The Wild Fall

by Katherine Silva

COMING AUGUST 3rd 2023

Synopsis coming soon.

Genres: Horror

300 pages, Paperback

First published August 3, 2023

About the author

Katherine Silva is an ace Maine horror author, a connoisseur of coffee, and victim of cat shenanigans. Her favorite flavors of the genre mix grief and existentialism which she combines with her love of the New England wilderness in her works. She is a three-time Maine Literary Award finalist for speculative fiction. Katherine is also editor-in-chief of Strange Wilds Press. You can find out all about her work at katherinesilvaauthor.com.

For event booking or questions, please email Katherine at kasilva@katherinesilvaauthor.com

Reviews

[Paul Preston · Rating 5 out of 5]

“With the ghosts came the Woods. With the Woods came the wolves.”
This is book 2 in The Wild Oblivion series so I'm not going to tell you anything about the plot, just in case. What I will tell you is that this series has the most unique apocalyptic events ever. It is fascinating and the more you learn the more mind blowing it gets.
I never really thought about what quiet horror truly meant. There is always an underlying tension, there never seems to be a safe moment. I was always on edge, and the gut punches come out of nowhere and hit hard. It was not always quiet in this story, sometimes the horror in this intricately woven, unnerving story was deafening. It wraps up all your emotions and kicks them around in the dirt. I experienced my heart getting scooped out as well as delirious joy, and I'm not sure which made my eyes water more.
“This was something far, far worse. He was something not even my nightmares could have conjured, because I didn’t want to believe he’d become such a monster. But there he was.”

[Brian Bowyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic!

I had a blast with this one! Silva delivers a vivid, atmospheric tale in this second story in the Wild Oblivion series. I'm looking forward to more in the series. Highly recommended!

[Kate Victoria RescueandReading · Rating 4 out of 5]

“It is part of the nature of every definitive love that sooner or later it can reach the beloved only in infinity.” - Rainer Maria Rilke

The Wild Fall continues on 10 years from where The Wild Dark left off. In this entry, we get narrative perspective from Evie & Liz.

As another reviewer notes, this book felt more atmospheric than scary. The survivors are living in a post apocalyptic world now, and they’ve gotten fairly good at scrounging out an existence. There are still moments of fear (Evie at the feed store), but this definitely explored more of the spiritual themes and the character growth of Liz & Evie.

I will say, the ending puzzles me a bit. It felt like it cut off without fully wrapping things up or providing an epilogue. Will there be another book in the series? I hope so, even a Novella sized amount of info would be great as I felt like these characters grew to mean something to me. I can’t handle an abrupt ending 😭

Thank you to the author & BookSirens for a copy to review!

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely phenomenal series. You'll want to read them in order.

[Catherine McCarthy]

N.B. I do not rate on Goodreads.
The Wild Fall continues the Wild Dark universe and moves the previous story forward in an action-packed and exciting way. There’s heart here too, a lot of heart. Think post-apocalyptic in the vein of The Walking Dead, but instead of zombies (which I’m not a fan of) you get something else here, something original, which I won’t go into detail about for fear of spoiling things.
My thanks to the author for providing an ARC and an entertaining few days of reading.

[Becks · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wild Fall is another winner from Katherine Silva. Fans of The Last Of Us will enjoy this survival horror story. Definitely a series to read if you like horror stories with a focus on survival and building a community when the world seems to be falling apart.

[Cat Voleur · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book, and am voluntarily leaving this review.

I am in a tough spot with this series because I think it's well-executed and has a lot of appeal for general horror/thriller/dystopian audiences, but it's not for me. I've been recommending the first one to friends and family who are enjoying it immensely.

I mentioned in my review of the first one that I felt it was too thriller-oriented for my tastes. I like the second installation better because it feels more atmospheric and tightly focused, but I think I was just hoping for something darker out of it.

That being said, I loved the characters and the writing style is so effective. I love Silva's work and would still be glad to read more of her books in the future.

[Steve Stred · Rating 4 out of 5]

Huge thanks to Katherine for having sent me digital copies of Book One – The Wild Dark and Book Two – The Wild Fall.

Book One was a ton of fun, so I was excited to see what happened after the finale of The Wild Dark.

As these two are directly interconnected and related wholly, you must read Book One before reading Book Two. Because of that – if you’ve not read Book One, I’d say stay away from this review, as there may be spoilers – inadvertently due to the storyline.

What I liked: With where Book One left off – the forest’s pushing back against mankind, the strange wolf creatures, the veil to the other place and the ghosts that seemingly stick to loved ones like fly’s to fly paper, I was very intrigued about where life would lead the survivors and especially ten years later, when this one is set.

The story continues along as we follow predominantly Liz and Evie, Hanks’ daughter. Things quickly ramp up as the survivors look for a safe place to set up camp. All the while, the woods continue to take back the land and the wolves within the trees seek food.

(Spoiler ahead for Book One)

It’s when, while searching for a new place, an incident happens and Liz learns that Brody is still out there. Brody shouldn’t be. In Book One, Brody died, his ghost attached to Liz and at the end Liz destroyed his ghost.

Silva uses this to push the emotional envelopes, while also keeping us on the edge of our seats as this group tries its best to survive and find a place they can call home.

We get a ton of action, some fantastic blasts of destruction and gore and we get to see those who survive, band together and fight to stay alive in a world rapidly trying to kill humans off.

What I didn’t like: I’ve never been a huge fan of 1st person POV shifts within a book, and this utilizes it a lot between Liz and Evie. I always find it throws me for a loop and takes me some time to remind myself who it is I’m reading about.

Also, the crux of Book One was the loss of loved ones, their return and how those they attach too became outcasts. That is largely missing for the first half of this book and I found it was something that I really enjoyed in The Wild Fall.

Why you should buy this: Obviously, if you were a fan of Book One, you’ll want to read Book Two and see where it goes. Silva’s created a fantastic world here and her take on the post-apocalyptic landscape is refreshing. If you’ve not read The Wild Dark yet, definitely dive into that and then leap into Book Two.

You won’t be disappointed.

[Angel · Rating 4 out of 5]

** This will contain spoilers for The Wild Dark**

When we last saw Liz, things had gotten very complicated. I wasn't sure what to expect going into the sequel, but I was more than curious to find out what our characters had in store.

There are two things this series (and Kat) do really well, and that's describe a dystopian, action packed story. The characters are more than well thought out, and even the more "minor" characters have genuine stories behind them. The Wild Fall takes place ten years after The Wild Dark and surprisingly enough, the woods haven't completely taken out humanity.

One thing I did genuinely appreciate about the way Kat tells stories is that it was pretty fluid in the way of bringing us into the present. It didn't feel hard to process that it had been ten years. Instead, it all just sort of made sense? We get enough inner monologue to fill in gaps, while still getting to learn things through natural interactions between well written characters and fantastic conversations.

I would categorize this as a dystopian action series. I'm a fan of post-apoc themes and this hits that on the head, while doing the other thing I enjoy and exploring human nature and the way it shifts and evolves during time of crisis and when the need for survival shifts. This is something I love in many other sub genres of horror, so it was an easy click for me here.

I'm a fan of the way Kat writes and I'm really looking forward into jumping into her other series I have the first book for. I think all in all, this is pretty consistent with the big world building and the character development as The Wild Dark. I've read a bunch of sequels, and this one is the most consistent I've seen. If you like action packed, dystopian vibes will sincerely well developed and charismatic characters, you'll definitely enjoy The Wild Fall.

Thank you Kat for letting me read this early!

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Get ready to go in the woods again in the anticipated sequel to The Wild Dark!

The sequel The Wild Fall delivers and continues that same smooth, easy to digest, post-apocalyptic vibes with wolves instead of zombies.
Katherine Silvas' writing style just clicks for me. A lot of talent there you won't be disappointed.

Definitely recommend reading the first book The Wild Dark before reading this one.

The woodland oblivion delivers a new raw and impacting storyline. Taking place ten years after our first adventure into the woods. Some new characters that you will cheer for as they try to understand the merging of the woods and stay alive.

Thank you to the author Katherine Silva for a copy in return for giving an honest review
5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

[Trevor Williamson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In The Wild Dark, Katherine Silva introduced a new kind of apocalypse. In The Wild Fall, Silva revisits her unique forest-laden apocalypse to follow up on how the world has changed since purgatory opened wide and the souls of the dead were unleashed onto an unsuspecting living public. Whereas the first novel was all about setting up a dynamic adventure through a fresh hellscape, the second is less about big adventure and more about understanding the world a decade after the events of the first book.

If the first novel was mostly about building character and setting, this book seems much more focused on worldbuilding and deep lore. Returning in this book are Liz, the first book's protagonist, and Evie, a minor character from the original. The book splits its narrative POV between Liz and Evie, giving us a view of the world from two perspectives. Evie's share of the narrative is probably the lesser of the two, especially as there isn't too much in her story to help differentiate her experience of the world from Liz; while Silva does work on presenting a new world order through both characters, not enough of Evie's perspective feels like a girl whose only memories of the world are the post-apocalypse. She has an uncanny knowledge of how the world used to be in spite of only being a teenager.

Despite the small variation in narrative voice between Liz and Evie, the two characters do represent different emotional tethers to the world around them. Liz is heartbroken, weary, and feels the weight of her losses throughout the course of the book, while Evie is angry, eager to prove herself to the world around her and fed up with the confinement of a life lived in fear and tribulation. Evie's teenage energy works well in her characterization, and the bitter emotions she has to grapple with give the story a powerful emotional arc.

But while the first book had a plot that hummed, The Wild Fall is all about slowing down the story to take in the weight of what its central characters have dealt with and will yet have to deal. The back half of the book contains a considerable lore dump, an exploration of the messy, existential, metaphysical mythos of Silva's fallen wasteland. With creeping forests and uncanny monoliths jutting out of purgatory, the book really begins to explore some of its higher-dark-fantasy concepts with a bit more indulgence than the first novel. There are still answers yet to be delivered, such that the whole picture of Silva's apocalyptic nightmare has yet to come into its final focus, but the new developments and revelations of the series' plot deepen the lore satisfyingly and leave me hungry for more.

The Wild Fall doesn't merely retread old ground, and the book's events, while a little slow, feel like a proper deepening of stakes and lore for Silva's universe and her cast of characters. There's loss here, proper weight to character decisions, and fascinating wrinkles in what we know about the apocalypse and its aftermath; big themes weigh on vulnerable characters, and Silva doesn't play anything safe. The book feels like a big swing with quiet confidence, and the character drama pairs up well with the nightmarish purgatory through which the book sweeps. As a sequel, this confidently adds to the previous novel and peers down the road to an exciting, if sorrowful and harrowing, conclusion in a future chapter.

[Ruth Bookish Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wild Fall is a deliciously dark, post apocalyptic horror, thriller. With many unexpected twists and turns along the way.

Set 10 years ahead of book one. We find the group set up camp and managing to serve quite well. Until circumstances change.

This is beautifully written, just as book one was, although a little different in the overall feel but not too dissimilar.

Fantastic plot development on the back of The Wild Dark. Also Character development follow through from book one. With new characters you’ll learn to love.

Unexpected twists in the narrative and overall plot line have you on the edge of your seat as this fast paced horror thriller takes you on one hell of a journey.

You’ll find it hard to keep your eye shut and keep reading this delightfully dark and somewhat intoxicating page turner.

A must for any horror and thriller fans…

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kalee McFall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I really enjoyed the second installment of this series. I’m grateful I got the opportunity to read this as an ARC!

Back into the apocalyptic world of the woods we go in this thrilling adventurous sequel to The Wild Dark. Being written in both Liz’s point of view and Evie’s point of view was great, it showed how the merging effected someone that was around before hand as well as someone who was raised after the merging happened. The concept of this book and the first is awesome, it’s such a cool take on what is essentially an apocalypse situation.

[Joan Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank You BookSirens and Katherine Silva

This is the companion novel of The Wild Dark. It starts ten years after the beginning of the Merging. The Woods are slowly taking over the whole world. The wolves and ghosts are threatening the living. I did not see the twist in this novel coming. This is an original telling of an Apocalyptic Journey. I am looking forward to reading more from this author.

Contemporary Fiction
Speculative Fiction
Dystopian
Supernatural
Occult

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sequel to The Wild Dark, this book leans more dystopian. There is still plenty of horror, however. The Wild Fall takes place 10 years after the events of the first book and we do get some answers about what the heck is going on in the woods. I am looking forward to seeing where the series goes next.

[Matt E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I read the first book ( The Wild Dark ) after stumbling across it randomly.

Loved the world that it set up and the main character. I was very excited when this book was announced to see where the story would go. I was not disappointed in the slightest.

The way Katherine weaves together the previous characters/story elements from the first book into a wonderful new but familar world had me hooked from the jump and never let me go.

Don't wait, read these books. THEY. ARE. GREAT.

[Sonia LeeAnn Hyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wild Fall is as beautifully haunting as The Wild Dark if not more so. There is so much heart in this novel. My heart broke over and over. That's not to say it has lost any of its other Horror/Thriller aspects because it most certainly has not. Once again we are taken on a genre bending tale with twists and turns in every chapter. I am a huge fan of the way Silva writes her characters. There is such a humanity within them. The writing style ebbs and flows and creates a beautifully crafted story. I can't wait to read more from the mind of Katherine Silva.

[Josette Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

10 years have passed since the Merging and this small group of people continue to try and stay ahead of the Woods closing in on the group. I cannot imagine a world where ghosts can come to whomever and the government retains those that can see ghosts. How terrifying it must be for Liz, Evie and the rest of the group to have to constantly be on the lookout for the Woods to be encroaching on their home. Not only do they have to scout for new places to live, keep an eye on how close the Woods are getting but also try to avoid the creatures that come from the forest. I cannot say if I was with these people; how long I would last. Every time they feel as though they have a break, something new comes up to test their strength, mental and physical. There has to be another book in this series because I need to know what happens next!

[Jeremy Megargee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wild Fall is a book where the wilderness itself has become a massive sentient threat, and we follow along with a group of fully fleshed out characters as they contend with the darkened things born of branch & shadow.

Silva's prose is sharp, thorny, and it ensnares the reader and drags one directly into the underbrush, fingernails split and vocal cords raw. Impressive world building & a rich showcase of lore in the series, you can literally feel how hardscrabble life has become for those left over as the trees spread their influence.

Silva's writing style is reminiscent of a modern day Algernon Blackwood for me: she commands that special ability to describe Nature itself as eldritch, horrific, and capable of wholesale dread.

Dystopia done right and carved from the bark of woodland hell, The Wild Fall will grow & creep until you're tangled in the plot and craving more.

[Beverley Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come!

[Louis (audiobookfanatic) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wild Fall is the second book in the Wild Oblivion series and equally as atmospheric and suspenseful as the first book, The Wild Dark. The story picks up ten years later, and a lot has changed for the characters. The book is told from the perspectives of Liz, the protagonist from book 1, and teenager Evie, the child that Liz helped save in book 1. The book reveals how the world has changed since the hellish purgatory forest and corrupted departed ghosts were unleashed. The perplexing apocalyptic event, now referred to as the “merging,” is also further explained in this book. It should be noted that this book cannot easily be read as a standalone—readers will need to know the backstory of the characters and what transpired to create the dystopian hellish society from book 1. This book is a shorter read with relatively short cliffhanger chapters, so both books can quickly be devoured consecutively!

Silva’s vivid prose depicts a hauntingly barren world where demonic wolves and new faceless monsters are lurking in the shadows. The story has a slow-burn start that expands upon the dystopian world-building and establishes the band of characters that make up Liz’s found family. The story follows the characters looking for a home as the dark forest is encroaching faster than ever toward their cabin. Silva gives readers great insight into how the characters have become accustomed to their dystopian "survival" lifestyles, constantly scrounging out food and supplies and on the lookout for predators. The characters are also more developed in this story— even the minor side characters are given compelling backstories. After Evie’s father Hank is viciously killed by one of the demonic wolves, Liz becomes increasingly withdrawn. In her isolation she begins to notice a dark presence watching her that she eventually recognizes as Brody, her former police partner turned corrupted ghost that Liz believed she destroyed in book 1. From here, the book takes on a number of unexpected twists and turns as the band of survivors faces unexpected enemies and harrowing circumstances.

In contrast to the first book, which began and ended with strong elements of horror, the tone of this story is more atmospheric and foreboding. The story has a slow-burn start, but the second half is full of action and high intensity. For pure horror lovers, there are some gruesome horror scenes towards the end that are absolutely terrifying. A lot of plot points occur in the last few chapters, so readers/listeners will have to pay close attention to absorb everything. After a major climactic scene, the story quickly ends, and readers may feel unsatisfied. The final events are quite complex and convoluted, as the explanation of the merging and the antidote to reversing the apocalyptic events are explained. It almost feels like all the answers and information that readers have been waiting for are given all at once, followed by a few thrilling scenes before the story abruptly ends. It would have been more effective to have spread out these plot points over a few more scenes and added an epilogue for further resolution, especially with regards to Liz, who is the life force of the series.

In summary, this atmospheric and suspenseful dystopian thriller is a worthy sequel to its brilliantly written predecessor, The Wild Dark. Both books explore dystopian societies and various subgenres of horror. Despite the timeframe gap between the stories, the characters feel consistent from one book to the next, and the overall ominous atmospheric vibe is similar. Narrator Lisa Romain returns to deliver another spectacular performance of Liz and all the characters using a myriad of distinct voices and accents and an enormous amount of emotional intensity for maximum effect. For this reason, the audiobook is the highly recommended format for enjoying this series. If you enjoy horror, atmospheric thrillers, dystopian societies, and complex, flawed characters, you’ll definitely enjoy The Wild Oblivion series, and you'll probably want to check out more of Silva's work!

[Victor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Award-winning SAG-AFTRA actress and talented audiobook narrator Lisa Roumain returns to Katherine Silva’s The Wild Oblivion series of award-winning horror paranormal novels, delivering another mesmerizing performance in the second audiobook, The Wild Fall.

The story picks up with main character Liz Raleigh, her family, and friends, ten years after the Merging, as the Woods continue to take over the world, and ghosts return to haunt their loved ones – events portrayed in The Wild Dark. Having thoroughly enjoyed the first audiobook in the series last year, I eagerly continued these adventures when offered the opportunity.

Without spoiling any of the plot, I can tell you that in The Wild Fall, Liz and the others strive to survive the new normal. When they hear of a self-sustained community running on wind and solar power, they journey there only to find that everything is not as it seems, and their problems persist.

The writing is immersive and engaging, the plot captivating, and the characters well-drawn and multifaceted. Lisa Roumain once again excels in bringing these characters and their story to life with her talent, passion, and professionalism. Her performance perfectly captures the scope and feel of these narratives, leaving me eagerly anticipating the next adventure in this dark world.

If you’re seeking a gripping and suspenseful story that skillfully combines horror, romance, action, and adventure with paranormal elements, I highly recommend both The Wild Fall and The Wild Dark by the extremely talented horror author from Maine, Katherine Silva.

This series has received multiple awards, and they are truly well-deserved! I dare to say that the audiobooks are even better as Lisa Roumain brings her significant skills to the recording booth and thus creates an even more immersive experience for the listeners.

[Coy Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

With The Wild Fall, Silva grants a vision of dystopian New England, shocking it into life with a mix of dark fantasy horrors and glints of dream-distorted hope. The world-building is wonderful, but the characters--especially Liz and Evie--drive this tale, making it believable, drawing us like a mirror from our own path to dystopia. Excellent read!

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky to be able to read this book early. I was so impressed with Silva's ability to create an entire world--no, worlds--with their own laws and creeds and inhabitations. Read this book! (And all the others in the series.)

[Heather Ventura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This second book does not disappoint! The world building and character development are exquisite. No spoilers, but hurry up and read it because I want to talk about it - including the biggest spoiler that I didn’t see coming. I had to force myself to put it down each night.

[B.C. Lienesch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know that I've read another author whose prose is so polished and, at the same time, approachable. Silva builds her Oblivion world and then sucks you into it!

[Ron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book and the series. Hope to read more about these characters.

[Effie · Rating 5 out of 5]

i received an ARC for free and this review is of my own opinion and of my own free will.

this hit way too close to home on a personal level. i had to set it down and cry a moment or three.

Liz's "i need to do this to be useful" complex was relatable, Evie's trauma was way too close to home for me, as i, too, understand that very familiar loss.

my only criticism would be that one of the creepy creatures wasn't described in enough detail to fully imagine it, but on the other hand, i do suppose that sometimes not seeing the monster is what makes it scary.

minor critiques is some typos here or there but in my opinion, i usually overlook those because it doesn't take away the submersion into the story.

[Erica Robyn Metcalf · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wild Fall by Katherine Silva is a tale of survival in a world where the woods, wolves, and humans are all out for blood. Being forced to remain on high alert, our crew faces various terrors as they just try to live in this new normal.

Per usual, Katherine has created a killer novel here. The plot was totally captivating, the characters sprang to life, the action was intense, and the gore and grief were absolutely brutal. There were a handful of scenes that haunted me to the point where I refused to look outside at night, afraid I would see a shadow lurking at the edge of our woods. There was also a scene that gave me a total jump scare!

Filled with unsettling scenes mixed in with full-blown terror, this book had me on the edge of my seat, nervous to see what was to come.

This is a must-read for all horror and supernatural fans!

Check out my full review here:
https://www.ericarobynreads.com/the-w...