‘A riveting story of survival that questions the prices of freedom and safety as well as the value of an individual life…A breakout new series full of romance, danger, and a surprisingly engaging world.’
Kirkus Reviews
Since a deadly virus and the violence that followed wiped out his parents and most of his community, Finn has lived alone on the rugged coast with only his loyal dog Rowdy for company.
He has stayed alive for two winters - hunting and fishing and trading food, and keeping out of sight of the Wilders, an armed and dangerous gang that controls the north, led by a ruthless man named Ramage.
But Finn’s isolation is shattered when a girl runs onto the beach. Rose is a Siley - an asylum seeker - and she has escaped from Ramage, who had enslaved her and her younger sister, Kas. Rose is desperate, sick, and needs Finn’s help. Kas is still missing somewhere out in the bush.
And Ramage wants the girls back - at any cost.
ABOUT
THE ROAD TO WINTER
REVIEWS
‘Tense and atmospheric…Mark Smith’s debut is assured, gripping and leaves you wanting more.’
Best Books for Younger Readers 2016, Sydney Morning Herald
'Had me on the edge of my seat the whole time and I finished it in a few hours…Such a thrilling read and fantastic characters.’
Peggy Miedlar, NewsLink
‘Loved it from beginning to end…Great characters…I can’t wait to sell the pants off The Road to Winter!’
Peter Ingram-Jones, Fullers Bookshop Hobart
‘It’s easy to see why Mark Smith’s dystopian thriller has been compared with John Marsden’s Tomorrow When the War Began. I bearly came up for breath as the pages flew. So strap yourself in for a high action ride.’
Kids Book Review
‘A beautiful and intimate story… Like the best YA fiction, The Road to Winter is sure to appeal just as much to an adult audience, and I can easily see it being discussed as passionately by a local book club as a high-school English class.’
Otago Daily Times
'Part dystopian-future novel and part survival story, this is a fast moving and enthralling page turner for young adults, set on the Victorian coast. I could not put it down.
Bev Jacobsen, Library Co-ordinator, Campion Education Perth
‘A read-in-one-session novel. The recognisable coastal setting, a world catastrophically changed by a virus, asylum seekers used as slave labour, and the dangerous Wilders give rise to interesting issues for student discussion.’
Jan May, Teacher & Education Consultant
INTERVIEWS
AWARDS
Shortlisted, Indie Book Award for Young Adult, 2017
Shortlisted, West Australian Young Readers' Book Award, 2017
Shortlisted, Western Australian Science Fiction Foundation's Aurealis Award, 2016
Shortlisted, Readings Young Adult Book Prize, 2017
Shortlisted, Queensland Literary Award: Griffith University Young Adult Book Award, 2017
Shortlisted, Foreword Indies Awards: Young Adult Fiction, United States, 2017
Longlisted, Best Designed Children’s/Young Adult Series, Australian Book Design Awards, 2020
Shortlisted, Sara Douglas Book Series Award, Aurealis Awards, 2021
