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Last Winter Sun
Thirty years ago, the world as we knew it changed.
At CERN, in Switzerland, the largest Hadron Collider in the world, accelerating particles to as close to light-speed as humans could manage, an experiment went wrong, weakening the fabric of our reality, creating a bridge between worlds, between universes.
The scientists called it a Wormhole, but everyone else named it the RIFT.
And they came through in their thousands. All the creatures of our myths and legends, of our nightmares and fears.
We tried to stand against them. We were desperate. We lost.
Now just a few enclaves hold out against the hordes and on the South Coast of England, a rag-tag group of mercenaries work for whomever will pay them, taking on jobs no one else would be stupid enough to attempt.
An ex-soldier about to be reminded what duty means, a sniper with a hidden past, an engineer who can fix anything, and a young magician who has no idea what the future holds.
"The A-Team meets World of Warcraft!"
At CERN, in Switzerland, the largest Hadron Collider in the world, accelerating particles to as close to light-speed as humans could manage, an experiment went wrong, weakening the fabric of our reality, creating a bridge between worlds, between universes.
The scientists called it a Wormhole, but everyone else named it the RIFT.
And they came through in their thousands. All the creatures of our myths and legends, of our nightmares and fears.
We tried to stand against them. We were desperate. We lost.
Now just a few enclaves hold out against the hordes and on the South Coast of England, a rag-tag group of mercenaries work for whomever will pay them, taking on jobs no one else would be stupid enough to attempt.
An ex-soldier about to be reminded what duty means, a sniper with a hidden past, an engineer who can fix anything, and a young magician who has no idea what the future holds.
"The A-Team meets World of Warcraft!"
- GenresDystopia
383 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 5, 2024
4 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
G.R. Matthews
19 books248 followersG. R. Matthews is a British fantasy and science fiction author best known for Seven Deaths of an Empire (Solaris, 2021), a grimdark epic praised for its visceral combat, dual perspectives, and rich world-building inspired by Roman and Celtic history.
Born in Wiltshire, surrounded by chalk hills, white horses, and ancient stone circles, he grew up immersed in landscapes steeped in ancient myth. Matthews began his publishing journey with self-published works including The Stone Road—the first of The Forbidden List trilogy drawing on ancient China—and the Corin Hayes underwater sci-fi thrillers, before breaking into traditional publishing with Seven Deaths of an Empire.
A passionate gamer as well as a self-taught guitarist, Matthews brings discipline, imagination, and resilience to his storytelling, crafting tales of loyalty, honour, and political intrigue. He continues to expand his fictional worlds with upcoming projects such as The Silencing of the North, while engaging readers with his blend of history, myth, and character-driven drama.
www.grmatthews.com
Born in Wiltshire, surrounded by chalk hills, white horses, and ancient stone circles, he grew up immersed in landscapes steeped in ancient myth. Matthews began his publishing journey with self-published works including The Stone Road—the first of The Forbidden List trilogy drawing on ancient China—and the Corin Hayes underwater sci-fi thrillers, before breaking into traditional publishing with Seven Deaths of an Empire.
A passionate gamer as well as a self-taught guitarist, Matthews brings discipline, imagination, and resilience to his storytelling, crafting tales of loyalty, honour, and political intrigue. He continues to expand his fictional worlds with upcoming projects such as The Silencing of the North, while engaging readers with his blend of history, myth, and character-driven drama.
www.grmatthews.com
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 29, 2024
Last Winter Sun by G.R. Matthews is a mix of dystopian novel, magic, orks and other beasts. The blurb says “A-Team meets World of Warcraft” and as someone who enjoyed both a whole lot, I obviously had to read it!
It is set sometime in the future. Some 20 years ago a rift opened up, and all sorts of creatures have come through. Most of the world has fallen, and travelling between the left over human settlements is a dangerous adventure.
We follow a team of mercenaries, who are doing their job for the money, but also are still good people at heart. Caleb is their leader. An older ex soldier who's joints creak and crack more than they used to. Then we have Wei, a small Asian woman who you don't want to be in a gift with. Thorsson, of Scandinavian descent, who can fix almost anything, and loves everything that goes *boom*.
And then we have Radley, a teen magician who they kind of adopted at some point, but who more than pulls his weight with his powers.
The book is a quick paced read, with plenty of action. Lots of fight scenes, which felt realistic and smooth to me. Sometimes they just feel like a technical manual, but here they easily kept me hooked.
There are a few really dark scenes, but overall the tone is not as bleak as some other dystopian novels I read. Especially the occasional banter, and the friendships and bonds made for a nice balance.
I loved exploring this new / old world, and trying to figure out what happened. Being able to track their quest on a map of England was pretty awesome as well!
As a long time fan of the author, I adored the little nods to his Forbidden List and Corin Hayes series. This starts to feel a bit like a cosmere situation, with this being a link between the ancient tomes and the far future…
I am not sure if there will be sequels, the “A Rift Novel” lets me hope there will be more. The ending for this is satisfying, but leaves open more questions than it answers! It doesn't feel so much like a cliffhanger, more like an intentional open ending. However I definitely want more!
It is set sometime in the future. Some 20 years ago a rift opened up, and all sorts of creatures have come through. Most of the world has fallen, and travelling between the left over human settlements is a dangerous adventure.
“The tarmac of the old, narrow road was pitted and potholed. Years of neglect, of freezing winters and cool summers had lifted the man-made surface. Tree roots had folded it up into ridges and sharp edges which were always ready to trip the unwary walker. To their right, the trees were high and spread their skeletal branches over the road, adding to the gloom.”
We follow a team of mercenaries, who are doing their job for the money, but also are still good people at heart. Caleb is their leader. An older ex soldier who's joints creak and crack more than they used to. Then we have Wei, a small Asian woman who you don't want to be in a gift with. Thorsson, of Scandinavian descent, who can fix almost anything, and loves everything that goes *boom*.
And then we have Radley, a teen magician who they kind of adopted at some point, but who more than pulls his weight with his powers.
“Caleb’s chest hurt. The chill winter air burned all the way down his throat and his lungs were screaming in agony. His heart was thumping against his ribs as if it wanted to burst free. His muscles complained on every step and his tread was heavy. Feet like iron weights were hard to lift and trembling legs strained on every step.”
The book is a quick paced read, with plenty of action. Lots of fight scenes, which felt realistic and smooth to me. Sometimes they just feel like a technical manual, but here they easily kept me hooked.
There are a few really dark scenes, but overall the tone is not as bleak as some other dystopian novels I read. Especially the occasional banter, and the friendships and bonds made for a nice balance.
“Blood from the entry wound bubbled. A child’s entertainment, blowing bubbles in soapy water, turned obscene as each tiny bursting bubble of blood carried with it the man’s last breath.”
I loved exploring this new / old world, and trying to figure out what happened. Being able to track their quest on a map of England was pretty awesome as well!
As a long time fan of the author, I adored the little nods to his Forbidden List and Corin Hayes series. This starts to feel a bit like a cosmere situation, with this being a link between the ancient tomes and the far future…
I am not sure if there will be sequels, the “A Rift Novel” lets me hope there will be more. The ending for this is satisfying, but leaves open more questions than it answers! It doesn't feel so much like a cliffhanger, more like an intentional open ending. However I definitely want more!
September 12, 2024
Last Winter Sun.
By G.R. Matthews.
My review :
Thirty years ago, the world as we knew it changed.
At CERN, in Switzerland, the largest Hadron Collider in the world, accelerating particles to as close to light-speed as humans could manage, an experiment went wrong, weakening the fabric of our reality, creating a bridge between worlds, between universes.
The scientists called it a Wormhole, but everyone else named it the RIFT.
And they came through in their thousands. All the creatures of our myths and legends, of our nightmares and fears.
Set thirty years after the event, Great Britain and maybe the whole world is a very different place. With only a few coastal towns holding out. The author describes this book as The A-Team meets world of Warcraft and this is a perfect description as we follow a small mercenary band who do jobs and runs for money, but these guys usually fall on the side of the right.
A dystopian fantasy and a good one at that, this is a fast paced read with some absolutely cracking action scenes, some of which literally had me on the edge of my seat and holding my breath as the mercenaries get sucked into a job that might be too big even for them. The pacing is perfect and the author does a grand job of ratcheting up the tension. There is a real sense of danger that follows the group and the reader both. The characters are all well written, especially the main group. You have the leader Caleb, an older ex soldier who is nowhere near as fast or as strong as he was, but a good man. You have the secretive sniper Wei, the large Scandinavian Thorsson, crack job at fixing stuff, when he's not blowing stuff up and then you have the youngest of the group Radley a Magician who has untapped potential.... These characters are all well written and humanised to such a degree you as the reader feel for them and part of the group. I personally loved the fact that none of the group made those stupid decisions that plague books like this as a rule. Keeping calm under pressure and preparing for the worst where they could. All In all a brilliant, engaging read.... And I hope the series continues.
By G.R. Matthews.
My review :
Thirty years ago, the world as we knew it changed.
At CERN, in Switzerland, the largest Hadron Collider in the world, accelerating particles to as close to light-speed as humans could manage, an experiment went wrong, weakening the fabric of our reality, creating a bridge between worlds, between universes.
The scientists called it a Wormhole, but everyone else named it the RIFT.
And they came through in their thousands. All the creatures of our myths and legends, of our nightmares and fears.
Set thirty years after the event, Great Britain and maybe the whole world is a very different place. With only a few coastal towns holding out. The author describes this book as The A-Team meets world of Warcraft and this is a perfect description as we follow a small mercenary band who do jobs and runs for money, but these guys usually fall on the side of the right.
A dystopian fantasy and a good one at that, this is a fast paced read with some absolutely cracking action scenes, some of which literally had me on the edge of my seat and holding my breath as the mercenaries get sucked into a job that might be too big even for them. The pacing is perfect and the author does a grand job of ratcheting up the tension. There is a real sense of danger that follows the group and the reader both. The characters are all well written, especially the main group. You have the leader Caleb, an older ex soldier who is nowhere near as fast or as strong as he was, but a good man. You have the secretive sniper Wei, the large Scandinavian Thorsson, crack job at fixing stuff, when he's not blowing stuff up and then you have the youngest of the group Radley a Magician who has untapped potential.... These characters are all well written and humanised to such a degree you as the reader feel for them and part of the group. I personally loved the fact that none of the group made those stupid decisions that plague books like this as a rule. Keeping calm under pressure and preparing for the worst where they could. All In all a brilliant, engaging read.... And I hope the series continues.
October 29, 2024
Now I've been waiting for a new release from Mr Matthews for a little while. I have read the majority of his catalogue which either dips into magic fantasy or underwater Jack Reacher style sci-fi. This didn't contain any submarine adventures, but it did merge his previous world offerings together and for me it worked. The blurb mentioned the 'A-team meets World of Warcraft and I really couldn't argue with that.
The story progressed at a fairly rapid rate helped by the short chapter structure, and it soon became clear who the key characters were going to be. I found myself warming to the main team quickly and hope this is just the start of their adventures. It leaned heavily into what you would expect of a fantasy story with a quest. Coming from the South West, I found it easy to follow the journey the team took.it also had it's fair share of unsurmountable odds and of course a magic system Matthews first developed in The Stone Road. If you haven't read that, give it a go! It also came packed with lots of action and well described set pieces. Overall a solid offering and I recommend giving this title a go.
The story progressed at a fairly rapid rate helped by the short chapter structure, and it soon became clear who the key characters were going to be. I found myself warming to the main team quickly and hope this is just the start of their adventures. It leaned heavily into what you would expect of a fantasy story with a quest. Coming from the South West, I found it easy to follow the journey the team took.it also had it's fair share of unsurmountable odds and of course a magic system Matthews first developed in The Stone Road. If you haven't read that, give it a go! It also came packed with lots of action and well described set pieces. Overall a solid offering and I recommend giving this title a go.
September 22, 2024
For those of us familiar with Matthews’ writing, there is an interesting synergy his latest story that does more than merely draw on the strengths of his previous writing. Much as Mark Lawrence has planted tiny threads within his trilogies that have the potential to tie his disparate narratives together (most notably in the enigmatic but ubiquitous personage Taproot), so too Matthews brings not just the flavour of his other series but also the worldbuilding into this latest action fuelled story.
Set in a near-future British Isles, the world has fallen victim to a monstrous apocalypse. Those meddling scientists at Cern and elsewhere appear to have accidentally opened a Rift that has allowed not only the denizens of other planes to invade our own, but also bled magic into the fabric of our world.
The story is carried by a quartet modelled on the A-team. Their leader Caleb is our protagonist creaking into late middle age, where his body is constantly reminding him that it can only be abused so much. They have the gruff Nordic engineer Thorsson who keeps their machinery and weaponry running, there is the enigmatic but diminutive Asian woman Kei – expert sniper and tracker. The eclectic mix is completed by the callow teenager Radley – born into the new world order (or disorder?!) – who has magical skills and raw talent.
The magic system draws on the Asian mythology that Matthews used in his first trilogy The Stone Road. Spells are carried on bits of paper, ready to have their power released in much the same way as one might pull the pin on a hand grenade. As the story unfolds other mystical elements intrude into the foggy hinterland of Southern England – overrun by orks and other monsters.
Matthews' worldbuilding imagines a British society forced into steel towns on the coastal margins, hunkering by the protection of seawater which the monsters abhor. There are shades of John Wyndham’s Day of the Triffids both in the monsters’ vulnerability to salt water (which was a motif introduced in the film) and in English civilisation’s retreat to a redoubt formed by the Isle of Wight (which is canonical/in the book). The balance of power between humanity and the enemy is a precarious one, - while the orks and other denizens’ bows and arrows may be an ill match for the humans modern weaponry, the enemy have access to greater spellcasters. All in all it makes for an intoxicating maelstrom of magic and mortars, of monster’s and machine guns.
The A-team resonances are reflected in the ex-army past of certain members of Caleb’s team, as well as the slightly episodic nature of the opening with a pair of adventures as the team (in their precious van) tour the countryside fulfilling a couple of mercy errands on commission. These opening salvoes in the story give Matthews a chance to paint a picture of the changed politics and religion of the world they inhabit before the narrative settles down into its main story thread – a coastal disaster followed by a new mission to retrieve information vital to national survival from deep within enemy territory.
As with Matthews’ other books – particularly the Corin Hayes series, as well as Seven Deaths of an Empire, the story is full of action and peril, a succession of near disasters and running combats as the bands heels are constantly dogged by sinister but resolute pursuit. In the book’s core mission the team is paired with an army patrol, and I’m not saying any of them should have been wearing red shirts, but there are some the reader probably shouldn’t get too attached to. That is after all the nature of a story has the sense of running desperate combat you get in the film Aliens. I did enjoy how characters became more fully fleshed out within the army team - I particular appreciated Corporal McStravik’s development.
Matthews brings a geographer’s eye, a runner’s aches, a parent’s insight and a writer’s craft to his characterful descriptions of place and people.
Roads existed still, if you could accept the risks along the cracked, broken and overgrown lines of dark tarmac which crisscrossed the landscape. Landmarks rather than route ways they attracted bandits and worse.
The teenage mind is a fragile thing; little victories are vital and tiny losses are blown up to the proportions of a nuclear explosion.
Caleb spoke quietly, memories of family holidays coming to the fore. They had been hidden away, at the back of his mind. Abandoned like the homes around them. No longer seen or used, but there should he go searching for them.
The alarm wailed. A song of tears last heard with such regularity back during the Second World War.
There are also some acute observational lines that can raise a smile and a laugh at
There was always another threat on the horizon. Usually closer.
The brewer had decided to drop some fruit into the barrel to give it a better flavour. To Caleb’s palate, the tinned peaches had done little to improve it.
The first sight of the boats elicited a curse from Thorsson and a sigh from the rest. That the masts were attached to the boats was a good sign. That those masts began, for the most part, underwater was not.
For me though, I enjoyed the observation that – as with all apocalypse stories – the certainties of our economy focussed society and growth fixated politics are all upended in the water. As Matthews’ puts it
Consumerism had died a sharp death when the rift opened.
The heady mix of familiar southern England locations, memories of our own time and technology and an influx of strange magic make Last Winter Sun an enjoyable mix of the familiar and uncanny, with scope for Caleb and his team to undergo more adventures in this very changed world.
Set in a near-future British Isles, the world has fallen victim to a monstrous apocalypse. Those meddling scientists at Cern and elsewhere appear to have accidentally opened a Rift that has allowed not only the denizens of other planes to invade our own, but also bled magic into the fabric of our world.
The story is carried by a quartet modelled on the A-team. Their leader Caleb is our protagonist creaking into late middle age, where his body is constantly reminding him that it can only be abused so much. They have the gruff Nordic engineer Thorsson who keeps their machinery and weaponry running, there is the enigmatic but diminutive Asian woman Kei – expert sniper and tracker. The eclectic mix is completed by the callow teenager Radley – born into the new world order (or disorder?!) – who has magical skills and raw talent.
The magic system draws on the Asian mythology that Matthews used in his first trilogy The Stone Road. Spells are carried on bits of paper, ready to have their power released in much the same way as one might pull the pin on a hand grenade. As the story unfolds other mystical elements intrude into the foggy hinterland of Southern England – overrun by orks and other monsters.
Matthews' worldbuilding imagines a British society forced into steel towns on the coastal margins, hunkering by the protection of seawater which the monsters abhor. There are shades of John Wyndham’s Day of the Triffids both in the monsters’ vulnerability to salt water (which was a motif introduced in the film) and in English civilisation’s retreat to a redoubt formed by the Isle of Wight (which is canonical/in the book). The balance of power between humanity and the enemy is a precarious one, - while the orks and other denizens’ bows and arrows may be an ill match for the humans modern weaponry, the enemy have access to greater spellcasters. All in all it makes for an intoxicating maelstrom of magic and mortars, of monster’s and machine guns.
The A-team resonances are reflected in the ex-army past of certain members of Caleb’s team, as well as the slightly episodic nature of the opening with a pair of adventures as the team (in their precious van) tour the countryside fulfilling a couple of mercy errands on commission. These opening salvoes in the story give Matthews a chance to paint a picture of the changed politics and religion of the world they inhabit before the narrative settles down into its main story thread – a coastal disaster followed by a new mission to retrieve information vital to national survival from deep within enemy territory.
As with Matthews’ other books – particularly the Corin Hayes series, as well as Seven Deaths of an Empire, the story is full of action and peril, a succession of near disasters and running combats as the bands heels are constantly dogged by sinister but resolute pursuit. In the book’s core mission the team is paired with an army patrol, and I’m not saying any of them should have been wearing red shirts, but there are some the reader probably shouldn’t get too attached to. That is after all the nature of a story has the sense of running desperate combat you get in the film Aliens. I did enjoy how characters became more fully fleshed out within the army team - I particular appreciated Corporal McStravik’s development.
Matthews brings a geographer’s eye, a runner’s aches, a parent’s insight and a writer’s craft to his characterful descriptions of place and people.
Roads existed still, if you could accept the risks along the cracked, broken and overgrown lines of dark tarmac which crisscrossed the landscape. Landmarks rather than route ways they attracted bandits and worse.
The teenage mind is a fragile thing; little victories are vital and tiny losses are blown up to the proportions of a nuclear explosion.
Caleb spoke quietly, memories of family holidays coming to the fore. They had been hidden away, at the back of his mind. Abandoned like the homes around them. No longer seen or used, but there should he go searching for them.
The alarm wailed. A song of tears last heard with such regularity back during the Second World War.
There are also some acute observational lines that can raise a smile and a laugh at
There was always another threat on the horizon. Usually closer.
The brewer had decided to drop some fruit into the barrel to give it a better flavour. To Caleb’s palate, the tinned peaches had done little to improve it.
The first sight of the boats elicited a curse from Thorsson and a sigh from the rest. That the masts were attached to the boats was a good sign. That those masts began, for the most part, underwater was not.
For me though, I enjoyed the observation that – as with all apocalypse stories – the certainties of our economy focussed society and growth fixated politics are all upended in the water. As Matthews’ puts it
Consumerism had died a sharp death when the rift opened.
The heady mix of familiar southern England locations, memories of our own time and technology and an influx of strange magic make Last Winter Sun an enjoyable mix of the familiar and uncanny, with scope for Caleb and his team to undergo more adventures in this very changed world.
September 21, 2024
A stunning urban fantasy
G R Matthews nails it in this urban fantasy adventure. I’ve read most of this author’s works and this is possibly the best. Mixing military urban fantasy with a good dollop
of humour and sarcasm, the author manages complex themes throughout. A Stellar book that kept me up into the night. Buy it now!
G R Matthews nails it in this urban fantasy adventure. I’ve read most of this author’s works and this is possibly the best. Mixing military urban fantasy with a good dollop
of humour and sarcasm, the author manages complex themes throughout. A Stellar book that kept me up into the night. Buy it now!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews