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The Steading Trilogy #1
The Steading: A Story of Survival and New Beginnings
The modern world has vanished, the human race is on the verge of extinction; Mother Nature is firmly back in charge. A desperate band of survivors seeks out a place of possible safety, The Steading, hoping to carve out a new life. However, simply staying hidden is not enough, it is a battle for survival in a world which is indifferent to their plight. Will mistakes of the past be repeated, can this remnant of humanity find a different path and save itself?
This tale is set in a world similar to our own, with various Nordic and Celtic influences, at some unspecified ‘post-modern’ point in the future. Society as we know it has long since vanished and the natural world has more or less fully reasserted itself, leaving a few isolated pockets of human-existence teetering on the verge of extinction. Birth rates are very low and infant mortality very high, the cause unclear, with remaining settlements slowly withering out of existence. The story starts with a group's desperate flight from danger, their hope being to find a new home and safety.
The story is told almost entirely without spoken dialogue, as if it is being recounted around a campfire; a tale of new beginnings, which follows a small group surviving while carving out a new life, and hoping to thrive. This style of storytelling also reflects the author’s preferred means of communication as an autistic person. In a world full of verbal communication which is often difficult to correctly interpret, you are to a large extent told what the characters are thinking and feeling.
The story is intrinsically part guide to survival and the basics of homesteading; it also sets out a more positive possibility for a future where rampant and destructive ‘modernity’ has vanished. With a natural check on the human population, Earth has become a properly functioning ecosystem and is mostly a near Eden, and not a world where humanity does as it wishes with no thought for the consequences.
Readers may recognise influences for some locations, loosely based around the breath-taking landscapes of Snowdonia and beyond, the Author’s home in North Wales.
This tale is set in a world similar to our own, with various Nordic and Celtic influences, at some unspecified ‘post-modern’ point in the future. Society as we know it has long since vanished and the natural world has more or less fully reasserted itself, leaving a few isolated pockets of human-existence teetering on the verge of extinction. Birth rates are very low and infant mortality very high, the cause unclear, with remaining settlements slowly withering out of existence. The story starts with a group's desperate flight from danger, their hope being to find a new home and safety.
The story is told almost entirely without spoken dialogue, as if it is being recounted around a campfire; a tale of new beginnings, which follows a small group surviving while carving out a new life, and hoping to thrive. This style of storytelling also reflects the author’s preferred means of communication as an autistic person. In a world full of verbal communication which is often difficult to correctly interpret, you are to a large extent told what the characters are thinking and feeling.
The story is intrinsically part guide to survival and the basics of homesteading; it also sets out a more positive possibility for a future where rampant and destructive ‘modernity’ has vanished. With a natural check on the human population, Earth has become a properly functioning ecosystem and is mostly a near Eden, and not a world where humanity does as it wishes with no thought for the consequences.
Readers may recognise influences for some locations, loosely based around the breath-taking landscapes of Snowdonia and beyond, the Author’s home in North Wales.
368 pages, ebook
Published June 2, 2022
About the author
Peter J. Wood
3 books29 followersPeter's writing results from a childhood fascination with the world of Tolkien and other fantasy adventure. As a somewhat introverted child and teen, drawing maps of invented worlds, playing immersive computer-games and Warhammer boardgames were keen interests, often to exclusion of all else; being in hindsight a sign of his neurodiverse nature.
As an adult Peter has rekindled his childhood interest in the wild outdoors. He is a lover of the natural world and bushcraft, his latest passion. The ethos of Ray Mears, the woodsman, is a guiding force. Simply being in the wild Welsh woods while enjoying a crackling seasoned-oak fire, carving a spoon, fashioning a long bow, or chopping firewood, all accompanied by the sound of a nearby stream, is considered pure heaven.
Further inspiration comes from attendance at various workshops, including crafting a bow and fashioning arrows in the surroundings of an ancient hillfort, casting a bronze axe in a prehistoric mine and forging a knife from scrap using an open-air hand-bellowed forge.
