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Winterland: A Dark Fairy Tale
Summoned into her dying mother's coma, recovering addict Eunice Ames must traverse a surreal, apocalyptic dreamscape in search of three generational spirits who have imprisoned her mother's soul. Together with Joseph, a crippled drifter who serves as her guide, Eunice treks an abandoned highway strewn with debris from her mother's "emotional" wars. Along the way, she encounters Mister Mordant, a perpetually whiny grub, Reverend Ash a fragile, supremely self-righteous minister, and Sybil, a beautiful sylph with a knack for deception. Eunice and Joseph endeavor to lead this peculiar brigade into the hell of her mother's making, through the swamp of Mlaise and the volcanic plains of Cinder, to the Dark Throne where they were forged. Along the way, Eunice experiences, in awful living color, the forces that have shaped her mother's descent into madness and disease. Yet a more malevolent power conspires against Eunice. For not only is she forced to relive the psychological terrain of her own upbringing, she must now confront the darkness it has spawned... the one inside her. It seems Eunice has harbored horrors of her own; years of abuse, rejection, and generational sin have taken root. And no amount of psycho-babble and positive thinking can withstand the literal monster that is waiting at the end of this highway. Can Eunice destroy the spirits that have cursed her family and rescue her mother, or will the sun set on their hell forever? The Wizard of Oz meets Dante's Inferno in this novella (27,000 words), a dark adult fairy tale about finding faith, redemption, and confronting the monsters of our psyche.
110 pages, Paperback
First published October 24, 2011
2 people are currently reading
88 people want to read
About the author
Mike Duran
18 books197 followersMIKE DURAN is a novelist, artist, and freelance writer. Mike writes fiction and non-fiction. He is the author of THE GHOST BOX (Blue Crescent Press, 2014), which was selected by Publishers Weekly as one of the best indie novels of 2015 and first in a paranoir series that continues with SAINT DEATH (2016), and THE THIRD GOLEM (2020). He's also the author of several novellas, including KEEPER OF THE WOODS (2024), THE VISITANT (2022), and WICKERS BOG (2016). In addition, Mike has written several non-fiction titles including CHRISTIAN HORROR: ON THE COMPATABILITY OF A BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW AND THE HORROR GENRE (2023) and CHRISTIANS & CONSPIRACY THEORIES (2023). Mike's short stories, essays, and commentary have appeared in Breakpoint, Relief Journal, Cemetery Gates Media, The Gospel Coalition, The Stream, Relevant Online, Bewildering Stories, Rue Morgue, Zombies magazine, and other print and digital outlets. Mike is interested in religion, science, conspiracism, media, books & monsters. You can learn more about Mike Duran, his writing projects, cultural commentary, philosophical musings, and arcane interests, at his website.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 5, 2012
OK, let's start with a summary. I'm taking this right off Mike's site:
"Summoned into her dying mother's coma, recovering addict Eunice Ames must traverse a surreal, apocalyptic dreamscape in search of three generational spirits who have imprisoned her mother's soul.
Together with Joseph, a crippled drifter who serves as her guide, Eunice treks an abandoned highway strewn with debris from her mother's "emotional" wars."
Mike describes Winterland as "The Wizard of Oz meets Dante's Inferno." It also made me think a little bit of Alice in Wonderland with Stephen King a la Duma Key hiding in the corner.
I know, you are shaking your head right now, aren't you?
My take on it? The characterization was very strong. I got a real sense of Eunice and what she'd been through, even without having "met" her mother in the story. The other characters that accompany Eunice on her journey were vivid. Mordant was annoying, but I believe that was Mike's intent. I mean--how do you get across that someone annoys another character to that degree without making that someone annoying to the reader?
The descriptive language was fantastic. I could see every contour of the landscape, but Mike didn't go overboard with detail. The words he chose were just right, many of them poetic, dark, and lovely. I think this was my favorite element of the book.
Although there were a couple of small moments where I wish the corner-hiding Stephen King would have stepped out a little more. One spot in particular where I thought, "Mr. King would have my skin crawling here, and Mike should have." But it was isolated. For the most part he really got the feel of each scene and each character to a satisfying level.
And finally, the surreal nature of the story totally appealed to me. I'm not sure where I got the idea that this is what Mike's writing is like. I mean, before The Resurrection I'd read all of one short story by him. It probably fell somewhere between these two in feel, but I guess I assumed a novel by Mike would be even more outlandish.
All in all, a very good read. Thinky and surreal.
"Summoned into her dying mother's coma, recovering addict Eunice Ames must traverse a surreal, apocalyptic dreamscape in search of three generational spirits who have imprisoned her mother's soul.
Together with Joseph, a crippled drifter who serves as her guide, Eunice treks an abandoned highway strewn with debris from her mother's "emotional" wars."
Mike describes Winterland as "The Wizard of Oz meets Dante's Inferno." It also made me think a little bit of Alice in Wonderland with Stephen King a la Duma Key hiding in the corner.
I know, you are shaking your head right now, aren't you?
My take on it? The characterization was very strong. I got a real sense of Eunice and what she'd been through, even without having "met" her mother in the story. The other characters that accompany Eunice on her journey were vivid. Mordant was annoying, but I believe that was Mike's intent. I mean--how do you get across that someone annoys another character to that degree without making that someone annoying to the reader?
The descriptive language was fantastic. I could see every contour of the landscape, but Mike didn't go overboard with detail. The words he chose were just right, many of them poetic, dark, and lovely. I think this was my favorite element of the book.
Although there were a couple of small moments where I wish the corner-hiding Stephen King would have stepped out a little more. One spot in particular where I thought, "Mr. King would have my skin crawling here, and Mike should have." But it was isolated. For the most part he really got the feel of each scene and each character to a satisfying level.
And finally, the surreal nature of the story totally appealed to me. I'm not sure where I got the idea that this is what Mike's writing is like. I mean, before The Resurrection I'd read all of one short story by him. It probably fell somewhere between these two in feel, but I guess I assumed a novel by Mike would be even more outlandish.
All in all, a very good read. Thinky and surreal.
May 5, 2012
Straight allegories are a rare bird in speculative fiction. Doubtless that’s because they are difficult to write without coming across as either too preachy, or too irrelevant. Plus, the seminal works in this sub-genre, Bunyan’s “Pilgrims Progress” and Hurnard’s “Hinds Feet on High Places” cast such long shadows it is hard for a writer to step out from under them. Tough not to be just another wannabe.
That said, I think Duran did a terrific job with “Winterland.” It reads fast, it has great characters, and it is wonderfully surreal. The cool thing about allegories, if done correctly, is that you never quite know what’s going to happen next—and “Winterland” has that in abundance. The pages flip as you follow Eunice’s quest wherever it may lead.
While I’ll agree with other reviewers that the ending wasn’t earth shattering, it was satisfying enough, especially for a novella. Plus, allegories are as much about the journey as the goal.
I’d also like to note that, for a self-published work, the writing in this book is stellar. Great prose, and maybe only a single typo throughout. Well worth the price of admission. Thanks, Mr. Duran! Twas a fun trip.
That said, I think Duran did a terrific job with “Winterland.” It reads fast, it has great characters, and it is wonderfully surreal. The cool thing about allegories, if done correctly, is that you never quite know what’s going to happen next—and “Winterland” has that in abundance. The pages flip as you follow Eunice’s quest wherever it may lead.
While I’ll agree with other reviewers that the ending wasn’t earth shattering, it was satisfying enough, especially for a novella. Plus, allegories are as much about the journey as the goal.
I’d also like to note that, for a self-published work, the writing in this book is stellar. Great prose, and maybe only a single typo throughout. Well worth the price of admission. Thanks, Mr. Duran! Twas a fun trip.
February 14, 2017
Read this if you like vivid original fantasy! I have never read anything quite like this before! Eunice causes a pileup on a freeway when she runs over a man. What ensues is a journey through a spiritual landscape, a dark down-the-rabbit-hole experience. Can she fight all the personified issues that control her mother (and her) and win? This is reasonably short too which makes it a quick read.
While there are correlations with Christian thinking in some points, the emphasis is on Eunice herself battling her demons.
While there are correlations with Christian thinking in some points, the emphasis is on Eunice herself battling her demons.
May 24, 2018
Like a Darker, More Spiritual Wizard of Oz
Like a darker, more spiritual Wizard of Oz, Mike Duran's "Winterland" takes its protagonist on a quest through another land that ends up being a journey of self-discovery. This is a quick, engaging read that is very difficult to put down. Check it out!
Like a darker, more spiritual Wizard of Oz, Mike Duran's "Winterland" takes its protagonist on a quest through another land that ends up being a journey of self-discovery. This is a quick, engaging read that is very difficult to put down. Check it out!
November 16, 2011
Winterland, a novella by Mike Duran, is part psychological fantasy, part intrapersonal suspense, and part allegorical thriller. Think Pilgrim meets the Phantom Tollbooth, but in Purgatory. The premise works well enough - and has since Dante took his journey of redemption - but as in many allegory-esque tales, the tension slips now and again due to the inevitable and somewhat predictable outcome. (But hey, we all knew Dorothy would return from Oz, so this doesn't necessarily mean this type of story can't work.)
Duran is a solid writer (his novel, Resurrection, is published by Charisma House) and the opening hook pulls you in fairly quickly. Our heroine, Eunice, on her way to see her dying mother, winds up in a car accident on a SoCal freeway. She slips into a between-worlds darker dimension (Winterland being the opposite of the Faery's cheerful Summerland) where she must reach her mother before it's too late! (See what I mean about the tension level? At this point I started skimming a bit to get to the action that never quite reaches a climax.)
Along the way, Eunice has to travel through the Swamp of Mlaise and face her family's generational demons of license, legalism, perfectionism, and regret. While not a straight up Everyman tale, the symbolism is fairly transparent. But again, this isn't necessarily a bad thing, it's just a particular style of storytelling, one that I'm not overly fond of. I'd give it a 6 out of 10, but if you like your morality fables spiced up with a bit of suspense, this novella might be right for you. It's competently self-published and at $2 isn't a bad bargain.
Duran is a solid writer (his novel, Resurrection, is published by Charisma House) and the opening hook pulls you in fairly quickly. Our heroine, Eunice, on her way to see her dying mother, winds up in a car accident on a SoCal freeway. She slips into a between-worlds darker dimension (Winterland being the opposite of the Faery's cheerful Summerland) where she must reach her mother before it's too late! (See what I mean about the tension level? At this point I started skimming a bit to get to the action that never quite reaches a climax.)
Along the way, Eunice has to travel through the Swamp of Mlaise and face her family's generational demons of license, legalism, perfectionism, and regret. While not a straight up Everyman tale, the symbolism is fairly transparent. But again, this isn't necessarily a bad thing, it's just a particular style of storytelling, one that I'm not overly fond of. I'd give it a 6 out of 10, but if you like your morality fables spiced up with a bit of suspense, this novella might be right for you. It's competently self-published and at $2 isn't a bad bargain.
June 25, 2015
Winterland by Mike Duran led me to realize something not-very-pretty about myself: I can be a lazy reader. I arrived at this conclusion when I reached the end and said, "Wait... what?"
The story engaged me, so much so that I sped through the reading. The main character, Eunice, meets an odd assortment on her journey, and I wanted to know who these strange characters really were. In fact, I wanted to know so much that I completely missed it. Ugh.
I knew I shouldn't review or comment on a book that I well and truly did not understand... so I read it again. Slower this time.
It definitely made more sense on the second run. The story bears some thought, and readers who read only to know what happens may find the ending if, like me the first time, they don't take time to chew on some of the ideas.
Some thoughts I highlighted:
A horrible Oz, a ruined Wonderland... Mr. Duran does a fantastic job of creating a world anyone would want to be rescued from.
Recommended for readers of fantasy and allegory, especially those interested in spiritual themes.
The story engaged me, so much so that I sped through the reading. The main character, Eunice, meets an odd assortment on her journey, and I wanted to know who these strange characters really were. In fact, I wanted to know so much that I completely missed it. Ugh.
I knew I shouldn't review or comment on a book that I well and truly did not understand... so I read it again. Slower this time.
It definitely made more sense on the second run. The story bears some thought, and readers who read only to know what happens may find the ending if, like me the first time, they don't take time to chew on some of the ideas.
Some thoughts I highlighted:
A horrible Oz, a ruined Wonderland... Mr. Duran does a fantastic job of creating a world anyone would want to be rescued from.
Recommended for readers of fantasy and allegory, especially those interested in spiritual themes.
October 5, 2018
Relatable
Anyone can find a piece of themselves in this story. We all have our inner demons and how nice would it be to find peace as easily as Eunice's walk through her dying Mother's psyche - to lay to rest the demons that she and her Mother shared. To break the circle.....
Anyone can find a piece of themselves in this story. We all have our inner demons and how nice would it be to find peace as easily as Eunice's walk through her dying Mother's psyche - to lay to rest the demons that she and her Mother shared. To break the circle.....
October 26, 2019
A well done dark fantasy/ allegory with influence from C.S. Lewis' The Great Divorce. I read it in one sitting (my started-reading and finished-reading dates are different because I started at around 10pm and finished after midnight).
I wonder how Joseph got to be the one to guide and help other people through their Winterlands.
