When I first picked this book up, I was like, what am I doing to myself? Sci-fi has never been one of my main genres. However, I felt like branching out this year. So happy I did! I loved this book. I will say it felt light sci-fi and more dystopia. So I would recommend this to people like me who are newer to the genre.

I loved the female characters and the building of their relationship throughout this book. The different settings I could picture perfectly in my head, they were all so cool. I did not at all expect the twists at the end and I will be anxiously awaiting book 2.

3.5/5 ⭐️
Ok, in the end, I don’t think I was the right audience for this book. It was great. The descriptions were so brilliant that I could picture it like a movie. And there were parts I enjoyed. Especially the ending. The twists on the last two pages was rude cause it is making me contemplate wanting to read the next book. However, for most of the book I felt like I was reading on autopilot, and if anyone was to ask, I would have no idea how the describe what just happened. It reminded me a little of my reading experience with Dune; I can recognize its brillance even though the science parts went over my head and made my eyes glaze over.
Overall, I would recommend this book to any sci-fi fans or fans of Dune but want the world to feel like being on the different planets in Star Wars. I recognize it’s a great story that did entertain me at times, however, it also was just not for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dystopian Sunrise Press for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.

This book didn't know whether it was fantasy or science fiction. It starts off with a fantasy element with Mica held hostage by a cult about to be sacrificed to help the After Lord access a portal to her world. But it soon changes to the perspective of a bot, and the world is full of technocrats, and (perhaps) AI and machine culture.

Only it isn't. At least half the storyline takes part in a world apart from the machine culture, separated by a rift that keeps the two cultures apart physically as much as developmentally. The machine culture seems advanced, the culture Mica and Animkii wind up in seems much more underdeveloped or even dystopian.

There were enjoyable elements, but I felt the characters needed more development. We spend quite a bit of time in Animkii's memories, and Mica behaves unacceptably towards her, but Animkii still claims friendship and tries to save her (right after storming away because of something Mica does).

Will I read the next book in the series? Perhaps. There are enough elements in this book that are intriguing enough for me to want to find out more.

I don't read much Scifi in general, one of the reading goals I had set myself for 2024 was to read in the genre, to give it a chance as it were. This is one complicated novel, and might not have been the best for my forray into the genre. There is a lot happening, there are a lot of characters, settings, technology, beings and planetary geography that sounds nothing like earth.

I enjoyed the two strong female narators, I just wish more time had been spent describing their inner dialogue/termoil than the settings they found themselves in. With both characters I wish that the narration had started further back in time, rather than this being revealed later on. I understand that authors may want to reveal things gradually, but with Mica in particular this would have made the first chapters, and the subsquent lapse in time a bit clearer.

I think the technocrat society, and the religion of the orphaned mods that Gilchrist present are very interesting and I'd love to know more. When it came to Animkii's history/society I think I was distracted by the seemingly implausible wall of fire that blocked her people from the remainder of the planet. That and the discussion of the dreaded 'Dreamers' reminded me a bit of Game of Thrones, beyond the wall and the white walkers, and based on the way that show ended, its not the most favourable comparison. I would love to know more about Animkii's people and their conception of gender that sounded promising, and reminded me a bit of how gender is treated in some of the Indigenous peoples of Canada specifically Bernache and the idea of Ghost Wives and Husbands.

For me personally as a nube to the genre, I would have liked so much more to have gone in first with extensive world building, then follow it up with action. If anyone reading this is however, wanting an action packed read and doesn't need all that groundwork this is for you!

This novel reads like a dark video game.

Specifically, Elden Ring.

It has all the dark tropes required of high fantasy. Strong heroine, evil empire,

I mean, it's literally titled the end of the world.

It's also very scifi-heavy. Inspired by Dune and Horizon: Zero Dawn, in my opinion.

And it's okay.

I was not overwhelmingly swept away. But it was enjoyable enough to keep reading. Which is how I feel about a lot of video games. Just enjoyable enough.

Will I be reading the sequel? Most likely. Just like I have to get into Horizon: Forbidden West.

A post-apocalyptic dystopian world so well created and described by the author that I was captivated right at the beginning by the story. The different parts of that world felt real and the different characters were all interesting, both the main and secondary ones. The flashback from both main characters were very well exploited and brought important meaning to the story.

A mix of scifi with advanced technologies, cyborg, modified humans and dark fantasy with fanatical cultists with otherworldly powers.

I let myself be carried away in this story and didn’t see the ending coming.
I am looking forward for book 2.

(Thanks NetGalley for providing this EArc)

It took me a while to get into the flow of The End of the World, mainly it was so confusing at the start. The book does not feel like it is book one, more like I got dumped in the middle of the story with no sign of "start here".
Animkii and Mica are two females in a post-apocalyptic world, struggling to survive. On one hand, we have a hive mind of the Technocrats. Then we have a cult of the After lord.
Our Earth sundered, broke apart and created a rift and a new world where only the fittest will survive.
There are a lot of elements in the story, but the author thinks it is a good idea to explain things right at the end, expecting readers to just follow along the action, all confused, hoping for an answer.

For a Sci-Fi story, information dumping is so last age. Not a fan.

Mica escapes after being held hostage by a cult because they believe she is special. Animkii awakens lucid after being cut loose from the Technocrats’ shared mind space and must come to terms with what she was made to do under their control. The two become unlikely allies as they both condemn life under the rule of the Technocrats.

I found this book confusing for about the first 100 pages as I tried to grasp the world building. However, once I understood the dystopia, the story became much more enjoyable. I loved both the female main characters but sometimes felt unsure of why they were helping each other. The twist ending absolutely made my jaw drop! I would recommend this book to people who are into Science Fiction and would be able to engage with the nuances of the world Gilchrist has built.

2.75/5

Alright, this was amazing!!

I LOVE being thrown into the deep end with action that just never stops, and this book delivered on that. From the first chapter, we're just going and going, and while I had to reread a few moments because I was getting ahead of myself, I still thoroughly enjoyed it.

Two badass FMCs, lots of action, enemies-to-friends, dystopian/sci-fi theme with a really good mix of fantasy at points... This book just constantly delivered!!

The pace, the timing, the plot... It really has it all!

Overall, it's a 5/5 for me!!

I read this book as a pre-release e-book obtained through NetGalley, provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

I found this novel full of twists and turns, making it all but impossible to see the resolution to the story until it’s very end. Yet, the end is but a beginning, as this is the first in what’s intended to be a series. Set in a very dystopian future, run by the same Technocrats who poisoned and polluted the earth, with a cult underneath the whole thing, set out to sacrifice our heroine. She stays away from them with the help of a cyborg – through the power of will from what remains of her humanity who is exceeding her specifications as a cyborg.

There are cultists, technological experts, scavengers, collectors, modified and hybrid beings. There are ties to the “old world” – possibly ours, possibly to older civilizations. And technological or magical items. It’s difficult through the very end to see who are the good guys or the bad guys, and who our heroine can trust or should distrust.

Then, there is what being it is that either the Cult or the Outlanders worship.

This took much longer in calendar-time than it actually took to read. I was away from the device I read it on for close to a week, but I thought about it and considered it all the time when I was unable to read it.

"The End of the World" is an enthralling book that takes you on a thrilling journey into a dark and dystopian future where technology rules supreme. It's a world where the struggle for power never ends and everything is in chaos 24/7. Gilchrist paints vivid pictures of various locations, from the dirty underbelly of the city to the freezing Witherlands, bringing them to life before your eyes. Through her writing, Gilchrist forces readers to question the very essence of humanity, morality, and survival. She takes you on a journey that delves deep into the unknown, leaving you contemplating life and existence long after you finish the book. Moreover, the story is shrouded in spine-tingling mystery, with an ancient alien god, the After Lord, looming over everything. If you're looking for a mind-bending adventure that will take you to a tomorrow you never imagined, then "The End of the World" is the perfect book for you!

4.5
Good first volume in new series. Compelling characters and interesting world.
Only issue for me is the pace. It is very go go go. I would have liked to stop down on occasion to experience the setting more instead of immediately moving on the the next thing.

The End of the World: Rise of the After Lord took me on a journey through a broken future. It gripped me from the start. Reading this story felt like being caught up in a whirlwind of dystopian chaos, revealing deeper layers of suspense and intrigue.

H.S. Gilchrist, created a vivid and chilling picture of a world oppressed by technology and plagued by a battle for control. Animkii, is a fascinating character who struggles against the invasive tech implanted within her. As she navigates the complexities of her mission, I was drawn into her inner conflict, feeling every ounce of her determination and desperation.

The dynamic between Animkii and Mica Stone, the troubled recycler, adds a separate layer of intrigue. Their uneasy alliance and the high-stakes mission they undertake kept me on the edge of my seat. From the undercity's dystopian depths to the remote and icy Witherlands, every setting feels detailed. I felt immersed in Gilchrist's hauntingly crafted world.

Gilchrist challenged my perception of humanity, morality, and the essence of survival. The looming threat of the ancient alien god, the After Lord, gave me chills.

Reading The End of the World was like boarding an adrenaline-fueled rollercoaster ride through a dark, unforgiving future. It's gripping story forced me to question the nature of existence and left me pondering the boundaries of humanity in the face of impending oblivion.

"A riveting dystopian odyssey through a broken future."

"A chilling battle between humanity and invasive technology."

"An electrifying tale of survival amidst technological oppression."

"A haunting journey through a world on the brink of oblivion."

"A gripping account of desperate alliances and relentless pursuit."

"A dark exploration of humanity's last stand."

"An adrenaline-fueled saga of sacrifice and uncertain fate."

"A vividly crafted world teetering on the edge of destruction."

"An epic struggle against an ancient, malevolent force."

"A thought-provoking quest questioning the essence of humanity."

A strange mix of The Borg, a dystopia, and a demonic magic fantasy that works in places from its slow and rather confusing start. There are places where events are clear, and places that are murky.