Peter loves the modern trend of apocalyptic survival stories in books, games and film. However, he always wished to write a novel which was more in-depth in terms of being part survival tale and almost a practical how-to guide, all woven around a story of hope rather than what are often quite depressing situations. Such life affirming tales can be found in stories ranging from the classic ‘The Swiss Family Robinson’ to the ‘Clan of the Cave Bear’ series, to the ‘The Martian’ of more recent years. His debut novel, The Steading, aims to pull out the exciting thread of surviving against-the-odds seen there and to expand on it, while weaving this into an interesting tale.
As an adult Peter has rekindled his childhood interest in the wild outdoors. He is a lover of the natural world and bushcraft, his latest passion. The ethos of Ray Mears, the woodsman, is a guiding force. Simply being in the wild Welsh woods while enjoying a crackling seasoned-oak fire, carving a spoon, fashioning a long bow, or chopping firewood, all accompanied by the sound of a nearby stream, is considered pure heaven.
Further inspiration comes from attendance at various workshops, including crafting a bow and fashioning arrows in the surroundings of an ancient hillfort, casting a bronze axe in a prehistoric mine and forging a knife from scrap using an open-air hand-bellowed forge.
Peter loves the modern trend of apocalyptic survival stories in books, games and film. However, he always wished to write a novel which was more in-depth in terms of being part survival tale and almost a practical how-to guide, all woven around a story of hope rather than what are often quite depressing situations. Such life affirming tales can be found in stories ranging from the classic ‘The Swiss Family Robinson’ to the ‘Clan of the Cave Bear’ series, to the ‘The Martian’ of more recent years. His debut novel, The Steading, aims to pull out the exciting thread of surviving against-the-odds seen there and to expand on it, while weaving this into an interesting tale.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
May 21, 2023
Cosy Dystopian…is there such a thing? There is with The Steading. The Steading is an amazing book about a group of people who go looking for a place to live after an apocalyptic event.
The book is very descriptive, and you feel as if you learn a lot about how the original settlers probably built up their homesteads, back before technology. Due to this, I felt like the book was quite long, and it took me awhile to get through it as it’s more of a story told by maybe some elders around a campfire, rather than an action packed book. There is no dialogue in this book, but there is also no violence, as is the usual in a post apocalyptic story. It makes for a comfortable slow read.
That being said, it’s still a very enjoyable book. The writing is great, and it’s interesting to learn how to survive in the wild, should we ever have to!
The book is very descriptive, and you feel as if you learn a lot about how the original settlers probably built up their homesteads, back before technology. Due to this, I felt like the book was quite long, and it took me awhile to get through it as it’s more of a story told by maybe some elders around a campfire, rather than an action packed book. There is no dialogue in this book, but there is also no violence, as is the usual in a post apocalyptic story. It makes for a comfortable slow read.
That being said, it’s still a very enjoyable book. The writing is great, and it’s interesting to learn how to survive in the wild, should we ever have to!
December 23, 2022
Interesting
This book felt a bit like a series of very short but useful survival tutorials. It’s nicely descriptive and evenly paced.
This book felt a bit like a series of very short but useful survival tutorials. It’s nicely descriptive and evenly paced.
September 18, 2026
So this is the first book I have read from this author, and the idea of no dialogue intrigued me.
I will say, it was quite slow for me to get into and I had to read it in little bits. However, the author does suggest reading it in smaller bites or to listen as an audiobook, which does make me feel better for taking my time. And I like that the author is open about that, as it is honest.
There were things I thought would pick up the pace or make it more interesting such as more dilemmas. They lived in an almost perfect existence, with almost everything going right for them, but what would have happened if something went wrong?
Perhaps more backstory to some characters such as how they met, what happened to Arwyn's village, what happened to the world etc. to give some context to the characters to make us more interested in their survival.
It was very focused on food or how they made something etc. I am not a detail orientated person to that extent, so I found i skipped a lot of that. BUT some people may really like that, and could almost be used as recipes.
And as the author says, it's almost like a survival guide, so it is exactly how the author describes their own book.
However, I do think the author did very well. It is extremely detailed so a lot of time, attention, and research has gone into it.
It is exactly as the author states, there is no dialogue so well done for doing something different. The lack of character build up is sort of an advantage here as it's about the scenario, as opposed to a specific person.
I did get through it, a little bit at a time, so it didn't put me off. I would recommend others read it just to say they've read something different.
It did give a very good sense of place. And smell. Lots of scents mentioned in it. So it's great for those that like a lot of visual.
I might pick up the next book, I have not decided yet. It does seem to be a different pace and that intrigues me enough to consider it. Overall, I am glad I've read it. Is it my reading style? No, but it was well written. The author deserves praise for doing it as it may appeal to many readers more interested in details than dialogue.
I will say, it was quite slow for me to get into and I had to read it in little bits. However, the author does suggest reading it in smaller bites or to listen as an audiobook, which does make me feel better for taking my time. And I like that the author is open about that, as it is honest.
There were things I thought would pick up the pace or make it more interesting such as more dilemmas. They lived in an almost perfect existence, with almost everything going right for them, but what would have happened if something went wrong?
Perhaps more backstory to some characters such as how they met, what happened to Arwyn's village, what happened to the world etc. to give some context to the characters to make us more interested in their survival.
It was very focused on food or how they made something etc. I am not a detail orientated person to that extent, so I found i skipped a lot of that. BUT some people may really like that, and could almost be used as recipes.
And as the author says, it's almost like a survival guide, so it is exactly how the author describes their own book.
However, I do think the author did very well. It is extremely detailed so a lot of time, attention, and research has gone into it.
It is exactly as the author states, there is no dialogue so well done for doing something different. The lack of character build up is sort of an advantage here as it's about the scenario, as opposed to a specific person.
I did get through it, a little bit at a time, so it didn't put me off. I would recommend others read it just to say they've read something different.
It did give a very good sense of place. And smell. Lots of scents mentioned in it. So it's great for those that like a lot of visual.
I might pick up the next book, I have not decided yet. It does seem to be a different pace and that intrigues me enough to consider it. Overall, I am glad I've read it. Is it my reading style? No, but it was well written. The author deserves praise for doing it as it may appeal to many readers more interested in details than dialogue.
June 15, 2024
The Steading
This was an interesting and refreshing tale of a group of people who survived an unstated disaster. Interesting, because of the ability of a diverse group each bringing their talents for the common good. Throughout the tale the reader is exposed to all kinds of instructions, from how to prepare a freshly killed deer to making a birch bark canoe. Refreshing, because there are no murderous scenes of attacking gangs bent on killing each other, just ordinary people making the best of a calamitous situation. The descriptions of the valley and surrounding area were interesting but at times became redundant, but this did not detract from a good story.
This was an interesting and refreshing tale of a group of people who survived an unstated disaster. Interesting, because of the ability of a diverse group each bringing their talents for the common good. Throughout the tale the reader is exposed to all kinds of instructions, from how to prepare a freshly killed deer to making a birch bark canoe. Refreshing, because there are no murderous scenes of attacking gangs bent on killing each other, just ordinary people making the best of a calamitous situation. The descriptions of the valley and surrounding area were interesting but at times became redundant, but this did not detract from a good story.
January 19, 2026
DNF'd
First of all the portion of the book I got through WAS well written. That said it was boring af. Not due to the lack of action, but because not one single character was ever even minimally fleshed out. Occasionally a name was was mentioned but after skipping around and reading a few paragraphs here and there through out the book, it became obvious that the author intended the lack of any main character/s.
Very zoomed out viewpoint and impossible for me to get into or enjoy. That said, if you're the type doesn't prefer character driven work, it was well written and might be worth a read for you. It just wasn't for me
First of all the portion of the book I got through WAS well written. That said it was boring af. Not due to the lack of action, but because not one single character was ever even minimally fleshed out. Occasionally a name was was mentioned but after skipping around and reading a few paragraphs here and there through out the book, it became obvious that the author intended the lack of any main character/s.
Very zoomed out viewpoint and impossible for me to get into or enjoy. That said, if you're the type doesn't prefer character driven work, it was well written and might be worth a read for you. It just wasn't for me
October 4, 2024
A pleasant cozy read!
The first book of the Steading Saga is like nothing I’ve ever read before. If you had asked me before if I’d ever read a story with almost no dialogue I would probably have said no. Then I would have missed out on this lovely story of a found family carving out a life and honing their survival skills post apocalypse. I can’t wait to read the next installment and learn more about what happened in this world!
The first book of the Steading Saga is like nothing I’ve ever read before. If you had asked me before if I’d ever read a story with almost no dialogue I would probably have said no. Then I would have missed out on this lovely story of a found family carving out a life and honing their survival skills post apocalypse. I can’t wait to read the next installment and learn more about what happened in this world!
September 17, 2026
Not the style of book I normally read, but it perfectly executes on its premise. A third person omniscient homesteading story, focusing on survival vs nature as opposed to rival human factions. The book functions as a pseudo survival guide, describing in detail everything from crafting beaver pelts to subsistence farming. It has a cozy feeling to it, and makes you wish for a simpler time where the main responsibilities is finding food and shelter.
The only knock for me personally is the lack of conflict for most of the book. There are several instances of danger (usually from predators) and heightened stakes that I thoroughly enjoyed, but they are quite sparse through the novel. I’d have liked a bit more of “challenging decisions” and adversity, but understand why the author stayed away from it.
Great cozy homesteading novel. I enjoyed my time with it.
The only knock for me personally is the lack of conflict for most of the book. There are several instances of danger (usually from predators) and heightened stakes that I thoroughly enjoyed, but they are quite sparse through the novel. I’d have liked a bit more of “challenging decisions” and adversity, but understand why the author stayed away from it.
Great cozy homesteading novel. I enjoyed my time with it.
June 5, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book is incredibly well thought out.
If you ever wondered how you would start over in a post-apocalyptic world, this book answers that for you.
With a healthy mix of survival tips and endearing plot, I recommend this to any fans of post apocalypse or survival guide stories.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book is incredibly well thought out.
If you ever wondered how you would start over in a post-apocalyptic world, this book answers that for you.
With a healthy mix of survival tips and endearing plot, I recommend this to any fans of post apocalypse or survival guide stories.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
September 11, 2023
Optimistic future?
Post apocalyptic fiction is my favorite genre and I'm always on the lookout for new books and I'm really tired of the books full of violence! The Steading is one of the best I've read! A group of people surviving and thriving years after the fall of humanity. I almost wish I could join them!
Post apocalyptic fiction is my favorite genre and I'm always on the lookout for new books and I'm really tired of the books full of violence! The Steading is one of the best I've read! A group of people surviving and thriving years after the fall of humanity. I almost wish I could join them!
November 11, 2025
This story is about a remarkable group of people willing to bet on an Old map to find a place to begin again. They are just about at their end when they finally come to the place marked on this map. The description of actual ways they hunt, store, preserve and eventually grow their food is very accurate. Narration of this story is told by one Narrator as if he is reading a story to you.
February 12, 2023
Interesting and different, well worth reading
This is a different take on post apocalypse. Well written and so nice to not read about constant violence. I hope the author will write more about the Steading I have many questions.
This is a different take on post apocalypse. Well written and so nice to not read about constant violence. I hope the author will write more about the Steading I have many questions.
March 27, 2024
Wonderful Read!
I very much enjoyed reading this book. I liked how the author left much to the readers imagination regarding the time (obviously after the fall of modern time), and what may have led to the fall. The story is suitable for all ages!
I very much enjoyed reading this book. I liked how the author left much to the readers imagination regarding the time (obviously after the fall of modern time), and what may have led to the fall. The story is suitable for all ages!
May 29, 2024
Excellent Read
I love this book!! It could get a bit wordy, but those were in depth descriptions of things that don't really interest me. All in all I honestly recommend this as an apocalyptic story that is unlike any others I've read.
I love this book!! It could get a bit wordy, but those were in depth descriptions of things that don't really interest me. All in all I honestly recommend this as an apocalyptic story that is unlike any others I've read.
November 19, 2025
Not so much a novel as a post-apocalyptic survival guide. The term "cosypocalypse" definitely applies. Honestly, I found it boring as fuck but I'm still giving it 3 stars because, other than the lack of action, there was nothing at all to dislike about it.
May 27, 2026
Very goof
I loved the story and especially the characters. The amount of research Mr. Wood must have studied is impressive. Very admirable. It was so interesting to discover how things we now take for granted were made. I will definitely read the other books in this trilogy.
I loved the story and especially the characters. The amount of research Mr. Wood must have studied is impressive. Very admirable. It was so interesting to discover how things we now take for granted were made. I will definitely read the other books in this trilogy.
May 28, 2023
exciting tale of survival!
This was a really exciting and well thought out book, I enjoyed reading it a lot! The author did a great job setting the world!
This was a really exciting and well thought out book, I enjoyed reading it a lot! The author did a great job setting the world!
May 30, 2023
4☆☆☆☆
A different spin on A post apocalyptic story.Very descriptive writing into the survival after an apocalyptic event. Loved the book looking forward to more from this Author.
A different spin on A post apocalyptic story.Very descriptive writing into the survival after an apocalyptic event. Loved the book looking forward to more from this Author.
July 21, 2023
good book, first time reading this author.
I liked this book, even though were a lot of little details. It’s my first time reading this author, and I loved the prequel to this which helped explain Ithryn’s character and how she came to be with the group.
I liked this book, even though were a lot of little details. It’s my first time reading this author, and I loved the prequel to this which helped explain Ithryn’s character and how she came to be with the group.
October 9, 2023
The Steading
Very interesting, I kept waiting for the conflict of our world to attack the people of The Steading. It goes to show how war mongering we are now in 2023.
Very interesting, I kept waiting for the conflict of our world to attack the people of The Steading. It goes to show how war mongering we are now in 2023.
November 4, 2023
Fascinating and Absorbing
At first I was puzzled that this book seemed to break all of the "rules" of novel-writing: there is no dialogue, not really a main character, and scarcely any plot! But it was gripping reading. About halfway through I realized it was like reading a documentary. Now I love documentaries, especially about survival and building. (Have you seen the videos on youtube about building a 13th century castle in Guedelon, France? I devoured all 5 hours of it). So if you are the sort of person who likes this kind of documentary, you'd love this book!
At first I was puzzled that this book seemed to break all of the "rules" of novel-writing: there is no dialogue, not really a main character, and scarcely any plot! But it was gripping reading. About halfway through I realized it was like reading a documentary. Now I love documentaries, especially about survival and building. (Have you seen the videos on youtube about building a 13th century castle in Guedelon, France? I devoured all 5 hours of it). So if you are the sort of person who likes this kind of documentary, you'd love this book!
December 8, 2023
Interesting story
I enjoyed this story. It was a great journey to follow. I can not wait to find more from this author.
I enjoyed this story. It was a great journey to follow. I can not wait to find more from this author.
December 30, 2023
What a great story, well researched, well written and well done. Captivating and engrossing
March 7, 2024
Very informative
I enjoyed this book and found it to be very informative. There are lots of neat facts, tips and sets of instructions!
I enjoyed this book and found it to be very informative. There are lots of neat facts, tips and sets of instructions!
July 16, 2026
I’ve never read anything quite like this — in a good way. Kind of like reading poetry, but with an ongoing and coherent thread.
August 1, 2024
Fascinating novel. I want more!
Series (2 books) was fantastic.
Series (2 books) was fantastic.
July 13, 2025
This a dystopian novel. It felt like a survival guide at points, but very interesting read and I enjoyed it a lot.
October 11, 2024
Idea good but not a narrative
I struggled deciding how to rate this book. I ended up giving it a three due to its in depth thought and detail. In honesty, I would have DNFed the book by chapter 2 if I wasn't determined to get through it. It took me 3x longer to read that it should have because I was bored. I'm sure people who are interested in this could love it, but without necessary narrative techniques and elements, I was lost. I didn't care about the characters. And what a strange post apocalyptic world where humans forget how to speak 🤷♀️ that was all too much (or rather too little) for me. I got lost in detail and wishing people would talk that I lost interest frequently. I wish it was a true narrative because I feel that I would have enjoyed it if it kept my interest at all.
That all being said, if you can read a story without any dialogue where everything is too easy and magically works as planned with no death or injury... then read on. Otherwise I suggest another read.
I struggled deciding how to rate this book. I ended up giving it a three due to its in depth thought and detail. In honesty, I would have DNFed the book by chapter 2 if I wasn't determined to get through it. It took me 3x longer to read that it should have because I was bored. I'm sure people who are interested in this could love it, but without necessary narrative techniques and elements, I was lost. I didn't care about the characters. And what a strange post apocalyptic world where humans forget how to speak 🤷♀️ that was all too much (or rather too little) for me. I got lost in detail and wishing people would talk that I lost interest frequently. I wish it was a true narrative because I feel that I would have enjoyed it if it kept my interest at all.
That all being said, if you can read a story without any dialogue where everything is too easy and magically works as planned with no death or injury... then read on. Otherwise I suggest another read.
August 16, 2022
Beyond survival
Great story, with great characters. Non violent post-apocalyptic fiction that takes twists and turns. Just finished the book for the second time and can't wait for the next in the series.
Great story, with great characters. Non violent post-apocalyptic fiction that takes twists and turns. Just finished the book for the second time and can't wait for the next in the series.
March 20, 2025
Wow
I am in awe of the amount of research the had to have been done in order to write this book. The way you have woven this tale is incredibly intriguing. I highly recommend!
I am in awe of the amount of research the had to have been done in order to write this book. The way you have woven this tale is incredibly intriguing. I highly recommend!
April 17, 2024
Set in a none-too-distant dystopian future where Mother Nature has reasserted her dominance over humankind, healing herself of man-made wounds inflicted over decades of disregard, this is the story of a small band of survivors looking to forge a safe haven for their patchwork community against tremendous adversity, the most dangerous of which may well be the random other enclaves of humans who might be encountered along the way. Conveniences of technology and modern engineering are nonexistent, merely fodder for campfire tales passed from generation to generation to fill children’s heads with wonder and awe.
Whatever caused this seismic shift to man’s place in the grand order of things is never divulged, although it’s intimated that it was self-inflicted. Frankly, it’s irrelevant. It’s a done deal before the first page is ever turned, and we are along for the ride as this small group of survivors follow a map that they hope will lead to a defensible land they can call home, and this happens almost immediately. What follows is a seasonal diary as the settlers work together to build a sustainable future utilizing the pre-industrialized techniques of our forefathers which have somehow managed to survive whatever scourge has wiped this planet clean.
There is virtually no dialogue in the story, which in itself is unusual, but luckily for us, Woods’ command of the English language is incredible. As our narrator, he vividly paints both the change of seasons and the tasks undertaken with visceral detail. The tale is at once instructional and immersive, submerging readers into a day-to-day existence where needs are met through hard work and ingenuity versus a quick trip to the local Walmart. It’s also cautionary without condescension, and not without ample glimmers of hope, separating it from many other post-apocalyptic tales. That being said, it wasn’t exactly an easy read, either, as I am far more accustomed to dialogue-driven and action-oriented narratives. This was neither, and I could only digest so much in one sitting. Still yet, I have no doubt this story will stay with me for some time to come. Very well done, Mr. Woods!
Whatever caused this seismic shift to man’s place in the grand order of things is never divulged, although it’s intimated that it was self-inflicted. Frankly, it’s irrelevant. It’s a done deal before the first page is ever turned, and we are along for the ride as this small group of survivors follow a map that they hope will lead to a defensible land they can call home, and this happens almost immediately. What follows is a seasonal diary as the settlers work together to build a sustainable future utilizing the pre-industrialized techniques of our forefathers which have somehow managed to survive whatever scourge has wiped this planet clean.
There is virtually no dialogue in the story, which in itself is unusual, but luckily for us, Woods’ command of the English language is incredible. As our narrator, he vividly paints both the change of seasons and the tasks undertaken with visceral detail. The tale is at once instructional and immersive, submerging readers into a day-to-day existence where needs are met through hard work and ingenuity versus a quick trip to the local Walmart. It’s also cautionary without condescension, and not without ample glimmers of hope, separating it from many other post-apocalyptic tales. That being said, it wasn’t exactly an easy read, either, as I am far more accustomed to dialogue-driven and action-oriented narratives. This was neither, and I could only digest so much in one sitting. Still yet, I have no doubt this story will stay with me for some time to come. Very well done, Mr. Woods!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews