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Jack: The Tale of Frost (Claus #2)

Tony Bertauski (Goodreads Author)

3.92 · Rating details · 180 Ratings · 58 Reviews

Sura is sixteen years old when she meets Mr. Frost. He’s very short and very fat and he likes his room very, very cold. Some might say inhumanly cold. His first name isn’t Jack, she’s told. And that’s all she needed to know.

Mr. Frost’s love for Christmas is over-the-top and slightly psychotic. And why not? He’s made billions of dollars off the holiday he invented. Or so h ...more

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ebook, 290 pages

Published October 17th 2013

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Nov 12, 2013 Meghan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-to-review-books, my-favorites

Last Christmas, I found Claus: Legend of the Fat Man on Amazon, read it and loved it. (If you haven't read it, you NEED to.)

In October, the author messaged me and asked me if I would be interested in reading the sequel to that story - a story about Jack. Considering how I felt when I finished Claus (wanting to know more about the character of Jack), I could not pass up this opportunity.

When I was finally able to sit down and read the story, I could not put it down. I would force myself to stay a ...more

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Apr 19, 2014 April rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2014, 2014-audio-book-challenge, 2014-young-adult-audiobook-challeng, amazon-review-posted, audiobook, blogged, fantasy, genetic-altering, mythology, review-copy

Even thought this book is classified as Young Adult it is really more for all ages. It has a great vibe and is beautifully crafted. Many of the characters are adult and only two are actually teens.

This is the follow-up to Claus and it was really terrific. The way the story jumped ahead to modern times was wonderful. I loved seeing how the world evolved and the Elven Pawn adapted to being with humans.

I have found when reading Mr Bertauski that there are many layers to the story. They are woven t Even thought this book is classified as Young Adult it is really more for all ages. It has a great vibe and is beautifully crafted. Many of the characters are adult and only two are actually teens.

This is the follow-up to Claus and it was really terrific. The way the story jumped ahead to modern times was wonderful. I loved seeing how the world evolved and the Elven Pawn adapted to being with humans.

I have found when reading Mr Bertauski that there are many layers to the story. They are woven together and information is doled out like sweet treats in small doses. I never really guess all the intricacies that make up the whole. With the first book I never quite caught on to what the end result and that made it thrilling. I love when a book can surprise me!

The narrative is mixed and has many voices, while most of it is from Sura's POV, you get a real feel for all the characters. It helps make a fuller more realized world with intricate characters. I loved Sura's strength, Jo's loyalty, Mr Frost with his plans and Jack who is very complicated. I was a touch disappointed that Jack lost all the growth he had at the end of the last book. He was more annoying than he had been, there was just something in the last book that was missing, the thing that kept him likable.

The story this time felt slower, there was a lot of exposition to cover and that tended make the pace drag. It is all necessary, just a bit slower than I usually like. It all comes together in the end. The last quarter of the book really picked up considerably. It is all worth it when all those little details come together to bring up the big finish. So many subplots made it almost impossible to guess how things would turn out! Again, love that surprise!

I listened to the audiobook which is narrated by James Robert Killavey, who did such a great job on the first book. He has a real feel for all the characters and the idiosyncrasies that make them up. He manages to match Jack beautifully and keeps him annoying with his grating tones. He has a great pace in his read that helps move the story along at slower moments. Really fantastic combination of reader and story!!

Overall, I enjoyed this modern retelling of the Jack Frost myth and the way it connects with the first book. Beautiful storytelling that surprises and delights at every turn. I have been enchanted by these books and definitely plan to check out other works by this inventive author! ...more

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Dec 25, 2013 Sherry Fundin rated it really liked it

Shelves: christmas, fantasy, fiction, science-fiction

If you like the odd, the adventurous, the sci-fi world of magical beings, then this book is for you.

~~~~~~

Sura takes a job at Frost Plantation.

She will meet Mr. Frost, who’s love of Christmas is obsessive, after all he invented Christmas, didn’t he?

Sura will find the love of her life and the home she has longed for.

She will also meet Jack, who is the opposite of Mr. Frost. Jack hates Christmas.

~~~~~~

A Christmas story so unusual, it makes the Grinch seem like child’s play.

The world building and c ...more

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Oct 23, 2013 Cheryl Meyers rated it it was amazing

I had already read Tony's book CLAUS, so when he emailed and asked if I wanted a free copy of JACK and wanted to review it, I jumped at the chance. While reading, I have to admit that I was confused a lot in the first part of the book; but I like that "Agatha Christie" way he writes. I had to jump back to the prologue and different parts to make sure it was okay to be confused. And, if like me you enjoy a different type of story, I highly recommend JACK. Just so you know this is not traditional ...more

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Mar 29, 2014 Yzabel Ginsberg rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, arc-netgalley

[I got a copy through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
However, that was a few months ago—I totally missed the Archiving deadline—so I don't know if my copy is actually an ARC, or if it's exactly the same as the one that was officially published. Apologies for my taking so long to reading the book.]

Rating this book is hard. I read other works by this author, and liked them a lot, but somehow, this one didn't elicit the same response from me. (I also preferred the first book in this se ...more

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Dec 28, 2013 Suzanne rated it really liked it

Shelves: nook

Jack: The Tale of Frost is a sequel to Claus: Legend of a Fat Man. It picks up the story after the first one ended but with a different set of main characters. The story was easy to follow along with and melded quite well with the first one. Who would think that by the end you want to root for the bad guy? I heard that there was going to be a third story to the series and it is one I will definitely keep my eyes out for.

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Oct 17, 2013 Traci rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 5-stars, books-read-in-2013, fantasy-scifi, r2r, kindle-library

Jack: The Tale of Frost is the sequel to last year’s Claus: Legend of the Fat Man and is honestly probably even better. Maybe that’s because this one focuses on my favorite character from the first, Jack. Jack is… Jack reminds me of Loki, really. And I honestly mean that as a compliment.

Mr. Frost is a mysterious elven living in South Carolina. He employs a small group of people and a whole mess of helpers, and the novel begins when his newest recruit, Sura, shows up at the plantation for her fi Jack: The Tale of Frost is the sequel to last year’s Claus: Legend of the Fat Man and is honestly probably even better. Maybe that’s because this one focuses on my favorite character from the first, Jack. Jack is… Jack reminds me of Loki, really. And I honestly mean that as a compliment.

Mr. Frost is a mysterious elven living in South Carolina. He employs a small group of people and a whole mess of helpers, and the novel begins when his newest recruit, Sura, shows up at the plantation for her first day of work. She meets Joe, to whom she feels an unexplainable attraction. Meanwhile, simultaneously, we hear of Jack, who’s living in a homeless shelter.

This is really more Sura’s story than any other characters, though that doesn’t mean that the other characters didn’t have a lot of personality. The director of the homeless shelter, for instance, even though he wasn’t one of the main characters, had a lot of personality for the time he had on the page.

I couldn’t read this as a mystery. It was kind of funny, because I didn’t keep turning pages to see what happened next. It’s pretty easy to figure out. I kept turning pages because I got sucked in. I wanted to see how it would all play out, and what exactly would happen with Sura and company. It was a really well-written book.

I don’t necessarily know that you’d have to read Claus to enjoy this one, but I feel like knowing what happened in Claus really enhanced this story. This isn’t really a feel-good type of Christmas story where Scrooge finally learns to love by watching Tiny Tim or whatever. There are traditional Christmas elements, sure. But this is a Christmas story in the same way that Die Hard is a Christmas movie (it happens to be my favorite. It has a Christmas tree, it counts).

The ending of this book was kind of horrifying and very well done. It made me think. And it made me wonder. The plot element aside, I was impressed with the author’s ability to take all of the loose threads (and it seemed like there were many!) and tie them all up in the end. I read this quickly, but it wasn’t a book I could have skimmed through and still understood.

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion and that didn’t influence my review in any way. There were some typos in my copy, but I was warned about that in advance, and for that reason was able to look past them and still enjoy the story.
...more

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Nov 08, 2013 Eustacia Tan rated it it was amazing

I think I love this book even more than the original! If you don't remember, last year I reviewed Claus: Legend of the Fat Man. It was a good book, so when Tony asked me if I would review the sequel, I said yes immediately!

While this book is a sequel, you could probably read it as a standalone. It definitely makes more sense (especially when it comes to character motivations) if you know what went on in the first book, but since there are new characters and new protagonists, you can still figure I think I love this book even more than the original! If you don't remember, last year I reviewed Claus: Legend of the Fat Man. It was a good book, so when Tony asked me if I would review the sequel, I said yes immediately!

While this book is a sequel, you could probably read it as a standalone. It definitely makes more sense (especially when it comes to character motivations) if you know what went on in the first book, but since there are new characters and new protagonists, you can still figure out what's going on.

Jack: The Tale of Frost stars not Jack (not really), but Sula, a girl who has some sort of connection with the Frost plantation. This year, she starts to work for Mr. Frost, who tells her that his name is not Jack. She also meets Joe, a boy working at the plantation that she feels an instantaneous connection with.

At the same time, we as the reader find out that Mr Frost is actually Pawn, Jack's only friend. He's been forced to bring Jack back to life via a clone and he's very close to succeeding. And when he does, humanity can say goodbye to the earth. But, one of the Jacks escaped and is living as a very strange homeless person (since he only has 10% of his memories).

For me, my favourite character turned out to be Jack. This is pretty ironic since he's the villain of the first book. But Jack as a partially amnesic, very strange homeless person trying to find Santa Claus (because he knows that he's from the North Pole, but not why he's in South Carolina), Jack is surprisingly sympathetic. I think he's given the chance to learn and to develop more in this book, and it was a very good choice. Plus, with only 10% of his memories, more of Jack's character comes out - he's still mean, but he's also lonely and the need for acceptance is amplified.

Sula and Joe are both interesting characters, and I like how their backstory tied into the plot of the book. I don't think I can say too much without giving away spoilers, so I shan't.

If you read the first book and liked it, you should definitely read this book. And if you're looking for a Christmas story that's different from most, this is the book for you too!

Disclaimer: I got a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for a free and honest review.

This review was first posted to Inside the mind of a Bibliophile ...more

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Dec 01, 2013 Emily rated it really liked it

Shelves: first-reads-arc-arr, kindle

First of all, I love that this is not a traditional sequel – it takes places roughly 200 years after Claus. While you don’t have to read Claus in order to enjoy this book, I would definitely recommend it. This book has a different feel to it than Claus did, it has a touch more of sci-fi than the winter-wonderland-fantasy of Claus.

I really like how Jack is there and clearly the focus of the story, but not really. I know that makes no sense, it is something you will understand when you read the b ...more

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Oct 26, 2013 Melanie rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya, sci-fi, retold-fairy-tales

I received a copy of this ebook for review from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Last year I read Claus: Legend of the Fat Man about this time of year, and found it an interesting take on the Santa Claus mythos. The author has done even more with the idea in Jack: The tale of Frost. Instead of focusing on the elven culture of the North Pole, we take a look at the elven Pawn, now going by Mr. Frost, in South Carolina. He has built an estate, underneath which is a toy factory, churning ...more

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Dec 19, 2013 Chrissy (The Every Free Chance Reader) rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviewed-on-blog

Did I enjoy this book: I did enjoy this book. As with Mr. Bertauski’s other books that I have read, they are not my “usual” genre but I wouldn’t miss them. This one was no different – a fun, interesting, different read that had me hooked.

This series of books is fascinating. It gives us an alternate take on the men — legends — we know. I’m not sure how Mr. Bertauski came up with this world of elven, Claus, Jack, and their advances and influences on Christmas but it is a wonderful world that makes ...more

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Oct 27, 2013 Wendy rated it liked it

Shelves: kindle-books

This is going to be a very hard review to write. I have been eagerly anticipating this book every since I read Claus: Legend of the Fat Man earlier this year. Claus was easily one of my favorite reads of the year, so I was expecting a lot from this book. Sadly I did not quite find what I was hoping for. Where Claus had amazing world building with so much detail that I was totally immersed in the story, I felt that Jack lacked those exact things. I was able to fill in some gaps because I had read ...more

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Jan 02, 2014 Travis Mohrman rated it really liked it

Sure, Jack wants to kill all humans...but that's only one part of him.
This follow up to Claus: Legend of the Fat Man, is set hundreds of years past the events that first introduced us to Jack and Claus. This one is set in current times and I enjoyed the book even more because of that aspect.
As the title suggests, it deals strictly with Jack and his current exploits, but it also gives us some more back story on Jack and Claus. I'm going to give spoilers away here, but a plan Jack set in motion hu ...more

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Dec 11, 2013 Sandy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: science-fiction, own, nook

I liked Jack – it’s plain and simple. Jack was not totally there, I mean he was cloned and when they cloned him they didn’t give him all of his memories so he was searching for answers. Jack was determined to find out where he belonged and what had happened to him and in the end well, I can’t tell you what happened but I am glad I rooted for him because the conclusion was incredible. Not your traditional Christmas story, Jack: The Tale of Frost is more of a science fiction tale with elven and so ...more

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Jan 23, 2014 Debbie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This sequel to Claus continues Jack's story in an unusual manner. Pawn has become Mr. Frost, driven from the North Pole by a programmed compulsion that controls his actions for the next 200 years. He builds a commercial toy empire in South Carolina while perfecting cloning technology. The goal is to bring back Jack.

I didn't much like Jack. I felt some sympathy for him throughout the first book; this time I felt that only at the end of the story. I liked Frost/Pawn much better. He really wasn't a ...more

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Dec 26, 2013 Brenda Rezk rated it really liked it

One should definitely read "Claus - Legend of the Fat Man" first! This wouldn't make much sense otherwise.

I really liked both books and am looking forward to the book about Frosty.

Without giving too much away, this book focuses on a mysterious estate in South Carolina that was established shortly after the deaths of Jack, Claus, and their mother and the subsequent reconcilliation of the two elven factions at the end of the first book. The estate is owned by Mr. Frost. He is not Jack, but we don' ...more

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Oct 17, 2013 Matt rated it really liked it

Shelves: ebooks

Jack The Tale of Frost is a pretty fun sequel to Claus: Legend of the Fat Man. This time the story is set roughly 200 years after the events of CLAUS. I really enjoyed how Tony Bertauski was able to create this story arc in connection with that from the previous book. Jack the Tale of Frost kept me interested pretty much from start to finish and I really liked how it ended.

Can't wait for the next story in this "universe".

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Oct 16, 2013 Donald Armfield rated it really liked it

Shelves: holiday, ebooks-kindle, from-author, science-fiction

Tony has done it again, this time taking the "Tale of Jack Frost" and making it his own. A Sci-fi Christmas delight of brilliant work.

Cloning, What's going on at the Frost Plantation. Christmas liked a little too much, but Jack who hates Christmas has been missing for years and now he back and wants revenge. But does he really want to end it all?

If you read Claus then you know what you are in for. An imaginative twist on the Christmas Tale we all watched as kids. And part 3 is coming soon..... o ...more

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May 03, 2014 Melba rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: Book lovers

Recommended to Melba by: Tony Bertauski

I truly enjoyed this book, and the continuing story of Pawn & Jack. This is a different take on fairy tale like stories, and has an entirely different vibe than children's stories. I found this one to be just as interesting as 'Claus: Legend of the Fat Man'. In my opinion, Tony Bertauski is a talented author. He delivers interesting & intriguing stories, and they grab your attention (and hold it) when reading his work.

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Dec 13, 2013 Nicky rated it really liked it

Just finished reading this in time for the Holiday. I would recommend this book.The first book gives good insights to Jack and the Elven, however, there really is no need to read the first one if you don't want to.
It's very well written and full details, the characters are easily likeable, including Jack. I love how Tony was able to write it in modern times but far enough from populations that it was easy to get lost in the plantation's problems.

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Oct 20, 2013 Susan rated it it was amazing

Second in the series, this book was AWESOME. As with Claus: Legend of the Fat Man, the beginning was very odd to me. I had my speculations, but I was off. WAY off. When you start reading this book the beginning might seem too odd or it might seem a little slow to you. Keep with it. The ending was fabulous. Not one that I would have guessed.

I love books that keep me guessing! This is not a horror or a thriller. It's a story with twists and turns that will keep you on your toes! :)

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Oct 17, 2013 Eric rated it it was amazing

Oh my gosh this book was amazing. Thank you Tony for the advanced copy. This books had every genre imaginable and more. It read like a movie, vividly describing everything in such clear details. The plot was perfect with lots of humor, suspense and romance. I couldn't ask for a better book. Tony you just keep getting better and better. Readers please consider picking this book up as soon as possible. Parents read it to your children.

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Dec 09, 2013 Lauren rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley

I can't figure out if I liked this one or Claus better. These are amazing books with a darker side to them. The story line kept me guessing and I even skipped my TV shows to read these. One minute, you hate Jack, then the next, you feel bad for him. Little by little the story came out about the characters. I love Mr. Bertauski's style and can't wait to read more of his books.

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Jan 21, 2014 Bollinger rated it really liked it

Terrific sequel! This book had me guessing how it would come out right up to the last page. Arguably better than the first book in the series, Claus: Legend of the Fatman. I sure hope there is a third installment in this series!

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Oct 28, 2013 Emily rated it it was amazing

Even better than Claus, although with a completely different feel, setting, and most of the characters. I love Tony Bertauski's style and how all of the characters are so endearing--you even root for the "bad guy". I can't wait to read more!

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Feb 09, 2014 Shawn Dvorak rated it really liked it

A riveting scifi/fantasy tale about the Jack Frost.

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May 12, 2017 April rated it really liked it

There's just something about the retelling of a classic tale that I can't resist. And after reading the first book in this series (Claus: Legend of the Fat Man), I couldn't wait to dive into this one. I remember buying the first 3 books in the series on a whim, simply because of how interesting & mysterious the descriptions were.

Anyway, I love how this book starts out, jumping several hundred decades into the 21st century, from where the first book ended in the early 1800s. The dialogue is s ...more

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Dec 23, 2016 pdarnold rated it liked it

Shelves: christmas, fiction-ya, fiction-sci-fi, fiction-fantasy

I liked the story, but not as much as the first, or maybe differently. There's so much going on, it's the time honored story, it's sci-fi, it's fable, it's today's headlines all rolled into this book. Pawn, now known as Mr. Frost has lived about 200 years since the last story. He was to prepare the way for Jack's return and supervillainous plan but has come to love the warmbloods during the process. Twists, turns, and a clone or two will have you cringing, laughing and thinking.

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Oct 06, 2017 Diana Sandberg rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy

Pretty good. In some ways I liked it better than Claus, but it seemed slow to get moving, and has the similar problem of being more about the author's admittedly clever ideas than about the characters. In addition, the character of Jack is just so grindingly unpleasant one gets rather tired of him. I did find the ending held together better than in the previous work, although I did sometimes lose the thread in the deluge of technical events.

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Nov 20, 2017 Diana rated it liked it

This one takes place many years after Claus. Technological advancements combined with the christmas story. Sura doesn’t know what to think, she wonders what is real. I liked the story, it was a little slow getting into the meat and potatoes of the story so to speak, but once it did I couldn’t believe what was happening. Great imagination. Really enjoyed this one.

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About Tony Bertauski

Tony Bertauski

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He grew up in the Midwest where the land is flat and the corn is tall. The winters are bleak and cold. He hated winters.

He always wanted to write. But writing was hard. And he wasn’t very disciplined. The cold had nothing to do with that, but it didn’t help. That changed in grad school.

After several attempts at a proposal, his ma ...more

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