On an alternate Earth where the winters planet-wide are like those in the Antarctic and humans hibernate, an elite and entirely strange crew mans the winter by staying awake to guard those who slumber. A medication that helps sleepers survive hibernation also turns one in two-thousand humans into nightwalkers, who get a bit bitey if they don't get fed, but make excellent simple servants if well supplied with Snickers and other treats. In this world of winter, our accidental hero Charlie has stumbled upon a mystery.

Punctuated with Jasper Fforde's distinctive quirky humor, Early Riser is dystopian-light. It's fun, fast, none-too-serious, and will keep you guessing as to which of these asshats is actually the enemy right up to the end.

I absolutely love that Charlie is never gendered in the book.