Review | The Fearing: Book Two – Water & Wind by John F.D. Taff (ARC)

As the world spins into chaos, a reverend faces a nightmare. A group of travelers try to understand the source of their ordeals as they move to escape whatever’s coming. Three teenagers search for other survivors as they make a journey back home. And two men bring the horror with them, spreading their influence as they move further towards their destination.

For every inch he pulled the rope toward him, the wind yanked it right back and then some. A few times, the rope sped through his hands, burning a path across his palms, his fingers. Preparing for what he hoped would be his final effort, he looked up, through the doorway. What he saw made him pause, blink in astonishment.

I highly enjoyed Book One of The Fearing when I read it back in June and I was really excited to read Book Two. I planned to reread Book One but I was short on time, so I jumped right into Book Two. To my delight, the story is as memorable as if I had read it yesterday. Familiar characters I remember in a world on the brink of an apocalypse, vividly described. As they battle the elements and their fear manifesting in physical forms, they continue to find ways to survive.

This time we meet a new character in the form of Reverend Mark Hubert, battling a ferocious storm. A man whose strong faith is shaken as he views impossible things, and has to make some unthinkable choices. I immediately feel attached to the character, especially when he finds that there are more questions than answers to his current situation.

Continuing from Book One, we follow Rich, Marcia, Glen, Wanda and Charles as they attempt to understand what they’re going through while preparing for the worst. While most of their story takes place on the road, it’s a suspenseful ride. One scene featuring Charles is particularly distressing as it highlights that fear can take many form, not just the weird and apocalyptic. Sometimes it comes down to the ways people operate and the awful things they can do to each other.

The three teenagers, Sarah, Carli and Kyle, try to figure out how to survive while battling hormonal teenage problems. There were moments where I found their arguments childish but this is also humanity at its core. If everything goes to hell, why not hold on to the one thing you think you know? In this case, it’s Carli behaving as if she’s better than Sarah in holding Kyle’s attention. It might be the end of the world but a cute boy is still a cute boy.

While we don’t get a lot of Adam and Jelnik this time around, their story is still impactful. We get hints that maybe Adam is not entirely in charge of his powers as he spreads fear wherever he goes. It keeps things interesting and open for more possibilities.

As in Book One, fear is a constant undercurrent. Book Two swept me into the story before ending on a gut punch. It’s a testament to the strong writing that I already care for these characters in the short time I’ve been with them. If you’re planning to read The Fearing, you must start with Book One before Book Two. It’s worth it. I can’t wait to continue and hope these characters make it to the end!

I received an ARC from the publisher for review purposes. The Fearing: Book Two – Water & Wind is out on 20 August!

About the author: John F.D. Taff

Photo by Glauco Pater