Critcal and Reader Response
“This magical, terrifying, and whimsical debut is a genuinely original and immersive take on post-apocalyptic SF.”
Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
“In a departure from tales of grim technological nightmares, this not-quite-dystopian novel focuses on folk storytelling…and the personal nature of questioning what is normal.”
“Every word is placed as carefully as a quilt square.”
“This is a welcome breath of fresh air and calm after the apocalyptic storm.”
Read the full review at Publishers Weekly
BlueInk Review (Starred Review)
“Andy Giesler’s debut novel…seamlessly blends elements of science fiction, dystopian fiction, horror, and mystery, with a healthy dose of social commentary thrown in for good measure.”
“Giesler makes this 542-page novel impossible to put down, not only by creating a cast of fully realized and unique characters—Root is an unforgettable heroine—but also by making world-building a focus throughout.”
“Additionally, the story’s impressive bombshell plot twists will keep readers off-balance until the very end.”
“Post-apocalyptic fiction fans who enjoy grand, end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it narratives, such as Stephen King’s The Stand, Justin Cronin’s Passage trilogy, and Walter M. Miller Jr.’s A Canticle for Leibowitz, will find Giesler’s debut nothing short of a storytelling masterwork.”
Read the full review at BlueInk
“[A] fresh and ingenious take on the post-apocalyptic novel…that maintains suspense from its first page to its last.”
Foreword Clarion Reviews
“In every way, this eye-opening post-apocalyptic tale is a true page-turner.”
“Andy Giesler’s The Nothing Within is a fresh and ingenious take on the post-apocalyptic novel.”
“The book fuses fantasy with science fiction for its twist on post-apocalyptic tales.”
“Suspicions as to the truth behind any situation are rewarded and epiphanies are many.”
“Characters are developed with thorough attention.”
“The Nothing Within is a densely woven futuristic tale that maintains suspense from its first page to its last.
Read the full review at Foreword Clarion Reviews
“Crafty surprises abound in this debut novel…phenomenal worldbuilding…An often mesmerizing end-of-the-world adventure.”
Kirkus Reviews
“Crafty surprises abound in this debut novel…”
“The author…pays close attention to the development of language, religion, and cultural ceremonies across the centuries, resulting in some phenomenal worldbuilding.”
“Root is a feisty, compelling narrator…”
“An often mesmerizing end-of-the-world adventure.”
Read the full review at Kirkus Reviews
2020 Finalist
2020 Finalist
“[U]nexpectedly original, refreshingly revealing, and a standout compared to the usual dystopian exploration.”
“[R]eaders of dystopian fiction will find The Nothing Within nearly impossible to put down.”
“[E]ach character is carefully crafted, descriptions set the scenes using a minimum of verbiage and powerful action words, and absorbing individual conflicts and dilemmas draw readers into the greater story…”
“As stories and narrators entwine, readers will be delighted by the fresh, original take of this end-of-the-world saga, and will find The Nothing Within and its progression unexpectedly original, refreshingly revealing, and a standout compared to the usual dystopian exploration.”
Read the full review at Midwest Book Review