Cold Light After Book 2
Science Fiction
Parvati Press
July 1, 2012
214
The end of the world brings chaos, madness, and psychic powers. For Emma and Arthur, separated by an ocean, it brings a love that demands everything. Emma's beloved daughter is kidnapped by vengeful raiders, and Emma embarks on a soul-crushing journey to rescue her. When Arthur finds Emma, can she trust him? Against impossible odds, Emma draws near the rogue camp, where she also confronts the deepest choice of her heart....
Reviewed by: Linda Tonis
Member of the Paranormal Romance Review Team
This is book two in the After series. Although the books should be read in order, the author does an amazing job of letting the reader know what happened in the previous book. But, I definitely suggest reading book one, or you will miss out on a great story.
It has been over two years since the mists ravaged Earth leaving billions dead, no modern conveniences, armies of rogues bent on death and destruction, and a constant fight for food. It has also been a year and a half since Emma flew home with her husband, Haywood, and left behind those she had grown to love, especially Arthur. Emma now resides in Edmonton, Alberta Canada in a very large safe zone with her husband and two daughters, Mandy and Beth. Since finding out that Arthur was the one who created the mist, she has tried very hard to hate him, but her love for him is stronger than her hate.
Even in the safe zone, there is a fight to survive. Wild animals have entered the zone and humans are in constant danger. Then the worst thing that could happen to Emma happens, her nine year old daughter Beth is taken along with twenty five others, all women and children, by a group of raiders. Emma does the only thing she can and that is to prepare to go after Beth. Her husband who has the gift of sight since the mists knows that he cannot accompany her now, she is on her own. She faces below freezing temperatures, scavengers, wild animals, the constant search for food and water, and all of this on foot. Horses are carefully watched and stealing one results in hanging.
Knowing she is Beth’s only hope, Emma does everything in her power to save her child. Along the way she is met by Arthur and her friends from the camp in France. Arthur and Jeannie, Robert, Laurette and Marco headed for Canada in search of Emma. They found Emma on one of the stops she made in order to get food and supplies. Emma is determined that none of her friends will die because of her and she does her best to hide from them. But, Arthur is not a man to give up and he will never stop until Emma is back with him in Europe. As she expected, all her friends have joined her in her search.
There are a lot of twists and turns, but I will not discuss any more than I have because it would give away too much. This is a book of survival, fighting all the odds and trying to rebuild what has been lost. It is a love story between Emma and Arthur, only will Emma make the right choice? Does she live with a man she doesn’t love for her children’s sake while living in misery without the man she loves? This is a situation that many people have faced throughout history.
The book is a cliffhanger, as was book one, and I am one of those people who hate that and almost always give a poor rating because of it. The reason I didn’t in this case is because the story is just too absorbing, the characters are amazing and the author’s description of post-apocalyptic Earth is fascinating. I read at least a book a day. Often times when an author leaves you hanging at the end, by the time the next book comes out, you don’t remember all the details of the book you just read. That is not the case with Ms. Slatton she brings the reader up to date on what happened prior so I know I will not be floundering about wondering what happened before. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.