THERE ARE RULES TO SURVIVAL: NEVER TRUST ANOTHER, PROTECT YOUR OWN, AND ALWAYS HEED A BANSHEE'S WARNING.
Calibor, a land of bloodshed and bargains, has fallen to the undead, and Echo Larcan has a vow to keep: survive. No matter what. The dead do not die; the world lives on. And so will she.
When her vow leads to the assembling of The Banshees, masked bandits who roam the wild, preying on the living, Echo and her killers are presented with an opportunity.
A witch guides them to an enchanted sanctuary where no disease nor desperate souls can infect the civilization they hope to rebuild. But do good things last? Echo's not so sure...
Back in snow swept County Sorok, Dresden Bowen sits above a trail of death. Fuelled by his hatred for the Folk, he rules not only the tavern that is his home but the whole county, and one day, all of Calibor. Through fear and temptation, he leads the communities that partake in his monthly trials: deadly ordeals that mirror the world of rot and rage beyond his iron-clad doors. The tavern is no place disease and desperate souls avoid, but rather converge. And Dresden is the king of its chaos.
Upon a return to Sorok, The Banshees become entangled in Dresden's games. They risk their morality. They risk their lives.
I received an ARC of this book for an honest review, and throughout the reading journey, I was engaged, enamored, and more than anything, impressed. When I tell you I can't believe this is a debut novel, I am not exaggerating.
This is the kind of book that has everything.
[✔] Compelling characters The characters were both admirable and deeply flawed with layers to their lived experiences, struggles, and bond – a true found family if there ever was one. Even the worse characters were so interesting and compelling. The story had a large cast, but everyone fit into their roles, and every named character felt important. If I were to pick a favorite character, it would probably be Echo, our protagonist. I loved being in her imperfect mind and really feeling at one with her struggles and actions, questionable as they were. I also adored Aspen, Einin, and Anikah.
[✔] Enchanting worldbuilding I loved the worldbuilding both in its postapocalyptic ruins and in the oases of beauty that exist within. While the setting was fantasy, with powerful magic and wondrous creatures from Irish folklore and more, so much of the systems and norms felt human... in their wickedness and brutality but also in their fight against it, in their fight to protect their own and free themselves from those systems. That drive towards goodness and humanity is deeply compelling to me. Morality and survival are the heart of this story; it’s the kind of meaning missing in so many books.
[✔] Interesting plot It was well-paced and engaging all the way through. There was a lot of dynamism within the book – different sections of the story with their own tone and arcs, different characters, storylines, goals, PoVs – and everything was woven together well. It never felt boring, not a single page. That is so refreshing in a book.
[✔] Lovely writing The writing flowed well, and I loved the overall style; it felt like a great mix of direct and decorated. I appreciated when the author teased at something or narrated around the story in a grander manner. The writing added to the reading experience quite a bit, and I love that.
Overall an incredible reading experience. I’ll be on the lookout for future books from the author ♡
A wonderfully crafted meld of high fantasy and distopian fiction at the hands of an ice age and zombie apocalyse among The Gifted.
Footman takes all those soul wrenching dilemmas people may face when trying to protect their family from true danger and deprivation and weaves them amongst rich and immersive imagery.
As ever in dystopian societies, characters deal with who the true monsters are; they themselves or the damned. Is the devil you know truly better? Footman does an excellent job of exploring those challenges in both dialogue and internal monologue. As a bonus, this story has a great representation of gender fluidity and sapphic relationships in a way that feels naturally to the characters.
This book is definitely for you if you enjoy books such as:
The Stand, The Road, The Book of Eli
Or pop culture media classics such as The Dawn of the Dead, The Walking Dead, and the Last of Us
... and thought, hmmm; let's place that in a beautiful Folklore Fae fantasy and experience something new.
This book defies being pinned down to one genre: it’s fantasy, it’s post-apocalyptic, it’s zombie horror, and yet it somehow all weaves together into a world that feels both gritty and enchanted. The Irish folklore influences give it a rooted, almost mythic quality, while the bandit clans, undead threats, monsters, and brutal survival rules keep the tension sharp. It’s ambitious, and it works super well.
This isn’t one of those stories where side characters fade into the background. Everyone is carrying their own scars, trauma, and motives, and those layers make the group dynamics unpredictable in a great way. I especially appreciated that relationships came in many forms; it had romance, sure, but also numerous familial, friendship, and alliances that meant just as much. No one is perfect, no one is all good or bad, and I loved how the book leaned super hard into that moral grey space.
That said, the structure did take some effort to track. Flashbacks and time jumps weren’t always as clear as I’d have liked, which occasionally pulled me out of the moment while I tried to orient myself. But even when the timeline got murky, the atmosphere and characters kept me invested.
Ultimately, Echo Chamber is fascinating and layered. It's a story where survival doesn’t always mean keeping your soul intact. If you’re up for a morally complex, genre-blended ride, this is a strong choice!
Thanks so much to Colored Pages Book Tours and the author for the complimentary review copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.
Huge thank you to E. L. Footman and qpbooktours for sending me a review copy of Echo Chamber! This book was an absolute dream to read—like stepping into a fairytale I never wanted to leave. And now I will never be able to look at dandelions without thinking of this ever again.
Growing up, I was obsessed with the Grimm brothers' tales. The dark whimsy, the eerie magic, the way stories could feel both ancient and brand new. Echo Chamber gave me that exact same feeling, but with a fresh, modern and inclusive twist. The writing was so enchanting and lyrical, it’s hard to believe this is Footman’s debut! Every sentence felt like it was woven with a little bit of stardust.
One of my favorite things about this book was the found family dynamic. It wasn’t some perfect, cookie-cutter group. They fought, they had messy relationships, and there was a hierarchy but that’s what made them feel so REAL. Their flaws and struggles just made me love them even more. And can we talk about all the strong characters?! Even the side characters had so much depth, no one felt like an afterthought. In a lot of whimsical stories, characters can fall into the good vs. evil trope, but Echo Chamber gave us every shade of gray, making them beautifully complex.
The world-building was another huge standout. The setting felt dark and mysterious, like a frostbitten forest at midnight but there was always a flicker of warmth, like candlelight glowing in the distance. It was the kind of atmosphere that wrapped around me and pulled me deeper into the story with every page.
And oh my gosh, the plot?! How is it so addictive?! There must’ve been actual magic in the pages because I couldn’t put it down. The story flowed so smoothly, with twists that left me gasping and moments that made my heart ache.
Overall, Echo Chamber was everything I wanted and more. A darkly enchanting, beautifully written tale that I’ll be thinking about for a long time. Now, the only problem is waiting for the sequel!
Thank you to E.L. Footman for an Advanced Reader's Copy of this title!
If you live for the vibes of rich Irish folklore, the post-apocalyptic consequences in vein of The Last of Us and The Walking Dead, found family, supporting women's rights and women's wrongs, fae-human worlds, the dread of not knowing where your next meal is coming from, Shangri-La-esque sanctuaries with a price to pay, deadly small-town competitions, "I can fix him" MMCs, killer bandits, LGBTQIA+ and disability rep, and the wintry vibes of Beyond The Wall from GOT, this book will be right up your alley.
I had such a fun (and at times stressful) time reading this book. I love a good post-apocalyptic, everything-in-shades-of-grey story with a romantic sub-plot, and I think the realities of the toll always trying to live one step ahead of death is really well-done here if that is something you enjoy reading about. I read a lot of ARC and independent books, and this was an exceptionally thoughtful and planned out debut, and I am stoked to see where the story takes us next because we are left dangling on the edge of a cliff with the dead closing in (figuratively - no spoilers here).
Winter Solstice has just passed, but this is an excellent read to wait out the shortest days of the year with and I highly recommend curling up with this book, a treat, and the dark days of winter as we await the birth of spring!
Echo Chamber by E.L. Footman is a brutal, mesmerizing plunge into a world where survival is an art, loyalty is fragile, and hope is a dangerous gamble. From the bloodstained ruins of Calibor to the desperate strongholds of County Sorok, Footman crafts a post-apocalyptic world that is as ruthless as it is enthralling.
Echo Larcan is a fierce, compelling heroine—scarred by the past, sharpened by necessity, and willing to do whatever it takes to protect her own. The Banshees, her lethal and loyal band of masked survivors, bring a chilling, almost mythic quality to the story, especially as they face the impossible choice between survival and morality. Their quest for sanctuary, guided by whispers of magic, brims with tension and bitter hope.
Dresden Bowen is a terrifyingly charismatic villain—his reign over Sorok is a chilling mirror of the chaos and rot outside his walls. His twisted games, fueled by hatred and ambition, raise the stakes unbearably high when The Banshees are drawn into his deadly orbit.
Footman’s writing is razor-sharp, atmospheric, and unflinching. Every page throbs with danger, moral complexity, and the haunting question: how much of yourself are you willing to lose to survive?
Echo Chamber is a masterpiece of dark fantasy and post-apocalyptic fiction—gritty, emotional, and utterly addictive. If you're ready for a story that challenges, devastates, and lingers long after the final page, prepare to enter the Echo Chamber.
THERE ARE RULES TO SURVIVAL: NEVER TRUST ANOTHER, PROTECT YOUR OWN, AND ALWAYS HEED A BANSHEE’S WARNING.
💀Synopsis💀
💀Calibor has fallen to the undead, and Echo Larcan has one goal: survive. To do so, she forms The Banshees, a gang of masked bandits.
💀When a witch leads them to a magical refuge, Echo sees a chance to rebuild—but nothing good lasts forever.
💀Meanwhile, in snowy County Sorok, Dresden Bowen rules through fear, hosting deadly trials in a tavern where death and disease thrive.
💀When The Banshees return to Sorok, they’re pulled into his twisted games—risking their lives, and their souls.
💀Thoughts💀
When I heard this story is based on Irish folklore and mythology, I had to read this book! There is a lot of backstory as this book begins years after the world has descended into chaos and it can be a little confusing at first but as the story progresses, things begin to make sense.
I loved Echo’s character! She will do what is needed to protect and provide for her found family, even if it means joining Dresden’s trials. I appreciated that Dresden is the product of the world he has grown up in. Fear, anger, and loss have shaped him into the hardened character he is, but something about Echo brings out a softer side of him that surprises even him.
The story kept getting better and better so when it ended, I wanted more! I’m looking forward to reading the rest of Dresden and Echo’s story. Maybe love is on the horizon for them?
THERE ARE RULES TO SURVIVAL: NEVER TRUST ANOTHER, PROTECT YOUR OWN, AND ALWAYS HEED A BANSHEE'S WARNING.
I am so thankful to E.L Footman and Colored Pages Book Tours for giving me a copy of this amazing book to read. As someone who loves shows like The Walking Dead and movies like World War Z, this book satisfied that part of me in so many ways. It also gives me hints of The Hunger Games.
Most people would think that this is just a book about survival. However it's about power and control, fear and temptation, survival and determination, and love and family.
This book has the undead as well as witches and banshees. It's not only a story about the family that you have or had but the family you create along the way. The found family trope is usually one of my favorites.
This book sucked me in and I found the writing so impressive and was shocked to learn that this was a debut novel. It seems like a story from the likes of a seasoned writer like Stephen King ( who happens to be one of my favorite authors).
This is definitely a book you want to add to your must read list!!!!!
If the undead don't rip out your heart, E.L. Footman's writing will. I picked this up because it has some of my favorite fantasy tropes in it (found family, morally gray characters who really are morally gray, lots of interesting magic and folklore) and while the pacing was sometimes awkward I found the characters and writing itself to be too beautiful to put down.
The cast stole my heart, tore it apart, and set it racing time and again. In particular, the arcs between Echo (one of the main characters) and Anikah (her bestie), and Echo and Taelyn (just a bad a$$ all around) will stick with me for a long time. The world and the antagonist are dangerous, and even in supposed sanctuary, I never felt the characters were safe. Definitely hits The Walking Dead vibe there.
The secrets revealed at the end and the schemes that started because of them having me chomping at the bit for the sequel. Not to mention one heck of a cliffhanger last line that I am STILL thinking about.
This book is what happens if The Walking Dead made out with Peaky Blinders, got hexed by a Celtic god, and birthed a story.
I laughed, I screamed, I googled “how to join a post-apocalyptic girl gang.” Five stars. Would die for Echo Larcan and her haunted murder-squad again. 🖤
This is a story, told how it would be told around a campfire. The same stylings, and feel, with the thrilling undertones - it was exhilarating to read!
Echo and her family, their stories and the characters they interact with, all culminating in a final effort, which I’m excited to see play out in the next story!
There are some content warnings that readers need to be aware of, so please make sure you check them out!
This book crackles with tension as main characters face both monstrous foes and the dark temptations of a twisted, lawless world, brought to life with rich, haunting prose. Fans of The Folk of the Air and The Walking Dead will find much to love in this gritty, high-stakes adventure.
Perfect for readers who crave morally complex characters, eerie landscapes, and a plot that keeps you questioning who the real monsters are.
Huge thanks to E. L. Footman and @qpbooktours for sending me a copy of Echo Chamber! 💛
Reading this felt like stepping into a dreamy fairytale, soft, magical, and full of heart. I’ll never look at dandelions the same way again 🌼
This story was so beautifully emotional it’s hard to believe it’s a debut. I’m already looking forward to seeing where this world takes us next. Can’t wait for more!