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Claus #1-3
Claus Boxed Set: Volume 1
The first three adventures in the Claus Universe.
It begins with a discovery.
An ancient race of elven has existed since the Ice Age. Short, fat and hairy, these jolly elves live in the ice sheets of the North Pole. Their advanced technology borders on magic, keeping them hidden from the world.
Elven have lived together for thousands of years, but one very troubled elf is bringing an end to thousands of years of peace. His name is Jack. And Jack is tired of hiding. Why should they live in a shrinking ice cap when humans occupy the rest of the world? The elven are smarter, wiser, and just better than humans. So says Jack.
And he’s going to do something about it.
There’s no stopping him from world domination until Nicholas Santa, the only human to enter the elven colony, joins helium-bladder reindeer, artificially intelligent snowmen, and a merry band of big-footed elves to bring peace back to the North Pole. The world will never know what Nicholas Santa's discoveries.
Only the legend he becomes.
The Claus Universe is a collection of standalone novels.
REVIEWS FOR THE CLAUS UNIVERSE
“Amazing rewrites that will astound you!” –Ruth Jackson, Amazon Reviewer“Best Santa Story Ever!” – Bob, Amazon Reviewer“Simply lovely.” –jl, Amazon Reviewer“MY HEART GREW THREE SIZES…” – Amazon Reviewer“Couldn’t Put It Down.” – Amazon Reviewer“Fantasy at it’s [sic] finest.” –Carol, Amazon Reviewer“Absolutely phenomenal!” –JayFly, Amazon Reviewer“A++” –TKJ 131, Amazon Reviewer“Absolutely Awesome.” –Dee greusel, Amazon Reviewer“I absolutely love this series…” –Kara McCabe, Amazon Reviewer“Tony is an excellent story teller!” jjjlake, Amazon Reviewer“I want MORE!” –J. Bunch, Amazon Reviewer
It begins with a discovery.
An ancient race of elven has existed since the Ice Age. Short, fat and hairy, these jolly elves live in the ice sheets of the North Pole. Their advanced technology borders on magic, keeping them hidden from the world.
Elven have lived together for thousands of years, but one very troubled elf is bringing an end to thousands of years of peace. His name is Jack. And Jack is tired of hiding. Why should they live in a shrinking ice cap when humans occupy the rest of the world? The elven are smarter, wiser, and just better than humans. So says Jack.
And he’s going to do something about it.
There’s no stopping him from world domination until Nicholas Santa, the only human to enter the elven colony, joins helium-bladder reindeer, artificially intelligent snowmen, and a merry band of big-footed elves to bring peace back to the North Pole. The world will never know what Nicholas Santa's discoveries.
Only the legend he becomes.
The Claus Universe is a collection of standalone novels.
REVIEWS FOR THE CLAUS UNIVERSE
“Amazing rewrites that will astound you!” –Ruth Jackson, Amazon Reviewer“Best Santa Story Ever!” – Bob, Amazon Reviewer“Simply lovely.” –jl, Amazon Reviewer“MY HEART GREW THREE SIZES…” – Amazon Reviewer“Couldn’t Put It Down.” – Amazon Reviewer“Fantasy at it’s [sic] finest.” –Carol, Amazon Reviewer“Absolutely phenomenal!” –JayFly, Amazon Reviewer“A++” –TKJ 131, Amazon Reviewer“Absolutely Awesome.” –Dee greusel, Amazon Reviewer“I absolutely love this series…” –Kara McCabe, Amazon Reviewer“Tony is an excellent story teller!” jjjlake, Amazon Reviewer“I want MORE!” –J. Bunch, Amazon Reviewer
1087 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 15, 2014
1224 people are currently reading
462 people want to read
About the author
Tony Bertauski
62 books761 followersGet my books FREE. Tell me where to send them at http://bertauski.com
He grew up in the Midwest where the land is flat and the corn is tall. The winters are bleak and cold. He hated winters.
He always wanted to write. But writing was hard. And he wasn’t very disciplined. The cold had nothing to do with that, but it didn’t help. That changed in grad school.
After several attempts at a proposal, his major advisor was losing money on red ink and advised him to figure it out. Somehow, he did.
After grad school, he and his wife and two very little children moved to the South in Charleston, South Carolina where the winters are spring and the summers are a sauna (cliche but dead on accurate). That’s when he started teaching and writing articles for trade magazines. He eventually published two textbooks on landscape design. He then transitioned to writing a column for the Post and Courier. They were all great gigs, but they weren’t fiction.
That was a few years later.
His daughter started reading before she could read, pretending she knew the words in books she propped on her lap. His son was a different story. In an attempt to change that, he began writing a story with him. They made up a character, gave him a name, and something to do. As with much of parenting, it did not go as planned. But the character got stuck in his head.
He wanted out.
A few years later, Socket Greeny was born. It was a science fiction trilogy that was gritty and thoughtful. That was 2005.
He has been practicing Zen since he was 23 years old. A daily meditator, he wants to instill something meaningful in his stories that appeals to a young adult crowd as well as adult. Think Hunger Games. He hadn’t planned to write fiction, didn’t even know if he had anymore stories in him after Socket Greeny.
Turns out he did.
He grew up in the Midwest where the land is flat and the corn is tall. The winters are bleak and cold. He hated winters.
He always wanted to write. But writing was hard. And he wasn’t very disciplined. The cold had nothing to do with that, but it didn’t help. That changed in grad school.
After several attempts at a proposal, his major advisor was losing money on red ink and advised him to figure it out. Somehow, he did.
After grad school, he and his wife and two very little children moved to the South in Charleston, South Carolina where the winters are spring and the summers are a sauna (cliche but dead on accurate). That’s when he started teaching and writing articles for trade magazines. He eventually published two textbooks on landscape design. He then transitioned to writing a column for the Post and Courier. They were all great gigs, but they weren’t fiction.
That was a few years later.
His daughter started reading before she could read, pretending she knew the words in books she propped on her lap. His son was a different story. In an attempt to change that, he began writing a story with him. They made up a character, gave him a name, and something to do. As with much of parenting, it did not go as planned. But the character got stuck in his head.
He wanted out.
A few years later, Socket Greeny was born. It was a science fiction trilogy that was gritty and thoughtful. That was 2005.
He has been practicing Zen since he was 23 years old. A daily meditator, he wants to instill something meaningful in his stories that appeals to a young adult crowd as well as adult. Think Hunger Games. He hadn’t planned to write fiction, didn’t even know if he had anymore stories in him after Socket Greeny.
Turns out he did.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
December 6, 2016
I read book 1 in this series but wasn't intrigued enough to continue on to the other books. I had a hard enough time finishing 1 book. Sorry but not one Id recommend.
March 27, 2020
Each story in this series takes a beloved character we think we know and answers the questions we’ve always had. There is fantasy, love, sci-fi, thrills and mystery in each and everyone. Each book is crammed full of fun and interesting characters that leap off the page. I wasn’t sure how well this series would go but boy is it great.
It starts with Claus, Legend of the Fat Man and explains all those questions you ever had about how, and sometimes why, Santa Claus is who he is and how he does what he does. It’s a fun story that has an explanation for all the wonderful things we know about our beloved ‘Fat Man’. Next up is Jack, The Tale of Frost which is a fun story all about, you guessed it, Jack Frost. It follows on from Claus but not exactly directly so you could read them in a different order. I loved this one a lot particularly as we see Jack’s humorous disregard for humans illustrated by some fun one liners.
Finally, this set ends with Flury, Journey Of A Snowman, and this one had a slightly different feel for me from the others but it by no means suffered for it. It’s once more full of interesting characters and a mystery that the main character Oliver is desperate to solve. There’s tension and action along the way making for a fun filled read.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this set and can’t wait to read the other book in the series. That surely is the best recommendation any book or series can have.
It starts with Claus, Legend of the Fat Man and explains all those questions you ever had about how, and sometimes why, Santa Claus is who he is and how he does what he does. It’s a fun story that has an explanation for all the wonderful things we know about our beloved ‘Fat Man’. Next up is Jack, The Tale of Frost which is a fun story all about, you guessed it, Jack Frost. It follows on from Claus but not exactly directly so you could read them in a different order. I loved this one a lot particularly as we see Jack’s humorous disregard for humans illustrated by some fun one liners.
Finally, this set ends with Flury, Journey Of A Snowman, and this one had a slightly different feel for me from the others but it by no means suffered for it. It’s once more full of interesting characters and a mystery that the main character Oliver is desperate to solve. There’s tension and action along the way making for a fun filled read.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this set and can’t wait to read the other book in the series. That surely is the best recommendation any book or series can have.
September 3, 2016
I read this set. It was definitely different kind of Christmas story. But very mystical and mysterious. It keep you on your toes, there is lots of action and adventure to be had read this box set. I was given this story has a gift.
December 27, 2023
I had pretty low expectations for this book, which is probably a big part of why I enjoyed it. If this was a professionally published book, I would have been much harsher and deducted at least one star for the plot inconsistencies, constantly switching verb tenses, and occasional typesetting errors. But, since I didn't really expect much from these stories, I was more just casually reading them the way I might watch a silly tv movie, just for the heck of it. And the plots were fun and intriguing, so I'm satisfied. These stories are nice little holiday reads if you want some nontraditional Christmas backstories.
June 2, 2015
I wanted to like it, but just couldn't. I bet my son would like it.
January 11, 2016
I wanted to like this collection but I just could not get into them. Just was not my cup-o-tea.
January 13, 2018
•audiobook & ebooks•
Claus:
June 2- downloaded Claus boxed on Audible.
This was very creative! It combined history, legend, imagination, science, and sci-fi.
From beginning to end, Tony spins his version of how today's Santa Claus came to be, molding Claus' mortal personality with the immortality of Santa.
We meet the original elves and the reindeer and understand why our toymaker is so big and how it's plausible for him to travel the world in a single night.
A fantastic holiday read (or listen) which must have been professionally edited. My major issue with the timeline was similar to dialogues like this:
“Your language and arts, stuff like that. The elven spies weren’t supposed to interact with anyone, but they couldn’t help it. Words and songs and myths started showing up in your culture. Technology, too. We accidentally started the Industrial Revolution. You know the steam engine?”
Jon nodded.
“That was us. Jocah was afraid your people were learning too fast, that your technology was growing faster than your wisdom.”
Jon felt like there was so much in the world he didn’t know about.
“Anyway, we don’t do it anymore. Once the Cold One took over, we took the nanobots with us so they couldn’t use them. Their scientists are clueless. Well, most of them."
This story is in the early 1800's, the Industrial Revolution was 1760-1840, depending where you look for information and Idk when it was aptly named.
The precise start and end of the Industrial Revolution is still debated among historians, as is the pace of economic and social changes, per wiki.
Tinsel made is sound like it was a long time ago (for an elf, it would have been a blink of an eye) although it was still ongoing at the time of these events.
And every now and again, the time frame of the Fracture alters between a hundred or so years to 5,000.... Or I've misread/misheard something.
Overall, very enjoyable! Recommended to anyone who wants a dynamic book to read!
Jack:
Jack Frost. A spin off from Claus; yet a stand alone book. I completed this audiobook some time ago, but mulled over the review.
Of all of the Claus books, this was my least favorite. Most likely because it was in present tense. I don’t easily fall into books when it’s current.
I liked Sura, but she wasn’t as warm, fresh, and ‘real’ as the characters in Claus, Flury, or Miser. Even the youngsters in Flury -Oliver and a little girl - felt more believable and likable. Sura didn’t quite pop out of the story as much as I wanted her to.
As to be expected, it’s a mixture of Christmas lore and elven science fiction technology. It’s thoughtful, creative, and sensible.
Very enjoyable and worth a read and/or listen.
Flury:
Flury is a very exciting and suspenseful tale of a family's secret of the supernatural.
I agonized over the rating because Tony has become my "go-to" author when I want to immerse in a new dimension with unnatural characters and a sci fi twist. If I'm finding myself drowning in 1-2 star books, I pull up a Bertauski original and easily throw five stars up on the board with a satisfied smile.
Flury, however, lacked that extra magical touch. I can't quite put my finger on it.
Oliver has a relatable connection with his mom and we watch him form a solid friendship with a sweet young girl. The mom has a tumultuous relationship with her mom; likewise Oliver struggles with his relationship with the grandmother. All of this is typical Bertauski; it's real.
Then we have the magical slash sci fi mystery spin. It's lovely and connects us, briefly and remotely, to another book. Just a slight thread; anyone who has not read other books would still feel at home and cozy with this stand alone book. It's more like a nod to Santa.
Yet. I didn't walk away feeling like I had my mind blown. I wish I knew what was missing, I'd pinpoint it and blatantly ask "what about ...?"
Alas, it's more than a 4 - almost a 5 in Goodreads standards; but not a 5 on my standards for Mr Bertauski.
Still a recommended book. A recommended stand alone series. And a recommended author.
I did read these books out of order, so although it has a common thread, one wouldn’t get lost because there are no cliffhangers.
Claus:
June 2- downloaded Claus boxed on Audible.
This was very creative! It combined history, legend, imagination, science, and sci-fi.
From beginning to end, Tony spins his version of how today's Santa Claus came to be, molding Claus' mortal personality with the immortality of Santa.
We meet the original elves and the reindeer and understand why our toymaker is so big and how it's plausible for him to travel the world in a single night.
A fantastic holiday read (or listen) which must have been professionally edited. My major issue with the timeline was similar to dialogues like this:
“Your language and arts, stuff like that. The elven spies weren’t supposed to interact with anyone, but they couldn’t help it. Words and songs and myths started showing up in your culture. Technology, too. We accidentally started the Industrial Revolution. You know the steam engine?”
Jon nodded.
“That was us. Jocah was afraid your people were learning too fast, that your technology was growing faster than your wisdom.”
Jon felt like there was so much in the world he didn’t know about.
“Anyway, we don’t do it anymore. Once the Cold One took over, we took the nanobots with us so they couldn’t use them. Their scientists are clueless. Well, most of them."
This story is in the early 1800's, the Industrial Revolution was 1760-1840, depending where you look for information and Idk when it was aptly named.
The precise start and end of the Industrial Revolution is still debated among historians, as is the pace of economic and social changes, per wiki.
Tinsel made is sound like it was a long time ago (for an elf, it would have been a blink of an eye) although it was still ongoing at the time of these events.
And every now and again, the time frame of the Fracture alters between a hundred or so years to 5,000.... Or I've misread/misheard something.
Overall, very enjoyable! Recommended to anyone who wants a dynamic book to read!
Jack:
Jack Frost. A spin off from Claus; yet a stand alone book. I completed this audiobook some time ago, but mulled over the review.
Of all of the Claus books, this was my least favorite. Most likely because it was in present tense. I don’t easily fall into books when it’s current.
I liked Sura, but she wasn’t as warm, fresh, and ‘real’ as the characters in Claus, Flury, or Miser. Even the youngsters in Flury -Oliver and a little girl - felt more believable and likable. Sura didn’t quite pop out of the story as much as I wanted her to.
As to be expected, it’s a mixture of Christmas lore and elven science fiction technology. It’s thoughtful, creative, and sensible.
Very enjoyable and worth a read and/or listen.
Flury:
Flury is a very exciting and suspenseful tale of a family's secret of the supernatural.
I agonized over the rating because Tony has become my "go-to" author when I want to immerse in a new dimension with unnatural characters and a sci fi twist. If I'm finding myself drowning in 1-2 star books, I pull up a Bertauski original and easily throw five stars up on the board with a satisfied smile.
Flury, however, lacked that extra magical touch. I can't quite put my finger on it.
