A Strong and Sudden Thaw (A Strong and Sudden Thaw, #1) by R.W. Day

Dec 12, 2011 Emanuela ~plastic duck~ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: rainbow-gay, post-apocalyptic-dystopian

This was a very interesting book, but I thought I would like it more. At the beginning I was charmed by David's voice, but by the end of the book I got tired of it. It was as if the mannerisms of his speech almost hindered the evolution of his personality, or what I expected would be that evolution. David goes through a lot in this book - and Callan more so - but he keeps repeating the same mistakes, which are due partly to his naivety, partly to his rashness, that is not always boldness, someti...more This was a very interesting book, but I thought I would like it more. At the beginning I was charmed by David's voice, but by the end of the book I got tired of it. It was as if the mannerisms of his speech almost hindered the evolution of his personality, or what I expected would be that evolution. David goes through a lot in this book - and Callan more so - but he keeps repeating the same mistakes, which are due partly to his naivety, partly to his rashness, that is not always boldness, sometimes it's sheer recklessness or even selfishness. The problem is that he never really pays for his mistakes or deeds, it's always poor Callan who ends up in the worst place.

I also had a few problems with Callan, but probably it wasn't even his fault. David made him always look childlike. It was charming at first, but then it seemed a sort of flaw in his personality. Their love story is really sweet and I was grateful for it, because their trials (metaphorical and literal) and tribulations make this book very angsty. Like the dragons that hover above their community, there is always an impending menace, trouble waiting to happen. I wasn't bothered by the fact that David is under-aged (17), while Callan is older (23), because, as I said, David seems much more in control than his older friend. I liked that their friendship begins with the sharing of books, it was very poetic.

The world building was interesting. The story is set in a future after an Ice age. Stories and manufacts of the 21st century linger in a society that for its laws and beliefs is back to... mmh, I don't know, if it were in Europe, I'd say to the Middle Ages, but well, they're not really enlightened. It's not that religion is central - only for some people - but there is a morality that surely predates the more liberal thoughts of the 21st century. The climate is cold, the land is difficult to cultivate, and people in general survive. The department of Reintroduction and Agriculture determines the life of the community and it's the biggest threat of all, together with his emissaries.

The town of Moline with its main characters (the Sheriff, the healer, the mayor, the town councilmen, the school master) is portrayed with detail. By the end of the book it was as if I knew all the places and landmarks. The imagery this cold nature evokes is very powerful, probably the best feature of the book. I also found so fascinating reading about things we do and use everyday as mythical tales.

I said before that I got a bit tired of David's voice, but I have to say that the author was able to give each character its own voice. Callan is more educated than David, and he comes from a different part of the country, so it's easy to tell them apart, but for example David, his father, his brother Benny C, they do sound slightly different from each other.

If I had seen David learn from his mistakes, grow up, I would have liked the book better. This is something that I think is missing. Apart from that, it's a very good book that I'd recommend for its originality.(less)

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Feb 04, 2009 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: glbt-fiction, favorites

The Ice fell upon the world nearly a hundred years ago, and if civilization didn’t rightly collapse, it surely staggered and fell ill a while. In the small town of Moline, Virginia, folks struggle to survive, relying on hybrid seed sent by the faraway Departmet of Reintroduction and Agriculture and their own faith in God and hard work. But when a mated pair of dragons starts hunting the countryside, stealing sheep, and attacking children, the townsfolk quickly learn that they don’t have the weap...more The Ice fell upon the world nearly a hundred years ago, and if civilization didn’t rightly collapse, it surely staggered and fell ill a while. In the small town of Moline, Virginia, folks struggle to survive, relying on hybrid seed sent by the faraway Departmet of Reintroduction and Agriculture and their own faith in God and hard work. But when a mated pair of dragons starts hunting the countryside, stealing sheep, and attacking children, the townsfolk quickly learn that they don’t have the weapons or the skills to fight off such predators.

David Anderson is a farmer’s son who has explored the world through books. When he meets the new healer in town, Callan Landers, he doesn’t quite know what to make of the strange warmth stealing over him. It’s not until he surprises Callan with another man-and both men are promptly arrested for sodomy-that David finally realizes the truth about his own feelings.

When David and Callan stumble over a secret in a nearby abandoned town, their personal problems fade before government politics and corruption that threaten lives. It seems the dragons aren’t the worst dangers facing Moline.
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I’ve never been a great one for the great outdoors and nature. I don’t do bugs and a girl has to have somewhere to plug in her hairdryer! So, I was surprised to have enjoyed this as much as I did. I found the day to day details of David’s life on the farm and and the interactions with his family and Callan absorbing.

The world building was well done and the hint of conspiracy certainly gave the story a neat twist. Some of the book leaves you guessing a little till the end and I am hoping the 2nd book comes out soon as I cannot wait to see what happens next.

The romance between Callan and David was sweet, tender and passionate. David was such a sturdy character, a likeable cuss and I enjoyed him immensely. The books length was also a plus and defnitely allowed the time for the development of the characters. At 282 pages in pdf I really felt that I got bang for my buck. I liked!(less)

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Mar 21, 2009 LdDurham rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: general-fiction, gay-fiction, m-m-romance

Powerful. Incredibly powerful and moving.

Part way through this book I didn't think I'd make it. I had heard of people honoring a death by staying to see it done but never quite got it. I understand it now. Out of respect, I kept reading, not wanting to be a coward and turn away from the dark. I'm glad I did and was rewarded handsomely.

This was an amazing read. I've never read anything like it. A commentary on society, on the human heart, and a coming-of-age story. All those terms fit, but this...more

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Aug 31, 2012 Rachel Brown rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: lgbtq, young-adult, science-fiction

After the apocalypse, persecuted gay lovers fight homophobia and dragons!

The mysterious sudden climate change called the Ice descended about eighty years prior to the beginning of this book. 16-year-old David's 100-year-old grandmother barely remembers what things were like before; the government is still hanging on and handing out precious seed wheat; the culture is reminiscent of the Old West but the social mores are reminiscent of the 1950s, due to a resurgence in religious and social conserv...more After the apocalypse, persecuted gay lovers fight homophobia and dragons!

The mysterious sudden climate change called the Ice descended about eighty years prior to the beginning of this book. 16-year-old David's 100-year-old grandmother barely remembers what things were like before; the government is still hanging on and handing out precious seed wheat; the culture is reminiscent of the Old West but the social mores are reminiscent of the 1950s, due to a resurgence in religious and social conservatism immediately post-Ice.

The best things about this novel were the atmosphere and the voice. (This is the third book in a row I've reviewed with that note, isn't it?) The cold is palpable, David's voice is likable and unique, and the small town and its culture are very well-imagined: Little Town on the Prairie after the apocalypse.

The first third or half of the novel, in which David slowly introduces us to his world, is very strong. A young new healer, Callan, shows up to help the old one. In David's eyes, Callan is hot, sophisticated, bringing a whole new world of intelligence and culture in the form of precious books, and hot. I am a total sucker for the "what are these strange feelings?" trope, and David's awakening sexuality is sensitively depicted.

Problems set in at about the one-third mark, and the same one continues all the way through: amazingly stupid decisions. In a world in which doors have latches and homosexuality is punishable by death, I find it mind-boggling that the town healer, who commonly has people suddenly rushing into his office due to medical emergencies, would get a blow-job in his office without latching his door first. I also find it boggling that a townsperson would give him one under those circumstances. Sure enough, someone walks in, and both are immediately jailed.

This sort of thing is especially annoying because other aspects of the book continue to be very good. I'd be lulled along by the sweet romance and well-done scenes of post-apocalyptic life, and then wham! Astounding stupidity!

Also, the last half-to-third borders on grimdark. Warning for child harm.

(view spoiler)

There is a sequel, but Goodreads reviews suggest that it's excruciatingly depressing. I think I'll give it a miss. But I did enjoy the first book, albeit with caveats, and it has a satisfying ending.
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Sep 10, 2011 ~♥I_Luv_2_Read♥~ rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m-favorites, gay-for-you

This book is like Little House On The Prairie...After the Apocalypse!

This wasn't an easy read. There are struggles and hardship followed by tragedy...Nevertheless, hope and love spring eternal.
The telling of this story is through Davids POV, and it shouldn't be any other way! I felt everything David did and his strong voice, while not eloquent, was distinct and powerful throughout the story.

David is 16 at the start of the book, but all the things one must do just to survive and thrive in small...more

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Aug 06, 2011 MandyM rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m-romance, kindle-lendables

I'm slowly reading all the M/M fantasy novels and this is another great story with a really gripping plot. In fact it's a post apocalyptic setting with some 'pioneer Western' influences. A sudden Ice Age affected the world 100 years ago and the people of Moline are struggling to survive. No modern technology exists and religious beliefs have become more extreme and prejudiced. Dragons have appeared over the skies to steal away livestock and they've even taken a child. The untrustworthy Governmen...more

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Oct 13, 2010 Jenre rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m, futuristic, fantasy, romance

I bought this book because it sounded interesting especially as I hadn't read any spec. fiction before, or so I thought. As soon as I started reading I was reminded of the middle section of Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. The same ideas were present in both books: A catastrophic event in the past; a society clinging onto its identity; trying to survive in a world stripped of all modern amenities.

In the case of this book the catastrophe was a sudden ice-age which swept down from the north, engulfi...more I bought this book because it sounded interesting especially as I hadn't read any spec. fiction before, or so I thought. As soon as I started reading I was reminded of the middle section of Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. The same ideas were present in both books: A catastrophic event in the past; a society clinging onto its identity; trying to survive in a world stripped of all modern amenities.

In the case of this book the catastrophe was a sudden ice-age which swept down from the north, engulfing most of the northern hemisphere in ice. This ice-age happened nearly 100 years before the events in this book and we are occasionally given glimpses of the times before the ice came and shortly after, a decidedly chilling reminder that society constantly hangs in the balance. In fact this theme of 'before and after' runs throughout the novel. The 'before' time is represented by the Grandma character, who can remember the time before the ice. The after is represented by our hero, David, who, at 16, has only ever known the time after the ice.

But I'm getting ahead of myself here. The novel is written in the first person from David's POV. As I have said he is sixteen and on the cusp of manhood - children grow up quickly in this harsh environment. He is the son of a farmer and trapper, who loves the hills of Virginia where he lives. I really liked David. He was an interesting mix of innocence and experience. In one sentence he would describe the beauty of his surroundings and in the next he would be checking the traps and killing the animals caught for their fur. Throughout the book he is straining towards manhood, desperate to be taken seriously by the men in the town, and yet he often acts in a rash and impetuous manner, like the boy he still is. It was this mix in David that makes him a sympathetic narrator.

As the novel begins we are introduced to our other hero, Callan who has recently moved into town as an assistant to the 'healer'. In many ways Callan is opposite to David. He is well educated; from a lonely, yet sheltered background; from the warmer, southern climate; delicate and blond to David's dark. However, despite being 6-7 years older, he seems the less mature of the two, often drifting through the events, seeming unable to control what is happening to him - unlike David who tries to take control of his life. David and Callan form a friendship and then more. This might have been a little uncomfortable, given David's age, but the author has given David such a mature voice, that it didn't bother me at all. Many young people discover love and sex at the age of 16-17, and it was nice to see this reflected in a novel. The relationship between David and Callan is a dangerous one, as homosexuality has been outlawed at this time. The ice-age was attributed to the 'wrath of God' and many of the liberal laws from the past have been overturned. The consequences for David and Callan as their relationship develops forms most of the story in the first half of this book.

Alongside the romantic plot is a secondary plot concerning a government conspiracy. Dragons have been let loose on the countryside, killing sheep and children, burning houses and terrorising the community. This plot runs seamlessly alongside the romance and becomes intertwined at the end. If I have any complaints at all, it would be that we never really find out why there are dragons.

I really enjoyed this novel. It was another one of those books where I thought about it even when I wasn't reading. I savoured the book, not wanting to read it too quickly. The author's prose is concise and beautiful. Using the speech pattern of David, she draws us into a cold, bitter, harsh world, and yet makes it seem wonderful. The warmth of David, his interactions with his family, his love for Callan come shining through the darkness of a post-apocalyptic world. I'm giving this a grade of 'Excellent'. It was a compelling, thoughtful, layered story which I will read again and again.

One last thing: This book is a re-release from Lethe Press (along with that fabulous cover) - the author's previous publisher closed down and there was a time when she wasn't sure she would find another one. The book ends with many loose ends and the author has indicated that at one time she was going to write a sequel. However, due the publisher problems above, she is now no longer sure she will write the sequel, especially as she wrote this book four years ago and feels that her writing has 'moved on'. I, for one, feel that it would be a great shame if the sequel is never written as I've now invested time and emotions in these characters and want to see how their story is concluded. let's hope that RW Day changes her mind!

ETA: Fortunately RW Day did change her mind, a sequel is published and I'm really looking forward to reading it.(less)

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Jan 01, 2008 Inara rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of gay love stories

Shelves: novels-lgbt, novels-fantasy

David Anderson lives in an apocalyptic world – a kind of Ice-Age has returned – with his family outside a little town called Moline. Life is difficult and people have to work hard to survive the icy winter months. David´s life is monotonous and full of work but he doesn´t really mind he´s used to it. With his family lives his old Grandma who can still remember the time Before(the ice came) and tells David and his brothers and sisters about these times long gone. But one day the life of the peopl...more David Anderson lives in an apocalyptic world – a kind of Ice-Age has returned – with his family outside a little town called Moline. Life is difficult and people have to work hard to survive the icy winter months. David´s life is monotonous and full of work but he doesn´t really mind he´s used to it. With his family lives his old Grandma who can still remember the time Before(the ice came) and tells David and his brothers and sisters about these times long gone. But one day the life of the people of Moline is shattered and a new threat circles the sky. Nobody knows where and why they came but suddenly the´re there – dragons. The town is in uproar when a dragon kills a little child and a posse is formed to hunt down the dragon but with no sucess. People learn to be careful outside and life goes on. One day the young healer Callan Landers arrives and David´s life changes forever. He falls in love with Callan to his own surprise he never thought that he´s attracted to men because he never had these feelings before. Callan returns his feelings and tragedy takes it course....
I was really impressed with this love story. Callan and David are very likeable characters and I was suffering with them when Callan had to bear the brunt of the town´s people small-mindedness about being gay. Not that most of the people are spiteful (with of course some exceptions) they are just simple-minded and sanctimonious and to be gay is against the law and has to be punished. David stands up for his friend, he doesn´t back down and when they one day find out about the real origin of the dragons they are in danger of their lifes. The story was suspenseful and kept my interest till the end. What I really liked was that this book wasn´t just a sequence of sex scenes with only a little bit of plot thrown in between, no the few sex scenes where written tastefully and very romatic. The main part of the story was David´s and Callan´s adjusting to their feelings and try to live with them. David´s family isn´t very supportive at the beginning especially his mother couldn´t accept his otherness for a long time. She had to bury her dreams about David ever having a family and children of his own and was struggling hard with this situation. That she overcame her prejudices and shattered dreams in time because she loved her son more than laws altough it took her almost till the end of the book made me sigh with relief. I wouldn´t have liked it if David would have been without his mother´s support. The characters were in my opinion really well drawn and believable. It was a touching love story but there are still some loose ends in this book and I really don´t get it why there had to be dragons to threat people. But it makes me wonder if there will be a sequel sometimes – I really would like that because I felt sad to close the book and leave David and Callan alone I had gotten to like them very much...

Website of the author: http://www.rwday.net/
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Sep 28, 2008 Christine (AR) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sff

Enjoyable post-apocalyptic gay romance.

Maybe my expectations for gay romance novels are set so incredibly low by the unbelievably bad examples I've come across lately, but I was more than willing to forgive the slightly ridiculous and completely unexplained premise in favor of likable characters and a wonderfully romantic, slow-building relationship.

A new Ice Age plus ravening dragons that instantly revert everyone into pioneers? Whatever. Callan and David are adorable. I'll take it. Someone w...more

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Jun 01, 2013 Mary Elizabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars

I just finished re-re-re-re reading A Strong and Sudden Thaw. The story never fails to make me smile, cry (ok, sob) and simply feel. From the very first page to the last, this book is an incredible story of a time in the future, when "The Ice" has turned humanity back to the days of rural farming and townships sans electricity. And oh yes, it has dragons. Not fun "tame your dragon" type of creatures, but true apex predators.

While the dragons are in the story, they are not the central focus. Ins...more

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Apr 16, 2013 Kesha rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: lgbt, young-adult

I was certainly at odds with this book. There were parts that had me nearly in tears, and other parts that made me roll my eyes at the stereotypical fashion most LGBT books are written.

Honestly, I liked this book, it was plenty different then the flash-fuck novels that nearly all SCIFI/Fantasy LGBT books seem to have. There was more build up and the plot was very interesting buuuuuut the plot seems to hit a plateau. It stops being about the whole dragon thing (and all that came with it) and the...more I was certainly at odds with this book. There were parts that had me nearly in tears, and other parts that made me roll my eyes at the stereotypical fashion most LGBT books are written.

Honestly, I liked this book, it was plenty different then the flash-fuck novels that nearly all SCIFI/Fantasy LGBT books seem to have. There was more build up and the plot was very interesting buuuuuut the plot seems to hit a plateau. It stops being about the whole dragon thing (and all that came with it) and the story starts being pushed forward by just the boy's sexual orientation.

(view spoiler)

Maybe it was just the lack of details that we were given that left me with so many questions and feeling like this story could have been so much more.(less)

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Oct 29, 2012 Charly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Despite some minor plotting issues, a remarkably well written book

Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.

Rating: 8/10

PROS:
- Sweet, heartbreaking, romantic, selfless, beautiful relationship between David and Callan. It’s left me a bit speechless, to tell the truth. And yet this isn’t solely a romance (see cons below). It’s also a coming-of-age story in which love plays a large part in moulding the main character into the man he’s meant to be. The sex scenes are su...more Despite some minor plotting issues, a remarkably well written book

Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.

Rating: 8/10

PROS:
- Sweet, heartbreaking, romantic, selfless, beautiful relationship between David and Callan. It’s left me a bit speechless, to tell the truth. And yet this isn’t solely a romance (see cons below). It’s also a coming-of-age story in which love plays a large part in moulding the main character into the man he’s meant to be. The sex scenes are suggestive, no more, and fit the tone of the story perfectly. Sensual without being at all graphic.
- The world of the story. The setting is a clever (though at times, confusing) mix of historical and futuristic elements: the characters have read about (and a few remember) our 21st-century world and ponder in awe various small conveniences that we take for granted in modern times, yet they live in a setting similar to that of the 18th or 19th century.
- Much more “literary” writing than I have encountered in this genre thus far. Day has an excellent sense of language rhythm; there were times when I stopped and read sentences or paragraphs out loud in order to listen more closely to the combinations of words she used.

CONS:
- Plot that had so much going for it that I wasn’t sure what the main point was supposed to be. The conflicts are also layered one upon another, so that the characters (and I) never had just one problem to deal with or worry about. That makes for interesting reading, sure, but as one other reviewer remarked, the book tries to be many different things--romance, coming-of-age, fantasy, dystopian science fiction, political commentary—and doesn’t quite succeed at being any one of them.
- Ending that might purposefully have been left open, but that with no definite word of a sequel (that I could find anywhere, anyway), seems unresolved and slightly dissatisfying.
- Some editorial inconsistencies. There are missing words, sloppy and/or misplaced paragraph breaks, punctuation errors, etc. They aren’t as pervasive in this work as in others I’ve read recently, but they do at times stop the flow of the reading.

Overall comments: This is a great book; I ate it up quickly and eagerly, and Day truly has a gift for beautiful prose. In spite of the plot holes/inconsistencies and the unexplained elements at the story’s close, I recommend it. But this is not erotica; if you’re looking for sex that is detailed or frequent, you’ll be disappointed here.(less)

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Oct 07, 2012 Aina rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: one-star, queer, science-fiction

This book started out promising but sadly turned out to not live up to its promise at all.

R.W. Day tries to do a lot with this story, but fails in most aspects. She sets up a post-apocalyptic world in which a teenager falls in love with an adult, who has been prosecuted before, for his homosexuality. On top of this forbidden love, the little town, where both of them live, is in danger, with dragons killing the livestock and even small children. This second part of the story slowly turns out to b...more This book started out promising but sadly turned out to not live up to its promise at all.

R.W. Day tries to do a lot with this story, but fails in most aspects. She sets up a post-apocalyptic world in which a teenager falls in love with an adult, who has been prosecuted before, for his homosexuality. On top of this forbidden love, the little town, where both of them live, is in danger, with dragons killing the livestock and even small children. This second part of the story slowly turns out to be a fully blown conspiracy.

Now, putting both of these aspects into one book and doing it well should already be a challenge. In A Strong and Sudden Thaw both parts of the story fall short.

First off, the romance is not romantic at all. Both characters stay pale throughout the book. So do their feelings. The attraction of these two towards each other is not feasible, the sixteen year old boy is unlikable and boring, even though he is the narrator of the story. He and the 23 year old healer fall in love over reading books. That's their relationship in a nutshell. It doesn't develop, there is no growing physical and intellectual attraction, they suddenly are in love. The age difference does only play a rule in front of the law, but not for the two of them, even though they come from very different backgrounds and education. This is just ignored. Even though I think a relationship can work in spite of such an age and developmental difference, it would still be something the two of them would have to work through.

Speaking of the law. The 23 year old man is prosecuted for being caught in the act with another man, before he begins his relationship with the main character. We learn that the punishment for sodomy in this time and place can be death and is at least most likely being expelled from the community. Even though homosexuality is such a taboo, the main character, after just realizing that he is gay, does not question himself at all. There is no inner conflict of him trying to accept his sexuality. As sadly many young people in modern society, where there is at least partial social acceptance and no persecution of homosexuality by the law, still doubt themselves over their sexual orientation, the fact that this character just accepts it is very unrealistic.

Besides unlikable and unrealistic main characters the book is full of logical holes, both in the world building and characters as well as the story. The apocalypse that lead to the drop in temperature is not very well described, but it somehow caused a vast loss of knowledge and technology. It seems, that it simply got cold, which is quite frankly not an ideal situation but manageable. Even with the library burnings, the explanations for the radical changes in U.S. society are hardly explained at all. The political system is not really explained nor is the 90 years of history that made the country the way it is. As one of the main points of the books is the conflict with government officials, this leaves those in power described as a dark, evil entity, while those who oppose them are good. This simple black and white world might be appropriate for propaganda but is nothing I enjoy reading in my free time.
There are further small but obvious logical holes in the story that are
really annoying. As an example, the main character's grandmother is more than 100 years old. Seeing that he is only 16 at the beginning of the book, this is biologically nigh impossible, especially with modern medicine more or less vanishing after the apocalyptic temperature drop. And there are more. One of them being the dragons, whose particular present doesn't make any sense at all. Using them is nothing but a gimmick.

Besides these problems with the contents of the book, there is, on top of all that, the writing. In--I assume--an attempt to show the educational background of the main character the narrating voice does often not use proper grammar and falls back to the same uncommon phrases. This gets highly annoying the further one gets with the book and almost kept me from finishing. It's also a misunderstanding of how first person narrations works. The narrating voice, even if it's from a character's perspective does not have to have the same linguistic abilities as the actual character has. Especially if the character has trouble with the language this specifically should not be the case, to keep the book readable. As with everything you have to know the rules really, really well to break them.

The above are only an assortment of many more issues this book has. There is also blatant misogyny and, as some other reviewers have pointed out, quite a few more problems with the romantic relationship in the book. The latter is in my opinion not even only due to the ignored age gap.

In the end, finishing the book only left me with a fairly wide open end which is pretty unsatisfying. Of course this leaves me with the option to read the sequel. Which, with the many, many problems of this book I will likely not do.(less)

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Jul 16, 2012 L-D rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to L-D by: Fiona Goodman

Shelves: dragons, doctor-emt-vet, friends-to-lovers, fantasy, hs-childhood-loves, m-m, borrowed, mystery, recommended-to-me, romance, angst-stew

I really enjoyed this book. David Anderson is a simple boy from a farming family. As the eldest of his siblings with a lot of familial responsibility, at the age of 16 he is riding the cusp between boy and man. Callan Landers, 22 years old, is the new healer's assistant that just moved to town and Callan and David strike up a friendship based on a shared love of reading. David's family strongly approve this friendship of their son and the local learned healer.

When Callan is arrested for being wi...more

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Aug 02, 2011 Timothy rated it 5 of 5 stars

An excellent gay coming-of-age novel set in a post-apocalyptic world. The world suffers something close to another Ice Age nearly a hundred years ago; civilization doesn't fall, it stumbled and is still trying to maintain its balance. In rural Moline, Virginia, this is a story that deals with small town hardships and attitudes set against larger world-wide issues of endless winter and hungry dragons.

Young David Anderson is the seventeen-year-old son of a farmer whose only connection to the large...more

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May 07, 2011 Jennie rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of angsty romance looking for something more speculative

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, lgbtq, romance, ya, sci-fi

I was packing to move when I found an advanced readers copy of this lying about. I must have grabbed it years ago, and never gotten around to reading it. Probably because I was enthused with other post-apocalyptic novels at the time, like Hunger Games.

Anyways, Day's debut novel isn't really what I'd call a sci-fi/fantasy tale. It has elements of it, true, but the pace is much slower and more meandering. The characters look inwards rather than outwards, and it reads more like a coming-of-age tale...more

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Aug 07, 2010 Sophie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, science-fiction, owned

I want more books like that. This was the kind of book you can fall in love with, where you try and spend every free minute you have reading it, hating the end of your break because it'll tear you away from it. It's a rare thing, and just like with any other love affair, you never know when it might happen.

This kind of book is the reason I am reading so much crap, because you never know, among all the stories with wooden characters and horrible sex scenes you might finally find a gem like this:...more I want more books like that. This was the kind of book you can fall in love with, where you try and spend every free minute you have reading it, hating the end of your break because it'll tear you away from it. It's a rare thing, and just like with any other love affair, you never know when it might happen.

This kind of book is the reason I am reading so much crap, because you never know, among all the stories with wooden characters and horrible sex scenes you might finally find a gem like this: a book with a great setting, a thoroughly engaging plot and the sweetest, most touching romance you can think of.

(And it has a Sophie-approved ending; something I wish I had a way of knowing beforehand sometimes.)

The book is set in Virginia in the 22nd century, or thereabouts, during another Ice Age that started somewhere in the 21st century. People live in small towns or farms, and a lot of what we think of as our culture has been lost. The story is told by David, a 16-year-old farmer's son who's also very adept at hunting and gathering. We're introduced to his world through his eyes, and it's intriguing, to say the least.

What also becomes apparent, apart from how "backwards" society has become, is that David's never been that much interested in girls. And when he meets the town's new healer, Callan, it's clear why, since he falls in love with him at first sight. But since there are always smallminded people around who have nothing better to do than judging people because of who they love, their romance isn't an easy one. And there's a possible government conspiracy.

What I loved about this book was how well-rounded it was. On the back cover it says "Science Fiction/Romance", and while the relationship between David and Callan is the dominant part of the story, it's far from the only thing.

I also liked that things that at least have the potential to annoy me in a modern day setting worked very well in here: because David's never heard of such a thing as "homosexuality", it's never even occurred to him that he might be gay. And the discrimination they face seems very plausible, as sad as that is.

And well, the romance. The romance. Wonderfully paced, delightfully developed, in a way that tugs at your heartstrings in just the right way. Absolutely beautiful, and I think this book has earned its place as a comfort read for me.

If you're looking for a good romance (m/m or not, although obviously this is m/m) I can't recommend this one highly enough. I waited a long time until I finally bought it (although why exactly I don't remember; knowing myself I had Very Good Reasons), and I kinda wish I hadn't.

I want more books like that.(less)

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Aug 07, 2010 Hilcia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: m/m, gay, western, speculative fiction, ya, sci-fi

Shelves: my-bookshelf, lgbt-books, impressions-blog-review, speculative-fiction

Grade A-

R.W. Day's beautiful prose, characterization, the post-apocalyptic fantasy world she created and the young adult, coming-of-age story in A Strong and Sudden Thaw caught both my attention and imagination from page one and I couldn't put the book down until it was done.

Approximately one hundred years after the Ice nearly ended civilization, the people of Moline, Virginia are still recovering from the catastrophe. The cold and snow still plague the north, but Virginia is a place where peopl...more Grade A-

R.W. Day's beautiful prose, characterization, the post-apocalyptic fantasy world she created and the young adult, coming-of-age story in A Strong and Sudden Thaw caught both my attention and imagination from page one and I couldn't put the book down until it was done.

Approximately one hundred years after the Ice nearly ended civilization, the people of Moline, Virginia are still recovering from the catastrophe. The cold and snow still plague the north, but Virginia is a place where people can live, if not thrive. In some respects there's a regressive quality to life in Moline, as the people lead a life comparable to that lived in early 1800's America, with no electricity or running water, a one-room school house, a healer instead of a doctor, and the communing having adopted hardworking and god-fearing conservative values that at first glance seem quite familiar, but that later are revealed to be reactionary and extreme.

Using a beautiful narrative voice I fell in love with, A Strong and Sudden Thaw is told from David Anderson's point of view. David is the son of a Moline farmer and almost 17 years old. In Day's world, as in olden times, when David turns 18 he'll be considered a man in his community. When we first meet him, he's conflicted about his future and his straitlaced mother's plans to marry him off to the schoolteacher's daughter. David is part of a beautiful family -- all of them key secondary characters that complete this story.

David meets the new healer's assistant, Callan Landers, during a visit to the healer's house and they forge a bond through their love of reading and books. As the friendship grows, David slowly begins to feel a confusing attraction for Callan. During one of his visits to Callan, while accompanied by Elmer, a combination town bully and liar, he's shocked when he surprises the local artist, Taylor, performing oral sex on Callan. Elmer immediately runs to the authorities and Taylor and Callan are arrested for sodomy.

David is a well-defined central character. The reader follows David as he struggles to discover his strengths and becomes who he wants to be, an honest, independent-thinking David. Callan is also a well-drawn character, although as seen from David's point of view he doesn't come across as clearly defined. Besides David's family, Day develops other secondary characters within Moline's community to give this story depth.

Although R.W. Day maintains the focus of the story on David and Callan, there's a lot more to this book. The people of Moline are dealing with different threats: a pair of dragons have mysteriously appeared and are killing livestock and small children; the local representative from the Department of Reintroduction and Agriculture denies the existence of the dragons and refuses to help; and a neighboring town is suddenly abandoned without explanation. Day integrates all these threads, including Callan's sodomy arrest and trial, to create a cohesive story.

A Strong and Sudden Thaw was a page-turner full of adventure and one that drew deep, conflicting emotions, as the author swept me to the end and a partial resolution to the conflicts. Although those resolutions are satisfactory, it is obvious that there will be a continuation to the overall story arc. The sequel Out of the Ashes will be releasing soon and I personally can't wait to read it.(less)

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Jul 13, 2010 Leandra rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jun 18, 2010 Heidi Cullinan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: pick-it-for-me-challenge

I went into this book pretty much cold, and I have to say, overall it was an incredibly pleasant surprise. I know it's post-apocalyptic, but it felt like Little House on the Prairie to me, which I absolutely adored. I got completely distracted by the setting, by the tone—everything was just right. The fact that I knew an m/m romance was coming only sweetened the deal.

When I realized we were going to go from budding romance to persecution, I was a little bummed, but it worked out okay, which is a...more

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Feb 01, 2010 Midnight rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book seemed interesting, but proved to be a little disappointing.

The Ice came and turned the world into a frozen desert. David is a farmer's son, lives in a small town and is a hunter. He meets Callan, the new doctor in town, and from the first moment feels drawn to him although he doesn't really know why.

When I started reading it, I thought the narrator was a seven year old boy, by the way he talked. It turned out he was seventeen. David as a character seemed a little slow, that is to say...more

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Dec 31, 2009 Feliz rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, coming-of-age

Ninety-one years ago, the Ice came, and if the civilization didn`t die right away, it surely hitched for a while.

In a not so far away future, the world, choked by the Ice, turned back to the ways of a past longer back, returning to the ways of living of a nineteenth century that never quite was, for there is an addition unheard of by mankind: there are dragons. Maybe not everywhere but surely in the remote town of Moline, where David Anderson grew up the son of a hunter and farmer. At sixteen,...more Ninety-one years ago, the Ice came, and if the civilization didn`t die right away, it surely hitched for a while.

In a not so far away future, the world, choked by the Ice, turned back to the ways of a past longer back, returning to the ways of living of a nineteenth century that never quite was, for there is an addition unheard of by mankind: there are dragons. Maybe not everywhere but surely in the remote town of Moline, where David Anderson grew up the son of a hunter and farmer. At sixteen, almost seventeen now, he is walking the edge between child and man, hunting for furs, caring for his mother's sheep and for his younger siblings, when he meets the new young healer in town, Callan Landers.

Callan is different from everybody David knows; he is schooled, witty, charming, and David feels irresistably drawn towards him. But only when he stumbles upon Callan in a compromising situation with another man -and both men are immediately arrested for sodomy - David recognizes the nature of his own feelings.

This book is a rare diamond. Written in first person from David's point of view, the reader can hear the farmboy's voice right from the beginning, his slightly awkward manner of speech showing subtly in sometimes incorrect grammar or simple ways to express himself, but it's authetic and adds to the charm of this book. Not only a coming-of-age, but a heartwarming love story and gripping suspense, and it is not lacking some humourous scenes that had me laughing aloud during the reading.

The author`s imagination is extraordinary, and a future like she describes it could be easily pictured given the circumstances she sets it in. Even the dragons.

David's factual perception and manner of speech prevents the story from being tacky and leaves the reader with a longing feeling. Although there is not a classical happy ending, it works, it fits, and after all, the story doesn't require a HEA, because there isn't such in the world and you gotta be confident with what you got and make it better, as David would put it.

The end feels like a subtle cliffhanger, and so with some luck there will be more about Callan and David in the future. It will certainly be worth waiting for. A book you can't put down. A story that will stay with you for a long time afterwards.(less)

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Oct 24, 2009 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: lgbt, fantasy, science-fiction, dystopian-apocalyptic

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I had to have this book specially ordered due to its scarceness on bookstore shelves. Bit of a shame considering what a delightful read it was. This book falls under many possible genres: fantasy, romance, coming of age, post-apocalytic, adventure, so on and so forth. At its center is David Anderson and Callan Landers.

The book is told first person from David's point-of-view. He is less educated of the two boys and this shows in his narrative. I felt wary into the first few pages because heavy di...more I had to have this book specially ordered due to its scarceness on bookstore shelves. Bit of a shame considering what a delightful read it was. This book falls under many possible genres: fantasy, romance, coming of age, post-apocalytic, adventure, so on and so forth. At its center is David Anderson and Callan Landers.

The book is told first person from David's point-of-view. He is less educated of the two boys and this shows in his narrative. I felt wary into the first few pages because heavy dialects normally put me off, but the distinction in voice was not so heavy handed that it detracted from the story. Because they were the main focus of the story, Callan and David were the two most developed characters. Others were given personality, but hardly any were given enough face time to break the mold of what they'd been presented as. Others besides our two protagonists did manage to become round characters by the end of the novel but it didn't give enough time to appreciate what each character could have been. And this is fine--I'm not expecting a full story of every character packed into one novel, though I do believe that this leaves a lot of room for a sequel (which I will address shortly).

My favorite secondary character was the grandmother. I can't fully explain why since she wasn't given a spectacularly huge roll, but I'm suspecting that it has something to do with the fact that she was one of the few people from Before. I empathized with her, especially when she talked about Disney World in the early chapters. (Can you imagine losing the empire of technology that we've built for ourselves? No electricity, no cars, no running water? Kind of a scary thought.)

The main conflict of the story (at least the way I interpreted it) was the relationship between Callan and David. It could just as easily be argued that the book was about the threat of the dragons or government conspiracies or the struggles of living in a post-apocalyptic society. As such, there is much to keep the reader engaged. The book really starts to pick up when Callan is arrested. (Those were grueling chapters for me. The homophobic attitudes of the characters really pushed a few buttons, as I think it was meant to.)

The book doesn't pull any punches from there. It was not exactly what I would call a fast-paced read though the events flowed together very evenly. I would call it more of a moderate pacing, which suits me perfectly. And even though I was pulling for Callan and David, I found it getting a little melodramatic at points. I appreciate the fact that they loved each other and their situation looked a little hopeless, but the way they had to declare their undying, flowery love for each other wore thin quickly. Maybe it's just me--I'm not big on romance so I could be the only one these scenes grated on. Fortunately, there were enough actiony-fantasy scenes to balance these scenes out, but I couldn't help becoming frustrated.

On the subject of the two protagonists, Callan and David were great leads. They had their flaws, as any good character should, and as Callan pointed out in one chapter they complemented each other nicely. The fact that they relied on each other the way they did was sweet, but sometimes a little too much. I discussed the matter of the undying devotion above, but some of their actions just made me want to smack them. (For example, Callan wishing to die near the end because David was not there.) These times, though, were few and far between so I was able to write off to the stupid things people do when their in love, and I like to think that maybe it made their relationship a little more three-dimensional.

The book had a satisfying ending, but I wouldn't exactly call it a conclusion. The story felt like it had been left open with the possibility of a sequel. And I would like to see such a sequel--there were some things I thought could have been more fully resolved (the dragons! I want to know more about the dragons!) and some characters with unrealized potential.

Conclusion: if you're looking for a good fantasy story, this book is for you. You might have to look a little hard to find it, but it's worth the search.(less)

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May 04, 2012 Nicole rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'd give this book 4.5 if I could, but 5 is okay as well. :)

First, these young men were believable to me. They didn't read like adolescent girls.

Second, this is the way I feel dialect should be done--not with constant misspellings, but with choice words, spelled correctly. I won't lie--the misuse of lay/lie still bothered me, but it probably will for the rest of my life, even after everyone has collectively banished the intransitive from the language. But that was the only thing that bothered me...more

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Mar 12, 2010 Geoffrey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: apocalyptic, mm-romance, reading-game

I liked this book. It's well written, well paced and entertaining. It's definitely more complex than the average m/m romance book. In fact, much of the plot has little to do with two guys and a blossoming romance. This is set in a frozen post-apocalyptic Virginia where dragons have started terrorizing a small town. There is corruption and cover-ups, assassins and close-minded townfolk. I'm a big fan of apocalyptic fiction and of science fiction in general, so those parts just made it more fun.

Th...more

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Sep 25, 2012 Tammy K. rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Tammy K. by: No One- horrible

Shelves: apocalypse-post-apocalypse, mm-romance, lengthy-novel-325-pages-or-more, dragons, futuristic, mm-bingo-read-aug-oct-2012, abuse-and-rape-of-a-child, lgbt-post-apocalyptic-dystopic

This is yet another book where I am left to wonder if I read the same book as other reviewers here or if they were paying 'attention' to the book and it's message.
If it were possible to give zero stars that is what I would give this book. Since it is not possible then I give it 1.
If one gives a book 5 stars they should be able to support the reasons for giving it such praise. Since I am giving this book 1 star I will offer up my reasoning for the very low rating.
I will start with the biggest is...more This is yet another book where I am left to wonder if I read the same book as other reviewers here or if they were paying 'attention' to the book and it's message.
If it were possible to give zero stars that is what I would give this book. Since it is not possible then I give it 1.
If one gives a book 5 stars they should be able to support the reasons for giving it such praise. Since I am giving this book 1 star I will offer up my reasoning for the very low rating.
I will start with the biggest issue and work my way down. Warning Ranting will follow.
The books protagonist is 16 (he refers to himself as 17 but when court comes he admits to being 16 and needs his fathers consent to testify) whom falls under the spell of the new healer, a 23 year old man from the big city.
The healer slowly seduces the 16 year old through affections, giving gifts (books) to the boy and long talks over books. It is during these ‘talks’ where the healer encourages the 16 year old to break down the books for deeper meanings, that the ‘grooming’ takes place. (Never tasted chocolate before? Here let me share this wonderful gift with you. I can think of no one I would rather share it with. I sure like wrestling with you. I had no siblings to play with growing up this helps me feel young (just like Micheal Jackson)).
Due to a case of misfortune the 16 year old stumbles upon the 23 year old receiving oral sex from his 32 year old lover.
The town folks rise up and there is a trial where we are told how horrible homosexuality is, and of course there is the religious nut job preaching that the healer is unsafe around children.
But hey, the guy is 23 and his lover is 32 so whatever right?
It is at this trial where we find that the town, and the healer feel that to be an adult one must be 18 years old. The healer turns on his 32 year old lover and pleads guilty and offers to testify against the 32 year old lover to save the minor torture of testifying against him.
But it is suggested that the 32 year old had seduced the 23 year old so he isn’t as much to blame as the 32 year old.
The healer is flogged, and branded. His lover the 32 year old is flogged much more severely, branded and left clothing less in the freezing woods out-casted from the town.
And we all feel sorry for him because its homophobia that won the day. I know I felt sorry for them.
Until three weeks later when the 23 year old does exactly what the 'evil' religious man suggested and he has sex with the 16 year old, right after finding out that the 32 year old (whom he betrayed and tossed to the town for punishment) died the night of his flogging...but now that he's lover is dead, we can feel sorry again for the 23 year old as goes against what he already believes is wrong (sex with the 16 year old.) WTF?!
Ok now keep in mind this author has its characters breaking down books looking for the messages of the author. So clearly the author wants us to break down his/her book for messages..
Message I got from this author is pedophilia is ok. Can’t even go into the ways that that is wrong, its just wrong in a gazillion ways.
Next message the religious nut was right!!! The man deserved to be caste out of the town regardless of his position in the town as a healer because if he seduced and had sex with a minor, knowing and stating it was wrong before and during, then he will do it again.
Other reasons this book sucked. Dragons in an ice age? I kept thinking somehow the author would make that work out or make sense of it. Never did.
The dialog is horrible. In case you are wondering , you will go from speaking cultured English to little house on the prairie in less then two generations even with books and elders around to help you learn, but you will still have a copy of the declaration of independence so you can recite it at age 13, of course you will sound like a hillbilly doing so.
The 16 year old goes from speaking hillbilly to book read/educated English in and out of the dialog.
So do I recommend this book. NO! My copy will be going into the trash folder ASAP and I recommend others to do the same.(less)

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Nov 25, 2012 R.S.T. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m

I liked this book very much and I plan to read the sequel. I especially like how this is "futuristic" and yet different than what you expect the future to be like. This is set 200 or so years into the future, and almost most technology is lost. The thought of cars, lamps, etc. is something of the past and something the characters have never experienced for themselves. The story takes place in the united states, and most of the land is covered in snow (something like another ice age). With this b...more

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Sep 20, 2011 Steve Riedisser rated it 4 of 5 stars

this was a nice rich story... a small rural village in a post civilization ice age where people revert to the times of the homesteaders, where the remains of the government are still corrupt and self-serving. its a story of a tight nit family living 'an hours walk down the mountain' from the village. Pa is the provider... farmer & hunter. Mam the dutiful and god-fearin mother of 2 boys and 3 girls raising sheep and selling wool to support her family. Dying Grandmam, over 100 years old and te...more

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Feb 26, 2009 Sue rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: lgbt, ya

I loved this book. The relationship between David and Callan was lovely, the conflicts were very tense and dangerous. Were it not for the cover, I would think this could work well as an adult novel as well. The main character was young and coming-of-age plot was central, yes, but the challenges they faced were significantly beyond what you often find in young adult literature.

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Mar 10, 2013 Jaya rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: good, series, slashreaders

SlashReaders: Alright I'm not going to give anything away about this book because quiet honestly I enjoyed it. I don't have any major beefs to point out with it. I felt that it was well written and fairly consistent throughout the entirety of the tail. The characters were well developed and went through a good series of changes over the three hundred pages of this book. My biggest issue was getting to the end--which is mostly an end--only to feel like it's setting up for later developments.

I hop...more

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