Wilder Country

Winter #2

by Mark Smith

Finn, Kas and Willow have survived the winter of storms. Severe winds and cold have kept the Wilders at bay. Now that spring has come, everything has changed. They’re being hunted again, and they won’t be safe while Ramage wants their blood.

But Finn and Kas made a promise to Rose—to find her baby and bring her back. And finding Hope means finding Ramage…

Genres: Young Adult, Dystopia, Survival, Adventure, Post Apocalyptic, Science Fiction, Australia

261 pages, Paperback

First published August 28, 2017

About the author

Mark Smith lives on the west coast of Victoria, Australia, He is the author of four novels: The Road To Winter, Wilder Country, Land of Fences and If Not Us (all Text Publishing). Wilder Country won the 2018 Australian Indie Book Award for YA. Mark is also an award winning writer of short fiction. He is the co-curator of Mind Went Walking, The Songs of Paul Kelly Reimagined and Into Your Arms, The Songs of Nick Cave Reimagined (both Fremantle Press). HIs first adult novel will be published by Pan Macmillan in January 2025

Reviews

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Wilder Country, Mark Smith continues the story of Finn, Kas and Willow as they fight to survive in a dystopian world. They are teenagers who have had to grow up quickly after losing parents to the virus that has devastated their world and are smart and wise beyond their years. Together they have formed a family of sorts and have survived the winter by hunting and fishing but now that spring is coming they know they will be hunted again by the violent Wilder tribe. Before Kas' sister Rose died, Finn and Kas promised to find her baby Hope, captured by Ramage, the ruthless leader of the Wilders so they must travel back to Wilder country to try to find Hope, despite the danger to them all.

This is an excellent ya series, one I hope will be found in all high school libraries, but also with wide appeal for adult readers. The main teenage characters are gritty and resilient while displaying caring and thoughtfulness for the others in their group. With a tense and dynamic plot to keep the pages turning rapidly, it's a fast read that will have you seeking out the third instalment as soon as you finish.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

With Kas still grieving deeply for Rose, Finn and Willow had done the bulk of the trapping, fishing and collecting of food. But with the bitter winter almost behind them, Finn knew it would soon be time to move. He didn’t want to leave their secure place – home by the surf and where his parents had been before the virus took them was his sanctuary. But he knew the promise they had made Rose needed to be carried out.

As the three friends headed toward the valley they were on full alert. The Wilders would be on the hunt and so would Ramage - the dangers were critical. But they continued to head for the valley, Kas leading with Finn and Willow following; their packs plus the damage from recent storms making the going tough. They were completely unprepared for what faced them on their arrival…

Would the Wilders find them? What would be the outcome? And would they fulfil their promise to Rose when the evil and cruelty threatened to overwhelm them?

Intense and breathtaking, Wilder Country by Aussie author Mark Smith is the second in the Winter series and a highly entertaining sequel that kept me on the edge of my seat until the very last page. Gritty, powerful and filled with fast-paced action, Wilder Country is brilliant! I can’t wait for #3!

With thanks to Text Publishing for my ARC to read and review.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wilder Country is the second book in the Winter series by Australian teacher and author, Mark Smith. It’s some months since the tragic events that saw Rose’s death and the kidnapping of baby Hope by Wilder leader, Ben Ramage. The loss has hit Finn, Kas and Willow hard: each has grieved in their own way, but while Kas has been numb and silent, Finn has taken Willow under his wing, teaching her survival skills during the reprieve from Wilder attack that the winter snows provide.

But now it’s time to keep their promise to Rose: to find Hope and bring her home. And that will mean entering Wilder Country. Heading north via Finn’s good friend Ray in the Addiscot Valley, they are disturbed to encounter two Wilders and a scene of devastation. But with spring almost upon them, they can’t afford to delay. They formulate a plan they can only hope will not be derailed too much.

Smith gives the reader another action-packed instalment of this excellent YA trilogy. Finn and co are clever and resourceful, brave and loyal, and very determined. Again, this post-apocalyptic tale has heroes and villains (and, yes, some violence), humour and heartache, and plenty of excitement. It may be branded Young Adult, but it is certain to be enjoyed by older readers as well. Reading the books in order is recommended as there are spoilers for the first book in this one.

Smith’s young protagonists are often surprisingly mature, and while their youth provides energy and resilience, their lack of life experience occasionally means they misplace trust and make poor decisions. Readers will find it hard not to invest in these characters, and will be eager for the final instalment, The Land of Fences, to know their ultimate fate. An excellent follow-up from a talented author

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wilder Country is the second book in the Winter series by Australian teacher and author, Mark Smith. The audio version is narrated by Ben Hall. It’s some months since the tragic events that saw Rose’s death and the kidnapping of baby Hope by Wilder leader, Ben Ramage. The loss has hit Finn, Kas and Willow hard: each has grieved in their own way, but while Kas has been numb and silent, Finn has taken Willow under his wing, teaching her survival skills during the reprieve from Wilder attack that the winter snows provide.

But now it’s time to keep their promise to Rose: to find Hope and bring her home. And that will mean entering Wilder Country. Heading north via Finn’s good friend Ray in the Addiscot Valley, they are disturbed to encounter two Wilders and a scene of devastation. But with spring almost upon them, they can’t afford to delay. They formulate a plan they can only hope will not be derailed too much.

Smith gives the reader another action-packed instalment of this excellent YA trilogy. Finn and co are clever and resourceful, brave and loyal, and very determined. Again, this post-apocalyptic tale has heroes and villains (and, yes, some violence), humour and heartache, and plenty of excitement. It may be branded Young Adult, but it is certain to be enjoyed by older readers as well. Reading the books in order is recommended as there are spoilers for the first book in this one.

Smith’s young protagonists are often surprisingly mature, and while their youth provides energy and resilience, their lack of life experience occasionally means they misplace trust and make poor decisions. Readers will find it hard not to invest in these characters, and will be eager for the final instalment, The Land of Fences, to know their ultimate fate. An excellent follow-up from a talented author

[Kelly (Diva Booknerd) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The desolate winter brought reprieve from the noxious, violent men who meander the barren Australian coastline. To survive, Finn, Kashmala and Willow depart Angowrie in search of Hope, abducted from her dying mother. Rose and Kashmala are refugees. Arriving in Australia as children, adults are placed within detention facilities, children and adolescents denied an education and placed in servitude. Contamination decimated Australia, survival communities ensuring democracy and liberation while Ramage intends retribution.

In Wilder Country, Kashmala and Finn journey the dangerous, forsaken landscape pursuing Hope, literally and figuratively, while avoiding capture. Finn is a character enduring tremendous growth. Rose and now Kashmala both revealing the plight of asylum seekers within Australia as the remorseless, misogynistic Wilder men claim ownership of surviving females. The premise of the Winter series is survival and the triumph against adversity, compelling characters and the balance of morality. Wonderfully written with a strong social conscious.

[Text Publishing · Rating 5 out of 5]

'This book canvasses some important and relevant issues and it does so through the prism of young eyes…It balances the softness of helping others and emotional themes with the vivid and exciting action of fear, survival and revenge.’
Cass Moriarty, author of The Promise Seed

‘Mark Smith's sequel picks up seamlessly where Road to Winter left off. In Wilder Country, Finn continues his fight to survive by dodging the Wilder gang, led by the loathsome Ramage, and forming a new kind of family with Kas and Willow from book one. An unmissable series.’
Sydney Morning Herald

‘The superb pacing, natural dialogue, and vivid descriptions of a country and people ravaged by disaster make this a pulse-pounding read…A strong addition to the genre.’
Kirkus

'The superb pacing, natural dialogue, and vivid descriptions of a country and people ravaged by disaster make this a pulse-pounding read...A strong addition to the genre.'
Kirkus Reviews

‘A page-turner told in an unaffected, Australian voice.’
Joy Lawn, Australian

‘The sequel to Mark Smith’s The Road to Winter is a page-turner with a heart and soul, tightly packed with exquisitely rendered action and nail-biting scenes of peril, all layered with emotional authenticity.’
Written by Sime

‘Issues of survival, trust and honour make this a great book for reading groups…A much anticipated sequel that reminds me of the Tomorrow When the War Began series.’
Lamont Books

‘If you love dystopian narratives with nail-biting life-and-death situations, then Mark Smith’s Wilder Country is for you. My only regret is that I have to wait until book three hits bookstore shelves.’
Kids’ Book Review

‘Mark Smith writes in a taut style that keeps the pages turning…Absorbing entertainment, this is what most young folk would look for in reading.’
Magpies

‘Satisfying.’
NZ Listener, 50 Best Books for Kids

[Sue Gerhardt Griffiths · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I won Wilder Country (Winter, #2) it was a given that I would read Mark Smith’s debut novel The Road to Winter (Winter, #1) first, as I’m one of those people who find it important to read in sequence since I find I get a much better sense of the characters and the underlying storyline. But for any reader who reads books randomly this is not necessary as Mark Smith introduces each character from his first book and fills you in on the crucial details but I still suggest to read in order on account of the author always refers to something or other that you may not find in the latest book.

Mark Smith’s YA dystopian novel Wilder Country (Winter, #2) was just as brilliant as his debut book. The story continues to follow Finn, also Kas and Willow, Ramage and the Wilders, the latter a feral and brutal gang hunting down asylum seekers. The action is just as intense and the main characters Finn, Kas and Willow are well drawn and just so fabulously likeable.

I’m blown away by this authors amazing ability to keep the reader totally engaged and on the edge of their seat from the first page until the very last word. Two weeks later I’m still thinking about the characters and storyline.

Many thanks to Text Publishing and Goodreads Giveaways for this review copy.

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well executed follow up to The Road to Winter. Finn struggles with his innate goodness - a difficult line to sustain, given these appalling circumstances.

So many relevant themes for contemporary audiences.

Hope to ramble longer soon over at my blog.

[Miffy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a gripping series that throws up ethical dilemmas and heartbreaking moments without warning. Just when you think you’ve got the story figured out, Smith chucks in another twist. I’m looking forward to the conclusion in the third book.

[Bridget · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm deeply invested in this series. It has all of the things I love. A great cast of diverse characters struggling to survive in a world which has utterly changed from that they grew up in. It is full of heart and danger and I spent much of this book in fear for the life of Finn, Kas and Willow. In this second book we meet new people, we see sides of villains which surprise, we meet new groups of survivors and we do finally see hope for the future.

You can't read this book if you haven't read the first one and it so nicely just carries on in a very satisfying way that it is a proper treat. It has an ending which made me cry in a good way. If you have a secondary school library you really are doing your students a disservice if you don't have a few copies of this series. I have 5 copies of the first one and there is never one on the shelf. It works so well for personal responses and hooks readers in immediately. It is one of those series which crosses all the barriers and has mass appeal. Mark Smith, you are on a winning formula!

[Wendy Bamber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really like this series, it’s not often I go the full distance on a series when I have so many books in my bag but I’ll be picking up the final one this weekend. Great dystopian adventure, survival, gripping, lots to sell to my teens and no worries for me on the suitability for intermediate 12+.

[Cass Moriarty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wilder Country (Text Publishing 2017) is the follow-up novel to Mark Smith, Author’s debut YA story The Road to Winter, released last year. The title Wilder Country is both a play on the wildness of the dystopian countryside, and also a reference to the Wilders – a group of powerful, lawless thugs. As the story opens, we are reunited with Finn, Kas and Willow, a motley but tight group of ‘family’ as they prepare for the end of winter and the beginning of warmer months, and the possibility of further attacks by the Wilders. The three have survived by hunting, fishing and using their wits, but always in the backs of their minds has been their promise given to Kas’ dead sister, Rose – to find Rose’s newborn baby, whom they have named Hope, and to return her to safety. Willow has grieved the forced separation from her parents, and is hoping to find them again once the trails become passable. In the interim, she has firmly bonded with Kas and Finn, and learnt some handy survival skills.
Kas is a Siley (asylum seeker) and it is her thread that feels the strongest and the most authentic throughout the book. The terrible situation in which the Sileys find themselves does not seem so far-fetched when extrapolated from the current environment, and it is not hard to picture how their predicament could deteriorate. Kas’ motivations – primarily to avenge the death of her sister, to recover her niece, and to punish those that have hurt her – make her a feisty and significant combatant, despite her size and vulnerability.
Finn’s desperate need to be a hero, to save others, and to kindle his romantic interest in Kas, is nicely balanced by his own vulnerabilities, his indecision, his lack of self-confidence – sometimes at critical moments – and his grief and shame over how he feels he has failed those he has loved. He is a flawed protagonist who doesn’t have all the answers, and he allows the other characters – Kas, and even Willow – to shine.
The plot is fast-paced and action-packed, although perhaps not quite to the level of The Road to Winter. There is a large cast of characters, and I sometimes found it difficult to keep track of who was siding with which faction. There are some mature issues raised in the story – again, perhaps even more than with the first book – but I thought that they were handled in a sensitive manner, with enough violence and despair to make it believable, but not enough to be gratuitous.
I saw a photo recently on social media of a whole classroom of boys holding up copies of this book, and that is where this and other YA stories are so valuable – they engage kids to read, and they particularly engage boys to read, by offering protagonists and circumstances they recognise, and causes and heroes they can champion. This book canvasses some important and relevant issues, it does so through the prism of young eyes – which can only be a good thing, and it balances the softness of feelings, helping others and emotional themes with the vivid and exciting action of fear, survival and revenge.

[Sarah Fairbairn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The lovely people at Text Publishing sent me a copy of Wilder Country and I’d hung off reading it as I had intended to purchase and read the first book first. Time was dragging on and ultimately, I decided to give this book a go without reading the first one. I’ve started other series with the second book in the past (by accident), loved them, and gone onto to read the rest of the series with no ill effect. While it was easy enough to pick up the pivotal events of The Road to Winter thanks to the aftermath of them in this book. I did struggle to form an emotional attachment to the characters. I am positive that this is because I’d missed all the character background and relationship set up from the first book. I really enjoyed the writing and the plot of this plausible dystopian world Smith has created and am looking forward to reading the third and final book, The Land of Fences.

At the start of the book we get a snapshot of what life has been like in the abandoned coastal town of Angowrie for Finn, Kas, Willow and Rowdy over winter. Through Finns narrative we get a little bit of a recap of how ‘The Virus’ killed practically everyone in Finns part of the world and all services went down (electricity etc.) and how everything descended into chaos with a vicious gang trying to rule over all that remains. Finn, Kas and Willow then set out just as winter is ending to check on Ray, Willow’s parents and track down and rescue Rose (Kas’s niece). What follows is a whole bunch of action packed high stakes drama.

Even though the plot, the landscape, the action/emotional scenes and character interactions were all top notch, I think my enjoyment was hindered by not reading the first book. Multiple times while I was reading this story (whenever Finn mentioned the previous winters), I found myself thinking ‘I wish I’d been with Finn through those winters and followed his growth’. And I would have, had I read the first book.

Wilder Country is a story of survival. A story of keeping promises. Do yourself a favour and go and read the The Road to Winter First, then come back and read this one.

[Joelzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I discovered the first book in this series at a festival held in Victoria called "clunes booktown festival". I was captivated from the very first page and the second installment "wilder country" is no different. Not only do I love the play on words in the title but mark smith beautiful portrays a world that is so terrifying and compelling that it makes you thankful that it's fiction.
The story follows the journey of Finn, Kas and willow as they search for baby Hope who has been taken by their hunter Ramage. From the first page of this novel I was terrified to be back in the day to day eyes of Finn, scared of what's around the corner.

Brilliant

[Jude · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Wilder Country' is fast paced and gripping. In the second book in the Winter series we follow Finn, Kas and Willow as they try to locate Hope - Rose's baby. Hope has been taken by Ramage, the head of the Wilders, and while they are looking for Ramage so that they can take back Hope, Ramage is also quite keen to locate them (but not for any good reason). I love the characters in this novel, especially Finn, he is one of life's good guys. This is a 5 star book for me, a really great YA read, once I started it I couldn't put it down. Let's hope that it's not too long before #3 comes out, I need to know what happens!!

[Jacki (Julia Flyte) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the sequel to "A Road to Winter" and you'll struggle with it if you haven't read the first book. (I have, but it was a year ago and I still found it difficult in parts to remember details about what had happened before).

I really liked A Road to Winter, but I was less enamoured with Wilder Country. It felt more cinematic, and by that I mean more action but with less character development. It was perfectly okay, but it felt more like the YA novel that it is, than like something with broader appeal.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finn and his friends continue their struggle to survive in the second part of this trilogy.

