Winter's Rising

Dystance #1

by Mark Tufo

From birth to death, The War is all the citizens of Dystance know. As children it is drilled into their heads that war is the purpose behind all existence. Winter doesn't agree. She's stumbled across remnants of life the way it was before The War began and now she longs to be as free as her ancestors. With help from her best friend Cedar and the boy she is forbidden to love, Tallow. She believes she can do it. Winter can see a life beyond the Pickets, beyond the constant hunger and the threat of death, beyond the war machine. Can one teenage girl and her dream of a better life really change the whole world?

Genres: Audiobook, Young Adult, Fantasy, Dystopia, Post Apocalyptic, Science Fiction, Amazon

382 pages, Paperback

First published June 6, 2014

Reviews

[Kelly Rickard · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a mark tufo fan I knew this would be different as he had used M.R.Tufo instead of Mark Tufo he had said this was because this is new and different for him. Yes the characters are different from his normal lot (but there was a certain ferry man I was happy to read about) but his writing style was the same flowing adventure.

This story is about Winter and her friends Cedar and Tallow training to fight in an ongoing war. As girls Winter and Cedar get to choose between being breeding machines or soldiers when they turn 18. Tallow doesn't get this choice he has to go to war that has been going on for years. Their world isn't like ours they are no cars or machines or even books but Winter finds something that changes her world view.

Even tho this is different for Mark it is just as enjoyable as his other books and flows nicely. It's hard to put down and is full of twists and turns.

Bravo Mark can't wait for the next one

[Melek · Rating 1 out of 5]

Checking the rest of the reviews, I see most of the reviewers (who also gave high ratings) were already fans of the writer. I'm not. I haven't even heard of him before seeing this book on NetGalley. So, after finishing this book, I started to think maybe this rating the book has (4.45/5 - 31 ratings) more about the writer than the book, because I have yet to find something to LOOOVEEE this book. Nope.

The Writing
Let's make it clear: Our MC is writing a diary, right? I mean, all of those we are seeing are from the diaries of hers. So, why doesn't it read that way? If you are to pick a style like that, why are you not going with it? It just didn't fit.
Even without this, the style was too juvenile anyway. Dialogues were lacking plausibility, which is something the plot was suffering from as well, a serious amount of dialogue tags were written only so they wouldn't be "talking heads". While reading, I thought this was a debut novel, so I was pretty surprised when I found out about the other books by him. I think an alpha reader could have been great help.

Characterization
This part is not any better than writing. The characters are only stereotypes. Cedar is the dumb BFF of the MC; Tallow is not-so-bright hottie that has loved the MC since forever, whom the MC also loves; Brody is the gorgeous, strong and successful soldier that betrays his duty for the greater good or whatever you want to call it. Winter? The bright, talented, attractive main character who has to be good at most everything, because why not?.

The Plot
This was the best part of the book, which is the main reason I'm still torn between giving this a 1/5 and a 2/5. It is not plausible as well, of course, but at least it was gripping in a weird way. If this book were a movie, it would be one of those that you watched on TV when you just couldn't fall asleep; nothing too good, but watchable. I can't think of a better description.

Overall, I think Dystance is published way too early. This edition is nothing but a first, maybe a second draft, it needed to get revised and edited at least a few more times. For this, I think I'll give it a 1.5/5.

[AudioBookReviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

ABR's full Dystance: Winter’s Rising audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.

Dystance: Winter’s Rising at first may appear to be a Hunger Games or Divergent type tale however, that would be a gross misconception! The world has become smaller, divided into clans … each clan must send their 18 year-old males to war and their 18 year-old females to the bio-barn to breed more soldiers for the never ending war. There is no escape as they are all enclosed within an area protected by pickets which will kill any resident who passes over, through or around them. Technology survives into this world.

Winter chooses to go to war with her friends.

Each clan has a purpose in the war – unfortunately, the residents of Dystance are never a threat. This is a well kept secret as very few if any return from war. That is until Winter enters the war by choice – bio barn is NOT for her! Along with her friends, Tallow and Seder, Winter trains with a common enemy/friend to ensure their survival but only after they discover a deeply hidden secret of what the world used to be.

Winter quickly establishes her role as leader of Dystance recruits and forms an alliance through talks and showing her soft caring side with strong strategic intelligence. She never loses the razor sharpness of her warrior side. Death and deception follows her. Can she save her clan from being fodder for the other clans? Can she escape into the world outside the pickets and find her father Richael Talbot, a descendant of Michael Talbot? Can she live the life her mother, Hope, wanted for her? Will she lose her true love?

The book is written in journal style which Mark Tufo has mastered into the art of storytelling. His character development is complete and engaging. The plot is very well developed placing the reader directly into the story seeing everything though the eyes of the journal writer.

Mark Tufo has a way with words. His choice of words and details enriches the story leaving the reader no doubt what is going on or what has happened. He is the master storyteller of this style of writing.

The narrator did an excellent job of becoming Winter. Tufo has a knack for selecting the right narrator and he did an excellent job in selecting Julie Whelan.

The production was flawless and clear.

The book was excellent. I have to say, Tufo has done it again! Being a longtime fan of Mark Tufo and his Zombie series, I found myself just as caught up in this book as all his others. Tufo has a keen sense of what story to tell and how to tell it. I cannot wait for the next installment of Dystance and Winter’s story. I am positive it will be just as thrilling and engrossing as this one!

Audiobook provided for review by the author.

[MightyA · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 star from my POV. The story is great; full of actions, young adult love interest, root seeking urge, lust for freedom, and a lovable young heroine. I love the author and narrator. It's just that ..... I am not quite convinced with the "diary" format. Other than that, this book is a good start to an entertaining YA fantasy series.

[Fiona L · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review)

I really enjoyed reading this book.
And in response to Melek G. no I'm not a fan of Mark Tufo and in fact just like you I've never heard of this author until this book.

I wasn't very keen on the book cover so the story actually really pleasantly surprised me.

The story is (mainly) written from Winter's perspective as a journal entry and I do have to agree with some other reviewers that it felt a bit disconnected when you get sections written in a third-person within Winter's journal.

Winter lives in Dystance and every year all the 18-year-olds are sent to war. Or girls have the extra option of being sent to Bio Buildings. Winter isn't one to be sent to the Bio Buildings.

Winter along with her best friend Cedar and her forbidden love Tallow followed a year's tough training from their head of Broker Brody in preparation for war.

The one main question on Winter's mind is, why is there war? What are they fighting for? Who are the enemies?

When they entered war, Winter and her friends found more questions than answers...

The ending of this book stated "to be continued" and I really do hope there will be a sequel to this.

[MangoLoverReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75/5 — Listened on audiobook. I enjoyed parts. Nothing really new as far as plot points. Unsure I’ll continue with the series. There are so many great books I could be listening to.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I like how Mark rebranded this one...I see what he did...and I think I kinda know where he is gonna go with this one; Well maybe..Mark is unpredictable most times....But I like what I heard! I loved the old version too, this one took me a minute to settle into, because I had listened to the old one 3 times and was in love with the characters already, I could hear them in my head, the old way...lol I am huge Sean Runnette fan, so it just took a bit to get used to this way..and he did a great job, he gave the story a lot of heart, and humor...and he made me believe it all over again...Im really excited that Winter made it this time..and I cant wait to listen to the next one!!!

ANOTHER WINNER MR TUFO!!! I RECOMMEND!!!!

[PJ Lea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok.

A good read, if slightly confusing at times. It leaves a lot of questions with a cliffhanger of an ending.
I did enjoy it and liked Winter and Cedar.

[Soo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Notes:

3.5 Stars Round up to 4 Stars for Audiobook Narration by Sean Runnette

[Jacqueline · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oi. I don't even remember how I stumbled upon this book. Audible kept recommending it to me, and so I added it to my wish list, and then one day it was on MEGA sale... so I bought it. Whyyyyy do I listen to Audible recommendations when they are so often completely wrong about my book-interests? I had so many issues with this book. I feel the author had all these decent potential ideas and just threw them into a book and stirred them together and it came out making no sense at all. One of the big things in this books is that paper is apparently one of the most valuable items in the entire world. Yet... there are absolutely no shortage of trees. The characters are supposed to be living in this weird time where they are kept uneducated about history and the world, yet we are supposed to trust their decision making skills and see them as trustworthy characters. The guys in the book were just HORRIBLE. They are cocky jerks and I did not like any of them. And Cedar was so one dimensional that it was laughable. And Winter was just boring. OH! And also there were little pieces of fantasy scattered throughout this ill-developed dystopian, with no explanation. Actually, nothing is explained very well.

Apparently a lot of people who have previously read Tufo's books really enjoyed this, but I am the minority in just finding this book to be a complete mess.

[Danielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found it frustrating that I didn't know this book was the beginning of a series before I began it. I love reading series, but I want to know when I start a book that it is the beginning of the series. In this case, I liked the premise, but I don't think the material is strong enough for a series. It felt like things were drawn out so that it could become a series. I would have been more interested in reading one longer, stronger book-at least for this book. I found things to be more interesting when Winter, Cedar & Tallow were training. I disliked the way the book ended, in a cliffhanger. I will not be continuing with this series.

I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[M. Van · Rating 2 out of 5]

Surprised of the amount of raving reviews.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the story and might even be curious enough to pick up a sequel, but somehow the book felt off. What annoyed me the most were the switches between POV. This is normally not a problem, but when you call your chapters ‘Winter’s journal entry…’ it annoys the hell out of me when I find out I’m in someone else’s head.

The ending was a clear setup for the sequel, but could have used a little more finesse. And what was that epilogue about?

Not bad, but not great.

[ANGEL JADOOBIRSINGHQ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bravo

Since coming across the first Talbot and his spectacular misadventures, I have been a long time fan. While not all of the books speak to me like the fallout series, and those connected in such a fantastic web of story telling, such as the Riley, and the lycan, spellbinding the characters into an interconnected universe. I am looking forward to the continuing story about Winter Talbot and the new world into which she has been so solidly and beautifully woven

[Brigette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't think the description of the book here on GR really does it justice. It's not nearly as vapid as it sounds.

I love that Mark Tufo integrated this book into the Zombie Fallout series. You definitely don't have to read the ZF series to like this book, but the ZF series adds another dimension to it.

I sure hope there's a second book coming for Winter.

[JM Wilkerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wait...what?!?
Damnit! Now I have to go back and read all of Tufo's stuff from the beginning...

(grummble grumble, damn good story...grumble grumble)

[LillaSusanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the sixth book of my second summer of free amazon books. (2.6)
This is the best of them so far. The heroine is living in a dystopian world where knowledge and pretty much everything else is kept from the people, but she does not blindly believe like too many other YA dystopian heroines. And though sexuality is punishable in the world of the book, it isn’t made a fuss over; there isn’t as much textual shaming as is usual in this genre. Which is great ! It still has many of the typical tropes of YA dystopia, like a sudden and almost magical ability on the part of the heroine, a love triangle, and a trusty sidekick. It’s done well though, and I love YA Dystopias, so I really enjoyed the read. If you do to, it’s well worth it. It sometimes speeds through some passages, but the fast pace of the book gives room to lots of action. As for the worldbuilding, it seems like a slow burn, and I think it is building up to reveal more in the next book, as the main chars discover more of the world. There are some problems with the dialogue parts though... quite often there arent any clues as to who us saying what, and I sometimes had to go back to see who was in the conversation to understand what was going on. Also, though it starts out in journal form, it looses that throughout the book, and the chapters are just chapters with a regular titles, with no journal entry-markers such as date. It’ just regular storytelling.
It took me an evening and a little bit of the night to plow through, so if you have a day to spare, download and read it for free ! I might even buy the next one :)

[Jennifer Kellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Genre: young adult, dystopian

Winter is a teenage girl growing up in a community called Dystance. In this future, men go off to war at 18, and women can either join them or go to the Bio-buildings to make more soldiers for the never ending war. Winter and her friends Cedar and Tallow hope for more than this. They hope for more than daily battles for food to eat. When Winter learns that the other nations are just as in the dark about the reason for the war, she sets out on a quest to change everything.

Winter's Rising feels like a cross between Ender's Game and Hunger Games. No one in the communities seems to know what is going on, but clearly they are some kind of sport for the higher ups. Don't expect to actually find out anything about the purpose of the war in this book.

The book is written as a journal of Winter's experiences. She starts by saying that it is probably a waste of paper, but she needs to tell someone her tale. This tells me that she must survive, but also likely is fails in her quest. Later, the perspective switches to 3rd person, which I found strange. It is either a journal, like The Handmaid's Tale, or not. The characters vocabulary is explained to be very limited (they struggle with the word 'festival') but Winter's monologue uses words like 'facsimile,' which is inconsistent.

This was an interesting read, not my usual genre. For how long it is, we still know next to nothing at the end, which was disappointing.

[Aaron W · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of the favourites out of all the fantasy books I've read. In fact, it was so great, I finished listening to the 12-hour audiobook in just 3 days. It has a striking resemblance to the Divergent series, both set in a post-apocalyptic time, and the main character has to work their way around a world they barely knew about. It is very intriguing to read a person in their teenage years, not even knowing what a rifle is. The main character starts off as a normal girl in a village, as she works her way around the poor conditions she is presented with, she makes friends, defeats enemies, and becomes a great warrior and enters a war that seems to have no meaning behind it. The main character doesn't just have to battle with the enemies of war, she also has to figure out her past and figure out why this "useless" war exists. Along the way, she meets allies, enters confusing relationships, and defeats traitors. Would recommend this book for someone who loves adventure and difficult but fascinating character arcs.

[Missey A Plum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome!

I love Mark's other series, Zombie Fallout, Lycan Fallout, Indian Hill and A Shrouded World. I have some other books of his as well. Never disappointed!! I don't put spoilers in my reviews and hate when others do, I do not want to be told about the plot. This book really hooks you from the beginning. It has plot twists that really get you. LOVE IT!!!!!! Can not wait till Mark releases the next installment!
If this book seems to your thing then buy it cause you won't be sorry!!! Look into Mark's other books as well. Some of the first in the series can be found free or seriously on sale. That is how I first found him and now he is one of my favorite authors!!!!!

[Thia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can’t believe I’m leaving a not great review for a Tufo book but here we go. I didn’t like it- there I said it! It was well written of course but it was pretty typical of the YA girl genre. I found the characters whiny and annoying and the romantic subplot gagged me… with a spoon ;) I just can’t. I always hate these books. I really thought since this one was written by quite possibly my favorite author of all time that I would like it but… and I’m sure it’s me Mark not you… but I’m afraid I’m breaking up with this series. If there is a hell, for me it will be YA teen girl fantasy novels all day every day on a loudspeaker.

[Elaine · Rating 2 out of 5]

With only two hours left in the ten-hour book I could not quite force myself to finish this audiobook. Life is too short to listen to books that one is not enjoying. I've read this storyline too many times it seems:

- ravaged countryside with young people sent off to war (cue the hunger games)
- young girl whose eyes are suddenly opened to another way,
- older adult who provides wisdom (cue Obi Wan)
- a hidden source of wisdom (in this case a library)
- a head character who suddenly becomes a fighting ninja after hard work (cue Rocky)

[Sharon Hendrix · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this beginning to the series!

I love the characters Mark brought to life here within these pages. Winter, Cedar, Tallow… what lives they live. What dismal lives they live.
After the discovery of something incredible, almost unbelievable our three musketeers are looking for answers to questions no one has dared to ask before.
I’m looking forward to reading book two and finding out what fate has in store for them next.

[Jody · Rating 4 out of 5]

listened to this on audible. I enjoyed the story and am looking forward to more. There was one little thing that bothered me though. Many of the chapters are written as journal entries, however, at the beginning of a couple chapters we are transported to another clan to listen in on their conversation. This ruined the flow of the story for me.

[Tammy N Bauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Storytelling at it's best!

I have been a fan of Mark Tufo from the. the first chapter of Zombie Fallout, he has entertained me with each character and story ,keeping me enthralled with his imagination. He doesn't disappoint with this series..so strap on your reading glasses, no housework is getting done until the last chapter is over!

[Yodwynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

I highly recommend this book!
It had me by the first chapter. Winter's character development was a well arched achievement and the overall story arch left me wanting more. I immediately got the second book so I wouldn't have to wait. One of the rare books that have me thinking about the story and characters long after I've set it aside for the night.

[Gladinell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well What can I say!!! I did not want to read Zombie Fallout because of the Zombies but I'm so so so happy I did. Now I just finish Winter's Rising and just loved it!!! Mark is an amazing writer you can find everything in his books but I love that he always put some humor in the story. And Cedar is my favorite character. Cant wait to start Book 2 now!!!

[Rob Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new story in Mark's first foray into the Young Adult genre. Reads like a healthy mix of Ayn Rand and Suzanne Collins. Drop your expectations at the door and get ready for something new from the Tufoverse.

[Tabby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't wait to continue series!!

Love the character and world building. Excellent storyline, excited for characters to grow into themselves. Story of courage, strength, growth and stubbornness!

[Kristina Kendall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want more!

[Bea · Rating 4 out of 5]

El libro me ha gustado mucho, pero me siento engañada. En teoría no era una serie y me encuentro con que se queda a medias y encima acaba como el rosario de la aurora