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The Nothing Within

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Member Reviews

Absolutely stunning world building and incredibly gritty post-apocalyptic story. The premise of the book was a collection of rural communities which survive apocalyptic world event and are subsequently cut off from outside world. It focuses on how those survivors are forced to close of and isolate and focus on survival as strange and dangerous creatures now roam the world. The main character develops special skills and talent which makes her stand out and allows her to accomplish things which before were neigh impossible. She goes on a journey of discovery and as readers we are given small tidbits of clues throughout the story. I absolutely loved the foreshadowing and being given the opportunity to theorize as to what would happen next. The change of timeline perspectives, past and present, were sometimes a little bit confusing but all in all added nicely to the story and how it was delivered. However, it was the growth and the development of the main characters that really made me love the story! Would definitely read more by this author.

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The Nothing Within is a futuristic dystopian novel. It explores humanity reverting to before technology, where being different means being feared – and condemning you to the pit to be cleansed by fire. Nothing unique is allowed to emerge in this society, or the consequences are dire.

The premise caught my eye, but I was confused for around half of the book. It’s told through two different timelines and narrators, but I didn’t understand how they connected. The characters are interesting; you want to know their story, but it was difficult to figure out what that story was.

Once the plots started coming together, however, this a gripping and intriguing read that I didn’t want to put down, determined to find out what would happen next.

Root is different, and being blind is only one of the factors setting her apart. She wants more and she’ll ask for it, despite being frowned upon. Her experiences lead her to question whether their society works, and the answers leave a lot of innocent people dead for no good reason.

It’s not enough for Root. She craves knowing more – why are things this way, what made them so? Root is headstrong and determined and you root (pun not intended) for her from the beginning. The narration is told by her as an old lady, so you know she survives the danger. But you don’t know how, or what it costs her to do so.

While exploring Root’s history, it also introduces us to Ruth. It’s clear that Ruth’s story is set in a different time, just as dangerous but in ways that are perhaps more familiar: guns and greed, with technology enhancing the peril. There’s depth to Ruth, but I found her a harder character to warm to. There’s a darker undertone to Ruth’s story, despite the events Root lives through.

This is an in-depth world, where the rules are different to anything familiar to readers now. Root’s story unfolds as she narrates her own tale to an eager audience, and I love the occasional snippets as she interrupts the narration, reminding us there is a future for her, however events appear to be unfolding. This is a fractured system, and breaking the flow of the narration gives the reader that same jarred experience the characters go through as they start to understand how they’re being manipulated.

There are multiple secondary characters aside from Root and Ruth. Some of these spans the distance between the two stories, making connections that would have otherwise left me floundering how this pulls together. Gabriel is a mysterious figure who may be more than he seems, but a lot of the others are passing names rather than anyone we get to know.

Despite not being certain about The Nothing Within when I first started it, this was an engaging story that drew me into this world. Once you start to see the big picture, it’s a thoroughly enjoyable book and I’m glad to have picked it up.

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Loved the concept DEARLY, but unfortunately I just couldn't get into this one. The writing style was just...maybe a little stodgy? I really wanted to love it, but in the end I couldn't even make it yo the last page.

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I found this one difficult to get through. Perhaps it was the plot, or maybe it was just me. The author seemed to be very good, and it would be engaging to anyone it appeals to.

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I'm so sorry ..... I wanted to like this book. The premise is so interesting, and I wanted to see how the author was going to tie everything together.
But ...... I just couldn't finish the book. The threads, the wandering, the pace of it -- I tried my best, but I just couldn't find my feet, and finally just quit in confusion.

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I really loved this book!! It was a great post apocalyptic story with well written characters that had you cheering for them all the way!

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I’m not partial to post-apocalyptic stories but Giesler’s fresh and unusual take on the subject won me over. The Nothing Within is the first rural dystopia I’ve ever read.

An apocalyptic event known as The Reckoning has wiped out civilization in North America leaving only few rural communities cut off from the outside world. Their inhabitants live simple lives filled with menial tasks and rarely travel outside their villages. It’s too dangerous as chimeras, violent hybrid creatures, roam the wilds. The reasons for travel include buying food and breeding - interbreeding in a small village would lead to troubles and disabled children.

Root is a blind young woman who struggles to fit in, but she’s too curious and too straightforward for her own good. When she hears a voice in her head, the Nothing within her stirs and gives her serious enhancements (increased speed and strength, and more, but I won’t spoil it to you). The Nothing within is… well, I can’t tell you what it is as the author reveals it near the end of the book.

The Nothing Within blends fantasy with science-fiction. The story develops in two timelines - present and past one. The main arc focuses on Root trying to survive and understand what’s happening to her and who she really is. The other one presents events that lead to the Reckoning. Clues and important data are scattered throughout both narratives. While I appreciate it intellectually I also admit that the past storyline lacked a strong lead with a distinct voice Root has. 

Root is an excellent, if unreliable, storyteller. She often admits that her memory isn’t what it used to be, and it plays tricks on her. We’ll never know if and to what extent the time has warped her recollection of the events. She narrates the story of her life to a gathering of listeners. 

Giesler has created fascinating rustic, spartan, and ordered world shaped by Amish principles, something I rarely see in fiction. I liked the character development as well. Both Root and Ruth Troyer start as weak and naïve, but develop inner strength and become the leaders of their communities. As cliche as it may sound, the skillful use of POV makes it a pleasure to read. The uniqueness of the setting coupled with strong characterization make The Nothing Within intriguing and satisfying. 

Giesler takes time to develop the world and characters, though, so the pacing in the first half-of the book feels off. Things get together well, but you’ll need patience to get through parts of the text. 

While I enjoyed the blend of fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and mystery I also think that sometimes Giesler tried too hard to include a social commentary about dangers of bioengineering and science. I like simplicity but I also choose to believe science can do more good than bad in the longer run. Everything depends on who and how uses it and unfortunately those who have access to powerful tools aren’t always the people for the task.

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The Nothing Within
by Andy Giesler
A breath of fresh air in a post apocalyptic genre. Based of the idea of technology being mans down fall. This encompassing book looks at the world after technology turns on us. Scientist finding the idea that nano bots could fix the human body is appealing. This book should serve like Issac Asimov, as a caution of mankind's inability to predict the outcome of their achievement. The world has come to a Reckoning. The nano tech with in, can spread from host to host, and some of it is not benign, but malignant in is perversion of the code. Warping the mind and body of its victims, it has become a danger to all men. The robotic parts of the technology ignore their basic code, they ignore their route commands. This is why there needed to be a reckoning, they needed to turn off the nano bots in the world. The balance of control and chaos is difficult. The resilience of human nature, is a testament in this book, the ability of men to pass knowledge from one generation to another through stories. It is the truth of the stories that will enable man to survive.

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A phenomenal post-apocalyptic story about the resilience of human nature and the dangers of ignorance in an attempt to protect people from themselves. The main character was unique, opinionated, brave, and intelligent. Supporting characters were incredibly real, gritty with hard truths and poignant illustrations of humanity. Honestly, I couldn't put it down. The mysteries of the past were slowly uncovered as events in the present became ever more frantic. I was dying to find out what had really happened and I couldn't believe, right up until the end, that would ever turn out all right. The mix of present storytelling of past events illuminated by even more ancient events only found out later was brilliant. I couldn't recommend it more.

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This book falls into the post-apocalyptic genre. It was not exactly what I expected.
The story is told from the main character's story-telling when she is very old.
There is something about this book, and village life, that smacks of witch-hunting (although there are no witches in the story).
This book is difficult to write about without being a spoiler. Let's just say that there are many things that are not apparent in the beginning. Many things are not explained until more than halfway through the book. You would think this would be annoying, but instead it drove me to keep reading on to find.
I loved the map - it not only gave you perspective on where places were that Root went. It also defined the World That Is very well.
But what of the World That Was? Finished the book, and just like Root, I'm not sure.

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I decided to DNF this book at around 30%. The storyteller-style narration was unique, but unfortunately, it did not work for me. The plot was not at all what I expected either, which took away from my personal enjoyment. It's not a bad story at all, though. Like I said before, I had completely different expectations going into this. This book was extremely unique. I don't think I've ever read anything like it. And from what I did read, the characters seemed really interesting. It definitely leans towards the magical-realism genre--which is a genre that I always have a difficult time reading. Basically, it wasn't the book. It was me.

Anyways, thank you so much for giving me the chance to read The Nothing Within! It was really well-written, and I'm sure it could be an enjoyable read for the right person! Good luck!

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Interesting setup for a book but I just couldn’t get into it. I felt lost from the get go and it didn’t get any clearer. I wanted to like this book the premise really intrigued me but I couldn’t get into it. DNF

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In the prologue at the beginning of The Nothing Within, by Andy Giesler, we see two characters fighting over a terrible decision. It’s not clear until later what that decision is: nullifying all of the advanced nanotechnology in the world. (And it’s not until much later that we find out why those characters made that decision.) Centuries later, a woman named Root tells the story of her life to a group of young children. So much has changed for a society that, these days, is still not allowed to develop any kind of technology beyond 1700s-level. Stories are the only way to pass on knowledge…but it appears that those stories haven’t always told the truth.

Young Root has always been on the outs with her village of Surecreek. She was born blind, which folks have been able to get used to. The bigger problems are that she asks too many questions and is too willing to push the boundaries. She loves going over the village wall to explore. She loves to practice the Shepard’s Dance (martial arts). She really wants to know more about the super-powered Shepards and the monstrous chimerae that haunt the World That Is. Still, she manages to stay just within the bounds of acceptable behavior for years until it appears that she’s either going to develop her own super powers or that she might turn into a monster.

While Root tries to figure out what to do with herself, we get chapters from the diary of an Amish woman who is dealing with the fall out from the decision to turn off all the tech. Being Amish, Ruth herself doesn’t have much truck with advanced technology. But because the Amish seem to be the only people who know how to get along without, Ruth’s community becomes a target for “strays” who want food and shelter and for the strays who want to take over and create a little empire for themselves.

I was less interested in the lost technology or the event that created a dystopia. The Nothing Inside doesn’t dwell too much on this; a lot of the tech remains mysterious. This is a good idea, given how glutted the bookstores are with dystopias. Being the story-obsessed person that I am, I was hooked by the way that Ruth’s story became Root’s mythology. I loved seeing how a society created itself from Amish plainness, a new origin story, and lots and lots of time. The fact that all of this is wrapped around one of my favorite kick-ass, funny female characters I’ve seen in a while. I really, really liked Root. I loved sitting at her metaphorical feet, listening to her adventures.

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This was a page turner! It was really hard to put down.

It's a rather thought provoking story about the end of the world.
Told through the voice of two strong women, Ruth Troyer and Root, and even though they lived thousand of years apart, it blended gorgeously.

My opinion? Wow, just WOW.

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I am quite a big fan of post apocalyptic, dystopian type novels and consequently have read a great many. I have to say that this won't go down as one of my favourites.
I think the main problem was the writing style. There are different threads in different times periods - something I am quite happy with in books. There are also a variety of "source" materials - media, diaries etc - again something I usually like in a book. However, I felt the use of both their storytelling methods left the story slightly disjointed & I failed to get really involved in the book or the characters.

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Title: The Nothing Within
Author: Andy Giesler
Genre: Dystopian
Rating: 4 out of 5

In 2161, the world changed. The first chimera appeared, and a year later, twelve billion people were dead. Those that remained called it the Reckoning, and as they struggled to survive in their hostile new world—the World That Is—they became different. More withdrawn. Less tolerant of anyone who was different, anyone who might harbor the Nothing within themselves, bringing danger to all inside the walls that encircle their villages.

Root is the daughter of a Weaver—a village guardian—and her blindness isn’t the only thing that sets her apart. So does her curiosity, her questions about everything around her. For the tradition-bound people she knows, that is her worst offense. Until one day Root hears a voice no one else hears, and soon she’s on a journey to find out the truth about herself, her world, and what happened in the Reckoning that shapes who she is now.

It took me a little bit to get into The Nothing Within. Dystopian fiction set in Amish country? I’ve never even considered the idea, and it kept me hooked. The world here is so unique that it kept my attention, even when I was a bit confused early on. Root is a fascinating character. Her blindness doesn’t stop her, and even gives her more abilities than she’d otherwise have. This is a great read for anyone who just wants to settle into a longer story and get to know a new world.

Andy Giesler lives in Wisconsin. The Nothing Within is his debut novel.

(Galley provided by Humble Quill LLC in exchange for an honest review.)

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I enjoyed this dystopian novel. It's been a while since I've read the genre and I was worried it would feel like many others, since the market was flooded with this genre a few years ago. But it wasn't. I found the plot to be pretty original. I loved how the pacing was fast without being rushed. I connected with the main protagonist. Really rooted for Root. The writing itself was also a strong point. I'm hoping there will be more. I would reccomend to fans of the genre.

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There are both things I like, and things I dislike about this book. More like than dislike though.

As a general rule I don't do a synopsis as they are typically covered much better by others so I will stick to my impressions. First, the opening of the book was pretty engaging, and got me interested in figuring out exactly what was going on without revealing too much. The tale is split primarily into 3 timelines; present, recent past, and distant past all interspersed within each other alternating between chapters. The weaving (pun!) of those chapters was well done and built a cohesive story that came together pretty well without revealing too much too early. My biggest grievance, mostly personal taste, is with the present timeline sections in how they are seemingly fourth wall breaking. They are filled with the main character telling the tales of the recent and distant past. I don't particularly care for one way conversation where I am "spoke" to as though I am part of the crowd/audience and inferring the other side of the conversation that isn't written because I "know" what is said. I found those sections to be a little jarring and I had a little trouble staying immersed for them, fortunately they were usually kept pretty short before jumping back into the tale.

From a story/plot standpoint, I found it to be pretty solid and easy to sit turning page after page. I can't say it was life changing, or a top book I would recommend to friends, but I did definitely enjoy it and have no regrets about the time spent reading it. Overall a good book that would give me the confidence to read future books by the author.

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Wow. That was incredible. A post-apocalyptic tale set in an Amish community following Root, a young woman forging her own path in the world.
It has been left open for a sequel. Can't wait!

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The Nothing Within is certainly a page turning. Both in that it is a gripping read and that there are 32 titles pages.

I prefer shorter reads, 300 pages or so is what I generally pick up. This being over 500 pages was a bit off-putting for me, but it is a quick and easy read. It is enjoyable and well put together. Narration wise, it was not what I was expecting… and at times I did not enjoy, but I did receive an uncorrected proof which may have pending edits.

I enjoyed Andy Giesler writing style and tone. I recommend it.

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