Oliver has a relatable connection with his mom and we watch him form a solid friendship with a sweet young girl. The mom has a tumultuous relationship with her mom; likewise Oliver struggles with his relationship with the grandmother. All of this is typical Bertauski; it's real.
Then we have the magical slash sci fi mystery spin. It's lovely and connects us, briefly and remotely, to another book. Just a slight thread; anyone who has not read other books would still feel at home and cozy with this stand alone book. It's more like a nod to Santa.
Yet. I didn't walk away feeling like I had my mind blown. I wish I knew what was missing, I'd pinpoint it and blatantly ask "what about ...?"
Alas, it's more than a 4 - almost a 5 in Goodreads standards; but not a 5 on my standards for Mr Bertauski.
Still a recommended book. A recommended stand alone series. And a recommended author.
I did read these books out of order, so although it has a common thread, one wouldn’t get lost because there are no cliffhangers.
April 28, 2024
Every year for the past several years I have searched for a Christmas theme tome to enhance the Holiday atmosphere around the house. I have read many of the well known Holiday books but two years ago I stumbled across Mr. Bertauski's initial trilogy. There are nine books in total each divided into 3 book segments. I have read the first 3 and if you want something different for the holidays I encourage you to check out the work of this author.
First off let me forewarn you this isn't your happy, festive Christmas family get together and read it in front of the fireplace. Each book centers around a character in the world of Santa. These stories are dark with a sci-fi themed background. Some of the characters are sinister and foreboding, for example Jack Frost is an out and out SOB.
I have already secured the second 3 volume trilogy. Just waiting for the cold December winds to start howling.....
First off let me forewarn you this isn't your happy, festive Christmas family get together and read it in front of the fireplace. Each book centers around a character in the world of Santa. These stories are dark with a sci-fi themed background. Some of the characters are sinister and foreboding, for example Jack Frost is an out and out SOB.
I have already secured the second 3 volume trilogy. Just waiting for the cold December winds to start howling.....
December 4, 2017
Truly great book about Santa Claus. A different take on the north pole and the elven people. The Santa's have to endure more then they planned. Technology is advanced and they way if survival is amazing. The cold one has his people divided. I love it. Great story.
This one takes place many years after Claus. Technological advancements combined with the christmas story. Sura doesn’t know what to think, she wonders what is real. I liked the story, it was a little slow getting into the meat and potatoes of the story so to speak, but once it did I couldn’t believe what was happening. Great imagination. Really enjoyed this one.
This was a very interesting story. Not exactly what I had expected, however it was really good. Oliver was always a good kid and always stayed true to his beliefs. This book makes you go though many emotions; happiness, sadness, anger etc. I really enjoyed it.
This one takes place many years after Claus. Technological advancements combined with the christmas story. Sura doesn’t know what to think, she wonders what is real. I liked the story, it was a little slow getting into the meat and potatoes of the story so to speak, but once it did I couldn’t believe what was happening. Great imagination. Really enjoyed this one.
This was a very interesting story. Not exactly what I had expected, however it was really good. Oliver was always a good kid and always stayed true to his beliefs. This book makes you go though many emotions; happiness, sadness, anger etc. I really enjoyed it.
January 3, 2019
Book 1: I was turned-off by Jack's usage of current vernacular (2000s) when the story supposedly took place in the early 1800s. Sorry, I just couldn't get passed that. Plus, the rest of the story tended to drag on with Nicholas Santa being held captive, etc. Not enough movement in the story. I decided to tough my way through to the end so I could see how Book 2 was going to be.
Book 2: I am one of the people who finds spelling and grammatical errors in books and I then wonder how that could possibly happen with today's technology. Anyway, besides the incorrect spelling of The Beatles (they were not Beetles, Mr. Bertauski. Those happen to be bugs!), I did like the growing relationship between Sura & Joe. Book 2 was slightly better and gave me the nudge to read Book 3.
Book 3: By far the best of the trilogy. The final book tied up all the loose ends.
If one of my friends happened to read this set, it would be interesting to discuss it; but I would not go out of my way to recommend this book to friends.
Book 2: I am one of the people who finds spelling and grammatical errors in books and I then wonder how that could possibly happen with today's technology. Anyway, besides the incorrect spelling of The Beatles (they were not Beetles, Mr. Bertauski. Those happen to be bugs!), I did like the growing relationship between Sura & Joe. Book 2 was slightly better and gave me the nudge to read Book 3.
Book 3: By far the best of the trilogy. The final book tied up all the loose ends.
If one of my friends happened to read this set, it would be interesting to discuss it; but I would not go out of my way to recommend this book to friends.
March 16, 2021
Long but Intriguing
Three books, 812 plus pages. The first book took me a bit to get into, but once I did I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the eleven, the feud between Claus and Jack. The technology, the reindeer, the abominables were fun. The second book about Jack was a mind bender. Several of the characters were super well developed and enjoyable. Jack and the AI were impressive in their own rights. Infuriating and impressive. The last book pushed this from 3 to 4 stars.
Oliver is a very likable main character. He was fun to follow and have him tell the story. He was flawed but not an unlikable amount. Molly was well developed and I had a place in my heart for them. Great scyfy read.
Three books, 812 plus pages. The first book took me a bit to get into, but once I did I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the eleven, the feud between Claus and Jack. The technology, the reindeer, the abominables were fun. The second book about Jack was a mind bender. Several of the characters were super well developed and enjoyable. Jack and the AI were impressive in their own rights. Infuriating and impressive. The last book pushed this from 3 to 4 stars.
Oliver is a very likable main character. He was fun to follow and have him tell the story. He was flawed but not an unlikable amount. Molly was well developed and I had a place in my heart for them. Great scyfy read.
May 9, 2023
Overall: 4 stars
Claus : Legend of the Fat Man: 4 stars
Jack: The Tale of Frost: 4 stars
Flury: Journey of a Snowman : 3 stars
A set of independent stories related to the setting. 'Claus' is about the first human, Nicholas Santa, to encounter the elven. The second is about an elven, Jack Frost, who leads an international organization that manufactures toys. The third is about Oliver Toye's great-grandfather and the families he begat. Overall, these are good stories, but they are largely independent.
Easy-to-read. Entertaining. Great world building. Haunting. Romantic. Tragic. Twisted. Unpredictable. Whimsical. Wonderful characters.
I received a review copy of this book from a third party. This is my honest review.
Claus : Legend of the Fat Man: 4 stars
Jack: The Tale of Frost: 4 stars
Flury: Journey of a Snowman : 3 stars
A set of independent stories related to the setting. 'Claus' is about the first human, Nicholas Santa, to encounter the elven. The second is about an elven, Jack Frost, who leads an international organization that manufactures toys. The third is about Oliver Toye's great-grandfather and the families he begat. Overall, these are good stories, but they are largely independent.
Easy-to-read. Entertaining. Great world building. Haunting. Romantic. Tragic. Twisted. Unpredictable. Whimsical. Wonderful characters.
I received a review copy of this book from a third party. This is my honest review.
September 21, 2017
I have just finished Claus, the first book in this box set. This is a different story about Santa Claus, definitely not the version many of us have grown up knowing. I would not call this a fairy tale, at least not in the traditional sense, but maybe a more modern approach perhaps in the vein of The Brothers Grimm, to the story of a much loved character. This story shows a new, more ' human ' side to Claus and gives some background into his younger self and his relationship with his twin brother Jack, and how this relationship shaped both their lives. I am about to start book two, Jack, which I imagine will be Jack's side of the story.
December 7, 2018
This author has done it again!
Claus is such a magnificent book! It hold your interest it’s a book for family of all ages!
Are you falling love with all of the characters and see how different races can intermingle and there’s no animosity no fighting we’re all one!
Shows that everyone can get along and we’re all the same! A story that we need in our world we are all one! We are the same no matter size shape or color!
This is a book that everyone should read!
Claus is such a magnificent book! It hold your interest it’s a book for family of all ages!
Are you falling love with all of the characters and see how different races can intermingle and there’s no animosity no fighting we’re all one!
Shows that everyone can get along and we’re all the same! A story that we need in our world we are all one! We are the same no matter size shape or color!
This is a book that everyone should read!
December 28, 2019
Very imaginative!
A whole new look at Claus and all things North Pole! It takes more than a bit of time to get through all these books included in this set. So something to read only a bit along. At least, I couldn't go straight through! The next set has only one story I'm interested in, so . But it's fascinating how the author has woven the stories into the plot! Very clever!
A whole new look at Claus and all things North Pole! It takes more than a bit of time to get through all these books included in this set. So something to read only a bit along. At least, I couldn't go straight through! The next set has only one story I'm interested in, so . But it's fascinating how the author has woven the stories into the plot! Very clever!
December 5, 2020
Amazing series, love it
I thought these were going to be kids books but I was intrigued by the description, so I bought the first three. I loved them so much! Each one is a different story, but still entertwines with the overall story. Each one tells the story from a different angle. They are well written, easy to follow and purely addictive. Now that I've read the first three I can't wait for the other 5!
I thought these were going to be kids books but I was intrigued by the description, so I bought the first three. I loved them so much! Each one is a different story, but still entertwines with the overall story. Each one tells the story from a different angle. They are well written, easy to follow and purely addictive. Now that I've read the first three I can't wait for the other 5!
January 1, 2021
Good Trilogy for Winter Readimg
The box set was interesting take on holiday themes. It's best to read Clause first, but they could be read independently. Enjoyed each one but Jack was my favorite.
Claus is an origin story that is well thought out. The North pole and elves are described in a way that is easy to paint a world in your imagination. The story continues with Jack a redemption story. Flurry is a spinoff from Claus and a fun quick read.
The box set was interesting take on holiday themes. It's best to read Clause first, but they could be read independently. Enjoyed each one but Jack was my favorite.
Claus is an origin story that is well thought out. The North pole and elves are described in a way that is easy to paint a world in your imagination. The story continues with Jack a redemption story. Flurry is a spinoff from Claus and a fun quick read.
May 4, 2021
The real Claus
I would have never known Clause to be like this! You think Christmas is all sugarplum sprinkled with goodies?Do you look at snowmen like Frosty? Do you think Christmas is all fa la la ? Well after reading the first three books of the Clause trilogy you will see Santa, those elves,Jack Frost all in a different way. The grown up style Christmas experience. A Good read!
I would have never known Clause to be like this! You think Christmas is all sugarplum sprinkled with goodies?Do you look at snowmen like Frosty? Do you think Christmas is all fa la la ? Well after reading the first three books of the Clause trilogy you will see Santa, those elves,Jack Frost all in a different way. The grown up style Christmas experience. A Good read!
December 30, 2021
Great book - don't overlook it
This book and these stories have forever colored my view on what Christmas and the related Christmas tales mean. I loved the title story, and enjoyed Jack's book, but have to say it was Flury's story that kept me engrossed until the wee hours of the morning when I regrettably finished the book. I will be looking at the rest of the Claus universe, and am sure I will be back here for a re-read when the magic (science) starts to fade.
This book and these stories have forever colored my view on what Christmas and the related Christmas tales mean. I loved the title story, and enjoyed Jack's book, but have to say it was Flury's story that kept me engrossed until the wee hours of the morning when I regrettably finished the book. I will be looking at the rest of the Claus universe, and am sure I will be back here for a re-read when the magic (science) starts to fade.
January 2, 2020
A Lot of Fun
I bought this because I wanted to read something “Christmas-y” on break. It was a total shock to me that I fell in love. I think it would make a great group of movies (with some serious editing.). Sometimes it blathers on, but the concept is really cool, the characters likable, and the story is really original. I loved it.
I bought this because I wanted to read something “Christmas-y” on break. It was a total shock to me that I fell in love. I think it would make a great group of movies (with some serious editing.). Sometimes it blathers on, but the concept is really cool, the characters likable, and the story is really original. I loved it.
December 13, 2020
Great holiday read
I am a fan of retelling old stories from another perspective. Tony Bertauski belongs with the likes of Marion Zimmer Bradley and The Mists of Avalon, or Gregory Maguire, The Wicked Series. I read the first three and am anxious to start the second set. A nice Christmas fantasy.
I am a fan of retelling old stories from another perspective. Tony Bertauski belongs with the likes of Marion Zimmer Bradley and The Mists of Avalon, or Gregory Maguire, The Wicked Series. I read the first three and am anxious to start the second set. A nice Christmas fantasy.
December 20, 2020
A story you will find brings a sense of the fairy tale into the real world of man. Fascinating reimagining of a beloved myth and characters. Highly recommend.
Stunning creation of the Santa, North Pole myth. So much humanity and heart is enveloped in these books. Travel through the hundreds of years and the adventures that makes it all the more real by its very context.
Stunning creation of the Santa, North Pole myth. So much humanity and heart is enveloped in these books. Travel through the hundreds of years and the adventures that makes it all the more real by its very context.
May 21, 2021
Enjoyable
I will admit that when I first started reading these, I thought they might be "too far out there", even for me. But, they are well written, with a solid twist on some favorite tales, and great characters. So, if you don't fall in love in the first few pages, I highly recommend you stick with it. It's well worth the effort.
I will admit that when I first started reading these, I thought they might be "too far out there", even for me. But, they are well written, with a solid twist on some favorite tales, and great characters. So, if you don't fall in love in the first few pages, I highly recommend you stick with it. It's well worth the effort.
February 20, 2022
Well, I didn't actually finish reading this book. It was the boxed set, so in total over 1000pp long - which made it just to thick to comfortably hold in my hands to read. Maybe I'll pull it out again to try and read closer to next christmas.
I think it could have been good if there were three separate volumes vs all volumes packaged in one fat book.
I think it could have been good if there were three separate volumes vs all volumes packaged in one fat book.
November 28, 2023
Finished Book 1: Claus:Legend of the Fatman
I had no idea what to expect, actually thought it might be dark and creepy. I was wrong. If you take every story you have read, or movie you have watched and roll them into a big ball you have most of the Legend of a Fat Man. Exciting, funny, unusual, and more. One of those surprising books that had me at page 1.
I had no idea what to expect, actually thought it might be dark and creepy. I was wrong. If you take every story you have read, or movie you have watched and roll them into a big ball you have most of the Legend of a Fat Man. Exciting, funny, unusual, and more. One of those surprising books that had me at page 1.
May 8, 2017
Finished Claus, and it was ok, and started Frost, but just had no desire to continue it. Don't know if was the book, or me but just couldn't pick it up again. Maybe I'll need to pick it up again in the holiday season or just skip it & go on to Flurry.
December 26, 2018
I could not really get into the second or third book of this set. But I really enjoyed the first one...it had all the elements of a good historical fantasy for me. As well as being seasonally good timing, seeing as I finished it right around Christmas.
February 10, 2020
Fantastic read !!!!
I really had a hard time putting this down. I read the 3 book boxed set in just under 24 hours. Very well written, holds your attention through out , great characters. You definitely won't regret getting these books.
I really had a hard time putting this down. I read the 3 book boxed set in just under 24 hours. Very well written, holds your attention through out , great characters. You definitely won't regret getting these books.
December 4, 2020
This review is for the Audible audiobook version. I really love this author's stories. These are great holiday based sci-fi stories. My issue was with the narrator. I just couldn't buy into his voice as representing the stories. 5* for the stories and 3* for the narrator. Averages out to 4* rating.
December 15, 2020
Couldn’t Put It Down
This series was fascinating! Once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down. Each story was fascinating and filled with curious plot twists. I loved the alternative stories for holiday legends.
This series was fascinating! Once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down. Each story was fascinating and filled with curious plot twists. I loved the alternative stories for holiday legends.
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