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Darkness Lifting
A nation devastated by an EMP. Two women; one outcome.
After joining a new settlement, Anna Greene and her sister think they’ve found a safe haven, but when an old enemy shows up everything is thrown into chaos.
Christine Hughes and her son have struggled to survive alone, now they get one final chance at safety. When supplies go missing and dissent runs through the community, can Chris trust the instinct that has kept her alive so far?
Both women are fighting for their families, and this settlement is their only chance.
Darkness Lifting is the explosive finale in this gripping post-apocalyptic EMP trilogy filled with flawed, complex characters and psychological suspense.
This survival series is perfect for fans of character-driven stories and those looking to read about strong women who don't back down when the odds are stacked against them.
After joining a new settlement, Anna Greene and her sister think they’ve found a safe haven, but when an old enemy shows up everything is thrown into chaos.
Christine Hughes and her son have struggled to survive alone, now they get one final chance at safety. When supplies go missing and dissent runs through the community, can Chris trust the instinct that has kept her alive so far?
Both women are fighting for their families, and this settlement is their only chance.
Darkness Lifting is the explosive finale in this gripping post-apocalyptic EMP trilogy filled with flawed, complex characters and psychological suspense.
This survival series is perfect for fans of character-driven stories and those looking to read about strong women who don't back down when the odds are stacked against them.
218 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 7, 2021
3 people are currently reading
2 people want to read
About the author
Leif Spencer
11 books11 followersLeif Spencer grew up in Switzerland where she was happiest hiking in the mountains.
She now lives in England where she writes and occasionally argues about plot with her dogs.
She's an only child, who gets irrationally angry at the English wind blowing in her face when she's out walking.
When she's not writing, she loves to cook but apart from that would struggle during an apocalypse because she relies on technology too much. To make up for that (and for being a tiny woman) she runs, climbs, and lifts weights.
Find her on Facebook @lspencerauthor or sign up to her mailing list to be the first to find out about new releases. Not only will you receive the occasional freebie, but there might be dog pictures.
The End We Saw is her debut series.
She now lives in England where she writes and occasionally argues about plot with her dogs.
She's an only child, who gets irrationally angry at the English wind blowing in her face when she's out walking.
When she's not writing, she loves to cook but apart from that would struggle during an apocalypse because she relies on technology too much. To make up for that (and for being a tiny woman) she runs, climbs, and lifts weights.
Find her on Facebook @lspencerauthor or sign up to her mailing list to be the first to find out about new releases. Not only will you receive the occasional freebie, but there might be dog pictures.
The End We Saw is her debut series.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 10, 2021
DARKNESS LIFTING is the finale in this post-apocalyptic trilogy. Another shorter book that can easily be blitzed through over an afternoon or two, Leif Spencer has gone to great lengths to wrap up the story in a satisfying way.
I always worry about final books in trilogies or longer series. Will all the questioned be answered? Will all the plot threads be wrapped up? Will everything make sense? Be believable? Will characters be able to complete their development arcs? etc. etc.
Thankfully, DL does not disappoint.
I don’t read an awful lot of post-apocalyptic books, and the few I have read tend to be full of gung-ho, macho, prepared people who seem to be lifted directly from action films. Military-trained or survivalist specialists who leap in to take charge, don’t get affected by what’s happened, and save the day for everyone.
Leif Spencer’s books are the opposite. Spencer writes about real people dealing with terrible situations, who act in believable ways. Trauma WILL affect people in both the long and short term, and the apocalypse is a pretty traumatic event!
Spencer has never shied away from writing about the darker side of humanity (as was clear in her THE END WE SAW series) - in horrible situations, people will do bad things. Very often these people will feel they are doing the RIGHT thing, or will justify their actions to themselves and others.
Morality comes in different flavours of grey, and all of those are touched on not just throughout the series, but in this book itself.
Onto the story - we follow our two protagonists, Anna and Christine, as they are flung back together due to circumstance. Both are very different people from where they last encountered one another, and the power dynamics have certainly shifted. No longer is Anna the innocent, naive young woman who is easily manipulated and taken advantage of. No longer is Chris the intimidating, dominating survivalist.
Both are willing to do what it takes to survive and look after their family, but the lines they will or won’t cross have definitely shifted. It makes for especially tense reading (in fact “tense” is how I’d describe all three books).
There are elements of humour (and even romance) scattered throughout to ease some of the constantly growing tension, which provide a nice relief, but the whole book is very clearly building towards a sensational climax. It didn’t disappoint.
We have more “typical” post-apocalyptic setup in DL, with group dynamics, an established settlement, and a number of people working together (or trying to, at least) to keep themselves alive. There are threats from all directions, and navigating issues of trust, compassion, and redemption are common throughout.
Both Anna and Chris’s journeys are gripping to watch, and their growth from book one until now is staggering. I have to say that the unsung hero for me is Tom, who is Chris’s fourteen year old son. He was rather weak, moody, and mildly irritating in the first book. He began to come into his own in the second. In the third, he is someone I was constantly rooting for. His story is nothing short of gut-wrenching.
Overall, this series shows that the apocalypse is not some great action film where enough guns and bottled water will save you. It shows the very real psychological torment that it will cause in people. It does not shy away from the suffering, pain, and deaths. It dives deep into the human psyche and shows all the emotions that people will experience.
As always, I’m a fan of stories set in the UK. This one takes place in Essex, so if you’re from there, you’ll recognise plenty of locations that are mentioned, which is always a nice bonus.
Highly recommend if you want your apocalypse a little darker, a little more realistic, but never losing sight of hope and the goodness it can inspire in people.
I always worry about final books in trilogies or longer series. Will all the questioned be answered? Will all the plot threads be wrapped up? Will everything make sense? Be believable? Will characters be able to complete their development arcs? etc. etc.
Thankfully, DL does not disappoint.
I don’t read an awful lot of post-apocalyptic books, and the few I have read tend to be full of gung-ho, macho, prepared people who seem to be lifted directly from action films. Military-trained or survivalist specialists who leap in to take charge, don’t get affected by what’s happened, and save the day for everyone.
Leif Spencer’s books are the opposite. Spencer writes about real people dealing with terrible situations, who act in believable ways. Trauma WILL affect people in both the long and short term, and the apocalypse is a pretty traumatic event!
Spencer has never shied away from writing about the darker side of humanity (as was clear in her THE END WE SAW series) - in horrible situations, people will do bad things. Very often these people will feel they are doing the RIGHT thing, or will justify their actions to themselves and others.
Morality comes in different flavours of grey, and all of those are touched on not just throughout the series, but in this book itself.
Onto the story - we follow our two protagonists, Anna and Christine, as they are flung back together due to circumstance. Both are very different people from where they last encountered one another, and the power dynamics have certainly shifted. No longer is Anna the innocent, naive young woman who is easily manipulated and taken advantage of. No longer is Chris the intimidating, dominating survivalist.
Both are willing to do what it takes to survive and look after their family, but the lines they will or won’t cross have definitely shifted. It makes for especially tense reading (in fact “tense” is how I’d describe all three books).
There are elements of humour (and even romance) scattered throughout to ease some of the constantly growing tension, which provide a nice relief, but the whole book is very clearly building towards a sensational climax. It didn’t disappoint.
We have more “typical” post-apocalyptic setup in DL, with group dynamics, an established settlement, and a number of people working together (or trying to, at least) to keep themselves alive. There are threats from all directions, and navigating issues of trust, compassion, and redemption are common throughout.
Both Anna and Chris’s journeys are gripping to watch, and their growth from book one until now is staggering. I have to say that the unsung hero for me is Tom, who is Chris’s fourteen year old son. He was rather weak, moody, and mildly irritating in the first book. He began to come into his own in the second. In the third, he is someone I was constantly rooting for. His story is nothing short of gut-wrenching.
Overall, this series shows that the apocalypse is not some great action film where enough guns and bottled water will save you. It shows the very real psychological torment that it will cause in people. It does not shy away from the suffering, pain, and deaths. It dives deep into the human psyche and shows all the emotions that people will experience.
As always, I’m a fan of stories set in the UK. This one takes place in Essex, so if you’re from there, you’ll recognise plenty of locations that are mentioned, which is always a nice bonus.
Highly recommend if you want your apocalypse a little darker, a little more realistic, but never losing sight of hope and the goodness it can inspire in people.
September 17, 2021
Human beings are unpredictable
Good and evil, hate and love, courage and betrayal are all within some humans. We never really know how we will respond to situations until we are in them. I enjoyed this series. The author should have done a little research about vegetables. One does not pick potatoes. They are a root plant like beets and carrots. They must be dug up like peanuts. Green beans peas, corn and leaf lettuce is picked.
Good and evil, hate and love, courage and betrayal are all within some humans. We never really know how we will respond to situations until we are in them. I enjoyed this series. The author should have done a little research about vegetables. One does not pick potatoes. They are a root plant like beets and carrots. They must be dug up like peanuts. Green beans peas, corn and leaf lettuce is picked.
July 11, 2021
Another excellent adventure in this exciting British EMP end of the world story! I did really enjoy this, something a little different, nice to have some twists & turns to the experience! Well written & good plot ideas. I will look forward to the next episode & can't wait to find out what happens!
November 1, 2021
Tough Road Ahead
A very real look at the character, weaknesses and strengths of those caught in an apocalyptic crisis. All 3 books are exceptional.
A very real look at the character, weaknesses and strengths of those caught in an apocalyptic crisis. All 3 books are exceptional.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews