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univerze's review
4.0
Loved this little bit of scifi. There is only one bit I didn't like; I know it's a novella but it's a teeny tiny bit too short. I like stories where I am thrown into the middle of events, but this one could have used a little bit more of an intro so I would have known a bit more and cared a bit more about the characters. Don't even mind the ending, it fits!
But this was a nice read, I actually regret there is not more to read and could have read this as a novel! It contains some epic creepiness in what they find in the ice!
By the way I won this in a giveaway by the publishers, how awesome is that? ;)
But this was a nice read, I actually regret there is not more to read and could have read this as a novel! It contains some epic creepiness in what they find in the ice!
By the way I won this in a giveaway by the publishers, how awesome is that? ;)
raven_morgan's review
5.0
A copy of this book was received from the author in exchange for an honest review.
*****
Waking in Winter is a science fiction novella by award-winning Australian author, Deborah Biancotti. The story follows Muir, part of a group of explorers on a strange frozen world, which remains unnamed in the story. Muir is a pilot; while flying off course, she discovers a strange artefact buried deep within the ice. She sees a mermaid, but when others from the expedition come and see the artefact, they see different things, including an ancient Egyptian goddess, a lotus flower and a crucifix. Upon seeing it, each of them is instantly possessed by the need to claim it.
There is a sparsity to this story which is utterly perfect for the content, every sentence giving the feeling of being pared back to its bones, reflecting the frozen desert planet that Muir and her comrades are exploring. And with that sparsity comes a tension, a creeping sense of horror that pervades every scene (I'd not quite categorise this as horror myself, but for some, it may come close or hit that mark).
Muir is a compelling protagonist. She's clearly competent, and just as clearly conflicted and in desperate search for some kind of salvation, even as she knows that such a thing is impossible on such a world. It is very easy to walk beside her as a reader and feel what she does as she explores this strange world and its stranger artefact.
As sparse as the world is, the characters are also sparsely described, with much of their characterisation being revealed through dialogue. Biancotti reveals a rare and deft skill with dialogue in this story, with each character immediately identifiable as soon as they spoke. (Even if listening to Parthelon did want me to make him punch him in the face sometimes. Okay, a lot).
This is the kind of story that's perfectly suited to novella length. There's enough detail to ground the reader into the claustrophobic nature of living in the base station, with enough left unsaid to echo the fear of the unknown.
This would be an ideal gateway for someone who's a fan of cinematic science fiction, but not quite ready to jump into some of the door-stop length space operas, or for someone who's read a lot of other speculative genres, but little science fiction. And if you haven't read any Biancotti yet (And if you haven't, you're truly missing out), this is a good place to start.
*****
Waking in Winter is a science fiction novella by award-winning Australian author, Deborah Biancotti. The story follows Muir, part of a group of explorers on a strange frozen world, which remains unnamed in the story. Muir is a pilot; while flying off course, she discovers a strange artefact buried deep within the ice. She sees a mermaid, but when others from the expedition come and see the artefact, they see different things, including an ancient Egyptian goddess, a lotus flower and a crucifix. Upon seeing it, each of them is instantly possessed by the need to claim it.
There is a sparsity to this story which is utterly perfect for the content, every sentence giving the feeling of being pared back to its bones, reflecting the frozen desert planet that Muir and her comrades are exploring. And with that sparsity comes a tension, a creeping sense of horror that pervades every scene (I'd not quite categorise this as horror myself, but for some, it may come close or hit that mark).
Muir is a compelling protagonist. She's clearly competent, and just as clearly conflicted and in desperate search for some kind of salvation, even as she knows that such a thing is impossible on such a world. It is very easy to walk beside her as a reader and feel what she does as she explores this strange world and its stranger artefact.
As sparse as the world is, the characters are also sparsely described, with much of their characterisation being revealed through dialogue. Biancotti reveals a rare and deft skill with dialogue in this story, with each character immediately identifiable as soon as they spoke. (Even if listening to Parthelon did want me to make him punch him in the face sometimes. Okay, a lot).
This is the kind of story that's perfectly suited to novella length. There's enough detail to ground the reader into the claustrophobic nature of living in the base station, with enough left unsaid to echo the fear of the unknown.
This would be an ideal gateway for someone who's a fan of cinematic science fiction, but not quite ready to jump into some of the door-stop length space operas, or for someone who's read a lot of other speculative genres, but little science fiction. And if you haven't read any Biancotti yet (And if you haven't, you're truly missing out), this is a good place to start.
rivqa's review
4.0
This sci-fi horror novella is a gripping, compelling read. The protagonist was so well-drawn, especially given how short the work is. Recommended.
tsana's review
4.0
Waking in Winter by Deborah Biancotti is a science fiction horror novella, which I would not have guessed from the cover. I actually procrastinated on reading this novella for quite a while because the cover gave me the impression of a very different type of book. I have previously read the short story collection Bad Power by the same author, which is quite different to Waking in Winter (and about superheroes).
The setting of this novella is an icy alien planet currently being explored and studied by scientists. The main character, Muir, is a pilot for an expedition in which there isn’t a good relationship between the science and support staff. One day, out flying a bit off her mandated survey route, Muir sees a giant mermaid buried under the ice. When one of her colleagues comes to check it out, he instead sees a giant lotus flour. Where Muir saw a missing hand, he saw a missing petal. What is the object beneath the ice? Why is part of it missing? Aliens? The story of the novella answers some of these questions while others remain ambiguous. As well as the story of the investigations of the artefact, we also get some background on Muir and the other characters, including why they’re on this alien planet in the first place.
The horror elements in this novella are fairly mild; it's creepy rather than gory. It's definitely more science fiction and a bit weird. Also, while the basic premise — humans studying a weird alien artefact — has been done before, it's the specific characters that Biancotti brings to Waking in Winter which really make it. I quite enjoyed reading this novella, especially since it was much more my kind of thing than the cover suggested it would be.
This is a character-driven story, with the reactions and coping mechanisms of the characters a main strength of the novella. I recommend Waking in Winter to fans of creepy science fiction and (light) horror. It's not a book for readers who only enjoy hard SF since it leans a lot on the non-scientific mystery elements of the discovery on the ice planet.
4.5 / 5 stars
You can read more of my reviews on my blog.
The setting of this novella is an icy alien planet currently being explored and studied by scientists. The main character, Muir, is a pilot for an expedition in which there isn’t a good relationship between the science and support staff. One day, out flying a bit off her mandated survey route, Muir sees a giant mermaid buried under the ice. When one of her colleagues comes to check it out, he instead sees a giant lotus flour. Where Muir saw a missing hand, he saw a missing petal. What is the object beneath the ice? Why is part of it missing? Aliens? The story of the novella answers some of these questions while others remain ambiguous. As well as the story of the investigations of the artefact, we also get some background on Muir and the other characters, including why they’re on this alien planet in the first place.
The horror elements in this novella are fairly mild; it's creepy rather than gory. It's definitely more science fiction and a bit weird. Also, while the basic premise — humans studying a weird alien artefact — has been done before, it's the specific characters that Biancotti brings to Waking in Winter which really make it. I quite enjoyed reading this novella, especially since it was much more my kind of thing than the cover suggested it would be.
This is a character-driven story, with the reactions and coping mechanisms of the characters a main strength of the novella. I recommend Waking in Winter to fans of creepy science fiction and (light) horror. It's not a book for readers who only enjoy hard SF since it leans a lot on the non-scientific mystery elements of the discovery on the ice planet.
4.5 / 5 stars
You can read more of my reviews on my blog.
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