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Little House on the Wasteland
Once, there was a little girl named Laura who lived in an abandoned cabin deep in the big woods of what was once Wisconsin.
Laura was born many years after the Great Bust. Elsewhere, war and hunger and disease still linger. But Laura and her family live safe in their little house in the wilderness, growing their own food, making their own tools, and scavving their own supplies. Then, one winter, as refugees from the east begin pouring into the nearby market town, Laura and her family are forced to migrate westward towards the dry, unpopulated flatlands known as the Wastes.
On their journey, Laura encounters the marvelous ruins left over from Lectric Times and meets the diverse peoples who inhabit the former domains of the Old Merican Empire. But there are dangers as well on the long road between the Big Woods and the Wastes, for the wild country in which Laura grew up was one still plagued by warlords, cannibals, and a terrible sickness that turns men into monsters...
Laura was born many years after the Great Bust. Elsewhere, war and hunger and disease still linger. But Laura and her family live safe in their little house in the wilderness, growing their own food, making their own tools, and scavving their own supplies. Then, one winter, as refugees from the east begin pouring into the nearby market town, Laura and her family are forced to migrate westward towards the dry, unpopulated flatlands known as the Wastes.
On their journey, Laura encounters the marvelous ruins left over from Lectric Times and meets the diverse peoples who inhabit the former domains of the Old Merican Empire. But there are dangers as well on the long road between the Big Woods and the Wastes, for the wild country in which Laura grew up was one still plagued by warlords, cannibals, and a terrible sickness that turns men into monsters...
323 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 6, 2019
97 people are currently reading
381 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
February 26, 2020
It's not often that I refer to a post-apocalyptic book as a "joy" to read because, well, the subject matter usually isn't that joyful, but it's the perfect descriptor here. Little House on the Wasteland is the story of Laura and her family and their desire to find some semblance of peace at a time when it's every man for himself.
We aren't privy to the year this story takes place or what caused the Great Bust that pulled the U.S. apart financially and physically, but we do know one thing: a plague (or "ague" as our characters refer to it) has wreaked havoc on the world and the things we take for granted in 2020 are no longer available. There is no electricity. No running water. No cars, trucks, buses, manufacturing, restaurants, newspapers. Even buildings and roads have gone by the wayside. It is what it is.
But you have little Laura, her two sisters and ma and pa eking out an existence in what was once Wisconsin. Until they can't any longer. And that's when they take to the (former) road in search of a new life in the wastelands, what once was the midwest.
This is the story of that journey and the trials and tribulations the family faces on that long trip. They must take shelter in places you and I wouldn't dream of. They must stand up to villains and those exhibiting signs of the illness. They must make friends with those they might not otherwise interact with and trust in people who might otherwise be untrustworthy.
When I call this story a joy, I mean that while the subject matter is tough and heavy and mostly not pretty, the writing is simply superb. The story elements are a delight and the character development deep and most worthy of something with the "Laura Ingalls" name attached. Our storyteller's cleverness with spelling and pronunciation made me laugh out loud at times, and I adored the song choices that dotted the pages of this read. I'd love to see a sequel.
Many thanks to Reedsy/Discovery for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
We aren't privy to the year this story takes place or what caused the Great Bust that pulled the U.S. apart financially and physically, but we do know one thing: a plague (or "ague" as our characters refer to it) has wreaked havoc on the world and the things we take for granted in 2020 are no longer available. There is no electricity. No running water. No cars, trucks, buses, manufacturing, restaurants, newspapers. Even buildings and roads have gone by the wayside. It is what it is.
But you have little Laura, her two sisters and ma and pa eking out an existence in what was once Wisconsin. Until they can't any longer. And that's when they take to the (former) road in search of a new life in the wastelands, what once was the midwest.
This is the story of that journey and the trials and tribulations the family faces on that long trip. They must take shelter in places you and I wouldn't dream of. They must stand up to villains and those exhibiting signs of the illness. They must make friends with those they might not otherwise interact with and trust in people who might otherwise be untrustworthy.
When I call this story a joy, I mean that while the subject matter is tough and heavy and mostly not pretty, the writing is simply superb. The story elements are a delight and the character development deep and most worthy of something with the "Laura Ingalls" name attached. Our storyteller's cleverness with spelling and pronunciation made me laugh out loud at times, and I adored the song choices that dotted the pages of this read. I'd love to see a sequel.
Many thanks to Reedsy/Discovery for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 8, 2019
This is an interesting take on an apocalyptic future. It was fun and went a totally different direction than I thought. That is not necessarily a bad thing. The Ingalls family is well known from the Little House on the Praire and through historical books so it was great to read something from a new perspective.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 16, 2019
This is a dystopian tale that a middle-schooler could read and one wouldn't worry about the horror, violence, and misery that is usually depicted. Like the originals, the strength and resilience of family is a theme. I don't know if this is a one-off or if at some point we will meet a "Nellie Oleson" type. though I can't readily imagine how that would look. There is a hint of a "Manny" at the end, so who knows. It was a fun read, that I poured through while nursing a creepy cold.
July 11, 2020
It was fun reading all the askew, imaginative takes on so many elements of the Little House books. There was more of that at the beginning and end of this than in the middle when they were trekking along the "Great Eighty Road", but even that section included fun bits. Plus there are the mash-ups of super hero and star trek movies with old fairy tales and classic books.
December 11, 2019
This was an interesting book. I wanted to read it because I love Little House on the Prairie and the Ingalls and wanted to see the authors take on it. I enjoyed reading the book and found it well written. I would recommend reading.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 15, 2019
A delight for fans of the original series who also love post-apocalyptic books.
December 18, 2019
Author rips off the Wilder name and book titles to write a mediocre PA book. Shame on her, and shame on me for falling for it initially.
October 20, 2023
What would happen if the Ingalls family existed in a post-apocalyptic version of the United States?
Not much that didn't already happen in the original series (except for the zombies).
See my full review here: https://happyhagfish.com/2023/10/18/l...
Not much that didn't already happen in the original series (except for the zombies).
See my full review here: https://happyhagfish.com/2023/10/18/l...
November 4, 2025
satisfying
As weirdly “cozy” as the og Wilder books and also a weirdly satisfying ending compared to the Wilder books although hopefully there’s more parallel stories coming from Wei. Well done.
As weirdly “cozy” as the og Wilder books and also a weirdly satisfying ending compared to the Wilder books although hopefully there’s more parallel stories coming from Wei. Well done.
November 16, 2021
If you liked the Little House series, you will probably enjoy this book, a rather bleak look at a future world, the remnants of our "lectric times" stewn all around them as they work to build a life in an impossible and hostile enviornment.
September 28, 2020
I'm not big fan of post apocalyptic or dystopian novels, but I enjoyed this. The novel takes place a couple of generations after the Great Bust, a complete economic collapse precipitated by a plague or two. Populations have collapsed. China occupies the Pacific Coast. And the Ingalls family sets out from the Big Woods to farm in the Wastelands. Industry no longer exists so the family must survive on what they can scavenge from Lectric Times ruins or make it themselves.
April 12, 2020
I enjoyed this more than I expected to - that said, I was very much a reader of the Little House books growing up, so this post-apocalyptic take on the general story worked for me.
It was also interesting to read this in April 2020, with the covid-19 pandemic in progress and think about that in terms of the setting of this book.
It was also interesting to read this in April 2020, with the covid-19 pandemic in progress and think about that in terms of the setting of this book.
December 20, 2020
Wow! I can’t say enough good about this one. In contrast to the original Little House books, this is a possible future in America. And yet I feel as though I’m looking back in time, through a brand new viewpoint on the culture of the early 2020s. It reads as a child’s book, but it has an adult’s understanding just under the surface. Highly recommended.
January 28, 2021
Excellent story
I loved this book, and I'm sure I'll read it again - probably more than once! The tone and pacing of the story will be familiar to anyone who's read the original Little House books, and the world as seen through little Laura's eyes is rich with details that tell a far larger story.
I loved this book, and I'm sure I'll read it again - probably more than once! The tone and pacing of the story will be familiar to anyone who's read the original Little House books, and the world as seen through little Laura's eyes is rich with details that tell a far larger story.
March 3, 2021
Nostalgia for the future
I grew up with the "Little House" books, and this story catches their spirit perfectly. The twist? It's set in a post-apocalyptic America. I especially enjoyed reading about "new" things that are found that are alien to Laura, but everyday to us. I'm glad I bought this, and I hope that there will be a sequel.
I grew up with the "Little House" books, and this story catches their spirit perfectly. The twist? It's set in a post-apocalyptic America. I especially enjoyed reading about "new" things that are found that are alien to Laura, but everyday to us. I'm glad I bought this, and I hope that there will be a sequel.
May 28, 2020
Charming post-apocalypse tale.
January 7, 2022
Both weird and interesting
I enjoyed this take on Laura Ingalls life, though I still wonder how this person got permission to write about these real-life people in a fictional way. The writer was good about writing in the style of the real Laura Ingalls Wilder; except for a few things that literally made me laugh out loud, such as Pa singing TLC’s “Waterfalls” and fist-bumping another man. Would be interesting to see where the next book leads us.
I enjoyed this take on Laura Ingalls life, though I still wonder how this person got permission to write about these real-life people in a fictional way. The writer was good about writing in the style of the real Laura Ingalls Wilder; except for a few things that literally made me laugh out loud, such as Pa singing TLC’s “Waterfalls” and fist-bumping another man. Would be interesting to see where the next book leads us.
January 9, 2023
I like a good post apocalyptic story and I like a good fandom AU, and this is at least one of those two. As a tale of wasteland survival this was pretty typical of the good end of the genre, and it had some of the flavor and key moments of the Little House books - but the characterization didn’t really zing with the sort of moments of recognition that really turn a tale of familiar characters in a new setting into a real treat.
April 7, 2020
I’m a longtime LIW fan and will read basically any related items.
This book combines a lot of aspects from the LH series only it’s post-apocalyptic rather than pioneer. Enjoyable as a fan, the writing is clever. Maybe a little heavy handed on the superhero references and it bogged for about 20 pages in the middle. Still very entertaining and enjoyable.
This book combines a lot of aspects from the LH series only it’s post-apocalyptic rather than pioneer. Enjoyable as a fan, the writing is clever. Maybe a little heavy handed on the superhero references and it bogged for about 20 pages in the middle. Still very entertaining and enjoyable.
September 30, 2022
An interesting twist on the Little House books!
Set in the future and with some of the same beloved characters with a whole new set of adventures. Hoping for more books in this series.
Set in the future and with some of the same beloved characters with a whole new set of adventures. Hoping for more books in this series.
June 15, 2023
Fun take on the apocalyptic future based on the Little House books. Apparently there is a follow-up planned to this one, since this just gets to the end of the ...Prairie with a promise to introduce the rest of the cast later.
December 11, 2021
Two of my favorite things; Little House on The Prairie and dystopian, zombie novels. I would love to have another book follow this one.
April 11, 2023
5 stars
What a neat twist. I really enjoyed this story and how similar and yet how different it was to the original story. Well done. I hope there is another book coming.
What a neat twist. I really enjoyed this story and how similar and yet how different it was to the original story. Well done. I hope there is another book coming.
May 19, 2024
A prepper and a Laura Ingalls Wilder fan? Then this is a must read for you! A post apocalyptic reimagining of Little House on the Prairie.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews