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Immortal North Two
The “achingly beautiful” story of Immortal North concludes in this stunning sequel, an unflinching meditation on the triumph of human resolve.
He’s known as the trapper and his family has a long history in these remote woods. Now it’s just him and the boy, and he’ll raise him in the world he knows, the forest, where threats take recognizable forms: harsh weather, peak predators, the intrusion of civilization at odds with their lifestyle. But for those lands and minds with an unsettled past, other dangers may lurk the woods where father and son hunt the timber. One fateful day their woodland life is violently broken—shouldn’t those guilty of such injustice be held to account? The forest in all its naked majesty becomes an arena for the dueling forces of life: joy and suffering, good and evil, compassion and vengeance.
The aftermath of the first novel becomes too volatile to be contained by the woods, and now the town knows of a murder and an abduction—that list of crimes is not getting any shorter. An atmospheric tale both haunting and heartening. When to that northern woods tragedies arrive with such a darkness that even the patch of sky above their old family cabin seems to have lost its stars, hope and courage have this luminous sequel shining with radiant light.
He’s known as the trapper and his family has a long history in these remote woods. Now it’s just him and the boy, and he’ll raise him in the world he knows, the forest, where threats take recognizable forms: harsh weather, peak predators, the intrusion of civilization at odds with their lifestyle. But for those lands and minds with an unsettled past, other dangers may lurk the woods where father and son hunt the timber. One fateful day their woodland life is violently broken—shouldn’t those guilty of such injustice be held to account? The forest in all its naked majesty becomes an arena for the dueling forces of life: joy and suffering, good and evil, compassion and vengeance.
The aftermath of the first novel becomes too volatile to be contained by the woods, and now the town knows of a murder and an abduction—that list of crimes is not getting any shorter. An atmospheric tale both haunting and heartening. When to that northern woods tragedies arrive with such a darkness that even the patch of sky above their old family cabin seems to have lost its stars, hope and courage have this luminous sequel shining with radiant light.
414 pages, Paperback
Published February 20, 2023
12 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
Tom Stewart
5 books213 followersI aspire to contribute to the craft that I value so highly. I hope you see something in my books, that would matter to me.
***** 2023 Whistler Independent Book Awards Winner in Fiction*****
***** 2022 Chanticleer International Book Awards finalist in Literary & Contemporary Fiction *****
***** 2022 Shelf Unbound Best Indie Book notable author *****
***** A Readers’ Favorite Five Star Author *****
I grow as a writer when I improve as a human. Reading helps. I value this community of readers for its shared love of meaningful words. I feel a type of connection.
Thank you.
For a FREE copy of Immortal North visit: Immortal North
Tom grew up near Winnipeg, Canada where he studied literature and philosophy at University of Manitoba. He worked in northern Canada as a fishing and hunting guide and bush-plane pilot. Tom now lives in Tofino on Vancouver Island.
https://tomswords.substack.com/
***** 2023 Whistler Independent Book Awards Winner in Fiction*****
***** 2022 Chanticleer International Book Awards finalist in Literary & Contemporary Fiction *****
***** 2022 Shelf Unbound Best Indie Book notable author *****
***** A Readers’ Favorite Five Star Author *****
I grow as a writer when I improve as a human. Reading helps. I value this community of readers for its shared love of meaningful words. I feel a type of connection.
Thank you.
For a FREE copy of Immortal North visit: Immortal North
Tom grew up near Winnipeg, Canada where he studied literature and philosophy at University of Manitoba. He worked in northern Canada as a fishing and hunting guide and bush-plane pilot. Tom now lives in Tofino on Vancouver Island.
https://tomswords.substack.com/
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
March 15, 2023
The man had lost his wife and then later on his son. He was grieving, and this is a book about that grieving, About forgiveness and redemption. At times this was a hard book to read, But the beautiful, lyrical pros carried me on.
It was also about nature. Perhaps I think, you have not seen nature unless you have,seen it through tom's eyes.
I fell to sleep for a few moments. I began dreaming. I was in the book, in the man's cabin in the woods. I was standing by the table and speaking. My words were lyrical, and I thought, I can write like tom. Then I woke up.
Note. 10 stars for the beautiful riding, 10 stars for the important content on grieving.
But I was very pleased to learn that the man, the Trapper, had stopped trapping animals due to it's cruelty.
It was also about nature. Perhaps I think, you have not seen nature unless you have,seen it through tom's eyes.
I fell to sleep for a few moments. I began dreaming. I was in the book, in the man's cabin in the woods. I was standing by the table and speaking. My words were lyrical, and I thought, I can write like tom. Then I woke up.
Note. 10 stars for the beautiful riding, 10 stars for the important content on grieving.
But I was very pleased to learn that the man, the Trapper, had stopped trapping animals due to it's cruelty.
January 23, 2023
It's a strange world where things can be both haunting and heartening.
Atmospheric, poetic and moving, the second book of The Immortal begins where the first one ends.
This is a tale of loss, sorrow and perseverance in the face of misfortune; a battle between good and evil and making choices; a study of human mind and thoughts; of what it means to be human; of what it takes not to lose faith.
Imagine jumping and never coming down.
This book could be read as a standalone, but in order to properly understand the story and the characters , It may be better to read the first book before the second one.
I was kindly offered an advanced copy of the book in return for my honest review.
Atmospheric, poetic and moving, the second book of The Immortal begins where the first one ends.
This is a tale of loss, sorrow and perseverance in the face of misfortune; a battle between good and evil and making choices; a study of human mind and thoughts; of what it means to be human; of what it takes not to lose faith.
Imagine jumping and never coming down.
This book could be read as a standalone, but in order to properly understand the story and the characters , It may be better to read the first book before the second one.
I was kindly offered an advanced copy of the book in return for my honest review.
January 12, 2023
The North doesn’t play favourites.
Welcome back to the North.
According to author Tom Stewart, he hadn’t intended to write a sequel to Immortal North, “Yet, here we are. The tale felt unfinished.” Immortal North Two begins within the heart-thumping final moments of the previous novel, and in chapters that alternate between the town and the woods, between the present and the past, following the tortured inner thoughts of a backwoods man who has apparently lost everything, we get a deeper understanding of “the trapper” and a deeper understanding of how loss and grief are navigated and processed. I didn’t know that I needed a sequel to this story, but I’m glad it exists and can whole-heartedly recommend the duology to any reader. (My thanks to the author for an Advanced Reading Copy; passages quoted may not be in their final forms.)
When the trapper was young he was told a story of a mythical arrow shot from a mythical bow. For that arrow to reach its target, it had to cross half the distance. Then it had to halve that distance again. Then again, and so on. Of course that particular arrow never reaches its target because it never crosses all those infinite halves. How could it? That still made some sense to him. Turns out this arrow is not that arrow. A part of him was surprised.
After a brief scene-setting bit of nature writing, we rejoin the trapper as an arrow — the broadhead so pretty and dazzling in its flight as it sliced through that spectrum of morning light — is coursing through the air towards him. Acts and their consequences propel the plot from there, but as ever, plot isn’t the most interesting part of a novel to me (although I will say that for those who enjoy a cracking good yarn, this one has plenty of snap; for those who enjoy a more emotional read, this has plenty of pull). The sections in the present day — following the trapper as he struggles to carry on — were compelling and believable; interwoven organically with ideas from philosophers ranging from Zeno to Frankl. I loved the concept of the big trapper and little trapper disagreeing within his mind, as well as the role that nature takes in his healing process. There are also some wonderful scenes set in the past: I particularly liked an epic poker game that once affected the fortunes of the trapper’s family and the tale of the trapper’s grandparents meeting at a country dance:
Love was in the air and couples danced within it. Her thin hand in his. And from that clasp would come other life. Unbeknownst to them, where their palms met, roots sprouted. Small vines already curling out between their fingers.
Stewart’s writing is filled with savoury metaphor and allusion and bits of wisdom, and I’ll share here a few tasty bits:
• His eyes on the curled grey ashes in the stove, like the fire had eaten the bones but left the feathers.
• The legend of the trapper grew — people like to talk and they poured those truths some drinks.
• He had always been a slow reader and now he was a slower reader and he considered that progress.
This sequel didn’t affect me quite as hard as the first novel did — probably because everything truly affecting had already occurred before this opens — but as an exploration of the consequences of those *cough* affecting events, this was really well done. And probably necessary. Again: I’m glad Immortal North Two exists and look forward to reading whatever the author comes out with next.
And he was nine-tenths pain, and one-tenth pain, and some impossible fraction of hysterical love, ‘cause for the smallest wild part of him, some piece at once defiant to and accepting of the misery and cruelty of life, and any circumstance or force that would impose on him great suffering which might break his will and then break the man — this felt raw and that felt good. See his resolve in a tiny smile.
July 30, 2023
Tom Stewart is back with Immortal North Two!
It's rare for me to pick up books and their sequels so close to each other. It's never on purpose, it just sort of... happens. I end up reading a book and the sequel takes forever to come out, I can't get my hands on them, or life just gets in the way and I completely forget to keep going with a series until the sequel magically pops up on my bookshelf years later. You know... NORMAL reasons.
Lucky for me, Tom Stewart asked me to review Immortal North #1 and then after I completed it the sequel came out! Perfect timing for a reader like me! I took a small break between reading the first and second book because these books are DEEP. Deep in a good way, but very heavy on your heart when you take in all of the theme work Tom puts into these books.
Immortal North 1 and 2 dive into grief and life in the north (as you would suspect from the title). Our trapper from the first book dive into his grief and despair in this book which seems to be an ode to nature, grief, and healing. The imagery and characterization of nature in this book is absolutely insane. It feels like the kind of book we would pick apart in my Canadian Literature class in university. It's so beautiful how Tom seems to understand how nature can be a metaphor for much of the trauma life can bring us.
The book also goes into the town and their reaction to what happened in the first book. If you didn't read the first book you won't understand ANYTHING that happens with them (even if you might be able to appreciate the book itself). While this part was intriguing and engaging, for me it wasn't the best part. I loved watching our lead character grow throughout the story and deal with the issues at hand. How can one process grief? How does one grieve? The world is tough on us and unpredictable things can happen. Nature and the North does not pick favourites, as the book says. Sometimes we have to deal with the tough blows life gives us, even if it hurts too much and we feel guilty, shame, or regretful. It's haunting and pulls at your heartstrings, but by the end you can see how this character has grown to learn from the horrible lessons life has given him. It's tough but it is possible.
This book is just MIND BLOWING. I don't understand how more people haven't picked it up because it's such a beautiful read. It can be a heavy hitter but man... Tom Stewart knows how to write.
Five out of five stars. Not my typical read by any means, but just WOW.
I received this book for free from the author, Tom Stewart, in exchange for an honest review.
It's rare for me to pick up books and their sequels so close to each other. It's never on purpose, it just sort of... happens. I end up reading a book and the sequel takes forever to come out, I can't get my hands on them, or life just gets in the way and I completely forget to keep going with a series until the sequel magically pops up on my bookshelf years later. You know... NORMAL reasons.
Lucky for me, Tom Stewart asked me to review Immortal North #1 and then after I completed it the sequel came out! Perfect timing for a reader like me! I took a small break between reading the first and second book because these books are DEEP. Deep in a good way, but very heavy on your heart when you take in all of the theme work Tom puts into these books.
Immortal North 1 and 2 dive into grief and life in the north (as you would suspect from the title). Our trapper from the first book dive into his grief and despair in this book which seems to be an ode to nature, grief, and healing. The imagery and characterization of nature in this book is absolutely insane. It feels like the kind of book we would pick apart in my Canadian Literature class in university. It's so beautiful how Tom seems to understand how nature can be a metaphor for much of the trauma life can bring us.
The book also goes into the town and their reaction to what happened in the first book. If you didn't read the first book you won't understand ANYTHING that happens with them (even if you might be able to appreciate the book itself). While this part was intriguing and engaging, for me it wasn't the best part. I loved watching our lead character grow throughout the story and deal with the issues at hand. How can one process grief? How does one grieve? The world is tough on us and unpredictable things can happen. Nature and the North does not pick favourites, as the book says. Sometimes we have to deal with the tough blows life gives us, even if it hurts too much and we feel guilty, shame, or regretful. It's haunting and pulls at your heartstrings, but by the end you can see how this character has grown to learn from the horrible lessons life has given him. It's tough but it is possible.
This book is just MIND BLOWING. I don't understand how more people haven't picked it up because it's such a beautiful read. It can be a heavy hitter but man... Tom Stewart knows how to write.
Five out of five stars. Not my typical read by any means, but just WOW.
I received this book for free from the author, Tom Stewart, in exchange for an honest review.
February 16, 2023
I received an e-arc from the author in exchange for a fair review. Immortal North was one of my favourite books of 2022, so the author reached out and asked if I’d review the second one. Of course, I agreed.
And, like the first one, this is a lyrical, entrancing, and deeply moving story about a man and his home in the North, beginning right where the last book ended.
There are no spoilers for this book in this review, but a major part of this book is a HUGE spoiler for book one, so please, do read the first book.
Anyway, now that you’ve been warned, at first, I didn’t think Immortal North needed a follow-up, but this novel is by no means a tacked-on or unnecessary addition. In fact, where the first book was about sorrow, loss, and the human propensity to seek retribution, this book is about grief, acceptance, and moving through pain. It’s a wonderful sequel that expands on what the first book introduced.
This book is about what happens when you lose something unthinkable and almost lose yourself to grief. In fact, for people who live in fear of something happening to their kids (every parent?), it’s helpful to see Ethan’s journey through grief, rage, despair, and desperation. It also shows how the kindness of strangers, even from a distance, can give someone hope. It’s an extremely hopeful novel, surprisingly.
For a book with not a lot of plot, it’s still enthralling. Stewart’s style is, as I explained in my previous review, very reminiscent of Hemingway, but in no way does it feel like he’s trying to copy that style - it feels natural, just as you can tell Stewart knows what it’s like to live off-grid, to be a survivalist.
My favourite scenes are when he’s just describing the daily life and chores that Ethan gets up to, the basic, simple living that he does that’s so far removed from our lives of smartphones, constant stimulation, the simulacra of nature, and physical labour (in the “I need to chop firewood to heat my house” physical labour way, not discounting the hard jobs of construction work or nursing or other jobs which require physical labour).
There is also a scene with shrooms - used as a way to induce a self-healing experience - that is so interesting and one of the best “drug scenes” in a book that I’ve ever read.
Overall, Immortal North Two is rich and introspective as well as sorrowful and hopeful. It’s achingly beautiful and a sequel that really brings the story full circle.
And, like the first one, this is a lyrical, entrancing, and deeply moving story about a man and his home in the North, beginning right where the last book ended.
There are no spoilers for this book in this review, but a major part of this book is a HUGE spoiler for book one, so please, do read the first book.
Anyway, now that you’ve been warned, at first, I didn’t think Immortal North needed a follow-up, but this novel is by no means a tacked-on or unnecessary addition. In fact, where the first book was about sorrow, loss, and the human propensity to seek retribution, this book is about grief, acceptance, and moving through pain. It’s a wonderful sequel that expands on what the first book introduced.
This book is about what happens when you lose something unthinkable and almost lose yourself to grief. In fact, for people who live in fear of something happening to their kids (every parent?), it’s helpful to see Ethan’s journey through grief, rage, despair, and desperation. It also shows how the kindness of strangers, even from a distance, can give someone hope. It’s an extremely hopeful novel, surprisingly.
For a book with not a lot of plot, it’s still enthralling. Stewart’s style is, as I explained in my previous review, very reminiscent of Hemingway, but in no way does it feel like he’s trying to copy that style - it feels natural, just as you can tell Stewart knows what it’s like to live off-grid, to be a survivalist.
My favourite scenes are when he’s just describing the daily life and chores that Ethan gets up to, the basic, simple living that he does that’s so far removed from our lives of smartphones, constant stimulation, the simulacra of nature, and physical labour (in the “I need to chop firewood to heat my house” physical labour way, not discounting the hard jobs of construction work or nursing or other jobs which require physical labour).
There is also a scene with shrooms - used as a way to induce a self-healing experience - that is so interesting and one of the best “drug scenes” in a book that I’ve ever read.
Overall, Immortal North Two is rich and introspective as well as sorrowful and hopeful. It’s achingly beautiful and a sequel that really brings the story full circle.
January 30, 2023
I was absolutely ecstatic to hear that there was going to be a 2nd book in this series because I adored the first one so much. This book definitely does not disappoint, Tom Stewart has written another gem of a piece and let me tell you why.
Both the Immortal North books take place in the woods and forest lands of, well, The North. One of my favorite things about each of them is how well the forest is described by Stewart. He has such a way with words, he truly does paint you a picture of each scene. You can feel the cold, smell the trees, taste the food being prepared. The way he writes emotions forces you to FEEL what the characters are feeling, even the very worst of the feelings. There is no getting around some of the issues within the book, and in a way you as the reader have no choice but to take the problems as they come just like the main character has to. You and him are entwined in his journey, and I felt like I needed to be strong, so he could be strong!
The story starts in a very precarious place and if you've read the first book, it starts right *there* at the end. Much like the woods of The North, you do not get soft, fluffy, hand holding reading...you get a world that is indifferent to your survival. You are thrown into the thick of the story and are on a survival journey of your own through it. I could not put this one down, and if I had to, I thought about it the whole time I was away.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I think anyone who's into stories of survival, stories that show the TRUE endurance humans have to survive, or stories of people living "off the grid", will keep this one close to their heart and bookshelves. If this story is nothing else but an enjoyable piece, I would argue it's a self-help book for all those who need some inspiration in their lives.
This book made me miss the forest so damn bad 10/10 I'm in love with The Trapper, read it and fall in love too!
Both the Immortal North books take place in the woods and forest lands of, well, The North. One of my favorite things about each of them is how well the forest is described by Stewart. He has such a way with words, he truly does paint you a picture of each scene. You can feel the cold, smell the trees, taste the food being prepared. The way he writes emotions forces you to FEEL what the characters are feeling, even the very worst of the feelings. There is no getting around some of the issues within the book, and in a way you as the reader have no choice but to take the problems as they come just like the main character has to. You and him are entwined in his journey, and I felt like I needed to be strong, so he could be strong!
The story starts in a very precarious place and if you've read the first book, it starts right *there* at the end. Much like the woods of The North, you do not get soft, fluffy, hand holding reading...you get a world that is indifferent to your survival. You are thrown into the thick of the story and are on a survival journey of your own through it. I could not put this one down, and if I had to, I thought about it the whole time I was away.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I think anyone who's into stories of survival, stories that show the TRUE endurance humans have to survive, or stories of people living "off the grid", will keep this one close to their heart and bookshelves. If this story is nothing else but an enjoyable piece, I would argue it's a self-help book for all those who need some inspiration in their lives.
This book made me miss the forest so damn bad 10/10 I'm in love with The Trapper, read it and fall in love too!
January 10, 2023
First off, read the first Immortal North before diving into this one. As if anyone who has read it really needed an excuse to revisit the trapper’s story. Not only is the 1st book fantastic, but the 2nd will be that much more being reacquainted with everyone.
Secondly, bring a jacket it’s going to get a bit cold.
Immersed in the trappers northern world full of grief and guilt due to immeasurable loss, the reader is confronted with soul searching situations in the tappers mind and outside world. How does one recover from such loss, how does someone even start to feel worthy of any warmth or love at all? This story can only be truly appreciated in small doses at a time. I struggled with completely consuming this book in one sitting, had to force myself to take the extra time to actually savor each morsel. (And I still want to go back and try again)
The author’s style of writing is my most favorite. What better way to tell a story than to actually transport the reader, making you feel you are THERE. Sitting next to the trapper at his rough wooden table, smell the freshly brewed coffee, hear the crackling of the stove fire, feel the draft coming from a broken window, see the glittering shine of the night constellations. Not only his physical world is appreciated, his mental state as well. Feel his gut wrenching grief waking up to a quiet cabin, to his slight warming hope with the help of a little bird.
As with the first, I will be revisiting this book as well to soak in everything that I quickly and selfishly stumbled over the first round being anxious to see how this story concluded.
Fell in love with the first Immortal North and just kept falling with this one as well.
Secondly, bring a jacket it’s going to get a bit cold.
Immersed in the trappers northern world full of grief and guilt due to immeasurable loss, the reader is confronted with soul searching situations in the tappers mind and outside world. How does one recover from such loss, how does someone even start to feel worthy of any warmth or love at all? This story can only be truly appreciated in small doses at a time. I struggled with completely consuming this book in one sitting, had to force myself to take the extra time to actually savor each morsel. (And I still want to go back and try again)
The author’s style of writing is my most favorite. What better way to tell a story than to actually transport the reader, making you feel you are THERE. Sitting next to the trapper at his rough wooden table, smell the freshly brewed coffee, hear the crackling of the stove fire, feel the draft coming from a broken window, see the glittering shine of the night constellations. Not only his physical world is appreciated, his mental state as well. Feel his gut wrenching grief waking up to a quiet cabin, to his slight warming hope with the help of a little bird.
As with the first, I will be revisiting this book as well to soak in everything that I quickly and selfishly stumbled over the first round being anxious to see how this story concluded.
Fell in love with the first Immortal North and just kept falling with this one as well.
May 8, 2023
Immortal North Two
Each time I read Immortal North, I grew closer to the Trapper-- his world, his thinking, his tragedies, his strength. In Immortal North Two, he became human...less a man of legend and often the legend itself and more a little boy in adult form just trying to survive, to overcome the slings and arrows, and to "cherish and to seek and to live with urgency."
In this, I relate so much.
Immortal North Two transports you through complete darkness and devastation, into the slow simmer of grief and guilt, past the day-to-day mundanity of just making it, until you rise each day with renewed purpose and perspective. And along the journey, you'll rise and fall with the Trapper and you'll find yourself in the woods, picking up little seeds of transcendent truth, love, and connection.
This book is part story, part poetry, part philosophy, and part exploration...a book worthy of slow reading, nibbling, feeling...a book to return to.
Each time I read Immortal North, I grew closer to the Trapper-- his world, his thinking, his tragedies, his strength. In Immortal North Two, he became human...less a man of legend and often the legend itself and more a little boy in adult form just trying to survive, to overcome the slings and arrows, and to "cherish and to seek and to live with urgency."
In this, I relate so much.
Immortal North Two transports you through complete darkness and devastation, into the slow simmer of grief and guilt, past the day-to-day mundanity of just making it, until you rise each day with renewed purpose and perspective. And along the journey, you'll rise and fall with the Trapper and you'll find yourself in the woods, picking up little seeds of transcendent truth, love, and connection.
This book is part story, part poetry, part philosophy, and part exploration...a book worthy of slow reading, nibbling, feeling...a book to return to.
January 28, 2023
I typically am a fast reader. But I didn’t want to fly through this book because the writing of Tom Stewart is to be savored. As the author himself wrote, “He'd lose himself in it. He found new ideas in old pages and read not to finish a book but to see beauty, understand a concept, better understand the world…and now he was a slower reader and he considered that progress.”
The way he describes a red fox hunting, an owl scooping up a rabbit, and making a loaf of bread is just so beautiful. But readers are also lucky enough to read his story of a man “modeling himself after the boy he had tried to raise: develop a little hardness to him while trying to keep him pure at his core.”
Additionally, a big thank you to Tom Stewart and Lucky Dollar Media for providing me with a copy to read and review.
The way he describes a red fox hunting, an owl scooping up a rabbit, and making a loaf of bread is just so beautiful. But readers are also lucky enough to read his story of a man “modeling himself after the boy he had tried to raise: develop a little hardness to him while trying to keep him pure at his core.”
Additionally, a big thank you to Tom Stewart and Lucky Dollar Media for providing me with a copy to read and review.
March 1, 2023
Another 5⭐️. The novel was a story about Trapper and so much more. He has memories, ghosts and grief. So much grief. It’s days after the death of his son. An unspeakable situation. What would I do?!! Completely fall apart.
The story wrestles with forgiveness and justice. The kind of forgiveness that wouldn’t come or maybe felt impossible. The forgiveness once given, would want to be snatch back. Whew!
Tom Stewart once again wrote a beautiful painful narrative with a vivid description of a mental and physical world. His stories are complex with deep feelings and emotional journeys. I Ioved the ending.
Thanks Tom Stewart for letting me be one of the first to read this incredible ARC.
The story wrestles with forgiveness and justice. The kind of forgiveness that wouldn’t come or maybe felt impossible. The forgiveness once given, would want to be snatch back. Whew!
Tom Stewart once again wrote a beautiful painful narrative with a vivid description of a mental and physical world. His stories are complex with deep feelings and emotional journeys. I Ioved the ending.
Thanks Tom Stewart for letting me be one of the first to read this incredible ARC.
March 19, 2023
Master story teller, Tom Stewart, has taken literary fiction to the highest level possible with this novel 'Immortal North Two'. Ethan 'Trapper' Edwards once again chills and thrills you as he tries to recover from the loss of his son. 'Immortal North Two', and the first book 'Immortal North', do not leave you after reading and they place an incredible memory in your psyche. Brilliant story combined with brilliant writing deserves a very well earned five stars. Both books are highly recommended literary fiction novels and are classed as 'must reads'.
January 26, 2024
A worthy sequel to an excellent book. I found the alternating storylines format reminiscent of the all-time great sequel, Godfather 2, with one storyline following the story of the protagonist where we left off, and the other told in flashbacks about his father.
January 29, 2023
Here we go again, back to the North, back to the land of predator and prey, the land of survival.
Tom Stewart once again gives us a vivid, poetic glimpse into a land that few of us will ever have the chance to fully experience. The introduction instantly sets you into the wild interactions of nature with bold flashes of color and violence acting as a foreshadowing of things to come. In chapter one, we’re thrown right back into the action of the final scene of the previous novel with a rope, an arrow, and the spray of blood from an unanticipated attack. The following chapters alternate between town and woods but also past and present.
Immortal North Two primarily focuses on the Trapper’s struggle to overcome overwhelming grief and guilt but we also get to know more about the town and what happens when they hear tales of murder and crime in the remote woods. Other chapters give more background into the Trapper’s family and how the lodge once owned by his grandfather was lost.
This novel will gut you, turn you inside out, then slowly rebuild you. In the beginning, the writing is very dark and angry in shades of grey with splashes of red. While reading, you really get the sense that a dark cloud hangs over you, and sadness creeps into your veins. The Trapper’s pain becomes your pain. You are constantly left wondering what he will decide to do and what will become of the two men that turned his world upside down. As time goes on, the Trapper takes his “medicine” allowing nature and routine to work their magic in his healing.
Even though this novel didn’t bring me to tears as much as the previous novel, it was still beautiful and perhaps a little more painful in some ways. I read another review that stated Tom Stewart’s writing was to be read slowly so that you could absorb every last bit of it. This is the truth. If you’re looking for a quick, easy read, this is not the novel for you.
This novel is a journey, an experience that will stay with you for a very long time. Through amazing imagery and lyrical prose brimming with wisdom, Tom Stewart has created another beautiful piece of writing where you’re able to read the words and see the scene come together in your mind’s eye. You live and breathe this story. You feel the heat and the cold. You suffer and triumph with the Trapper. This novel will haunt you. This novel will become a part of you.
Thanks to the author for providing me with an advance copy of this truly amazing novel.
Tom Stewart once again gives us a vivid, poetic glimpse into a land that few of us will ever have the chance to fully experience. The introduction instantly sets you into the wild interactions of nature with bold flashes of color and violence acting as a foreshadowing of things to come. In chapter one, we’re thrown right back into the action of the final scene of the previous novel with a rope, an arrow, and the spray of blood from an unanticipated attack. The following chapters alternate between town and woods but also past and present.
Immortal North Two primarily focuses on the Trapper’s struggle to overcome overwhelming grief and guilt but we also get to know more about the town and what happens when they hear tales of murder and crime in the remote woods. Other chapters give more background into the Trapper’s family and how the lodge once owned by his grandfather was lost.
This novel will gut you, turn you inside out, then slowly rebuild you. In the beginning, the writing is very dark and angry in shades of grey with splashes of red. While reading, you really get the sense that a dark cloud hangs over you, and sadness creeps into your veins. The Trapper’s pain becomes your pain. You are constantly left wondering what he will decide to do and what will become of the two men that turned his world upside down. As time goes on, the Trapper takes his “medicine” allowing nature and routine to work their magic in his healing.
Even though this novel didn’t bring me to tears as much as the previous novel, it was still beautiful and perhaps a little more painful in some ways. I read another review that stated Tom Stewart’s writing was to be read slowly so that you could absorb every last bit of it. This is the truth. If you’re looking for a quick, easy read, this is not the novel for you.
This novel is a journey, an experience that will stay with you for a very long time. Through amazing imagery and lyrical prose brimming with wisdom, Tom Stewart has created another beautiful piece of writing where you’re able to read the words and see the scene come together in your mind’s eye. You live and breathe this story. You feel the heat and the cold. You suffer and triumph with the Trapper. This novel will haunt you. This novel will become a part of you.
Thanks to the author for providing me with an advance copy of this truly amazing novel.
April 30, 2023
This is a sequel to the first "Immortal North" which was beautiful for the first half of the book and then so shocking that the reader cannot put it down. You must read that first.
"Immortal North Two" is a direct continuation of the first and plunges right in to the immense sorrow felt by the protagonist after his beloved son is murdered. Alone in the forest where they had lived together, the father must figure out how he will survive with no family left. One night he overdoses on psychedelic mushrooms, and hallucinates a trek through the forest, the trails, and all the places that he and his son trapped and hunted together, only to collapse, unable to go on. In the morning, he awakens and sees that his tracks in the snow had never left the yard of his cabin. Little by little, he pulls himself together. Author Tom Stewart, in my opinion, is one of today's best writers ever. He leads us through this tragic tale to a brilliant ending that resolves the fate of the murderers, the redemption of the father, and the community that comes together to help. Put these books on your "must read" list. You won't be sorry.
"Immortal North Two" is a direct continuation of the first and plunges right in to the immense sorrow felt by the protagonist after his beloved son is murdered. Alone in the forest where they had lived together, the father must figure out how he will survive with no family left. One night he overdoses on psychedelic mushrooms, and hallucinates a trek through the forest, the trails, and all the places that he and his son trapped and hunted together, only to collapse, unable to go on. In the morning, he awakens and sees that his tracks in the snow had never left the yard of his cabin. Little by little, he pulls himself together. Author Tom Stewart, in my opinion, is one of today's best writers ever. He leads us through this tragic tale to a brilliant ending that resolves the fate of the murderers, the redemption of the father, and the community that comes together to help. Put these books on your "must read" list. You won't be sorry.
March 7, 2023
Tom Stewart graciously gives us a follow-up to Immortal North. To be clear, I believe it is important to first read the first book to get the full power of IN2.
As in Immortal North (One), we are treated to incredible scenes of the northern wilderness that will make your heart swell with a love and appreciation of its powerful raw beauty. I suggest taking your time. I immersed myself wholly to the emotions. The intensity of the grief and pain wore me out, but coming out the other side was so sweet. I was reminded of a T shirt I saw recently that said "Cultivate empathy ... READ".
Highly recommend reading both Immortal North One and Immortal North Two!
As in Immortal North (One), we are treated to incredible scenes of the northern wilderness that will make your heart swell with a love and appreciation of its powerful raw beauty. I suggest taking your time. I immersed myself wholly to the emotions. The intensity of the grief and pain wore me out, but coming out the other side was so sweet. I was reminded of a T shirt I saw recently that said "Cultivate empathy ... READ".
Highly recommend reading both Immortal North One and Immortal North Two!
July 5, 2023
“All my happiest memories are people. All my worst memories are people.”
I can’t stop thinking about this line and the compelling yet heart-wrenching truth of it. I purposely took a while to read this even though the author so kindly gifted me an early copy. (Thank you, sir. My apologies for taking so long to finish it.)
I found I just had to read it slowly. This book is full of profound emotion- beautifully, yet horribly relatable. Mr. Stewart writes as if he is well acquainted with grief, and his powerful imagery can punch hard when your own heart is broken, but there’s such inspiration and healing in this depiction of the sheer tenacity of the human spirit.
I can’t stop thinking about this line and the compelling yet heart-wrenching truth of it. I purposely took a while to read this even though the author so kindly gifted me an early copy. (Thank you, sir. My apologies for taking so long to finish it.)
I found I just had to read it slowly. This book is full of profound emotion- beautifully, yet horribly relatable. Mr. Stewart writes as if he is well acquainted with grief, and his powerful imagery can punch hard when your own heart is broken, but there’s such inspiration and healing in this depiction of the sheer tenacity of the human spirit.
January 19, 2023
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Jill Rey
26 minutes ago
3 min
5/5 ⭐ | Immortal North Two: A Novel by Tom Stewart

“Overhead, arched branches hold skiffs of snow, the forest decorated in strung garland for the nightly gala of winter survival, the high-stakes dance of predator and prey.” – p. 1
The first “Immortal North” was released in March of 2022 and ended on a rather dramatic note. On its own, “Immortal North” was a spectacular read. However, as author Tom Stewart indicates, while he never intended for a second book, “Immortal North Two” just called to him to write, and it is so very clear by his beautiful writing and gripping story that this book was itching to be put out into the world.
In his author’s note, Stewart himself recommends reading the first book before diving into this one. As such, I went back and re-read some of the first “Immortal North,” and I’m so glad that I did, not just for the story’s sake but for the rugged landscapes, call of the wild, and our primary character, the trapper. Stewart’s writing is next to none in its ability to transport readers to the bitter cold and beauty of the northern Canadian woods, but the second book, “Immortal North Two,” jumps in right where book one leaves off, so be prepared to adhere to the author’s recommendation and do yourself a favor and read the first book.
Tom Stewart has become a master at writing about the Canadian North. “Immortal North Two” marks my third book of his, and each one becomes better than the last. Stewart brings his own firsthand experiences to the crafting of the landscapes, hunting, and survival scenes. Having grown up in Winnipeg, Canada he’s worked in the North as a bush pilot, hunting and fishing guide, and oil-rig roughneck. These experiences lend well to his trapper character which graces the pages of this duology. With a talent and passion for the North, Stewart has done a phenomenal job bringing his experiences to a broader audience through his realistically fictional storytelling.
As mentioned, “Immortal North Two” picked up immediately where the first book left off. Our main character was still the isolated trapper in the woods, living a three-day hike from the nearest town. But, where book one rarely ventured into the town’s characters, “Immortal North Two” gave readers a fuller view of not only the trapper’s life but the life surrounding the nearest town. Oscillating between the woods and town readers can appreciate the vastly different ways of life. Where the woods provide little to no dialog as Stewart lyrically enchants us with the beauty of the forest and life, the town scenes provide the dialog and pace driving this story forward.
It is hard to fully explain Stewart’s writing talent, it is omnipotent, at times lyrical and other times philosophical. At one point over the course of several pages, readers will become entranced by a singular poker hand. Having read the first book, readers will already know the outcome of this game, and yet his words, his way of writing, the drawn-out nature of the play will leave readers on the edges of their seat salivating as they wait for the final card to drop. “Immortal North Two” is thought provoking, offering bits of sage advice and a realness deep within. The beauty, the heartache, and the drive to survive make this a story that readers will not soon forget.
All PostsAll PostsChildren's BooksInterviewPoetryBook Review

Jill Rey
26 minutes ago
3 min
5/5 ⭐ | Immortal North Two: A Novel by Tom Stewart

“Overhead, arched branches hold skiffs of snow, the forest decorated in strung garland for the nightly gala of winter survival, the high-stakes dance of predator and prey.” – p. 1
The first “Immortal North” was released in March of 2022 and ended on a rather dramatic note. On its own, “Immortal North” was a spectacular read. However, as author Tom Stewart indicates, while he never intended for a second book, “Immortal North Two” just called to him to write, and it is so very clear by his beautiful writing and gripping story that this book was itching to be put out into the world.
In his author’s note, Stewart himself recommends reading the first book before diving into this one. As such, I went back and re-read some of the first “Immortal North,” and I’m so glad that I did, not just for the story’s sake but for the rugged landscapes, call of the wild, and our primary character, the trapper. Stewart’s writing is next to none in its ability to transport readers to the bitter cold and beauty of the northern Canadian woods, but the second book, “Immortal North Two,” jumps in right where book one leaves off, so be prepared to adhere to the author’s recommendation and do yourself a favor and read the first book.
Tom Stewart has become a master at writing about the Canadian North. “Immortal North Two” marks my third book of his, and each one becomes better than the last. Stewart brings his own firsthand experiences to the crafting of the landscapes, hunting, and survival scenes. Having grown up in Winnipeg, Canada he’s worked in the North as a bush pilot, hunting and fishing guide, and oil-rig roughneck. These experiences lend well to his trapper character which graces the pages of this duology. With a talent and passion for the North, Stewart has done a phenomenal job bringing his experiences to a broader audience through his realistically fictional storytelling.
As mentioned, “Immortal North Two” picked up immediately where the first book left off. Our main character was still the isolated trapper in the woods, living a three-day hike from the nearest town. But, where book one rarely ventured into the town’s characters, “Immortal North Two” gave readers a fuller view of not only the trapper’s life but the life surrounding the nearest town. Oscillating between the woods and town readers can appreciate the vastly different ways of life. Where the woods provide little to no dialog as Stewart lyrically enchants us with the beauty of the forest and life, the town scenes provide the dialog and pace driving this story forward.
It is hard to fully explain Stewart’s writing talent, it is omnipotent, at times lyrical and other times philosophical. At one point over the course of several pages, readers will become entranced by a singular poker hand. Having read the first book, readers will already know the outcome of this game, and yet his words, his way of writing, the drawn-out nature of the play will leave readers on the edges of their seat salivating as they wait for the final card to drop. “Immortal North Two” is thought provoking, offering bits of sage advice and a realness deep within. The beauty, the heartache, and the drive to survive make this a story that readers will not soon forget.
August 2, 2024
This book is beautiful. The writing is exquisite and fluid.
The first book was great, but emotionally devastating. So I hesitated and dawdled, kind of avoiding this book, afraid of the potential for emotional upset.
But there was no need to avoid it. The devastating loss happened in the first book. This book is all about the aftermath of that loss.
The whole book is filled with the most marvelous and amazing images. It's not all "sweetness and light", but full of love and reflection. The author has fully mastered metaphor and simile and allegory, and really come into his own as a writer.
Just look at this opening:
"A RED FOX HUNTING in the night.
Coat like a Russian princess, coat like a fashion trend she started, burnt-orange looking like she could set the night on fire, turning the head of any rabbit she didn't see first. Elegant stockings blacker than the space between the stars and that space is very black. Shining eyes bejewelling her handsome face."
So many passages I want to - and will - remember. Making bread becomes an art form. Exercise and physical toil as restorative medicine. A trip on mushrooms starts with an encounter with a beautiful mayfly. Contemplation of a world of "mimicry" ("where fire can sound like rainfall..." and "you might just end up loving the whole damn world".). Children's drawings of an imagined, wild-man "Trapper" who has suffered incredible loss.
The author suggests that one really ought to read the first book first. I would instead say: if you feel you have had too much loss in your life and cannot quite face the first book, then consider reading the second, as it is about the aftermath of loss and filled with love. I think there are enough oblique references to what happened in Book 1 that the reader can figure it out. And who knows, perhaps after reading the second, you will want to read the first, one day.
Thank you Tom Stewart! Bravo!
The first book was great, but emotionally devastating. So I hesitated and dawdled, kind of avoiding this book, afraid of the potential for emotional upset.
But there was no need to avoid it. The devastating loss happened in the first book. This book is all about the aftermath of that loss.
The whole book is filled with the most marvelous and amazing images. It's not all "sweetness and light", but full of love and reflection. The author has fully mastered metaphor and simile and allegory, and really come into his own as a writer.
Just look at this opening:
"A RED FOX HUNTING in the night.
Coat like a Russian princess, coat like a fashion trend she started, burnt-orange looking like she could set the night on fire, turning the head of any rabbit she didn't see first. Elegant stockings blacker than the space between the stars and that space is very black. Shining eyes bejewelling her handsome face."
So many passages I want to - and will - remember. Making bread becomes an art form. Exercise and physical toil as restorative medicine. A trip on mushrooms starts with an encounter with a beautiful mayfly. Contemplation of a world of "mimicry" ("where fire can sound like rainfall..." and "you might just end up loving the whole damn world".). Children's drawings of an imagined, wild-man "Trapper" who has suffered incredible loss.
The author suggests that one really ought to read the first book first. I would instead say: if you feel you have had too much loss in your life and cannot quite face the first book, then consider reading the second, as it is about the aftermath of loss and filled with love. I think there are enough oblique references to what happened in Book 1 that the reader can figure it out. And who knows, perhaps after reading the second, you will want to read the first, one day.
Thank you Tom Stewart! Bravo!
February 12, 2023
Tom Stewart’s 2023 sequel to his excellent Immortal North was, as was the first book, beautifully written but with a heartbreaking subject. Stewart returns to his setting from the first work, the unforgiving woods, that becomes almost personified - so much so that I thought of Algernon Blackwoods’ prose, where his realistic descriptions take on almost a supernatural aura, bleak and Spartan but also with a soul.
While Stewart returns to his earlier narrative, this one has better characterization and dialogue, and is the more humanistic of the two, though some of the raw emotion from the first is lessened.
Taking off where the earlier book ended, we come back to The Trapper and share with him his loss and his determination to find a resolution for his grief. Stewart’s lean and muscular writing, somewhat reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy, is tuned into this cold, unsettling story.
What stands out to me in this book is the redemptive quality of the human connections.
“Pick up anything that looks like something. Some scrap of resolve. A tiny goal. A cup of coffee. The sun. Hunting. A book. Anything.”
Stewart explores feelings and themes of loss but also of acceptance and of a survivor mentality that was at once physical but also emotional and cognitive. Our protagonist is delving into some deep waters and Stewart’s prose guides us as if on a spiritual journey into the heart of the ancient forest.
Excellent book.
While Stewart returns to his earlier narrative, this one has better characterization and dialogue, and is the more humanistic of the two, though some of the raw emotion from the first is lessened.
Taking off where the earlier book ended, we come back to The Trapper and share with him his loss and his determination to find a resolution for his grief. Stewart’s lean and muscular writing, somewhat reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy, is tuned into this cold, unsettling story.
What stands out to me in this book is the redemptive quality of the human connections.
“Pick up anything that looks like something. Some scrap of resolve. A tiny goal. A cup of coffee. The sun. Hunting. A book. Anything.”
Stewart explores feelings and themes of loss but also of acceptance and of a survivor mentality that was at once physical but also emotional and cognitive. Our protagonist is delving into some deep waters and Stewart’s prose guides us as if on a spiritual journey into the heart of the ancient forest.
Excellent book.
March 8, 2023
Friends, one year to the day, March 7 to March 7, the Immortal North duology concludes! I’m so very pleased to send this sequel out into the wild. Immortal North Two is now live.
Early reviews are very positive and if you check out my literary fiction novel, I truly hope you like it, I’ve given a lot to it. Available in all formats, everywhere.
https://books2read.com/ap/8PLz7z/Tom-...
***
The “achingly beautiful” story of Immortal North concludes in this stunning sequel, an unflinching meditation on the triumph of human resolve.
***** A Readers’ Favorite Five Star Author *****
***** Amazon Bestselling Author *****
***** Shelf Unbound 2022 Best Indie Book Notable Author *****
***** 2020 Canada Book Awards Winning Author *****
He’s known as the trapper and his family has a long history in these remote woods. Now it’s just him and the boy, and he’ll raise him in the world he knows, the forest, where threats take recognizable forms: harsh weather, peak predators, the intrusion of civilization at odds with their lifestyle. But for those lands and minds with an unsettled past, other dangers may lurk the woods where father and son hunt the timber. One fateful day their woodland life is violently broken—shouldn’t those guilty of such injustice be held to account?
The aftermath of the first novel becomes too volatile to be contained by the woods, and the town hears of a murder and an abduction—that list of crimes is not getting any shorter. An atmospheric tale both haunting and heartening. A northern tragedy dark enough that even the patch of sky above their old family cabin seems to have lost its stars, but hope and courage have this luminous sequel shining with radiant light.
Early reviews are very positive and if you check out my literary fiction novel, I truly hope you like it, I’ve given a lot to it. Available in all formats, everywhere.
https://books2read.com/ap/8PLz7z/Tom-...
***
The “achingly beautiful” story of Immortal North concludes in this stunning sequel, an unflinching meditation on the triumph of human resolve.
***** A Readers’ Favorite Five Star Author *****
***** Amazon Bestselling Author *****
***** Shelf Unbound 2022 Best Indie Book Notable Author *****
***** 2020 Canada Book Awards Winning Author *****
He’s known as the trapper and his family has a long history in these remote woods. Now it’s just him and the boy, and he’ll raise him in the world he knows, the forest, where threats take recognizable forms: harsh weather, peak predators, the intrusion of civilization at odds with their lifestyle. But for those lands and minds with an unsettled past, other dangers may lurk the woods where father and son hunt the timber. One fateful day their woodland life is violently broken—shouldn’t those guilty of such injustice be held to account?
The aftermath of the first novel becomes too volatile to be contained by the woods, and the town hears of a murder and an abduction—that list of crimes is not getting any shorter. An atmospheric tale both haunting and heartening. A northern tragedy dark enough that even the patch of sky above their old family cabin seems to have lost its stars, but hope and courage have this luminous sequel shining with radiant light.
March 7, 2023
I was thrilled to discover author Tom Stewart has provided us with a sequel to Immortal North, the compelling story, the achingly beautiful story, of the trapper and his son. The ending of Immortal North left my pulse racing, wondering what would become of the trapper as a broadhead arrow raced toward him. Immortal North Two seamlessly continues the beautifully written story of the trapper, although this time his life in the woods is affected by the town and their knowledge of what has transpired.
Immortal North Two, with its vividly descriptive details, brings you right into the scenes being described. You can feel yourself actually in a corner of the cabin, completely absorbed by the depth of sadness the trapper is feeling after such an enormous loss. The description of the poker game is so exquisite you could be right there, playing your own hand and watching it all unfold. The simple act of making bread is so beautifully written, you can smell it as it cooks on the wood stove. This is Tom’s strength - his creative writing ability to transform you into the scene and have you experience the feelings in such detail.
I suggest reading Immortal North before this sequel; it will enhance the meaning and understanding of some of the experiences that come in Immoral North Two. If you do want a teaser of the second book, read the opening chapter; it is only three pages, but it is wonderful, so much so you will just have to continue reading.
Immortal North Two, with its vividly descriptive details, brings you right into the scenes being described. You can feel yourself actually in a corner of the cabin, completely absorbed by the depth of sadness the trapper is feeling after such an enormous loss. The description of the poker game is so exquisite you could be right there, playing your own hand and watching it all unfold. The simple act of making bread is so beautifully written, you can smell it as it cooks on the wood stove. This is Tom’s strength - his creative writing ability to transform you into the scene and have you experience the feelings in such detail.
I suggest reading Immortal North before this sequel; it will enhance the meaning and understanding of some of the experiences that come in Immoral North Two. If you do want a teaser of the second book, read the opening chapter; it is only three pages, but it is wonderful, so much so you will just have to continue reading.
March 28, 2023
The book Immortal North 2 is an adjunct to Stewart’s first book, Immortal North. Though I rarely read this genre of books I decided to stretch my tastes to a new arena……..based on the reviews of Immortal North. Pleasantly surprised I found that the ability of Stewart to write incredibly descriptive passages and enable the reader to feel that they had actually been transported to the North, visualize the Trapper and his environment, feel his emotions……..joy, fear, love, hatred. Amazing! I would never have thought that was possible. Also to have a sequel to IN and wrap up a few open questions was a gift. I feel Tom Stewart has a long writing career ahead of him. He writes with integrity, passion, immense knowledge of his subject matter and a unique ability to pull the reader into the life he is describing……….no matter how foreign that life may be to his readers. Give your time and attention to Stewart’s writing and you won’t be disappointed. But I add it’s a better experience if you read IN before you read IN TWO. I envision a bright future for Stewart and his readers! Myself included.
Well done Mr. Stewart!
Well done Mr. Stewart!
February 18, 2024
This story continues immediately after the ending of the previous book - I read through the last chapter before I opened this one.
The writing in this book is just as good as in the previous - poetic, emotive, immersive. It was a joy to read. It is worth taking time over, to take it all in. There is probably less action in this book, this one focussing on the Trapper and the way he dealt with the events we read of in part 1. His emotions almost become a character in themselves, but in a positive way more than as a burden to the story moving forward. At first I wasn't sure I would enjoy this book as much as the first, as the relationship between the Trapper and the boy had been so endearing, but the Trapper's character grew here, we got to experience the way he dealt with the changes in his life and the way he moved on. There were some nice touches of humour in the writing too.
There are chapters devoted to the town as well, to the people that live there and to times past. It was also good to read about Jacob's experiences, and I liked that this was included. The way the townspeople reacted to what had happened to the Trapper and the boy was really heartwarming. I loved the way it ended.
I definitely recommend this book.
The writing in this book is just as good as in the previous - poetic, emotive, immersive. It was a joy to read. It is worth taking time over, to take it all in. There is probably less action in this book, this one focussing on the Trapper and the way he dealt with the events we read of in part 1. His emotions almost become a character in themselves, but in a positive way more than as a burden to the story moving forward. At first I wasn't sure I would enjoy this book as much as the first, as the relationship between the Trapper and the boy had been so endearing, but the Trapper's character grew here, we got to experience the way he dealt with the changes in his life and the way he moved on. There were some nice touches of humour in the writing too.
There are chapters devoted to the town as well, to the people that live there and to times past. It was also good to read about Jacob's experiences, and I liked that this was included. The way the townspeople reacted to what had happened to the Trapper and the boy was really heartwarming. I loved the way it ended.
I definitely recommend this book.
September 4, 2025
Genuine and raw, Immortal North Two has no less appreciation and reverence for the natural world and humans than the first.
Stewart captures grief in a way that has you there with the Trapper, sharing every thought, every moment.
One of the best books I've read in a long time and written with such beauty.
Stewart captures grief in a way that has you there with the Trapper, sharing every thought, every moment.
One of the best books I've read in a long time and written with such beauty.
April 30, 2023
The ability for self reflection without self pity is a hard-won skill. It’s done brilliantly in this book through the inner monologue of the main character. It is beautiful, and heartbreaking, and redemptive.
Excellent.
Read the first Immortal North prior to picking this up.
Excellent.
Read the first Immortal North prior to picking this up.
June 7, 2024
Beautiful writing like the first, even the randomly mentioned town characters felt very real and fleshed out. I enjoyed the slow burn way grief is described and the trappers inner monologue added a good back and forth. I also loved the inclusion of legal implications as it grounded the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2023
Review to come but for now suffice to say this is my #1 book of the year so far by a wide margin. If I could give it ten stars out of five I would.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews