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Dark Straits: Sudden Quiet: Book II
The grid is dark, humanity has been cut to the bone. The Mackinac Bridge is the iron key to Michigan. Various groups--Rangers, Indigenous, Eco-Elves, and Virals—battle in Dark Straits for regional control.In Sudden Book II, gangs of Spreaders are bossed by “Sharkey,” the CEO of Panzer Pharmaceuticals, seeking to carve a Great Lakes fiefdom.
Panzer’s ghoulish paramilitary, the Aghori, raid Washington D.C., torture ELF extremists, and sabotage the Line 5 oil pipeline beneath the Straits. Foster siblings, Miin and Mukwa, flex their green powers, channeling nature’s resurgence to combat infection and petro-pollution.
Dark Straits is a thrilling expansion of the trilogy, pushing readers into deep and dangerous waters.
Panzer’s ghoulish paramilitary, the Aghori, raid Washington D.C., torture ELF extremists, and sabotage the Line 5 oil pipeline beneath the Straits. Foster siblings, Miin and Mukwa, flex their green powers, channeling nature’s resurgence to combat infection and petro-pollution.
Dark Straits is a thrilling expansion of the trilogy, pushing readers into deep and dangerous waters.
476 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 12, 2025
About the author
Joshua Veith
3 books25 followersJoshua Veith is an educator, adventurer, and outdoor enthusiast. He graduated from the University of Michigan, later earning an MA in Literature from Eastern Michigan University. Today Joshua lives with his wife and two sons in northern Michigan, fishes and hikes in the same spots that Hemingway enjoyed, and teaches a literature class on JRR Tolkien. As a public school teacher and writer, Josh strives to be an Indigenous ally, recognizing that traditional relationships with the environment offer the most sustainable pathways for humankind’s interaction with the planet.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 5, 2026
Masterful storytelling. The writing style and word choices make the story jump off the pages and become so vivid for the reader. Can’t wait for book III and the end…
July 2, 2025
A well thought out and engaging follow up to Island and Main. Dark Straits opens up both the mystical and the all too real, post apocalyptic world. An engaging and enjoyable read.
Can’t wait for book 3!
Can’t wait for book 3!
January 28, 2026
Brilliant and I have also already read book III which is also brilliant!! Should be illegal as this series is very addictive and kept me up very late many nights way past my bedtime as I just could not put them down!
January 5, 2026
A good follow up to Island and Main, which I liked better. But it was a great read!
July 16, 2025
Wow, reader response for book 1 was really good, but book 2 is even BETTER! Readers report that the main characters continue to grow, the worldview expands, and the battle on the Mackinac Bridge is epic! Lots of cool nods to Tolkien and Hemingway as well. The Indigenous elements are informative and well-executed. Hoping readers won't have to wait too long for the final book of the trilogy..."The Scouring."
November 24, 2025
I really rate it 3.5. Great second book in the series. Picks up right after the second book. Looking forward to reading the third!
January 30, 2026
Dark Straits, is Book II, in the Sudden Quiet trilogy. This dystopian novel follows Island and Main. Veith returns us to this dark adventure, which takes place in northern Michigan. Following Book I, a man-made plague has decimated the population around the world. Two years later, the electric grid is still down. The still-standing Mackinac Bridge spans across a strait that now acts as a lifeline and battleground among the surviving factions. These people included: Eco-Elves, Virals, Rangers, XCons, The Chosen, and Indigenous communities—each with distinct characteristics and strategies for survival. Some survive by using their natural traditions, and others by using limited technology. The power-hungry ones use fear and exploitation. A desire, from a madman, to gain power overall, sets the story in motion.
Veith does an amazing job of world-building. He provides maps with intricate diagrams to help illustrate the complex geography of what is happening. He uses special symbols to represent the different groups of survivors. I really found these helpful as I was beginning with the second book in the series. They helped me catch up quickly. I enjoyed how the straits were used in the narrative. Whereas most post-apocalyptic type novels that I read take place on dry land, this additional aspect made it more interesting. The islands helped separate the different factions. This helped protect them from the virus and save their resources for themselves. Until they couldn’t do that anymore because of greed and the struggle for power. If you control the routes and resources, you control the power.
I enjoyed the integration of Indigenous natural healing practices. It made a nice contrast to the science-based acts that were impacting people. I felt this added depth to the narrative. Some of the characters also had unique physical traits and abilities. These aspects really helped the novel stand out. The main antagonist, Dr. Schark, aka “Sharkey,” was using scientific knowledge to try to control what he considered to be his fiefdom. He even created an army of skeletal soldiers who had superior fighting abilities. The descriptions and illustrations showed them as very formidable.
Fans of dystopian shows like The Walking Dead or Mad Max movies will find Dark Straits to be right up their alley! While I was able to enjoy reading this book on its own, I look forward to immersing myself in the other books in this series.
Veith does an amazing job of world-building. He provides maps with intricate diagrams to help illustrate the complex geography of what is happening. He uses special symbols to represent the different groups of survivors. I really found these helpful as I was beginning with the second book in the series. They helped me catch up quickly. I enjoyed how the straits were used in the narrative. Whereas most post-apocalyptic type novels that I read take place on dry land, this additional aspect made it more interesting. The islands helped separate the different factions. This helped protect them from the virus and save their resources for themselves. Until they couldn’t do that anymore because of greed and the struggle for power. If you control the routes and resources, you control the power.
I enjoyed the integration of Indigenous natural healing practices. It made a nice contrast to the science-based acts that were impacting people. I felt this added depth to the narrative. Some of the characters also had unique physical traits and abilities. These aspects really helped the novel stand out. The main antagonist, Dr. Schark, aka “Sharkey,” was using scientific knowledge to try to control what he considered to be his fiefdom. He even created an army of skeletal soldiers who had superior fighting abilities. The descriptions and illustrations showed them as very formidable.
Fans of dystopian shows like The Walking Dead or Mad Max movies will find Dark Straits to be right up their alley! While I was able to enjoy reading this book on its own, I look forward to immersing myself in the other books in this series.
October 4, 2025
For a summation of my thoughts on the first book in the Sudden Quiet, check out my review of Island and Main.
Dark Straits ups the ante in every way from the preceding book. Our character roster evolves, expands and deepens to the point that we understand the actual immensity of what transpires when the few survivors of a viral extinction seek to protect the integrity of a pure place.
Veith writes with the tenacity of King, the accuracy of Weir, the scope of Tolkien and the eye of Walden.
This book subverted my expectations often and that is not easily done. Fans of the first entry are likely to be satisfied, surprised and frustrated in all the ways that a truly good story can accomplish.
Star ratings aren’t my bag, but I will say that it took me less than a week to read the book. Do with that what you will.
Dark Straits ups the ante in every way from the preceding book. Our character roster evolves, expands and deepens to the point that we understand the actual immensity of what transpires when the few survivors of a viral extinction seek to protect the integrity of a pure place.
Veith writes with the tenacity of King, the accuracy of Weir, the scope of Tolkien and the eye of Walden.
This book subverted my expectations often and that is not easily done. Fans of the first entry are likely to be satisfied, surprised and frustrated in all the ways that a truly good story can accomplish.
Star ratings aren’t my bag, but I will say that it took me less than a week to read the book. Do with that what you will.
October 3, 2025
Dark Straights is a must read. Admittedly with the first book, I was skeptical because it isn’t my typical genre of reading. But it quickly lured me in and had me waiting for the second book to come out! The writing is sharp and the world he creates is so vivid, both dystopian and eerily familiar. The struggle between morality and survival pushes your thoughts out of a comfort zone and keeps you in suspense. Highly recommend. Great thriller for a fall/winter read!
November 24, 2025
Joshua Veith did it again! I thought “Island and Main” was a super hit, but Joshua hit it out of the park in “Dark Straits”. All your favorite characters in the first book are back, with a whole new group of bad guys showing up. You won’t be able to put it down. I can’t wait to pick up the third book in the series that has just hit the bookstores. Keep writing, Joshua.
December 17, 2025
Congratulations on this incredible achievement! The B.R.A.G. Medallion (Book Readers’ Appreciation Group) is a prestigious recognition, and it speaks volumes about the quality and appeal of DARK STRAITS: Sudden Quiet: Book II by Joshua Veith. This honor places it among a distinguished group of award-winning, reader-recommended works.
July 16, 2025
Wow. Amazing second part to the trilogy. I laughed, I cried, I questioned society and its modern ways. I would recommend this book and the whole series to any and everyone. Beautiful job Veith!
August 22, 2025
Well written continuation of the Sudden Quiet trilogy. I am looking forward to the third installment.
September 27, 2025
Excellent follow up to an amazing first novel. Well written and easy to imagine but at the same time hoping to never see the world like this. Can’t wait for the conclusion!
October 31, 2025
Another great read. Brings out the best and worst of humanity. It really gets you to thinking
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews