A bleak novel set in a dystopian future in the 'Far North' where society has broken down and become a no-man's land of have nots, this book is narrated by the protagonist as they try and survive in the isolated, harsh world that exists in these pages. I'm loathed to say too much because there are moments in this whose impact relies on the fact that the reader is not over-informed about the plot. It's a really well written book and owes much to the same literary canon that gave rise to Cormac McCarthy's 'The Road'. If you read and enjoyed (although that may not be the best word ... maybe 'appreciated' 'The Road', then this should certainly engage you). Whilst it is a bleak world that this novel is set in, I felt less 'bruised' on reaching the end than I did with 'The Road' but similar questions were raised in my mind. I would certainly recommend this, it's a fast and engaging read and Theroux has brought the characters alive through his words. It raises question about society, about religion, about the breakdown of our world and it's eventual conclusion but all this is contained in what I found to be a real page-turner. ( )

This was a very enjoyable jaunt through a future landscape that I never thought I would wander. Very enjoyable reading overall. I loved the character, was intrigued by the pace and unfolding of the story, captivated by the turns. It was on pace for a solid 4 star rating. I didn't care for the latter third of the story; it didn't keep the same interest level for me (promising start, fade toward the end)... but still - overall I recommend it for a good "end of days" with a hopeful twist story. ( )

Interesting post-apocalyptic epic set in the "far north" as the title suggests. Reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy's "The Road", in that there's plenty of traveling in search of what has happened. The plot moves along but without much of a reward. The character development never gets deep enough to engender much sympathy for the characters. The writing style would be more sutiable for a travelogue. ( )

Reason for Reading: As soon as I saw the words dystopian and post apocalyptic associated with the plot I was there. Those are favourite genres of mine.

Comments: Makepeace lives a solitary life in the Russian/Asian North, the only survivor in a once thriving town of American settlers. This is a world sparsely populated, where occasional persons pass by on the road but only rarely these days. Groups have settled in different areas and Makepeace begins to see what the world is really like after a plane flies by overhead and a decision is made to find the fabled land where civilization is still running, where they still have planes. Makepeace sees native tribes who are friendly and living off the land proudly, native tribes who are brutal and take what they want leaving pillage and bodies behind, a society based on strict religious rule and more but ultimately Makepeace is captured by a slave camp where work is gruelling but at least food is readily and freely given.

I really enjoyed this book. Makepeace is a very interesting character and while secondary characters come and go Makepeace is the one that is fully fleshed out and whose past is slowly revealed throughout the book. The atmosphere is dismal and bleak, as is the writing. I found it a slow read just as the trudging through snow and back breaking work would slow one down, it also slowed down my reading.

Blurbs on this book use either the word dystopia or post apocalypse but I'm going to take a stand and say I would not apply the term dystopia to this book. The world is too large, there are too many societies, the scope is more global and there is no true oppressing force. Sure there is oppression but it is from various sources of different makings. The book is certainly post apocalyptic and as the reason is revealed, truly believable. When reading modern apocalypse books I'm always leery of how heavily they will rely on "global warming" (sorry "climate change") and I think the author's theory of our ultimate doom should be believable to those on either side of that particular fence.

Religion is a strong theme in the story as well. Although the author is certainly against it. There are a lot of Biblical references in the narrative and yet the main character is agnostic (at the least) and all the Christian characters are villains or fools. The Muslim characters are shown as grouping in cliques and their religion makes them stand out, for various reasons, in the different societies encountered in the book. Being Christian myself, it is always disappointing when characters don't find redemption, but neither is the book offensive, in fact, it is quite thought-provoking. How would a truly Christian character or society have affected the outcome of Makepeace's story?

A fascinating tale of self-preservation at all costs, perseverance that never ends, greed, love, friendship, betrayal. Most of all though it is a desolate, frightening tale of our possible future which still manages to leave a feeling of hope for the future of mankind. ( )

"Theroux guides Makepeace’s journey with a steady hand, slowly revealing both the state of humankind and Makepeace’s surprising nature with a deliberate, unforced caution. While lacking the stark, hypnotic beauty of McCarthy’s prose, Theroux is an able craftsman, and Far North engages in its depiction of mankind’s survivors kept cowed and under thumb through “the patterns of older gods…terror and mercy, like twin shadows of an old totem that gets fed with blood.”

"However, a marked lack of urgency drastically hampers Theroux’s imaginings. Makepeace’s world may be winding down, but this ramping inertia unfortunately transfers to the story, resulting in scenes that feel stale where they should excite."

Read the full review here. ( )