I felt this title wasn't as good as the first one. There was a lot of sneaking around and talking, and the action was always over very quickly. I'm also a bit surprised that, having seen his parents and almost everyone he knows die, the worst night of Finn's life is the night the girl he knew a bit died.

However, it's still an exciting, interesting story, and if I had the opportunity I'd read the third one to see how everything ended with Rampage and the valley.

[Lila · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story line was better than the previous book. The main thing that annoyed me was that there was hardly any implications - the number of times the phrase 'i dont know why but there was something that made me want to trust them' - if there was a trustworthy character you knew. There was no character development. They were good or bad.
I was a bit weirded out by how the protagonist falls in love with the sister of his dead crush.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second in the Winter series. Finn, Kas and Willow have a big challenge ahead to keep safe from the evil Ramage and the Wilders, whilst fulfilling their pledge to Kas’s dead sister, Rose, to find her baby, Hope.

Fast-paced and action packed, I enjoyed this more than the first book. Looking forward to completing the trilogy.
Suitable for high school readers but with a violence warning.

[Carmel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even better than #1 Road to Winter! Fast paced, intense and very believable. The characters are well developed and the writing superb! When can we expect #3?

[MissStan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the sequel as much as the first book. A real page turner! These 2 books are a must read!!

[Fran Whiteman · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 1/2 stars. Recommend. Audio book. I look foreword to the 3rd & final book in series

[Anika · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story line was never slow and it continued from the first book pretty well. Love the characters and the last line was amazing/. Hope for a third!

[Missy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written YA post-disaster virus, set in Australia. Actually somewhat realistic and not annoying, in the way where they go traipsing cross country and stop to rest and eat and worry about where to find additional food. Main character Finn struggles with humanity in this new lawless world, which I also found refreshingly realistic.

[Gwen S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every bit as good as the first book, hard to put down, hope the next book is not too far off

[Kate Atkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid follow up of the story I enjoyed in Road to Winter. The small dystopian world of Finn, Kas and Willow is eerily close to home, you've got to love Australian post-apocalyptic fiction. These teens are dragged into making impossible decisions to survive, and join the fight against their hunters, while keeping a shadow of their innocence in their loyalty and love for each other. An adventure story to escape into.

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

The action and tension continue in this second book in the series. Finn, Kas and Willow are managing ok, but they eventually decide it's better to confront the Wilders rather than sit and wait for them to find them. They also need to reunite Willow with her parents, so they make plans to leave the relative safety of Finn's home on the coast and journey back inland. As you would expect, there is plenty of danger, and tough decisions need to be made in order to survive. I really like Finn as a character - his reluctance to shoot to kill, even when his own life is at risk, makes him incredibly likeable. I'd highly recommend this series for all secondary school libraries.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second in the series, this story is snagged by that oft-seen dystopian convention of kids turning into commandos – spraying bullets and saving lives in insolvable circumstances. Implausibility aside, this is a raring read.

[Rennai · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really looking forward to reading the sequel to The road to Winter and I wasn't disappointed. It contained the action and social exposé which I enjoyed so much in the first book. Finn and Kas have to find Rosie's missing baby, Hope, because they promised Rose they would in the previous story (and they are both people of integrity). The trouble is that Kas can't seen to shake her grief at losing Rose and Finn has settled into a steady and reasonably safe existence teaching Willow survival skills and looking after the two girls. But go get Hope they must and in doing so have to put themselves in continuous danger. Smith's discussion of humanity continues in this story and we see what characters will and won't do in order to achieve their desires. I'd give this 4 1/2 stars. A terrific read. I'm looking forward to the concluding novel. This book is very accessible for a wide range of young adult readers.

[Joanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely not as strong as Road to Winter - which was outstanding.
I found myself frustrated with Finn, a lot. Actually I wanted to punch him in the face a few times. Not much character growth from him, compared to others like Kas and Willow who have realised they need to adapt and change if they want to survive, Finn is still lumbering behind moaning he doesn't want a fight blah blah blah. I wonder how many more people will die / get hurt due to his inability to cross that line and secure his survival. He really should have learnt more from last years events.

A very intriguing ending though - that's probably the only redeeming part of the book.