Winter World by A.G. Riddle is a science fiction novel that gives the reader both first contact and the next ice age.
Winter World
I love a good post-apocalyptic novel. Civilization as we know it is so fragile. It wouldn’t take much to destroy it all. So have you ever asked what you would do if it all fell apart?
The Long Winter started without explanation. Glaciers forming and advancing. Snow falling at the equator. Citizens of Earth prepared for total extinction.
Their last hope was sending a mission into space to discover why the sun’s output had deteriorated.
I’m not sure they expected to find alien life…
The Characters
There is a robust cast of characters in Winter World, but the two main heroes are Emma Matthews and Dr. James Sinclair. The story is told in two points of view from these characters. I enjoyed the dichotomy of these two. James is a scientist whose biggest crime is not understanding other humans while Emma perhaps understands too much. It’s a great juxtaposition through which the story unfolds.
Post Apocalyptic
I love to see what author’s think up when it comes to the end of the world. I read Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel far too recently considering our own current situation, but I devoured what she had to say about the end of the world. Especially public restrooms. I’ll never look at a bathroom stall the same way again.
So I couldn’t wait to see what Riddle had to say about the end of the world. There were two things I immediately enjoyed about the premise of Winter World. First is that the ice age was so unexpected. Climate change is a very real threat, but it’s expected to go the other way. The earth is supposed to get hotter. The coming ice age was a refreshing twist.
The second thing is that the cause is not natural. The earth isn’t just getting colder without explanation. There’s an external cause for the change on Earth. Meaning the cause of the change can be battled and won against even though the symptoms are a natural phenomenon.
The Science
I appreciated the level of science delivered so seamlessly by Riddle. I write romance novels, so I’m incredibly far removed from the latest science as possibly can be. But I love science. I love discovery. I love that humans are still learning. Riddle expertly handles the science part of this fiction novel with a gentle hand so as not to suffocate the reader.
Final Thoughts
The science coupled with the great characters and sweeping pace of Winter World kept me riveted. I’m very much looking forward to the next installment in this fantastic science fiction series by A.G. Riddle
