Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Michael and Paul fight to survive in a land frozen by endless winter. Will the ice between them thaw once and for all?

Michael Wright has given up thinking he’s anything more than a number-cruncher. When he’s summoned to verify the outcome of renowned meteorologist, Paul Clarkson’s latest research Michael is happy to escape the drudgery of a grey cubicle at the Met Office.

At Station 17 he finds himself working side by side with a brilliant scientist and charismatic man who stirs a lot more than respect. The attraction is mutual but, after a few snatched hours of passion, internal politics and a vengeful adversary tear them apart.

When Michael returns to Station 17 two years later he discovers that the world isn’t the only thing that’s changed. Paul is forbiddingly distant and the fire that once burned between them has turned to ice. The violence of deadly storm reignites their relationship - but will the disastrous aftermath of another destroy their love once and for all?

Book Review

‘Orion Rising’ is a slightly scary vision of a very possible future, set in the UK of 2035, showing what might happen if eternal winter due to global warming becomes a reality. The fact that the story feels so real makes reading it all the more chilling - while it is set in the future, the time it talks about is not that far away. If it wasn’t for the heat between the main characters, this could have easily turned into a very glum tale, closer to a prediction than fiction.

Michael is a quiet statistician, focused on work and without much hope for his future to the any better. He tells the story in first person, and while I was able to feel his calm and focus on the facts in his job, I was impressed with the passion he felt once he met Paul. Of course, he doesn’t say much, but neither does Paul, so they are a good fit. Except they end up in more trouble than necessary because they never really talk. The ups and downs these two go through are heart wrenching, and watching Paul through Michael’s eyes made me want to shake him more than once.

Paul has a temper, no clue how to communicate, and contains more passion than I would have guessed. He is also stubborn and has a tendency to shut Michael out when he doesn’t get what he wants. I have no idea how he can live with himself the first time he hurts Michael, but the second time? I’m not sure I could have forgiven him so easily.

This is as much a story about the potential consequences of a colder climate as it is about human nature, persevering even in the most dire circumstances. I especially loved the message of hope it left me with, and not just the hope of technology enabling us to survive. What was more important for me was the hope of two men sticking together through all the ups and downs of a turbulent relationship – from the first soft emotions through a few extremely chilling episodes – times where I wasn’t sure if the weather outside wasn’t the ‘warmer’ of the two situations.

If you are ready for an emotional roller coaster ride set in a chilling futuristic scenario, and if human nature holds an equal or higher interest than technology, this book may be for you. I liked what it had to say a whole lot.

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Pride Publishing for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Novella, 116 pages/38024 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	19-March-2012
Price	$2.99 ebook
Buy Link	https://www.pride-publishing.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=1589