What do you think?
Rate this book
Immortal Wake #2
Thursday Midnight
Two years after betraying humanity and fleeing the city, Jonas and Anna remain in hiding. Their plans to remake the world are slowly progressing, albeit under the constant threat of death.
Victor Korovin is a NExUS agent tasked with eliminating the human scourge. After centuries in the field, his life as a feared enforcer has quieted. He lingers as an unused asset, trapped behind a desk in downtown Seattle.
His accord with Jonas two years prior brought an end to the eternal war and marked the official extinction of the human race. The world has enjoyed a lasting peace ever since. That is, until a frightening new foe rises from the ashes.
Victor Korovin is a NExUS agent tasked with eliminating the human scourge. After centuries in the field, his life as a feared enforcer has quieted. He lingers as an unused asset, trapped behind a desk in downtown Seattle.
His accord with Jonas two years prior brought an end to the eternal war and marked the official extinction of the human race. The world has enjoyed a lasting peace ever since. That is, until a frightening new foe rises from the ashes.
- GenresScience Fiction
179 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 1, 2019
24 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
About the author
Zachry Wheeler
32 books180 followersZachry Wheeler is an award-winning science fiction author. His many interests include photon hunting, full-contact chess, and vertical wit. He lives on Earth with his wife and cats. Learn more at ZachryWheeler.com, where you can join his email list and receive a FREE limited edition eBook.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
June 25, 2019
An axe wielding murder is hacking his way through the immortal society we all came to love in Wheeler’s first novel, Transient. A couple years after the Transient incident, Nexus agent Korovin is called onto the murder scene. He and most of immortal law enforcement have had very little to do as the only threat to their utopian society had been eliminated. Or so they thought.
Jonas has spent the time attempting to sway public opinion of mortal humans peacefully. Right when his efforts gain traction, surprising news of the murder’s origin gives Jonas a reason to peek out of his hidey hole.
I read this book for free. That’s one of the benefits of cobbling together the Science Fantasy Hub and using that platform to shout praise for Wheeler’s other books! You should pay though. His works are so good, I’ve gone back and bought most of them on paperback (the others are on the way).
While we are still in the same immortal society, this new issue is the opposite sort of problem. Rather than secret agents blending in and enacting hidden agendas, the axe murderer wants the whole world to be aware of what he’s doing, and eventually of who he is! We really get to see immortal society in a new light.
When I finished Transient, I wasn’t sure if the story would roll out into a series. Now that I’m done with Thursday Midnight, I NEED to read part three!
Jonas has spent the time attempting to sway public opinion of mortal humans peacefully. Right when his efforts gain traction, surprising news of the murder’s origin gives Jonas a reason to peek out of his hidey hole.
I read this book for free. That’s one of the benefits of cobbling together the Science Fantasy Hub and using that platform to shout praise for Wheeler’s other books! You should pay though. His works are so good, I’ve gone back and bought most of them on paperback (the others are on the way).
While we are still in the same immortal society, this new issue is the opposite sort of problem. Rather than secret agents blending in and enacting hidden agendas, the axe murderer wants the whole world to be aware of what he’s doing, and eventually of who he is! We really get to see immortal society in a new light.
When I finished Transient, I wasn’t sure if the story would roll out into a series. Now that I’m done with Thursday Midnight, I NEED to read part three!
August 16, 2019
The story of Jonas, the Transients, and the Immortals takes a gruesome and shocking turn in book 2 of the Immortal Wake series. And once again Zachry Wheeler, through his characters, shares some interesting philosophies and musings on society and life, yet much more extreme and dark this time around. Sprinkled with moments of tenderness (Jonas and Anna) and humour (Doren will always be my fave), as well as sorrow, this action-packed, harrowing tale and game of "whom can you trust?" left me reeling. Really curious to see where the story goes in book 3!
February 2, 2020
In a post-apocalyptic future we see a world where Vampires truly do exist. They previously lived in shadows and in secrecy. Then came an uprising and a war known as the Great Onslaught, where humanity came close to becoming wiped out. Then the Vampires, who chose to become known as Eternals, actually built for themselves a peaceful and socially thriving community, while humans lived in caves as part of primitive tribal communities. Then one of the humans, Jonas, chooses to join a group of elite “moles” and infiltrate the Eternal society. Utilizing medication they manage to pass themselves off as Eternals, all the while spying on them in the hopes of finding a weakness that humans can exploit and eliminate them off the face of the Earth. These spies, also known as Transients, have gone through great efforts to masquerade as one of the Eternals, and Jonas has done his job too well. Not only has fully integrated with Eternal society, he has also managed to fall in love with another Eternal. He doesn’t view them as the savages that tried to wipe out humans during their war. Instead he sees a people that are actually better caretakers of the Earth than humans were. In the end, when an opportunity presents itself to wipe out all Eternals, he betrays his own kind so that this present society of Eternals may continue to live. Jonas then leaves, along with his Eternal lover Anna, goes into exile. Thus ends book 1 of “Immortal Wake” titled Transient.
When book 2 begins the Transient program is essentially dead. Humans still exist and the Eternals society continues to thrive in perfect harmonious balance with Earth, until a mysterious man comes forward and begins killing Eternals in a most violent manner. His actions cause panic among the Eternals in Seattle, and even after an Eternal detective named Korovin captures him, they find themselves blocked, as he will only speak to Jonas. The traitor. Korovin reaches out to Jonas, who reluctantly agrees to come out of hiding to confront this man, whom he later realizes is someone he is acquainted with. What he discovers about this "Axeman" is that he is a fanatic with an agenda that could forever alter the future for both humans and Eternals.
I’ll be the first to admit that I am not the biggest fan of stories. Perhaps this has to do with my own psychological makeup and the things in my head that make me tick. I also admit that I can be very self-delusional in hoping that the best and noble parts of humanity would eventually rise to the surface and bring about a well-earned Utopia. So when I first read Transient I saw this world filled with another group of people, the Eternals, who perhaps might be able to bring about that Utopia that I firmly believed in.
With Thursday Midnight author Zachry Wheeler has altered his approach in his story telling, and instead of presenting us a with massive world building (as done in Transient), he now gives us a story that is heavily plot driven to the point where it starts to feel like a runaway train. His characters of Jonas, Korovin, Jemison (Korovin’s assistant/partner), and even Anna (Jonas' girlfriend/partner), continually push to find a better way for humans and Eternals to co-exist peacefully, despite the violent and fanatical idealism that the Axeman is operating under. Even when the action slows down the characters movements maintain that energy from one heart-stopping chapter into the next. By the time the Axeman's true agenda is fully revealed all I can say is that my knuckles were white from gripping my kindle too tightly, and the ending was probably the most shocking form of storytelling I have ever read.
Once again, I’m no fan of post-apocalyptic stories, but I did go into this book with a sense of hope given how Transient ended. However there are layers in what Wheeler is sharing here. With an initial reading it can be viewed purely at its most basic, meaning this is an all out thriller regarding a maniac whose apparent goal is to wipe out all Eternals. However when you start to get into the last third it becomes necessary to read in between the lines. Wheeler isn’t just giving us an action-adventure story; rather he’s giving us some ideas to look at, which sadly I cannot fully list here without giving away the ending of this book. However one element that can be mentioned is the character arc. Jonas’ arc goes through some remarkable changes from the beginning of Transient all the way through to the ending of Thursday Midnight. His is not the typical hero’s journey. When I started this book I did so with the idea that he might become some sort of savior for all people of Earth. What ends up happening is about as far away from that idea as one could possibly imagine. I will admit that I had a very difficult time when I finished reading it. I have never read anything quite so shocking in my entire life, and it actually left me in a rather bad headspace (which is not a fun place to be when struggling with depression as I do, but that’s a conversation for another time). In no way does that take anything away from the power of this story. Thursday Midnight is quite simply one of the most compelling and intelligent science fiction books to come along in a very long time. Some stories are very plot driven that takes readers on an incredible ride, while others contain themes and ideas that are meant to spark the human intellect and generate conversation about life, society, and what it means to be human and alive. Wheeler here has done something amazing in giving us a book that does both.
Thursday Midnight absolutely wrecked me, and I freely admit that from an emotional perspective it is not the kind of book that would be my first choice to read. Nonetheless, it is a brilliant piece of science fiction literature, and the fact that it did wreck me speaks to its efficacy. Thursday Midnight is a dystopian masterpiece.
When book 2 begins the Transient program is essentially dead. Humans still exist and the Eternals society continues to thrive in perfect harmonious balance with Earth, until a mysterious man comes forward and begins killing Eternals in a most violent manner. His actions cause panic among the Eternals in Seattle, and even after an Eternal detective named Korovin captures him, they find themselves blocked, as he will only speak to Jonas. The traitor. Korovin reaches out to Jonas, who reluctantly agrees to come out of hiding to confront this man, whom he later realizes is someone he is acquainted with. What he discovers about this "Axeman" is that he is a fanatic with an agenda that could forever alter the future for both humans and Eternals.
I’ll be the first to admit that I am not the biggest fan of stories. Perhaps this has to do with my own psychological makeup and the things in my head that make me tick. I also admit that I can be very self-delusional in hoping that the best and noble parts of humanity would eventually rise to the surface and bring about a well-earned Utopia. So when I first read Transient I saw this world filled with another group of people, the Eternals, who perhaps might be able to bring about that Utopia that I firmly believed in.
With Thursday Midnight author Zachry Wheeler has altered his approach in his story telling, and instead of presenting us a with massive world building (as done in Transient), he now gives us a story that is heavily plot driven to the point where it starts to feel like a runaway train. His characters of Jonas, Korovin, Jemison (Korovin’s assistant/partner), and even Anna (Jonas' girlfriend/partner), continually push to find a better way for humans and Eternals to co-exist peacefully, despite the violent and fanatical idealism that the Axeman is operating under. Even when the action slows down the characters movements maintain that energy from one heart-stopping chapter into the next. By the time the Axeman's true agenda is fully revealed all I can say is that my knuckles were white from gripping my kindle too tightly, and the ending was probably the most shocking form of storytelling I have ever read.
Once again, I’m no fan of post-apocalyptic stories, but I did go into this book with a sense of hope given how Transient ended. However there are layers in what Wheeler is sharing here. With an initial reading it can be viewed purely at its most basic, meaning this is an all out thriller regarding a maniac whose apparent goal is to wipe out all Eternals. However when you start to get into the last third it becomes necessary to read in between the lines. Wheeler isn’t just giving us an action-adventure story; rather he’s giving us some ideas to look at, which sadly I cannot fully list here without giving away the ending of this book. However one element that can be mentioned is the character arc. Jonas’ arc goes through some remarkable changes from the beginning of Transient all the way through to the ending of Thursday Midnight. His is not the typical hero’s journey. When I started this book I did so with the idea that he might become some sort of savior for all people of Earth. What ends up happening is about as far away from that idea as one could possibly imagine. I will admit that I had a very difficult time when I finished reading it. I have never read anything quite so shocking in my entire life, and it actually left me in a rather bad headspace (which is not a fun place to be when struggling with depression as I do, but that’s a conversation for another time). In no way does that take anything away from the power of this story. Thursday Midnight is quite simply one of the most compelling and intelligent science fiction books to come along in a very long time. Some stories are very plot driven that takes readers on an incredible ride, while others contain themes and ideas that are meant to spark the human intellect and generate conversation about life, society, and what it means to be human and alive. Wheeler here has done something amazing in giving us a book that does both.
Thursday Midnight absolutely wrecked me, and I freely admit that from an emotional perspective it is not the kind of book that would be my first choice to read. Nonetheless, it is a brilliant piece of science fiction literature, and the fact that it did wreck me speaks to its efficacy. Thursday Midnight is a dystopian masterpiece.
June 29, 2019
Thursday Midnight is Zachry Wheeler’s powerful sequel to Transient. Taking place a few years after the events of Transient, Jonas has kept his word with Agent Korovin of NExUS. But that doesn’t mean that Jonas has been idle. He’s been working in secret to show that humans and eternals can live together, that the hatred was not necessary. As Jonas starts his newest campaign in the deepest parts of the internet, trying to change the minds of eternals that the remnant humans are not a threat, a brutal murder of several eternals takes place in Seattle. Agent Korovin is brought in to investigate, but the killer seems to be three steps ahead of NExUS at every point, and this killer has one goal: to meet Jonas.
Powerful is not a word I use lightly when reviewing books, and it applies to Thursday Midnight. From the very first chapter in the book Zach pulls you into a world that is both familiar (if you read Transient) but you are immediately aware that the rules have changed. They have changed for Agent Korovin and the other NExUS agents. They have changed for Jonas and Anna. And they have changed for the reader. From the first descriptions in chapter one I was sucked in and captivated (held hostage?) by the story. And by the end, after the twists, turns, and shocking reveals, I was left breathless. The ending is a gut punch, not only for Jonas but for the reader. But it is a wonderful gut punch because you can see how far Zach is taking the story and the characters, see the risks he is taking as an author to write the story as it must be told, not trying to sugar coat it or tone it down. The story is laid raw and bare before the reader, nothing is sanitized, and because of this Zach has elevated the story to the next level. It may be too much for many readers, but in Thursday Midnight Zachry Wheeler has reset the bar for storytelling.
I highly recommend Thursday Midnight. It is a powerful story with a shocking ending. The book mixes vampire lore set in a utopian, though very gritty, future, but everything is painted over with subtle shades of dystopia. I challenge you to not be shocked by the ending, and I look forward to seeing how Zach will finish out the trilogy. Zachry Wheeler has another winner on his hands.
Powerful is not a word I use lightly when reviewing books, and it applies to Thursday Midnight. From the very first chapter in the book Zach pulls you into a world that is both familiar (if you read Transient) but you are immediately aware that the rules have changed. They have changed for Agent Korovin and the other NExUS agents. They have changed for Jonas and Anna. And they have changed for the reader. From the first descriptions in chapter one I was sucked in and captivated (held hostage?) by the story. And by the end, after the twists, turns, and shocking reveals, I was left breathless. The ending is a gut punch, not only for Jonas but for the reader. But it is a wonderful gut punch because you can see how far Zach is taking the story and the characters, see the risks he is taking as an author to write the story as it must be told, not trying to sugar coat it or tone it down. The story is laid raw and bare before the reader, nothing is sanitized, and because of this Zach has elevated the story to the next level. It may be too much for many readers, but in Thursday Midnight Zachry Wheeler has reset the bar for storytelling.
I highly recommend Thursday Midnight. It is a powerful story with a shocking ending. The book mixes vampire lore set in a utopian, though very gritty, future, but everything is painted over with subtle shades of dystopia. I challenge you to not be shocked by the ending, and I look forward to seeing how Zach will finish out the trilogy. Zachry Wheeler has another winner on his hands.
July 2, 2019
Review of Thursday Midnight by Zachary Wheeler
There is a terrifying menace causing murder and mayhem among the blood-drinkers of Seattle. After each massacre, there is a message painted on the walls. The demand? The murderer wants Jonas, who is purportedly dead. The NExUS agent, Victor Korovin, who knows Jonas still lives, is called in to solve the mystery.
Jonas is alive and hiding with Anna in a secret location. He is working through social media towards peace between eternals and humans. He does not know who the killer is or why the killer is demanding him. If he does not come forward, more people will die. How does Jonas reveal himself without endangering the people he loves? Korovin gets word to Jonas, asking for help.
The murderer is upscaling his assaults - more people murdered - and is going global. The world is in an uproar. Can Jonas stop the massacres? What does this killer want with him? Thursday Midnight by Zachary Wheeler is a gripping story that keeps you flipping the pages long into the night, right to the jaw-dropping ending. Highly Recommended.
There is a terrifying menace causing murder and mayhem among the blood-drinkers of Seattle. After each massacre, there is a message painted on the walls. The demand? The murderer wants Jonas, who is purportedly dead. The NExUS agent, Victor Korovin, who knows Jonas still lives, is called in to solve the mystery.
Jonas is alive and hiding with Anna in a secret location. He is working through social media towards peace between eternals and humans. He does not know who the killer is or why the killer is demanding him. If he does not come forward, more people will die. How does Jonas reveal himself without endangering the people he loves? Korovin gets word to Jonas, asking for help.
The murderer is upscaling his assaults - more people murdered - and is going global. The world is in an uproar. Can Jonas stop the massacres? What does this killer want with him? Thursday Midnight by Zachary Wheeler is a gripping story that keeps you flipping the pages long into the night, right to the jaw-dropping ending. Highly Recommended.
June 27, 2019
Wheeler’s follow-up to Transient (now the Immortal Wake series) is a fast-paced and breathtaking ride (trust me on that last part) through a dystopia we didn’t know we needed. Full of brilliant prose, real characters, and a ticking time-bomb of a plot, his story holds a cracked mirror to ours; and in a book filled with horror, perhaps the real scare here is just how close Wheeler’s world reflects our own.
October 10, 2019
The sequel to Transient picks up the story of mortal humans and vampires several years later. Jonas is in hiding with Anna, but has kept his pledge to NExUS, the worldwide ruling body. He thinks the few remaining humans can work together with the dominant vampires until a human commits a gruesome axe murder. Turns out to be the tip of an iceberg of humans targeting large congregations of vampires, bringing Jonas out of hiding. The story is filled with tension, thrills and chills. The only thing I didn't like were the number of humans (and vampires) died, especially the ones I liked.
September 1, 2023
Audiobook: This second book in the "Immortal Wake" series grabbed my attention from the opening paragraph until the very end and never let go. I had to listen to the whole audiobook in one sitting as I was so captivated by the story. I enjoyed the first story in the series, and this second one was even better. I liked the characters in the story. The new foe was frightening and mesmerizing as a cobra. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. Eric Burgher's narration was entrancing, and his performance enhanced the story's entertainment. I was given a free copy of the audiobook, and I have voluntarily posted this review.
July 26, 2025
Well, I only gave this four stars because I did not think that it was as robust as the first book. The story was good, don’t get me wrong. And, it followed along right after the ending of the first book, but the first book was about the evolution of humanity. While this book took the two factions that were evolution of humanity, and pitted them together in a continuous fight for supremacy. It’s worth reading. I enjoyed it, but it wasn’t as good as the first one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2022
relevant for today’s world
I am getting a lot of insights into today’s world from the first two books in this series. It is entertaining, but I find it to be a bit unsettling as well.
I am getting a lot of insights into today’s world from the first two books in this series. It is entertaining, but I find it to be a bit unsettling as well.
December 29, 2020
It is still a very fun topic, and a fun read, but the emotional depth just isn't there for me unfortunately.
June 3, 2020
The Immortal Wake is a tech noir series about a dark and distant future where death is obsolete.
Thursday Midnight is book two of the series and the sequel to my debut novel Transient. I had written and published the entire Max and the Multiverse sci-fi comedy series before coming back to this book. Why the delay? Because I wanted to improve my writing chops to a point where I could give this story the attention that it deserved.
Transient is a sci-fi noir take on the vampire legend. Thursday Midnight is largely a suspense thriller. I wanted to take the world and characters created by the first novel and dive headfirst into a pacy narrative that yanks the reader from beat to beat. Be warned, this harrowing tale is not for the faint of heart.
Thursday Midnight is book two of the series and the sequel to my debut novel Transient. I had written and published the entire Max and the Multiverse sci-fi comedy series before coming back to this book. Why the delay? Because I wanted to improve my writing chops to a point where I could give this story the attention that it deserved.
Transient is a sci-fi noir take on the vampire legend. Thursday Midnight is largely a suspense thriller. I wanted to take the world and characters created by the first novel and dive headfirst into a pacy narrative that yanks the reader from beat to beat. Be warned, this harrowing tale is not for the faint of heart.
December 27, 2019
Thursday Midnight is book 2 of Zachary Wheeler's Immortal Wake series. We meet back up with Jonas along with those he loves and former enemies. Even though the war is over the stakes have never been higher thanks to a new foe. This book is as powerful as it is hard to put down.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews