What do you think?
Rate this book
Wranglestone #2
Timberdark
"It doesn't matter what kind of monster it is. Anger, heartbreak or the Dead. They all feed on the same thing… Chaos."
Peter and Cooper arrive in West Wranglestone searching for a fresh start. Could this be the place where the living and the Returned can exist together and finally be safe? A place to call home?
But West Wranglestone is far from the utopia they were hoping for and the forces controlling the town have powers beyond anything the two boys ever imagined. As Cooper grows closer to others like himself, Peter ends up confessing his fears about the Returned to the sheriff's son, Teddy.
Can Peter and Cooper set aside their differences and learn to trust each other again?
A thrilling and thought-provoking sequel to the highly acclaimed WRANGLESTONE, for fans of Patrick Ness, Marcus Sedgwick, DREAD NATION and The Walking Dead.
PRAISE FOR
'Fresh and compelling and totally immersive.' – Sunday Irish Independent
'Charlton's fantastic debut is both a page turning zombie thriller and a beautifully drawn gay love story.' – The i
'A bucolic, intimate twist on the zombie/post-apocalyptic story... It's impressive how Darren has combined the pace, thrills, and gore you expect from zombie fiction with a genuinely tender romance.' – David Owen, author of GRIEF ANGELS
'Thrilling zombie epic meets gorgeous gay love story. The world-building is deft, the writing poetic … this is very special! Properly scary and properly heart-warming.' – William Hussey, author of HIDEOUS BEAUTY
'A complete treasure of a book – page-turning, stunning writing, an extraordinary setting and with a gorgeous love story at its heart.' – Lisa Heathfield, author of I AM NOT A NUMBER
Peter and Cooper arrive in West Wranglestone searching for a fresh start. Could this be the place where the living and the Returned can exist together and finally be safe? A place to call home?
But West Wranglestone is far from the utopia they were hoping for and the forces controlling the town have powers beyond anything the two boys ever imagined. As Cooper grows closer to others like himself, Peter ends up confessing his fears about the Returned to the sheriff's son, Teddy.
Can Peter and Cooper set aside their differences and learn to trust each other again?
A thrilling and thought-provoking sequel to the highly acclaimed WRANGLESTONE, for fans of Patrick Ness, Marcus Sedgwick, DREAD NATION and The Walking Dead.
PRAISE FOR
'Fresh and compelling and totally immersive.' – Sunday Irish Independent
'Charlton's fantastic debut is both a page turning zombie thriller and a beautifully drawn gay love story.' – The i
'A bucolic, intimate twist on the zombie/post-apocalyptic story... It's impressive how Darren has combined the pace, thrills, and gore you expect from zombie fiction with a genuinely tender romance.' – David Owen, author of GRIEF ANGELS
'Thrilling zombie epic meets gorgeous gay love story. The world-building is deft, the writing poetic … this is very special! Properly scary and properly heart-warming.' – William Hussey, author of HIDEOUS BEAUTY
'A complete treasure of a book – page-turning, stunning writing, an extraordinary setting and with a gorgeous love story at its heart.' – Lisa Heathfield, author of I AM NOT A NUMBER
327 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2022
82 people are currently reading
2531 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 222 reviews
October 2, 2022
This sequel to Wranglestone said ignore the zombies, the real evil is domestic bliss. I sort of understood the message that this story was trying to convey, but I felt like a lot of the actual heart racing, page turning horror was lost in this book.
Wandering around a bit before ending up in the small town designed to be a way to get the population used to capitalism again after living off the land for so long, Peter and Cooper start to drift apart, torn between what they believe each other wants.
And that's the problem I had with this story, the miscommunication trope is one of my least favourites, and I felt that had they just sat down and actually talked about their feelings, this tension could have been solved in under an hour, instead of me having to sit through the teeth clenchingly awkward scene of Peter following Cooper into the woods and watching him masturbate.
I think the book was trying to show us that the world as it is now is very bad and the true way of life is living off the land, but it didn't manage to portray this in a way I could understand. It's idea was to show a monotony of life under capitalism, but to a reader that's happy at home right now with their laptop and books, I also felt like a day to day of gardening and I don't know, sitting on a boat fishing also seemed monotonous.
I was sad to see the exit of a character I grew to love, in such a sudden way that never felt resolved. While the story itself was wrapped up well with a good, if somewhat slightly confusing, ending, I can't deny I was left with a few questions.
Wandering around a bit before ending up in the small town designed to be a way to get the population used to capitalism again after living off the land for so long, Peter and Cooper start to drift apart, torn between what they believe each other wants.
And that's the problem I had with this story, the miscommunication trope is one of my least favourites, and I felt that had they just sat down and actually talked about their feelings, this tension could have been solved in under an hour, instead of me having to sit through the teeth clenchingly awkward scene of Peter following Cooper into the woods and watching him masturbate.
I think the book was trying to show us that the world as it is now is very bad and the true way of life is living off the land, but it didn't manage to portray this in a way I could understand. It's idea was to show a monotony of life under capitalism, but to a reader that's happy at home right now with their laptop and books, I also felt like a day to day of gardening and I don't know, sitting on a boat fishing also seemed monotonous.
I was sad to see the exit of a character I grew to love, in such a sudden way that never felt resolved. While the story itself was wrapped up well with a good, if somewhat slightly confusing, ending, I can't deny I was left with a few questions.
January 14, 2023
2.5/5 stars
Apparently, the real villain was consumerism all along.
*insert eye roll here*
Timberdark is the sequel to Wranglestone, a YA zombie apocalypse book with gay teen leads. Peter and Cooper, as well as the rest of their community, must learn to integrate back into modern society now that the zombies aren’t as big of a threat. However, they struggle with their different wants and are fearful that their new lives are leading them towards different directions.
I hated the direction Timberdark went to, although it is actually much better written than the first book. It was much less confusing, although Darren Charlton still has a tendency to make leaps in his narrative that feel like he skipped a few steps so I had to keep checking if I missed something.
The book started off with a powerful and sweet moment between Peter and Cooper which then took a complete 180 immediately after with the two of them stopping communicating with each other, leading to much of the problems they encountered in the book. Then the book pulled a “The Happening” and made it all about how consumerism and materialism and capitalism is the problem. The world is just saving humans. The zombies were never the problem at all (in fact they aren’t even zombies). That was a big nope from me, and I completely checked out after that.
Timberdark improved on Wranglestone and is a much more readable book, but it feels like the author had an agenda that got in the way of telling a good story.
Apparently, the real villain was consumerism all along.
*insert eye roll here*
Timberdark is the sequel to Wranglestone, a YA zombie apocalypse book with gay teen leads. Peter and Cooper, as well as the rest of their community, must learn to integrate back into modern society now that the zombies aren’t as big of a threat. However, they struggle with their different wants and are fearful that their new lives are leading them towards different directions.
I hated the direction Timberdark went to, although it is actually much better written than the first book. It was much less confusing, although Darren Charlton still has a tendency to make leaps in his narrative that feel like he skipped a few steps so I had to keep checking if I missed something.
The book started off with a powerful and sweet moment between Peter and Cooper which then took a complete 180 immediately after with the two of them stopping communicating with each other, leading to much of the problems they encountered in the book. Then the book pulled a “The Happening” and made it all about how consumerism and materialism and capitalism is the problem. The world is just saving humans. The zombies were never the problem at all (in fact they aren’t even zombies). That was a big nope from me, and I completely checked out after that.
Timberdark improved on Wranglestone and is a much more readable book, but it feels like the author had an agenda that got in the way of telling a good story.
January 22, 2023
very conflicted about this. i love pete and i love coop, i love the concept and so badly wanted it to work. i think the story and progression of things made a lot more sense in this one than the first, but it still didn't feel satisfying, and again, some of it confused me. i think the way pete is blamed for every problem is just wrong, when actually he was perfectly justified in feeling weird about what was going on when cooper kept everything from him, was so cold and distant with him, and basically ignored him for half the book. i don't think it was at all fair that it was framed like cooper did every thing out of his love for peter, when actually, he wasn't showing that love at all. also, the end of pete's dad was very, very unsatisfying.
overall, i think i liked the concept of this story more than i liked the actual playing out of everything. had it not been for my love of the characters, i probably wouldn't have finished it.
overall, i think i liked the concept of this story more than i liked the actual playing out of everything. had it not been for my love of the characters, i probably wouldn't have finished it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to read
October 17, 2021Lay it on me boys 'n lemme cry about it
September 25, 2022
Honestly? A touch disappointed. Whilst the familiar tones of Cooper seem the same, the warmth and environment feels so much more artificial. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a mildly enjoyable read. Plot points move fairly smoothly and mostly it is fairy believable. My two main issues are:
- Peter and Cooper are too melodramatic for me. It’s all to overblown and much less natural than their early relationship. People don’t talk or communicate like this. It’s hard to invest in characters who don’t feel like people.
- the end. I mean, Warm Bodies did it first and did it smoother in my opinion. The book get anti climactic to me and just like it had no point or purpose. I wish it had just ended with the first.
Overall it lacked the heart of the first. It was a story told in an average manner. That’s all.
- Peter and Cooper are too melodramatic for me. It’s all to overblown and much less natural than their early relationship. People don’t talk or communicate like this. It’s hard to invest in characters who don’t feel like people.
- the end. I mean, Warm Bodies did it first and did it smoother in my opinion. The book get anti climactic to me and just like it had no point or purpose. I wish it had just ended with the first.
Overall it lacked the heart of the first. It was a story told in an average manner. That’s all.
September 11, 2022
4.5! The sequel and conclusion to the epic supernatural western, Wranglestone, had a lot to live up to and it rose to the challenge with the instantly recognizable skill of Darren Charlton. The first book knocked me out with its genre-blending, metaphoric storytelling and LGBT+ rep. I was pleasantly surprised that I could love a YA Zombie novel as much as I adored that one. Unfortunately, I have seen some troubling interpretations of that metaphor and its themes in more recent reviews. While I respect the subjectivity of art and appreciate everyone's right to get what they will out of a novel, I can't help but feel saddened that the beautiful analogy has been reduced to what (I believe wholeheartedly) is the opposite of the intention. For me, Wranglestone is a metaphor for queer people and any marginalized or vilified group being seen as a monolith of evil and how categorizing people in a binary way like that is actually doing a great disservice to those who are proclaiming that evil and to the world as a whole. We all are complex and multifaceted beings capable of good and evil but the one thing that is for sure is that we need each other. That's what I took from that first book and Timberdark drives that point home in fresh and inventive ways.
The world that Charlton has created in these two books is so immersive and creative that it feels completely unique and exciting. From the safe haven of Wranglestone itself in the first book, he creates a vivid dystopian wilderness that is captivating and haunting. Timberdark sees that world expanding across new horizons that take Peter and Cooper to the closest thing they've known to civilization. Their bond is tested in authentic ways that continue to illustrate the themes established in the first installment while adding new characters, locations and even a phantasmic villain to boot. All of this feels so intrinsically Wrangletone and it really speaks to Charlton's firm grip on his particular style.
Of course, it's almost always an inevitability that the sequel will be compared to and competing with its predecessor but Timberdark only slightly suffers from that curse. It certainly has its own sense of identity and brings new tricks to the table that will thrill fans of the first book. It also leans (quite heavily at times) on some of the catch-phrases and motifs from that novel. That, along with a slower finish, ultimately brought this one down to a 4.5 for me but that's very nit-picky. This is a book that I have anticipated more than almost any other and so the expectations were extremely high. Charlton did not let me down but only renewed my passion for this kind of story. It's the kind of book that sucks you in with a dazzling and dangerous setting while sweeping you into that youthful romance you thought you had become impervious to. The exact type of novel that I did not have access to when I was younger is now here for me to relive those emotions and see "young me" represented in a thrilling story of adventure and romance.
The world that Charlton has created in these two books is so immersive and creative that it feels completely unique and exciting. From the safe haven of Wranglestone itself in the first book, he creates a vivid dystopian wilderness that is captivating and haunting. Timberdark sees that world expanding across new horizons that take Peter and Cooper to the closest thing they've known to civilization. Their bond is tested in authentic ways that continue to illustrate the themes established in the first installment while adding new characters, locations and even a phantasmic villain to boot. All of this feels so intrinsically Wrangletone and it really speaks to Charlton's firm grip on his particular style.
Of course, it's almost always an inevitability that the sequel will be compared to and competing with its predecessor but Timberdark only slightly suffers from that curse. It certainly has its own sense of identity and brings new tricks to the table that will thrill fans of the first book. It also leans (quite heavily at times) on some of the catch-phrases and motifs from that novel. That, along with a slower finish, ultimately brought this one down to a 4.5 for me but that's very nit-picky. This is a book that I have anticipated more than almost any other and so the expectations were extremely high. Charlton did not let me down but only renewed my passion for this kind of story. It's the kind of book that sucks you in with a dazzling and dangerous setting while sweeping you into that youthful romance you thought you had become impervious to. The exact type of novel that I did not have access to when I was younger is now here for me to relive those emotions and see "young me" represented in a thrilling story of adventure and romance.
July 6, 2022
I received a digital copy of this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
As a fan of Wranglestone, I expected to enjoy Timberdark and I definitely did. I did, at times find myself slightly confused with the plotline, which wasn't hugely concerning as I am sure the author intended to confuse! Eventually, it did all make sense, but for that reason, I can't give the book 5 stars as I spent a lot of it getting myself in a muddle.
However- the characters of Cooper and Peter are very dear to me, their connection and relationship never failed to make me smile when reading Wranglestone. So- when the troubles began to occur with their relationship in Timberdark I definitely found myself in a lot of emotional turmoil!
As a left-wing, anti-capitalist person this book was right up my street, I found myself highlighting passages that I agreed with incredibly often. After all, when we have nothing but the land and nature, modern society really doesn't make much sense. This book challenges the work-driven prisons we have created for ourselves when we could experience so much more.
Finally, the way this book handles love, especially early within a relationship is one of the most beautiful things about it. I can't pinpoint one particular quote to sum it up, somehow the author captures emotions in such a realistic way and he recreates accurately how big emotions feel inside us, especially when you're still young and learning.
Overall, Timberdark was a 4 star read for me and I cannot wait to read more from Darren Charlton.
As a fan of Wranglestone, I expected to enjoy Timberdark and I definitely did. I did, at times find myself slightly confused with the plotline, which wasn't hugely concerning as I am sure the author intended to confuse! Eventually, it did all make sense, but for that reason, I can't give the book 5 stars as I spent a lot of it getting myself in a muddle.
However- the characters of Cooper and Peter are very dear to me, their connection and relationship never failed to make me smile when reading Wranglestone. So- when the troubles began to occur with their relationship in Timberdark I definitely found myself in a lot of emotional turmoil!
As a left-wing, anti-capitalist person this book was right up my street, I found myself highlighting passages that I agreed with incredibly often. After all, when we have nothing but the land and nature, modern society really doesn't make much sense. This book challenges the work-driven prisons we have created for ourselves when we could experience so much more.
Finally, the way this book handles love, especially early within a relationship is one of the most beautiful things about it. I can't pinpoint one particular quote to sum it up, somehow the author captures emotions in such a realistic way and he recreates accurately how big emotions feel inside us, especially when you're still young and learning.
Overall, Timberdark was a 4 star read for me and I cannot wait to read more from Darren Charlton.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 24, 2023
This feels like a book where the author will feel incredibly meta and intelligent for making the true threat modernism in a book about zombies, but actually it was boring and patronising.
“Don’t be mistaken, Peter. We were the ones half asleep. We were the ones in a torpor. We were the zombies”
I get it, jobs are boring and you daydream and we fill our homes and lives with things we don’t really need and would love to return to nature. When you make it the main theme of your book with such a heavy hand though it just feels quite a bit like ‘old man yells at cloud’
The first book was thrilling. I couldn’t put it down, it was sweet and heartbreaking and had my breath caught in the life or death moments. This one was boring, and more confusing in parts, and I clocked what was happening about a third of the way through with the main theme of the book and rolled my eyes.
I hate miscommunication as a trope, and it was the main issue in this one. Just talk to each other!
Also the ending was awful. It felt like the author realised he needed something to make us sad so just threw it in for good measure, so it felt cheap and unnecessary.
“Don’t be mistaken, Peter. We were the ones half asleep. We were the ones in a torpor. We were the zombies”
I get it, jobs are boring and you daydream and we fill our homes and lives with things we don’t really need and would love to return to nature. When you make it the main theme of your book with such a heavy hand though it just feels quite a bit like ‘old man yells at cloud’
The first book was thrilling. I couldn’t put it down, it was sweet and heartbreaking and had my breath caught in the life or death moments. This one was boring, and more confusing in parts, and I clocked what was happening about a third of the way through with the main theme of the book and rolled my eyes.
I hate miscommunication as a trope, and it was the main issue in this one. Just talk to each other!
Also the ending was awful. It felt like the author realised he needed something to make us sad so just threw it in for good measure, so it felt cheap and unnecessary.
August 26, 2022
it's not you, it's me, and so on and so forth
five reasons to read this book/series (& ignore my rating)
Rep: gay mc, gay li, Cheyenne side character, sapphic side character
CWs: gore, animal death
five reasons to read this book/series (& ignore my rating)
Rep: gay mc, gay li, Cheyenne side character, sapphic side character
CWs: gore, animal death
October 29, 2022
Having adored Wranglestone, I spent a long time anticipating Timberdark, and I'm glad I finally got to read it. But while I definitely did enjoy it, I definitely enjoyed it less than Wranglestone. The writing was still beautiful, but I fel less immersed and invested in the story. After a very intense prologue, I was hoping for a little more action, but everything moved rather slowly, which didn't hold my attention.
August 13, 2023
1.75/5
This was so boring, and I really struggled with finishing this. I initially didn't mind that this went in a more domestic direction, but in order for me to enjoy domestic stories, I first have to care about the characters, which I didn't. I appreciate how this ended and what it tried to say, but so much of this is poorly written. I also didn't mind that there was a lesser focus on the zombies since they're so underdeveloped anyway (how does returned biology work? are they dead or not? they have bodily functions, and heartbeats, and they eat regular food, so they arent zombies? huh??)
The writing isn't very good either. Action scenes would randomly appear as if the author was afraid the reader was bored (which I was, but still). The scenes would end as quickly as they started. I enjoyed the first book more because it had more exciting action, and the plot was stronger (but still not good). The first book was like fast food, this book was cold Mcdonalds' fries.
I could write a longer review but this book just drained me. Not because it was hard to read or anything, but because I had to force myself to finish it. I need to move on to another book to avoid a slump I can feel looming. The only reason this isn't getting 2 stars is because of the cover and the sprayed edges. Its a crime for two books this pretty to be this bad.
This was so boring, and I really struggled with finishing this. I initially didn't mind that this went in a more domestic direction, but in order for me to enjoy domestic stories, I first have to care about the characters, which I didn't. I appreciate how this ended and what it tried to say, but so much of this is poorly written. I also didn't mind that there was a lesser focus on the zombies since they're so underdeveloped anyway (how does returned biology work? are they dead or not? they have bodily functions, and heartbeats, and they eat regular food, so they arent zombies? huh??)
The writing isn't very good either. Action scenes would randomly appear as if the author was afraid the reader was bored (which I was, but still). The scenes would end as quickly as they started. I enjoyed the first book more because it had more exciting action, and the plot was stronger (but still not good). The first book was like fast food, this book was cold Mcdonalds' fries.
I could write a longer review but this book just drained me. Not because it was hard to read or anything, but because I had to force myself to finish it. I need to move on to another book to avoid a slump I can feel looming. The only reason this isn't getting 2 stars is because of the cover and the sprayed edges. Its a crime for two books this pretty to be this bad.
April 27, 2023
Unfortunately this books did not live up to the standards that Wranglestone set, with a big plot twist that was so eye-rolling that made me want to drop it.
The author went down a "we, humans and consumerism are the real enemy" and "real life is being close to the land" path full of cliches.
The allegorie became reality at some point, and I was not a fan of it.
The character development heavily relied on miscommunication due to keeping secrets which usually makes me side with the character who stays in the dark, aka Peter.
The relationship was still cute and I enjoyed the first part of the book, which had a really heartbreaking moment.
The author went down a "we, humans and consumerism are the real enemy" and "real life is being close to the land" path full of cliches.
The allegorie became reality at some point, and I was not a fan of it.
The character development heavily relied on miscommunication due to keeping secrets which usually makes me side with the character who stays in the dark, aka Peter.
The relationship was still cute and I enjoyed the first part of the book, which had a really heartbreaking moment.
September 16, 2022
I love those boys but my god this book would have been 80 pages if they’d just had a conversation.
March 6, 2023
Sabes que un libro retrata bien a los adolescentes cuando de vez en cuando tienes que pararte a aceptar que tú a los 16 años también eras idiota. Dicho esto, me parece que existen algunas inconsistencias en su comportamiento y personalidad teniendo en cuenta que no transcurre tanto tiempo entre ambos libros.
Tal vez habría sido mejor idea haber recortado páginas de este libro y haber hecho una sola entrega conjunta con el anterior, porque la mayor parte de la acción sucede en unas 150 páginas y es bastante predecible. La idea es buena, la ejecución no tanto, y además hay ciertos mensajes e ideas que me chirrían bastante, pero prefiero hacer una reseña sin spoilers.
Tal vez habría sido mejor idea haber recortado páginas de este libro y haber hecho una sola entrega conjunta con el anterior, porque la mayor parte de la acción sucede en unas 150 páginas y es bastante predecible. La idea es buena, la ejecución no tanto, y además hay ciertos mensajes e ideas que me chirrían bastante, pero prefiero hacer una reseña sin spoilers.
September 24, 2022
Timberdark is a beautiful, emotional and powerful read. This book seems to sit on the outskirts of a genre, it's part zombie novel, part supernatural-ish western, and part light horror. While the pacing of this book is much slower than the first, it really seems to work for this story. In a way, things have settled down, and Peter and Cooper are now navigating some of the more mundane of life's issues.
As someone who typically rolls their eyes at depictions of romance in novels, I have to say I really enjoyed this one. The way love is handled here felt so damn realistic. The author seems to be skilled at capturing the real, raw, and human side of emotions.
Towards the end of the novel, the message did start to feel a little heavy-handed, I mean, I know I'm in no way the target audience here, and that this book is aimed at younger readers, but I did have moments of thinking "okay dude, I get it." That said, this was such a lovely, heart-warming (and breaking) conclusion to the story of Wranglestone, and I loved being back in that world again.
As someone who typically rolls their eyes at depictions of romance in novels, I have to say I really enjoyed this one. The way love is handled here felt so damn realistic. The author seems to be skilled at capturing the real, raw, and human side of emotions.
Towards the end of the novel, the message did start to feel a little heavy-handed, I mean, I know I'm in no way the target audience here, and that this book is aimed at younger readers, but I did have moments of thinking "okay dude, I get it." That said, this was such a lovely, heart-warming (and breaking) conclusion to the story of Wranglestone, and I loved being back in that world again.
October 9, 2022
To be honest I didn't love this as much as I did Wranglestone, I really enjoyed the writing, the relationships that came but it felt the story little lost in the middle, and the ending was too rushed.
I got the whole metaphor that "Zombies don't kill people, consumerism does" and I really enjoyed the growth in the relationship between Cooper and Peter and I liked that they got their (reasonably) happy ending but it was a hard slog to get their with them.
I got the whole metaphor that "Zombies don't kill people, consumerism does" and I really enjoyed the growth in the relationship between Cooper and Peter and I liked that they got their (reasonably) happy ending but it was a hard slog to get their with them.
September 21, 2022
“And the weight of admitting to not being happy, of having failed at happiness, was almost unbearable.”
The sequel to Wranglestone failed to meet the high expectations that I had, but there was enough going for this to be a (somewhat) satisfying conclusion to Peter and Cooper’s story. I kinda wish Darren Charlton hadn’t bothered though…
The sequel to Wranglestone failed to meet the high expectations that I had, but there was enough going for this to be a (somewhat) satisfying conclusion to Peter and Cooper’s story. I kinda wish Darren Charlton hadn’t bothered though…
February 6, 2024
My emotions while reading this book was all over the place. Why Becky was wearing peters shirt was never explained tho, the ideas seemed a bit rushed at the end and was hard to grasp but the overall story was good.
July 17, 2022
I enjoyed Wranglestone last year so was intrigued to see where Darren Charlton would take the story in the sequel.
Timberdark picks up right where Wranglestone left off with Peter and Cooper out in the wilderness looking for other 'returnee's'. The opening sequence was spooky, gripping and atmospheric and just as within Wranglestone, the descriptive writing of the setting really paints a beautiful picture.
Peter and Cooper's relationship in this story is written well and realistically for the characters age, I could really relate to that feeling of first love, and the complexities and doubts that arise when you're really starting to get to know someone.
I think this would be a great book for younger readers, it is full of twists and turns, adventure and young love.
I received a digital copy of this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Net Galley and Little Tiger Group.
Timberdark picks up right where Wranglestone left off with Peter and Cooper out in the wilderness looking for other 'returnee's'. The opening sequence was spooky, gripping and atmospheric and just as within Wranglestone, the descriptive writing of the setting really paints a beautiful picture.
Peter and Cooper's relationship in this story is written well and realistically for the characters age, I could really relate to that feeling of first love, and the complexities and doubts that arise when you're really starting to get to know someone.
I think this would be a great book for younger readers, it is full of twists and turns, adventure and young love.
I received a digital copy of this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Net Galley and Little Tiger Group.
September 18, 2022
Oh my God. This book-
It's been a while since I read Wranglestone but I know I enjoyed reading Timberdark a lot more.
The amount of twists in this book, it gave me trust issues.
This lived up to my expectations, I literally was waiting impatiently for it to release and then had to wait longer until my Waterstones got it lol. The sprayed edges on this book actually put years on my life and I feel like cover art is not appreciated as much as it should be so can we just talk about how BEAUTIFUL this books cover and Wranglestone's cover is?? Even without the sprayed edges, good lord, its so good
Not this review not even being about the actual book Idk how to write reviews sorry
It's been a while since I read Wranglestone but I know I enjoyed reading Timberdark a lot more.
The amount of twists in this book, it gave me trust issues.
This lived up to my expectations, I literally was waiting impatiently for it to release and then had to wait longer until my Waterstones got it lol. The sprayed edges on this book actually put years on my life and I feel like cover art is not appreciated as much as it should be so can we just talk about how BEAUTIFUL this books cover and Wranglestone's cover is?? Even without the sprayed edges, good lord, its so good
Not this review not even being about the actual book Idk how to write reviews sorry
March 3, 2024
A novella trying very hard to be a novel, like a small helping of butter scraped across too much bread. Skated on past some genuinely interesting social and political concepts, and a solid story, but lost itself in so much fluff and waffle it moved at a snail’s - or zombie’s - pace. Spent quite a lot of it wanting to slap the main character round the ear for being thick as two short ones, and the rest of it trying not to nod off during long stretches of snowy nothing. Shame, as I really enjoyed the first one.
zzzz
August 3, 2022#1) Wranglestone ★★★★☆
Blog • Trigger Warning Database • StoryGraph
September 26, 2022
Suddenly and bizarrely anti-capitalist and anti-materialistic and a weird obsession with writing about a naked 16 year old boy
Absolutely unnecessary sequel
Absolutely unnecessary sequel
June 13, 2025
How can a book about survival in a zombie apocalypse be boring? what the hell?!
and what's with the strange hair fetish? like every third sentence was about greasy hair or the hair under the navel. the rest were repetition because our love interest was only smart enough for about 5 sentences. and the other one is a walking Battered Wife Syndrome. holy fuck, what's this book?!
and what's with the strange hair fetish? like every third sentence was about greasy hair or the hair under the navel. the rest were repetition because our love interest was only smart enough for about 5 sentences. and the other one is a walking Battered Wife Syndrome. holy fuck, what's this book?!
March 9, 2023
DNF... It was boring and I couldn't get through it.... That's all I have to say about this
March 12, 2025
It was a good boy! Really enjoyed the twist and unexpected turns that kept me wanting more! It was a nice finale to the book too! :)
October 10, 2022
Never having fitted in out in the wilderness, Peter's dream looks set to become reality as, after leaving Wranglestone, their isolated community prepare to re-enter society by trialling out modern life in town. But Peter's dream is his boyfriend Cooper's nightmare, and with Cooper's newfound connection to the Dead, Peter is faced with the prospect of gaining everything he ever wanted at the cost of losing the love of his life.
I'm so conflicted. Darren Charlton's writing is beautifully sparce; he is the master of leaving so much unsaid, which creates an incredible atmosphere of yearning almosts and is somehow quietly majestic, much like the expansive environment he renders with such acute precision in the early stages of this novel and throughout its predecessor, Wranglestone. Cooper and Peter are one of my favourite couples, and Cooper in particular transcends the page, despite his limited page-time and dialogue. I am disappointed the book moved in this direction, because it meant less time with Cooper and Peter together, and less focus on Cooper, which for me were some of the major strengths of Wranglestone. Leaving the natural setting, which allowed the author's prose to shine, was necessary for the events of the book, but for me limited my reading enjoyment.
The problem for me is that, in Timberdark, much of what the author does best is shunted off, leaving long periods of nothing very much at all. A little of this is enough to get the point across, I think, and I understand why there needed to be demonstrations of how soul-sapping life in town is for both Cooper and Peter, in different ways. But alongside this, I felt there needed to be 'something' going on, something to tie the story together - a rise and fall of tension, interesting plot events. While the opening is stunning, the ending felt rushed and heavy-handed, because the whole middle section of the book seemed to be wasted in directionless sketches of ideas that didn't come together.
What I will say is that these books are powerful, resonant, and thought-provoking. While I'm frustrated at the choices made to take the story in this direction after Wranglestone, it's also the case that I want to re-read both, and immerse myself back into this world. There are interesting real-world metaphors to be drawn with the Dead... I couldn't help but think of mass commutes in parallel with the Dead migrating. But I also think the message the novel sends at the end is too simplistic.
Yes, one could go off and live in a tent in the forest forever, and it would be beautiful. and you would feel more alive. and it would be nice not to sit in an office and be told what to do by anyone. But what if you can't do that because your government doesn't allow you and your soulmate to live in the same country without working visas and an impossibly high level of income for your profession? Where are you supposed to go to be truly happy, when you must compromise? The novel presents impossibly simple answers to highly complex questions, and I think that does a disservice to the potential thematic depth of the series. Much of the final act would not feel out of place in 'Goodbye, Things' by Fumio Sasaki or any work by The Minimalists. I think I was hoping for something more nuanced, but perhaps that's unfair, given the uncompromising attitude of Cooper, especially, which I do love.
Ultimately, I think I can't help but wonder how this story could have been different, because the author writes so well, and the characters are so strong, and I just wish Timberdark had been a different book. It's one of those sequels where you didn't know what you were hoping for until you read it and realise... that's not it.
I'm so conflicted. Darren Charlton's writing is beautifully sparce; he is the master of leaving so much unsaid, which creates an incredible atmosphere of yearning almosts and is somehow quietly majestic, much like the expansive environment he renders with such acute precision in the early stages of this novel and throughout its predecessor, Wranglestone. Cooper and Peter are one of my favourite couples, and Cooper in particular transcends the page, despite his limited page-time and dialogue. I am disappointed the book moved in this direction, because it meant less time with Cooper and Peter together, and less focus on Cooper, which for me were some of the major strengths of Wranglestone. Leaving the natural setting, which allowed the author's prose to shine, was necessary for the events of the book, but for me limited my reading enjoyment.
The problem for me is that, in Timberdark, much of what the author does best is shunted off, leaving long periods of nothing very much at all. A little of this is enough to get the point across, I think, and I understand why there needed to be demonstrations of how soul-sapping life in town is for both Cooper and Peter, in different ways. But alongside this, I felt there needed to be 'something' going on, something to tie the story together - a rise and fall of tension, interesting plot events. While the opening is stunning, the ending felt rushed and heavy-handed, because the whole middle section of the book seemed to be wasted in directionless sketches of ideas that didn't come together.
What I will say is that these books are powerful, resonant, and thought-provoking. While I'm frustrated at the choices made to take the story in this direction after Wranglestone, it's also the case that I want to re-read both, and immerse myself back into this world. There are interesting real-world metaphors to be drawn with the Dead... I couldn't help but think of mass commutes in parallel with the Dead migrating. But I also think the message the novel sends at the end is too simplistic.
Yes, one could go off and live in a tent in the forest forever, and it would be beautiful. and you would feel more alive. and it would be nice not to sit in an office and be told what to do by anyone. But what if you can't do that because your government doesn't allow you and your soulmate to live in the same country without working visas and an impossibly high level of income for your profession? Where are you supposed to go to be truly happy, when you must compromise? The novel presents impossibly simple answers to highly complex questions, and I think that does a disservice to the potential thematic depth of the series. Much of the final act would not feel out of place in 'Goodbye, Things' by Fumio Sasaki or any work by The Minimalists. I think I was hoping for something more nuanced, but perhaps that's unfair, given the uncompromising attitude of Cooper, especially, which I do love.
Ultimately, I think I can't help but wonder how this story could have been different, because the author writes so well, and the characters are so strong, and I just wish Timberdark had been a different book. It's one of those sequels where you didn't know what you were hoping for until you read it and realise... that's not it.
February 16, 2023
too emotionally attached to the main characters to judge the book
October 24, 2022
Purely by chance, we have a spooky aligned read for Halloween season! I say spooky aligned; yes, there are zombies, but that isn’t the whole story with this book.
I had multiple thoughts on finishing this. My favourite part of the first book was its atmospheric writing. Not being a fan of horror or zombies in general, and also not having had the best time with YA, the scenes Charlton was able to craft exceeded all of my expectations. There were also a few twists and the reveal of a government conspiracy. These were the strengths of Wranglestone for me, while – as sweet as certain moments could be – I was a little disappointed by the lack of development of Peter and Cooper’s relationship. Unfortunately, Timberdark featured more of the latter, which just wasn’t for me.
It seems a contradiction that my issue was a lack of development between these characters, and yet, in a book that featured their relationship so heavily, that lack of development only became starker. My interest peaked briefly and I had something of an Oh? moment when Peter himself started to confront this, wondering if he and Cooper were really right for each other when they wanted such different things from life.
I genuinely found the reintroduction back into society of these people, who had learned such a different way of life, to be a great thread to explore. Still, I don’t think it warranted an entire second book, maybe just a short add-on novella. And then there was the ‘message’ at the end, which I understand to a point - but I think there’s a balance somewhere between being a slave to our screens and capitalism, and living in the woods cut off from the whole rest of the world.
Nevertheless, my main issue with this book was the relationship, and the stubborn insistence that these two people should be together, when the more the book went on (and even told us otherwise!) the opposite seemed to be the case. Cooper even going as far to beg Peter not to leave him for a life beyond the lake, quite frankly, came off as toxic. It’s frustrating, because a lot of great points were raised in this book – and ultimately dismissed by the end. I think admitting that some relationships are born out of circumstance (the only gays on the lake! Peter the world is so much bigger!) and can still be an important part of your life and contribute to your growth as a person, but ultimately not be the right thing for you in the long term, would be a far better lesson for young people to learn. But maybe I am just being a cynic. I love a good romance, but unfortunately this wasn’t for me.
There’s a universe out there where Peter is living his best life as a well-respected tailor with his nice-smelling boyfriend and a loyalty card for their local cinema. I hope he’s happy.
I had multiple thoughts on finishing this. My favourite part of the first book was its atmospheric writing. Not being a fan of horror or zombies in general, and also not having had the best time with YA, the scenes Charlton was able to craft exceeded all of my expectations. There were also a few twists and the reveal of a government conspiracy. These were the strengths of Wranglestone for me, while – as sweet as certain moments could be – I was a little disappointed by the lack of development of Peter and Cooper’s relationship. Unfortunately, Timberdark featured more of the latter, which just wasn’t for me.
It seems a contradiction that my issue was a lack of development between these characters, and yet, in a book that featured their relationship so heavily, that lack of development only became starker. My interest peaked briefly and I had something of an Oh? moment when Peter himself started to confront this, wondering if he and Cooper were really right for each other when they wanted such different things from life.
I genuinely found the reintroduction back into society of these people, who had learned such a different way of life, to be a great thread to explore. Still, I don’t think it warranted an entire second book, maybe just a short add-on novella. And then there was the ‘message’ at the end, which I understand to a point - but I think there’s a balance somewhere between being a slave to our screens and capitalism, and living in the woods cut off from the whole rest of the world.
Nevertheless, my main issue with this book was the relationship, and the stubborn insistence that these two people should be together, when the more the book went on (and even told us otherwise!) the opposite seemed to be the case. Cooper even going as far to beg Peter not to leave him for a life beyond the lake, quite frankly, came off as toxic. It’s frustrating, because a lot of great points were raised in this book – and ultimately dismissed by the end. I think admitting that some relationships are born out of circumstance (the only gays on the lake! Peter the world is so much bigger!) and can still be an important part of your life and contribute to your growth as a person, but ultimately not be the right thing for you in the long term, would be a far better lesson for young people to learn. But maybe I am just being a cynic. I love a good romance, but unfortunately this wasn’t for me.
There’s a universe out there where Peter is living his best life as a well-respected tailor with his nice-smelling boyfriend and a loyalty card for their local cinema. I hope he’s happy.
August 31, 2022
Timberdark is the sequel and concluding part to Darren Charlton's YA zombie/romance novel Wranglestone. It picks up where we left Peter and Cooper, who must now deal with their transition to modern life after living away from civilisation for so long.
The most notable thing for me is a distinct change in pace from the first novel. Whilst the events of Wranglestone develop quickly, sometimes perhaps to its detriment, Timberdark has the opposite problem—not enough action and a distinctly slower pace. In a way, this is fitting, as the boys start working mundane jobs, trying to adapt to the banality of the modern life that is simply reality for us readers. However, this does make the story less engaging and the stakes seem much lower than the first book.
As the story develops, Charlton really hones in on an anti-capitalist agenda, which makes sense but feels heavy-handed. Whilst we had hints of this in the previous novel, Charlton really spells it out for us in Timberdark, particularly with a monologue towards the end of the novel. It's an interesting take, and fitting for a dystopian novel because it encourages us to question whether our reality is the real dystopia (as corny as that may sound). All in all, I'm glad this social commentary is developed but could have been executed with more nuance.
One thing Charlton gets right is Peter and Cooper's romance. The way he describes the experience of being in love, even when there are challenges, feels raw and real. It's just unfortunate that the main conflict is a drawn-out mystery that finally unravels in an almost non-sensical fashion, with characters making assumptions and revelations that didn't make much sense to me. This time around, the novel's strength definitely lies in the romance—and it's what you will be rooting for by the end of the book.
Many thanks to Little Tiger Group and NetGalley for providing me with a Digital Review Copy.
The most notable thing for me is a distinct change in pace from the first novel. Whilst the events of Wranglestone develop quickly, sometimes perhaps to its detriment, Timberdark has the opposite problem—not enough action and a distinctly slower pace. In a way, this is fitting, as the boys start working mundane jobs, trying to adapt to the banality of the modern life that is simply reality for us readers. However, this does make the story less engaging and the stakes seem much lower than the first book.
As the story develops, Charlton really hones in on an anti-capitalist agenda, which makes sense but feels heavy-handed. Whilst we had hints of this in the previous novel, Charlton really spells it out for us in Timberdark, particularly with a monologue towards the end of the novel. It's an interesting take, and fitting for a dystopian novel because it encourages us to question whether our reality is the real dystopia (as corny as that may sound). All in all, I'm glad this social commentary is developed but could have been executed with more nuance.
One thing Charlton gets right is Peter and Cooper's romance. The way he describes the experience of being in love, even when there are challenges, feels raw and real. It's just unfortunate that the main conflict is a drawn-out mystery that finally unravels in an almost non-sensical fashion, with characters making assumptions and revelations that didn't make much sense to me. This time around, the novel's strength definitely lies in the romance—and it's what you will be rooting for by the end of the book.
Many thanks to Little Tiger Group and NetGalley for providing me with a Digital Review Copy.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 222 reviews