The Nothing Within

by Andy Giesler

Root is... different.

Though raised in a fearful society that reveres tradition and conformity, she’s irreverent, outspoken, and deeply curious. Her blindness sets her even further apart.

Centuries after the Reckoning, a global biotech plague, savage chimeras still threaten human survival. After Root hears a voice that no one else can hear, she flees into the wilderness. Outcast and hunted, she must confront a dire threat to her people--and unravel the mystery of who she really is.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Dystopia, Post Apocalyptic, Horror, Audiobook

552 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 14, 2019

About the author

When I was little, I fell in love with science fiction. (Andre Norton and Ray Bradbury: thank you, wherever you are.) In high school, I fell in love with fantasy. (J.R.R. Tolkien: thank you; even though you were a human, I hope you're in Valinor.)

In college, majoring in computer science made me love science fiction even more, and majoring in philosophy made me love reading a curious assortment of things.

Besides reading, I'm a writer. As you probably know, I have to talk about my author persona in third person. Sorry. I don't make the rules.

In fourth grade, Andy Giesler fell in love with writing. His debut novel, Attack of the Dinosaurs, was seventeen pages long: the heart-pounding tale of Alaskan scientists using nuclear bombs to prospect for gasoline and—as happens all too often—inadvertently waking frozen dinosaurs. Many years later while reading bedtime stories to his kids, he fell in love with writing all over again. This time, he decided to do something about it.

Andy has been a library page, dairy science programmer, teacher, technical writer, and healthcare software developer. He’s a husband, father, and nonprofit web consultant living in Madison, Wisconsin.

Reviews

[Lukasz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not partial to post-apocalyptic stories but Giesler’s fresh and unusual take on the subject won me over. The Nothing Within is the first rural dystopia I’ve ever read.

An apocalyptic event known as The Reckoning has wiped out civilization in North America leaving only few rural communities cut off from the outside world. Their inhabitants live simple lives filled with menial tasks and rarely travel outside their villages. It’s too dangerous as chimeras, violent hybrid creatures, roam the wilds. The reasons for travel include buying food and breeding - interbreeding in a small village would lead to troubles and disabled children.

Root is a blind young woman who struggles to fit in, but she’s too curious and too straightforward for her own good. When she hears a voice in her head, the Nothing within her stirs and gives her serious enhancements (increased speed and strength, and more, but I won’t spoil it to you). The Nothing within is… well, I can’t tell you what it is as the author reveals it near the end of the book.

The Nothing Within blends fantasy with science-fiction. The story develops in two timelines - present and past one. The main arc focuses on Root trying to survive and understand what’s happening to her and who she really is. The other one presents events that lead to the Reckoning. Clues and important data are scattered throughout both narratives. While I appreciate it intellectually I also admit that the past storyline lacked a strong lead with a distinct voice Root has. 

Root is an excellent, if unreliable, storyteller. She often admits that her memory isn’t what it used to be, and it plays tricks on her. We’ll never know if and to what extent the time has warped her recollection of the events. She narrates the story of her life to a gathering of listeners. 

Giesler has created fascinating rustic, spartan, and ordered world shaped by Amish principles, something I rarely see in fiction. I liked the character development as well. Both Root and Ruth Troyer start as weak and naïve, but develop inner strength and become the leaders of their communities. As cliche as it may sound, the skillful use of POV makes it a pleasure to read. The uniqueness of the setting coupled with strong characterization make The Nothing Within intriguing and satisfying. 

Giesler takes time to develop the world and characters, though, so the pacing in the first half-of the book feels off. Things get together well, but you’ll need patience to get through parts of the text. 

While I enjoyed the blend of fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and mystery I also think that sometimes Giesler tried too hard to include a social commentary about dangers of bioengineering and science. I like simplicity but I also choose to believe science can do more good than bad in the longer run. Everything depends on who and how uses it and unfortunately those who have access to powerful tools aren’t always the people for the task.

[Cookie M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is such a nice surprise to start reading a book you expect to just hate and end up loving it instead. That was my experience with Andy Giesler's "The Nothing Within," a post-apocalyptic tale, which, at first glance seems to be full of hackneyed magical tropes and stereotypical yokel folk.

It isn't that at all. It is a future mid-Atlantic America, forced back to a folkloric Appalachian and Amish cross existence due to science run amuck, and the well meaning, but misguided team who tried to set it right. Sounds trite.
Giesler unfolds the tale in a unique way, telling it from the perspective of an itinerant storyteller, traveling the land regaling young ones with her show, juggling, singing and revealing the truth to her audience and us a bit at a time.I
The itinerant storyteller turns out to have been the pivot on which the plot revolves.
I was entranced.

I forgot to say that I received this book free in exchange for an honest review on Goodreads.

[keikii Eats Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

To read more reviews in this series and others, check out keikii eats books!

Warning: weird almost non-consensual, almost consensual sex?


The Nothing Within is not my usual type of story. I just plain don't typically go for dystopia. It just isn't a genre I typically enjoy too much. However, when I do find one I can like, I tend to love it. This was one such book. I loved The Nothing Within for all the things it did that others won't, or can't, do.

Come to think of it, I don't typically enjoy the storyteller narration style, either. Yet, Root telling all that was and all that is and getting around to what is to come? This time, the way Andy Giesler does it, well just worked for me this time It was just plain well done. Root tells her life, or at least a portion of it, within the pages of The Nothing Within. It isn't a pretty nor glamorous life. The way Root tells it, it is just a normal life and she did a few things that weren't so normal.

I really liked the main character, Root. She is great. Headstrong and asks way too many questions that the adults won't (or can't) answer. She is not willing to back down for anything, even though she knows it makes the others fear and hate her. Even when she knows it would be smart, she doesn't. Root is also blind. Which doesn't stop her in whatever she wants to do. Which is typically things that seeing people are afraid to do.

The Nothing Within isn't a happy story. Nor is it depressing, and it didn't send me into despair. In fact, if we are to believe Root, the story just is. Root does a good job of telling the story so that you aren't overloaded with all of the hell she goes through. She just presents the story as if it's just something everyone would go through. It isn't what anyone else would go through, because Root is quite special and way too stubborn, but she is very humble about it. Perhaps too humble, because giiiirl you have gone through some shit. Own it!

The story shifts between past and present, sometimes in the same sentence. There are also two levels of past: root's childhood and the time of Reckoning, when the world broke itself. The distant past is interesting, as we see how society starts to form itself into what we end up with by the time Root is a child. Then there is the time that is "now" when Root is telling the story about her past. Sometimes, Root will talk about both the then and now in the same paragraph, which was a bit confusing when it first started happening. There are also little bits of songs or tales told in between the rest of the narration. The storyteller narration was used well, even if I didn't like it in the beginning it grew on me by the end.

There is one scene about a third of the way through that I just can't get over, and I need to talk about. It involves sex and it is....bizarre. I don't even know how to categorise it.  I nearly quit the book over it, even. Fortunately for the book, and for me, the scene ends "well", even if it left a lasting impression on me. From that scene onwards, nothing else like it comes up again (thankfully), and the book got even better from that point onwards. Just, getting through that scene...yikes!

I just really loved the story in The Nothing Within. I loved the high technology reasons in a low technology world. I loved the way the knowledge has shifted over the millenia. I loved the fact that Root is blind, and she is getting by in a world that is quite hostile to her. I just really liked the book, and I'm glad I read it. Even if I don't typically care for dystopia, I cared for this.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Andy Giesler, Humble Quill LLC, and Netgalley for providing the opportunity to review this copy!

[Sarah]

Third time's the charm...
BR with Dana

[Debjani Ghosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Blog

Once in a while, you come across a book that tiptoes into your heart and resides there forever. Andy Giesler’s The Nothing Within is one such book. It’s a rural-dystopian, science-fiction novel that explores a post-apocalyptic Amish society. This may seem like an onslaught of elephantine concepts, but the novel is steeped in simplicity—both in terms of lexicon and settings.

Told from the perspectives of Ruth Troyer and Root, the novel seamlessly alternates between the past and present. It encompasses the storyteller as well as the journal narration style, both of which are splendidly executed by Giesler. The first half is slow as it lays the brickwork for the World That Is and the World That Was.

I was completely immersed in Giesler’s rustic, spartan, ordered world. The post-apocalyptic world, shaped by Amish principles (the Amish community was able to survive the Reckoning as they could function without modern gadgetry) and fear of innovation, is brought alive by his atmospheric writing that is augmented by a map at the beginning of the book.

Giesler plants enough clues in both the timelines for the reader to form his own theories. This ensured I leafed through the pages speedily despite the slow first half. The pace quickens in the second half, though. He effortlessly weaves together the different threads—and ties up all the loose ends in the process—resulting in an inevitable yet surprising dénouement sans the jaw-dropping, slamming-into-a-lamp-post effect that dystopia/science fiction books do. The epilogue doesn’t present a happy ending, but it isn’t depressing either.

I liked the character development as well. Both Ruth Troyer and Root, naïve and weak at first, battle unprecedented adversities to develop spirits forged in fire and ultimately become the leaders of their communities. Most importantly, the story is exceptional. It’s a refreshingly different take on the post-apocalypse dystopia genre.

This novel would have been a 5-star read for me if not for the slow first-half. Consequently, it takes time to build tension in the plot. A little less flab would have made the book more enticing. With fantastic world-building, solid characters and a unique plot, The Nothing Within is highly recommended for dystopian and science fiction lovers.

I received an eARC from Reedsy Discovery. This does not affect my opinion of this book.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come - First thoughts: Loved the way it wrapped up and the whole mystery came together. Very skillfully woven and given to the reader bit by bit. Still amazed by the amount of writing brilliance it had to have to answer every question I had, but not in an obvious way. But the language tripped me up until I had read for awhile, and I wish it hadn't have been so distracting at times.

[Charlie Wentling · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of the book with no requirement to leave a review.

This was an interesting mix of fantasy and science fiction. It mostly read like a fantasy set in a rural, low-tech village, but there were bits of science fiction sprinkled in. For me, those bits were some of the best parts, and they set up the mystery of exactly where and when the story was taking place. Over the course of the book, Giesler slowly peeled back the onion and answered my questions in a satisfying way.

The main character is Root, a precocious girl who doesn’t quite fit in with her village. Root gets by far the most screen time, and is the best developed character. We follow her as she grows up and comes to a tipping point in her life. Root leaves her village looking for answers, and struggles against overwhelming odds. It’s hard to discuss the plot without spoilers, but it starts off in the usual fantasy tradition, then deviates from it quite a bit.

The story is narrated by an older version of Root, so we know that she (probably) survives her struggles. The narration takes a folksy, somewhat rambling tone, and that adds to the flavor of the story. Giesler does a good job with language throughout the book. I spent some time wondering exactly what a ‘weaver’ and a ‘shepherd’ were in this context, and it was fun trying to guess where the story would go.

There are other threads of the story interspersed with Root’s adventures. One thread is the diary of an Amish woman trying to survive a global catastrophe, and another follows characters in a much more futuristic setting. I enjoyed how all of the storylines converged over the course of the book. There were a number of plot and character twists that I didn’t see coming, and the ending was satisfying.

[Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a beta reader for "The Nothing Within", and I must confess that when I volunteered to read it, I was intrigued by the concept (Amish post-apocalyptic) but a bit apprehensive about the possibility of not liking it. But my curiosity won out over my apprehension, and I volunteered. I don't regret it for a moment.

The story takes place in different time periods. There is a plot thread that starts essentially with the cataclysmic event, and traces the immediate aftermath. There is another thread that follows the development of our protagonist as a young person. Finally, there is a thread in which our protagonist is an old woman. One of the things I particularly appreciated about the writing was the fact that while it is clear that all these threads are connected somehow, the precise ways in which they relate, even with respect to such questions as to how far in the past the cataclysm occurred, are revealed organically and not spoon-fed to the reader. I enjoyed the gradual piecing together of clues, forming theories, and then finally getting confirmation of those theories.

The world building and character development were wonderful, and the pacing and plot were likewise fantastic. After finishing the book, I found myself continuing to think about it. I hope to never have to live in the world of the book, but I would be very happy to go back either for a re-read or a sequel.

[Jay Brantner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very good book, and I’m honestly not sure how it hasn’t picked up more momentum at this point. I’m learning that I’m a sucker for a first-person narration with a strong voice, but this one switches back and forth between first and third, sprinkling in folktales and journal entries from a different timeline, and it’s completely seamless and all incredibly compelling.

This is one of those books that feels like fantasy even though the reader knows full well it’s sci-fi. There has been an apocalypse from technology run amok, and all that’s left are the descendants of an Amish community in Northern Ohio. But most of the story takes place more than a thousand years after the apocalypse, and so nobody really knows anything more than the vaguest hints about the apocalypse, which gives the book the feel of a fantasy novel, even while we know it’s far-future sci-fi.

The main character is a blind girl who asks too many questions for her own good and doesn’t fit well in her society. She has such an easy narration style, flitting back and forth between telling her story and asides to the audience, complete with a country accent, that I can picture Dolly Parton telling the story.

And, while the story takes a little while to set up and get the reader up to speed on exactly what’s going on, both the main character and plot are fascinating. There’s one plot hole that could’ve used a little explanation, and I felt like the pacing between the 25% and 33% points was a bit slow, but they’re comparative minor complaints. Maybe they keep it out of my all-time top five, but it’s still an easy five stars. This book is fantastic.

First impression: 18/20. Full review to come at www.tarvolon.com

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been learning to make pate a choux, which is basically the fancy French word for the dough used for eclairs and cream puffs. Fans of baking shows will recognize this as the dough that t requires biceps of steel. Unfortunately, my choux has been under-whelming for a while, until suddenly the real thing developed before my tired eyes.

Reading books that you don't really like is like tasting uninteresting pate a choux. OK, but only if you don't know any better. A book that captures your attention is a very different thing. My last series of books have been satisfying, but not much else. After all, a book is a book - and therefore always has something of value. But only about two books a year make it into my "ain't nothing else like this" category - which is squarely where this book should reside.

I can't describe the book without giving away so many spoilers. If you are looking for a book that seems unique, that requires the reader to work a little, which has no problems looping back and forth on itself in order to build a point, and which can wring wryness from the dustiest historical journal, then this book will fit the bill. I inhaled it in three days, moving myself off to bed early so that I could continue reading despite blurry eyes. Here's hoping that it will do the same for you.

[Jday · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

Best book I've read in a long time. Immediately engaging, great characters and perfectly pieced together. Never a slow or boring moment. I was disappointed when I found the author has no other books out, but I'm following him on Amazon and I look forward to his next.

[JR · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book on sale and promptly ignored it for the better part of a year. Now that I've read it, I'm both kicking myself for taking so long to pick it up, and seriously considering repurchasing it somewhere else because this book is so good I feel like I ripped the author off buying it for so little.

There's so much I could say about this book that I don't even know where to start.

Personally, I felt the first chapter was a little weak; something about it hit me as a bit too cliche, maybe? And I had pretty low expectations because of it. But things shifted very quickly, and within two chapters I was completely hooked.

I've been fairly frustrated with male authors lately who either write books with no female characters at all, or throw a few in then ruin it by making them useless sex objects. I've started to feel like I'm getting too critical of it, in fact. So it's a pretty big thing for me to say that the women in this book were among some of my favourite fictional women ever written, by a man or a woman. And there were a huge abundance of female characters, with such a vast difference between each of them, as well as beautifully crafted male characters also. I had to keep putting this book down because I wanted to read it all in one go and then it would be over, and I wasn't ready for it to end.

And really, I did not expect to enjoy this book at all. It has a basic premise that's heavily involved with religion, and I steer clear of religious themes entirely. It's a post-apocalypse novel, which I've read too much of this year and am feeling a bit sick of by this point.

But I did enjoy it. A lot. It's up there with my favourite books of the year, possibly of all time. The stylised POVs were excellent, the characters were excellent, the plot was impeccable. Every loose thread was pulled together in such a brilliant way that I consistently found myself on the edge of my seat waiting to see what was next.

Root is the perfect main character, likeable and realistic and with a strong voice. Her storytelling style of narration captivated me, and was a pleasure to read. Ruth Troyer's evolving style as she herself changes was also very well done, and I adored her character and journey. Woodsmith Abram was amazing, especially given the way we learn more of him through Root's perception. The minor characters were always well done. Moments of humour like the Runners with the cart before and after Honeynock were a joy. I want to say that the strongest part of this book were the characters, because they are truly amazing. But the plot is so excellent as well, particularly in how it's slowly trickled in and keeps you guessing, is so well done that it stands easily on par with the characters. Neither outshine the other.

This is one of those times where I finish a book and immediately rush to buy every book the author's ever written, only to be heartbroken by the discovery that this is the only book they've ever written.

I could be here all day complimenting things about this book. I kind of want to be, because when I'm done writing this review I have to try and pick a book to read next and I'm worried anything will feel like a disappointment after this.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really loved this book; the plotline, the characters, and the ending were so well done. Although Mr. Giesler writes with his own voice and is obviously not doing the wanna-be-Tolkien thing, the world-building he did drew me in instantly as few books have done since the first time I read The Fellowship of the Ring (and that was back in the 60s!).

Hope there's a sequel; but even if there isn't, this book stands very well on its own. Highly recommended. Thanks for your art, Mr. Giesler!

[Boris Slocum · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this story quite a lot. It is written in a long-winded and freewheeling style that usually I find abhorrent. Somehow, that same narrative style is part of the charm of the story. The backbone of the narrative is presented in the voice of a young woman from a far distant future, relating her tale in the first person. It switches occasionally to the third person, where other voices work as a sort of chorus. (I find that particular point disconcerting, but it didn't detract terribly from the story.)

I'll not give away any plot points. Part of the joy is piecing together who is who and what roll each person plays in the story. (It is complex and spans many generations.) But I will say the narrator is a funny, charming, and appealing character, who serves as the main protagonist of the tale. She has great grit and determination (both qualities I admire in a main character) and is both unusually forgiving and ruthlessly merciless as circumstance demand. Those shifts of her personality always are natural and understandable.

The science of the story might be difficult to believe, but it is anchored in place by good writing, compelling characters, and great wit and humor.

I generally don't like tales what could even loosely be called Dystopian, but if you do, I think you'll like this. I recommend it.

I read this book thru Netgalley

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was far better than the cover and title would have you believe. It had its issues, but it also did enough to keep me interested for most of the book. It had the self-published feel to it where a stronger editor could easily have cut back a good chunk of filler and help clarify the story, but things were tied up nicely enough by the end to leave on a satisfying enough note.

The world-building was on the weaker end of the spectrum with deliberately confusing elements left dangling for far too long. Most of the fauna felt thrown in for the sake of cheap danger scenes, while even the main threats in the story came across as comical and convenient rather than believable. The world itself was on the generic side which also tried too hard to come across as plausible, and mostly failing. And likewise with the tech elements which seemed wholly designed with the plot in mind instead of being grounded in any sort of common sense.

The writing wasn't great, but it had just enough intrigue and novelty to keep me invested once the story really kicked on around the 20% mark. The storytelling really wasn't very good, mostly due to the formats the author chose to tell the story through. The diary entries were (as is usually the case) very weak and inconsistent, while the 'storyteller' technique used for most of the book had a strong voice, but was held back on pretty much all other aspects. The plot had some decent twists and the middle third was surprisingly strong, but that's not saying much with such poor first and last thirds. That being said, the first half kept me going with its mystery elements while the last half was carried by the likeable protagonist.

Speaking of which, the characters were relatively strong. The protagonist was easy to get behind, even with some grating scenes that could easily have been left out. She had a nice underdog quality while the story managed to balance out her overpowered aspects quite well. The other main character who we got through the diary entries was more interesting and even got a decent arc, but the weak writing on that side severely hindered my enjoyment of that secondary story which could arguably have been cut entirely. The rest of the cast was passable with some stronger and weaker characters serving their functions well enough.

So this 2.5 could really have been rounded either way. The multiple technical issues were somewhat mitigated by the knowledge that this was self-published and so my expectations were suitably tempered on that front. Normally I'm put off by poor storytelling, but the creative elements in both the central mystery and the world mostly made up for those. And so I ended up rounding up because I enjoyed myself more than I expected and found it easier to gloss over the niggly bits. Would I recommend it though? Depends. If you're not as bothered by technical and believability issues, I think there's enough here to warrant giving it a go if the genre and blurb sound appealing.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Nothing Within
by Andy Giesler
A breath of fresh air in a post apocalyptic genre. Based of the idea of technology being mans down fall. This encompassing book looks at the world after technology turns on us. Scientist finding the idea that nano bots could fix the human body is appealing. This book should serve like Issac Asimov, as a caution of mankind's inability to predict the outcome of their achievement. The world has come to a Reckoning. The nano tech with in, can spread from host to host, and some of it is not benign, but malignant in is perversion of the code. Warping the mind and body of its victims, it has become a danger to all men. The robotic parts of the technology ignore their basic code, they ignore their route commands. This is why there needed to be a reckoning, they needed to turn off the nano bots in the world. The balance of control and chaos is difficult. The resilience of human nature, is a testament in this book, the ability of men to pass knowledge from one generation to another through stories. It is the truth of the stories that will enable man to survive.

[Jana Henderson (Reviews from the Stacks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 because Goodreads doesn't do halves.

I knew from the beginning that this would be a difficult review to write. The Nothing Within constantly defied my expectations while I read it, shifting the story from one understanding to another, only to destroy that understanding a few chapters later - it's almost like the story itself is a chimera. But is it one that destroys, or heals?

This is a wonderfully crafted book. Some of the central characters are called Weavers, and like a weaver the author brings together vastly different accounts of the world. Somehow, these accounts successfully merge to become something incredible which held my attention. It is difficult for me to really like many of the characters, as they all show flaws as well as beauty, but they are thoroughly created and work together well.

I was hooked from the very beginning. I loved the process of puzzling out what has happened, who became whom, and what the foreshadowing meant. The vulgarity of the language is a big turn off, almost to the point of abandoning the story altogether, but I had to find out what happened in the end (and, consequently, what had happened before). There are a lot of interesting philosophical concepts sprinkled throughout, if you know what to look for, but they are not so obvious or dry that they take away from the simple enjoyment of reading a novel. I probably will not reread The Nothing Within, but I am glad to have read it once. I've pretty well settled on giving it 3.5 stars on Goodreads, although I would not be surprised if that changes as I continue to think on it. There are certainly people who I would recommend this book to, and others who I would not. I recommend 15 and up due to the combination of vulgarity and deeper philosophical content. Fans of post-apocalyptic science fiction/speculative fiction with a philosophical bent will most likely enjoy The Nothing Within. 

Extended review and other bookish content can be found at Reviews from the Stacks.

[Jon Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable and original.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the prologue at the beginning of The Nothing Within, by Andy Giesler, we see two characters fighting over a terrible decision. It’s not clear until later what that decision is: nullifying all of the advanced nanotechnology in the world. (And it’s not until much later that we find out why those characters made that decision.) Centuries later, a woman named Root tells the story of her life to a group of young children. So much has changed for a society that, these days, is still not allowed to develop any kind of technology beyond 1700s-level. Stories are the only way to pass on knowledge…but it appears that those stories haven’t always told the truth...

Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free coy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.

[TSN ☮ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This was a page turner! It was really hard to put down.

It's a rather thought provoking story about the end of the world.
Told through the voice of two strong women, Ruth Troyer and Root, and even though they lived thousand of years apart, it blended gorgeously.

My opinion? Wow, just WOW.

☛ I requested an advanced copy of this title from NetGalley, and I'm voluntarily making this review.

[Caia_In_Wonderland · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a curious and original take on the dystopian genre. The rural and Amish background in the aftermath of technology going awry (big surprise there) and ... can’t say more not to spoil it.
The writing wasn’t every appealing and I struggled with it but I was very curious to know how the story would play out so I persevered.
I wasn’t dazzled but it was a nice surprise and if you’re into that genre you should give it a go.
I’d say 3.5 ⭐️ leaning a bit towards 3.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well-crafted read

The Nothing Within is a well-crafted book creating a new world out of a land that is familiar to us. It has a host of strong female characters and explores issues like the dangers of technology, curiosity, hope and challenges to religious belief and practice. It honors the value of relationships, the stories we tell and the persistence of the human spirit in challenging circumstances.

[Norm Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/42383...
I was going over Hugo nominated novels. I picked up all of the 2020 nominees. I also picked this up at around the same time. I was busy, didn't do anything with any of them for a few days. Started with this one. I thought it was one of the nominees, and was thinking it could win. I later figured out I had picked it because it sounded good and was highly discounted. It wasn't a nominee. It should be. - liked by the author

https://amazon.com/gp/customer-review...
5.0 out of 5 stars
Few books touched me like this.
Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2020
Verified Purchase
I don't write reviews for Amazon 'cept bad ones because generally they don't publish what I write. It's because I'm telling you how they suck. They aren't fond of those reviews so you don't get to see them. That frustrates me, so I don't do reviews for them anymore.

But I'm writing this one for Andy Geisler and Emily Sutton-Smith, who read most the book to me. I'm writin' it because of the joy they brought to my life in doing this book. I recommend you buy the ebook and the whispersync audiobook along with it.

I think a few authors ought to thank Emily for reading this book too as I've gone looking for other books she's narrated. And Andy, you keep writing.

I loved the story. Even after I was finished listening to it... as all I wanted to know had been wrapped up, I kept on... as I wanted to know the end in regards to Root, one of primary protagonists. You will too. Nice ending.

That, and listening to Emily Sutton-Smith read this book is sort of like being at home with warm soup on a cold night, sitting around a fire, hearing how grandma played games with nothing more than a few feet of string. I was amazed as a kid about that story. I don't know if I'd believe that story if I hadn't been taught to play that game.

Not very often I like a "newly published author". Spent too many years studying writing, so I'm over critical. When you can get me just enjoying the story, you've accomplished something you can be proud of as an author.

The blurb is pretty much what the book is about. Can't.... won't spoil it any further. I will tell you there's a one star review by a fella who didn't finish reading the book. I've got one finger for that fellow. "F bombs". They missed a great story that's really well written.

Congratulations Andy; And Emily, you've made a few other authors a bit wealthier by reading this one! Loved the job you did.
~~~
Read in 5 sessions on April 19, May 3, 5, 6 & 11. Notes: "Absolutely love the narrator!!! Loved the book. 5/11/20 17:59 PM finished Amazon review (stopped what I was doing to do the review!)"

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: The Nothing Within
Author: Andy Giesler
Genre: Dystopian
Rating: 4 out of 5

In 2161, the world changed. The first chimera appeared, and a year later, twelve billion people were dead. Those that remained called it the Reckoning, and as they struggled to survive in their hostile new world—the World That Is—they became different. More withdrawn. Less tolerant of anyone who was different, anyone who might harbor the Nothing within themselves, bringing danger to all inside the walls that encircle their villages.

Root is the daughter of a Weaver—a village guardian—and her blindness isn’t the only thing that sets her apart. So does her curiosity, her questions about everything around her. For the tradition-bound people she knows, that is her worst offense. Until one day Root hears a voice no one else hears, and soon she’s on a journey to find out the truth about herself, her world, and what happened in the Reckoning that shapes who she is now.

It took me a little bit to get into The Nothing Within. Dystopian fiction set in Amish country? I’ve never even considered the idea, and it kept me hooked. The world here is so unique that it kept my attention, even when I was a bit confused early on. Root is a fascinating character. Her blindness doesn’t stop her, and even gives her more abilities than she’d otherwise have. This is a great read for anyone who just wants to settle into a longer story and get to know a new world.

(Galley provided by Humble Quill LLC in exchange for an honest review.)

[Wayne Giesler · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Nothing Within is a post-apocalyptic, dystopian tale with a blend of sci-fi and fantasy.  That’s not the kind of book I usually read, so it was fun getting into a kind of literature I haven’t treated myself to for a long time.

Beyond that specific genre, however, this book is the stories of two strong women, Ruth Troyer and Root.  Neither of them are perfect, but both of them are able to make the tough decisions necessary to right the wrongs in their worlds and to create a better future—even when those decisions come at their own expense.  Giesler presents these women to us by creating two separate yet connected worlds, a century and a half apart, each one vividly replete with sights, sounds, smells, locations, people, creatures, and events ranging from humdrum to heartwarming to breath-taking to gut-wrenching.  

Ruth is quiet and strong.  Root is brash and strong.  I found myself drawn to both of them.

A dramatic moment in Ruth’s world comes when her tiny Amish community is split on whether or not to use lethal measures against the men who are murdering and enslaving them.  Giesler allows both points of view to be expressed by their adherents in a way that left me respecting both sides.

A dramatic moment in Root’s world comes when she finds herself in a bedroom with a total stranger, Daivitt, about to share the first sexual intimacy of their lives—in a world where sex has become depersonalized, utilitarian and devoid of love.   Giesler handles this scene with creativity, candor, discretion—and, yes, humor.  And no, this didn’t end up a hot and sweaty scene that made me squirm.

I like to be kept on the edge of my seat, and so fortunately plenty of the chapter endings in this book left me thinking, “Hmmm…  I wonder how she’s ever going to get out this fix?”  

The story is set in Ohio’s “Amish Country” where I’ve lived since 1970, so it was strangely weird to read the names of towns like Wooster, Millersburg, Berlin, Sugarcreek and New Philly—where collectively I’ve driven hundreds of times over the years.

Without ruining the ending for you, let me say the last page has a word of affirmation for those of us who prefer to forge ahead into the unknown, and for those of us who prefer to stay home and keep the store. 

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a nice surprise! It starts out as a sort of post-apocalyptic story. Then the story fills in a little here, a little there, and we gradually get an idea of what's going on, and what made the world what it was. It goes from a pseudo-medieval sort of fantasy world to a bit more science-fiction-y story.

The heroine is blind, too (mostly blind, anyway - it's all explained in the book.) She's interesting and curious and trouble-making.

There's lots of story-telling going on here, and a few folksy sorts of poems. One of them could totally be a hobbit song!

It's a fairly upbeat story for a time after the end of (most of) the world. Good work, Mr. Giesler!

I read most of this book while I was knitting my mitered scarf. :D

[Morgan Finn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Until The Nothing Within I avoided post-apocalypse sci-fi. It was too scary to think about being so helpless. But that was before I met Root, the determined protagonist, who is down-to-earth enough to be a neighbor. Or even me. Anybody who felt empty, on & off, throughout their life, yet sensed there was something better. There just had to be!

Andy Giesler's seamlessly plotted novel is a page-turner. My heart was often in my throat as I followed Root's journey from one crisis to another because of her cruel, rigid society. A story knit together by arresting and often breathtaking prose, combined with dry wit.

[Susanne49 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is astonishing. I read it in two days, only because real life interfered and forced me to put the book down.
The story is told in several voices and several points in time. The puzzle pieces all fit beautifully, if you pay close attention.
Read the first chapter twice - so you understand where you are and who is speaking. After that, it’s a miracle.
Our library system did not own a copy - I bought it on Kindle for .99! I just ordered the paperback to add to my own bookshelf - then called our library to tell them they needed to get one or more for the system.
I also wrote the author to express my regards. Five stars - seriously.

[Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed it in the end

I nearly gave this book up about a quarter of the way through. I was a little annoyed at the voice, the different POVs didn’t seem to connect, and things were a bit slow to get going.

Then things started coming together.

I couldn’t put it down for the last half. Ended up being fond of the voice, enjoyed making the connections between past and future just before they were laid out in the text, and the last third was suspenseful and exciting and then, finally, a nice sweet ending that punched all the buttons real fast. :)

[Judith Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book. A very novel view of a dysfunctional future and a mystery to unravel. How did we get there? What happened in the past? What happens now? As an Ohioan, it was particularly interesting because it takes place in Ohio Amish country.