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After

(The Neverway Chronicles #1)

Savannah Jezowski (Goodreads Author)

4.59 · Rating details · 29 ratings · 20 reviews

“Some people might say that there are worse fates than death. In some worlds, perhaps that may well be the case. But in mine, it would be a lie. There is no greater horror than that which comes after death.”

On the streets of an ancient city, with creepers wandering at will and a mysterious assassin leaving corpses all over Pandorum, a young Spook with a dark secret will do ...more

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Paperback, Primary, 370 pages

Published February 28th 2018 by Dragonpen Press (first published December 1st 2015)

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Jan 17, 2019 Kellyn Roth rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: adventurous-books, books-for-adults, books-for-teens, beautiful-exteriors, magical, rating-pg-13, rating-pg, romance-general, romance-clean, romance-squeaky-clean

4.5/5

I'm reading so slow recently, so I'm glad this was a quick read! Not that it was short, but that it was a quick read. *that's difficult to understand* *but y'all know what I mean* Like, it was ... not difficult to get through. xD This is a compliment in case you can't tell!

I definitely enjoyed this book! I am not a zombie person for sure, lol, at least insofar as I've never read a book with zombies in it and the only zombies I've seen in movies are like joking parody-of-something-else zombi ...more

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Apr 22, 2018 Tammy Lash rated it it was amazing

Hi. I’m Tammy and I have a confession. I don’t read fantasy. *Gasp* Hang on. Before you flog me with the hairs from a unicorn’s tail, let me clarify and say that I do read fantasy… I just don’t read-read it. There’s nothing wrong with fantasy—most of my favorite movies are fantasy-based (When a Monster Calls, Jungle Book, Lord of the Rings…)—it’s just not the area that I have ever hit first in Barnes and Noble. It’s the love and adoration that I have for my fantasy author friends that has taught Hi. I’m Tammy and I have a confession. I don’t read fantasy. *Gasp* Hang on. Before you flog me with the hairs from a unicorn’s tail, let me clarify and say that I do read fantasy… I just don’t read-read it. There’s nothing wrong with fantasy—most of my favorite movies are fantasy-based (When a Monster Calls, Jungle Book, Lord of the Rings…)—it’s just not the area that I have ever hit first in Barnes and Noble. It’s the love and adoration that I have for my fantasy author friends that has taught me to backpack through unfamiliar landscapes, and it’s my love of story—good stories—that gives me the boldness to explore. I know that good stories can come from every genre, and After, by Savannah Jezowski, is one of those good stories.

My backpack didn’t feel heavy at all in the world of After—I hiked happily through it three times—and I didn’t get lost wandering the cobblestone streets of the Neverway. The warm glow of the street lamps, and the clippity-clop of horses’ hooves made reading this fantasy historically familiar. I felt comfortably at home. To me, I was visiting the grimy, Victorian world of Oliver Twist. The first chapter warned me, however, that I would have to watch my step. Orphans aren’t the only ones who zig zag through the streets of the Neverway—the undead do, too. The undead shadows of the Creepers stretch over the story and they give it a thrilling, gloomy dark. They aren’t the focal point of the story, however. It’s the Spinners/Spooks who carry the torches here and light the story.

After is an elegantly, dark Christian allegory that shows the power of our Christ to save. Savannah Jezowski built a strong world with themes important to the Christian walk: friendships, brotherhood, forgiveness, redemption…family…, but where Mrs. Jezowski’s pen has done its best work is the artistic flourishes and swoops she created towards character development. Never have I seen male characters so strong in modern literature. The Outsiders, by S. E. Hinton, will forever be my measuring stick towards proper character sculpting and painting, and Eli (Conrad Ellis the Third), Ivan, and Victor stand as tall as Pony Boy, Darry, and Soda Pop. Eli is hands down my most favorite male in Indie literature. Brooding, strong, sacrificial…Conrad is the masterpiece of After. Ivan, the handsome, lighthearted chatterbox with the cool hat, and Victor, the sweet little brother with the nightmares and mysterious friend, are both brilliant, supporting characters.

It’s hard to believe that After is outside of my usual reading genre. What a wonderful lesson for us all to exercise our reading muscles daily by venturing outside of our preferred world. You may be missing out on a new favorite if you stay inside yours. I know for me, I’m glad I have a broken-in backpack. After will be one that I will take off the shelf to enjoy for years to come. ...more

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May 29, 2018 J.M. Stengl rated it it was amazing

Shelves: i-own, fantasy, young-adult-and-up, dark-and-amazing, zombies

I was already a fan of Ms. Jezowski after reading her novella "Wither," from Five Enchanted Roses, but this full-length novel was even better! Darker, richer, more heart-rending, with deep characterization and a vividly written Neverway world.

For a while there I just didn't see how anything could end well, but oh--it did! Not without ripping my heart out, but still it was so good, so . . . right. I love Conrad and would love to read more about him. He is an intriguing viewpoint character, for su ...more

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May 18, 2018 Laura Grace rated it really liked it · review of another edition

4.5 stars

This was a very unique fantasy story! I greatly enjoyed the opening because it started with a spook and him looking for creepers (even though I won't deny I first thought of Minecraft). I hadn't read anything like that before, and as the story progressed, I can honestly say I haven't read a *book* like this before. The premise was extremely interesting.

However, even though I loved the premise, I especially loved Eli and Ivan's relationship! (Well, maybe not all of it, but a lot of it.) ...more

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Jun 28, 2018 Susan Peek rated it it was amazing

Shelves: adventure, christian, epic-adventure, fantasy, suspense, thriller, young-adult

Fantasy is not normally a genre I go for, and zombie stories even less, but I've always had a soft spot when it comes to stories about brothers. So it was with a mixture of hope and doubt that I picked up this novel by Savannah Jezowski. I'd seen some glowing reviews about it on several websites and was curious to find out if it would live up to all the enthusiastic things other readers were saying about it.

All I can say is -- WOW! It went over and beyond my expectations. From the very first pa Fantasy is not normally a genre I go for, and zombie stories even less, but I've always had a soft spot when it comes to stories about brothers. So it was with a mixture of hope and doubt that I picked up this novel by Savannah Jezowski. I'd seen some glowing reviews about it on several websites and was curious to find out if it would live up to all the enthusiastic things other readers were saying about it.

All I can say is -- WOW! It went over and beyond my expectations. From the very first page, Jezowski yanked me by the arm and pulled me straight into the gloomy, foreboding Neverway, where she introduced me to the two main characters, twenty-five year old Conrad Ellis the Third and his seventeen year old stepbrother Ivan Jenks, both of whom would soon steal my heart. The brothers are "spooks", whose job it is to escort "creepers" (the roaming dead) out of the city walls and into the wilderness beyond. That alone could make a compelling, and somewhat chilling, story, but the author doesn't stop there. In fact, the creepers aren't even the main focus of the plot. They linger almost in the background, like a silent threat to keep you on edge through the rest of the enthralling tale.

I admit the first few chapters were a little slow, as the author built her fantasy world and established the characters, but even with a slower pace it held my interest on every page. Once the plot really got going, it was very difficult to put down and kept me up reading into the wee hours for several nights in a row. The last quarter of the book is absolutely un-put-downable. Most of the story is told by Conrad, as he and Ivan are pulled into a life-and-death search for their kidnapped youngest brother Victor. The author has added a fantastic and realistic cast of supporting characters, including Conrad's identical twin Roman and his wife, a disguised princess fleeing for her life, her gentle guardian, a holy healer, a lovable soldier towards the end, and, of course, villains that will make your blood run cold. Their desperate journey to find and rescue Victor, while at the same time keeping the young princess safe, is the main plot, but in a certain sense, the more heartrending conflict is Conrad facing his own inner demons and his relationship with Ivan. More than once I found myself reaching for the tissue box, and the end -- oh my goodness! The end left me with so many mixed emotions, a handful of soppy kleenex, and a new author to add to my list of favorites.

I'm really glad I tried this book. It's clean, enjoyable, exciting, and haunting. Highly recommended. ...more

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Jun 06, 2018 K.J. Simmill rated it it was amazing

Conrad Ellis the Third, or Eli as he was known, was a spook. Spooks assisted the Royal Guard by turning the creepers loose in the Neverway and keeping them outside the city. But Eli had an uncanny sense when it came to them, he could smell the, sense them coming long before anyone else could. He was happy to earn his keep and support his stepfather and brothers. Long had he given up hope on his twin, Roman, obtaining a marker for any of them so they could live a better life deeper in the city. E ...more

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Sep 02, 2019 Michelle VanDaley rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I really enjoyed this dark and creepy story. It was unlike any tihre book I have read and I loved that. The twists and engaing characters had me reading well into the early morning hours. A great book for ny fantasy fan

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Dec 29, 2018 Sam rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I liked this story, something a little different; which lost me in the world were the book is based! Well written & looking forward to the next in the series!

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Mar 24, 2019 Ariel Masters rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Another great book from Savannah Jesowski! I've never seen a plot quite like this, and I've never read an ending quite like the one this book held. But, I must say, I enjoyed the ride.

I think what I loved the most about this story are her characters. Most books I've read with a huge amount of characters lose me. I get names and identities mixed up something terrible. But not with the characters in this tale. I felt I knew each one personally, felt their realness crawling through the page. And, ...more

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May 14, 2018 Claire Davis rated it liked it

I received After by Savannah Jezowski in exchange for an honest review. I have given this book three out of five stars ⭐⭐⭐
At first, I found it quite difficult to get into the story of After, but as soon as you get to grips with the characters and the world that they live in, it soon becomes a book that’s hard to put down.

I really adored a lot of the characters that have been created in The Neverway Chronicles and can only hope that in the next book, more likeable characters join us on their jour ...more

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Aug 30, 2019 Cath rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Conrad (Conrad Ellis the Third or as he prefers Eli) is a Spooker, along with one of his step-brothers, Ivan Jenks. They both work keeping Creepers, those recently dead, who refuse to stay dead (basically Zombies to you and me!) and have to escort them out of town and into the Neverway. The Neverway is a region between towns, lawless and extremely dangerous for unescorted travellers. The Creepers are drawn to noise and movement and can get quite agitated trying to carry out whatever task it is t Conrad (Conrad Ellis the Third or as he prefers Eli) is a Spooker, along with one of his step-brothers, Ivan Jenks. They both work keeping Creepers, those recently dead, who refuse to stay dead (basically Zombies to you and me!) and have to escort them out of town and into the Neverway. The Neverway is a region between towns, lawless and extremely dangerous for unescorted travellers. The Creepers are drawn to noise and movement and can get quite agitated trying to carry out whatever task it is that is keeping them in this world! The two young men also have another younger brother, Victor, who Eli has kept out of the trade so far, but who is getting to an age, that her needs to start working.

The Creeper epidemic is completely random and can attack anyone at any time. There is no knowing who the next victim may be. In addition to Spooks and Creepers, there are also those called Spinners, people with a form of magic, which has been outlawed for years under their current ruler. Anyone suspected of being a Spinner at an early age is taken away and never seen again. Whether the ruler of the kingdom has put them to their own uses or they have been executed is never made clear. The boys all live with Eli’s step-father and the other boy’s real father, an old and worn out drunk, who can no longer work due to injury, but uses most of their earnings to buy alcohol and drugs for his pain! Eli hates living with him, but sees Ivan and Victor as his true brothers and will do everything to keep them safe and to look out for them.

Eli is living with secrets of his own and is the main voice telling the story, although towards the end we also hear the story from his step-brother Ivan. Eli is trying to keep the brothers together as a family since the death of their mother and the useless father they have to look after instead of have looking after them. He and Ivan normally work nights, as this is when the Creepers are most active, but the story starts with their job being bodyguards for a well off lady travelling to see the King as a possible suitor. There is more to her as you will find out in the book and her companion is silent but deadly. The king is looking for a new wife and more power.

Most of the book is about Eli and his brothers and what he is doing to keep them together. Yes, they have to escape from Creepers at times and guide them out of the way, but that is not the whole premise behind this book and the author’s notes give you a good look at what the author was trying to show readers. Eli’s long absent twin brother, Roman and his wife, turn up at their door, Roman is injured and likely to die unless a healer can be found and paid for. He took his wife with him out of the danger they are under, from his latest job for the king’s guard. He had taken on a new job for the King and is to return with his daughter and the woman who allowed her to escape from a secret and safe location. The king’s previous wife and others had been killed by people labelled as Spinners in the Spinner War. He then outlawed them.

If Roman doesn’t return to the inner city and the palace with the two in tow, his life and that of his wife will be forfeit! There are many after this young princess and most want her dead and others want the king dead as well. It seems Spinners may be uprising from the shadows and want to live among the rest of society, not be hunted down and killed. To reach the city centre and the palace and homes of the rich and powerful, people have to travel through different gates and can only travel through gates they have the correct paperwork and tokens for. Before Eli can take his place, their youngest brother Victor is taken and Eli and Ivan are determined to find him and get him back.

Unknown to Eli, some in his family have powers, linked to those of Spinners, yet never discovered at an early age. Is this why Victor has been taken? He was always the one in the family, unlike all the rest. Now Eli and Ivan must find the missing princess, long thought dead as a child and the woman sent to keep her safe, and take them both back to the palace, one with a definite death sentence awaiting her, the other with an unknown future, which doesn’t sit well with Eli, but he has no real options left. If he can survive that long and find his brother, his life will be complete. This book is so much more than you first believe, from the start of the story, right through to the end. I absolutely loved it! I received an ARC copy of this book from Hidden Gems and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
...more

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Aug 15, 2019 Tina rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I really liked this story, although I had trouble getting into it in the beginning by about the midpoint it had me hooked. I keep seeing reviews refering to it as a zombie story, but really that is such a minor element, more of a background/ motivation element, than a true focus of the story.
When we first meet the main character Eli (or Conrad Ellis the Third to be precise), he is a Spook, a member of the guard responsible for catching the undead and returning them outside of the city walls to I really liked this story, although I had trouble getting into it in the beginning by about the midpoint it had me hooked. I keep seeing reviews refering to it as a zombie story, but really that is such a minor element, more of a background/ motivation element, than a true focus of the story.
When we first meet the main character Eli (or Conrad Ellis the Third to be precise), he is a Spook, a member of the guard responsible for catching the undead and returning them outside of the city walls to the Neverway. He has a nose for the job and more often than not he can smell a creeper before he can see it, which works out really well in his line of work. Eli works to free the city of creepers all the while concerned about becoming a creeper himself as he is marked for death by the "affliction", a secret he tries desperately hard to keep to himself. Eli works along side his step-brother Ivan and he is determined that his younger step-brother Victor, will be able to remain free of adult responsibility for as long as possible. His twin brother Roman, was able to secure a marker and leave the lower city and become a member of the high city guards. ( I don't know why but I imagine this world/city like being tiers on a cake, big and large where the poorer people live then progessively getting smaller the more gates you go through and the closer you are to the Emperor.)
It wasn't until the storyline of Eli and Roman collided that I fully became engrossed in the storyline and the world in which it existed. Victor is kidnapped and the ransom required is the girl that Roman has been sent back to the lower city to find, and there is an assassin on the loose who is sucking people dry (and magic is outlawed making this transgression twice as serious) who is also seeking the girl, the Emperor's daughter.

So are there zombies in this book, yes. Is the book focused on zombies, no. It is a book about brotherly love and about what one brother is willing to do to protect and/ or save the life his other brothers. It is believing yourself to be one thing, only to find out you are something completely different. It's about realizing that while love doesn't conquer all, it is a really great motivator.

I received this book free from Hidden Gems ...more

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Dec 18, 2020 Dot rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, paranormal, recommend-reading, mystery

I first read Five Enchanted Roses which introduces you to the Neverway world with a beauty and the beast short retelling from Savannah Jezowski. It was a very cleverly done retelling which was unique and it made me intrigued about digging deeper into that world. I was happy to find out that there was a book that came before the short and one that continues on after. I highly recommend taking a chance on this series.

AFTER is a story that pulls you into brotherly bonds, mystery, a man's journey to I first read Five Enchanted Roses which introduces you to the Neverway world with a beauty and the beast short retelling from Savannah Jezowski. It was a very cleverly done retelling which was unique and it made me intrigued about digging deeper into that world. I was happy to find out that there was a book that came before the short and one that continues on after. I highly recommend taking a chance on this series.

AFTER is a story that pulls you into brotherly bonds, mystery, a man's journey to find himself, light romance and some grisly fighting with creepers (zombie like beings). I found the main character Eli's story to be compelling. He does not have an easy life and he has done the best he knows how to keep his family safe while sacrificing a large part of himself in the process. His journey throughout the book is powerful. You feel his pain, his fears, his uncertainties and his hope that he buries deep inside. There is much self discovery that he goes through.

I loved the relationship between the brothers even though there is not always easy relations. They are all so different yet alike with their loyalty to each other. I also really liked the relationship that developed between Fen and Eli. They each have their pasts but it was a beautiful thing to watch their character growth and the walls that were slowly taken down.

It is a hard but really good story. It is filled with hope for what can be, a hope to change, a hope of becoming a better person and a hope of putting your best into creating a better world. There is also a large focus on when to hold on and when to let go. This book definitely lays the foundation for the ones to come. A world rife with magic, dark mysteries, facing your fears, personal sacrifice and avoiding or fighting creepers and other strange beings. I look forward to the continuation of Victor's story though I am sad to leave Eli behind.

This book does contain violence, some grisly images and death. It also contains some spelling or grammatical errors but it does not detract from the writing.

Please give this book a chance. If nothing else, try out this author. She has a fabulous imagination and a creative way of telling a story. ...more

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Oct 24, 2018 Rayleigh rated it really liked it

Shelves: need-a-physical-copy

After is a fantasy adventure fraught with danger, mystery, suspense, and a race against the clock.

The storyline is tense from the very first page, and though the action may die down in some places, the suspense and mystery never leaves us. It truly is a page turner on all accounts.

I loved Eli. As an eldest child myself, I could feel the responsibilities that he bestowed on himself, the fear and protection he shouldered on behalf of his family, and even the choices he made. He was a very real cha ...more

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Aug 17, 2019 Jessica rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favourites

I love this book! I can't stop thinking about it! I have to say at the beginning I was finding it hard to connect with the main character, though I think it was mostly having just finished reading Savannah other book 'Wither' I was so attached to those characters from that story, that I wasn't giving these new ones a chase. And, to honest, there was a point in the story that I was wondering were this was all going. But as I got deeper in the tale of 'After' I was drawn deeper and deeper, that I ...more

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Aug 18, 2019 Leslie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I receive this book free as an ARC reader for review.

Yes, this book has zombies (creepers), and it has secret magic (spinners), and it has lots of murdered, mummified bodies, but really, it’s a book about family.

Conrad Ellis the Third (Eli) is a spook (creeper hunter) by night. He does it to provide for his family and to protect his spinner brother from any harsher life than the death he dreams at night. Now Eli has “the affliction” and knows it’s just a matter of time before he becomes a cree ...more

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Mar 19, 2019 David Justiss rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, realmie-authors

This is a kind of story I like reading, especially recently: dark, but with sure light. The setting and tone, especially in the first half of the story, reminded me of a fantasy version of Charles Dickens in the way it was dreary and gritty but still with some humor and heart, right and wrong, grays and unknowns. Looking forward to book 2.
(OT: (view spoiler) ...Sorry, that has no ...more

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Aug 18, 2020 Jessica rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Like Dark Fairytale like stories?

The tone of this book fits the cover. Enter into a story of flawed characters, spooks and creepers and find out who the true enemy is. Magic is outlawed with immediate death and the Emperor is looking for a new Empress. There are weird deaths in the lower quarter and a terrified witness. Follow the spook Eli as he finds himself embroiled in a much bigger mystery than a hidden creeper.

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Dec 17, 2018 Addyson Huneke rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

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

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About Savannah Jezowski

Savannah Jezowski

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Savannah lives in a drafty farmhouse in Amish country with her Knight in Shining Armor, who is no less shiny after eight years of matrimony, and a loyal brigade of kitties, who may or may not sleep on the job. Her work has been published in Ray Gun Revival, Mindflights and in the student publication of Fountains at PCC. She is also an author in the Five Enchanted Roses collection. She likes books, ...more