God used this book to tell me it's time to stop mourning the loss of what I wanted my life to be.
I wonder how Joseph got to be the one to guide and help other people through their Winterlands.
God used this book to tell me it's time to stop mourning the loss of what I wanted my life to be.
October 29, 2023
A well done allegory!
May 25, 2012
Eunice one day hits a boy with her car. After the resulting pile-up, no sign of him is found. But shortly after she finds him again, and he leads her deep into the psyche of her dying mother in order to save her.
A decent allegory, but trying to drop cultural references like Thomas Kinkade doesn't really work. It jars a bit. The strength is in the description of the odd lands and characters Eunice encounters, but the plot is pretty basic and the novella length doesn't give it that much room to grow. It's a bit of a shame, because it's pretty interesting for both the concept and the world.
I usually treat novellas like these as an introduction to a writer's work. Based on this I'd be interested in checking out his other novels, but as a stand alone novella, it's likable but not really so.
A decent allegory, but trying to drop cultural references like Thomas Kinkade doesn't really work. It jars a bit. The strength is in the description of the odd lands and characters Eunice encounters, but the plot is pretty basic and the novella length doesn't give it that much room to grow. It's a bit of a shame, because it's pretty interesting for both the concept and the world.
I usually treat novellas like these as an introduction to a writer's work. Based on this I'd be interested in checking out his other novels, but as a stand alone novella, it's likable but not really so.
December 2, 2012
Mike Duran's "Winterland" is a supernatural thriller allegory that reminded me in part of "The Great Divorce", "The Return to Oz" and "Silent Hill" (movies) and "The Lord of the Rings". The book may also have reminded me of "Dante's Inferno", if I'd actually read the epic poem (which, in all honesty, I haven't done). "Winterland" is beautifully-written and the characters are well-realised but I didn't connect with them. The premise is interesting and the story thought-provoking but I feel the novella would've benefited from having a few more pages. My story highlights were the first four chapters. The last chapter was also very good. All in all, "Winterland" is better than "The Resurrection" but didn't quite achieve greatness. My rating: 7.5/10.
September 17, 2012
Strengths: effective use of surrealism; vibrant dialog; odd, quirky, irritating and yet strangely likeable secondary characters; great descriptions and "visuals".
Weaknesses: I'm not fully convinced of the main character's sordid past. I realize she's in recovery, but she seemed a bit too recovered in places. Also not sure about some of the present day cultural/media references, because they might reduce the story's timelessness. (Translation: I think this story has staying power, which is one of its strengths.)
Overall, an enjoyable read, especially considering the price.
Weaknesses: I'm not fully convinced of the main character's sordid past. I realize she's in recovery, but she seemed a bit too recovered in places. Also not sure about some of the present day cultural/media references, because they might reduce the story's timelessness. (Translation: I think this story has staying power, which is one of its strengths.)
Overall, an enjoyable read, especially considering the price.
December 3, 2014
This story tugged at my heartstrings. I wept. In my opinion it is on caliber with a C.S. Lewis fantasy. I came to it without having read reviews or a synopsis and I'm glad I did. That is part of the reason why I'm hesitant to go into detail in this review. Only I will say that I highly recommend this story. It is one I will come back to. If you read it I'd love to hear your thoughts.
I read somewhere that a good book reads you. This one did.
I read somewhere that a good book reads you. This one did.
July 5, 2012
uhhh...ok. how great can a "free" book be. it did get interesting at points, but seemed like a story any imaginative 15 year old could write. kind of bothered me that he used the same word "bramble" throughout the entire book. used so frequently it became a joke. (yeah thats just nit-picky, i know) anyhoo, thought the story was ok. glad i'm done. the writing was horrible.
March 28, 2015
Winterland follows Eunice's journey through her mother's spiritual darkness, which leads her to herself. Mike Duran is a seer. He has seen the spiritual side of the world and has aptly described the strongholds that the living are entangled with on a daily basis, due to their choices in life. Winterland also reveals how these same entanglements are handed down to the next generation. Excellent!
October 2, 2011
Really fantastic. Like a wonderfully odd twisting of Alice In Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz and Pilgrim's Progress, with some very vivid imagery and language. Full review and more book details: ISBN, etc, coming soon.
April 5, 2012
Much shorter than The Resurrection yet had a lot more creepy imagery and disturbing nightmaric monstrosities.
August 2, 2014
2 1/2 It Was Okay
December 31, 2012
Good introduction to Mike Duran. I loved the imagery . Will be looking for more from this author.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews