What do you think?
Rate this book
A Strong and Sudden Thaw #2
Out of the Ashes
The sequel to A Strong and Sudden Thaw at last! The world after the Ice remains a dangerous place. Callan and David have survived the dragons but rebuilding lives is no easy task. When the army comes to their town to enforce an evacuation, Callan is suspicious about their claims of tainted groundwater and radiation. David feels he must join his family in defending town, even if rebellion means deadly force is needed. Tragedy strikes when the Brethren, a crazed religious order, seeks to control the new world through not only preaching intolerance but forced conversion and torture as well. Can the love between these young men withstand not only distance but betrayal?
308 pages, Paperback
First published June 13, 2010
About the author
R.W. Day
9 books36 followersRebecca Day once had an obsessive teaching career that she has since abandoned for library work. In addition to writing fantastical and mythic tales, she is involved in the Society for Creative Anachronism. She resides in southern Virginia.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
October 12, 2010
This is a tough review to write. On the one hand, the writing is as good as the first book and gets the reader to really connect with the characters. However, caring about the characters is a major downfall since there is a lot of death, pain, torture, suffering, and angst that fill the pages. In fact I didn’t enjoy reading this at all. I’m not sure I’d continue with the series (if there even is more to come) since I honestly don’t enjoy so much human suffering with so little pay off. Unfortunately the happy ending is at the very, very end and honestly it feels like a consolation prize at best. The romantic story between Callan and David feels lessened and unsatisfying.
-Warning this review will contain many spoilers-
The plot of Out of Ashes picks up where it left off in the previous book. The evil, scheming government is determined to empty the town of Moline and remove everyone. The townspeople decide they’re going to fight back and protect their homes. Unfortunately this ends with most of the town dead, including members of David’s family and close friends. Callan saves David from dying through seduction and trickery, acts that enrage David. He angrily hurts Callan and breaks up with him. Thus David is left behind when Callan and the remaining town people are sent off to refugee camps.
This first part of the book is not too bad as far as the dark themes. There is a bit of background so anyone picking up the book can understand what’s going on. David and Callan are reintroduced as happy lovers but with Callan as the more practical, scared one. He’s willing to be selfish to protect David and less invested in the fight over physical space. There is very little post-apocalyptic feel to the world building, which feels more of an old western than anything. This is the same world from book one but without the few additional details since this plot focuses on religion, government corruption, and well torture.
Once the army inevitably wins their battle, the book takes a turn into dark human suffering that continues for the next 200 pages. Once most everyone died in the fighting, Callan is marched north to a camp where he’s kept prisoner. Callan and other men accused of sodomy are treated like animals. They’re purposefully diseased, tortured, abused, ill-fed, and subjected to frequent torture. Callan makes the best of his situation, often turning to another man for physical comfort and assertion of his identity. He doesn’t love this other man and fully believes that David will come for him despite their argument. Callan shows some good strength here as he struggles to find comfort where he can but ultimately that is hollow as he waits for David.
Unfortunately while Callan is suffering in prison, David has his own brand of suffering to go through. Wandering alone as he set out to follow Callan and his family, David comes across a troupe of actors that take him in and decide to help him on his quest. Among the group is an older man named Sterling that David begins a relationship with. Through that relationship David falls deeply in love with Sterling, to a degree that he actually didn’t show with Callan. Though David is determined to find where Callan is and rescue him, he’s besieged with confusion and hope that he and Sterling will be together. In fact David shows more love and forgiveness for Sterling than he ever did for Callan. When David discovers Sterling betrayed him horribly – leading to terrible BDSM torture sessions for David – instead of the anger David offered Callan, David never once turns his back on Sterling. He instantly forgives the man and says that love doesn’t turn off with mistakes. Interesting how David wasn’t so wise with his supposed true love Callan. This scene is one that convinced me David loved Sterling considerably more than Callan, which throws doubt in the main relationship.
David is saved from making a choice between lovers with Sterling’s death but this storyline is bothersome. For starters David seems to prefer to be with Sterling and I think would have likely still been with Sterling even after ensuring Callan was alive and well. The fact that both Callan and David have other lovers is not so much problematic when considering their circumstances but ultimately their reunion feels forced. I didn’t feel that the lovers belonged together anymore, which takes the emotional payoff away after so much dark, depressing action. David offered more grief and angst over Sterling’s death than he ever did thinking Callan might be dead, which made their reunion feels false and like a consolation prize. Since David couldn’t be with Sterling, he may as well be with Callan. Not everyone may read the story that way, but that’s how it seemed to me and not very satisfying.
The other heavy aspect of the book is the religious and governmental corruption. The story doesn’t attempt any subtly at all as it screams over and over how evil religion is and how corrupt the government officials are. The plot is centered around the good, simple people like David and Callan struggling to barely survive in a world filled with evil at every turn. There are some nice complex characters such as the soldier Daniel, who’s filled with weakness and fear yet attempts to do good things in very small doses. The additional characters of the actors are largely misused since they’re not given enough depth to really do justice. They’re interesting people and could offer good counterpoints to the extreme good versus evil plot but other than advancing David’s search, they seem like placeholders.
The writing is incredibly engaging. I couldn’t put the book down even as I didn’t enjoy reading it. I don’t mind dark themes and usually really get into depressing stories if the payoff is big enough. Unfortunately 3 pages of happiness at the end after 200+ pages of death, destruction, pain, torture, suffering, and angst just wasn’t enough emotional satisfaction for me. Again, other readers may not feel that way at all. The style of writing holds very true to the first book with the alternating first person narrator. David doesn’t know proper English so of course he doesn’t speak, think, or write such. Therefore his narrative voice may not suit everyone but I found it immediately engrossing. I enjoyed seeing the actions from both Callan and David’s point of view, their flaws, their strengths, and ultimately a happy ending richly deserved.
That said, this is not a book I’d ever read again and I am bothered that I didn’t like it. However that much human suffering just isn’t my taste right now. Thankfully most of the torture took place off page but the constant mental anguish and affects were just as bad. Once again though each person is different and should decide for themselves.
-Warning this review will contain many spoilers-
The plot of Out of Ashes picks up where it left off in the previous book. The evil, scheming government is determined to empty the town of Moline and remove everyone. The townspeople decide they’re going to fight back and protect their homes. Unfortunately this ends with most of the town dead, including members of David’s family and close friends. Callan saves David from dying through seduction and trickery, acts that enrage David. He angrily hurts Callan and breaks up with him. Thus David is left behind when Callan and the remaining town people are sent off to refugee camps.
This first part of the book is not too bad as far as the dark themes. There is a bit of background so anyone picking up the book can understand what’s going on. David and Callan are reintroduced as happy lovers but with Callan as the more practical, scared one. He’s willing to be selfish to protect David and less invested in the fight over physical space. There is very little post-apocalyptic feel to the world building, which feels more of an old western than anything. This is the same world from book one but without the few additional details since this plot focuses on religion, government corruption, and well torture.
Once the army inevitably wins their battle, the book takes a turn into dark human suffering that continues for the next 200 pages. Once most everyone died in the fighting, Callan is marched north to a camp where he’s kept prisoner. Callan and other men accused of sodomy are treated like animals. They’re purposefully diseased, tortured, abused, ill-fed, and subjected to frequent torture. Callan makes the best of his situation, often turning to another man for physical comfort and assertion of his identity. He doesn’t love this other man and fully believes that David will come for him despite their argument. Callan shows some good strength here as he struggles to find comfort where he can but ultimately that is hollow as he waits for David.
Unfortunately while Callan is suffering in prison, David has his own brand of suffering to go through. Wandering alone as he set out to follow Callan and his family, David comes across a troupe of actors that take him in and decide to help him on his quest. Among the group is an older man named Sterling that David begins a relationship with. Through that relationship David falls deeply in love with Sterling, to a degree that he actually didn’t show with Callan. Though David is determined to find where Callan is and rescue him, he’s besieged with confusion and hope that he and Sterling will be together. In fact David shows more love and forgiveness for Sterling than he ever did for Callan. When David discovers Sterling betrayed him horribly – leading to terrible BDSM torture sessions for David – instead of the anger David offered Callan, David never once turns his back on Sterling. He instantly forgives the man and says that love doesn’t turn off with mistakes. Interesting how David wasn’t so wise with his supposed true love Callan. This scene is one that convinced me David loved Sterling considerably more than Callan, which throws doubt in the main relationship.
David is saved from making a choice between lovers with Sterling’s death but this storyline is bothersome. For starters David seems to prefer to be with Sterling and I think would have likely still been with Sterling even after ensuring Callan was alive and well. The fact that both Callan and David have other lovers is not so much problematic when considering their circumstances but ultimately their reunion feels forced. I didn’t feel that the lovers belonged together anymore, which takes the emotional payoff away after so much dark, depressing action. David offered more grief and angst over Sterling’s death than he ever did thinking Callan might be dead, which made their reunion feels false and like a consolation prize. Since David couldn’t be with Sterling, he may as well be with Callan. Not everyone may read the story that way, but that’s how it seemed to me and not very satisfying.
The other heavy aspect of the book is the religious and governmental corruption. The story doesn’t attempt any subtly at all as it screams over and over how evil religion is and how corrupt the government officials are. The plot is centered around the good, simple people like David and Callan struggling to barely survive in a world filled with evil at every turn. There are some nice complex characters such as the soldier Daniel, who’s filled with weakness and fear yet attempts to do good things in very small doses. The additional characters of the actors are largely misused since they’re not given enough depth to really do justice. They’re interesting people and could offer good counterpoints to the extreme good versus evil plot but other than advancing David’s search, they seem like placeholders.
The writing is incredibly engaging. I couldn’t put the book down even as I didn’t enjoy reading it. I don’t mind dark themes and usually really get into depressing stories if the payoff is big enough. Unfortunately 3 pages of happiness at the end after 200+ pages of death, destruction, pain, torture, suffering, and angst just wasn’t enough emotional satisfaction for me. Again, other readers may not feel that way at all. The style of writing holds very true to the first book with the alternating first person narrator. David doesn’t know proper English so of course he doesn’t speak, think, or write such. Therefore his narrative voice may not suit everyone but I found it immediately engrossing. I enjoyed seeing the actions from both Callan and David’s point of view, their flaws, their strengths, and ultimately a happy ending richly deserved.
That said, this is not a book I’d ever read again and I am bothered that I didn’t like it. However that much human suffering just isn’t my taste right now. Thankfully most of the torture took place off page but the constant mental anguish and affects were just as bad. Once again though each person is different and should decide for themselves.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 5, 2012
I really should not have read this. It was perhaps the worst sequel (definitely the most ludicrous), I have read in a very long time (I don’t say that lightly) and I wish SO badly now that I had not read it. It was bad enough for me that I found it impossible for it NOT to overshadow my feelings about the first novel. It seemed that, here, the author decided to just dump every negative/problematic plot device into this storyline that she could think of and hope for the best: innumerable deaths (many of them senseless), disease, government conspiracy (overkill at this point), torture, religious fanaticism, concentration camps, political intrigue, dubious consent, main characters sleeping with other people, main characters falling in love with other people (really?! In the midst of all this?), faking deaths, murder, dragons, betrayal, theater, military, hardcore homophobia, self-loathing, mass relocation, sexual conversion/conversion therapy, mercy killing… It was a smorgasbord of disaster. Everything was much too much and it became nonsense. I found David’s story to be silly and inane and I found myself falling out of love with him (I was crazy about him in the first book). The author took me full spectrum from loving him in the first novel and rooting for him, to not giving two sparks about him or his situation. And not because he showed “human quality” or “error” (because he did that aplenty in the first novel and I still enjoyed his character). But it was because I truly felt the author no longer cared about what the readers thought or about what she was writing and didn’t even bother to take the time to really write a good quality story. It felt like she just wanted to get something out there. I guess I just resent that and rather wish she had just left me wanting more, instead of churning out tripe.
And I don’t know that the author could have been any more insulting to the reader with some of this stuff. She wrote it in a way that both characters were sleeping with other people at the same time, yet thinking about each other and justifying what they were doing in the most laughable ways. Someone mentioned that they didn’t necessarily feel it was cheating, but they were both planning to “mend” their relationship and neither really felt that they were broken up, so how is it not? They felt like they were still together in their hearts, and literally both guys were thinking about the other WHILE they were with other people and wondering how the other would feel about them sleeping with other people! They continually talked about their anticipated reunions and the things they were going to do. If all that was still so important and sacred, why even sleep around?! I mean, pretending to be master and sub??? Who would even be thinking of cheating or getting their rocks off in the midst of being physically and mentally tortured, beaten, put in concentration camps, being on the run, fighting the government, fighting dragons, killing people, almost being killed regularly, etc….Who has time for sex in the midst of all that? And come on, the plot was so paper thin and poorly written that we really already knew they would be together in the end, so why make the reader suffer through such pointless asides? Why not just concentrate on creating a quality, worthwhile plotline instead of going for cheap, low-budget fluff? It’s like this was written by a completely different person. I would give this one the award for the most WTF?! moments i've ever had in one story, if I could.
Reading this was like a really bad ending to a really good relationship. It starts off wonderfully, but when it goes terribly wrong and it’s over, you think “What the hell did I ever even see in that person?”. I wish I had only read the first one. I definitely stayed at this party too long....Okay, rant over.
And I don’t know that the author could have been any more insulting to the reader with some of this stuff. She wrote it in a way that both characters were sleeping with other people at the same time, yet thinking about each other and justifying what they were doing in the most laughable ways. Someone mentioned that they didn’t necessarily feel it was cheating, but they were both planning to “mend” their relationship and neither really felt that they were broken up, so how is it not? They felt like they were still together in their hearts, and literally both guys were thinking about the other WHILE they were with other people and wondering how the other would feel about them sleeping with other people! They continually talked about their anticipated reunions and the things they were going to do. If all that was still so important and sacred, why even sleep around?! I mean, pretending to be master and sub??? Who would even be thinking of cheating or getting their rocks off in the midst of being physically and mentally tortured, beaten, put in concentration camps, being on the run, fighting the government, fighting dragons, killing people, almost being killed regularly, etc….Who has time for sex in the midst of all that? And come on, the plot was so paper thin and poorly written that we really already knew they would be together in the end, so why make the reader suffer through such pointless asides? Why not just concentrate on creating a quality, worthwhile plotline instead of going for cheap, low-budget fluff? It’s like this was written by a completely different person. I would give this one the award for the most WTF?! moments i've ever had in one story, if I could.
Reading this was like a really bad ending to a really good relationship. It starts off wonderfully, but when it goes terribly wrong and it’s over, you think “What the hell did I ever even see in that person?”. I wish I had only read the first one. I definitely stayed at this party too long....Okay, rant over.
May 2, 2015
I'm so very glad I decided to read this book and didn't get put off by the reviews. I added it to my kindle, removed it, and added it again, before making a start, and in the end I enjoyed it way more than the first book. (and that's saying something)
It's heartbreaking at times and a lot of sad things happen BUT it's so much more than that. It's epic and full of adventure and discovery and also very uplifting. For anyone who read A Strong and Sudden Thaw I beg you to read this follow up. I promise I only cried once and the 'angst' level is manageable and a lot less than some of the other books I've read. AND there is a wonderful, beautiful, happy ever after, which completes David and Callan's story.
It's heartbreaking at times and a lot of sad things happen BUT it's so much more than that. It's epic and full of adventure and discovery and also very uplifting. For anyone who read A Strong and Sudden Thaw I beg you to read this follow up. I promise I only cried once and the 'angst' level is manageable and a lot less than some of the other books I've read. AND there is a wonderful, beautiful, happy ever after, which completes David and Callan's story.
August 29, 2011
I don't like books that are totally predictable. They're boring. I want to be surprised. Surprise is a good thing. This book is surprising. But I am really unsure whether that is a good thing in this case. I have no idea how to rate this book. Is it good? Maybe. Probably. Unfortunately it pissed me off so many times, I am not in any way able to judge. So I'll give it three stars for good measure and head into the spoiler zone to tell you why it pissed me off.
December 8, 2013
A lot of people have already said this, and I have to agree with them... this is a very hard sequel to read. Not because it isn't good. Quite the opposite. It is everything you loved about Thaw - the dark, the sad, the love between David and Callan - multiplied exponentially. I didn't know how it was possible for this story to get darker, but believe me it did. And then, just when you thought things were getting better for our doomed lovers, things get darker still. It seems to be a horrifying downward spiral of bad to worse for these two, and of the pair of them I'm not sure who suffered more, or how they can ever heal from the wounds (though despite the gloomy overtones of most of the book, there is a hopeful/happy ending).
One thing I want to touch on, which I'm sure several other reviews also have, is the subject of cheating.
SPOILERS AHEAD
- both parties are guilty of cheating. But given the circumstances - being ripped away from each other, just after an explosive fight where they believe the other possibly wants nothing more to do with them (this on Callan's part especially), and forced to either endure the winter on your own until the weather warms enough for you to do anything that might get you to your beloved (David, until he meets the theatre troupe) or to be forced into a cruel prison, torn away from the only sort of family you had left and tortured as a means of "treatment" for the homosexual "illness" (Callan) - I'm not surprised that either of them takes whatever comfort they can, even if it is in the arms of someone else.
I believe that sex and love can be totally separate, as in Callan's case. And I believe that, even if you love someone with all of your heart, you can still grow to love another person almost just as much. I think David and Sterling's relationship developed rather naturally. Considering he just lost his entire family, and knew for certain that his father was murdered, it makes sense that he would be drawn to someone older. He was already with Callan, a good 6/7 or so years older than himself. That age difference isn't drastic like 63 and 17, but still. David's type is definitely the more mature, worldly, and educated - and I think Sterling was also a makeshift father figure for him, or that was all he was meant to be. Someone like David himself whom he could go to for advice and find comfort in, and then somewhere along the line he became attracted to him (for an older man, he did sound very attractive!). David never struck me as the vain sort, especially given he's not the most attractive character in the book, so I definitely think it's in character of him to look beyond the age difference and grow to love a person for who they are inside.
That being said, Sterling wasn't exactly the greatest person, which proves that no matter how much time passes and who comes along to try and 'fix' them, people don't fundamentally change unless they makes the conscious decision to do so themselves. I thought it came a bit out of nowhere that Sterling was kind of in-league with Dupree, especially when just a few pages after that reveal he shoots Dupree dead and sacrifices himself so David can escape to rescue Callan. I understand his selfish desire to keep David to himself, but I think it was just a bit rushed between that reveal and his making the ultimate sacrifice for love.
I thought the entire last bit of the book - escaping from Washington, rescuing Callan and getting to New Orleans (and Callan getting over what was done to him enough to sleep with David, whereas the slightest touch at their first reunion was enough to make him sick and freeze up) - was a bit rushed. I would have liked that last bit especially - David helping Callan cope with the torture, nursing him back to physical and mental health - to be expanded a bit more. But I guess I shouldn't complain because, after all the hardships, I was so glad to see these two together again and on the road to recovery somewhere safe.
What I REALLY don't like is how we're left hanging about the whole R&A/Government/Brotherhood conspiracy!!! OK, so yes I agree David should take care of Callan and make sure he gets back on his feet before he goes traipsing across the country to put an end to the government plot, but for him to just COMPLETELY brush it off as no longer his concern? NO. I want justice. I want the Reverand dead, and Hennessy dead, and anyone else involved to pay for it and to get some freaking answers... otherwise, what was all this suffering for? At this point, I feel like everything that has happened has been for nothing. David lost his entire family to horrible deaths (save for one, who didn't stay with him anyways) only to end up in the same position he could have been in if he'd just run away with Callan right after they got together -- only now both of them are a lot more emotionally and physically damaged. Yes they're also rich now thanks to the inheritance form Sterling, but still. They could have made it without the money.
That last paragraph makes me seem a bit harsh, but overall I really did love the book. Could not put the damn thing down, especially when it got towards the end and I just NEEDED TO SEE what would happen and if they would finally get to be together.
I wish there was a part 3 coming out, but it doesn't seem likely considering this author seems to have dropped off the face of the earth. D:
One thing I want to touch on, which I'm sure several other reviews also have, is the subject of cheating.
SPOILERS AHEAD
- both parties are guilty of cheating. But given the circumstances - being ripped away from each other, just after an explosive fight where they believe the other possibly wants nothing more to do with them (this on Callan's part especially), and forced to either endure the winter on your own until the weather warms enough for you to do anything that might get you to your beloved (David, until he meets the theatre troupe) or to be forced into a cruel prison, torn away from the only sort of family you had left and tortured as a means of "treatment" for the homosexual "illness" (Callan) - I'm not surprised that either of them takes whatever comfort they can, even if it is in the arms of someone else.
I believe that sex and love can be totally separate, as in Callan's case. And I believe that, even if you love someone with all of your heart, you can still grow to love another person almost just as much. I think David and Sterling's relationship developed rather naturally. Considering he just lost his entire family, and knew for certain that his father was murdered, it makes sense that he would be drawn to someone older. He was already with Callan, a good 6/7 or so years older than himself. That age difference isn't drastic like 63 and 17, but still. David's type is definitely the more mature, worldly, and educated - and I think Sterling was also a makeshift father figure for him, or that was all he was meant to be. Someone like David himself whom he could go to for advice and find comfort in, and then somewhere along the line he became attracted to him (for an older man, he did sound very attractive!). David never struck me as the vain sort, especially given he's not the most attractive character in the book, so I definitely think it's in character of him to look beyond the age difference and grow to love a person for who they are inside.
That being said, Sterling wasn't exactly the greatest person, which proves that no matter how much time passes and who comes along to try and 'fix' them, people don't fundamentally change unless they makes the conscious decision to do so themselves. I thought it came a bit out of nowhere that Sterling was kind of in-league with Dupree, especially when just a few pages after that reveal he shoots Dupree dead and sacrifices himself so David can escape to rescue Callan. I understand his selfish desire to keep David to himself, but I think it was just a bit rushed between that reveal and his making the ultimate sacrifice for love.
I thought the entire last bit of the book - escaping from Washington, rescuing Callan and getting to New Orleans (and Callan getting over what was done to him enough to sleep with David, whereas the slightest touch at their first reunion was enough to make him sick and freeze up) - was a bit rushed. I would have liked that last bit especially - David helping Callan cope with the torture, nursing him back to physical and mental health - to be expanded a bit more. But I guess I shouldn't complain because, after all the hardships, I was so glad to see these two together again and on the road to recovery somewhere safe.
What I REALLY don't like is how we're left hanging about the whole R&A/Government/Brotherhood conspiracy!!! OK, so yes I agree David should take care of Callan and make sure he gets back on his feet before he goes traipsing across the country to put an end to the government plot, but for him to just COMPLETELY brush it off as no longer his concern? NO. I want justice. I want the Reverand dead, and Hennessy dead, and anyone else involved to pay for it and to get some freaking answers... otherwise, what was all this suffering for? At this point, I feel like everything that has happened has been for nothing. David lost his entire family to horrible deaths (save for one, who didn't stay with him anyways) only to end up in the same position he could have been in if he'd just run away with Callan right after they got together -- only now both of them are a lot more emotionally and physically damaged. Yes they're also rich now thanks to the inheritance form Sterling, but still. They could have made it without the money.
That last paragraph makes me seem a bit harsh, but overall I really did love the book. Could not put the damn thing down, especially when it got towards the end and I just NEEDED TO SEE what would happen and if they would finally get to be together.
I wish there was a part 3 coming out, but it doesn't seem likely considering this author seems to have dropped off the face of the earth. D:
May 24, 2010
Everyone dies. Well not actually, but almost. I was humming another one bites the dust the whole time, and not just because Freddie Mercury is the shiznit.
So you've been forwarned, if you can handle that then this book is pretty awesome. It starts off 6 months to 1 year after A Strong and Sudden Thaw. Things are a bit uneasy between Callan & David. David is training with the militia. Callan is having a hard time adjusting to loosing his arm & the possibility of loosing David in the upcoming fight. I marked this review as having spoilers, but I'm getting ready to outline much of the book, so think twice about reading further.
Anyways, the big bad government/military eventually comes to Moline to get everyone out. With the reasoning that there is radiation in them there mountains from Before. So even though the townsmen had lived there their whole life - everyone needs to evacuate due to possible poisoning. Riiiiiiight. Gotcha Mr. Government ~cough~ bullshit! ~cough~
David & the militia are hiding in the mountains. Benny C (David's dumb shit brother) sneaks around town to visit his girlfriend. Guess who gets caught? Can you guess? It's Benny C!!!
Now here comes the killing part I mentioned earlier. Benny C is to be hanged unless David (who has a warrant) takes his place. dun, dun DUUUUN!!! Only one person in town knows where David/the militia are & sets out to tell him against Callan's wishes. Shortly after that, Daivd & Benny C's Pa comes to town. Benny C is released & they hang Pa. Very, very sad business indeed. David shows up at Callan's house. Zack (who went to tell David about Benny C) never actually met up with David, but met his Pa on the road. So David had come to see if it was true. Callan ended up sort of conning/tricking David into staying a bit longer. He had friended an army private & that private warned him that "it was all going to end tonight". Callan knew if he didn't keep David at the house, he would die with the rest of the militia. So his plans works & he knows that David will hate what he has done.
David goes back to the hide out & it was a massacre. Benny C is now dead along with all the other men :( David & Callan have a fight & end their relationship. Callan drugs David so that he (Callan) can leave town with the rest of the refugees.
David wakes up, heads to the mountain to see the cave/dragons for any info & then plans to track the refugees & get his family back.
Callan ends up in the felon section of the refugee camp, separated from David's family (his Ma & sisters). David ends up travelling with actors to Washington to find the location of the refugee camp.
The dragons, the bullshit is all part of a religious plan. The Brethren's prophet is declaring the end of the ice & needs a revival and signs (dragons, explosions etc...).
David waits out the winter in Washington & finally does get the location of the refugee camp. Callan is pretty much at death's door by this point. He has been tortured & starved. Also, both David & Callan were other other men during their time apart. David even grew to love this other man (who died - well you knew that was coming).
So by the end of the book, there is some hope for David & Callan and maybe a bit less for the country. You know there will be more struggles to come. Definitely room for a 3rd book, but not necessary. I enjoyed this sequel very much :)
So you've been forwarned, if you can handle that then this book is pretty awesome. It starts off 6 months to 1 year after A Strong and Sudden Thaw. Things are a bit uneasy between Callan & David. David is training with the militia. Callan is having a hard time adjusting to loosing his arm & the possibility of loosing David in the upcoming fight. I marked this review as having spoilers, but I'm getting ready to outline much of the book, so think twice about reading further.
Anyways, the big bad government/military eventually comes to Moline to get everyone out. With the reasoning that there is radiation in them there mountains from Before. So even though the townsmen had lived there their whole life - everyone needs to evacuate due to possible poisoning. Riiiiiiight. Gotcha Mr. Government ~cough~ bullshit! ~cough~
David & the militia are hiding in the mountains. Benny C (David's dumb shit brother) sneaks around town to visit his girlfriend. Guess who gets caught? Can you guess? It's Benny C!!!
Now here comes the killing part I mentioned earlier. Benny C is to be hanged unless David (who has a warrant) takes his place. dun, dun DUUUUN!!! Only one person in town knows where David/the militia are & sets out to tell him against Callan's wishes. Shortly after that, Daivd & Benny C's Pa comes to town. Benny C is released & they hang Pa. Very, very sad business indeed. David shows up at Callan's house. Zack (who went to tell David about Benny C) never actually met up with David, but met his Pa on the road. So David had come to see if it was true. Callan ended up sort of conning/tricking David into staying a bit longer. He had friended an army private & that private warned him that "it was all going to end tonight". Callan knew if he didn't keep David at the house, he would die with the rest of the militia. So his plans works & he knows that David will hate what he has done.
David goes back to the hide out & it was a massacre. Benny C is now dead along with all the other men :( David & Callan have a fight & end their relationship. Callan drugs David so that he (Callan) can leave town with the rest of the refugees.
David wakes up, heads to the mountain to see the cave/dragons for any info & then plans to track the refugees & get his family back.
Callan ends up in the felon section of the refugee camp, separated from David's family (his Ma & sisters). David ends up travelling with actors to Washington to find the location of the refugee camp.
The dragons, the bullshit is all part of a religious plan. The Brethren's prophet is declaring the end of the ice & needs a revival and signs (dragons, explosions etc...).
David waits out the winter in Washington & finally does get the location of the refugee camp. Callan is pretty much at death's door by this point. He has been tortured & starved. Also, both David & Callan were other other men during their time apart. David even grew to love this other man (who died - well you knew that was coming).
So by the end of the book, there is some hope for David & Callan and maybe a bit less for the country. You know there will be more struggles to come. Definitely room for a 3rd book, but not necessary. I enjoyed this sequel very much :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 6, 2011
The problem with sequels to books (or movies, or anything, really) you love is that there's always the danger that they might suck. Now, I loved "A Strong and Sudden Thaw" a whole lot, and even though I was very impatient to get the sequel, I ended up waiting four months before finally reading it.
Let me say one thing upfront: "Out of the Ashes" doesn't suck. David and Callan are as great as ever, and the plot is engaging and makes it torture to put the book down (so much so that I asked for a longer break the other day, so I could read a bit longer). But it's definitely a different book than "A Strong and Sudden Thaw" - this one is a lot darker, and I do not say that lightly. It does have a Sophie-approved ending, though, and since I hate unhappy endings with these types of books, that should tell you enough without spoiling.
The spoilers start here: after the events of the first book, Moline prepares for resisting the government's forced relocation. I expected that particular battle to last for the whole book, so I was surprised when that didn't happen and instead all of the town that survived are forced to go to a camp - except for David, who falls in with a band of actors and ends up going to Washington, DC to find out where his family has gone to. We follow Callan's experiences in the camp with the help of his journal, and to say that that part is upsetting is putting it mildly. The living conditions in the camp are horrible, and it is certainly reminiscent of a concentration camp. Callan is put with the other "sodomites", and has to undergo electric "therapy" to "cure" him from his sins.
David's adventures are different, but not that much more pleasant. He ends up having to play the "toy" of a rich politician so he can find out where his family is. He also - and this is admittedly more pleasant - falling in love with one of the actors, an older man named Sterling. And while all this made sense in terms of the plot, it was what I disliked the most. I just don't like infidelity, and while I understand it here, I still don't like it. I also wish the author had left out the kink part - in this context, it's pure abuse, and while, again, it makes sense on the whole - it had to happen to David so he could later understand better what happened to Callan - I still didn't like it.
What I loved so much about the first book was the way David and Callan fell in love. It was very romantic, and lovely, and you won't find that much of that in this book. But their love for each other is still strong, and powerful, and if you can say that a love can grow up, theirs certainly does so.
The first book already was a lot more than a love story, and this book takes that a bit further. But to be honest, that's part of the reason I liked the first book. The overall plot with the religious fanatics and government conspiracies is a thrilling read, and since the end didn't feel very final to me, there might even be another sequel, which I would welcome.
One note about the book itself - I can't say I care too much for the cover design, and there are quite a few spelling mistakes both outside and inside (most notably, Callan is called "Callum" on the cover). It didn't take away any enjoyment from the book, but it's still something that could have been done better.
So overall a good book, and I'm glad I finally got up the courage to read it.
Let me say one thing upfront: "Out of the Ashes" doesn't suck. David and Callan are as great as ever, and the plot is engaging and makes it torture to put the book down (so much so that I asked for a longer break the other day, so I could read a bit longer). But it's definitely a different book than "A Strong and Sudden Thaw" - this one is a lot darker, and I do not say that lightly. It does have a Sophie-approved ending, though, and since I hate unhappy endings with these types of books, that should tell you enough without spoiling.
The spoilers start here: after the events of the first book, Moline prepares for resisting the government's forced relocation. I expected that particular battle to last for the whole book, so I was surprised when that didn't happen and instead all of the town that survived are forced to go to a camp - except for David, who falls in with a band of actors and ends up going to Washington, DC to find out where his family has gone to. We follow Callan's experiences in the camp with the help of his journal, and to say that that part is upsetting is putting it mildly. The living conditions in the camp are horrible, and it is certainly reminiscent of a concentration camp. Callan is put with the other "sodomites", and has to undergo electric "therapy" to "cure" him from his sins.
David's adventures are different, but not that much more pleasant. He ends up having to play the "toy" of a rich politician so he can find out where his family is. He also - and this is admittedly more pleasant - falling in love with one of the actors, an older man named Sterling. And while all this made sense in terms of the plot, it was what I disliked the most. I just don't like infidelity, and while I understand it here, I still don't like it. I also wish the author had left out the kink part - in this context, it's pure abuse, and while, again, it makes sense on the whole - it had to happen to David so he could later understand better what happened to Callan - I still didn't like it.
What I loved so much about the first book was the way David and Callan fell in love. It was very romantic, and lovely, and you won't find that much of that in this book. But their love for each other is still strong, and powerful, and if you can say that a love can grow up, theirs certainly does so.
The first book already was a lot more than a love story, and this book takes that a bit further. But to be honest, that's part of the reason I liked the first book. The overall plot with the religious fanatics and government conspiracies is a thrilling read, and since the end didn't feel very final to me, there might even be another sequel, which I would welcome.
One note about the book itself - I can't say I care too much for the cover design, and there are quite a few spelling mistakes both outside and inside (most notably, Callan is called "Callum" on the cover). It didn't take away any enjoyment from the book, but it's still something that could have been done better.
So overall a good book, and I'm glad I finally got up the courage to read it.
Read
October 24, 2011This is not an easy sequel to like, above all if you loved the first book, and now I understand why, while many friends recommended me A Strong and Sudden Thaw, the release of Out of the Ashes went almost unnoticed. I understand the reason, and I hear all the complaints about cheating, about not being faithful to your lover when you know he is in danger, about the absolute taboo of falling in love with another man (sex is one thing, but love? Absolutely unacceptable!), but again I have to tell readers, take a step back and try to understand the reasons, of the characters and the author.
In the first book, R.W. Day broke a taboo, the main character, David, was “only” 16 years old and he fell in love with Callan, who was 23 years old. Truth be told, I didn’t feel at the time as that was an issue, considering the time and the setting, David was an adult, and Callan was of course still young, their age difference was almost non-existent, if not for the fact that Callan was sexually experienced and David instead wasn’t. To the same readers complaining that David falls in love with another man in this sequel, I’d like to remember that Callan himself had a relationship with another man in that first book. Truth it was not love, but still, it’s not like these two men never looked to another one as soon as they meet each other.
Anyway I highlighted again the age difference since, of the many complaints I heard about this second novel, not one highlighted the fact that Sterling, the “other man” is 63 years old! And David is only 18… so, do you really believe this love is possible? Sure, I’m not questioning David’s feelings for Sterling, but well, I think the author “used” Sterling as an expedient to prove that love is complex, and mostly doesn’t care about age, class and gender, but I have never thought that David and Callan were not destined together.
People complained it was not possible that David really loved Sterling, or that it was not possible that his love for Callan was real; someone saw as “convenient” as David and Sterling’s relationship evolved, since if not like that, there was no way for David to be able to go back to Callan. I simply think there were different love; David looked upon Sterling, and he really loved him, but their differences were clear and big, the love between them was almost reverence, a little like the Greek love were an older one teaches to a younger one the way of life. With Callan instead David has a more balanced relationship, and Callan’s disability (he lost an arm) makes them even more near, almost cancelling their different social status; even the highlighting of how Callan has great difficulty to write with his left hand is a way, to me, to level him to David’s illiteracy or bad accent.
So yes, I’m not sure I would recommend this novel to “all” readers, mostly since it’s a dark romance which doesn’t play according the rules. But if you are aware of that, than I think this one will test your willingness to try something different.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1590210646/?...
In the first book, R.W. Day broke a taboo, the main character, David, was “only” 16 years old and he fell in love with Callan, who was 23 years old. Truth be told, I didn’t feel at the time as that was an issue, considering the time and the setting, David was an adult, and Callan was of course still young, their age difference was almost non-existent, if not for the fact that Callan was sexually experienced and David instead wasn’t. To the same readers complaining that David falls in love with another man in this sequel, I’d like to remember that Callan himself had a relationship with another man in that first book. Truth it was not love, but still, it’s not like these two men never looked to another one as soon as they meet each other.
Anyway I highlighted again the age difference since, of the many complaints I heard about this second novel, not one highlighted the fact that Sterling, the “other man” is 63 years old! And David is only 18… so, do you really believe this love is possible? Sure, I’m not questioning David’s feelings for Sterling, but well, I think the author “used” Sterling as an expedient to prove that love is complex, and mostly doesn’t care about age, class and gender, but I have never thought that David and Callan were not destined together.
People complained it was not possible that David really loved Sterling, or that it was not possible that his love for Callan was real; someone saw as “convenient” as David and Sterling’s relationship evolved, since if not like that, there was no way for David to be able to go back to Callan. I simply think there were different love; David looked upon Sterling, and he really loved him, but their differences were clear and big, the love between them was almost reverence, a little like the Greek love were an older one teaches to a younger one the way of life. With Callan instead David has a more balanced relationship, and Callan’s disability (he lost an arm) makes them even more near, almost cancelling their different social status; even the highlighting of how Callan has great difficulty to write with his left hand is a way, to me, to level him to David’s illiteracy or bad accent.
So yes, I’m not sure I would recommend this novel to “all” readers, mostly since it’s a dark romance which doesn’t play according the rules. But if you are aware of that, than I think this one will test your willingness to try something different.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1590210646/?...
August 17, 2014
Oh, where I begin? This book is gorgeous, caring, smart, touching, horrible, wonderful, everything at once. I had a hard time reading it. I have to be honest it was one of the most difficult one to handle with that I have ever read. It got so bad hold of me that I couldn't put the book down from my hands because I was so scared of what's going to happen to the main characters.
I don't want to spoil a lot but just let me say it will tear your heart into pieces. So, now that I have said it let's get to the book itself. It was very different than what I expected from the first book. I was waiting some happy nonsense you know two boys cuddling and stuff. I was very wrong at that point. But I think it was a good thing. Didn't expect that and it really made me think my thoughts through about many things like gays and religion which probably was one of the authors purposes. I just must say good job with that she succeeded.
I have so much to say but still am aware of not spoiling too much. It strikes deep that I must say. Maybe not so much with everyone but if you are religious it makes you over think your relationship with your belief and I strongly recommend people - not only religious ones - but I think it would do good.
Yea. That is what I mostly have to say. It has made beautifully and I think author understands humanity in many ways. She is a good writer and there is nothing too naïve about this book. Only reason why I didn't give full five is because there is this tiny thingy that it centers on the subject of being gay and hunted for it too much. Which I really hope books with gay people would get over with and start to make stories about different subjects than the homophobia. I dearly hope so. Otherwise it doesn't get to the same level as other books I'm afraid. But if we miss that count, I have nothing bad to say.
Ps. Well actually. Now that I came into that I could add some thoughts about it. Being gay-centered did make some damage to it. She could have opened more other characters too than the homosexuals. I understand that it's important and dear subject but you should keep things on the same level. I never got to understand the village of David or his family that well or his culture. I think the author was so attached to make things look "normal" and loving between men that she forgot the environment around it. I mean it's also important part of David and complements the story. So with that she missed the goal a bit.
I don't want to spoil a lot but just let me say it will tear your heart into pieces. So, now that I have said it let's get to the book itself. It was very different than what I expected from the first book. I was waiting some happy nonsense you know two boys cuddling and stuff. I was very wrong at that point. But I think it was a good thing. Didn't expect that and it really made me think my thoughts through about many things like gays and religion which probably was one of the authors purposes. I just must say good job with that she succeeded.
I have so much to say but still am aware of not spoiling too much. It strikes deep that I must say. Maybe not so much with everyone but if you are religious it makes you over think your relationship with your belief and I strongly recommend people - not only religious ones - but I think it would do good.
Yea. That is what I mostly have to say. It has made beautifully and I think author understands humanity in many ways. She is a good writer and there is nothing too naïve about this book. Only reason why I didn't give full five is because there is this tiny thingy that it centers on the subject of being gay and hunted for it too much. Which I really hope books with gay people would get over with and start to make stories about different subjects than the homophobia. I dearly hope so. Otherwise it doesn't get to the same level as other books I'm afraid. But if we miss that count, I have nothing bad to say.
Ps. Well actually. Now that I came into that I could add some thoughts about it. Being gay-centered did make some damage to it. She could have opened more other characters too than the homosexuals. I understand that it's important and dear subject but you should keep things on the same level. I never got to understand the village of David or his family that well or his culture. I think the author was so attached to make things look "normal" and loving between men that she forgot the environment around it. I mean it's also important part of David and complements the story. So with that she missed the goal a bit.
September 2, 2012
Before even getting this book, I read some reviews. Going into the story, my opinion was colored by the mostly negative reviews this book has received. I will preface this by saying MOST OF THOSE REVIEWS ARE WRONG. The one thing that I do agree with from negative reviews is that, at first, it seems as though the book is written by a different author. David's southern accent is portrayed slightly different, especially in the narration. But that's a small roadblock.
Everything that I've seen other reviews complain about is what makes this a good, believable story. The things that both David and Callan do throughout the story are things that can be completely expected of people in their predicament. Specifically, I'd like to draw attention to David's attraction to another man. First, Callan is the only man that David has been with. It only makes sense that, now parted from Callan, he would fall for another man--since he knows who he is, that being a homosexual. Before, Callan was, for lack of a better phrase, David's only option.
While I found the most troubling thing about this book to be the fact that a different publisher published this as the first book and the editing could be better (random punctuation, sometimes in the form of quotes around narrated text, that made it distracting to read), I loved absolutely everything else about this book and story.
So I say to you, you can't count on the negative reviews to base your own opinion on. As with everything, this book is a matter of personal taste. I encourage you to read the reviews of this book (or any) before reading it but then I invite you to read a few chapters at the very least before forming your own opinion.
Everything that I've seen other reviews complain about is what makes this a good, believable story. The things that both David and Callan do throughout the story are things that can be completely expected of people in their predicament. Specifically, I'd like to draw attention to David's attraction to another man. First, Callan is the only man that David has been with. It only makes sense that, now parted from Callan, he would fall for another man--since he knows who he is, that being a homosexual. Before, Callan was, for lack of a better phrase, David's only option.
While I found the most troubling thing about this book to be the fact that a different publisher published this as the first book and the editing could be better (random punctuation, sometimes in the form of quotes around narrated text, that made it distracting to read), I loved absolutely everything else about this book and story.
So I say to you, you can't count on the negative reviews to base your own opinion on. As with everything, this book is a matter of personal taste. I encourage you to read the reviews of this book (or any) before reading it but then I invite you to read a few chapters at the very least before forming your own opinion.
July 27, 2011
A Strong and Sudden Thaw literally blew me away, but the follow up Out of the Ashes unfortunately did not have the same effect.
The problem I had with this book was the amount of suffering, pain, and death that just kept coming and coming throughout the book, it was really depressing. Sometimes it was just way too much for my taste and I just longed for something positive to happen to the characters.
The book was still extremely well written, and the characters very human and real. One of the things I loved so much about the first book was David's innocence. However, I found that it was lacking a great deal in this book, but I suppose this was the by-product of him growing up. I also could not enjoy his relationship with Sterling, the age gap was just way too extreme for me.
I don't think I'll be reading this book again, but A Strong and Sudden Thaw is one I will go back to many times.
The problem I had with this book was the amount of suffering, pain, and death that just kept coming and coming throughout the book, it was really depressing. Sometimes it was just way too much for my taste and I just longed for something positive to happen to the characters.
The book was still extremely well written, and the characters very human and real. One of the things I loved so much about the first book was David's innocence. However, I found that it was lacking a great deal in this book, but I suppose this was the by-product of him growing up. I also could not enjoy his relationship with Sterling, the age gap was just way too extreme for me.
I don't think I'll be reading this book again, but A Strong and Sudden Thaw is one I will go back to many times.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2021
This book is, somehow, harder than the first. Our two main characters are put through even more, even worse, hardships.
This time, we get Callan's point of view as well, in the form of the journal he keeps. So we get chapters of his journal, and chapters from David as we had in the first book. I enjoyed that, since I adore Callan, and we still get David's point of view, too. I love the way David is written; it's easy to hear him speak in your mind.
In the course of the story, Callan and David get separated, and not necessarily on good terms. Callan is shipped off to a prison camp, and David (thanks to Callan) is somehow spared by the army, and so sets off to find Callan and his family. David meets with a traveling theater troupe, and they take him with them. Soon, they're invested in David's journey to find his loved ones, and help him along the way.
David ends up in Washington to wait out the winter (since he can't travel above the ice line where Callan and his family are being kept), while Callan endures atrocities in the prison camp. This is where this book gets a lower rating than its predecessor; I was so angry with David through this part! While in Washington, he falls in love with a man three times his age, Sterling. I remember liking Sterling a lot when I read this book the first time, about ten years ago. But then, I was closer to David's age then, and it does feel pretty flattering when an older man likes you when you're young like that. Given that Sterling admits he's manipulated people in the past, and the fact that David is so young, and Sterling told him frequently how attracted to him he was before they were together (even kissing him even though he knew David was on a journey to save his lover), it feels a lot like David's being... groomed, I suppose is the word. Looking at it that way, it reads a bit different.
So, while David is in Washington, he makes a deal with a senator in order to get the location of the camp Callan has been taken to. In exchange, the senator gets to use him as a sexual plaything every Friday until the spring. The senator is someone from Sterling's past, and each time he abuses David, he says he's doing it to get back at Sterling.
Both of David's lovers do something that ends up taking away his choice, but the differences are really telling; Callan, before the army killed David's militia and marched the town of Moline into the refugee camp, stalled David in his house. Knowing that the military was going to kill the Moline militia, he made love to David in his house, keeping him away from the rest of his troops. David later realizes what Callan did, that by keeping him away he spared him, while the rest of his troops were murdered. Knowing that David would be furious with him, Callan then gives David a draught that would knock him out, keeping him out of the way while the rest of the citizens (Callan included) are rounded up and taken away. David would have been killed if he'd been found.
Sterling, on the other hand, kills the senator after David's months with him are up before he can tell David the location of the camp where Callan and his family live. He admits this to David, and later admits to letting the senator tell him all about the abuse he piled on David and being titillated by it. He then admits that he killed the senator because he didn't want David to know the location of the camp, because he didn't want David to leave. He wanted David to stay with him and forget Callan and his family.
So on one hand, we have Callan, who tricks David in order to keep him alive while the rest of his troops are killed. Even knowing that David would probably hate him for it, Callan just wants to keep David alive, whether David loves him or not. Had Callan not done this, David would have died along with his troops.
On the other hand, Sterling kills a man to keep David from leaving and finding Callan and his family. He wanted David to stay with him and abandon his other love. Had Sterling been successful in keeping David from finding the location of the camp, he would have essentially condemned Callan to a slow death (and knew that that was a possibility, since David's whole mission was to save Callan).
One man just wants David to live whether he stays with him or not, the other just wants him to stay with him and forsake his family. It's pretty easy to see which man had nobler intentions.
Maybe I'm just biased because I adore Callan, lol.
In the end, Sterling sacrifices himself so that David can escape Washington and go find the camp, so he probably really did love David. It's hard to remain angry with David when you see how much he's being manipulated both by Sterling and the senator, and remember how young he is. (Though, there's a part where David remarks about how good it is that Sterling can make love to him with two hands, unlike Callan, who lost his arm in the first book.... low blow, man.)
Meanwhile, Callan has been starved and tortured, on top of being branded and convicted as a sodomite in the first book... and all the while, he's holding out hope that David will come save him, always loving him, even with the possibility that David wont love him back.
David does come rescue him, in the end, and still loves him dearly. David learns that saving the world isn't on his shoulders, and that he can just be a person, and go make a life for himself and Callan. Callan has a lot of healing to do, but we know David's going to be there for him from now on. We get a nice little epilogue about them having a house in New Orleans, David seeing the ocean for the first time, and the two of them finally being able to dance together without being punished.
While I like it less than I liked the first book, I still really enjoyed this one; even with the parts that made me mad lol. It was good to finally get a happily ever after for David and Callan. Good lord, they've both been through so much, they deserve it.
This time, we get Callan's point of view as well, in the form of the journal he keeps. So we get chapters of his journal, and chapters from David as we had in the first book. I enjoyed that, since I adore Callan, and we still get David's point of view, too. I love the way David is written; it's easy to hear him speak in your mind.
In the course of the story, Callan and David get separated, and not necessarily on good terms. Callan is shipped off to a prison camp, and David (thanks to Callan) is somehow spared by the army, and so sets off to find Callan and his family. David meets with a traveling theater troupe, and they take him with them. Soon, they're invested in David's journey to find his loved ones, and help him along the way.
David ends up in Washington to wait out the winter (since he can't travel above the ice line where Callan and his family are being kept), while Callan endures atrocities in the prison camp. This is where this book gets a lower rating than its predecessor; I was so angry with David through this part! While in Washington, he falls in love with a man three times his age, Sterling. I remember liking Sterling a lot when I read this book the first time, about ten years ago. But then, I was closer to David's age then, and it does feel pretty flattering when an older man likes you when you're young like that. Given that Sterling admits he's manipulated people in the past, and the fact that David is so young, and Sterling told him frequently how attracted to him he was before they were together (even kissing him even though he knew David was on a journey to save his lover), it feels a lot like David's being... groomed, I suppose is the word. Looking at it that way, it reads a bit different.
So, while David is in Washington, he makes a deal with a senator in order to get the location of the camp Callan has been taken to. In exchange, the senator gets to use him as a sexual plaything every Friday until the spring. The senator is someone from Sterling's past, and each time he abuses David, he says he's doing it to get back at Sterling.
Both of David's lovers do something that ends up taking away his choice, but the differences are really telling; Callan, before the army killed David's militia and marched the town of Moline into the refugee camp, stalled David in his house. Knowing that the military was going to kill the Moline militia, he made love to David in his house, keeping him away from the rest of his troops. David later realizes what Callan did, that by keeping him away he spared him, while the rest of his troops were murdered. Knowing that David would be furious with him, Callan then gives David a draught that would knock him out, keeping him out of the way while the rest of the citizens (Callan included) are rounded up and taken away. David would have been killed if he'd been found.
Sterling, on the other hand, kills the senator after David's months with him are up before he can tell David the location of the camp where Callan and his family live. He admits this to David, and later admits to letting the senator tell him all about the abuse he piled on David and being titillated by it. He then admits that he killed the senator because he didn't want David to know the location of the camp, because he didn't want David to leave. He wanted David to stay with him and forget Callan and his family.
So on one hand, we have Callan, who tricks David in order to keep him alive while the rest of his troops are killed. Even knowing that David would probably hate him for it, Callan just wants to keep David alive, whether David loves him or not. Had Callan not done this, David would have died along with his troops.
On the other hand, Sterling kills a man to keep David from leaving and finding Callan and his family. He wanted David to stay with him and abandon his other love. Had Sterling been successful in keeping David from finding the location of the camp, he would have essentially condemned Callan to a slow death (and knew that that was a possibility, since David's whole mission was to save Callan).
One man just wants David to live whether he stays with him or not, the other just wants him to stay with him and forsake his family. It's pretty easy to see which man had nobler intentions.
Maybe I'm just biased because I adore Callan, lol.
In the end, Sterling sacrifices himself so that David can escape Washington and go find the camp, so he probably really did love David. It's hard to remain angry with David when you see how much he's being manipulated both by Sterling and the senator, and remember how young he is. (Though, there's a part where David remarks about how good it is that Sterling can make love to him with two hands, unlike Callan, who lost his arm in the first book.... low blow, man.)
Meanwhile, Callan has been starved and tortured, on top of being branded and convicted as a sodomite in the first book... and all the while, he's holding out hope that David will come save him, always loving him, even with the possibility that David wont love him back.
David does come rescue him, in the end, and still loves him dearly. David learns that saving the world isn't on his shoulders, and that he can just be a person, and go make a life for himself and Callan. Callan has a lot of healing to do, but we know David's going to be there for him from now on. We get a nice little epilogue about them having a house in New Orleans, David seeing the ocean for the first time, and the two of them finally being able to dance together without being punished.
While I like it less than I liked the first book, I still really enjoyed this one; even with the parts that made me mad lol. It was good to finally get a happily ever after for David and Callan. Good lord, they've both been through so much, they deserve it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2012
Altogether, it's a brilliant novel, and I give it an unreserved 5 stars. R. W. Day is a great author, and I was honored to share some time in David and Callan's world. So much "literature" out there with gay characters is tawdry or campy; it's a gift to have a book told from a gay perspective that's this powerfully written and beautifully crafted. I enjoyed it very, very much.
Though be warned.... This novel is considerably darker than the first one. Considerably. The author puts the characters, especially David, in some truly dark and abusive situations. But that's as much as I'll say on that! I'd still go back and read it again; and the basic, inner hope of the story outshone the darkness.
Though be warned.... This novel is considerably darker than the first one. Considerably. The author puts the characters, especially David, in some truly dark and abusive situations. But that's as much as I'll say on that! I'd still go back and read it again; and the basic, inner hope of the story outshone the darkness.
February 15, 2013
David wasn't perfect in the first book, but I loved him anyway - in this one the character completely lost me. Virtually his whole world and everyone in it, is destroyed, but the only thing he seemed to grieve for was Sterling. Massive betrayals totally forgiven in single sentences... a very convenient solution - no, sad to say, the writing just lost me completely - which *was* sad, because I LOVED the first book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 12, 2017
What a disappointment. What was the author thinking with this sequel compared to the first one?!
November 21, 2020
This is definately a captivating, emotional and disturbing book with punctuation and spelling errrors and some parts that feel rather unrealistic, and I am not talking about the fictional postapocalyptic setting.
Right from the start it becomes clear that the happy ending of the prequel is of short duration. The military arrives and forces the residents of Moline to relocate. The few villagers that hadn't left inbetween are planning armed resistance. The handicapped Callan remains in the village as a civilian, while David becomes the leader of the guerrilla troop that is hiding in the hills. So the paths of the two lovers separate in the first chapters and the story is then about what happens to each of them.
It's utterly sad to see what's happening, also because David and Callan are going to experience terrible things which can be quite triggering to many readers. So it is not really an enjoyable ride, I'd even say, some of the messages of the books are very questionable, but you'll be kept on tenderhooks right up until the last chapter. At least that one is a happy one.
If you loved the first book "A Strong and Sudden Thaw" because of the relationship between Callan and David you will be heartbroken for most of this story. Unfortunately, it is not because you will be pining away after each other with them.
TRIGGERS:
The plot contains a lot of physical and emotional violence, abuse and tortue disguised as some kind of one-sided BDSM.
SPOILER:
After things in Moline found their ending David wants to reconnect with Callan. He knows he's been brought to a military camp in the north where queer people are in great danger. Unfortunately, he has to wait until the winter is over and he needs to find out where exactly the camp is. So he stays with a group of travelling actors and ... well... let's say his interests change rather quickly and with each passing week the reader fears a bit more that he will give up on his first love altogether.
Right from the start it becomes clear that the happy ending of the prequel is of short duration. The military arrives and forces the residents of Moline to relocate. The few villagers that hadn't left inbetween are planning armed resistance. The handicapped Callan remains in the village as a civilian, while David becomes the leader of the guerrilla troop that is hiding in the hills. So the paths of the two lovers separate in the first chapters and the story is then about what happens to each of them.
It's utterly sad to see what's happening, also because David and Callan are going to experience terrible things which can be quite triggering to many readers. So it is not really an enjoyable ride, I'd even say, some of the messages of the books are very questionable, but you'll be kept on tenderhooks right up until the last chapter. At least that one is a happy one.
If you loved the first book "A Strong and Sudden Thaw" because of the relationship between Callan and David you will be heartbroken for most of this story. Unfortunately, it is not because you will be pining away after each other with them.
TRIGGERS:
The plot contains a lot of physical and emotional violence, abuse and tortue disguised as some kind of one-sided BDSM.
SPOILER:
After things in Moline found their ending David wants to reconnect with Callan. He knows he's been brought to a military camp in the north where queer people are in great danger. Unfortunately, he has to wait until the winter is over and he needs to find out where exactly the camp is. So he stays with a group of travelling actors and ... well... let's say his interests change rather quickly and with each passing week the reader fears a bit more that he will give up on his first love altogether.
January 30, 2011
It's a testament to the author's skill that this book still angered me weeks after reading it.
I loved the first part, "A Strong and Sudden Thaw" , and couldn't wait to read "Out of Ashes".
While I had many, many problems with the developments in this book, I will definitely pick up any future work by this author.
I loved the first part, "A Strong and Sudden Thaw" , and couldn't wait to read "Out of Ashes".
While I had many, many problems with the developments in this book, I will definitely pick up any future work by this author.
December 5, 2011
I quite enjoyed this sequel to A Strong and Sudden Thaw. the action went beyond the boundaries of Moline and into other parts of the United States. Unlike some other reviewers I was not terribly unhappy with the fact that both Callan and David were unfaithful to each other. They were separated in different parts of the country and actually had parted on bad terms. Neither of them could know if they would ever see each other again, although they both hoped that they would and David was actively working to find out where Callan and his family were located. I just think that the fact that they fell in love with/had relations with other people is understandable under the circumstances. I thought the premise of the book was pretty good...why most of the country was in pretty much perpetual winter. I would have liked if the author had done an epilogue letting us know if the country ever did get back to a normal "before" climate, although it was intimated that the weather was a tricky thing to change.
Overall,I really enjoyed this book and the author's writing.
Overall,I really enjoyed this book and the author's writing.
September 26, 2011
Compared to the first book of the series (A strong and sudden thaw) there is less of a love story, but more of a speculative fiction story. In this book the author starts to explain why the world is like it is, and what cause the ice now dominating the US.
Overall it is a good read. The two main characters, Callan and David, split the writing providing different perspectives as well as two concurrent stories within the book. Both of these characters go through many trials before the end. Some seems contrived, especially for David, but the story moves along and the potential for a third book is there.
If your looking for the same good feeling love story of the first book of the series you'll likely be disappointed but if you'd like to find out more about the working of the world created in the first book you'll likely enjoy the second volume of the series.
Overall it is a good read. The two main characters, Callan and David, split the writing providing different perspectives as well as two concurrent stories within the book. Both of these characters go through many trials before the end. Some seems contrived, especially for David, but the story moves along and the potential for a third book is there.
If your looking for the same good feeling love story of the first book of the series you'll likely be disappointed but if you'd like to find out more about the working of the world created in the first book you'll likely enjoy the second volume of the series.
November 22, 2011
(I read the ebook version of this book, and there were some typographical issues that may or may not have been present in the print edition.)
As the second book in the "Thaw" series, it took a much darker tone. In much the same way that Lord Of The Rings builds on The Hobbit, Out of the Ashes is sometimes very difficult to read -- especially if you've grown fond of some of the characters. It is also a far more graphic book in its depiction of sexual acts and violence.
I also found the point-of-view swapping awkward at first. I got to love David's world through his perspective. Switching into Callan's journal at first felt like a different book. But, as I got used to the back-and-forth and the contrast between their two worlds, the distraction diminished.
That said, it was far more compelling work with its raw realism and deeper nuanced characters.
As the second book in the "Thaw" series, it took a much darker tone. In much the same way that Lord Of The Rings builds on The Hobbit, Out of the Ashes is sometimes very difficult to read -- especially if you've grown fond of some of the characters. It is also a far more graphic book in its depiction of sexual acts and violence.
I also found the point-of-view swapping awkward at first. I got to love David's world through his perspective. Switching into Callan's journal at first felt like a different book. But, as I got used to the back-and-forth and the contrast between their two worlds, the distraction diminished.
That said, it was far more compelling work with its raw realism and deeper nuanced characters.
September 7, 2010
Gods so far I'm reading this in every spare moment I have and its Killing me! Each time I have to stop it is at a point where some grand terrible thing is about to happen and it's not just one point in the story. Its EACH. BLOODY. TIME. It's as if the author is saying ' Today was pretty bad for you guys wasn't it? Don't worry so much. This is a war, tomorrow will get worse.'
Much darker than the last story and if it weren't for my good health I would be playing sick and going home early to finish it!
---
Now that I've finished..it's odd. For one it is totattly different genre from the first. A few things were annoying or not interesting to me...
Much darker than the last story and if it weren't for my good health I would be playing sick and going home early to finish it!
---
Now that I've finished..it's odd. For one it is totattly different genre from the first. A few things were annoying or not interesting to me...
August 6, 2012
Be warned: This novel is considerably darker than the first one. Considerably. The author puts the characters, especially David, in some truly dark and abusive situations. But that's as much as I'll say on that!
Altogether, it's a brilliant novel, and I give it an unreserved 5 stars. R. W. Day is an exceptionally talented author, and I was honored to share some time in David and Callan's world. So much "literature" out there with gay characters is tawdry or campy; it's a gift to have a book told, from a gay perspective, that's this powerfully written and beautifully crafted. I enjoyed it very, very much.
Altogether, it's a brilliant novel, and I give it an unreserved 5 stars. R. W. Day is an exceptionally talented author, and I was honored to share some time in David and Callan's world. So much "literature" out there with gay characters is tawdry or campy; it's a gift to have a book told, from a gay perspective, that's this powerfully written and beautifully crafted. I enjoyed it very, very much.
November 16, 2010
I really loved the first book, and was really exited about the second. however, i know that there was a chance that the second book will not be as good as the first. well, I didn't need to worry. OUT OF THE ASHES is beautiful, and so human. the characters are fantastic, and the story keeps developing.
I loved the world building and the ending was great.
those two books are rare among all the M\M books that are out there, and really are no better than porn.
I really hope for another book in this amazing series.
10 out of 5 stars, for sure.
I loved the world building and the ending was great.
those two books are rare among all the M\M books that are out there, and really are no better than porn.
I really hope for another book in this amazing series.
10 out of 5 stars, for sure.
August 28, 2014
This was a good and well written book but I did not like it much. The first part was better. I don't even know what to say about this sequel. I guess there was a point in all the pain and torture the characters went through but at times I felt that all that happened in this book somehow lessened the first one. I was battling with myself whether to give this 2 or 3 stars but ended up giving 3 because I can't honestly say it wasn't a good book. I just wish it had been different. I liked the characters in the first book and hoped for a better story for them.
August 17, 2013
This is a sequel to A Strong and Sudden Thaw, taking place soon after the first book finished.
Once again, it follows the adventures of David and Callan.
This is a darker story, with plenty of betrayal and bloodshed.
Don't expect tremendous subtlety (the baddies are easy to spot) but my interest rarely waned.
The author, R. W. Day, has plenty of opportunity to continue the story and I am sure she will.
Once again, it follows the adventures of David and Callan.
This is a darker story, with plenty of betrayal and bloodshed.
Don't expect tremendous subtlety (the baddies are easy to spot) but my interest rarely waned.
The author, R. W. Day, has plenty of opportunity to continue the story and I am sure she will.
December 9, 2018
This is the second book of Day's that I've read and I enjoyed this one as much as I enjoyed the first book, A Strong and Sudden Thaw. There's adventure, love, betrayal, and tragedy. A little depressing depending on your mood when your reading it, but powerful with messages.
January 2, 2011
After giving it some time to digest, I've come to the conclusion that I just don't know what to think of this book. I just don't know.
November 22, 2011
I wish the book ended with just what Book 1 offered. Too many died in the second book. Too depressing.
January 21, 2013
A tough read, but worth it
June 7, 2015
Darker than the previous book and I have to say I enjoyed that one much more. There were also a lot of typos in this one.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews