What do you think?
Rate this book
Huntress: Embers of Redemption
A youthful Maya must harness her courage, cunning, and ancestral knowledge to protect her family and people in a world still reeling from an ancient apocalypse. Her unwavering determination becomes her greatest weapon in a harsh, primitive landscape where humanity struggles to survive.
Maya’s elders instilled in her their wisdom, and she excels in mastering forgotten skills — combat, hunting, foraging, and wilderness survival. Yet even as she thrives in this unforgiving world, she dreams of reigniting the long-extinguished flames of human innovation.
When an unexpected threat emerges, Maya becomes thrust into a perilous quest that will test the limits of her abilities and resolve. Facing challenges at every turn, she must unleash the full power of her training and instincts to safeguard not just her loved ones, but the future of humanity itself.
In this gripping tale of survival and rebirth, follow Maya as she fights to preserve civilization’s flickering light in a world balanced on the edge of darkness.
Maya’s elders instilled in her their wisdom, and she excels in mastering forgotten skills — combat, hunting, foraging, and wilderness survival. Yet even as she thrives in this unforgiving world, she dreams of reigniting the long-extinguished flames of human innovation.
When an unexpected threat emerges, Maya becomes thrust into a perilous quest that will test the limits of her abilities and resolve. Facing challenges at every turn, she must unleash the full power of her training and instincts to safeguard not just her loved ones, but the future of humanity itself.
In this gripping tale of survival and rebirth, follow Maya as she fights to preserve civilization’s flickering light in a world balanced on the edge of darkness.
405 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 5, 2024
145 people are currently reading
1061 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 - 24 of 24 reviews
February 17, 2025
The author would make a good poet. His descriptions of nature and the land Maya traverses are beautiful. Sometimes, I do feel a thesaurus could have been employed. I was already making notes about how tired I was of the word belies by chapter 4.
I hope the copy I got was only for early reviewers because it felt as if I was doing a beta read. There were many typos, and several places where the author switched back and forth between present and past tense. The most jarring error was when the protagonist's dog disappeared and then several chapters later the dog was fighting alongside her. I had to go back to see if I had missed where we found the dog again. I didn't find it, and I read on. A few chapters later we rescued the dog and I realized that it had been a very large error that the author had the dog involved in a fight when it was still supposed to be missing.
The premise of the story was excellent and I do love the idea that this is a possible future world. I do not find the story believable in any way and that is probably due to several things. Often, the author has the characters behaving in ways that people would not. For example, somehow the timeline is off. Maya loses her family and goes on a track to find some mystical being. She is discovered by a group in the woods after she performs feats to get this mystical seer on her side. All this takes place in about a day. A day after that, the group she encountered in the woods is putting all of their faith in her and she has become their leader. It's absolutely ridiculous.
Again, I do love a lot of the author's writing. For example, "tentacles slam into the surrounding ground, throwing up geysers of mud and Marsh water. I danced between them, a deadly ballet of evasion and counter-attack."
But then, there are paragraphs and paragraphs of the main character talking about how they are stronger together and they are going to survive. In one place, the author writes, "tonight, we sharpen knife and spear. Tomorrow, we reclaim our destiny" ... Eight pair of glass later, the author then writes, "we prepare tonight." It's all a lot of talking and not a lot of doing. It gets very confusing.
The other thing that was a little confusing was Maya's family. In the beginning of the book she refers to them by name instead of mom and dad and then later on she occasionally refers to them as her father and mother but mostly uses their names. Once Maya becomes this big wig at her own camp, and her family is rescued, it's like she barely speaks to them compared to how they were her whole world only weeks before.
Overall, it felt more like a first draft than a final product. I think with another rewrite and some editing this could be an amazing story. As it stands right now it might be a little difficult to follow and a little wordy for many.
I hope the copy I got was only for early reviewers because it felt as if I was doing a beta read. There were many typos, and several places where the author switched back and forth between present and past tense. The most jarring error was when the protagonist's dog disappeared and then several chapters later the dog was fighting alongside her. I had to go back to see if I had missed where we found the dog again. I didn't find it, and I read on. A few chapters later we rescued the dog and I realized that it had been a very large error that the author had the dog involved in a fight when it was still supposed to be missing.
The premise of the story was excellent and I do love the idea that this is a possible future world. I do not find the story believable in any way and that is probably due to several things. Often, the author has the characters behaving in ways that people would not. For example, somehow the timeline is off. Maya loses her family and goes on a track to find some mystical being. She is discovered by a group in the woods after she performs feats to get this mystical seer on her side. All this takes place in about a day. A day after that, the group she encountered in the woods is putting all of their faith in her and she has become their leader. It's absolutely ridiculous.
Again, I do love a lot of the author's writing. For example, "tentacles slam into the surrounding ground, throwing up geysers of mud and Marsh water. I danced between them, a deadly ballet of evasion and counter-attack."
But then, there are paragraphs and paragraphs of the main character talking about how they are stronger together and they are going to survive. In one place, the author writes, "tonight, we sharpen knife and spear. Tomorrow, we reclaim our destiny" ... Eight pair of glass later, the author then writes, "we prepare tonight." It's all a lot of talking and not a lot of doing. It gets very confusing.
The other thing that was a little confusing was Maya's family. In the beginning of the book she refers to them by name instead of mom and dad and then later on she occasionally refers to them as her father and mother but mostly uses their names. Once Maya becomes this big wig at her own camp, and her family is rescued, it's like she barely speaks to them compared to how they were her whole world only weeks before.
Overall, it felt more like a first draft than a final product. I think with another rewrite and some editing this could be an amazing story. As it stands right now it might be a little difficult to follow and a little wordy for many.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2025
I won this book on LibraryThing.
Post skyscrapers and back to a primitive existence, Maya has to discover where her family has gone after the Hazar attacks.
The author takes quite some time to get to the various points of action, but once there he is very skilled in bringing the reader into the tussles and urgency and fear.
Post skyscrapers and back to a primitive existence, Maya has to discover where her family has gone after the Hazar attacks.
The author takes quite some time to get to the various points of action, but once there he is very skilled in bringing the reader into the tussles and urgency and fear.
November 20, 2024
This book had everything I love about survival stories: resourceful characters, a brutal setting, and a glimmer of hope. Maya’s connection to her ancestors and her dream of reigniting innovation made her stand out as a protagonist.
November 20, 2024
This is more than a survival story—it’s a tale of resilience and the human spirit. Maya’s bravery, determination, and wisdom shine brightly against the bleak world she inhabits. The writing is vivid and emotionally rich.
November 20, 2024
Maya’s journey is an inspiring mix of grit, wisdom, and heart. The story’s pacing is perfect, keeping you at the edge of your seat while also diving deep into the emotional and cultural struggles of a post-apocalyptic world. The themes of survival and innovation are brilliantly intertwined
November 20, 2024
I was drawn in by the harsh world Maya inhabits, and the author does a phenomenal job painting the scene. The stakes feel real, the action intense, and Maya’s growth as a character is compelling. My only gripe was wanting even more background on the ancient apocalypse!
November 20, 2024
This book is a hidden gem in the world of post-apocalyptic fiction. The story’s greatest strength is Maya, a heroine who embodies both toughness and vulnerability. Her journey is filled with danger and emotional depth, as she navigates a world on the brink of collapse
November 20, 2024
A thrilling tale of survival and hope, Maya is a heroine for the ages. This book is impossible to put down!
November 20, 2024
Loved the strong female lead and the themes of hope and rebirth. Perfect for fans of dystopian adventures.
November 20, 2024
A gripping survival story with rich characters and a deeply immersive world. Highly recommended!
February 1, 2025
DNF @ 35%
Disappointing.
*Received an ARC via NetGalley in return for an honest review*
Hopes were high with the summary, promising a look into the distant future where humanity had regressed to hunter gatherers, and although this was fulfilled, very little else was. I truly tried not to DNF but decided it was better to put it down than hate read.
The pacing was strange, characters flat and the sibling dynamics clearly written by someone who has none, and worst of all the dog can somehow understand the words of the protagonist and even bark her name ...
Reading feels like a fever dream, and the story feels hollow despite the death and constant (truly never ending) talk of unity and happiness of family bonds and survival. No emotional payoff even when characters die or get into dire straits.
There is no difference between the writing in slow, peaceful scenes, and those where people are running and screaming.
Protagonist is alone for most of the first half of the book and talks to herself in order to info-dump about the world instead of the author doing leg work, it felt quite lazy. Also, the character who is hundreds of years from our current time, still uses our slang and colloquial terms for things, but this would change even 50 years from now let alone 100s.
Real shame, because the concept was truly interesting.
Disappointing.
*Received an ARC via NetGalley in return for an honest review*
Hopes were high with the summary, promising a look into the distant future where humanity had regressed to hunter gatherers, and although this was fulfilled, very little else was. I truly tried not to DNF but decided it was better to put it down than hate read.
The pacing was strange, characters flat and the sibling dynamics clearly written by someone who has none, and worst of all the dog can somehow understand the words of the protagonist and even bark her name ...
Reading feels like a fever dream, and the story feels hollow despite the death and constant (truly never ending) talk of unity and happiness of family bonds and survival. No emotional payoff even when characters die or get into dire straits.
There is no difference between the writing in slow, peaceful scenes, and those where people are running and screaming.
Protagonist is alone for most of the first half of the book and talks to herself in order to info-dump about the world instead of the author doing leg work, it felt quite lazy. Also, the character who is hundreds of years from our current time, still uses our slang and colloquial terms for things, but this would change even 50 years from now let alone 100s.
Real shame, because the concept was truly interesting.
February 23, 2025
I don't know which country or continent hosts this dystopian fiction, but I'm guessing North America with some imported pythons. A young woman is living quietly and hunting for her tribe, one of the remnants of a more advanced society. They use bows and arrows and knap flint knives. Then a mutant group encroach and wreck everything, taking prisoners.
I was reading this as a cross between Hunger Games and Clan of the Cave Bear, when we reach the secret lair of the mutants, a cave system. The tale promptly turns into a horror story, and I don't read horror. There was previously a mutant giant squid in a marsh, but I had got past that. The descriptions of body parts, killings, creatures eating people etc. were not for me, so I skipped to the end of the book.
At the end, the lost dog has turned up again, just as well it didn't appear sooner or the hellhounds would have eaten it. And the battle is decided by a deus ex machina, though I am not inclined to read further back to see why it didn't arrive sooner. I'm not a fan of deus ex machina, but it does seem that our heroine fought a long, brave fight.
Some readers who like horror fiction will enjoy this more than I did. The format is blog style with spaces between paragraphs, which doesn't make for easy reading in a book.
I read an e-ARC from Net Galley. This is an unbiased review.
I was reading this as a cross between Hunger Games and Clan of the Cave Bear, when we reach the secret lair of the mutants, a cave system. The tale promptly turns into a horror story, and I don't read horror. There was previously a mutant giant squid in a marsh, but I had got past that. The descriptions of body parts, killings, creatures eating people etc. were not for me, so I skipped to the end of the book.
At the end, the lost dog has turned up again, just as well it didn't appear sooner or the hellhounds would have eaten it. And the battle is decided by a deus ex machina, though I am not inclined to read further back to see why it didn't arrive sooner. I'm not a fan of deus ex machina, but it does seem that our heroine fought a long, brave fight.
Some readers who like horror fiction will enjoy this more than I did. The format is blog style with spaces between paragraphs, which doesn't make for easy reading in a book.
I read an e-ARC from Net Galley. This is an unbiased review.
January 30, 2025
In this unique and fascinating new novel, readers explore a complex and dangerous post-apocalyptic world where Maya must harness all of her skills to rescue her family and defend her people from the threats facing them in their struggle to survive. Thrust into a perilous quest that will test her limits and her strength of will, she must use everything she has to fight, unite, and lead her people to a safer future. Complex, emotional, and powerfully written, Steve Morgan brings the crazy, dangerous, and intense world of this novel to life in incredible detail. The world-building is on point, and the tension and conflict in this book is absolutely brilliant in its descriptions and prose. Maya and the rest of her allies are well-written and complex figures, and Maya’s growth as she deals with these challenges is particularly satisfying to read. The conflicts are the centerpiece of this novel as the driving force behind Maya’s character arc and the events of the novel, but they are well-written, and the fight scenes are dynamic. Intense, unique, and interesting, this new world is immersive in its details, characters, and conflict, and Morgan’s worldbuilding really brings this story and Maya’s adventure to life.
Thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the advance copy.
Thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the advance copy.
July 29, 2025
Huntress: Embers of Redemption is a gripping and emotionally charged story of survival, courage, and hope. Maya is an incredible protagonist, resourceful, resilient, and deeply human. Her journey through a post-apocalyptic world is filled with moments of heart-wrenching struggle and inspiring triumph, making it nearly impossible to put the book down.
The vivid world-building truly sets this book apart. Steve Morgan paints a picture of a primitive yet hopeful world where ancestral knowledge becomes the key to humanity's future. The action is pulse-pounding, the relationships feel authentic, and the underlying themes of perseverance and rebuilding from ashes will stay with me for a long time.
Highly recommended for anyone who loves survivalist fiction, apocalyptic thrillers, or strong female leads who redefine what it means to be a hero.
5 stars, A beautifully written, action-packed story of hope and humanity.
The vivid world-building truly sets this book apart. Steve Morgan paints a picture of a primitive yet hopeful world where ancestral knowledge becomes the key to humanity's future. The action is pulse-pounding, the relationships feel authentic, and the underlying themes of perseverance and rebuilding from ashes will stay with me for a long time.
Highly recommended for anyone who loves survivalist fiction, apocalyptic thrillers, or strong female leads who redefine what it means to be a hero.
5 stars, A beautifully written, action-packed story of hope and humanity.
November 23, 2025
Huntress: Embers of Redemption delivers a sharp, engaging post-apocalyptic story with strong world-building and a compelling heroine. Maya’s resilience, skill, and determination make her a standout character, and the author creates a vivid landscape shaped by danger, survival, and hope. The pacing is steady, the challenges feel real, and the blend of action and emotion keeps the story engaging throughout.
If you enjoy focused, character-driven survival fiction with a strong female lead, this is a solid addition to your reading list.
If you enjoy focused, character-driven survival fiction with a strong female lead, this is a solid addition to your reading list.
March 4, 2025
Huntress Embers of Redemption is a dark, thrilling fantasy with a deeply emotional core. Steve Morgan delivers a gripping tale of redemption, filled with complex characters, intense action, and a richly crafted world. A must-read for fans of morally gray heroes and immersive storytelling!
March 4, 2025
This book is a masterpiece! Huntress: Embers of Redemption combines heart-pounding action with a poignant exploration of guilt and forgiveness. Steve Morgan’s vivid writing and compelling protagonist make this an unforgettable journey. Highly recommended!
March 4, 2025
The fast-paced action is maintained with a series of challenges that kept me engaged and invested in Maya's journey, making me want to come back for more. The conflicts are clear and provide a strong driving force for the plot.
Read
March 5, 2025This book had everything I love about survival stories: resourceful characters, a brutal setting, and a glimmer of hope. Maya's connection to her ancestors and her dream of reigniting innovation made her stand out as a protagonist.
February 19, 2025
Book finished
The book was interesting for me. Never read a book like this, but I enjoyed it much moo by NJ
The book was interesting for me. Never read a book like this, but I enjoyed it much moo by NJ
March 4, 2025
find book
March 5, 2025
The stakes feel real, the action intense, and Maya’s growth as a character is compelling.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2025
Humanity's triumph!
An amazing story of people coming together to build a future from the ashes and pain of the past. Thankyou for a reminder of who we are as humanity.
An amazing story of people coming together to build a future from the ashes and pain of the past. Thankyou for a reminder of who we are as humanity.
November 19, 2025
This book is Amazing
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews