Trempealeau blends local fiction, mystery, multiverse and apocalyptic science fiction to explain the real Skylab discovery of a massive circular structure in the snow-covered ground along the Minnesota-Wisconsin border in the winter of 1974. In the novel, the U.S. government discovers the astonishing secret at the center of this mysterious circle during World War II, a secret that residents in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, have hidden for decades with deadly violence. The Skylab transmission of this phenomenon fires the imagination of two curious teen boys from La Crosse, Wisconsin, and young Jennifer von Guericke, whose family farm marked the epicenter of the circle described from space. Her father’s disappearance soon after the Skylab report tore apart her family, and now, twenty-nine years later, in 2003, Jen has returned home to bury her estranged mother. Jennifer meets Paul Meadows, the La Crosse man whose friend Peter mysterious disappeared during their childhood explorations of the circle. Now a new generation, led by Trempealeau County cheesemaker Steve Schleusener, must decide if they will keep the secret of the ill-fated pond at the center of the circle or help Paul and Jennifer learn the truth. But the secret is stirring. Mysterious earthquakes, building in strength, are shaking the globe, and the pathway in the pond threatens to destroy not only one world, but two.
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: A dense and inventive sci-fi novel based on real-world events, this story is told in a parallel plot structure during multiple time periods—primarily 1944 and 2003—that unfold in a very satisfying arc. Umhoefer delivers memorable characters, and an exciting turn, that will leave readers eager for a potential sequel.
Prose: The prose is tight and clean, with a strong voice and long text passages that read well, rarely feeling overwritten. The book is rooted in real locations, drawing on elements from Indigenous cultures in a respectful way.
Originality: It's clear that Umhoefer has done his research, grounding this stunning novel in science that lends a degree of believability to its fantasy elements. That, in combination with a carefully developed plot, transforms this into a fully-formed novel that stands above many of its contemporaries.
Character/Execution: Umhoefer fashions the characters to effectively fit the theme and setting, without the plot devices showing through the seams. This treatment plays to the strengths of the science-grounded narrative, with the characters feeling as if they are caught up in a larger mechanism, rather than just reader-avatars along for the ride.
Date Submitted: August 07, 2024
"John Umhoefer’s debut novel certainly does not disappoint. The story skillfully weaves together facets of different genres—mystery, thriller, science fiction, and local legends all pressed into one action-packed tale. The addition of the real-life events, images, and transcripts add another level to the cryptic nature.
The chapters bounce back and forth between the present-day and flashbacks for different characters, which may feel a little bit off-putting at first, but the tension put on hold works incredibly well for it.
The pacing fits the story perfectly, and with the aforementioned tension from the chapters, it provides a satisfying slow-burn. The reader learns information at about the same pace as Jennifer does, simulating her frustrated lack of knowledge, yet leaving it to be revealed as it becomes appropriate. The character development mirrors this in a way—characters are not introduced all at once, but are cultivated together so their development supports (or rejects) the others around them.
This book is a great choice for those looking for authentic characters, well-paced suspense, and plenty of twists and turns. The book could stand alone as it is, but there are elements that beg to be continued, or perhaps even rediscovered."
“Umhoefer’s debut novel blends elements of SF, mystery, and apocalyptic thrillers in a storytelling tour de force . . . An unpredictable and surprising thriller.”
Trempealeau is the first book in the Trempealeau Stories series, blending thriller elements with post-apocalyptic sci-fi atmosphere as it follows the discovery of a structure that will change the world.
The story begins in 1974, when Skylab observes a great circular structure buried in the snow near Minneapolis. Fast forward to Wisconsin in 2003, which opens with a bang:
"No one briefed Carr about the damn thing. The end of the world was pretty clear from 270 miles up."
The circle that was observed decades earlier holds the power to fracture every fault line on the planet in an Armageddon that will end humanity's reign on Earth. The growing quakes whose epicenters reside at the heart of this mysterious place portend an awakening power and patterns that have become undeniable.
As the mysterious geologic circle some 55 miles across comes to light in different ways, Paul Meadows mourns his lost friend Pete Flottmeier (who disappeared decades earlier) and finds himself immersed in the heart of a struggle between mysterious forces and a decades-old obsession over the truth. This challenges not only his mental acuity, but his perception of reality itself.
John T. Umhoefer's ability to craft a novel that is compelling on different levels makes for a riveting, unpredictable marriage between personal psychological challenge and circumstances which reinforce a mystery that could both solve and change everything.
The shifts between local color (including Wisconsin backdrops and tribal concerns), personal angst, and bigger-picture thinking of world salvation and reality itself create unexpected links between subjects and engagements that evolve with many satisfying surprises along the way.
Thriller readers will especially appreciate the components of tension, special interests, and discovery which permeate a cat-and-mouse game of conflicting objectives between characters and special interest groups, while sci-fi readers will enjoy the juxtaposition of unexpected forces that keep the story ever-changing and far outside any notion of pat formula writing.
Libraries and readers seeking books that exemplify the intersection between thriller and sci-fi genres with a story replete in discovery and revelation will find Trempealeau packed with surprise and delightful twists and turns that make it unpredictable and hard to put down.
“Author Umhoefer spins a highly imaginative tale of science fiction, fantasy and political intrigue. Much of the charm of this novel, billed as “Book One” of the “Trempealeau Stories,” is the sense of place—the loving descriptions of the western Wisconsin. . . . Three trowels for this epic fantasy.” —William Gresens, Book Reviewer
Trempealeau, John T. Umhoefer's debut novel, is a Best Indie Science Fiction & Fantasy book of 2023, selected by Kirkus Reviews.
"Trempealeau" (on sale date December 15, publication date January 9, 2024) was awarded Friday with the Kirkus Reviews Top 100 Indie Novels of 2023. The book walks readers through a fictional sci-fi secret that has real-life connections to La Crosse, Wisconsin.
