Books
x dismiss this message

Did you know you can edit this page?

see page history

Description edit see section history

The gigantic comet had slammed into Earth, forging earthquakes a thousand times too powerful to measure on the Richter scale, tidal waves thousands of feet high. Cities were turned into oceans; oceans turned into steam. It was the beginning of a new Ice Age and the end of civilization. But for... read more

Summary edit see section history

A fairly large comet breaks up and hit earth. How the survivors cope.

Characters/People edit see section history

Show all 157 characters
Popular Covers

Loading covers…

Choose your book’s cover

First Sentence edit see section history

Before the sun burned, before the planets formed, there were chaos and the comets.

Table of Contents edit see section history

<b>Acknowledgments</b>

<b>Dramatis Personae</b>

<b>Prologue</b>

<b>I. The Anvil</b>
1. January: The Portent
2. January: Interlude
3. February: One
4. February: Two
5. March: One
6. March: Interludes
7. March: Two
8. April: One
9. April: Interludes
10. April: Two
11. May
12. June: One
13. June: Interludes
14. June: Two
15. June: Three
16. June: Four

<b>II. The Hammer</b>
1. Hammerfall Morning
2. Hammerfall: One
3. Hot Fudge Tuesdae: One
4. Hammerfall: Two
5. Hot Fudge Tuesdae: Two
6. Hot Fudge Tuesdae: Three
7. Tuesday Afternoon

<b>III. The Quick And The Dead</b>
1. Rich Man, Poor Man
2. The Landlord
3. The Mailman: One
4. The Mailman: Two
5. The Stronghold: One
6. Sanctuary
7. Beggar Man
8. The Stronghold: Two

<b>IV. After Doomsday</b>
1. First Week: The Princess
2. Second Week: Mountain Men
3. Fourth Week: Wanderers
4. Fourth Week: The Prophet
5. Sixth Week: The High Justice
6. Ninth Week: The Organization Man
7. Journey's End
8. Exile's Story
9. The Magician
10. The Expedition
11. Expendables
12. Valley of Death
13. Aftermath
14. The Final Decision
15. Epilogue

Series & Lists edit see section history

This is book 96 of 99 in National Public Radio's Top 100 Science Fiction and Fantasy. (authoritative list)

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. Larry Niven (Author)
  2. Jerry Pournelle (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: Playboy Press
Country: USA
Publication Date: 1977
ISBN: 0872234878
Page Count: 494

Awards edit see section history

  • Hugo (Finalist, 1978: Novel)

Classification edit see section history

  • Library of Congress: PZ4.N734 Lu
  • Dewey: 813.54

We’re hiding the errata, movie connections, books that influenced this book, books influenced by this book, books that cite this book and books cited by this book sections. If you would like to add content to them, you must first make them visible.