[Tracy Lord · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars. I think this might be the most unique book I've ever read. It's a short novel told exclusively through postcards (that seem to be actually hand-written). The two characters are Rita, who writes the postcards and sends them out attached to balloons, and Clayton, who finds them and writes on the backs as a sort of journal. We learn from these postcards that there was an apocalypse of some sort, and Rita's postcards bring Clayton hope. He sets off to find her, using the clues he can glean from her postcards while also knowing that there are probably so many postcards that he never even sees because the wind could be carrying these balloons anywhere.

This wasn't just a creative storytelling technique, but also an effective one. We get the apocalyptic story in pieces, and only partially, which keeps readers hooked. There's also rising tension as we learn more about the characters but only in small increments. We see the information Clayton reveals in his "journal" while also implying that he plans to keep some of this information from Rita if he finds her. And we worry about Rita and how she is going to survive some of the things that are happening where she is—or that might be headed her way. Considering the format, there is a surprising amount of world-building and character development. And the ending is quite an ending. Don't be surprised if you end up immediately reaching for the sequel.

[Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haunting, Human Short Story with a Great Twist

My Dad recommended this book to me, and I enjoyed it! It’s an incredibly quick read—I think I finished it in about an hour, maybe 90 minutes max. Here are my thoughts:

*Brief Synopsis: The novel takes place a couple years after an atmospheric climate regulation experiment went wrong, poisoning the air and generating a penetrating toxic fog. One survivor, a traumatized American veteran of the war in Afghanistan named Clayton, begins to find postcards tied to helium balloons, calls into the void written by a person named “Rita.” Rita describes her lonely, dangerous life holed up in a Costco superstore, and Clayton begins a perilous journey across the city to try and find her. The story unfolds postcard-by-postcard, with Rita’s messages on the front and Clayton’s on the back. Clayton’s journey culminates in a dangerous approach to the booby-trapped Costco and a shocking realization.

The book was haunting, human (there’s a lot of anguish, love, and psychosis in both Rita’s and Clayton’s letters), and came with a great twist that I won’t share here. I have to say that, after finishing, perhaps my favorite thing is the clever title “The Balloon Hunter.” Great layers to the name. All in all, this made for a really enjoyable afternoon read!

[Gay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hugh Howie is so excited about his writing that it’s hard to write a review that isn’t. I’ve never read any of Elinor Tracy’s work.
The concept (story told by postcards) was very engaging. The development started strongly, two lonely people isolated from all others in a post apocalyptic world. One of them has access to helium balloons, postcards and a pen. Finding the first balloon with attached postcard renews the other’s hope. He starts off on a mission to find the writer. He encounters other humans along the way; she believes she is the last surviving human. Then the anomalies begin to appear, one small one being that the balloons appear to travel in two directions. Maybe I need to read it again but by the end, I found myself let down. I know that the Silo trilogy started as short stories but I can’t see any direction for this idea to expand. Then again, the authors may know exactly what’s emerging and how to turn this from an end to itself to a beginning of something much bigger.

[ReddsReadingNook · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a short novel, it packs a punch. I loved the format of this, the way the story is told through a series of postcards sent out from one person in a post apocalyptic world, found by another person who then is writing responses on the back of the post cards.

I feel like we get a real sense of how lonely it would feel to be in this kind of world. You find out information about the world & the characters through these little postcard snippets, and I found the story to be fast-paced and addictive. The way I was rooting so hard for the characters in such a short number of pages is great.

Thoroughly enjoyed and well worth the read IMO.

[Kevin Lawlor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished this in one sitting, after being gifted it from a friend. Very enjoyable! These authors were definitely fans of "This is How You Lose The Time War", and took that concept and give us two survivors of the apocalypse. One sending postcards out into the world, addressed to no one in particular, and the other finding them, replying to them, and using them as a drive to move on. Told through literal handwriting on literal postcards. So different...and I found myself gasping several times. Will definitely be getting Book #2.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book caught my interest when a pen pal and fellow Goodreads user mentioned it in a letter. It's not something I would have stumbled upon otherwise, and what a beautiful surprise it turned out to be. I loved the storytelling through postcards — it felt raw and personal, like glimpses into someone's soul. Each message was filled with a quiet sense of longing, hope, and discovery. Hugh Howey managed to say so much with so little, and it left me thinking about the characters and their journey long after I turned the final page.

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oddest dystopian tale!

Balloon Hunter is, by far, the most unusual post-apocalyptic tale I've ever read! And, I've read hundreds. It has an undercurrent that is occasionally disturbing but, I chalked that up to my distrust of strangers. I can't say more for fear of ruining it for you.

Read via Kindle Unlimited

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reminds me of a post-apocalyptic "Griffin and Sabine," with a twist.

Howey excels at quickly creating engaging characters, and this project is no exception. I've not read Taylor before, but the two seem to work well together, and came up with an engaging story.

[Teague de La Plaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Post-Apocalyptic Postcards

Great story! Reading them like real postcards, cleverly delivered in a world without even the remnants of a working postal system, you get the sense of how desperate Clayton is to find another human being his desolate world. I didn’t think I could have a real adventure reading postcards, but I was wrong—there was even a plot twist!

[Bookish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It is outrageously creative! Mr. Howey has such a gift for stories, and with the talent of Elinor Taylor, this book is a treat!*
*Enjoy with beverage & pet of choice😉

[CharlestonWriter Steph R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engaging and cool take

Engaging and interesting take on two souls during am apocalypse. Huge fan of Hugh Howey and this little jewel didn't disappoint.

[tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hugh Rocks

I always enjoy Hugh Howey books. I look forward to book 2.
I did find it challenging to read the writing on the front side of the post cards, at least on a Kindle.