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Ever Winter
Ever Winter is a vivid and eloquent story of loss, rehabilitation, and revenge set in a post-apocalyptic ice world. Far from the savage remnants of humanity, Henry and his family have managed to survive the grip of desolate, perpetual winter on a vast tundra that was once an ocean teeming with life. When the family is discovered, their peaceful existence is shattered and their lives changed forever. Henry’s siblings are kidnapped, leaving him alone in the ruins of their home. Broken, altered, and tormented by all that has befallen him, he is driven to wreak vengeance upon those who assume him dead...by any means necessary. Fans of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road or Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven will enjoy the raw, emotional pull of debut author Peter Hackshaw’s writing. An audio edition is narrated by award-winning actor Dan Stevens (Beauty and the Beast, FX's Legion)
312 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 7, 2020
189 people are currently reading
329 people want to read
About the author
Peter Hackshaw
3 books92 followersPeter Hackshaw is the author of two Amazon #1 Best Sellers: post-apocalyptic Sci-Fi novel, Ever Winter - also available as a multi award-winning audiobook performed by Dan Stevens (Marvel's Legion, Beauty and the Beast, Downton Abbey) and The Shadow Sect, book one of the masterful Western Cultivation/Progression Fantasy series, Netherdei - an international bestseller in 13 categories.
The Darkest Core - Netherdei book two, releases 12th October 2023.
Peter hails from Essex, England and loves Japanese whisky, old pubs, guitars and 8-bit games.
He began writing under a pen-name and developed his craft with a collaborative online Sci-Fi novel and a series of contemporary horror shorts, which featured in #1 Amazon anthologies.
His favourite book of all time is the revenge classic and masterpiece The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas.
The Darkest Core - Netherdei book two, releases 12th October 2023.
Peter hails from Essex, England and loves Japanese whisky, old pubs, guitars and 8-bit games.
He began writing under a pen-name and developed his craft with a collaborative online Sci-Fi novel and a series of contemporary horror shorts, which featured in #1 Amazon anthologies.
His favourite book of all time is the revenge classic and masterpiece The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
February 8, 2021
I received a copy of the audiobook from the publisher, Monolith Books, in exchange for an honest review.
Ever Winter is a great revenge story that starts slow but engages with the gritty realism of its wintry post-apocalyptic dystopian setting.
I rarely pick up post-apocalyptic dystopian as my sub-genre of choice. In this case, I've to admit the narrator being Dan Stevens made a whole lot of difference. Fortunately, I was not disappointed in the least, both in the performance and quality of the story.
Ever Winter is a revenge story that is filled with brutality and violence, but also a lot of heart. Set in the future where perpetual winter covers the world, the story is mainly told from the perspective of a young man, Henry, who lived with his family in an igloo homestead on the 'Lantic (which I take it to mean The Atlantic ocean completely frozen over). Based on what I could gather from the narrative, this cold spell has lasted for about 100 years and life was difficult and harsh in the vast cold landscape where food is scarce.
When I say this book was brutal, I meant it in every sense of the word. Right from the very first chapter, we saw our main protagonist and his father carving up the dead body of a man as meat for the family to consume as food. Hackshaw did not pull any punches in portraying the grim reality of what life would be in a frozen world. The author has also created a very believable post-apocalyptic setting from the way that language has evolved to the mannerisms of speech and words used by the surviving people who became the new generation. Items from the time before the world was frozen over were also referred to as 'anteeks'. It was so paradoxical for while life seemed more primitive in this world, those items were considered as part of the old world even though it's technologically more advanced.
Shortly into the story, it was revealed that there was a bigger community of people living elsewhere when a stranger suddenly appeared in Henry's home; a stranger that heralded darker times to come for him and his family. I couldn't really say much more without spoilers. What I could say was that I really enjoyed it even though it took me about a third of the story before I became engrossed. The book took its time in the beginning to introduce its key characters, which I've always appreciated as this will only make me feel more invested later.
There was a section leading towards the midway point of the book which had me on tenterhooks. One scene here had me squirming so badly even before what was implied actually happened, as the very thought of it was horrifying. I also didn't expect the direction the narrative took after this part, and it started to become pretty darn fantastic. This marked the point where I found myself utterly hooked and invested in everything that was unfolding in the story. I have to stay vague so that it will not ruin the pleasant surprise that I felt at what transpired, and which eventually resulted in such an emotional beat for me at the end.
Now, as this is an audiobook review I have to talk about Dan Stevens' narration. As I've mentioned above, his narration was the biggest draw for me to listen to this book as he is one of my favourites. For a very good reason, as his ability to voice characters and imbuing the right personality into them is one the best in the audiobook business (that he's also an incredibly versatile actor is besides the point - ahem). The clarity of his enunciation made it so easy to listen and catch every single word. I could listen to that voice and accent all day, everyday. Hackshaw has written a great story with distinctive characters, and Stevens' stellar and nimble performance on audio made it even better. One more thing to note is that the audiobook also has two bonus chapters, which was not in the Kindle edition.
I do believe fans of a good revenge story will enjoy Ever Winter, although one does need to contend with a slow burn in the beginnning. It is also worth bearing in mind that there are some scenes in here which are unremittingly brutal and violent. The frozen post-apocalyptic dystopian setting is also not for everyone, but whether this is right up your alley or not, I do recommend checking it out.
You can purchase the book or audiobook from Amazon US | Amazon UK
You can find this and my other reviews at Novel Notions.
Ever Winter is a great revenge story that starts slow but engages with the gritty realism of its wintry post-apocalyptic dystopian setting.
I rarely pick up post-apocalyptic dystopian as my sub-genre of choice. In this case, I've to admit the narrator being Dan Stevens made a whole lot of difference. Fortunately, I was not disappointed in the least, both in the performance and quality of the story.
Ever Winter is a revenge story that is filled with brutality and violence, but also a lot of heart. Set in the future where perpetual winter covers the world, the story is mainly told from the perspective of a young man, Henry, who lived with his family in an igloo homestead on the 'Lantic (which I take it to mean The Atlantic ocean completely frozen over). Based on what I could gather from the narrative, this cold spell has lasted for about 100 years and life was difficult and harsh in the vast cold landscape where food is scarce.
When I say this book was brutal, I meant it in every sense of the word. Right from the very first chapter, we saw our main protagonist and his father carving up the dead body of a man as meat for the family to consume as food. Hackshaw did not pull any punches in portraying the grim reality of what life would be in a frozen world. The author has also created a very believable post-apocalyptic setting from the way that language has evolved to the mannerisms of speech and words used by the surviving people who became the new generation. Items from the time before the world was frozen over were also referred to as 'anteeks'. It was so paradoxical for while life seemed more primitive in this world, those items were considered as part of the old world even though it's technologically more advanced.
Shortly into the story, it was revealed that there was a bigger community of people living elsewhere when a stranger suddenly appeared in Henry's home; a stranger that heralded darker times to come for him and his family. I couldn't really say much more without spoilers. What I could say was that I really enjoyed it even though it took me about a third of the story before I became engrossed. The book took its time in the beginning to introduce its key characters, which I've always appreciated as this will only make me feel more invested later.
There was a section leading towards the midway point of the book which had me on tenterhooks. One scene here had me squirming so badly even before what was implied actually happened, as the very thought of it was horrifying. I also didn't expect the direction the narrative took after this part, and it started to become pretty darn fantastic. This marked the point where I found myself utterly hooked and invested in everything that was unfolding in the story. I have to stay vague so that it will not ruin the pleasant surprise that I felt at what transpired, and which eventually resulted in such an emotional beat for me at the end.
Now, as this is an audiobook review I have to talk about Dan Stevens' narration. As I've mentioned above, his narration was the biggest draw for me to listen to this book as he is one of my favourites. For a very good reason, as his ability to voice characters and imbuing the right personality into them is one the best in the audiobook business (that he's also an incredibly versatile actor is besides the point - ahem). The clarity of his enunciation made it so easy to listen and catch every single word. I could listen to that voice and accent all day, everyday. Hackshaw has written a great story with distinctive characters, and Stevens' stellar and nimble performance on audio made it even better. One more thing to note is that the audiobook also has two bonus chapters, which was not in the Kindle edition.
I do believe fans of a good revenge story will enjoy Ever Winter, although one does need to contend with a slow burn in the beginnning. It is also worth bearing in mind that there are some scenes in here which are unremittingly brutal and violent. The frozen post-apocalyptic dystopian setting is also not for everyone, but whether this is right up your alley or not, I do recommend checking it out.
You can purchase the book or audiobook from Amazon US | Amazon UK
You can find this and my other reviews at Novel Notions.
April 25, 2023
It's rare I can't engage with a book, but this one felt like sandpaper on my brain.
I love science fiction, for the way science and technology can enhance a story. I did not enjoy Ever Winter because the science was so bizarrely pushed into such a gritty and barbaric apocalyptic story. Overall it seemed like the author was trying WAY too hard to get people barely surviving in frozen tundra merged with old or retrieved technology.
It felt almost like Peter Hackshaw was trying to create some kind of mythology with these characters, if that makes any sense.
What the heck was up with the children having to dive into freezing cold sea to pull things from sunken places? That was crazy, and really alienated me from the book altogether. That, and all the gore. As a big horror fan, I'm good with blood and guts, but here it felt wrong.
I love science fiction, for the way science and technology can enhance a story. I did not enjoy Ever Winter because the science was so bizarrely pushed into such a gritty and barbaric apocalyptic story. Overall it seemed like the author was trying WAY too hard to get people barely surviving in frozen tundra merged with old or retrieved technology.
It felt almost like Peter Hackshaw was trying to create some kind of mythology with these characters, if that makes any sense.
What the heck was up with the children having to dive into freezing cold sea to pull things from sunken places? That was crazy, and really alienated me from the book altogether. That, and all the gore. As a big horror fan, I'm good with blood and guts, but here it felt wrong.
January 25, 2021
Audiobook performed by Dan Stevens. He was awesome. Every character was believable and I didn’t struggle with any part of it.
This reminded me of Water World in the sense that no one could be trusted. The crazy people were in charge and it was dire situations. Survival was everyone’s goal.
I thought it was well done and I loved the bonus chapters offered at the end. A great Sci-fi book. I highly recommend this and I hope there’s a book two.
Thanks Podium Audio via Netgalley for this audiobook. I’ve voluntarily given my review.
This reminded me of Water World in the sense that no one could be trusted. The crazy people were in charge and it was dire situations. Survival was everyone’s goal.
I thought it was well done and I loved the bonus chapters offered at the end. A great Sci-fi book. I highly recommend this and I hope there’s a book two.
Thanks Podium Audio via Netgalley for this audiobook. I’ve voluntarily given my review.
March 31, 2021
The Earth is covered in a thick blanket of ice. The modern world ended nearly 100 years ago. Some humans manage to stay alive in the constant cold. The world is a brutal place. The killing cold. The killing wildlife. The murderous survivors. Henry and his family manage to survive, scavenging what they can to keep living. Then they find a dead man in the snow....and things change for them forever.
This is a brutal, but totally mesmerizing post-apocalyptic tale of revenge. Hackshaw pulls no punches. This is not a story for the squeamish. From cannibalism to animal attacks, this story is gritty and gory at times, but realistic. Modern sensibilities don't fit a planet that has been encased in ice for 100 years. The humans who are left survive the only way they can....as do the polar bears and other animals that have managed to live through the permanent hard freeze of the planet.
I found this book hard to listen to a few times....graphic scenes. But, I kept going because I wanted to know the whole story! Glad I did....on the whole, the story is quite good!
I listened to the audio book version of this story. I'm finding I enjoy suspense/thriller type stories much better in audio. Narrated by Dan Stevens, the audio is just under 10 hours long. Stevens is a superb narrator. He brought the characters and the story to life!
Very enjoyable listen!
**I voluntarily listened to a review copy of this audio book from Podium Audio. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
This is a brutal, but totally mesmerizing post-apocalyptic tale of revenge. Hackshaw pulls no punches. This is not a story for the squeamish. From cannibalism to animal attacks, this story is gritty and gory at times, but realistic. Modern sensibilities don't fit a planet that has been encased in ice for 100 years. The humans who are left survive the only way they can....as do the polar bears and other animals that have managed to live through the permanent hard freeze of the planet.
I found this book hard to listen to a few times....graphic scenes. But, I kept going because I wanted to know the whole story! Glad I did....on the whole, the story is quite good!
I listened to the audio book version of this story. I'm finding I enjoy suspense/thriller type stories much better in audio. Narrated by Dan Stevens, the audio is just under 10 hours long. Stevens is a superb narrator. He brought the characters and the story to life!
Very enjoyable listen!
**I voluntarily listened to a review copy of this audio book from Podium Audio. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
February 19, 2021
Wow. I usually struggle with audiobooks but this narrator is amazing. Add to that an amazing and well written story and it's a win-win.
I absolutely love Henry ... well all the characters really 🤣 ... even the baduns. I just can't put into better words how creative and imaginative this is. This is a definite recommend for those who want a great apocalyptic read/listen.
I absolutely love Henry ... well all the characters really 🤣 ... even the baduns. I just can't put into better words how creative and imaginative this is. This is a definite recommend for those who want a great apocalyptic read/listen.
May 20, 2020
You made me cry
I’ve never ever cried when I finished a Book in my Life . I’m an avid reader , 75 yrs , you did this to me . Peter Hackshaw . I had LOL moments as well . ! I felt like I was living along with the “ Orfins” they broke my heart Fagins bunch were a load of Amateurs compared to those little loves ! Seriously This book has “ Blockbuster Movie written all over it . Also when you creat EVIL - it’s bone chilling and and tearing the marrow out of every bone in your body . . I’m not giving anything away when I say I had areal soft spot spot for a certain “ tin man who was developing a heart”. I also have a painting of a majestic snow leopard in my home, you nailed his character . This is one book I would recommend. I truly didn’t want it to finish.
I’ve never ever cried when I finished a Book in my Life . I’m an avid reader , 75 yrs , you did this to me . Peter Hackshaw . I had LOL moments as well . ! I felt like I was living along with the “ Orfins” they broke my heart Fagins bunch were a load of Amateurs compared to those little loves ! Seriously This book has “ Blockbuster Movie written all over it . Also when you creat EVIL - it’s bone chilling and and tearing the marrow out of every bone in your body . . I’m not giving anything away when I say I had areal soft spot spot for a certain “ tin man who was developing a heart”. I also have a painting of a majestic snow leopard in my home, you nailed his character . This is one book I would recommend. I truly didn’t want it to finish.
January 10, 2020
Grabs you from the first page and never lets up. As a first novel this is an author to look out for in the future.
Read
May 2, 2021Review to come
January 9, 2020
A frozen earth, a post-apocalyptic landscape, and a dash of revenge - if that sounds like your cup of tea then chances are you'll love Ever Winter.
Hackshaw's debut is a tale of primitive survivalism against a ruined backdrop of lost technology, and of the importance of maintaining one's humanity even when your life - and the world itself - lies in ruins around you.
Hackshaw's debut is a tale of primitive survivalism against a ruined backdrop of lost technology, and of the importance of maintaining one's humanity even when your life - and the world itself - lies in ruins around you.
January 2, 2022
[3,5 stars]
Yet another story set in a post-apocalytical and frozen world. Henry and his family try their best to survive in a cold and hostile environment, alone, far away from other people. But they are found and everything takes a turn fort he worst. Some descriptions are really cruel so beware there’s quite a bit of blood between the pages. The way the story ends it is begging for another installment. At least I would not mind at all to follow Henry some more.
Yet another story set in a post-apocalytical and frozen world. Henry and his family try their best to survive in a cold and hostile environment, alone, far away from other people. But they are found and everything takes a turn fort he worst. Some descriptions are really cruel so beware there’s quite a bit of blood between the pages. The way the story ends it is begging for another installment. At least I would not mind at all to follow Henry some more.
May 18, 2021
Set in a frozen post apocalyptic world, life is harsh and the book is just as harsh, it is gritty and gory and violent.
We follow Henry a young man, as he lives this harsh life with his family and then as he avenges them.
This is a future where there is no technology and the people are barbaric and the rules are basic and savage.
It is definitely not for the faint of heart, but I did enjoy it and the audiobook made it better. Narrated by Dan Stevens he did a really good job especially with the characters and the voices.
This review is for a free copy courtesy of Netgalley and Podium Audio
We follow Henry a young man, as he lives this harsh life with his family and then as he avenges them.
This is a future where there is no technology and the people are barbaric and the rules are basic and savage.
It is definitely not for the faint of heart, but I did enjoy it and the audiobook made it better. Narrated by Dan Stevens he did a really good job especially with the characters and the voices.
This review is for a free copy courtesy of Netgalley and Podium Audio
April 18, 2021
Yes, I read the blurb and I knew more or less what to expect, but damn, I didn't count on such weak writing. I knew we'd get a formulaic plot, but the execution was simply dreadful. From deus ex machina and blatant plot armor to instances of luck that destroyed my suspended disbelief, it failed to pull me in and made it impossible to take seriously.
There wasn't much world to build, but even that was poorly done with a poorly thought out society and little information on how things got that way. I could forgive some aspects like the incongruous form of government for the sake of the story, but the more information we got about how things worked, the less it made sense for the circumstances. And that's not even taking into account the silly use of technology which played a far larger part in the story than it should have.
Then we have to talk about the cheap characters. Starting with the protagonist who had as much personality as a goldfish and barely more intelligence. Every choice he made was driven by the plot and unsurprisingly, his character arc felt just as shallow. The other perspectives we had to endure were woefully undercooked and unnecessary, consisting of forced conflicts and cringy scenes which barely made any sense. The rest of the characters were 1-dimensional tropes who were pointlessly over the top and poorly motivated.
As I mentioned, the writing was particularly poor. The prose was decent enough to follow along, but everything from the dialogue and characterization, to the plot and pacing, was in serious need of a competent editor. For such a plot-heavy story, the fact that it was so formulaic and predictable killed any possible tension. The number of conveniences our protagonist received would have been hard to swallow even if spread out over multiple books, and that's not saying anything about how perfectly crafted each aide turned out to be. There was no sense of challenge or hardship, especially when the most serious of injuries turned out to be supremely useful in a matter of pages.
I was going back and forth between 1 and 2 stars, but while it might have technically delivered what it set out to do, the amateur writing killed any bit of enjoyment the premise might have offered. When there are shallow characters, a formulaic plot, an underdeveloped setting, and little in terms of writing skill, I guess it's not that surprising I ended up rounding this down. Can't really recommend this to anyone but the most undiscerning reader who simply wants a brainless action movie in book form.
There wasn't much world to build, but even that was poorly done with a poorly thought out society and little information on how things got that way. I could forgive some aspects like the incongruous form of government for the sake of the story, but the more information we got about how things worked, the less it made sense for the circumstances. And that's not even taking into account the silly use of technology which played a far larger part in the story than it should have.
Then we have to talk about the cheap characters. Starting with the protagonist who had as much personality as a goldfish and barely more intelligence. Every choice he made was driven by the plot and unsurprisingly, his character arc felt just as shallow. The other perspectives we had to endure were woefully undercooked and unnecessary, consisting of forced conflicts and cringy scenes which barely made any sense. The rest of the characters were 1-dimensional tropes who were pointlessly over the top and poorly motivated.
As I mentioned, the writing was particularly poor. The prose was decent enough to follow along, but everything from the dialogue and characterization, to the plot and pacing, was in serious need of a competent editor. For such a plot-heavy story, the fact that it was so formulaic and predictable killed any possible tension. The number of conveniences our protagonist received would have been hard to swallow even if spread out over multiple books, and that's not saying anything about how perfectly crafted each aide turned out to be. There was no sense of challenge or hardship, especially when the most serious of injuries turned out to be supremely useful in a matter of pages.
I was going back and forth between 1 and 2 stars, but while it might have technically delivered what it set out to do, the amateur writing killed any bit of enjoyment the premise might have offered. When there are shallow characters, a formulaic plot, an underdeveloped setting, and little in terms of writing skill, I guess it's not that surprising I ended up rounding this down. Can't really recommend this to anyone but the most undiscerning reader who simply wants a brainless action movie in book form.
February 11, 2021
A hundred or so years after the big freeze fell over the earth, Henry and his family live on the now frozen Atlantic ocean. They escaped from a community called the Favela (which I assumed to be in Brazil), and now live completely alone, seeing no one else. Their trouble begins when, out hunting one day, Henry and his father find a man who has recently died in the snow.
This tale of survival under brutal circumstances had me totally absorbed at first, and I enjoyed the parts when Henry and his family find relics from the past, not knowing what they are. The suspense builds in a slow, sinister fashion, as they begin to believe that they are not safe in their new home.
Other reviews mention this being a book of two halves, and it is. The first one is a post-apocalyptic tale of danger, survival, loss and the desire for revenge, and I loved it. It's gritty and violent (warning: contains instances of cannibalism). The second half introduces a robot medic from an abandoned ship - don't want to say any more because of spoilers, but I liked his scenes a lot, too; the interactions are great, and it's all well thought out and feasible. As it goes on, though, the tone of the second half felt like more of a fantasy novel.
There were a couple of aspects I wasn't so keen on - the long dream sequences, which I've always found pointless in books and on TV. Then, later on, Henry's younger sisters turn into Game of Thrones characters: 'I thank you, my husband, for bringing me to this place. But Mister Lanner's presence upsets me. I want his head. Serve it on this table with the lobster, if you will'. Where would they have learned to talk like this? I also thought the editor could have lost some unnecessary dialogue tags (which dulled the impact of some lines of speech), and some sentences in which the author has told the reader how the character is feeling, though this has already been illustrated by his dialogue and actions.
To sum up: I liked it, and Mr Hackshaw certainly has talent; it's a most respectable debut novel and I'm sure he will go onto bigger and better.
This tale of survival under brutal circumstances had me totally absorbed at first, and I enjoyed the parts when Henry and his family find relics from the past, not knowing what they are. The suspense builds in a slow, sinister fashion, as they begin to believe that they are not safe in their new home.
Other reviews mention this being a book of two halves, and it is. The first one is a post-apocalyptic tale of danger, survival, loss and the desire for revenge, and I loved it. It's gritty and violent (warning: contains instances of cannibalism). The second half introduces a robot medic from an abandoned ship - don't want to say any more because of spoilers, but I liked his scenes a lot, too; the interactions are great, and it's all well thought out and feasible. As it goes on, though, the tone of the second half felt like more of a fantasy novel.
There were a couple of aspects I wasn't so keen on - the long dream sequences, which I've always found pointless in books and on TV. Then, later on, Henry's younger sisters turn into Game of Thrones characters: 'I thank you, my husband, for bringing me to this place. But Mister Lanner's presence upsets me. I want his head. Serve it on this table with the lobster, if you will'. Where would they have learned to talk like this? I also thought the editor could have lost some unnecessary dialogue tags (which dulled the impact of some lines of speech), and some sentences in which the author has told the reader how the character is feeling, though this has already been illustrated by his dialogue and actions.
To sum up: I liked it, and Mr Hackshaw certainly has talent; it's a most respectable debut novel and I'm sure he will go onto bigger and better.
January 30, 2021
4.5 rounded up to 5.
If I had read this book in hard copy I would have given it 4 stars. But it gets the extra half star just because of Dan Steven’s audiobook narration. Now, we all know I adore his acting, but his audiobooks are
My favourite because of how he performs each character and this book is no exception. Of course a good actor needs good characters to perform and this book had that for me.
Dystopian post apocalyptic is not my typical genre (I don’t even know if I’ve labelled it correctly. 😬). But I enjoy the idea of the “what if?” What would the world look like if it completely froze over and only a few survived? I love that a few bits of the arts from the previous era have survived and that’s what is sacred from this time. It made my laugh.
It’s a good adventure. Admittedly it was difficult for me to read on a cold Canadian day. I was cold the entire time 😂 but I think after the first chapter you’ll be drawn in. And if this genre is what you like, I think I found your next book.
If I had read this book in hard copy I would have given it 4 stars. But it gets the extra half star just because of Dan Steven’s audiobook narration. Now, we all know I adore his acting, but his audiobooks are
My favourite because of how he performs each character and this book is no exception. Of course a good actor needs good characters to perform and this book had that for me.
Dystopian post apocalyptic is not my typical genre (I don’t even know if I’ve labelled it correctly. 😬). But I enjoy the idea of the “what if?” What would the world look like if it completely froze over and only a few survived? I love that a few bits of the arts from the previous era have survived and that’s what is sacred from this time. It made my laugh.
It’s a good adventure. Admittedly it was difficult for me to read on a cold Canadian day. I was cold the entire time 😂 but I think after the first chapter you’ll be drawn in. And if this genre is what you like, I think I found your next book.
February 17, 2021
Ever Winter tells the story of the fate of one family living through the post apocalyptic frozen Earth.
Father and Mother chose to live apart from survivors with their six children, knowing what is left of the world is a cruel place.
An intense hardship life is, but the family has yet to realize it's most harrowing experience; when their world is torn apart, not only survival, but revenge becomes the focal point of existing.
A dark story of Earth's afterlife, with a small glimmer of light that humanity will endure it's challenges to become an inhumane society when all around us collapses.
Enough can not be said for the magic of Dan Stevens' narration, so I won't even try.
Father and Mother chose to live apart from survivors with their six children, knowing what is left of the world is a cruel place.
An intense hardship life is, but the family has yet to realize it's most harrowing experience; when their world is torn apart, not only survival, but revenge becomes the focal point of existing.
A dark story of Earth's afterlife, with a small glimmer of light that humanity will endure it's challenges to become an inhumane society when all around us collapses.
Enough can not be said for the magic of Dan Stevens' narration, so I won't even try.
July 20, 2020
Excelente!
A good original story. The author has built a totally new world that exists on Earth in the future. The people have no idea why they live on an ice world and have scant idea about the past. They mention ‘Great, great, greats’ in reference to ancestors and the language is English with a smattering of Spanish! This would make a fabulous series like Game of Thrones. Off to buy next book and hopefully there will be more to read.
A good original story. The author has built a totally new world that exists on Earth in the future. The people have no idea why they live on an ice world and have scant idea about the past. They mention ‘Great, great, greats’ in reference to ancestors and the language is English with a smattering of Spanish! This would make a fabulous series like Game of Thrones. Off to buy next book and hopefully there will be more to read.
October 9, 2024
A story of pain and triumph in a harsh world, I loved this one. I listened on audible, but now I want to read the physical book!
January 23, 2021
Unique combination of horror and sci-fi, with shades of Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, and even Charles Dickens. Would recommend!
January 9, 2020
This story had me gripped from start to finish. Reminded me of a sort of post apocalyptic story of the likes of Book of Eli or Mad Max on ice. Could easily see this being made into a film or mini series. Can't wait to read more from this new writer.
January 9, 2020
This story had me gripped from start to finish. Reminded me of a sort of post apocalyptic story of the likes of Book of Eli or Mad Max on ice. Could easily see this being made into a film or mini series. Can't wait to read more from this new writer.
January 26, 2021
Anyone who knows me knows I love me some post-apocalyptica.
This one is decades after the world ends and everything is frozen and cold. I don't usually love the way many authors writing speculative fiction use language (i.e. making up weird words to emulate swears, etc.) but the language here was a beautiful and seemingly organic mix of a bunch of different languages that felt completely authentic. Especially considering how language does change and grow.
The characters were great; I got big The Road vibes from the father and Henry, and while the rest of the family did feel a bit under-developed throughout, Henry felt like a real person. Henry's relationship with Hepburn was excellent and I thought it was a nice touch; I'd never considered what AI would be like years and years after an apocalypse that sent humans back to the stone age.
Henry's sisters unfortunately suffered from being plot points, as did the few other female characters; I think they were there only so Henry could have his hero's journey and try to be a saviour. They and their obstacles were just tropes from start to finish.
The third act happened all at once and was kind of tricky to follow but the outcome was really good and it made me wish this were a series.
The narrator of the audiobook is Dan Stevens and I have not been giving him enough credit for his acting skills, apparently. His narration absolutely made the book for me.
Ultimately, this is a great addition to my favourite genre; a pleasure to listen to, compelling, and thoughtfully put together.
I received a copy of this audiobook for free from NetGalley and Podium Audio in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.
This one is decades after the world ends and everything is frozen and cold. I don't usually love the way many authors writing speculative fiction use language (i.e. making up weird words to emulate swears, etc.) but the language here was a beautiful and seemingly organic mix of a bunch of different languages that felt completely authentic. Especially considering how language does change and grow.
The characters were great; I got big The Road vibes from the father and Henry, and while the rest of the family did feel a bit under-developed throughout, Henry felt like a real person. Henry's relationship with Hepburn was excellent and I thought it was a nice touch; I'd never considered what AI would be like years and years after an apocalypse that sent humans back to the stone age.
Henry's sisters unfortunately suffered from being plot points, as did the few other female characters; I think they were there only so Henry could have his hero's journey and try to be a saviour. They and their obstacles were just tropes from start to finish.
The third act happened all at once and was kind of tricky to follow but the outcome was really good and it made me wish this were a series.
The narrator of the audiobook is Dan Stevens and I have not been giving him enough credit for his acting skills, apparently. His narration absolutely made the book for me.
Ultimately, this is a great addition to my favourite genre; a pleasure to listen to, compelling, and thoughtfully put together.
I received a copy of this audiobook for free from NetGalley and Podium Audio in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.
January 15, 2020
Brutal with memorable characters and words that will haunt your nightmares. My first impression was Mad Max meets Snowpiercer. I would also recommend this to Fallout fans. The first 50 or so pages are a slow burn but like a five course meal it gets better as if the characters are just simmering until things go wrong. This is prime rib. Probably not a novel for vegans. The use of slang takes some getting use to but after 100 pages none of it feels strange or out of place and you may find yourself in tears before the action kicks it up to 10 with the main course only slowing down long enough for you to enjoy the taste carrying our main characters through to the end. Ever Winter is written in vivid detail and filled with Easter eggs and shout outs such as one to Papillion and other great pieces of literature, technology, games, and comics for fans to discover. There is a ton to explore in Ever Winter and fans of post-apocalyptic, sci-fi, and horror novels will not be disappointed. I was originally given an ARC copy but bought this to read on my kindle.
March 29, 2021
DNF @ 25%
TWs: Gore, Cannibalism
WARNING: Small spoilers ahead
This is a story that takes place in a post apocalyptic world where everything is frozen, and the winter never ends.
I listened to the audiobook, and I can say that the narrator was great, and if you believe this is the book for you, I would recommend giving the audiobook a try. Now onto the review.
Well, I was really disappointed with this book, to say the least. I was bored. I was very much bored. As I was listening to the book, I was waiting for something interesting to happen, anything, but it never did. Sure, there was the chapter where Henry and his sister found a ship with containers inside, and that was a bit fun to read about, but still nothing really happened. And nothing else was at all interesting.
I just think that this book wasn't for me. I wasn't enjoying it, so I couldn't really force myself to continue reading it.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
TWs: Gore, Cannibalism
WARNING: Small spoilers ahead
This is a story that takes place in a post apocalyptic world where everything is frozen, and the winter never ends.
I listened to the audiobook, and I can say that the narrator was great, and if you believe this is the book for you, I would recommend giving the audiobook a try. Now onto the review.
Well, I was really disappointed with this book, to say the least. I was bored. I was very much bored. As I was listening to the book, I was waiting for something interesting to happen, anything, but it never did. Sure, there was the chapter where Henry and his sister found a ship with containers inside, and that was a bit fun to read about, but still nothing really happened. And nothing else was at all interesting.
I just think that this book wasn't for me. I wasn't enjoying it, so I couldn't really force myself to continue reading it.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
January 1, 2020
I found this book very disappointing. The book is set in a post-apocalyptic frozen world. The main protagonist is Henry who lives with his family out on the frozen Atlantic ocean. When tragedy strikes and his parents are killed and his brother and sisters are taken captive he swear revenge and sets out after them.
The book was fine up to this point but rapidly goes downhill from here. The most unbelievable is the orphans who are forced to dive into the ocean to retrieve stuff from submerged cities.
And the convenient "god in the machine" to allow Henry to survive once his eye is gouged out with a cork-screw. I lost interest from around this part. The story just didn't hold up for me - it was just too implausible.
I received this book as an ARC and chose to write a review.
The book was fine up to this point but rapidly goes downhill from here. The most unbelievable is the orphans who are forced to dive into the ocean to retrieve stuff from submerged cities.
And the convenient "god in the machine" to allow Henry to survive once his eye is gouged out with a cork-screw. I lost interest from around this part. The story just didn't hold up for me - it was just too implausible.
I received this book as an ARC and chose to write a review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 7, 2021
Wow.
This is quite an impressive debut novel. Ever Winter is a sci-fi/horror survival tale set in a harsh post-apocalyptic future. There is an abundance of action, scares, and gross-out moments to hold your attention but the underlying themes of family, tragedy, loss, friendship, and hope will keep you invested in the characters.
I loved the unique dialogue choices and the author's linguistic inventiveness reminded me of Anthony Burgess.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this audiobook. Dan Stevens' euphonious voice and skilled narration really brings the story to life.
Thanks to Podium Audio, the author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in exchange for my honest feedback.
This is quite an impressive debut novel. Ever Winter is a sci-fi/horror survival tale set in a harsh post-apocalyptic future. There is an abundance of action, scares, and gross-out moments to hold your attention but the underlying themes of family, tragedy, loss, friendship, and hope will keep you invested in the characters.
I loved the unique dialogue choices and the author's linguistic inventiveness reminded me of Anthony Burgess.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this audiobook. Dan Stevens' euphonious voice and skilled narration really brings the story to life.
Thanks to Podium Audio, the author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in exchange for my honest feedback.
March 19, 2020
This book had an interesting premise, taking place generations after a catastrophic ice age occurs. It also had a very uneven feel to it due to the writing. There was very little action for the first part of the book and the introduction to the characters seemed to take a long time. There was sudden action and then another long lag as Henry prepared. The action at the end seemed almost anti-climatic as if the author was not certain how he wanted the book to end. The best interaction was with Hepburn. Like most people (I hope), I am squeamish about cannibalism and this is very violent, but it is hard to imagine that this type of environment would have anything else.
May 1, 2021
This was amazing on so many levels. The story was brilliant and so engrossing, I got really emotional with some of the deaths.. You could really imagine the story and get engrossed with it. I have read a lot of post- apocalypse books recently and this was up there with the best. This is my first exposure to this author but will not be my last.
Then we go onto the narration wow what a voice Dan Stevens gives to the story what a range of tones, you can really tell the drama training. I am now going to look for this narrator as well.
I was given a free copy by net galley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.
Then we go onto the narration wow what a voice Dan Stevens gives to the story what a range of tones, you can really tell the drama training. I am now going to look for this narrator as well.
I was given a free copy by net galley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.
January 4, 2023
My first Five stars for 2023. Great book to read in the Winter. The author writes the environment vividly and I could picture it clearly. The story is one of survival and has some gory moments that were a little tough to get through. Living in brutal times what gives you the strength to live and to continue when there is little hope. A story of family and love and of course friendship. This book would make a great movie.
February 11, 2020
Completely unexpected 'wow' read!!!
When I chose this book to read, I didn't know at the time what a gem it would be! A whole other world opens up in a delightfully surprising way.
When I chose this book to read, I didn't know at the time what a gem it would be! A whole other world opens up in a delightfully surprising way.
May 13, 2020
Great read
Enjoyed it immensely, gripping from beginning to end. I hope to see more from this author. I’m definitely going to recommend it to friends.
Enjoyed it immensely, gripping from beginning to end. I hope to see more from this author. I’m definitely going to recommend it to friends.
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