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Immemorial Year #1
Withered + Sere
Once upon a time, humanity could no longer contain the rage that swelled within, and the world ended in a wave of fire.
One hundred years later, in the wasteland formerly known as America, a broken man who goes only by the name of Cavalo survives. Purposefully cutting himself off from what remains of civilization, Cavalo resides in the crumbling ruins of the Northern Idaho Correctional Institution. A mutt called Bad Dog and a robot on the verge of insanity comprise his only companions. Cavalo himself is deteriorating, his memories rising like ghosts and haunting the prison cells.
It’s not until he makes the dangerous choice of crossing into the irradiated Deadlands that Cavalo comes into contact with a mute psychopath, one who belongs to the murderous group of people known as the Dead Rabbits. Taking the man prisoner, Cavalo is forced not only to face the horrors of his past, but the ramifications of the choices made for his stark present. And it is in the prisoner that he will find a possible future where redemption is but a glimmer that darkly shines.
The world has died.
This is the story of its remains.
Illustrated by Blake Dorner.
One hundred years later, in the wasteland formerly known as America, a broken man who goes only by the name of Cavalo survives. Purposefully cutting himself off from what remains of civilization, Cavalo resides in the crumbling ruins of the Northern Idaho Correctional Institution. A mutt called Bad Dog and a robot on the verge of insanity comprise his only companions. Cavalo himself is deteriorating, his memories rising like ghosts and haunting the prison cells.
It’s not until he makes the dangerous choice of crossing into the irradiated Deadlands that Cavalo comes into contact with a mute psychopath, one who belongs to the murderous group of people known as the Dead Rabbits. Taking the man prisoner, Cavalo is forced not only to face the horrors of his past, but the ramifications of the choices made for his stark present. And it is in the prisoner that he will find a possible future where redemption is but a glimmer that darkly shines.
The world has died.
This is the story of its remains.
Illustrated by Blake Dorner.
280 pages, ebook
First published April 19, 2016
About the author
T.J. Klune
61 books47.4k followersTJ KLUNE is a Lambda Literary Award-winning author (Into This River I Drown) and an ex-claims examiner for an insurance company. His novels include The House in the Cerulean Sea and The Extraordinaries. Being queer himself, TJ believes it's important—now more than ever—to have accurate, positive, queer representation in stories.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 229 reviews
April 1, 2016
Withered + Sere is possibly the most beautiful and profound book that T.J. Klune has even written. However, it is also incredibly heart-wrenching, violent, and bleak, and it might be a challenging story for some readers.
I'm a happy person who likes to live in a happy bubble. I don't watch the news and I avoid stories about sick children, tortured puppies, and loved ones dying of unspeakable illnesses. I am a worrier, and traumatic stories make me stay up all night sweating and crying.
This book was almost too difficult to read, and it pushed me all the way to my limits... past them a bit, if I'm being honest.
This is the shortest full-length story that I've seen from T.J. Klune, and I read it very quickly. However, it packs a huge punch in its 280 pages.
The book takes places in a dark dystopian future where civilization as we know it has been destroyed by nuclear warfare. The people that remain live in a lawless society where people fight to survive in impossible conditions. There is rampant murder and people are brutalized and killed on a regular basis. While some of the more gory details are left out (this isn't a horror book), this book doesn't shy away from such topics as cannibalism, rape, death of children, mutilation, and torture. Some of these things were too much for me to bear, and I struggled to get through some particular disturbing and affecting scenes.
But what got me through it, what pushed me on, was the incredibly beautiful writing. I think that this book gave T.J. Klune a real chance to flex his creative muscles and move away from his comfort zone of humor and zingy banter. The writing was dreamy and atmospheric, and reminded me a lot of lyrical high fantasy in style. His words were sparse but each one felt deliberate. This isn't a rambling book or a book that draws its power from lots of dialogue. Instead, this book is like a poem with each word having a specific purpose.
Also, just so readers know, this isn't a romance book. Not even a little bit. This is a gritty dystopian story with a main character who happens to be bisexual. There are hints of attraction in this story, but to call this anything remotely romance-y would be a misnomer. However, because of that, I think this is really T.J. Klune's chance to gather some more readers who might have shied away from his books in the past because they aren't romance readers. Anyone who likes fantasy or dystopian stories would be able to pick this one up and be happy.
The main characters in this book are complex beyond words. We get small glimpses inside Cavalo's head, and what we find there is dangerous, maddening, and endlessly fascinating. The full puzzle of Cavalo and the other MCs are not solved in this book, and readers must wait for the next book, suffering a cliffhanger ending, to find out their darkest secrets.
Where T.J. Klune excels, in this book and in all of his others, is in his writing of secondary characters. Bad Dog is interesting enough to warrant his own story, and SIRS just blew me away. SIRS is also the only glimpse of anything approaching humor in the book, though his character is, again, one of mostly craziness and angst. Every one of the secondary characters, and even the most minor players, were impeccably written and conceived.
This book also contains some lovely illustrations. I'm not sure if they are in color, because on my Kindle Voyage they were black and white, but I think that they enhanced the story and gave it a tiny bit of a graphic novel feel.
This book challenged me a lot as a reader. At times I simply wanted to put it down and forget about it. The pain in this book really affected me, and I don't know if I'd say that I enjoyed reading it. However, I admire the art that is this story, and I will certainly be moving on to the next in the series because I simply need to know what happens, even if the story breaks me.
Be gentle, T.J. Klune. I don't know how much more my heart can take.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
I'm a happy person who likes to live in a happy bubble. I don't watch the news and I avoid stories about sick children, tortured puppies, and loved ones dying of unspeakable illnesses. I am a worrier, and traumatic stories make me stay up all night sweating and crying.
This book was almost too difficult to read, and it pushed me all the way to my limits... past them a bit, if I'm being honest.
This is the shortest full-length story that I've seen from T.J. Klune, and I read it very quickly. However, it packs a huge punch in its 280 pages.
The book takes places in a dark dystopian future where civilization as we know it has been destroyed by nuclear warfare. The people that remain live in a lawless society where people fight to survive in impossible conditions. There is rampant murder and people are brutalized and killed on a regular basis. While some of the more gory details are left out (this isn't a horror book), this book doesn't shy away from such topics as cannibalism, rape, death of children, mutilation, and torture. Some of these things were too much for me to bear, and I struggled to get through some particular disturbing and affecting scenes.
But what got me through it, what pushed me on, was the incredibly beautiful writing. I think that this book gave T.J. Klune a real chance to flex his creative muscles and move away from his comfort zone of humor and zingy banter. The writing was dreamy and atmospheric, and reminded me a lot of lyrical high fantasy in style. His words were sparse but each one felt deliberate. This isn't a rambling book or a book that draws its power from lots of dialogue. Instead, this book is like a poem with each word having a specific purpose.
Also, just so readers know, this isn't a romance book. Not even a little bit. This is a gritty dystopian story with a main character who happens to be bisexual. There are hints of attraction in this story, but to call this anything remotely romance-y would be a misnomer. However, because of that, I think this is really T.J. Klune's chance to gather some more readers who might have shied away from his books in the past because they aren't romance readers. Anyone who likes fantasy or dystopian stories would be able to pick this one up and be happy.
The main characters in this book are complex beyond words. We get small glimpses inside Cavalo's head, and what we find there is dangerous, maddening, and endlessly fascinating. The full puzzle of Cavalo and the other MCs are not solved in this book, and readers must wait for the next book, suffering a cliffhanger ending, to find out their darkest secrets.
Where T.J. Klune excels, in this book and in all of his others, is in his writing of secondary characters. Bad Dog is interesting enough to warrant his own story, and SIRS just blew me away. SIRS is also the only glimpse of anything approaching humor in the book, though his character is, again, one of mostly craziness and angst. Every one of the secondary characters, and even the most minor players, were impeccably written and conceived.
This book also contains some lovely illustrations. I'm not sure if they are in color, because on my Kindle Voyage they were black and white, but I think that they enhanced the story and gave it a tiny bit of a graphic novel feel.
This book challenged me a lot as a reader. At times I simply wanted to put it down and forget about it. The pain in this book really affected me, and I don't know if I'd say that I enjoyed reading it. However, I admire the art that is this story, and I will certainly be moving on to the next in the series because I simply need to know what happens, even if the story breaks me.
Be gentle, T.J. Klune. I don't know how much more my heart can take.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
May 9, 2022
this was absolutely amazing. just… SURREAL! incredibly well written. super depressing, gloomy and bleak most of the time. i was hooked from the very beginning.
this also had some amazing illustrations that i didn’t expect at all, but they were definitely a very nice surprise and made this book just that much better!
the characters are all just incredible. very morally grey and mostly psychotic in one way or another. (this also sort of had a found family aspect, which i absolutely loved!)
first, the mysterious main character cavalo, who’s basically on the brink of insanity. we witness him rapidly losing his mind and we follow him through his many never ending hallucinations. honestly though, i don’t blame him for going crazy, after slowly learning about his tragic past throughout the book. like no wonder this dude lost his mind…🙄
cavalo’s dog (his very loyal companion & best friend) called bad dog (great name🤣) definitely livened things up a lot. since cavalo is just a little ~crazy~, he projects his own thoughts on to bad dog and basically has entire conversations with him. those conversations were all just brilliant and managed to make me laugh quite a lot, which made for a nice change, since this book is so depressing overall. 🐶
SIRS, the giant robot, was also a super intriguing character. i know he’s a robot and all, but he somehow always managed to either sound sarcastic or exasperated. he also may or may not be just a little bit crazy and slowly deteriorating. but no surprise there. everyone is nuts in this dystopian universe.
the dead rabbit (or “psycho” as cavalo called him for like half of the book, until he learned his real name), may be the craziest one though. he’s mute and basically just fucking feral. 👀 he and cavalo tried to kill each other at least five times. oh also, did i forget to mention that he’s a cannibal? 🥰
i honestly don’t want to say much more, because i feel like this is one of those books where it’s better if you go into it almost blind.
you’re also gonna have to read the sequel because YEP, you guessed it, this damn book ends on a fucking cliffhanger!! (kinda wanted to punch something when it ended tbh…)
if you like dark, violent, dystopian books - you’ll absolutely love this! i highly highly recommend it.
i’m rushing to read the sequel now… although i am a little bit scared after seeing the author’s warning:
“…i’d be careful what you wish for, because there is a war coming. and war always has casualties.”
if any of my favs die i am calling my lawyers.
this also had some amazing illustrations that i didn’t expect at all, but they were definitely a very nice surprise and made this book just that much better!
the characters are all just incredible. very morally grey and mostly psychotic in one way or another. (this also sort of had a found family aspect, which i absolutely loved!)
first, the mysterious main character cavalo, who’s basically on the brink of insanity. we witness him rapidly losing his mind and we follow him through his many never ending hallucinations. honestly though, i don’t blame him for going crazy, after slowly learning about his tragic past throughout the book. like no wonder this dude lost his mind…🙄
cavalo’s dog (his very loyal companion & best friend) called bad dog (great name🤣) definitely livened things up a lot. since cavalo is just a little ~crazy~, he projects his own thoughts on to bad dog and basically has entire conversations with him. those conversations were all just brilliant and managed to make me laugh quite a lot, which made for a nice change, since this book is so depressing overall. 🐶
SIRS, the giant robot, was also a super intriguing character. i know he’s a robot and all, but he somehow always managed to either sound sarcastic or exasperated. he also may or may not be just a little bit crazy and slowly deteriorating. but no surprise there. everyone is nuts in this dystopian universe.
the dead rabbit (or “psycho” as cavalo called him for like half of the book, until he learned his real name), may be the craziest one though. he’s mute and basically just fucking feral. 👀 he and cavalo tried to kill each other at least five times. oh also, did i forget to mention that he’s a cannibal? 🥰
i honestly don’t want to say much more, because i feel like this is one of those books where it’s better if you go into it almost blind.
you’re also gonna have to read the sequel because YEP, you guessed it, this damn book ends on a fucking cliffhanger!! (kinda wanted to punch something when it ended tbh…)
if you like dark, violent, dystopian books - you’ll absolutely love this! i highly highly recommend it.
i’m rushing to read the sequel now… although i am a little bit scared after seeing the author’s warning:
“…i’d be careful what you wish for, because there is a war coming. and war always has casualties.”
if any of my favs die i am calling my lawyers.
Read
April 18, 2016Updated 4/18/16:
Second Illustration released, plus an interview with the illustrator, Blake Dorner, and TJ. There's also a give away!
https://justloveromance.wordpress.com...
Updated 4/13/16:
Withered + Sere will be published with 10 illustrations done by Blake Dorner.
Here's your first look!
http://www.myfictionnook.com/2016/04/...
Updated 3/30/16:
Pre-orders are up!
DSP Publications: https://www.dsppublications.com/books...
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Withered-Sere-I...
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/withe...
Second Illustration released, plus an interview with the illustrator, Blake Dorner, and TJ. There's also a give away!
https://justloveromance.wordpress.com...
Updated 4/13/16:
Withered + Sere will be published with 10 illustrations done by Blake Dorner.
Here's your first look!
http://www.myfictionnook.com/2016/04/...
Updated 3/30/16:
Pre-orders are up!
DSP Publications: https://www.dsppublications.com/books...
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Withered-Sere-I...
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/withe...
September 2, 2016
One day. One day someone, and I don't know who, but someone will say enough. A line will be drawn, and there will come an hour that we will rise and say we've had enough. That we won't take the darkness any longer. That we will say no. That we will fight against those who would break us. We will fight back, and in this hour, we will have succeeded in what we have set out to do.
The inherent destructive and power hungry nature of man is what makes this story affecting and gloomy, but there will always be those who will not go gentle into that good night, who will rage against the dying of the light. So we continue to hope. Perhaps foolishly but that, too, is the nature of man.
I feel like I owe TJ Klune an apology. Does Hallmark make a 'Sorry I misjudged your writes' card? Because I did. I've been paddling in the mm pool for awhile now, so I knew who he was but all I ever saw were gross sobbing reviews. No way. I figured he was a one trick weep reaping pony and we'd never interface. Until Wolfsong. That's when I knew I had to try something else by him and then I stumbled across the words "dark" and "post-apocalyptic" and thought "O'Rully?".
Withered + Sere is a brilliant, sometimes poignant and dark novel that was invigorating to read. From start to finish I was fully immersed into this gritty, dystopian tale of a man on the brink of complete insanity. Cavalo is an antihero who lives in a former prison with a sarcastic and slightly bossy robot named SIRS and Bad Dog, his loyal and hilarious canine companion. As Cavalo's backstory reveals itself it becomes clear how much he's survived. The only things keeping him from spiraling into the black hole of psychosis that he's skirting the edges of are his friends. The entire story is told through his distorted prism and it can be fragmented and difficult to follow, but not only is that accurate it's also what I loved most about it.
The prison is just outside The Deadlands where the Dead Rabbits reside. This world is well crafted without being overwhelmingly or tediously detailed. The Dead Rabbits are cannibals and not to be trifled with but one day when Cavalo and Bad Dog are out hunting their prey wanders into The Deadlands. They narrowly escape capture but couldn't outlast the tenacious Dead Rabbit with his ghastly mien.
Once the Dead Rabbit joins this rag tag bunch things begin to subtly change. Neither trusts the other but they are inexplicably drawn to one another. There is no sex and I wouldn't categorize this as a romance. There is but a glimmer of something between them some of the time, the rest of the time they are a hairsbreadth away from killing each other. I envision a whole lot of obstacles before that glimmer turns into a flame. It seems inevitable that a war between the Dead Rabbits, Cavalo and his band of misfits, the townsfolk of Cottonwood and the UFSA is coming. Allies and enemies will surely be made. And lost.
Lucas kissed him again. It was chaste. Dry. Catastrophic.
The way in which the story is written made me feel like a girl chasing butterflies and laughing with delight. Every time one question was answered another three would spring up in its place. So I just kept running. Withered + Sere is meaty with nuanced characters none of whom are sane and some of whom aren't human but still enrich this story and make it unforgettable.
Also, it ends on a cliffhanger so have the next one handy.
Alas, the time of the most despicable man is coming, he that is no longer able to despise himself. Behold, I show you the last man.
A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
April 20, 2016
My math and logic brain will never do this story justice with a review. The writing and themes were just too poignant and heart breaking, but I will attempt it.
This is a story unlike TJ has written before. It's harsh, gritty, soul-crushing. There is no happiness in this world he's built. But damn if it doesn't pull you in because you want to see just one GOOD think come out of this fucked-up world.
This is a post-apocalyptic story in its simplest description. But it's so much more. The setting brings us about 100 years after the world has burned. 100 years after a mass, nuclear destruction of almost all of the citizens on Earth. The remaining, and who knows who is left other than those you see around you, are living a life of no contact, no order, no laws, no structure. Cavalo, our MC, is a loner who only remembers hearing stories of things like "motor cars." The world is in ruins with a blanket of gray in the sky that still hasn't lifted after all this time.
And what is a world without laws, without structure? Chaos. The worst of humanity has come out because there is only the fight for your life, for the lives of any family you have left. Rape and murder are commonplace. Cavalo lost his wife and son in a tragic manner years ago, and he has no will to find any new attachments to people. He stumbled upon an old correctional facility from Before (the time before the world's destruction), and has 2 "friends": Bad Dog, his trusty companion, and SIRS, Sentient Integrated Response System, a robot from Before who "manned" the prison with his technology.
This book is about humanity. And (in)sanity. For what happens to humans with no laws and only chaos when they are forced to endure the harshest and most brutal life you can imagine? And what happens to sanity?
Cavalo hears voices (the bees) all the time. He hears Her, his wife and his son, Jamie. He sees them in the setting around him. He can hear and communicate with Bad Dog.
And what happens when the world is in chaos? There are leaders of groups rising up to create order again. There is the "government," the United Federated States of America (UFSA). They are travelling to the small communities that have come together and spreading their "word." In this type of environment, can you trust them? Do they have the citizens' best interest at heart or are the leaders just evil and power-hungry? (Sound familiar?)
And then there are the Dead Rabbits, led by a man known only as Patrick. They are known as the most evil group to exist in the current setting. They rape, murder, and cannibalize people while they're still alive. Everyone is afraid of them, but without "modern" technology, how can you stop such a brutal force when you don't even know where they are? They can lurk in the small communities hiding from them.
Cavalo comes across a Dead Rabbit one day in the forest. He bests him and takes him to the nearest community where he has acquaintances. But the UFSA is there, and they torture the Dead Rabbit. It is too much for Cavalo to bear, especially since he sees something in the eyes of this Dead Rabbit that looks too much like his own soul. So he kills the UFSA "agents" and brings Lucas to his penitentiary home.
Lucas has his own horrors that he's lived, and they are evident to those around him. He is unable to speak and has a large, horrid scar around the front of his neck that looks to be from a hanging. The dynamics between Cavalo, Lucas, Bad Dog, and SIRS are amazing to read about.
I can't say anymore without spoiling this book, but let me say that TJ has created a world here that I am in awe of his writing ability for. It's a tiny bit similar to the bleakness of the In the Company of Shadows series. It's also probably going to be epic in my eyes, just like that series. Klune leaves us on a cliffhanger (though not in the middle of something RIGHT NOW). It's more like the story is just getting started. He even apologizes in his afterword, but assures us that the second book will be released this year.
The writing, for its capture of (in)humanity and (in)sanity in this world he's built, is 5+ stars. I will settle on 4 overall stars due to the fact that it's incomplete at this point. And that's relevant by its length, which is full-length to anyone's standards, but it's Klune's shortest book to date, coming in at 280 pages. Klune has outdone himself - truly. I am literally in awe of his writing ability.
For those looking for the types of stories that you found in ANY of his other books, this will leave you scratching your head. If you read him for his humor, there is none of that here. If you read him for his relationship buildup, well......like I said - incomplete. But if you read him for the stories he tells and his writing ability, then you will want to be swept away in this story, as I was.
This is a story unlike TJ has written before. It's harsh, gritty, soul-crushing. There is no happiness in this world he's built. But damn if it doesn't pull you in because you want to see just one GOOD think come out of this fucked-up world.
This is a post-apocalyptic story in its simplest description. But it's so much more. The setting brings us about 100 years after the world has burned. 100 years after a mass, nuclear destruction of almost all of the citizens on Earth. The remaining, and who knows who is left other than those you see around you, are living a life of no contact, no order, no laws, no structure. Cavalo, our MC, is a loner who only remembers hearing stories of things like "motor cars." The world is in ruins with a blanket of gray in the sky that still hasn't lifted after all this time.
And what is a world without laws, without structure? Chaos. The worst of humanity has come out because there is only the fight for your life, for the lives of any family you have left. Rape and murder are commonplace. Cavalo lost his wife and son in a tragic manner years ago, and he has no will to find any new attachments to people. He stumbled upon an old correctional facility from Before (the time before the world's destruction), and has 2 "friends": Bad Dog, his trusty companion, and SIRS, Sentient Integrated Response System, a robot from Before who "manned" the prison with his technology.
This book is about humanity. And (in)sanity. For what happens to humans with no laws and only chaos when they are forced to endure the harshest and most brutal life you can imagine? And what happens to sanity?
Cavalo hears voices (the bees) all the time. He hears Her, his wife and his son, Jamie. He sees them in the setting around him. He can hear and communicate with Bad Dog.
And what happens when the world is in chaos? There are leaders of groups rising up to create order again. There is the "government," the United Federated States of America (UFSA). They are travelling to the small communities that have come together and spreading their "word." In this type of environment, can you trust them? Do they have the citizens' best interest at heart or are the leaders just evil and power-hungry? (Sound familiar?)
And then there are the Dead Rabbits, led by a man known only as Patrick. They are known as the most evil group to exist in the current setting. They rape, murder, and cannibalize people while they're still alive. Everyone is afraid of them, but without "modern" technology, how can you stop such a brutal force when you don't even know where they are? They can lurk in the small communities hiding from them.
Cavalo comes across a Dead Rabbit one day in the forest. He bests him and takes him to the nearest community where he has acquaintances. But the UFSA is there, and they torture the Dead Rabbit. It is too much for Cavalo to bear, especially since he sees something in the eyes of this Dead Rabbit that looks too much like his own soul. So he kills the UFSA "agents" and brings Lucas to his penitentiary home.
Lucas has his own horrors that he's lived, and they are evident to those around him. He is unable to speak and has a large, horrid scar around the front of his neck that looks to be from a hanging. The dynamics between Cavalo, Lucas, Bad Dog, and SIRS are amazing to read about.
I can't say anymore without spoiling this book, but let me say that TJ has created a world here that I am in awe of his writing ability for. It's a tiny bit similar to the bleakness of the In the Company of Shadows series. It's also probably going to be epic in my eyes, just like that series. Klune leaves us on a cliffhanger (though not in the middle of something RIGHT NOW). It's more like the story is just getting started. He even apologizes in his afterword, but assures us that the second book will be released this year.
The writing, for its capture of (in)humanity and (in)sanity in this world he's built, is 5+ stars. I will settle on 4 overall stars due to the fact that it's incomplete at this point. And that's relevant by its length, which is full-length to anyone's standards, but it's Klune's shortest book to date, coming in at 280 pages. Klune has outdone himself - truly. I am literally in awe of his writing ability.
For those looking for the types of stories that you found in ANY of his other books, this will leave you scratching your head. If you read him for his humor, there is none of that here. If you read him for his relationship buildup, well......like I said - incomplete. But if you read him for the stories he tells and his writing ability, then you will want to be swept away in this story, as I was.
October 30, 2020
My Video Review:
https://youtu.be/WCXaYfN2KeM
https://youtu.be/WCXaYfN2KeM
July 3, 2022
3.5 Stars ✨
É uma história esquisita, tentei entender, mas a cabeça do protagonista é tão bugada que fica difícil compreender qualquer coisa em torno dele😅Adoro os livros de Tj klune, mas não sei dizer se realmente consegui curtir essa história, os personagens são muito esquisitos. Não teve nem romance direito, teve uma atração de dois caras de mente bugada. Mesmo assim estou curiosa para saber como vai terminar essa história ( vou ler o segundo livro). Espero conseguir compreender melhor no livro 2!
É uma história esquisita, tentei entender, mas a cabeça do protagonista é tão bugada que fica difícil compreender qualquer coisa em torno dele😅Adoro os livros de Tj klune, mas não sei dizer se realmente consegui curtir essa história, os personagens são muito esquisitos. Não teve nem romance direito, teve uma atração de dois caras de mente bugada. Mesmo assim estou curiosa para saber como vai terminar essa história ( vou ler o segundo livro). Espero conseguir compreender melhor no livro 2!
July 29, 2016
After the end of the world, everyone is certifiable.
Batshit crazy doesn't even begin to explain the mental processing of the major characters in this book.
Cavalo's internal dialogues, more than actually dialogue, with multiple parties is extensive. You ride along through extended psychotic breaks that relay backstory and characterize Cavalo as inherently unstable. Then again, no one is really fully functioning.
Just so you know, this ends in a cliffhanger. This is truly the first part of two, and the reason I did not start this before the second was available. I find I have less and less patience. That cover though--speaks to me. Also, I wasn't sure with all the hoopla when it came out if it was a book I actually wanted to read. But, it hits the right note for me because the Old West and post-Apocalyptic times are apparently similar, just the villains have changed. It's filled with the same scrappy pioneer spirit, no nonsense or tolerance for those who go against the tribe.
The first 40% is a bit slow at times even though there's significant action. There's a slow build up and unrolling of the past to situate the reader in the present. At times it seems to flow like molasses, and a couple of the trips on the psychotic carousel could have been eliminated without impairing the plot or comprehension.
But, there's some fun trippy meta questioning of reality and a surprising amount of empathy that evolves as the story proceeds. I don't find this story dark so much as life could be crappier--a lot crappier.
Overall, an examination of the bleak reality of devastating loss.
~Copy provided by NetGalley~
Batshit crazy doesn't even begin to explain the mental processing of the major characters in this book.
"It has taken losing my mind to find my soul.”
Cavalo's internal dialogues, more than actually dialogue, with multiple parties is extensive. You ride along through extended psychotic breaks that relay backstory and characterize Cavalo as inherently unstable. Then again, no one is really fully functioning.
"We are nothing without the names we are given. It’s how we know who we are.”I admit that this concept is repeated several times and I am absolutely perplexed by it for I see it exactly the opposite. We are more than can be contained in a few irrelevant words.
Just so you know, this ends in a cliffhanger. This is truly the first part of two, and the reason I did not start this before the second was available. I find I have less and less patience. That cover though--speaks to me. Also, I wasn't sure with all the hoopla when it came out if it was a book I actually wanted to read. But, it hits the right note for me because the Old West and post-Apocalyptic times are apparently similar, just the villains have changed. It's filled with the same scrappy pioneer spirit, no nonsense or tolerance for those who go against the tribe.
The first 40% is a bit slow at times even though there's significant action. There's a slow build up and unrolling of the past to situate the reader in the present. At times it seems to flow like molasses, and a couple of the trips on the psychotic carousel could have been eliminated without impairing the plot or comprehension.
But, there's some fun trippy meta questioning of reality and a surprising amount of empathy that evolves as the story proceeds. I don't find this story dark so much as life could be crappier--a lot crappier.
For the rest of his life, he would wonder, in the dark of night, if that kiss had not occurred, would all that followed have been different?
Overall, an examination of the bleak reality of devastating loss.
~Copy provided by NetGalley~
September 2, 2016
Wow! That was certainly something else!
This is not your typical romance. In fact, this book reads like a nightmare you can't wake up from no matter how hard you try. Where you are trapped in a brutal, harsh, violent world and not succumbing to past and future pain is your only goal - barely surviving, certainly not living, but staying ahead of the ghosts that haunt you.
The world-building for this post-apocalyptic setting is incredible and the writing is different from what I am used to. I often felt lost in the hallucinations Cavalo experiences but I'm guessing that was the author's intent and it certainly emphasized how messed up and lost Cavalo really is.
I can't really relate to the characters because what they have experienced and the world they are living in is hard for me to grasp. TJ Klune isn't sugarcoating anything in this book. He gives us all the gory details with no way to hide. But this makes the few tender moments ('the ballad of bad dog') all the more powerful and beautiful - like a blossoming, colorful flower amidst a world filled with dark and gray.
Without trying to get too deep here but I have a feeling TJ Klune put a lot of thought into even the smallest details playing a role in this book.
I was really scared to pick this book up because of all the feelings it would evoke. I wasn't disappointed in that regard but it hasn't been as overwhelming as I feared. I'm not sure I will be able to say the same about the next book, though. Especially after TJ's warning that "... there is a war coming. And war always has casualties."
This is not your typical romance. In fact, this book reads like a nightmare you can't wake up from no matter how hard you try. Where you are trapped in a brutal, harsh, violent world and not succumbing to past and future pain is your only goal - barely surviving, certainly not living, but staying ahead of the ghosts that haunt you.
The world-building for this post-apocalyptic setting is incredible and the writing is different from what I am used to. I often felt lost in the hallucinations Cavalo experiences but I'm guessing that was the author's intent and it certainly emphasized how messed up and lost Cavalo really is.
I can't really relate to the characters because what they have experienced and the world they are living in is hard for me to grasp. TJ Klune isn't sugarcoating anything in this book. He gives us all the gory details with no way to hide. But this makes the few tender moments ('the ballad of bad dog') all the more powerful and beautiful - like a blossoming, colorful flower amidst a world filled with dark and gray.
Without trying to get too deep here but I have a feeling TJ Klune put a lot of thought into even the smallest details playing a role in this book.
I was really scared to pick this book up because of all the feelings it would evoke. I wasn't disappointed in that regard but it hasn't been as overwhelming as I feared. I'm not sure I will be able to say the same about the next book, though. Especially after TJ's warning that "... there is a war coming. And war always has casualties."
April 27, 2016
I haven’t read a book like this in a long time. Withered + Sere is a look into a bleak, post-apocalyptic world. The environment is doom and gloom and so are the people. And oddly enough, TJ is able to weave a story that contains a lot of depth – the sad, the happy, the funny, the hopeful. It’s not a book that feels forced to be gritty (as I’ve read in other dystopian books). It’s like creating the color black by using a combination of different colors mixed together as opposed to reaching for the already-made black paint – it feels very genuine and organic.
There are four main characters: Cavalo, Bad Dog, SIRS and the psychopath. It’s obvious that Cavalo remains central to the story despite the unique cast of characters – he’s the one telling the story. And while he’s an interesting character wrapped in mystery, I would say he’s also the book’s biggest flaw: his headspace. I would say a good chunk of the story takes place in Cavalo’s mindscape – a world of hallucinations and memories. And while they are vital and give great insight to him as a character (and his past), I felt I was drowning in detail and also running around in a maze while not making any progress. It just felt too much at times, and I found my eyes glazing over after a while only to realize I haven’t understood what I just read.
But overall, this book was great as a setup. I felt like foundations were being built throughout the whole story – introductions to people, places, and memories, but the real action and progress in the story is waiting in the sequel. Also, don’t expect too much in terms of relationship progress and especially romance. However, if you’re looking for a slow burn relationship of sorts with the type of emotional punch this author is known for and don’t mind the dystopian grit, then I say give this book a try.
(PS – did anyone else have problems viewing the illustrations? They appear microscopic in my epub file, and very blurry when I tried to enlarge them)
There are four main characters: Cavalo, Bad Dog, SIRS and the psychopath. It’s obvious that Cavalo remains central to the story despite the unique cast of characters – he’s the one telling the story. And while he’s an interesting character wrapped in mystery, I would say he’s also the book’s biggest flaw: his headspace. I would say a good chunk of the story takes place in Cavalo’s mindscape – a world of hallucinations and memories. And while they are vital and give great insight to him as a character (and his past), I felt I was drowning in detail and also running around in a maze while not making any progress. It just felt too much at times, and I found my eyes glazing over after a while only to realize I haven’t understood what I just read.
But overall, this book was great as a setup. I felt like foundations were being built throughout the whole story – introductions to people, places, and memories, but the real action and progress in the story is waiting in the sequel. Also, don’t expect too much in terms of relationship progress and especially romance. However, if you’re looking for a slow burn relationship of sorts with the type of emotional punch this author is known for and don’t mind the dystopian grit, then I say give this book a try.
(PS – did anyone else have problems viewing the illustrations? They appear microscopic in my epub file, and very blurry when I tried to enlarge them)
September 1, 2018
So, I just read that. It was...interesting. After reading Mumuration I shouldn't be surprised at how deep and dark and creepy TJ can be with his writing. I have so many questions!!!!! Thankfully the next book is available so my only barrier to starting book 2 now is my own reading schedule.
This was well written. I don't know what it all means yet, but I will for sure read book 2. If only to satisfy my own curiosity. That was the driving force behind continuing to read this book. I couldn't stop because I had to know what would happen next. I was pretty confident they weren't going to kill each other, but I didn't know what else they would do. And they did a lot. Ouch!!
I gave this 4 stars but honestly I don't know how to rate this. It's just so different!!! It's well written, engaging, I didn't want to put it down, the story is interesting and also dark and gory which eww, but I just knew something exciting and life altering for these characters was coming. And yikes, Patrick is a scary and mysterious person. I don't ever want to meet him.
Hopefully book 2 is the end of the series and I won't be left hanging. Bad Dog and SIRS were the best parts!! 😁😁
This was well written. I don't know what it all means yet, but I will for sure read book 2. If only to satisfy my own curiosity. That was the driving force behind continuing to read this book. I couldn't stop because I had to know what would happen next. I was pretty confident they weren't going to kill each other, but I didn't know what else they would do. And they did a lot. Ouch!!
I gave this 4 stars but honestly I don't know how to rate this. It's just so different!!! It's well written, engaging, I didn't want to put it down, the story is interesting and also dark and gory which eww, but I just knew something exciting and life altering for these characters was coming. And yikes, Patrick is a scary and mysterious person. I don't ever want to meet him.
Hopefully book 2 is the end of the series and I won't be left hanging. Bad Dog and SIRS were the best parts!! 😁😁
August 18, 2016
Have you ever wondered how the world will end?
It's a pretty bleak thought isn't it? and it's admittedly one that I try not to contemplate too often because seriously how much depression does one need in any given day? No matter how I look at it this is not a question that would or could ever produce a cheerful ending.
In 'Withered & Sere' TJ Klune does just that. He makes us look at what is left after the world has ended 'in a wave of fire'. It's not pretty or cheerful, but it is scarily realistic. This is a world that I not only can't imagine existing, but I can't imagine existing in. It's a world where hope is a luxury few if any can afford. Survival is the prime directive and sanity is a matter of perspective.
The world we are shown is 100 years after the one we know has been destroyed. Our guide in this world is a man known as Cavalo who lives in what use to be a correctional institute along with a mutt he calls Bad Dog and a robot known as SIRS.
'Withered and Sere' is a heartbreaking and thought provoking look at one man's life in this world that few of us would dare to imagine. Cavalo struggles not only to exist in this new world but to hang onto his rather tenuous sanity while doing so and it is through his eyes that we are shown not just the devastation caused on a larger scale but the impact it has wrought on an individual level as we watch him battle the ghost that haunt him in a world filled with monsters who would destroy him.
Cavalo's past is filled with so much pain and heartache the fact that he retains any sanity at all is a testament to his strength and ability to endure. He keeps himself isolated from what remains of the world as part of his effort to survive but finds his world begins to unravel when an encounter in the badlands leaves him with a mute hostage whose very existence seems to create conflict and draw more attention than Cavalo has ever wanted all while stirring feelings in Cavalo that he had long ago imagined ceased to exist.
'Withered & Sere' is unlike any TJ Klune book I have ever read...actually it's unlike just about any story that I have ever read, it paints a picture of a world that I hope never to see but can all to easily envision existing. There are monsters and not all of them can be recognized by how they look, there are good men doing evil things...things that are meant to ensure the greater good but more often than not lead down a dark path to even darker places...places where evil men prey on the weakness and cowardice of others...places where survival simply means who can strike the fastest with deadly force.
This is a world left behind by unimaginable destruction and ruled by chaos and it's a world where knowledge is power and the price for that power is often paid in blood. I can truly say this is not a world that I want to live in but it is one that I want to read about. With the first book in this series TJ Klune has created a world that is both terrifying and riveting in it's savagery. The characters are as fascinating as they are scary and what could happen next has me wanting to read more with a mix of both anxiety and anticipation.
Immemorial Years is not a series for the faint of heart. It's for the adventurous reader who's willing to test the limits and step outside the box. There is no great love story here or steamy romance but there is an incredibly well written story that might leave you wondering 'if the world ends tomorrow...how will it happen?'
It's a pretty bleak thought isn't it? and it's admittedly one that I try not to contemplate too often because seriously how much depression does one need in any given day? No matter how I look at it this is not a question that would or could ever produce a cheerful ending.
In 'Withered & Sere' TJ Klune does just that. He makes us look at what is left after the world has ended 'in a wave of fire'. It's not pretty or cheerful, but it is scarily realistic. This is a world that I not only can't imagine existing, but I can't imagine existing in. It's a world where hope is a luxury few if any can afford. Survival is the prime directive and sanity is a matter of perspective.
The world we are shown is 100 years after the one we know has been destroyed. Our guide in this world is a man known as Cavalo who lives in what use to be a correctional institute along with a mutt he calls Bad Dog and a robot known as SIRS.
'Withered and Sere' is a heartbreaking and thought provoking look at one man's life in this world that few of us would dare to imagine. Cavalo struggles not only to exist in this new world but to hang onto his rather tenuous sanity while doing so and it is through his eyes that we are shown not just the devastation caused on a larger scale but the impact it has wrought on an individual level as we watch him battle the ghost that haunt him in a world filled with monsters who would destroy him.
Cavalo's past is filled with so much pain and heartache the fact that he retains any sanity at all is a testament to his strength and ability to endure. He keeps himself isolated from what remains of the world as part of his effort to survive but finds his world begins to unravel when an encounter in the badlands leaves him with a mute hostage whose very existence seems to create conflict and draw more attention than Cavalo has ever wanted all while stirring feelings in Cavalo that he had long ago imagined ceased to exist.
'Withered & Sere' is unlike any TJ Klune book I have ever read...actually it's unlike just about any story that I have ever read, it paints a picture of a world that I hope never to see but can all to easily envision existing. There are monsters and not all of them can be recognized by how they look, there are good men doing evil things...things that are meant to ensure the greater good but more often than not lead down a dark path to even darker places...places where evil men prey on the weakness and cowardice of others...places where survival simply means who can strike the fastest with deadly force.
This is a world left behind by unimaginable destruction and ruled by chaos and it's a world where knowledge is power and the price for that power is often paid in blood. I can truly say this is not a world that I want to live in but it is one that I want to read about. With the first book in this series TJ Klune has created a world that is both terrifying and riveting in it's savagery. The characters are as fascinating as they are scary and what could happen next has me wanting to read more with a mix of both anxiety and anticipation.
Immemorial Years is not a series for the faint of heart. It's for the adventurous reader who's willing to test the limits and step outside the box. There is no great love story here or steamy romance but there is an incredibly well written story that might leave you wondering 'if the world ends tomorrow...how will it happen?'
December 21, 2016
Fricken fabulous!
*******************
Gah! Isn't this out yet???????????????????????
*sighs* I know, I know, I just need to be patient. I can do that.
*puts on waiting face*
March 24, 2016
I need to think on this a bit before I can write a review or decide on a star rating. Cliffhangers are a funny thing. Sometimes, they are a wonderful ending to a book that leaves you eager for book two and what it will bring. But sometimes... it just feel like your book got cut in half with a big middle finger on the last page. As the page numbers slowly dwindled I couldn't figure out how things would be wrapped up, but I kept reading and reading and reading because I wanted some closure. I wanted some answers. I wanted some development. Aaaaand, I don't really feel like I got that.
But I'm still tempted into a higher rating because it is a wonderful book. It's beautifully written, and I could lean towards five stars on Cavalo's relationship with Bad Dog alone. Or even just Bad Dog himself, talk about an amazing secondary character. But it is also one of those books that are so beautifully written that you frequently find yourself thinking "That sounds lovely, but wait what the fuck just happened? What does that actually mean?"
And I'm still not sure why this is classified as MM, it's not at all necessary to the story at this point . I can obviously see the impending relationship but be warned dear reader, do not expect more than the tiniest hint of a promise of a possibility of a future something. I want that for Cavalo. I want him to heal. I want the bees to quiet. And I love that this rag-tag group of crazies has found each other.
But god damn you Cliffhanger! Not gonna lie, if I had been forewarned, I'd have waited for book 2 to be out before reading this. Although TJ does show us pity and tell us that book 2 is already written, so at least the wait shouldn't be too long.
What can I say? The cliffhanger rage has died down a little as I wrote this, so I can step back and realize I'm still gonna give it 4 stars. TJ weaves a beautifully desolate world with an odd dichotomy in that the past was the future. The way people live is set against their knowledge of what was and what could be. But what has been, will be again, and we'll all have to wait for book 2 for the fallout.
Received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, reviewed for Hearts On Fire
But I'm still tempted into a higher rating because it is a wonderful book. It's beautifully written, and I could lean towards five stars on Cavalo's relationship with Bad Dog alone. Or even just Bad Dog himself, talk about an amazing secondary character. But it is also one of those books that are so beautifully written that you frequently find yourself thinking "That sounds lovely, but wait what the fuck just happened? What does that actually mean?"
And I'm still not sure why this is classified as MM, it's not at all necessary to the story at this point . I can obviously see the impending relationship but be warned dear reader, do not expect more than the tiniest hint of a promise of a possibility of a future something. I want that for Cavalo. I want him to heal. I want the bees to quiet. And I love that this rag-tag group of crazies has found each other.
But god damn you Cliffhanger! Not gonna lie, if I had been forewarned, I'd have waited for book 2 to be out before reading this. Although TJ does show us pity and tell us that book 2 is already written, so at least the wait shouldn't be too long.
What can I say? The cliffhanger rage has died down a little as I wrote this, so I can step back and realize I'm still gonna give it 4 stars. TJ weaves a beautifully desolate world with an odd dichotomy in that the past was the future. The way people live is set against their knowledge of what was and what could be. But what has been, will be again, and we'll all have to wait for book 2 for the fallout.
Received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, reviewed for Hearts On Fire
September 3, 2017
Amazing!
March 11, 2017
5 Stars
Full Review:
*I received a free ecopy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Quotes used in this review were from an ARC and may be different in the final book.*
WOW.
How do you even write a review for such an indescribable book???
It was just so different.
A unique, powerful kind of different.
This man, Cavalo, he kind of hears voices in his head that he refers as bees because they buzz at him and crawl under his skin. And sometimes he gets lost to his own demons and relives the horrors of his past. And sometimes he sees and hears things that aren’t there. And he often kind of personifies things or just imagines the thoughts of others as though they’re real based on their actions and facial expressions. And his dog reads his thoughts and understands his words and responds back to Cavalo in his head, which he thinks he’s imagining but isn’t quite sure. In fact, he isn’t quite sure whether anything is real or imaginary sometimes because he’s losing his sanity, which he refers to as rubber bands, and they’re snapping.
I know, I know, all of that sounds confusing, right?
Well it wasn’t. And it wasn’t a psychological mindfuck type of book either. It was just a book about a man whose mind was a riveting place to be, and it was all written in a way that was so damn smooth and fluid and amazing that I started to forget that some of it might not be quite real and willfully flowed right into the insanity with him.
But it was more than just the writing that was incredible. The characters were so complex and interesting and broken. Even the dog and the robot. And the bonds between them were equally as complex, interesting, and, sometimes, broken. There was even a tiny sliver of what you might technically call romance (or rather a setup for future romance), and it too was complex since it was far more bloody and murderous than it was romantic. *SPOILER ALERT* *END SPOILER ALERT*
This book was really dark, disturbing, and tragic at times—I’m no stranger to dark books, but this one had even me cringing at the horror of some of the violence and torture and death—so it won’t be for everyone. But it was also quirky and funny at other times. Sometimes the two even overlapped to form some really macabre humor. And all of this just worked because it was so seamlessly blended together.
The only issue I had was that I didn’t quite understand the ending and felt like the story was incomplete (as in, I know it’s part of a series, but I think Book 1 could’ve included more), but I’m letting it slide because there will be another book and because it was just that good.
As for that afterword and that line that says, "There is a war coming. And war always has casualties"?
Them’s fightin’ words, TJ Klune.
But anyway… Yeah. This book. Dark. Quirky. Gruesome. Funny. Tragic. Different. Beautiful. Really, you just have to read it to understand. And I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes dark yet quirky books, broken characters, and M/M romance that's more complex than it is romantic, who doesn't mind graphic violence, and who wants to read something powerfully unique and beautiful.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Full Review:
*I received a free ecopy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Quotes used in this review were from an ARC and may be different in the final book.*
WOW.
How do you even write a review for such an indescribable book???
It was just so different.
A unique, powerful kind of different.
This man, Cavalo, he kind of hears voices in his head that he refers as bees because they buzz at him and crawl under his skin. And sometimes he gets lost to his own demons and relives the horrors of his past. And sometimes he sees and hears things that aren’t there. And he often kind of personifies things or just imagines the thoughts of others as though they’re real based on their actions and facial expressions. And his dog reads his thoughts and understands his words and responds back to Cavalo in his head, which he thinks he’s imagining but isn’t quite sure. In fact, he isn’t quite sure whether anything is real or imaginary sometimes because he’s losing his sanity, which he refers to as rubber bands, and they’re snapping.
I know, I know, all of that sounds confusing, right?
Well it wasn’t. And it wasn’t a psychological mindfuck type of book either. It was just a book about a man whose mind was a riveting place to be, and it was all written in a way that was so damn smooth and fluid and amazing that I started to forget that some of it might not be quite real and willfully flowed right into the insanity with him.
But it was more than just the writing that was incredible. The characters were so complex and interesting and broken. Even the dog and the robot. And the bonds between them were equally as complex, interesting, and, sometimes, broken. There was even a tiny sliver of what you might technically call romance (or rather a setup for future romance), and it too was complex since it was far more bloody and murderous than it was romantic. *SPOILER ALERT* *END SPOILER ALERT*
This book was really dark, disturbing, and tragic at times—I’m no stranger to dark books, but this one had even me cringing at the horror of some of the violence and torture and death—so it won’t be for everyone. But it was also quirky and funny at other times. Sometimes the two even overlapped to form some really macabre humor. And all of this just worked because it was so seamlessly blended together.
The [man] stared down at the tarp-wrapped body of Thomas.
“You can’t eat him,” Cavalo said, more harshly than he intended. “He’s been dead a while, and the body is probably halfway frozen. Don’t you try and eat him.”
The only issue I had was that I didn’t quite understand the ending and felt like the story was incomplete (as in, I know it’s part of a series, but I think Book 1 could’ve included more), but I’m letting it slide because there will be another book and because it was just that good.
As for that afterword and that line that says, "There is a war coming. And war always has casualties"?
Them’s fightin’ words, TJ Klune.
But anyway… Yeah. This book. Dark. Quirky. Gruesome. Funny. Tragic. Different. Beautiful. Really, you just have to read it to understand. And I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes dark yet quirky books, broken characters, and M/M romance that's more complex than it is romantic, who doesn't mind graphic violence, and who wants to read something powerfully unique and beautiful.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
March 24, 2017
Once in a while you read a book that captures your imagination, maybe you read and think wow this is amazing, maybe you read and you are outraged and angry. Perhaps you cry or even laugh and cry all at once. These are the books you come back to, books you remember years later, These are the books that compel you to write a review, create a special shelf for.
This isn't a review, I'm crap at them. If you read some of my previous attempts you'll know what I mean. Don't worry I'm not looking for affirmation that I can write reviews because come on... I really can't. However, If you want to call this a review that's ok. All that being said I couldn't walk away from this book without saying something, that's how much it affected me. Actually It stunned me and I loved it. I've just finished reading and now I am sitting here debating whether to read the follow up, Crisped + Sere. You see I have a dilemma, T.J. Klune has said he won't be writing any more after Crisped + Sere. No book #3, there will be no Burn... and that makes me sad and strangely broken hearted...
I say strangely because Withered + Sere is not a mainstream romance. It is set in a dystopian world containing little in the way of kindness, no sex (only a couple of brief kisses) and by the end lots of questions so of course there's a cliffhanger. There are no wolves, no unicorns, no weddings. No glitter or happily ever after. Withered + Sere is different. It's murder and madness. Cannibals, robots and... bees. It has violence, torture, fear and hatred. But there is loyalty, friendship, love, trauma, small pinpoints of humour and just so much... more. If a book can make me feel compassion for a murderer and a cannibal then I can honestly say that that book is awesome. Two of the secondary characters in Withered aren't even human and although Bad Dog may not be a wolf he is one of the most terrific characters I have ever had the pleasure of reading about. SIRS, the robot, is intriguing and well thought out, so more than the sum of his (it's) parts. Even the bees are vividly portrayed, they have purpose. An agenda if you like.
So here I am. It's 1am and I'm staring at the cover of Crisped + Sere trying to decide if I should even begin. I know I will have to 'suck it up' when I reach the end because there will be no continuation of the story. I understand that T.J. Klune writes full time now and needs to make a living. He has bill to pay like the rest of us and this series was not a successful as he hoped it would be. I can understand why and personally I think it's such a shame. All I can do is hope that T.J. may one day reconsider his decision. For now I can only hug my very own Bad Dog and cross my fingers.
My decision is made...
Withered + Sere *5 Stars*
April 25, 2016
I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review.
This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
So here's the thing, everyone knows I'm a TJ Klune fan. I love his work. How To Be A Normal Person has bumped itself up to my favorite book by him. I don't even know how that happened. Otter is still one of my favorite people in the world. He exists and I won't stop searching until I found him. When I saw the blurb and cover for this I was immediately hooked. The cover is so beautiful. I couldn't quite guess what the title meant. I had to think could T.J. pull off a dark novel? I mean he's known for taking us apart with his emotional reads, and he's down right hilarious with the sputtering characters. I didn't know if he could right my kind of Dark. TO me Dark is the end of despair and humanity. It's when there's nothing else to live for, and all you got is yourself and maybe a select person that you care enough about for them not to die. I enjoyed the premise of the story, and Bad Dog and S.I.R.S are good characters. I loved them. I loved the opposite of every Dystopian story I read about the Dead Rabbits.
TJ's world that he build was destroyed almost hundreds of years ago. I loved the opening sequence on how the world ended. As usual he's very spot on with his words. He's able to bring you into the scene like you are there. Years later and the world is a gray land with little to no sun. Everyone is trying to survive. We have our Hero Cavalo. He's the main focus in the book. Him along with Bad Dog (a dog which only he communicates with) are traipsing through the world at their own pace. So many things happened in the story that I enjoyed and other things that I felt didn't fit into the world. I will say reading about Cavalo and trying to gauge his lunacy or the past and present was a headache.It made me feel like I was on a tidal wave and couldn't get off. I never really adapted to him. I understand all his shortcomings and why he was the way he is, but he didn't work for me. It should be warned that this is not a romance story. I knew it going in and I'm okay with it. I can see how it's set up for book two. There is definitely a cliffhanger at the end. I liked this book, and it wasn't what I was expecting but hopefully book two leads into the gory stuff for me.
This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
So here's the thing, everyone knows I'm a TJ Klune fan. I love his work. How To Be A Normal Person has bumped itself up to my favorite book by him. I don't even know how that happened. Otter is still one of my favorite people in the world. He exists and I won't stop searching until I found him. When I saw the blurb and cover for this I was immediately hooked. The cover is so beautiful. I couldn't quite guess what the title meant. I had to think could T.J. pull off a dark novel? I mean he's known for taking us apart with his emotional reads, and he's down right hilarious with the sputtering characters. I didn't know if he could right my kind of Dark. TO me Dark is the end of despair and humanity. It's when there's nothing else to live for, and all you got is yourself and maybe a select person that you care enough about for them not to die. I enjoyed the premise of the story, and Bad Dog and S.I.R.S are good characters. I loved them. I loved the opposite of every Dystopian story I read about the Dead Rabbits.
TJ's world that he build was destroyed almost hundreds of years ago. I loved the opening sequence on how the world ended. As usual he's very spot on with his words. He's able to bring you into the scene like you are there. Years later and the world is a gray land with little to no sun. Everyone is trying to survive. We have our Hero Cavalo. He's the main focus in the book. Him along with Bad Dog (a dog which only he communicates with) are traipsing through the world at their own pace. So many things happened in the story that I enjoyed and other things that I felt didn't fit into the world. I will say reading about Cavalo and trying to gauge his lunacy or the past and present was a headache.It made me feel like I was on a tidal wave and couldn't get off. I never really adapted to him. I understand all his shortcomings and why he was the way he is, but he didn't work for me. It should be warned that this is not a romance story. I knew it going in and I'm okay with it. I can see how it's set up for book two. There is definitely a cliffhanger at the end. I liked this book, and it wasn't what I was expecting but hopefully book two leads into the gory stuff for me.
April 29, 2016
29/4/2016
Still working out my thoughts for a full review, but the rating is decided. Definitely recommended for those who enjoy dystopian darkness with a dash of hope. And for anyone wanting to push their boundaries. Beautifully written.
To be continued......
22/4/2016
So I need to sit on this for a minute.....
Still working out my thoughts for a full review, but the rating is decided. Definitely recommended for those who enjoy dystopian darkness with a dash of hope. And for anyone wanting to push their boundaries. Beautifully written.
To be continued......
22/4/2016
So I need to sit on this for a minute.....
July 30, 2016
Judging by the summary (end of the world brought on by humans, sole survivor fighting for a new change with a dog companion and a deluded robot) and the good reviews I thought I would like it. But no. Have you ever had the feeling that a book "talks" so much? That so much words not needed end up making noise and you can follow the song? This is what happened to me with this book. I don't know how many pages following a dying doe... lots of pages deciding what to do with someone who wanted to kill him... lots of pages talking with things in his surroundings: dog, himself (normal up to here), bees, flowers... Really? Was all of that needed? Nope. Not for me.
August 6, 2016
Bloody hell in not sure where to start or where to go with this review ! I'm still trying to put all of the pieces together. This is one of the most intense dystopian reads with complex characters who give little to nothing away. I want to know more about Cavalo and where Lucas the Dead Rabbit fits. I love Bad Dog and SIRS - bless them for their loyalty ( well when their system is not overridden ! ) bizzare is my best adjective for now ... More to come in this series no doubt !
July 17, 2016
Brilliant!
July 4, 2022
No me gusta, la historia es interesante pero no me gusta cómo está escrito apenas estoy entendiendo nada y eso me estresa. Abandonó el libro a la mitad, me cansó.
May 28, 2016
Withered and Sere (Immemorial Year Book 1)
By T.J. Klune
Dreamspinner Press, April 2016
ASIN: B01DL351LU
327 pages
Five stars
Can a dog have a soul? Can a robot have a soul? Can a monster have a soul?
TJ Klune’s latest book (the first of a two-parter, set in a post-apocalyptic America) is a startling departure for our young master of the overwrought inner dialogue. It is unquestionably the tightest, most powerfully written book to come from his creative mind. It is horrifying, compelling, violent, passionate, and desperately bleak.
It is beautiful. It is brilliant.
It is also, perhaps ironically, my least favorite of all of TJ’s books. It is not remotely romantic. It is barely gay. It has none of the things I crave when I read for pleasure. But that’s just me. With all its edgy masculine toughness, “Withered and Sere” has the potential for a real crossover audience—a straight male audience that’s into action stories. It is, interestingly, just the sort of book I think I could convince my straight-guy book group to read. (I joined assuming it was a gay book group. I was mistaken.)
But TJ’s quirky presence is right there all the time, his great gift for character. Cavalo, the man at the center of the narrative, overthinks, as TJ’s characters are wont to do; but he does so with a sort of terse discipline that makes it fascinating to watch his mind work. His character is laid bare to us, gradually, as we come to understand just how he came to be where he is in this desolate burned-out world. Even amidst all the bleakness there are two characters that make us smile: Bad Dog, and SIRS. Bad Dog is a stray, whose story I won’t give away here. Cavalo talks to him, although neither he nor the reader is sure whether it’s real or simply delusional. SIRS is a robot, a survivor of the apocalypse, who is puzzling and strangely endearing, Imagine a psychotic C3PO with a wry sense of humor. Bad Dog and CIRS offer us two further windows into Cavalo’s soul, and help us see something that might be beauty amidst all the ashes.
Then there’s the mute boy, the so-called Dead Rabbit, another stray that Cavalo unaccountably decides to pick up, driven by instincts that he doesn’t understand. Something about this young man’s insanity that touches Cavalo’s own madness, making it seem as if there’s destiny mixed up in all this. If this is a love story, it was written by Sauron.
The title of the book is taken from a chilling little poem by Edgar Allan Poe, as is the title of the second volume, “Crisp and Sere.” I will gladly read it as soon as I can. Because I’m prepared, it won’t disappoint me, but it will surely make me sad.
By T.J. Klune
Dreamspinner Press, April 2016
ASIN: B01DL351LU
327 pages
Five stars
Can a dog have a soul? Can a robot have a soul? Can a monster have a soul?
TJ Klune’s latest book (the first of a two-parter, set in a post-apocalyptic America) is a startling departure for our young master of the overwrought inner dialogue. It is unquestionably the tightest, most powerfully written book to come from his creative mind. It is horrifying, compelling, violent, passionate, and desperately bleak.
It is beautiful. It is brilliant.
It is also, perhaps ironically, my least favorite of all of TJ’s books. It is not remotely romantic. It is barely gay. It has none of the things I crave when I read for pleasure. But that’s just me. With all its edgy masculine toughness, “Withered and Sere” has the potential for a real crossover audience—a straight male audience that’s into action stories. It is, interestingly, just the sort of book I think I could convince my straight-guy book group to read. (I joined assuming it was a gay book group. I was mistaken.)
But TJ’s quirky presence is right there all the time, his great gift for character. Cavalo, the man at the center of the narrative, overthinks, as TJ’s characters are wont to do; but he does so with a sort of terse discipline that makes it fascinating to watch his mind work. His character is laid bare to us, gradually, as we come to understand just how he came to be where he is in this desolate burned-out world. Even amidst all the bleakness there are two characters that make us smile: Bad Dog, and SIRS. Bad Dog is a stray, whose story I won’t give away here. Cavalo talks to him, although neither he nor the reader is sure whether it’s real or simply delusional. SIRS is a robot, a survivor of the apocalypse, who is puzzling and strangely endearing, Imagine a psychotic C3PO with a wry sense of humor. Bad Dog and CIRS offer us two further windows into Cavalo’s soul, and help us see something that might be beauty amidst all the ashes.
Then there’s the mute boy, the so-called Dead Rabbit, another stray that Cavalo unaccountably decides to pick up, driven by instincts that he doesn’t understand. Something about this young man’s insanity that touches Cavalo’s own madness, making it seem as if there’s destiny mixed up in all this. If this is a love story, it was written by Sauron.
The title of the book is taken from a chilling little poem by Edgar Allan Poe, as is the title of the second volume, “Crisp and Sere.” I will gladly read it as soon as I can. Because I’m prepared, it won’t disappoint me, but it will surely make me sad.
December 18, 2019
In the end, he never learned what it felt like to burn as he wasn’t even aware he had died when the blast hit him. His last thought was I hope I come back here to—and then he was gone. There was nothing left of him but his seven words. And they carried long after the whole of humanity became nothing more than a thing of the past in a future of chaos. God forgive us for what we’ve done.
It is wrong to assume that TJ Klune is only capable of making us laugh. That is very far from the truth. He has the capacity to make me feel deeply, strongly, and to tell me a story so intricate in its depth as to leave me shaking at the end. I have no idea where or how or why 'Withered + Sere' came to him, I am only grateful that it did, and that the opportunity to experience this story was not lost to me.
Post-apocalyptic and dystopian worlds fascinate me. Probably because if you really sit and think about it, there are very few things actually preventing a global nuclear war that would end everything in minutes. There wouldn't be a World War III. Buttons would get pushed, the world would explode, and everything would be gone. Possibly a few scattered people would survive, and after decades the Earth would look much like the author describes. Small areas of partial civilization with no communication like the Time Before, limited electricity, and places like the Deadlands with bands of cannibals who roam and strike fear in the hearts of good people. Lone men like Cavalo who have nothing but memories and ghosts, who live away from people with only their dog, a dog whose voice Cavalo can hear in his head and he's pretty sure he's going crazy. A man who lives in an abandoned maximum security prison with Bad Dog and SIRS, the sentient robot in charge of the facility, whose parts are wearing down and he, too, is going insane.
Please find my full review at Rainbow Book Reviews
It is wrong to assume that TJ Klune is only capable of making us laugh. That is very far from the truth. He has the capacity to make me feel deeply, strongly, and to tell me a story so intricate in its depth as to leave me shaking at the end. I have no idea where or how or why 'Withered + Sere' came to him, I am only grateful that it did, and that the opportunity to experience this story was not lost to me.
Post-apocalyptic and dystopian worlds fascinate me. Probably because if you really sit and think about it, there are very few things actually preventing a global nuclear war that would end everything in minutes. There wouldn't be a World War III. Buttons would get pushed, the world would explode, and everything would be gone. Possibly a few scattered people would survive, and after decades the Earth would look much like the author describes. Small areas of partial civilization with no communication like the Time Before, limited electricity, and places like the Deadlands with bands of cannibals who roam and strike fear in the hearts of good people. Lone men like Cavalo who have nothing but memories and ghosts, who live away from people with only their dog, a dog whose voice Cavalo can hear in his head and he's pretty sure he's going crazy. A man who lives in an abandoned maximum security prison with Bad Dog and SIRS, the sentient robot in charge of the facility, whose parts are wearing down and he, too, is going insane.
Please find my full review at Rainbow Book Reviews
July 5, 2016
This was so good...and so dark. There were glimpses of light here and there, but author was quick to quench it before you can even start to hope. Honestly, I don't see this story ending in anything but a tragic way for our MC. But nevertheless, it's one of the best books I've read this year, and I can't wait to read a sequel...
January 17, 2018
Phwoar! This is DARK!
I don't even know how to describe this. It's insane, as in certifiable, lock them up and throw away the key insane!
It was awesome!
Looking forward to diving into book 2.
RTC
I don't even know how to describe this. It's insane, as in certifiable, lock them up and throw away the key insane!
It was awesome!
Looking forward to diving into book 2.
RTC
April 29, 2016
Anybody ever read The Road? This reminds me of that in a lot of ways, except it's less bleak (this is saying something, given the content of Withered + Sere) and more entertaining (I'm not a terrible person, I'm not! I just love me some dystopia.).
Soooo looking forward to the sequel.
Soooo looking forward to the sequel.
May 29, 2016
OMG OMG OMG!!!! I have no words for how great this was! Gimme more!!
May 14, 2019
This book is confusing since all the main characters are some degree of crazy. But its really unique and interesting. Can't wait for book 2.
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