In Eternity

by Jennifer Reinfried

In an alternate timeline, Earth has been destroyed by nightmarish wraiths called into existence by a genetic experiment gone wrong. Left with no defense against the creatures, survivors are forced underground to avoid slaughter.

Hiding in a small bunker below the remains of a hidden Nevada research station, Annie Ross and her two closest friends struggle to adapt to their new, dangerous life. In a sealed room deep in the bunker, they find a long-lost journal. The strange events it details convince Annie that a member of the ill-fated Franklin Expedition of 1845 may have a hidden power, a direct link to the origin of the genetic mutants who created the deadly wraiths in the first place - and he's possibly the only person who can stop the creatures for good.

Together, Annie and her friends form a daring plan to travel through time and enlist the help of Harry Goodsir, attempting to change the fate of one man to ultimately save what's left of humanity.

"Remarkably well-researched." - Dr. Russell Potter, author of Finding Franklin: The Untold Story of a 165-Year Search  

"Reinfried’s post-apocalyptic thriller will keep you up past your bedtime. If the homicidal wraiths don't get you, the Arctic scurvy just might." - D.W. Vogel, author of the Horizon series

364 pages, Paperback

Published May 26, 2020

Reviews

[Kay · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is far from original, taking almost all of its characterization of Franklin's men from the AMC television miniseries 'The Terror', based on a book by the same name by Dan Simmons. It is blatant plagiarism, and shoddily written. Even Reinfried's post-apocalyptic worldbuilding is mediocre at best, and the "villain" is laughable.

Jennifer Reinfried's 'In Eternity' would have been a fantastic work of fanfiction, and if I'd found it on AO3, I would have been rivetted, particularly as a fan of Paul Ready (the English actor who played Harry Goodsir in AMC's 'The Terror', and whose physical appearance mannerisms are reflected heavily in Reinfried's writing). However, as this story came in the form of a book I actually had to pay for, I was mostly just disappointed with how poorly written and researched it was. I can't believe Reinfried managed to get this endorsed by a Franklin Expedition scholar and by a Goodsir family member.

If you're a fan of 'The Terror' and looking for something to read for a lark and don't mind spending a few bucks to do it, this is your book, but don't expect anything actually great. That said, I am looking forward to reading the next installments in this series if Reinfried chooses to continue it.

Update: Still not great, but at least more enjoyable the second time! Again, I'd be really interested in reading more if the author chooses to continue the series. If not, it's still a fun thing that I've read.

[Mark Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

A doomed ocean expedition of the 1840’s, a modern-day marauding horde of unspeakable creatures, and the unlikely crossroads meeting of two troubled, on-the-run individuals living in separate centuries are the basis of this new tale of adventure and danger from Jennifer Reinfried, the author that brought us the Grim series. I’m happy to aware this work five stars and would award more if I were able to.

Ms. Reinfried is a richly-accomplished writer and proves herself ready for the task in this compelling and perilous new contribution to the world of fiction. Her gift of story, which was on display throughout her Grim series is fiercely highlighted once again, an exclamation that she’s a wordsmith to be reckoned with.

Annie is a passionate musician, a relatable every-person with dreams and troubles common to us all. She opens the tale as she’s getting ready for a club gig with her bandmates, brothers Dennis and Ryan. During an exceptionally tight performance, trouble strikes the scene in the form a sudden disruption that drives the panicked crowd to the streets. The source of the disruption becomes horrifyingly obvious to our trio in no time—an impossibly massive horde of swarming wraith creatures are wreaking havoc on the location, and our heroes are forced to flee into the night, overstepping and running around the uncountable dead and wounded as they go.

A stroke of luck dealt by Ryan finds them shelter at an abandoned science research lab deep in the woods, a place where Dennis and Ryan’s parents worked—and the very place that they disappeared mysteriously from, as the result of the top secret research that they were conducting. For three years after, the trio call the facility their home, living off the land and the stored away goods they locate. They are too scared to find their way back into the world until they are certain that the apocalyptic threat brought to them by the fury of the ravenous wraiths is over. The creatures have jeopardized them over time, and they remain a constant threat with no advance warning of impending danger to the trio. A trip out to get supplies one day reinforces that with them. They remain unknown and capable of slaughter at any moment, so our trio learns to respect the distance while still planning for freedom.

Down time in the facility provides Annie a chance to research some hidden files and books that she eventually finds. She learns of the ill-fated Franklin Expedition, a two-ship European voyage of the mid 1840’s that was in search of a way through the frozen Northwest Passage to open trade routes. The ships become lodged in ice, and her crews, setting out on foot on the closest land mass, are never heard from again.

Annie is particularly taken with the story of Harry Goodsir, one of the ship’s assistant surgeons, and becomes invested in his trials and troubles on and off his assigned ship, The Erebus. She unexpectedly finds a common connection with him somehow through his musings and diary entries, and embraces an appreciation for his struggles, which seem parallel to what she’s experiencing daily. In a moment of clarity, after a particularly enlightened reading, Annie devises a plan to finally, possibly rid themselves of the blanketed threat that the wraiths continue to enforce, consequences be damned. With her discovery and understanding of the secrets in the facility they call home, and with the knowledge of the story of Harry Goodsir and who and what he may actually be and can do, Annie builds a plan with the help of the brothers to go back in time, encounter Goodsir himself, and bring him forward in time with her to rid their world of the scourge of the wraiths forever.

Cross trips back and forth through time, and a series of unexpected occurrences in both, work to threaten Annie’s plan. It’s up to her, Harry, Dennis, Ryan, and a cast of characters we meet later in the book to risk all in an attempt to thwart the shape of things yet to come for the world. However, the most important change may come about for Annie and Harry themselves. As they grow closer to each other, the reasons for changing their own fates, forever, become more and more obvious, if they’re successful before time runs out.

Jennifer Reinfried provides a balanced urgency on behalf of the two central characters, and In Eternity becomes a superior, flawless study in how the impossible can be possible, if only we believe in it hard enough. The story rolls out at a comfortable pace as we need it to, with moments dedicated to great time period research (obvious in the details regarding the ship’s voyages), then a needed slow down to learn more about all of our characters, and then punctuation of immediate attacks of terror, urgency, and unexpected merciless circumstance to keep the reader invested all the way. The need-to-know factor never lessens, and divinely so, as the climax builds to a heart-wrenching moment of truth and decision for all of them.

Ms. Reinfried is a natural in this genre, and with the promise of two more “Changed Fate” novels to follow, we can be guaranteed that we will be entertained and enthralled by her work for a long time to come.


“Too many men stared at me with already dead eyes. Their skin was clammy, bloodless, and whiter than the endless snow. While inspecting the worst cases of exposure and illness, I caught shifting eyes, glares at our leader, huddled whisperings that stopped the moment that I approached. My fear of a possible mutiny heightened.” – Harry Goodsir, from “In Eternity” by Jennifer Reinfried.

[Kenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

** I was given an ARC copy by the author. I know the author, but all thoughts are my own**
I give this novel 4 1/2 stars. First, let me say, I freakin loved this book. I give it 4 1/2 Stars for two reasons: 1. the first chapter or two started off slow for me, and I was worried I wouldn’t like the book at all. However, once the action started I got pulled in and all I thought about was when I would be able to sit down and read some more. 2. THE ENDING. JEN HOW DARE YOU. WHO GAVE YOU THE RIGHT?! To clarify, it’s a fabulous ending, just... sad? Upsetting? I almost cried.
I really liked all the characters except for Ryan. I still liked him, there were just times when I thought he was being a dumb ass hat. But, who knows how they’re going to act at the end of the world lol
I cannot wait for the next novels in the Harry Goodsir trilogy and I will be reading more of Jen’s work very, very soon!

Congrats, Jen!! This book is amazing :)

[L · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a strange and wonderful story! Do you ever read a novel and wonder, “How the heck did the author come up with this?!?” I was constantly asking myself this throughout the book. This novel is a refreshingly unique end of the world story. The heart of the book is the reimagining of Harry Goodsir. You do not have to know anything about the Franklin Expedition to appreciate Goodsir and his contribution to history. I can not wait to see where this series goes next.

[lonnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded up. This book, in many ways, feels like a fever dream. It's a Paul Ready fanfiction endorsed by a renowned Franklin Expedition expert and a living descendant of Harry Goodsir. And it somehow manages to be more entertaining than other, traditionally published books that started out as Terror fanfiction.

The story follows friends and bandmates Annie, Ryan and Dennis as a supernatural invasion breaks out in 2017. They escape, taking shelter in an underground bunker where they find loads of information about the lost Franklin expedition of 1845 as well as a time machine. They soon learn that they have to bring Harry Goodsir, assistant surgeon of HMS Erebus, into the future from the year 1848 to have a chance at stopping the monsters and destruction of the world.
The beginning of the book is... something. The wraith (skeleton-ghost?) apocalypse happened out of nowhere and, while gory, I didn't find the wraiths to be very scary because they were literally revealed in the opening chapter and there's really not a lot going on with them other than that they kill people (do they have some goal? We'll never know). The main trio were decent protagonists, they had a believable friendship dynamic and I appreciated it that there was no unnecessary love triangle added in.

Now obviously I was most curious about the Franklin expedition part of the story. The author is clearly passionate about the topic, however, the book never managed to explain what exactly tied the modern-day apocalypse to Harry Goodsir or the Franklin expedition specifically. The only character from the past who played any role in the story was Harry Goodsir and I really wished that more of the people or events of the Franklin expedition had tied into the plot in a meaningful way. Goodsir as a character is basically a younger version of Paul Ready with the serial numbers filed off and a Scottish accent.
The author did a good job at showing Goodsir's curiosity and wonder about the modern world, which was one of the stronger suits of the novel, but also reminded me of the "shut up I'm experiencing childlike wonder" meme.

Now the setting... A huge portion of the plot takes place inside underground bunkers, which is understandable due to the apocalyptic state of the world, but makes the plot static and slow-paced. We spent a lot of time figuring out stuff in bunkers, which is just not that exciting.
I think this book would've probably benefited from being a standalone. As it is, it is the first book in a trilogy, but the second one isn't out yet and the author seems to have disappeared from the face of the earth. So we will probably never know whether Harry Goodsir defeats the skeleton-ghosts and stops the apocalypse.

I'd recommend this book if you're a fan of The Terror and always wanted to read Goodsir X-Men AU.

[Nan Bieneman · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Eternity, by Jennifer Reinfried, is really intense, and it’s a story that may cause a shift in your consciousness. As I started reading this book, I thought that maybe I was mistaken about the subject being the fictional history of a voyage through the arctic, trying to find an open passage to the other side of the world. Then, weird things started happening, and I kept reading even as I was thinking it may be a whole different story. The scenes were described in such visual detail that I felt like I was present, and witnessing the events as they unfolded and exploded. I began to consider what it would be like if all of a sudden out of nowhere poisonous gas overcame people. You could try to escape, but unless you could find an airtight chamber to hide in fast enough and far enough away from where the gas was leaking, you might as well say goodbye to whomever was nearest, grabbing them and hugging them, as you both succumbed.

As a mother of a 22 year old son, I don’t understand how another mother who actually was doing some kind of research that was somewhat risky, could tell only one of her sons the secret of how to find that place to hide in, just in case there was an apocalyptic event. In the current state of affairs on our earth, it seems to me that as parents we should all be discussing plans with each of our children, like I did years ago, when my son was young, and we were supposed to have a meeting place if the house caught on fire, etc. The problem now is that most of us are separated and isolated, and don’t have any safe place to go and hide. We just have to stay “Safer at Home”. So, anyway, at least Ryan and Dennis’ mother did inform one of her sons about this “safe” place to hide. At least, it helped them both, and Annie, to survive. Plus, they learned something in the process.

I love how the current situation in the book, In Eternity, happening on our planet in 2020 with these survivors, could intertwine with what happened centuries ago as explorers ventured out into the “great” unknown. These explorers, including Harry Goodsir, knew they would be facing frigid temperatures and extreme dangers, but they still wanted to find a pathway in hopes of helping the people of the future. It seems many leaders representing large populations on earth at this time, in real life, have lost their way. They are no longer explorers, but instead are simply exploiters.

What I really love about this book, In Eternity, is that there is a feeling of a possible way to send messages, or even visit a time in the future, as well as in the past. The story, even if it is a fictional portrayal of historical events, gives me hope. Maybe there are alternative ways that we can deal with our future, and maybe we need the spirit of exploration that existed in the 1800’s. That’s when Harry Goodsir was (first?) alive, and when he and his crew ventured out on the Franklin Expedition, and tried to find the Northwest Passage.

I look forward to reading the following books in this series. Jennifer Reinfried has developed a style of writing that grips you, and gives you the visions and sounds to tell you what’s going on. It’s like you’re watching a movie in your mind, and you think it would be interesting to see this trilogy become a movie on the screen.

I’ll remember Annie’s red hair. For some reason I wish I knew more about how she and the other main characters in the story appear. Without knowing more about how Dennis and Ryan look, I sometimes got them mixed up. Hopefully, as the story develops, we’ll learn more about their appearances, or maybe it’s intentional. Maybe it doesn’t really matter how these people look when they are healthy and strong. Maybe you don’t need to actually see all of those gory, horrific details while people are suffering, or after their spirits have left them. Maybe it’s supposed to be about the interaction between all of the survivors that we need to pay attention to. Maybe it’s best to focus on the relationships between the brothers, and Annie, and Harry. Annie is an amazing young woman. She is steadfast, strong, affectionate, brave, curious, able to deal with and calm the sibling rivalry of two brothers. She’s both a leader and a follower. I wish she would have received more affection in the first story of this trilogy. She certainly deserved it.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perhaps more than with Mrs. Reinfried's earlier work, I was almost immediately sucked in when I started reading In Eternity. While still very much a work of fiction, the characters are much more tangible--when Annie is describing a song I feel like I am singing it along with her, as if we were at the same concert together or on the same road trip. These are characters that you may or may not root for or empathize with, but you will know them and feel like you have known them for a long time by the time you finish reading.

And really that is what In Eternity comes back to, over and over again. Yes, this is a piece of historical fiction. Yes, the world as we know it has ended and the characters are in a post-apocalyptic hellscape and realizing that they are running out of crucial supplies and that the extinction of the human race is a very real possibility. But the characters--Annie, Dennis, Ryan, and Harry--keep everything grounded in a very real way. Their bonds, emotions, and the tension they must deal with individually and together will have you certain that you know these people very well. By the time you turn the last page, you will laugh, you will cry, and you will look forward to spending time with these characters again.

[Bruce Wasserstrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this first book in Jennifer Reinfried’s new trilogy about an alternate destiny for Sir Harry Goodsir. The historical Goodsir was a Scottish physician and naturalist who participated in the ill-fated Franklin Expedition, which disappeared in the Arctic in the late 1840s during a British exploration of Canada’s treacherous Northwest Passage. Reinfried has imagined a fantastic alternate fate for the intrepid Goodsir, and this first installment was a fun read.

As a musician myself, I appreciated how the author wove character Annie Ross’ love of music and musical performance into the story, right from the very beginning. More generally, this action novel provided mysterious danger, suspense, horror, entertaining interactions between characters, and interesting historical components. I did think there was a great deal of context left unexplained and unexplored by our quartet of main characters, however, this is the first book in a new trilogy, so there will be plenty of opportunity to fill in useful information and satisfy my curiosity about a number of story elements and characters.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell off the “reading” wagon this past year and was given the opportunity to get back on it with In Eternity. It definitely DID NOT disappoint and reminded me of how much I love being taken on a wild ride of emotion and suspense. Reinfried’s writing not only makes you feel like you are watching a movie with a pillow over your eyes, but it also has a unique way of placing you into the story as if you were one of the character’s friends. I am familiar with the Franklin Expedition and Harry Goodsir. I would have never imagined someone being able to successfully infuse this historical event into a sci-fi thriller I never wanted to put down. Thank you, Jennifer, I can’t wait to see what happens next!

[Sonny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a thrilling book that is paced to keep you reading. Hooked from when I picked it, up this book throws you into a world that is being horrifyingly destroyed. The journey of discovery that ensues has you turning through pages to see what happens next. In Eternity takes too the literal ends of the earth in telling a dramatic, pulse quickening story. Some characters are not what they seem and set chaos upon the story in a manner that keeps you guessing and in complete suspense. Henry Goodsir being thrust out of his element and into a world that is alien to him provides compelling moments that hinge on his ability to adapt and comprehend technologies beyond his imagination. I could not get enough of this book and impatiently awaiting the sequels. Get this book it is a solid read.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jennifer Reinfried's In Eternity is a clever novel merging 1800s Arctic exploration to find the fabled Northwest Passage with a post-apocalyptic modern survival story. And as our modern heroes discover not only is there something critical in common between the fates of both stories, but there is a way to change those fates. I enjoyed this novel. It kept my interest. I am definitely looking forward to the next installment. If you like these genres separately, then you might want to give this novel a try. I'm glad that I did. As said, very clever.

Note: I received a free Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) in exchange for providing an honest and public appraisal of the work.

[Ann Innis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!!! What a wild ride this book was! I've never read anything quite like it. Science fiction, history, horror, and many tugs on the heartstrings! I couldn't put it down. I had never heard of the Franklin expedition or Harry Goodsir. Jennifer's description made me want to find out more....but not until after I finished the book! I don't know how the idea was hatched for this story, but it's the most fantastic book I've read in quite some time. I can't wait to see what else Jennifer Reinfried has up her sleeve!

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say. Jennifer is a crazy imaginative and creative writer. Loved the book from front to back. She takes you on your own mental journey of being in the book as everything unfolds. At times it can bring you to feel strong like the characters or make you start to sob at the heartbreak that is endured throughout the whole book. I am very much looking forward to where this series will take us!!

[Andrew Murov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely book, a fun look at an interesting historical figure not often focused on! The world building is excellent and the emotions and situations the environment forces on the group of friends is creative and full of suspense.

[Jerjonji · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rock band, soul devouring monsters, and bad scientists... and time travel? What's not to like? A well-written book that is satisfying and mentally engaging!

[Matthew Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will have to say that this is one of the author's best work. If brings a mash of genres together and they compliment each other so well. You get a slice of history mixed with great Science Fiction. I don't want to spoil it so it is a must read. The details in descriptions is amazing!!

[Derek A · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very imaginative look on our history. The storytelling keeps you gripped to each page.

[Shaun Mapel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Started this book expecting a great book from Reinfried and was not disappointed. Instantly thrown into a frenzied scene and bonded to the characters quickly. I immediately began hearing Harry’s part in his voice and whistling the referenced tunes. Several nice twists and turns throughout the book. Recommend to anyone looking for a great story.

[Nikolas Everhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

A curious and clever combination of apocalyptic and historical fiction. The world ends not with a bang, but an army of wraiths leaving just a handful of survivors. Annie and her friends find a time machine and research that suggests a man from a doomed arctic expedition could be the key to saving the future.

In Eternity is one of those books that does a good job of being not just one thing. There are aspects of time travel, traditional sci-fi, historical fiction, and apocalyptic/dystopian. This is also a tie-in to her other works although just minorly. I love the inclusion of Harry Goodsir and the ill-fated Franklin expedition. The author does a marvelous job of marrying all these disparate elements into a cohesive and involving narrative.

If I had one nit to pick, the introductory chapters with Annie and her friends are a bit slower paces and the book doesn't feel like it gets going until we find Harry for the first time. Lead up seems to have little of substance. I could have used better pacing throughout the entire book. It is definitely worth the wait though as then both timelines become riveting.

I received an ARC in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It hooked me from the very first chapter and held my attention up until the last. Plenty of twists, turns, and mysteries to keep me guessing, and the horror elements were perfectly executed. Of course, Harry Goodsir is lovable from the start, but the original characters are just as well rounded, portrayed in three dimensions, and very sympathetic. Probably my favorite character in the book is one of the author's creation.

If you're a fan of the novel or the television show "The Terror," if you're interested in the historical Franklin Expedition, or if you're just looking for a uniquely entertaining story that blends past, present, and post-apocalyptic future, you're in for a real treat with this book. Give it a shot, and I think you'll be glad you did!

[Mo Reinfried · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Reinfried's latest book was well worth waiting for and did not disappoint. Reinfried tells an unexpected story blending the old and new and introduces us to Harry Goodsir, from the real life Franklin Expedition of 1845. Not one to read historical novels, I doubted my interest would be sustained to finish the book. I was so wrong in my assumption! Reinfried's talent is descriptive writing that makes you see, feel and hear the tale as she leads you through her fictional story. Her imagination and research puts the idea in your head that this could have really happened. Thoroughly enjoyable!

[Amy]

I saw what you did there with the heroine's name, Ms. Reinfried. ;) That said, I was so glad that Dr. Stephens' first name wasn't Stanley. On the other hand, methinks we don't know the *real* story of this guy... so maybe in the next installment? And that's all I have to say about that...