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Hard Winter: The Novel
After overwhelming Scotland, the glacier gouged its unstoppable way south. Only a few people remained in the desolate, frozen streets of the cities of Northern England. As the daily blizzards blew stronger and the icebergs on the River Mersey grew larger, Norman and Chrissy Leonard prepared to flee their Liverpool home. When Norman heard -- The Roar -- he knew the time for preparation had passed. An unspeakable dread twisted inside him at that primordial sound. The glacier was pushing more than just snow and ice ahead of it. A nightmare was coming, one Norman would not be able to wake from.
246 pages, Paperback
First published February 13, 2013
1 person is currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
Neil Davies
91 books57 followersBorn in 1959, and preferring not to think too hard about it, Neil Davies writes genre fiction (mostly science fiction and horror, but he refuses to be held to that). When not writing books, he records music with his son as The 1850 Project, and paints pictures of dubious artistic merit with acrylic paints. When not creating, he likes to read books, listen to music, and watch well-made films and trashy TV. A solitary animal by nature, he nevertheless lives with his long-suffering wife and two adult children in the Wirral, UK.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 27, 2013
Hard Winter by Neil Davies excells in its high concept of a world gripped by an encroaching ice-age. A visceral, gripping vision of a world collapsing as the glaciers advance. The blend of realism and elements of fantasy (the terrifying addition of trolls and norsemen) is handled with aplomb and the main characters are believable and sympathetic. For my taste it started a trifle slowly, but like a snowball the plot gathered a relentless pace. Reccomended.
October 17, 2020
Although a horror story, set in 2118, it makes you wonder what might be in our future - as the environment changes accelerate. A group of stragglers, including Norman and Chrissy, find themselves in an increasingly tense situation, needing to adapt how they are in order to have a chance of survival. The marching glacier is an obvious danger, as the whole of the landscapes is crushed - but what about that menacing roar that is forever lurking? A good tense read as we get to know the central characters, seeing them adapt to the threats that become more and more imminent as they attempt to escape. Enjoyable narration by Kevin Green.
August 17, 2013
Hard Winter: The Novel by Neil Davies is a dystopian horror/thriller.
First Paragraph:
"My name is Norman Leonard and at one time I lived in Liverpool, North West England, with my wife Chrissy. We were among the stubborn few that stayed. The speed of the advancing ice had taken everyone by surprise and the edge of the glacier had already reached the ruins of the Forth Road Bridge, the old one, not the narrow one-lane nightmare they threw up some years back when a heavy ice storm finally snapped the suspension cables. Before long, the glacier would rumble its ponderous path down into England and pretty soon Cumbria would become as uninhabitable as Scotland had been for the last five years."
PLOT
The year is 2118. The world is rapidly falling prey to mother nature, as she brutally crushes it with inescapable, unstoppable ice. It is unclear how the world got into this state, but we'll put it down to global warming mixed with the nuclear winter of 2062.
Norman and his wife Chrissy live in Liverpool. When "the freeze" happened two years ago, all the 'VIP's' were evacuated from the city. Many others left, and Liverpool is as lifeless and bleak as the grey skies that bare down on it. Norman and Chrissy are forever on the move. Little by little the glacier advances, pushing them out of whatever abandoned building they called home. And everyday they have the same conversation, stay or leave? Chrissy believes the government will eventually step-up and come back for those who remain. Norman retains his life-long cynicism of mankind. Travelling is undeniably dangerous, but the approaching glacier is inevitable- eventually they will have to move. What's holding them back is fear. They have no destination, no shelter, no food. With no law and order, other people are a threat, as hungry eyes hunt for easy prey. Large groups could provide safety, but trust is hard to come by in these harsh times, especially with rumours of cannibalism spreading through the figurative grapevine.
But when the River Mersey floods, destroying everything Norman holds dear, the choice is taken. There is no more time. It's leave or die. South or bust. So begins his harrowing journey through pain, exhaustion, grief, frostbite, infection and fear.
Along the way, various people will flash through his life, but his deep mistrust for others keeps them at a distance. And the terrifying Norseman and inexplicable giants that follow close behind keep him moving, while all the time one question haunts him- is there anywhere left to go?
REVIEW
As with most post-apocalyptic stories, the focus is more about the people. How they adapt and change when their existence depends on it. When law and order is wiped and responsibility is meaningless. The cruelty and ruthlessness of those who will do anything to survive. However, this story also places a lot of emphasis on community. On the kindness of strangers. For the setting, Norman meets a surprising amount of people on his journey. Yes, I suppose it's not like there's dangerous, human-seeking zombies out and about, forcing people to hide. Other than the ice and humanity itself, there isn't much threat, so unlike zombiepocalypses- where most of humanity is instantly zombiefied or dead, we still have a lot of people about. However there are still dangerous people about. Cannibalistic raiders for one. Who have trained wolves. If there's anything I've learnt from this genre, it's that the end of the world tends to bring out the worst in people, and I would be inclined to have a little more self-preservation that most of the people Norman meets seem to have. There were looters, addicts and murderers long before the apocalypse hit, and it's only going to get worse. There are plenty of people willing to sell out their humanity in order to keep it a little longer.
I know the author was focusing on the good in people (as well as the bad- since there is no such thing as purely good or bad people), but I'm not sure how realistic that is. Yes, there are kind people who would help, but would you trust a random stranger knowing that it was quite literally a life or death decision? The only reason the untrusting Norman is even involved with them is because he would be dead anyway without them, so there was no harm giving it a shot. But that's what the story focuses on. The people who will trust without anything to gain.
The plot itself is pretty non-existent to be honest. Not necessarily a bad thing. The whole concept is running. Trying to outrun something that can never be escaped, for the sake of it. Because why wouldn't you? Even if you know you're just delaying the inevitable, why wouldn't you run to the very last step?
The future setting is more of warning factor, I think. As far as I can make out, absolutely nothing is different a hundred years in the future- other than the fact that ice rules the world. And impossible, gigantic creatures run ahead of it, killing everything in their path. But judging by the characters' responses, I doubt that's the norm.
Speaking of, the Icelandic Trolls (or whatever they are) were certainly chilling in their immenseness, but ultimately irrelevant and unnecessary, what with the encroaching glaciers from all sides that will eventually encase the entire world in ice- killing everything in the process. Though they do provide a more immediate threat, and create some tension that running from a slow block of ice (albeit a very fast slow-moving block of ice) wouldn't quite convey.
Not the most hopeful of endings, but what can you expect? There's an inevitability that can't simply be deus ex machina-d away- well I suppose it could, but not very convincingly, and would've left me with a little bit of not-a-happy-bunny-syndrome, so I'm glad there was no easy answer- not that fantasy horror/thrillers are known for easy endings.
My main criticism is the main character himself- Norman. He's a hard character to hate, but also to like. To be honest, I had no strong feelings either way- which is a shame since we see everything through his eyes, and therefore spend a lot of time in his mind. He has a tendency towards extreme self-pity- which is arguably very human, but also very annoying when a lot of the book is him thinking about how little he thinks of himself, how selfish he is, how much he hates himself. It can become a little grating as page after page after page, Norman feels sorry for himself. Wishing he was braver, cursing his cowardice. It's relatable, but I got tired of it very quickly, and wanted to smack some sense into him. For goodness sake man, I know the situation is bad, I know you've lost a lot, and you've made some mistakes, but get on with your life, instead of curling up in a ball of self-hatred. If you feel so bad about being untrusting or being a burden, if you feel guilty above past sins, then man-up and take action. Make the change, because it's not going to happen with you moping in the corner, drowning your sorrows with bitterness. He is aware of this, but it only makes him hate himself that much more. Every time he takes a step in the right direction, he falls and retreats even further back, with more and more guilt and fear holding him there. To his credit, he does try, but always despises himself for not doing more.
He does develop a few exceptions as the story progresses- through necessity more than anything (fair enough)- but they make him more vulnerable because of it. It is very human, but in this adapt-or-die world, I struggle to understand how he survived so long through anything but sheer dumb luck, since he seems so incapable of doing anything. I can understand that most people would not instantly be survivalist experts, but it's been two years. How can you survive two years without learning anything?
I think a lot of people may disagree with me on this front- citing him as realistic and well-rounded, but when you have someone as self-depracating as Norman as your main character, and have to listen to his self-hatred for two hundred and fifty pages, it can wear a little thin. He does eventually snap out of it, but it's so late in the game that it's pretty inconsequential. I think if the book had been based around ending Norman it would've been so much better. A Norman who still thinks little of himself, but manages not to let that get in the way of actually doing something. Who can put that to one side when push comes to shove and people are in danger. Yes it is realistic, and yes it may be human, but how much do you want to listen to someone whine about how useless they are?
Overall, a dark, brutal read, with cannibalism, mass-murder, rape, buckets of gore and a lot of violence. It is certainly not for the faint of heart. An interesting premise and a story that focuses a lot on the connections between people. The bonds, the cruelty and the kindness. As to the genre, I suppose it could be considered a horror/thriller/adventure with a little fantasy thrown in, but it comes across as more of an exploration of the human psyche, set against a backdrop that tears down all the social walls people normally hide behind .
Even with my gripe with Norman, I still enjoyed this book. It had tension, it had fear. If you don't like gore, this may be a little too intense for you, but if you're a fan of more adult-themed dystopian stories, this may be right up your street. If you're put off by my views of Norman, think as I did. Norman is like that one person you find yourself stuck with during the apocalypse. He's whiny and annoying (though you can see where he's coming from), but he's still a person, and that alone is enough of a reason to stick by him.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This is not a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% my own.
First Paragraph:
"My name is Norman Leonard and at one time I lived in Liverpool, North West England, with my wife Chrissy. We were among the stubborn few that stayed. The speed of the advancing ice had taken everyone by surprise and the edge of the glacier had already reached the ruins of the Forth Road Bridge, the old one, not the narrow one-lane nightmare they threw up some years back when a heavy ice storm finally snapped the suspension cables. Before long, the glacier would rumble its ponderous path down into England and pretty soon Cumbria would become as uninhabitable as Scotland had been for the last five years."
PLOT
The year is 2118. The world is rapidly falling prey to mother nature, as she brutally crushes it with inescapable, unstoppable ice. It is unclear how the world got into this state, but we'll put it down to global warming mixed with the nuclear winter of 2062.
Norman and his wife Chrissy live in Liverpool. When "the freeze" happened two years ago, all the 'VIP's' were evacuated from the city. Many others left, and Liverpool is as lifeless and bleak as the grey skies that bare down on it. Norman and Chrissy are forever on the move. Little by little the glacier advances, pushing them out of whatever abandoned building they called home. And everyday they have the same conversation, stay or leave? Chrissy believes the government will eventually step-up and come back for those who remain. Norman retains his life-long cynicism of mankind. Travelling is undeniably dangerous, but the approaching glacier is inevitable- eventually they will have to move. What's holding them back is fear. They have no destination, no shelter, no food. With no law and order, other people are a threat, as hungry eyes hunt for easy prey. Large groups could provide safety, but trust is hard to come by in these harsh times, especially with rumours of cannibalism spreading through the figurative grapevine.
But when the River Mersey floods, destroying everything Norman holds dear, the choice is taken. There is no more time. It's leave or die. South or bust. So begins his harrowing journey through pain, exhaustion, grief, frostbite, infection and fear.
Along the way, various people will flash through his life, but his deep mistrust for others keeps them at a distance. And the terrifying Norseman and inexplicable giants that follow close behind keep him moving, while all the time one question haunts him- is there anywhere left to go?
REVIEW
As with most post-apocalyptic stories, the focus is more about the people. How they adapt and change when their existence depends on it. When law and order is wiped and responsibility is meaningless. The cruelty and ruthlessness of those who will do anything to survive. However, this story also places a lot of emphasis on community. On the kindness of strangers. For the setting, Norman meets a surprising amount of people on his journey. Yes, I suppose it's not like there's dangerous, human-seeking zombies out and about, forcing people to hide. Other than the ice and humanity itself, there isn't much threat, so unlike zombiepocalypses- where most of humanity is instantly zombiefied or dead, we still have a lot of people about. However there are still dangerous people about. Cannibalistic raiders for one. Who have trained wolves. If there's anything I've learnt from this genre, it's that the end of the world tends to bring out the worst in people, and I would be inclined to have a little more self-preservation that most of the people Norman meets seem to have. There were looters, addicts and murderers long before the apocalypse hit, and it's only going to get worse. There are plenty of people willing to sell out their humanity in order to keep it a little longer.
I know the author was focusing on the good in people (as well as the bad- since there is no such thing as purely good or bad people), but I'm not sure how realistic that is. Yes, there are kind people who would help, but would you trust a random stranger knowing that it was quite literally a life or death decision? The only reason the untrusting Norman is even involved with them is because he would be dead anyway without them, so there was no harm giving it a shot. But that's what the story focuses on. The people who will trust without anything to gain.
The plot itself is pretty non-existent to be honest. Not necessarily a bad thing. The whole concept is running. Trying to outrun something that can never be escaped, for the sake of it. Because why wouldn't you? Even if you know you're just delaying the inevitable, why wouldn't you run to the very last step?
The future setting is more of warning factor, I think. As far as I can make out, absolutely nothing is different a hundred years in the future- other than the fact that ice rules the world. And impossible, gigantic creatures run ahead of it, killing everything in their path. But judging by the characters' responses, I doubt that's the norm.
Speaking of, the Icelandic Trolls (or whatever they are) were certainly chilling in their immenseness, but ultimately irrelevant and unnecessary, what with the encroaching glaciers from all sides that will eventually encase the entire world in ice- killing everything in the process. Though they do provide a more immediate threat, and create some tension that running from a slow block of ice (albeit a very fast slow-moving block of ice) wouldn't quite convey.
Not the most hopeful of endings, but what can you expect? There's an inevitability that can't simply be deus ex machina-d away- well I suppose it could, but not very convincingly, and would've left me with a little bit of not-a-happy-bunny-syndrome, so I'm glad there was no easy answer- not that fantasy horror/thrillers are known for easy endings.
My main criticism is the main character himself- Norman. He's a hard character to hate, but also to like. To be honest, I had no strong feelings either way- which is a shame since we see everything through his eyes, and therefore spend a lot of time in his mind. He has a tendency towards extreme self-pity- which is arguably very human, but also very annoying when a lot of the book is him thinking about how little he thinks of himself, how selfish he is, how much he hates himself. It can become a little grating as page after page after page, Norman feels sorry for himself. Wishing he was braver, cursing his cowardice. It's relatable, but I got tired of it very quickly, and wanted to smack some sense into him. For goodness sake man, I know the situation is bad, I know you've lost a lot, and you've made some mistakes, but get on with your life, instead of curling up in a ball of self-hatred. If you feel so bad about being untrusting or being a burden, if you feel guilty above past sins, then man-up and take action. Make the change, because it's not going to happen with you moping in the corner, drowning your sorrows with bitterness. He is aware of this, but it only makes him hate himself that much more. Every time he takes a step in the right direction, he falls and retreats even further back, with more and more guilt and fear holding him there. To his credit, he does try, but always despises himself for not doing more.
He does develop a few exceptions as the story progresses- through necessity more than anything (fair enough)- but they make him more vulnerable because of it. It is very human, but in this adapt-or-die world, I struggle to understand how he survived so long through anything but sheer dumb luck, since he seems so incapable of doing anything. I can understand that most people would not instantly be survivalist experts, but it's been two years. How can you survive two years without learning anything?
I think a lot of people may disagree with me on this front- citing him as realistic and well-rounded, but when you have someone as self-depracating as Norman as your main character, and have to listen to his self-hatred for two hundred and fifty pages, it can wear a little thin. He does eventually snap out of it, but it's so late in the game that it's pretty inconsequential. I think if the book had been based around ending Norman it would've been so much better. A Norman who still thinks little of himself, but manages not to let that get in the way of actually doing something. Who can put that to one side when push comes to shove and people are in danger. Yes it is realistic, and yes it may be human, but how much do you want to listen to someone whine about how useless they are?
Overall, a dark, brutal read, with cannibalism, mass-murder, rape, buckets of gore and a lot of violence. It is certainly not for the faint of heart. An interesting premise and a story that focuses a lot on the connections between people. The bonds, the cruelty and the kindness. As to the genre, I suppose it could be considered a horror/thriller/adventure with a little fantasy thrown in, but it comes across as more of an exploration of the human psyche, set against a backdrop that tears down all the social walls people normally hide behind .
Even with my gripe with Norman, I still enjoyed this book. It had tension, it had fear. If you don't like gore, this may be a little too intense for you, but if you're a fan of more adult-themed dystopian stories, this may be right up your street. If you're put off by my views of Norman, think as I did. Norman is like that one person you find yourself stuck with during the apocalypse. He's whiny and annoying (though you can see where he's coming from), but he's still a person, and that alone is enough of a reason to stick by him.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This is not a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% my own.
November 17, 2020
I really enjoyed this wintery, apocalypic,scifi/horror mesh - the story was gripping and I just loved Kevin Green's narration. At 7h26 it is a fairly swift listen - just perfect for a rainy November day.
October 18, 2020
The Apocolypse that Came
Hard winter set in the future when a huge glacier is on its way down England already decimated Scotland and well on the way to Liverpool where Norman and his wife Crissy still live, many of the inhabitants have already left to go south hoping they will be safe. Norman it seems is dependant on his wife and at the time quite selfish but not with Crissy he absolutely adores her, and while out he hears this roar and the river Mersey is rising more to the point of a tsunami and with the excess water Norman and Crissy could not make it to higher ground and were swept away, Norman was holding on tight to Crissy but with the force of the water Crissy's hand slips and she goes off in the rapid never to be seen again. Norman, when he comes round, is in a camp and he realized that there are others that will join forces with each other and help one another something that Norman has not done, before and he does make friends and one time goes out hunting with 3 others and they came across wolves vicious and while trying to fight them off with just sticks 1 gets killed so once back at camp things are not the same, one of the men blames Norman for his friend's death so is it time to move on? there is also talk of Norsemen and they came with the wolves and then the trolls, every day is like living on the edge. First, the Norsemen came and after fighting Norman decided he should go south and met up with different camps along the way, once the trolls arrived. By the time Norman gets nearer the south, he already lost his fingers to frostbite and the weather was freezing with blizzards on a daily basis, is it time to make a stand? Cold bleak listen but although the story is mainly about Norman's survival it also brings home that there are others and people will come together in a time of crisis. This was an audio version chilling and the narration was very good
Hard winter set in the future when a huge glacier is on its way down England already decimated Scotland and well on the way to Liverpool where Norman and his wife Crissy still live, many of the inhabitants have already left to go south hoping they will be safe. Norman it seems is dependant on his wife and at the time quite selfish but not with Crissy he absolutely adores her, and while out he hears this roar and the river Mersey is rising more to the point of a tsunami and with the excess water Norman and Crissy could not make it to higher ground and were swept away, Norman was holding on tight to Crissy but with the force of the water Crissy's hand slips and she goes off in the rapid never to be seen again. Norman, when he comes round, is in a camp and he realized that there are others that will join forces with each other and help one another something that Norman has not done, before and he does make friends and one time goes out hunting with 3 others and they came across wolves vicious and while trying to fight them off with just sticks 1 gets killed so once back at camp things are not the same, one of the men blames Norman for his friend's death so is it time to move on? there is also talk of Norsemen and they came with the wolves and then the trolls, every day is like living on the edge. First, the Norsemen came and after fighting Norman decided he should go south and met up with different camps along the way, once the trolls arrived. By the time Norman gets nearer the south, he already lost his fingers to frostbite and the weather was freezing with blizzards on a daily basis, is it time to make a stand? Cold bleak listen but although the story is mainly about Norman's survival it also brings home that there are others and people will come together in a time of crisis. This was an audio version chilling and the narration was very good
March 8, 2013
What I love about this story is the love Norman and Chrissie Leonard have for each other and their sheer determination to survive. England 2118 and the land is covered in ice and snow. Glaciers are moving in quickly from the north, but along with the snow and the cold comes a much bigger threat; the Norsemen and their trained wolves.
A tale of love, courage, strength, determination and growth, this story took me in and wrapped me up in its precise prose, its taut descriptions and gruesome scenes. Excellent story. Reminded me so much of The Stand with the description of the characters. Did not want this to end......
A tale of love, courage, strength, determination and growth, this story took me in and wrapped me up in its precise prose, its taut descriptions and gruesome scenes. Excellent story. Reminded me so much of The Stand with the description of the characters. Did not want this to end......
March 25, 2022
Author Neil Davies builds view of the world in a future destroyed by an unstoppable glacier. The power of Mother Nature to take over mankind’s creations and obliterate them with ice is terrifying. Survivors who remain in the icy city face unbelievable challenges that push them to deaths door. Some enter without a prayer. Some lose trust in all others.
The onslaught of the flowing ice from the obliterated Scotland to England abruptly changes living conditions, unless one can escape. The author does a great job of build the tension and terror with the sights, sounds, and condition driven experience. When the sounds of the ice roar there is only one choice for our main characters. When Norman loses the hand of his wife and partner Chrissy all hope seems to go with her. Norman is pushed south and sustains serious injuries. He is forced to shore near an encampment of other survivors.
Horrifying threats of Norsement, wolves, and trolls kill the inadequately armed humans, forcing Norman to continue his journey and finding the will for survival. The obstacles Norman faces from the environmental conditions could break anyone. Many times, I felt the sensations experienced by the Norman. His survival depends on his changing his perspectives on the possibilities.
The narrator, Kevin E. Green, delivered this story interjecting some emotion. The accents were perfect. I felt it dragged in places and sounded raspy in areas that I found distracting. The overall quality was acceptable.
This is a powerful story for those who enjoy dystopian worlds that allude to hell on earth. The world building and growth of the character is a fascinating story of endurance and faith in others.
The onslaught of the flowing ice from the obliterated Scotland to England abruptly changes living conditions, unless one can escape. The author does a great job of build the tension and terror with the sights, sounds, and condition driven experience. When the sounds of the ice roar there is only one choice for our main characters. When Norman loses the hand of his wife and partner Chrissy all hope seems to go with her. Norman is pushed south and sustains serious injuries. He is forced to shore near an encampment of other survivors.
Horrifying threats of Norsement, wolves, and trolls kill the inadequately armed humans, forcing Norman to continue his journey and finding the will for survival. The obstacles Norman faces from the environmental conditions could break anyone. Many times, I felt the sensations experienced by the Norman. His survival depends on his changing his perspectives on the possibilities.
The narrator, Kevin E. Green, delivered this story interjecting some emotion. The accents were perfect. I felt it dragged in places and sounded raspy in areas that I found distracting. The overall quality was acceptable.
This is a powerful story for those who enjoy dystopian worlds that allude to hell on earth. The world building and growth of the character is a fascinating story of endurance and faith in others.
December 15, 2020
This was excellent!I did not want to stop listening! An iceberg,Norsemen with wolves and monsters!Who could believe all this in one book.Pity the people who encounter these things!Kevin E. Green was a terrific narrator.I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.'
January 16, 2021
“Standing there in the river frozen by fear, only one word came to mind to describe the creatures destroying the city. Eating the people. However mellow dramatic and childish it might sound...Monsters. “
I really enjoyed HARD WINTER and it’s cold post apocalyptic setting. Overall an easy read and perfect for January!
I really enjoyed HARD WINTER and it’s cold post apocalyptic setting. Overall an easy read and perfect for January!
May 19, 2013
Hard Winter by Neil Davies is the first-person narrative of 50-something Englishman Norman Leonard, an Everyman battling for survival in a bleak, post-apocalyptic landscape of ice and snow. Davies is a master of characterisation. Norman is a flawed and conflicted character, full of fear and self-loathing, and it is his flaws that make him so sympathetic; it is only too easy for the reader to identify with him and to think, “There but for the grace of God (and futuristic Ice Ages) go I.” It won’t be much of a spoiler to reveal that the hardships Norman endures bring him ultimately to a kind of redemption.
And oh, the suspense! That’s another thing that the author handles superbly well. There were some genuinely heart-thumping moments when I could not foresee how our reluctant hero was ever going to extricate himself from the onslaught of death and terror. Of course, the fact that I cared about what happened to him made it all the more suspenseful.
And the nitpicks? (If you’re a regular reader of my reviews, you just know there are going to be some). There’s a supernatural element to this story that didn’t entirely win me over (I won’t reveal the nature of the villain – spoilers and all that – but I will say that it has something to do with The Roar). Now don’t get me wrong, I love my supernatural creatures as much as the next speculative fiction fan, but I felt that it was tacked on to the story. All the other threats to Norman’s survival are grounded in the very realistic possibility of falling prey to starvation, hypothermia or human villainy. The creatures leaped straight out of mythology with no explanation and unaccompanied by any other unreal agents. That being said, there is a poignant moment towards the end of the book where Norman and his friends realize that their foes might be more than just murderous monsters, and that flutter of empathy the reader feels for them makes their inclusion worthwhile.
I also would have preferred a slightly firmer editorial hand. Norman mentions feeling “nauseous” a lot (12 counts of “nauseous” and 3 counts of “nausea”, according to my handy dandy Kindle search option), when the correct word is “nauseated”. There’s a slight excess of filtering (one of my pet peeves, but judging by the number of indie books I read that filter when they shouldn’t, I’m the only reader in the world that cares). And Davies has an ever-so-slight tendency towards repetition in the interests of hammering his point home to the reader.
Ultimately, though, my nitpicks are just that – minor criticisms of issues that are unlikely to bother anybody except for the most pedantic of readers. I highly recommend Hard Winter to lovers of apocalyptic fiction and character-driven horror.
And oh, the suspense! That’s another thing that the author handles superbly well. There were some genuinely heart-thumping moments when I could not foresee how our reluctant hero was ever going to extricate himself from the onslaught of death and terror. Of course, the fact that I cared about what happened to him made it all the more suspenseful.
And the nitpicks? (If you’re a regular reader of my reviews, you just know there are going to be some). There’s a supernatural element to this story that didn’t entirely win me over (I won’t reveal the nature of the villain – spoilers and all that – but I will say that it has something to do with The Roar). Now don’t get me wrong, I love my supernatural creatures as much as the next speculative fiction fan, but I felt that it was tacked on to the story. All the other threats to Norman’s survival are grounded in the very realistic possibility of falling prey to starvation, hypothermia or human villainy. The creatures leaped straight out of mythology with no explanation and unaccompanied by any other unreal agents. That being said, there is a poignant moment towards the end of the book where Norman and his friends realize that their foes might be more than just murderous monsters, and that flutter of empathy the reader feels for them makes their inclusion worthwhile.
I also would have preferred a slightly firmer editorial hand. Norman mentions feeling “nauseous” a lot (12 counts of “nauseous” and 3 counts of “nausea”, according to my handy dandy Kindle search option), when the correct word is “nauseated”. There’s a slight excess of filtering (one of my pet peeves, but judging by the number of indie books I read that filter when they shouldn’t, I’m the only reader in the world that cares). And Davies has an ever-so-slight tendency towards repetition in the interests of hammering his point home to the reader.
Ultimately, though, my nitpicks are just that – minor criticisms of issues that are unlikely to bother anybody except for the most pedantic of readers. I highly recommend Hard Winter to lovers of apocalyptic fiction and character-driven horror.
August 20, 2013
Neil Davies' Hard Winter is a brutal look at the probable realities of a sudden apocalyptic global ice age with a dash of fantasy tossed in. Most of the story is gritty, grimy and even gruesome. The lead character is an anti-hero but so much like a regular Joe that I couldn't help but feel for him and empathize with him, even if I didn't like him much until the end.
The worldbuilding in this story was so vivid that I actually felt the cold while reading it. I winced when people got hurt. I cried when they died. It took me a while to read it just because I tend toward the more hopeful stories. The fantasy element was interesting particularly near the end, though I thought it was a bit odd in an SF since there was no hint of explanation to why it was there. It did work nicely in the end.
For those who read SFR, I did tag it as such because, technically, it does meet the criteria. But it's a dark book. No fluffy romance here.
The only "bad" for me was the editing. The punctuation in the modes of address was missing or off 99% of the time, but right a handful of times. It was very distracting but admittedly many people probably won't notice. The rest of the editing seemed fine.
Altogether I'm glad I read this. But it's way to dark for me to read again. I have enough trouble staying positive.
The worldbuilding in this story was so vivid that I actually felt the cold while reading it. I winced when people got hurt. I cried when they died. It took me a while to read it just because I tend toward the more hopeful stories. The fantasy element was interesting particularly near the end, though I thought it was a bit odd in an SF since there was no hint of explanation to why it was there. It did work nicely in the end.
For those who read SFR, I did tag it as such because, technically, it does meet the criteria. But it's a dark book. No fluffy romance here.
The only "bad" for me was the editing. The punctuation in the modes of address was missing or off 99% of the time, but right a handful of times. It was very distracting but admittedly many people probably won't notice. The rest of the editing seemed fine.
Altogether I'm glad I read this. But it's way to dark for me to read again. I have enough trouble staying positive.
August 6, 2016
Hard Winter: The Novel by Neil Davies is set in a fictional post apocalyptic future. Centered on the experiences of one very damaged human, the author takes the reader on a journey of hardship, loss and transformation. The story line is quite believable and the finale satisfying. It took a few chapters to connect but moved swiftly as the characters evolved and began to interact.
A fun read for a wintry weekend.
A fun read for a wintry weekend.
May 4, 2013
Tightly written narrative, and great timing. The author may have done too well at making the MC somewhat unlikable - because I really didn't like him! Enjoyed the story though, and there were some elements brought in that were quite surprising. Might have ended a bit too abruptly, but a great ride nonetheless.
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