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Claus #5
Claus: Rise of the Miser
The 5th standalone novel in the Claus Universe. The Christmas adventures you've been waiting for...Christmas is hot. When Kandi’s dad gets a mysterious call, they fly to a tropical island where the buildings are enormous and the rooms empty. Despite the heat, his sunburned client wears a heavy cloak.Kandi meets a boy living all alone in one of the empty resorts. When he goes missing, she enlists the help of the technological wonders that haunt the island to find him. What she uncovers is a much deeper mystery that will affect more than just Christmas. The world doesn’t know it yet, but Santa Claus is missing.Kandi knows where he is. And why.
408 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 1, 2017
146 people are currently reading
401 people want to read
About the author
Tony Bertauski
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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 46 reviews
December 18, 2017
I received an advanced copy of this book. What follows is an honest review.
This book is a stand alone book but it is part of a series. Many times series books like this have to bring you up to speed about the characters. Since I do not have the others in the series I was a little concerned about information not being there I needed. I need not have worried. If the up to speed stuff was there it was not noticeable. Everything was quite clear.
In this book we focus on a young girl and her father who have been called away to a special project. Away from their home in Alaska to a warm caribbean climate in the days before Christmas. In this special resort, they appear to be the only guest. The girl finds a young boy in a room that he cannot leave. Why he cannot and what it means is a mystery she needs to solve.
Meanwhile, while Santa is out on a dry run, he is kidnapped by a mysterious woman in a cloak that seems to glow with heat. Santa needs to get back to the North Pole in time for Christmas or Christmas will not happen.
The author does a good job of bringing all the elements together. The story has a good flow to it and things happen for a reason, not just to fill pages.
I recommend this book for all ages, though I am sure that younger children would not get much out of it. It is an entertaining story about how the elves, and Santa came about, why a woman would want to end Christmas (or does she) and what a family truly can be. Pick it up for some holiday science fiction.
This book is a stand alone book but it is part of a series. Many times series books like this have to bring you up to speed about the characters. Since I do not have the others in the series I was a little concerned about information not being there I needed. I need not have worried. If the up to speed stuff was there it was not noticeable. Everything was quite clear.
In this book we focus on a young girl and her father who have been called away to a special project. Away from their home in Alaska to a warm caribbean climate in the days before Christmas. In this special resort, they appear to be the only guest. The girl finds a young boy in a room that he cannot leave. Why he cannot and what it means is a mystery she needs to solve.
Meanwhile, while Santa is out on a dry run, he is kidnapped by a mysterious woman in a cloak that seems to glow with heat. Santa needs to get back to the North Pole in time for Christmas or Christmas will not happen.
The author does a good job of bringing all the elements together. The story has a good flow to it and things happen for a reason, not just to fill pages.
I recommend this book for all ages, though I am sure that younger children would not get much out of it. It is an entertaining story about how the elves, and Santa came about, why a woman would want to end Christmas (or does she) and what a family truly can be. Pick it up for some holiday science fiction.
December 29, 2022
I started with Claus and worked my way to this one, book 5, in the series. I can tell you now Tony Nertauski has a new life long fan. I love his books and have rated the previous four 5* however I have given the 4* only because I found it quite confusing.
Had this been a book I would have been flipping back and forth to recall who was who and why they were doing that, but I read on a Kindle and it is too much faffing to do that so I just plowed through the book.
Don't get me wrong I really enjoyed it, the writing is strong and most of the characters are, although this time I could work out The Miser, who she was, who she had been and why she was the way she was.
I love that the books are all different takes on the holiday season and the character we know from that time of year and in this book Santa is now 200 years old and beginning to feel his age. As he stops for a breather on the rooftop of one house, he is kidnapped by The Miser and taken to a tropical island, where there are massive luxurious buildings, beaches, pools but no people. Apart from Naran a brilliant scientist who specialises in AI and cloning human organs for transplants, his brilliant mind leads him to think that if he can clone parts of the human body why not clone and print an entire human being. His ideas cause many arguments among scientists mainly that it is not ethical and the downside is that is could be used to produce super soldiers, who could no die or be injured in anyway, and a non aging population which would just grow and grow.
The Miser has also kidnapped him and his teenage daughter and has them on the Island, she is hoping to use his technology and knowledge for her own personal reasons.
Why she has Santa there is another story, but one you will have to read the book to find out.
It is worth reading, especially if you have read the previous four.
Book six is already on my Kindle.
Had this been a book I would have been flipping back and forth to recall who was who and why they were doing that, but I read on a Kindle and it is too much faffing to do that so I just plowed through the book.
Don't get me wrong I really enjoyed it, the writing is strong and most of the characters are, although this time I could work out The Miser, who she was, who she had been and why she was the way she was.
I love that the books are all different takes on the holiday season and the character we know from that time of year and in this book Santa is now 200 years old and beginning to feel his age. As he stops for a breather on the rooftop of one house, he is kidnapped by The Miser and taken to a tropical island, where there are massive luxurious buildings, beaches, pools but no people. Apart from Naran a brilliant scientist who specialises in AI and cloning human organs for transplants, his brilliant mind leads him to think that if he can clone parts of the human body why not clone and print an entire human being. His ideas cause many arguments among scientists mainly that it is not ethical and the downside is that is could be used to produce super soldiers, who could no die or be injured in anyway, and a non aging population which would just grow and grow.
The Miser has also kidnapped him and his teenage daughter and has them on the Island, she is hoping to use his technology and knowledge for her own personal reasons.
Why she has Santa there is another story, but one you will have to read the book to find out.
It is worth reading, especially if you have read the previous four.
Book six is already on my Kindle.
December 30, 2024
It’s not a happy ending, but it’s a good one.
I cannot say enough how much I love this author’s twist on Christmas characters. This one was another enjoyable tale. It does bring up some characters from the past books, but not in a way that is confusing if you haven’t read them first. Santa is missing! Where could he be? Let the adventure begin. Was very happy that the miser’s backstory was revealed. I love how all the books, at least up to this point, have their own ending. No cliffhanger to be concerned over. However, I always find myself looking forward to the next installment.
I cannot say enough how much I love this author’s twist on Christmas characters. This one was another enjoyable tale. It does bring up some characters from the past books, but not in a way that is confusing if you haven’t read them first. Santa is missing! Where could he be? Let the adventure begin. Was very happy that the miser’s backstory was revealed. I love how all the books, at least up to this point, have their own ending. No cliffhanger to be concerned over. However, I always find myself looking forward to the next installment.
January 29, 2018
A good friend of mine asked if I could recommend something for him to read that was different from what he usually reads. Without any hesitation, I said, “Check out Tony Bertauski.” Paul went to Tony’s website, and downloaded his free books. I’m happy to say Paul came up to me the other days and said, “Tony will definitely be getting more of my money.”
I absolutely LOVE Christmas, and when I saw that Tony wrote a series of books based on Santa Claus and Christmas, well, I just had to check them out - and they don’t disappoint.
Claus (Rise of the Miser) is just the latest in his Claus series. In this book, tony puts an unusual spin on the Heat Miser character from The Year Without a Santa Claus. Heather Miser was the victim of a horrible accident while trying to save her son.
What follows is the story of how she kidnaps Santa in an attempt to make Christmas “hot”.
This book also has one of my favorite Bertauski characters so far - Sandy. Sandy is a sarcastic virtual sandman (snowman made out of sand) who inevitably helps fix everything.
I can only hope Tony doesn’t stop with this series. All the books are great reads and make the holiday season a little brighter each year.
I absolutely LOVE Christmas, and when I saw that Tony wrote a series of books based on Santa Claus and Christmas, well, I just had to check them out - and they don’t disappoint.
Claus (Rise of the Miser) is just the latest in his Claus series. In this book, tony puts an unusual spin on the Heat Miser character from The Year Without a Santa Claus. Heather Miser was the victim of a horrible accident while trying to save her son.
What follows is the story of how she kidnaps Santa in an attempt to make Christmas “hot”.
This book also has one of my favorite Bertauski characters so far - Sandy. Sandy is a sarcastic virtual sandman (snowman made out of sand) who inevitably helps fix everything.
I can only hope Tony doesn’t stop with this series. All the books are great reads and make the holiday season a little brighter each year.
June 28, 2022
At 200, Santa is starting to feel his age and has an ‘accident’ during his annual practice flight.
Elsewhere, 16-year-old Kandi and her dad Naren, board a mysterious black jet in Anchorage to an unknown destination. Having been hired by a bubbly disembodied female voice, Naren, a biophysicist expert in cellular biotechnology, has brought Kandi along on a working vacation. But when they arrive on a strange deserted tropical resort filled Christmas themed holograms, Kandi realizes that there’s something really bizarre going on.
The connection to the previous book is through Jerri Mitchell who took over as CEO of Avocado, Inc. after Scrooge died. It connects with her sister, Heather, who also worked for Avocado before she had a deadly accident.
Fave scenes: Ronin going the other way, the BB bugs, Kandi following the trail of her belongings and Sandy on the screens.
Elsewhere, 16-year-old Kandi and her dad Naren, board a mysterious black jet in Anchorage to an unknown destination. Having been hired by a bubbly disembodied female voice, Naren, a biophysicist expert in cellular biotechnology, has brought Kandi along on a working vacation. But when they arrive on a strange deserted tropical resort filled Christmas themed holograms, Kandi realizes that there’s something really bizarre going on.
The connection to the previous book is through Jerri Mitchell who took over as CEO of Avocado, Inc. after Scrooge died. It connects with her sister, Heather, who also worked for Avocado before she had a deadly accident.
Fave scenes: Ronin going the other way, the BB bugs, Kandi following the trail of her belongings and Sandy on the screens.
December 4, 2017
Another fascinating story in the world of Claus! I’ve probably raced about Bertauski’s writing before, but this is my current favourite. If you haven’t explored his Claus world, Santa Claus that is, start now.
The characters and world a fully fleshed out and tie into previous Bertauski stories in unexpected and fascinating ways.
I never knew what to expect and the author kept me guessing. It’s rare that I can’t predict “what happens next”, but he fooled me several times in this story!
I don’t know how to tell you about this story without spoiling it! If you read the previous stories in the Claus world, you have to read this one. Several story lines and characters are brought together in surprising ways.
The characters and world a fully fleshed out and tie into previous Bertauski stories in unexpected and fascinating ways.
I never knew what to expect and the author kept me guessing. It’s rare that I can’t predict “what happens next”, but he fooled me several times in this story!
I don’t know how to tell you about this story without spoiling it! If you read the previous stories in the Claus world, you have to read this one. Several story lines and characters are brought together in surprising ways.
November 27, 2017
Claus (Rise of the Miser): A Science Fiction Adventure by Tony Bertauski is quite an interesting read. It is very unusual and particularly timely around Christmas. But don't expect the usual Christmas story. There are elements of AI, cloning and human organ printing and more, but it is a story of girl and her dad invited to an island resort for the holidays. Of course, it is not as simple as it sounds. There are more stories in the series which I am looking forward to reading.
December 16, 2017
Another great one from Tony Bertauski
Alternative take on the great man that comes around to visit children in December....yes, that's right ...SANTA. All of these winter wonderland characters are given new and meaningful outlooks as the author re-writes their stories in only a way that Tony Bertauski can. Perfect for the long winter nights when you need a new story in your life! I highly recommend this one!
Alternative take on the great man that comes around to visit children in December....yes, that's right ...SANTA. All of these winter wonderland characters are given new and meaningful outlooks as the author re-writes their stories in only a way that Tony Bertauski can. Perfect for the long winter nights when you need a new story in your life! I highly recommend this one!
January 21, 2018
Having read the previous Claus books, I was eager to read this one and it didn't disappoint. The inventive ways the author turns the myths and legends of Christmas on their heads is captivating. Yet however strange it gets (and it gets very strange), the characters are so well drawn and the setting so real, the reader just sinks into the story and believes it all. I was genuinely involved in the characters' lives. Absolutely captivating. Highly recommended.
December 1, 2017
Full disclosure, I was provided with an advanced copy of this book from the author however I have voluntarily chosen to write a review. All opinions are my own.
The Christmas that almost wasn’t
On a routine Christmas practice run, Santa goes missing. Trapped in an unknown location, Rudolph and the Elven work hard to find him. With less than a month to go , the inhabitants of the North Pole are frantic to get their patriarch back, but his captor has other plans for the jolly fat man.
Shortly before Christmas, Kandi Anthony leaves the frozen Alaskan tundra with her father to visit a colleague in a remote tropical island. For Kandi, this should be a vacation, but something isn’t right. After a strangely secretive journey, Kandi should be happy to be free of the snow and the ice, but with the overly done Christmas theme of the resort’s holographic reindeer and other merriment in the hallways, the atmosphere is almost jarring. With her only companions being an AI Sandman and a peculiar boy sequestered behind a glass wall Kandi becomes determined to figure out the story behind the island’s owner and her father’s long work days. The more she attempts to glean information about this person referred to as “The Miser”, the more it seems that the island and its inhabitants are out to stop her from succeeding.
“Claus: Rise of the Miser” is the latest in the Christmas themed Science Fiction series of novels by Tony Bertauski and is the fifth in the series that sees popular Christmas time characters reimagined with a Sci-Fi twist. Rise of the Miser, is the second in the Claus arc. The first novel “Legend of the Fat Man” delves into the origin story of this popular holiday myth and is an amazing read by itself. While “Rise of the Miser” piggybacks off of the earlier book, it is not necessary to have read the legend to understand the story line of Miser. For me, Rise of the Miser was a fun read with an overall theme of family. Heether/The Miser’s story is one that will have you feeling for the “bad guy” and wondering what you would do if in a similar situation. Sandy, the AI “Sandman” that seems to be Kandi’s constant companion inside the resort is a hilarious bit of comedy added in just the right amounts. If you love Christmas but are not steeped in tradition and are willing to give something a little bit different a try, Rise of the Miser would a great choice for a holiday read that has familiar characters but is totally different.
The Christmas that almost wasn’t
On a routine Christmas practice run, Santa goes missing. Trapped in an unknown location, Rudolph and the Elven work hard to find him. With less than a month to go , the inhabitants of the North Pole are frantic to get their patriarch back, but his captor has other plans for the jolly fat man.
Shortly before Christmas, Kandi Anthony leaves the frozen Alaskan tundra with her father to visit a colleague in a remote tropical island. For Kandi, this should be a vacation, but something isn’t right. After a strangely secretive journey, Kandi should be happy to be free of the snow and the ice, but with the overly done Christmas theme of the resort’s holographic reindeer and other merriment in the hallways, the atmosphere is almost jarring. With her only companions being an AI Sandman and a peculiar boy sequestered behind a glass wall Kandi becomes determined to figure out the story behind the island’s owner and her father’s long work days. The more she attempts to glean information about this person referred to as “The Miser”, the more it seems that the island and its inhabitants are out to stop her from succeeding.
“Claus: Rise of the Miser” is the latest in the Christmas themed Science Fiction series of novels by Tony Bertauski and is the fifth in the series that sees popular Christmas time characters reimagined with a Sci-Fi twist. Rise of the Miser, is the second in the Claus arc. The first novel “Legend of the Fat Man” delves into the origin story of this popular holiday myth and is an amazing read by itself. While “Rise of the Miser” piggybacks off of the earlier book, it is not necessary to have read the legend to understand the story line of Miser. For me, Rise of the Miser was a fun read with an overall theme of family. Heether/The Miser’s story is one that will have you feeling for the “bad guy” and wondering what you would do if in a similar situation. Sandy, the AI “Sandman” that seems to be Kandi’s constant companion inside the resort is a hilarious bit of comedy added in just the right amounts. If you love Christmas but are not steeped in tradition and are willing to give something a little bit different a try, Rise of the Miser would a great choice for a holiday read that has familiar characters but is totally different.
February 17, 2023
Engaging, but muddled
The author put together a very interesting shell of a plot and theme. I eagerly read through the book waiting for Mr. Bertauski to put more meat on the shell. Never happened. What was Heather/Heether’s condition? What made her that way? How did she get / have the knowledge and resources to build a top secret island? How did she know about the elven and their tech? What was her Santa end game? Was her son the afflicted nephew from Book 4 (where they were on the way to a cure)? The theme of stem cell and cloning research - pro or con - were teed up but disappointedly never really developed. Likewise, the Christmas theme, while better developed, could have been expanded upon. I liked the new, “secret agent” elven triplets. It seemed to me that the author threw together a bunch of interesting ideas - plot and theme - but due to lack of knowledge or effort, never really sewed them together into a cohesive story. One other note: the author calls these books in the series “stand alone.” This may be true, but each book I’ve read has allusions to their predecessors, that make the current book more meaningful. Read the books in order. Looking forward to reading Ronin, Book 6.
The author put together a very interesting shell of a plot and theme. I eagerly read through the book waiting for Mr. Bertauski to put more meat on the shell. Never happened. What was Heather/Heether’s condition? What made her that way? How did she get / have the knowledge and resources to build a top secret island? How did she know about the elven and their tech? What was her Santa end game? Was her son the afflicted nephew from Book 4 (where they were on the way to a cure)? The theme of stem cell and cloning research - pro or con - were teed up but disappointedly never really developed. Likewise, the Christmas theme, while better developed, could have been expanded upon. I liked the new, “secret agent” elven triplets. It seemed to me that the author threw together a bunch of interesting ideas - plot and theme - but due to lack of knowledge or effort, never really sewed them together into a cohesive story. One other note: the author calls these books in the series “stand alone.” This may be true, but each book I’ve read has allusions to their predecessors, that make the current book more meaningful. Read the books in order. Looking forward to reading Ronin, Book 6.
November 30, 2024
Rise of the Miser is a story about facing your demons, learning from your mistakes, forgiveness, and redemption, all wrapped up in one hell of a story.
This book takes place some time after the last book. Avocado Inc is mentioned a few times which is the only indicator. I couldn't gauge just how far ahead it is.
I wasn't sure I'd like this one. It's kind of tri-perspective in narration, but that wasn't the issue I had with it. There's a lot being kept from our main character and it's almost as frustrating for the reader as it is for Kandi.
I've got one more book left in the second omnibus before I can put it back and pull out the third one. Maybe I'll finish the series this year, but it's unlikely with seven more books to go lol.
I give this book 5 of 5 Paws and absolutely look forward to diving into the story about my favorite lead reindeer.
This book takes place some time after the last book. Avocado Inc is mentioned a few times which is the only indicator. I couldn't gauge just how far ahead it is.
I wasn't sure I'd like this one. It's kind of tri-perspective in narration, but that wasn't the issue I had with it. There's a lot being kept from our main character and it's almost as frustrating for the reader as it is for Kandi.
I've got one more book left in the second omnibus before I can put it back and pull out the third one. Maybe I'll finish the series this year, but it's unlikely with seven more books to go lol.
I give this book 5 of 5 Paws and absolutely look forward to diving into the story about my favorite lead reindeer.
December 10, 2017
Although this is the fifth (?) Claus book - I must confess to not having read the others. Yet. However, this works well as a stand-alone so the previous volumes aren't strictly necessary. (So why read this one first? Simply that it bobbed to the top of the 'to-read' file as a new release when I was otherwise engaged and unable to download another book.) There are links to other of Mr Bertauski's series but it's not essential to have ead them either - just enjoy the frisson of recognition when a reference crops up. (I didn't actually catch the Foreverland tie!)
Santa (Nicholas) Claus features but more as a plot element than the protagonist. The titular Miser is a bit of a surprise but the whole thing is eminetly readable (but that's a Bertauski trademark.)
Santa (Nicholas) Claus features but more as a plot element than the protagonist. The titular Miser is a bit of a surprise but the whole thing is eminetly readable (but that's a Bertauski trademark.)
December 28, 2019
This story is like most of the Tony Bertauski stories that I have read - it starts off innocently enough, starts confusing me, clears up somewhere in the middle, really confuses me, and then has a slam-bang (and confusing) ending. I enjoyed it very much.
Claus (Rise of the Miser) picks up some time after the end of Humbug. A scientist that has withdrawn from the world is enticed to an island in the South Atlantic. What happens there is what the story (narrated by the island's computer network) unfolds. If you like slightly weird (or really weird) science fiction/fantasy, you will enjoy this and the other Claus series books. Read them in order or read them out of sequence; either way weirdness and enjoyment are in store for you.
Claus (Rise of the Miser) picks up some time after the end of Humbug. A scientist that has withdrawn from the world is enticed to an island in the South Atlantic. What happens there is what the story (narrated by the island's computer network) unfolds. If you like slightly weird (or really weird) science fiction/fantasy, you will enjoy this and the other Claus series books. Read them in order or read them out of sequence; either way weirdness and enjoyment are in store for you.
July 2, 2020
Each book in this series shows great imagination from the author and Miser is of the same quality. I really enjoyed it because it has so much happening from Santa Claus being held against his will to a girl and her father staying at a mysterious resort populated by elves and ‘Sandmen’. There’s humour and mystery as well as tension and revelations about all the characters involved. It’s a complex story written with an easy to read style that scoops you up and flies you toward the great ending. Luckily for me I have the next instalment in the series and can’t wait to find out what happens. That has to be the best type of recommendation you can give.
August 21, 2024
Another amazing installment of the Claus verse. It was an abolute thrill from start to finish. As usual, there are some surprises around each corner and some that the reader figures out.
There are a couple of things that I found fascinating. The first being how artificial and organic life interact / co-existent. It kind of reminded me of the manga Chobits. But was also very original. The second being how the miser came to be and her general character.
What is so fascinating? Well, I highly recommend that you read it and find out.
There are a couple of things that I found fascinating. The first being how artificial and organic life interact / co-existent. It kind of reminded me of the manga Chobits. But was also very original. The second being how the miser came to be and her general character.
What is so fascinating? Well, I highly recommend that you read it and find out.
December 7, 2017
A unique take on the legend of Santa Claus and the Miser. The author gathers up all you thought you knew and turns it on its head, bringing the story into the twenty first century with A.I. and heaps of science, rather than magic. It is easy to become immersed in the story as you read about characters old and new, with a surprising outcome.
*I voluntarily read and reviewed this book, my opinions are my own*
*I voluntarily read and reviewed this book, my opinions are my own*
January 26, 2023
Very DEEP storyline
This had so many tear-jerk moments, much more intense than I thought... the Miser is such a complicated character, her backstory is mind blowing.
I also love the crossover references from the prior books!
The ending blew my mind ! I have to say that this story touched on so many issues of morality and ethics. the major question to ask is, what really makes us "real"?Loved this!
This had so many tear-jerk moments, much more intense than I thought... the Miser is such a complicated character, her backstory is mind blowing.
I also love the crossover references from the prior books!
The ending blew my mind ! I have to say that this story touched on so many issues of morality and ethics. the major question to ask is, what really makes us "real"?Loved this!
February 27, 2025
Great fun!
This book was nicely paced and a lot of fun to read. A whole new take on the "heat miser". A few parts were a little difficult to understand who's perspective we were reading about in the "Network" chapters, but, it didn't keep the book from keeping my attention. I'm looking forward to starting book 6.
This book was nicely paced and a lot of fun to read. A whole new take on the "heat miser". A few parts were a little difficult to understand who's perspective we were reading about in the "Network" chapters, but, it didn't keep the book from keeping my attention. I'm looking forward to starting book 6.
December 1, 2017
A delightful new take on Santa and his delivery of toys. All of the usual suspects are here, elves, reindeer, a snowman. Then add computer generation, a geek and a thoroughly evil protagonist! A fun read for all and to all a good book!
December 11, 2017
Read them all!
Drayton caught me, I was hooked. This is the best modern day writer since all the oldies. A must for anyone who wants to read great writing. I've not found an author who writes, well, who writes so good. thanks Tony. merry merry!
Drayton caught me, I was hooked. This is the best modern day writer since all the oldies. A must for anyone who wants to read great writing. I've not found an author who writes, well, who writes so good. thanks Tony. merry merry!
December 29, 2017
Slow to start but after that - whoosh
I was a little disappointed in the first few chapters and struggled to get into the story - I didn't feel like I had enough information coming in. However, I pushed through and once I managed some traction, it was all go. Loved it in the end
I was a little disappointed in the first few chapters and struggled to get into the story - I didn't feel like I had enough information coming in. However, I pushed through and once I managed some traction, it was all go. Loved it in the end
January 1, 2018
I'm Ms Heat Miser
Another great addition to the series. Great characters and an awesome twist at the end. I liked the one year later recap of how all the principle characters were doing.
Another great addition to the series. Great characters and an awesome twist at the end. I liked the one year later recap of how all the principle characters were doing.
January 19, 2018
I really enjoyed reading this retelling of Santa Claus. I have also read the other books in the series. His approach is modern and yet reserves the spirit of the familiar characters that we fell in love with so many years ago.
March 9, 2024
Another Wonderful Read
This one rang pretty true along the science fiction trail but still has me hooked. Santa and stem cell research all in one. And now we are a family. Most excellent read.😁
This one rang pretty true along the science fiction trail but still has me hooked. Santa and stem cell research all in one. And now we are a family. Most excellent read.😁
December 8, 2024
Book 5 finally finished. The strangest and hardest to follow of all the 5 books so far in this series. Very confusing what was going on, my least favourite of the series. On to book 6 Ronin the Last Reindeer.
February 3, 2025
Least favorite so far in otherwise stellar series
For whatever reason I just failed to connect with or follow the storyline in this particular book from the otherwise stellar series "The Claus Universe" collection.
For whatever reason I just failed to connect with or follow the storyline in this particular book from the otherwise stellar series "The Claus Universe" collection.
December 18, 2017
Fun take on Heat Miser :) Enjoy this series immensely!
December 18, 2017
Very good. A truly interesting take on the Heat Miser. The flow was good and read quickly. Really enjoyed it. Not the best of the Claus series but good.
December 12, 2017
Another slam dunk! Excellent new holiday story!
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