Ashen Winter: Ashfall Trilogy, Book 2

I love this series I read it in high school in my library and just had to get a copy from home.

This was a Christmas gift.

Ashen Winter is the second book in Mike Mullin's engaging Ashfall trilogy.One of the things I like about Mullin's writing is that he keeps the reader engaged and gives you a real feel for the dystopic world his characters are dealing with. Typical is this scene where Alex and Darla are trying to get away from some paramilitary pursuers while fleeing across the surface of a frozen river on a dual pedal-powered contraption Darla rigged up and christened Bikezilla:"The Humvee was about a mile south of us but racing north fast. Both banks of this stretch of river were densely forested -- I didn't see any place we could get off the river ice. Darla braked hard and spun us into a tight turn, and we stood on the pedals, accelerating north away from the Humvee.--"Darla, look!" I yelled and pointed.--"I see it."--To the north, there was a break in the trees: a path barely big enough for Bikezilla, its opening flanked by two huge cottonwoods that would prevent the Humvee from following us. Darla steered straight toward it.-- My legs burned. We'd been pedaling flat out since we left the guard shack more than a half hour ago. My body was coated in cold sweat -- from exertion or terror, I wasn't sure which. I tried to coax one more burst of speed from my body, but I could barely maintain our current pace.-- Darla was exhausted, too. I could hear her gasping for air even over the clatter of Bikezilla. If anything, we were slowing down. But then I heard the Humvee's engine revving behind us and discovered I did have some hidden reserve left.-- I bore down on the pedals and we shot forward, a missile homing in on the safety of the trees ahead. There were no tricks left, no fancy maneuvers. If we kept playing chicken with the Humvee, eventually we'd lose.--There was no gunfire. Maybe I'd actually done some damage by throwing the pistol. The rumble of the engine behind us crescendoed. I looked back -- we weren't going to make it.-- I braced myself uselessly, thinking a collision was inevitable. But suddenly the gap between us and the Humvee widened. The truck braked, sliding toward us across the ice. We shot between the cottonwoods and up a snowy slope. The Humvee slammed into one of the trees with a shriek of tortured steel.-- We reached the top of the ridge we'd been climbing and the trail leveled out, leading into a large clearing with a huge oak. Its branches spread so low we had to duck to pass beneath it. At the far side of the meadow the trail dove back into the woods, down the other side of the ridge toward the river.-- Blood rushed in my ears, and my breath came in gasps. But even over the noises of my body, I heard a roar ahead -- water rushing over the roller dam.-- We came around a bend and the woods opened up, the trail suddenly ending at the frothing pool at the base of the dam. Darla slammed on the brakes, but Bikezilla slid inexorably toward the pool.-- "Darla!" I screamed.-- "Jump!" She swerved, trying to miss the open water. I jumped and landed with a thud in the snow on the hillside. The bike fell sideways, trapping Darla's leg and dragging her in a rush toward the dealy, roiling water at the base of the dam.Highly recommended for anyone who likes a YA novel about teens trying to survive in a word made dystopic by natural disaster.

Alex and Darla made it through the insanity following the volcano in Yellowstone blowing, but they were far from unscathed. In Mike Mullin's Ashen Winter, Alex and Darla will risk their lives again (and again and again) for each other and for a little sense of normalcy in the madness they now call life.The world is cold. With a year long winter after the eruption, the snow continues to fall and people struggle to stay alive, let alone stay warm. Even though they feel relatively safe at their aunt and uncle's house, there is something missing: Alex's parents. Before he and Darla arrived, his parents head left to look for him, heading out into the post-apocalyptic wake left by the volcano. Now Alex is convinced he has to go look for them. Knowing all the dangers out there, he is terrified to think of his parents all alone searching for him. Despite trying to convince Darla to stay behind, she won't leave Alex's side. Together they set off on a fool's mission against all kinds of monsters and demons... unfortunately, these are the incredibly human variety.They don't make it far before they encounter trouble. The world has taken a deep turn for the worse and the reality of that fact doesn't take long to soak in. They don't take unnecessary risks, but still, it isn't long before Alex's inability to sit by and watch an ambush of cannibals against innocent people leads to an accident where Darla is shot, falls off an overpass, and lands on top of the cannibals' truck. Alex will do anything to get Darla back, even if it means abandoning hope of finding his parents. But his travels are dangerous and give him an unwanted view of the way the world is, complete with kidnapping, rape, slavery, and most repulsive, the trafficking in human meat. Will Alex save Darla, or is he doomed to lose everyone he loves in this frozen, ash-covered world?I must warn you that if you aren't prepared for a dark post-apocalyptic story, this isn't the series for you. It is brilliant and realistic, but it is certainly mature. If you question a student's ability to handle this dangerous and violent world, I would save it for when they are a little bit older. That being said, this is an amazing portrayal of what could really happen if the supervolcano were to blow. Do you think it would be all kittens and tulips? Then you would probably be one of the first to go at the hands of flensers or bandits. So, I have to say that while I would choose the student to pass this series onto carefully, I would be sure the right student would be just as enthralled with it as I was.Since the first book, the situation has gotten worse. And why wouldn't it? Are our governments really so selfless that they wouldn't tuck and run as everything swirled down the toilet? But the thing I love the most is these characters. Even though Alex wants nothing to happen to Darla, he can't seem to help himself from sticking his neck out for other people. And there are others, too. People they come across who are willing to help others, and it is those people who will struggle with this new world the most. They will crave teh morals of a world that has passed and despise the new world order that makes them a dying species. It is a terrifying and fascinating examination of the human species, and I will bet you won't be able to stop thinking about it when you finish the book. I know I couldn't. So if you are a fan of serious post-apocalyptic literature, pick up this series. You won't be sorry. But you might be terrified. I certainly was.

I enjoyed Ashen book 1, and am now reading Ashen Winter Book 2.I am Autistic. I have learning difficulties. Due to Chronic Anxiety I have speech difficulties. I have Social Anxiety. I have all traits of Autism Spectrum Disorder, and my heart sank when Ben's character was introduced. I knew straight away that Ben's character is also on the Spectrum because he is portrayed in the stereotypical manner of Rain Man. A gentle giant whose special interest just happens to be everything military and drones on and on in a flat tone about his special interest and ignoring those around him etc. Why are all Autistic characters in films, dramas and books geniuses with photographic memories? I wish I had a photographic memory. I wish I could remember the Author's name, but without checking I do not. I remember the stories but never remember names or people's faces. I do not retain information in the same way Neuritypicals do which is why I learn things differently. I wish that writers would actually speak to Autustics to understand that just like Neurotypicals we have different abilities and a true depiction of an Autistic in books, dramas and movies would be very helpful for adults and teenagers like Alex to understand is better, and would also be relatable to Autistic adults and teenagers.Right, that said, I will try and continue reading the book (Audiobook) if I can because Ben's character stopped me in my tracks and all I have in my head now is Dustin Hoffman as Rainman and also Ben, but he is a grandfather now so he can't be Ben. Very very annoying to say the least.

***This is book 2 in the series, do not read on if you've not read book 1 - there will be spoilers***I raved and raved about Ashfall, it was an original piece of work in a crowded market, and Alex was a great lead that the reader cared about, so I was excited to read the next installment.Ashen Winter takes place a few months after Darla and Alex have arrived at his uncles farm, only find his parents were not there. Things are going well, they have kale and are exchanging it for food from the town, but then some bandits arrive, and they are carrying Alex's Dad's gun - so its time for another journey, back to where they came from, via the FEMA camps to try and find his parents. The journey leads to the usual combat, fights for life and various encounters with flensers.Ashen Winter should of been a book that I devoured in one sitting, it took a little longer, in fact I started it a few months ago and forgot to keep going. Thats not a good sign. It does take a long time to get going, but once it does everything that pulls you into Ashfall is there. But this time it was a little less believable, Alex is one boy yet he manages to fight gangs, military and a vast amount of other unsavory characters, on his own (yet doesn't know how to drive a truck). The obsessive relationship he has with Darla is also a little annoying, I felt less love for Alex this time, he was far less likable. But that is the way characters grow and his stubborn, selfishness certainly added to the book, even if he did need a slap from time to time.Darla also loses something in this book, her feistiness is dampened a little, she's not as ballsy either, she has her moments, but both characters felt a little worn down, whether thats by the world their in, or due to a break in the writing I don't know. There were also a few continuity issues, primarily Darla's hair - they had their heads shaved when they arrived due to nits, but then Alex refers to Darla's long brown hair (mistaking her for another girl, based on it at one point) on several occasions, quite how Darla has hair that can grow from shaved to long in a few months, in starvation conditions is beyond me.The addition of some new characters was welcome, but I really wish Mullin hadn't gone into the love triangle territory, its lazy writing and not needed in this series.The good in the book, is everything that was found in Ashfall and more, the nasty, mean, selfish side of humanity, the world with a shifting power center and the effects of nature are all present here and are the stars of the show.I've been a bit tough on the book as I expected so much, I fear that this was a filler, that the big bang will be in book three, and to get there the characters needed this little journey, I'm hoping so anyway. As a stand alone book, it'd be 4.5 stars easy, but sadly its been knocked down a little due to the amazing book one, undone by the series own success. Still the series is one that is highly recommended.

However I have decided to wait until my local library gets the third in the series rather than pay the hike in price between this one and the next I am getting pretty jaded about Amazon doing this to the point of not even starting any more trilogys

Die Trilogie „Ashfall“ von Mike Mullin begann ich im Februar 2014. Der gleichnamige erste Band „Ashfall“ erhielt von mir 3 Sterne; ich fand ihn gut, aber unspektakulär. Es war mir daher nicht so wichtig, die Geschichte weiterzuverfolgen. Ich brauchte knapp drei Jahre, um mir den zweiten Band „Ashen Winter“ vorzunehmen. In dieser Zeit war Mike Mullin nicht untätig. 2015 verkündete er, dass aus der Trilogie eine Tetralogie werden würde. Mullins Deadline für das Manuskript des vierten Bandes ist der 31.12.2017. Schwer zu sagen, wann mit einem Erscheinungstermin gerechnet werden kann. Ich sehe das entspannt, weil ich ohnehin nicht sicher bin, ob ich die Entscheidung, die Geschichte um eine Episode zu erweitern, gutheiße. Abwarten und Tee trinken.10 Monate sind vergangen, seit der Supervulkan unter dem Yellowstone Nationalpark ausbrach und die USA in ein Katastrophengebiet verwandelte. Nach ihrer beschwerlichen Reise haben sich Alex und Darla gut auf der Farm seines Onkels Paul eingelebt. Die Familie arbeitet hart, um einen bescheidenen Lebensstandard aufrechtzuerhalten. Doch all die anstrengende Arbeit vermag Alex nicht von seiner Sorge um seine Eltern abzulenken, die noch immer nicht aus Iowa zurückgekehrt sind. Als ihm unerwartet ein Hinweis auf ihren Verbleib in die Hände fällt, hält er es auf der Farm nicht länger aus. Gemeinsam mit Darla wagt er sich abermals hinaus in den vulkanischen Winter, um seine Eltern zu retten. Schnell wird den beiden klar, dass der Überlebenskampf der Menschheit in vollem Gange ist – gnadenlos und brutal. Ressourcen werden knapp und humanitäre Grenzen verwischen zusehends. Alex und Darla müssen entscheiden, wie weit sie zu gehen bereit sind, um einander zu beschützen. Bewahrt ihre Liebe sie davor, zu Monstern zu werden?In „Ashen Winter“ beschreibt Mike Mullin eine neue Stufe gesellschaftlichen Verfalls. Während „Ashfall“ die unmittelbaren Auswirkungen des Vulkanausbruchs beleuchtet – das Chaos, die Überforderung, die kopflose Panik – zeigt der zweite Band, welche Möglichkeiten die Menschen gefunden haben, um sich mit den neuen Umständen zu arrangieren. Mullin stellt der Menschheit unmissverständlich ein Armutszeugnis aus. Er skizziert ihr wahres Gesicht als hässliche, destruktive, egoistische und grausame Fratze, die sich erst offenbart, wenn die Kontrollmechanismen der Zivilisation wegfallen. Die bittere Vision, die er prophezeit, fand ich als Zynikerin definitiv glaubhaft. Lediglich der äußerst kurze Zeitraum des Verfalls erschreckte mich. Nicht mehr als 10 Monate braucht die Menschheit laut Mullin, um ihre Menschlichkeit abzustreifen. Selbstverständlich begegnen Alex und Darla auf ihrer Rettungsmission durchaus auch gütigen, rechtschaffenen Menschen, aber meist werden sie mit barbarischer, herzloser Anarchie konfrontiert. Ich fand die Darstellung der sozialen Konsequenzen des vulkanischen Winters überzeugender als die Handlung selbst. Obwohl „Ashen Winter“ im Vergleich zum Vorgänger deutllich aufregender ist, hatte ich erneut Schwierigkeiten mit dem Spannungsbogen, der meiner Meinung nach inkonsequent konstruiert ist. Immer wieder manövriert Mullin seinen Protagonisten und Ich-Erzähler Alex in langatmige, schwer aufzulösende Sackgassen, die sowohl ihn als auch die Leser_innen in eine Warteposition zwingen. Um Alex zu befreien, muss Mullin zu extremen Mitteln greifen, was zu übertrieben abenteuerlichen Actionszenen führt, die problemlos von einem Spezialeffekte-Team aus Hollywood stammen könnten. Wir sprechen von Verfolgungsjagden, Überfällen, Schießereien und – man glaubt es kaum – einer Fahrt auf dem Dach eines Transporters. Alex ist nun nicht der besonnenste Mensch der Welt, doch etwas weniger draufgängerische Impulsivität hätte der Autor ihm ruhig zugestehen können.Nichtsdestotrotz gefiel mir seine charakterliche Entwicklung grundsätzlich gut, weil er sich an einem Scheidepunkt befindet. Seine Erlebnisse ließen ihn rasend schnell reifen; er schwankt zwischen erwachsenem Verantwortungsbewusstsein und jugendlicher Naivität. Besonders seine Gefühle für Darla sind seinem Alter weit voraus. Die äußeren Bedingungen entfachten eine Verbindung zwischen ihnen, die viel tiefer ist als eine normale Teenagerromanze. Sie sind ein Team und verlassen sich aufeinander, obwohl Alex sich sicher stärker auf Darla stützt als sie auf ihn. Ihre herrische, aggressiv-fürsorgliche Art kommt ihm meiner Ansicht nach entgegen, weil sie ihn an seine Mutter erinnert. Nachdem, was Alex über die Beziehung zu seiner Mutter offenbart, sind Parallelen erkennbar und man sagt ja nicht grundlos, dass man meist einen Partner wählt, der den eigenen Eltern ähnlich ist. Vor diesem Gesichtspunkt ist die Dynamik zwischen ihnen wirklich interessant und ich frage mich, ob Mike Mullin sie bewusst beabsichtigte.Unter dem Yellowstone Nationalpark liegt tatsächlich ein Supervulkan, der jeder Zeit ausbrechen könnte. Das geologische Untersuchungsamt, das für dessen Überwachung verantwortlich ist, hält eine baldige Eruption zwar für unwahrscheinlich, aber die Möglichkeit besteht. Deshalb finde ich die „Ashfall“-Tetralogie so faszinierend: das Ausgangsszenario ist schlicht und realistisch. Dadurch unterscheidet sich die Reihe maßgeblich von der Masse der Young Adult – Dystopien auf dem Markt. „Ashen Winter“ ist ein guter zweiter Band, der die Menschheit überzeugend von ihrer schlimmsten Seite zeigt. Wenngleich es Mike Mullin etwas an schriftstellerischer Finesse und einem Gespür für inhaltliche Ausgewogenheit mangelt, hat mich diese Fortsetzung gut unterhalten. Ich mag den Protagonisten Alex und beobachte sein persönliches Wachstum mit Freude, weil es einen so starken, positiven Kontrast zur Degeneration der Gesellschaft darstellt. Fragt sich nur, ob er als edler Held in einer zerfallenden Gesellschaft menschlicher Monster langfristig überleben kann.

The whole book was absolutely amazing, just like the first, I'm moving on to the third book now and I'm excited to do so!10/10 Would reccommend to everyone.