Engines of Winter: A Sci-Fi Fantasy Retelling of The Nutcracker

Sci-Fi Fantasy Retellings

by E.M. Rensing

Mech pilot Lieutenant Marie Stahlbaum wants to be out stalking the stars, taking the fight to the rat-like alien verrater that destroyed her homeworld. Serving now with the famed Colonel Drosselmeier, she thought she’d finally get that chance. Instead she’s stuck on guard duty, watching over a spoiled lord and his holiday merriment on the winter moon of Bavaria.

When an verrater invasion crashes the party on Christmas Eve, Marie finds herself on a terrible new front line.

With only a malfunctioning mech, nicknamed the “Nutcracker”, and its former pilot on the radio, Marie sets off on a desperate hunt, pursuing the monstrous king of the verrater horde across the snowy wastes.

But the history between the verrater and Colonel Drosselmeier is darker, and deeper, than anyone could imagine. And if Marie can’t find a way to defeat the verrater king, the whole of human space will fall.

Genres: Christmas, Fairy Tales, Science Fiction

348 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 22, 2024

Reviews

[Shayla Morgansen]

A festive small town setting. A bit of magic and mystery. A cynical protagonist in need of a little Christmas spirit. And of course, an alien invasion. If "Christmas story" typically means a fluffy small town Hallmark romance, give me this book. The picturesque holiday moon of Bavaria, a settlement of post-Earth Germanic culture, is pulling out all the stops in their preparations for Weihnachten, but mech pilot Marie isn't charmed by the magical beauty of their efforts. All she wants is a chance at the frontlines against the shadowy alien enemies responsible for destroying her home and family. Before the night is through, she might get her wish, and much more than she could have imagined.

I adored the luscious setting of this well-paced sci-fi fantasy, and loved the blend of military science fiction with fairytale retelling. Sometimes I wished Marie was a more curious character so she would investigate some of the mysteries more, but I loved how it unfolded and genuinely did not see the twists at the end, though all the signs pointed to them all along! Highly recommended!

[d_uhreads]

This was so fun! I love a hood sci-fi book, and this is such a unique spin on the nutcracker !

The world building and characters were written so vividly.

This is perfevt for those who love a no spice epic sci-fi narrative.

[Kelly]

First, this book is beautiful with full color chapter heading pages and full color parts pages. I was not familiar with the Nutcracker story outside of the ballet, and this book is a retelling of the original German tale from he early 1800s. After finishing, I read a synopsis of the original Nutcracker and was impressed with how close this version was. The science fiction elements of this story really made the entire world come to life. How the verrater (the rats) traveled through space and functioned along with the "magic" called chronomancy of the feii (the Fae) made for a fascinating read. Part of the novel is told from the perspective of military officers trying to save the "Christmas town" from the attacking verrater. It was a brilliant choice because it upped the stakes of everything Marie and the nutcracker were doing on the other side of the moon. Overall, Rensing was respectful of the original story while being super creative with the sci-fi elements.

[David Hankins]

Couldn't put it down! I love a good science fantasy, and this book delivered in spades. A retelling of The Nutcracker (drawn from the original fairytale, not just the ballet), Engines of Winter features mech warriors, giant marauding rats, and a seamless blending of magic and machines. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

[Angela Tucker]

Perfect for starting the winter season reads. Heartwarming and action packed. This was such an enjoyable sci-fi to read right as the cold hits. Perfect by a fireside.