After The Storm

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

After four years of hell serving aboard the Sympatico, a dysfunctional ship with a deadly crew, all Rich wants is to prove himself worthy of an unexpected second chance. Get some sun, make some friends, maybe hook up with a cute guy and even learn to relax. But old scars, bad habits, and an insane AI aren’t going to make it easy...

Information

Status: Completed
Year: 2025
Author: MichiganFleet

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.9/ 5.0
Followers: 38
Views: 7,981

Chapters(18 total)

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!

Community Reviews(10)

CatchingShadowsRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I could just cut and paste my original book review from when I first read this, but that would be cheating. This is a fun setting with excellent worldbuilding. Good sf as well as good romance, with some thoughtful exploration of trauma and critique of late stage capitalism rolled in. Our Protagonist is sympathetic and his interactions with the crew--both the ones he knew when he was an intern, and the ones he's just currently meeting--have a lot of substance to them. The novel is a frequent re-read for me, and I highly recommend it!
OwlFeathersRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Do you like stories about traumatized characters gradually unlearning the coping mechanisms that previously kept them safe? How about gay erotica in a vaguely sci-fi setting? Does the concept of a boat-based society on Lake Michigan intrigue you? If you answered yes to these questions, then please for the love of everything good in this world read After the Storm!!!
Buggy AI, novel gender stereotypes, post-apocalyptic sesame street, and the generational trauma of growing up genetically modified - the worldbuilding in AtS is a delight. At the center of it all is Rich Merrill, giant nerd and GIANT dude, recovering from trauma and smooching cute guys while he's at it. :)
cgdRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Great novel. Manages to walk the tightrope not only between developing the science fiction setting and moving the plot... but also between the romance, smut, and even platonic relationships of the protagonist.
I'm Ace and was pleased to see platontc relationships being given real weight in the narrative, as opposed to being seen as a consolation prize or a stepping stone as sometimes happens in the romance genre.
The social commentary explored in the science fiction is also refreshingly fleshed-out and nuanced.
Often, writers will present their settings as either utopias or dystopias, because extremism lends itself well to commentary, but this narrative takes the harder path of portraying a realistic society.
...not necessarily in the sense that a society of boat-dwellers is the only logical response to climate change, but in the sense that this society Feels Real.
coat5855Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
If you like gay polyamory and stories of emotional healing, this story is for you! The sex scenes are super hot, and Rich's story of growth and finding himself again is super touching. I want to squeeze all the characters (even Trimmer, though he'd shank me for it).
I also really like the thought and detail put into the setting (it's post-post-apocalyptic!)
The grammar is excellent, and the illustrations are beautiful.
I'm looking forward to reading everything else the author does!
jessaramineRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This is the story of how a victim who doesn't look like one on a superficial level starts his recovery with support when he's moved away from his abusive environment into a healthier and more supportive one.
I love how conscious Rich is of his size snd strength and hiw he expects that to colour perceptions of him. The other delightful thing that really gets focused on in the latest chapter (6) is how much he sees sex as transactional in a way none of the characters around him now do.
quisaitrienRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The Michigan fleet setting lives in my head rent free. I did initially come for the sex, but I was so interested in the setting that sometimes I would skim through those scenes to catch any character moments then rush on to keep learning more about the world and what's going on. If you enjoy weird speculative sci-fi, relationship driven narratives, hot consent-focused sex, or Lake Michigan, I'd totally recommend this book.
sulithliRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
What an INCREDIBLE book! The world-building is deep and thought-out, so many details mentioned in passing that I want to learn more about. Every character reads like a full person, even those we barely talk to. Rich's emotional arc is heart-warming, gut-wrenching, and breath-taking by turns. This is high-quality humor, pathos, and erotica. The prose is delightful, the setting intriguing, and the story CONSUMING. I couldn't stop reading!
televisionTelepathRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I love this book - I own the full ebook, every side story, and I re-read it as stress relief once or twice a year. It’s the perfect blend of catharsis, characters I could think about nonstop, and indulgently long sex scenes that always inform where our characters are at. Rich learning to become a person again is exactly the kind of heart-squeezing hurt/comfort I crave.
thiccnasRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I read this book a while ago, but it's so nice to see it being posted on RR where more people can enjoy it!
In the (not so distant) future, climate change has completely wrecked most of the world. The United States has collapsed into tiny feudal city states and humanity has tried to genetically engineer it's way out of it's own mess to no avail. But, people keep on peopling, even after the world has fallen apart.
This story follows Rich, a huge guy who's the descendant of super soldiers. He looks a certain way so people expect him to BE a certain way. But people so rarely conform to what people expect. Despite being built like a brick house, Rich hates fighting. As this story starts, Rich has just escaped a very Lord of the Flies type situation and has to figure out how to fit back into normal society again.
The characters and setting are the big stand out stars for this book. The plot mostly revolves around Rich adjusting back to life after his old boat, the Sympatico, is shut down. Because of that, the plot sometimes feels like its sort of meandering around. I found it refreshing, because there's no formulaic plot progression. And the characters and setting were so interesting and obviously well thought out, that I sort of just wanted to hang out in their world a little bit longer.
Very recommended to anyone who likes trauma recovery stories, queer books, or interesting sci-fi settings!
thinofsubstanceRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I bought this book on Smashwords when it was originally published, and it’s been a real treat to read it in this new format — especially with these stunning illustrations to go along with it!
This first entry in the Michigan Fleet series is a wonderful journey of recovery and healing set in a fascinating and vivid post-collapse near-future setting. After years aboard a toxic ship with vicious crew, our protagonist Rich struggles to reintegrate into society while grappling with the scars (literal and figurative) left by his experiences.
Rich is relatable and highly sympathetic, and you’ll be rooting for him as he stumbles his way toward self-actualization, a healthy work-life balance, new friendships…and new more-than-friendships with the cast of fully-realized characters that populate the world of the Michigan Fleet.
The writing is evocative, balancing sharp, deeply emotional moments with wry humor and intricate worldbuilding. (Not to mention hot smut! It truly has everything!!) After the Storm is a pleasure to read and re-read, and if you haven’t taken the plunge yet — what are you waiting for? Come on in! The water’s great!
I highly recommend getting into this series, and I'm very much looking forward to the upcoming installment.