Ashen Winter (Ashfall) (edition 2012)

Ashen Winter was kindly provided to me by Netgalley for Tanglewood Press.

"If we're going to die anyway, I want to die with you. And if we live, I want to live with you."

Ashfall was one of my favorite reads of 2011 and after reading was promptly added to my Goodreads shelf 'full-of-wonderful' so suffice it to say I was pretty ecstatic to finally get my hands on the follow-up story. I don't go all fangirl often but fangirl I did for Ashen Winter.

The story of Alex and Darla and the search for his parents in the harsh winter world the planet has transformed into continues! Ashen Winter maintained authenticity despite the crazy (and at times incredibly creepy) things that occurred. With the transformation of the world, the people that managed to survive begin resorting to any method to maintain their existence including cannibalism and human slavery. Was it pretty? Heck no. Was it jaw dropping at times? Oh yes. Did it fit completely with the horrible state of the world? Absolutely. Mike Mullin’s has created a dystopian world that really manages to get under your skin because of how unnervingly realistic it all is.

The characters continue to develop well and I still love Darla to death. Darla is the brains of operation ‘survival. Alex totally would have been a goner months ago without Darla there to save his ass. She’s the one that gets things done. She’s a total badass and she’s not even trying. She’s a powerful and strong-willed character that you can’t help but admire. And… that’s the reason for my 4 star review (compared to my 5 star review of Ashfall). Darla wasn’t even introduced in Ashfall until mid-way through the book or so but I had no idea what an integral part of the story she had become until she wasn’t there. No spoilers but it’s mostly Alex for the vast majority of the book and Darla was sorely missed. I think that even though I didn’t agree at the time, in retrospect I think it was important for Alex to go through what he did alone since it really helped him grow as a character. A few new characters are introduced that I quite liked but they were certainly no Darla. Fingers crossed for more Darla-time in book 3.

Thrilling and action-packed, Ashen Winter was a fantastic follow-up that fans of Ashfall will enjoy (even though admittedly it does have a teensy bit of middle-book syndrome, but honestly, I don’t think that can be helped. I personally think it’s the mentality that readers have (I know I’m guilty), knowing that there is only one book left since it’s a trilogy we want the conclusion and we want it now, dangit!). But regardless! I’m a huge fan and cannot wait for the final conclusion.
(Hey Mike – Don’t kill Darla, please. Thanks. –Your Biggest Fan)

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You must read Ash fall first. It elaborates the struggle of surviving the eruption. It also shows Alex’s unwavering love and devotion to Darla. It has an immense aspect of suspense and occasionally will make you want to throw it down, but has the trill and suspense to keep you reading to the end can’t wait for the sequel. I read this book because as good as Ash fall was, I just have to read the sequel. I just have to finish the story of Alex’s life.

Alex and Darla have survived for months on Uncle Paul's farm, but when bandits attack them and seem to have information about Alex's parents, he's determined to travel back to Iowa to find them. Darla and Alex's journey back is even more perilous this time around, with gangs of cannibals and overzealous government contractors staking out every road. I really liked the sequel to "Ashfall," but the situations that Alex and Darla get themselves into felt less believable to me this time around. Mullin is not afraid to get graphic in his description of violence and sometimes it can be a bit too much. Overall, this is still a highly entertaining and suspenseful book. ( )

It has amazing details, realism action, and it plugs directly into your emotions. Alex is the man everyone wants to be when everything gets messed up. I read this book because I read the first book and lobed it.

Originally reviewed on A Reader of Fictions.

Ashen Winter is massive for a YA book, but don't let that put you off of reading this series. The 570 pages go by very quickly. I read most of this in just one evening. Mullin's book is jam-packed with action, explosions, cannibals, fighting and car chases. If you liked Ashfall, you will love Ashen Winter for its even colder vision of the future.

The thing that I love most about this series is Darla. She is straight up awesome. I also love that she was written by a male author. Alex is strong and does a lot of cool stunts in Ashen Winter, but he knows that his girlfriend is stronger and more capable than he is. And he loves it. You know I love a powerful heroine, and I love even more when people respect her for that strength.

Of course, this brings me to my second point: if I were Darla, I would have dropped Alex's ass so fast. The boy is like a magnet for destruction. He has all the worst plans. You can pretty much assume that anything that he has he will either give away or lose before he hardly gets to do anything with it. Except for his physical capabilities, the boy has no damn survival skills. Worse, he reacts entirely on instinct, without considering the inevitable consequences. People you don't know about to be attacked and you don't have weapons? Clearly you should step in. This could not possibly end poorly. Oh wait, yes it will, every single time. The journey is pretty much detour after detour as Alex continually makes the wrong choices.

One of the most monumental logic fails is the basic premise for Ashen Winter. In case you don't remember, at the end of Ashfall Darla and Alex finally made it to his Uncle's farm in Warren, only to discover that his parents' had set out to search for him. Bandits attack the farm and happen to have the gun Alex's dad was using. Thus, Alex decides that he simply must go hunt for his parents. This irritated me so much, because going to find people was what got us into this situation in the first place. Had his parents not gone searching for him, they would all be together now. The parents know where Warren is, and you don't know for sure where they are, so STAY PUT.

Despite my issue with Alex and his (lack of) reasoning, I really enjoyed reading Ashfall from beginning to end. Mullin's world building continues to be excellent and make me sincerely hope something like this doesn't happen (at least in my lifetime). Cannibalism has increased. Not only that, but as towns that were previously friendly run increasingly low on food, they begin to attack other towns. It's a person eat person world out there.

Adding some spice to Ashen Winter are a host of new characters. Although initially skeptical, I came to really appreciate Alyssa, who could have been a terrible stereotypical slut-shaming character. I hope to see her really develop in the next book. I also really enjoyed Ben, Alyssa's autistic and strategically brilliant brother. There are a couple of other folks that turn out to be surprisingly interesting, but I'll leave those for you to find and enjoy.

Readers that like their dystopias full of action will not want to miss out on Mullin's Ashfall Trilogy. I highly recommend this series to those who enjoy David MacInnis Gill's Black Hole Sun. ( )

I loved this book. It’s very realistic and will research. The struggle to survive is apparent, but is has a love story woven into the fabric of the story. I read this book because it’s the second book in the trilogy and I had to know what happens. I can’t wait until the third book comes out.

Ashfall set a pretty high standard and Ashen Winter is just a little under the bar -- but not much. You know why I didn't LOVE it as much? There wasn't enough Darla.

Other than that, great read. These books really show you the bad side of people -- the do anything to stay alive and throwing away all humanity side -- but also the good in people.

While this one isn't quite as great as the first, it's still a fantastic series (SUPERVOLCANO, GUYS!). I can't wait to see the skies clear a bit for them in the next book -- I mean, it has to right? A volcanic winter wouldn't last forever, would it? And rumor has it the next book is Sunrise. That sounds hopeful to me.

Progress
01/27 page 576 100.0% "Fantastic series."
01/27 page 58 10.0% "Reading this reminds me of how ill-prepared I am for the end of the world. I need to learn how to stitch someone up, grow a veggie garden, and work on my bartering skills." ( )

First, this review does contain spoilers for Ashfall. Please be warned.

The circumstances of Ashen Winter should never have come about and I could never truly get into the story while thinking that. Alex risked life and limb to make it Illinois, only to find out his parents are no longer there. That’s rough. It was a punch in the gut at the end of an emotional journey. I, emotionally, understand why Alex announced he was going after them, but logically I can’t parse the actual decision to go.

Six months after the devastating volcanic eruption in Yellowstone and the world is struggling to recover and Alex and Darla have it better than most. Alex’s uncle’s leg is mostly healed, the kale harvest is doing spectacularly, they have animals, meat, and plenty of hands to work the farm. Darla’s invented “Bikezilla”, a half bike/half snowmobile that makes it much easier to get to town. They’re valued members of the community, friends with the doctor, respected by Alex’s aunt and uncle. They’re still at great risk for infection, hypothermia, or any number of diseases, but let me reiterate. In the new world, Alex. Has. It. Good.

And then the bandits show up and fuck it all up. One of the bandits has Alex’s dad’s shotgun and that sets Alex back on his quest to go find them. It’s a pointless quest, serving only to bring unnecessary tension to a story that had its resolution. Despite going out better prepared, with Darla, by the end of the first day Alex has lost all the supplies and we’re back to the start. Struggling to survive in a barren landscape, every move feels like a retread. They end up in the same cities, facing the same shadowy government forces, fighting the same brand of bandits. Except this time we do it backwards!

The book majorly suffers from the loss of a main character. The new characters introduced can’t hold a candle to them and it shows. It also takes away a lot of the survival aspects when 6 people can’t figure out how to rub two sticks together. Again, it felt like pointless biding of time until the conclusion, an emotional punch that didn’t leave me sad, but angry. Because, yes Alex, it really is all your fault. Next time stay home with the geese. ( )

post apocalyptic. no graphic gore scenes. cannibalism discussed and worried about. sex scenes are fade away - no graphic descriptions. ( )

Great reading for any age. ( )

Mike Mullin is a genius. Ashfall was the best book I read in 2011 and I couldn’t wait for Ashen Winter. So needless to say I was super excited when I got the chance to read it last year.

Going into it I was a little worried I would be disappointed since I loved the first book so much, but in the end I had nothing to worry about. Ashen Winter is amazing. The writing, the plot, and the characters were all just as incredible in this one as they were in the first book. However there were a couple of times that I found it predictable but I was still happy. The predictability didn’t take anything away from the story. Ashen Winter had me smiling and laughing out loud at times, and other times I wanted to scream and pull my hair out.

If you haven’t read Ashfall, please go pick it up and get Ashen Winter while you are at it because these books are the best. ( )

A great sequel to Ashfall! It's not often that the second book in a series is as well written than the first but Ashen Winter has done just that. This book was full of plenty of action and the pacing was excellent. I'm looking forward to the conclusion of this amazing series! ( )

Ashen Winter is the second book in the dystopian series Ashfall by Mike Mullen. The series is set after a super volcanic eruption at Yellowstone plunges the United States into chaos and follows teenager Alex Halprin as he tries to find his girlfriend, Darla, who has been kidnapped by a cannibalistic gang, and his parents, in the dangerous post-eruption world. I have to admit I haven't read the first book, Ashfall, but was surprised how easy it was to get into this as a stand-alone story. There were a few references to the events in Ashfall but they were written in a way which meant those who hadn't read the first novel could flow the story easily.

Ashen Winter is the best book I've read in a long time, I literally could not put it down. The book flows brilliantly with just the right pace to both cover the details and move the story along. There are some fantastic moments of suspense, such as when Alex becomes trapped in a cannibals garage. Alongside some very poignant emotional moments - where you really feel for Alex and his companions - there were a few tears shed whilst reading it. One of the great aspects of Ashen Winter is the excellent characterization, each character is fully fleshed out, believable and with their own take on the situation. The plot was utterly realistic, there were no miracle recoveries from injuries or lucky breaks, and I was really pulled into the story. The ending was satisfying and wrapped up the story nicely, whilst leading onto the third, as yet unpublished book.

Overall, a fantastic book for fans of dystopian fiction, and one which I think would also do well as a young adult read. It doesn't matter if you have not read the first novel, it makes a good stand-alone story, although I've already ordered a copy of the first book and will be keeping my eyes peeled for the third due 2014.

[A ARC was provided by NetGalley] ( )

At the end of Ashfall Alex and Darla had successfully made it to his Uncle’s farm, but some of his family is missing. It’s been six months and Alex has started to worry. In Ashen Winter he and Darla are off again to find the rest of his family. Once again they are in survival mode, packed with supplies for the end of the world as they navigate the snow and even more perilous conditions then before. There are gangs of cannibals, FEMA camps that are taking survivors into treacherous conditions for increased government funding, and whole towns are set to go to war just to have a place called home.

Alex tries to be mature, but as a sixteen year old boy he still makes stupid decisions, decisions that can cost a lot in this new world. I like reading about Alex, but sometimes I just want to yell at him. This series of books is beyond action packed. It is a long book, but a book you want to keep reading. Just like an action movie there are a lot of scenes that are hard to believe and seem implausible, maybe because they are, but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying they story. The characters, even the very minor, are all interesting: the little old librarian in one of the towns, an autistic military genius and his co-dependent sister Alex meets on the road, and even a dim witted cannibal. The Ashfall series is very memorable and even though it is sometimes graphic for YA it is a thrilling read. ( )

I loved the first book in this series detailing the ensuing chaos when a super volcano explodes under Yellowstone park and envelopes the world in ash. This one kind of dragged in the middle. Alex and Darla set off to find Alex's parents when a clue comes their way. Early on Darla is taken out of the picture and the focus of the book becomes one battle after another to save her. It started to all blend together and I stopped being shocked and caring what happened. There needs to be a balance between good things happening to the characters as well as bad and the balance was all tragic in this book. On the plus side I welcomed the Addition of Ben, a character who has autism and his sister Alicia. The end of the book had everyone (well everyone who was left) finally reunited so I look forward to seeing the conclusion through. Let's hope better things are in store for Alex and his crew. ( )

Sequel to Ashfall. Alex and Darla leave his uncle's farm in search of Alex's parents. Along the way, they suffer setbacks when they try to steal some wheat, Darla gets kidnapped, and Alex gets thrown back into a FEMA camp. ( )

Ashen Winter, the second book in Mike Mullin’s series Ashfall follows Alex’s story six months after the Yellowstone supervolcano eruption. Alex now lives in a harsh scenario, where survival is something he has to work for daily.

I honestly enjoyed Mike Mullin’s writing, especially because of Alex’s narrator abilities—his point of view is always straightforward, unpretentious, and appropriate for a teenage boy. I also liked his sympathetic, easygoing manner (brooding & bad-tempered heroes are overrated) and most of all his loyal heart.

The bad news are, I couldn’t get into the story or care that much about the characters, even if I did like the hero. The whole book is about Alex and his girlfriend, Darla, traveling here and there first to find Alex’s parents (who are missing) and then some guy who might know where they are, along the way they face life threatening dangers, make enemies, friends, until Darla is kidnapped by this scary gang and there goes Alex to save her. And that’s it, that pretty much summarizes Ashen Winter.

I’ll give Mike Mullin a thumbs up for his flawless writing and interesting, credible post-apocalyptic worldbuilding, and I can certainly recommend this series to fans of the genre, it’s just that, unfortunately it wasn’t my cup of tea.

(Many thanks to Tanglewood Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of Ashen Winter in exchange for a honest review.) ( )

In the first book of the series, Ashfall. The supervalcano has erupted and Alex is left alone, as his parents had been visiting family in Iowa. He has no choice, in his opinion to leave the house and try to find them. Enduring some very exhausting travels and experiencing troubling acts of human behavior he is able to travel far and meet new people in a very gripping story.

Now in book two, he still has yet to find his parents and decides that it has been too long and they have not returned. He must find them, and Darla refuses to let him leave alone.
Now that some time has passed, the states and it's people are trying to regain some sort of formed societies. But there is still huge danger with the rebel groups and so much death, fighting and starvation. Alex and Darla each experience turmoil and separation. Meeting new people, and visiting again with characters from the first book.

Parts of this book are very intense, High tension situations and at times a glimpse at humanity at it's worst. The books carry a theme that love, family and a little hope can go a long way.

4 stars

These books do contain acts of violence, some rape (not graphic). ( )

When Ashfall by Mike Mullin came out, it set the blogging world abuzz. Everyone I knew wanted to snag a copy to review and they were difficult to come by. I was not one of the lucky few so, as soon as it was published, I ran out and bought it. Although Ashen Winter is Book #2 in the Ashfall Trilogy, it reads quite well as a stand-alone novel. Warning: This review contains big spoilers for Ashfall. Read the rest of my review at http://popcornreads.com/?p=4836. ( )

Ashen Winter begins six months after Ashfall leaves off. Alex and Darla have been living fairly comfortably (considering the whole super-volcano eruption thing and all) on his uncle's farm waiting for some word about his parents. When some thieves try to rob the farm and leave behind his fathers rifle, Alex decides he can't wait any longer. Alex and Darla set out to locate his missing parents and the life-threatening situations begin. The book is fast paced, the chapters are short, and it is very hard to put down. The ending leaves you eagerly awaiting for the next in the series. ( )

booknook — Young Adult book reviews

Right off the bat, it's obvious that I'm not rating Ashen Winter as high as Ashfall. Ashen Winter was a fascinating story that once again really dives into disaster and humanity (or lack thereof), but at the end of the day, I don't feel like the book was much different from Ashfall.

In Ashfall we have Alex trekking across the country to find his family. There's devastation, brutality, gangs, and strange "refugee" camps. In Ashen Winter we have Alex trekking across the country to find his family. There's devastation, brutality, gangs, and strange "refugee" camps. I hope you noticed the repetition there. :P Although it was still an interesting book, I just don't feel like Ashen Winter brought much new content to the table. I didn't really learn any more about how the weather is doing or what's going on with the government. We do learn a bit more about the gangs and see them in more detail, but those are really just interesting filler bits. Ashen Winter lacks a strong, overarching plot progression.

Furthermore, I felt like in some ways, the book was a little anti-climactic. It's hard to go into detail without spoiling the story. Basically the book revolves around Alex searching for his parents. But when he finally finds them, I feel like they weren't what I was expecting.

Although I wasn't totally crazy about Ashen Winter, it did have its high points. We have some really interesting new characters including Ben, an insanely intelligent—but autistic—character. His sister, Alyssa, was less interesting. In fact, her complete disrespect for Alex's relationship really put me off. Where Ashen Winter really shines is in how it portrays the loss of humanity. Obviously this was a big point in Ashfall as well, but it's even more significant in Ashen Winter. We get a wider look at gangs, slavery, and even cannibalism.

Ashen Winter didn't quite live up to my expectations, and it was an insanely long book (which made it a little difficult for me to get through), but it was still an interesting read. It's clear just how much research Mike Mullin has put into this series and I applaud him for that! ( )

A brutal sequel in post-volcano Illinois and Iowa. Six months after the disaster, Alex and Darla are getting by fairly well on his uncle's farm. But he feels he must go after the parents who disappeared after looking for him. The quest leads Alex into dangerous situation after dangerous situation, facing off against violent cannibal gangs and government contractors, in a world where resources, especially food are becoming more and more scarce. How much will he risk to rescue Darla, his parents? While this book is thick, it's a quick read that I would give to older readers in my school. ( )

I got an eGalley of this book to review through NetGalley(dot)com. This is the second book in a planned trilogy. It was an excellent continuation of the series, but also starts bringing in more typical post-apocalyptic themes...think cannibalism.

It is six months after the horrible volcanic events that sent the world into a nuclear winter. During this time Darla and Alex have been make a life of sorts for themselves on Alex’s uncle’s farm. Darla and Alex leave the relative comfort of Alex's uncle's farm in an effort to find his parents.

The book is fast-paced, full of action, and hard to put down. It’s a lot about survival and, as with the previous book, mostly about humanity and surviving in bleak surroundings.

In this book a long winter has set in because of volcanic ash blocking out the sun. As temperatures plummet so do Alex’s hope of finding his parents. Then raiders come to their farm and one of them is carrying Alex’s dad’s rifle. Alex and Darla decide to track down the man to get info on Alex’s parents.

A couple great new characters are added to the story. One is a girl Darla’s age who has had to do things to survive that no girl should ever have to do. The other is her brother, an autistic genius, who is both a great help and a great challenge to deal with.

The book is well written and progresses at a breakneck pace. You are constantly put through emotional turmoil as the characters encounter one life-threatening situation after another. The characters in this book suffer, immensely, and every gory detail is there. So if you don’t like gore you might want to look elsewhere. There were a number of times when the characters were injured in ways that made me a bit queasy.

Alex and Darla are great characters, but there are times in this book when I want to smack Alex. He has a serious problem with charging into situations and it doesn’t improve in this book. He gets everyone almost killed a number of times and many of the horrible situations they end up in are because of his hot-headedness.

I do love that there is some humor in here. Also Alex and Darla truly seem to love and respect each other, their relationship adds some light to a very dark story.

Mostly the story is engaging and interesting but there was one thing that had me groaning in exasperation. Guess what that was? Yep, cannibals. I mean I guess it wouldn't be a good post-apocalyptic novel unless people were eating each other. But seriously, go we have to go there again? I swear everywhere I look people are eating each other in a post-apocalyptic earth. Seriously it’s an uncreative and overdone idea in these types of books. Some characters build greenhouses...but others well I guess it is just easier to eat each other sometimes....

Other than the above this is a very well done book. It is well written and incredibly engaging. There is action and gore, but also situations where the good aspects of humanity really shine. Some great new characters add a lot more to the story as well.

Overall a great read and a wonderful continuation of this story. Some great new characters and a very engaging plot. The surroundings are dark and depressing, but this is lightened with a solid and loving relationship between Darla and Alex and occasional humor. The story is not for the weak-stomached and the addition of cannibalism adds to the yucky factor. This is a well written and solid YA post-apocalyptic read that should appeal to both male and female readers. I definitely recommend this series to those who enjoy post-apocalyptic novels. ( )

In short: Ashen Winter by Mike Mullin is a strong sequel that takes a very raw and realistic look into humanity in the advent of a terrifying post-apocalyptic event.

Six months after the supervolcano has erupted, plunging North America into darkness and a deluge of ash, Alex and Darla are still struggling to survive in a frozen and crime-ridden world in Ashen Winter. The ramifications of such a destructive, post-apocalyptic event are on full display in Ashen Winter in all its gruesome and cruel glory. This is something that Mike Mullin excels at: he presents a raw and realistic look into humanity akin to The Road, that showcases the lows that people would sink to survive. It is absolutely believable and that makes it all the more terrifying.

Alex remains one of my favourite male protagonists. He is an inherently moral and noble character. Almost to a fault really, as there is admittedly not a whole lot of room for kindness and generosity in such a cruel post-apocalyptic world. But that is why it is so impressive. Time and time again, when faced with the prospect of screwing someone over to his advantage or treating them fairly to his disadvantage, Alex always does the honourable thing (much to Darla's chagrin). In a world full of people who do unforgivable, disgusting things, Alex at least never compromises his morality.

My only problem with Ashen Winter is the same as it was for Ashfall: there is an excessive amount of details in Mike Mullin's writing style, making for an unnecessarily long read that could have been edited and made shorter. Despite the elaborate writing style, I can't deny that I was never bored while reading Ashen Winter. Mike Mullin somehow manages to achieve almost literally non-stop action scenes over the course of the 576 pages. Now that's impressive.

Overall, Ashen Winter is a strong sequel and is definitely recommended to all fans of Ashfall. Ashen Winter will be released October 16, 2012 by Tanglewood Press, with the third and final book to follow in 2013. ( )

If you know me, you know that I am gaga for dystopian books. There full of things I love the most. Love, action, and redeeming character that makes it to the top to survive and fight for what they believe in. This book took my away for adventure that I could not get enough of.

What I loved the most about this book is the plot. It's so easy to step right in it. The transition in opening the book and falling right in Alex shoes is awesome. During this story, Alex faces some hard decisions and risking all those who he loves. With each chapter, the build up to fights with bandits is extreme. While I was reading certain scenes I felt helpless! I so badly wanted to step into the book just to help the characters! I freaked out and literally had a panic attack cause I wasn't sure if Alex would make it on time. And so, if an author can make me feel this way in my office at work, you have succeeded to being PURE AWESOMENESS!

The love interest went exactly where I wanted. There was some strain but no stupid stuff like jealousy or another guy/girl (I like to take the time to thank Mike Mullin for not making a love triangle happen! Thank YOU. You have saved my heart from being shattered!!!) Instead, they are faced with real life aspects of surviving during harsh times where people are animalistic and will do anything for survival. I'm glad that despite what happen to these characters their loyalty is not swayed. Instead, it grew into a solid trust of love and friendship. Something that no one can destroy.

Ashen Winter is a mind bending adventure that will leave you breathless! The brilliant writing combined with gruesome violence raises the hair on my neck. The emotional ride of last minute runs for your life will leave you heart racing. Ashen Winter is darker with thrilling action like you never seen before. Ever wonder whats is like to step into a world ravish by a decaying earth? Read Ashen Winter and let me know if you survive. ( )