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Liked It1 of 1 members found this review helpful “STILL the best "end of the world" book out there...” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“I read this in High School. I thought it was one of their best then, and I haven't changed my mind since. ”
Owen O'Neill wrote this review Saturday, May 11, 2013. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Enjoyable post-apocalyptic novel. My main issues are that I think the government would have done some better planning, if only to save the lawmakers and the final epilogue was very short and abrupt. Had the feeling that they really didn't know how to end it. ”
Pam S wrote this review Tuesday, April 30, 2013. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“This was an interesting and exciting book, but a lot of it was very depressing. This is considered one of the classic sci-fi novels, so I had to read it, but man was I depressed for about half the book. The story centers around the discovery of a comet, Hamner-Brown. All the scientists predict the tail will come within a few million miles of Earth, so there is no danger. The first half of the book introduces the reader to many characters in all walks of life who go about their daily lives in the midst of the comet discovery. Some believe it is a sign of the end of the world and others take some necessary precautions, just in case the scientists are wrong. Most think it's nonsense and continue on with their lives. Well the inevitable happens and the comet hits the Earth, or at least fragments do. Massive tidal waves, earthquakes and other phenomenon cause havoc and wipe out large population centers of the Earth. At this point the story turns to how everyone will survive. Things center around a place called the Stronghold, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains in CA, which is a ranch owned by Senator Jellison. Most of the main characters wind up getting to the Stronghold and there is an inevitable war between them and a group known as the New Brotherhood. I have read many books that talk about end of the world scenarios and this one shows how quickly rational people can descend into base behavior. There is a fight for food, shelter, transportation, fuel, clothing and other things to survive. It is amazing what people will do when it's a choice between me surviving and you. I also thought that without electricity many of us would not know how to survive for more than a few days. In the end, the saving of a nuclear power plant is what the characters decide will move them from surviving to building a new world. Makes you think just what would happen to all of us if a disaster struck that wiped out electricity and all we take for granted.”
Ron Arden wrote this review Monday, March 18, 2013. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Re-read this book after finding it at my parent's home at Christmas. Fun read overall. Interesting that an asteroid came pretty close to the earth just a few days after I finished.”
Gregory J McNew wrote this review Sunday, February 24, 2013. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“4-25/5
Outmind wrote this review Sunday, January 20, 2013. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Would have given it a better score if not for the abrupt end, and feeling of unfinished business which would never be resolved.”
“I laughed and had to look up when this book was written when one of the characters referenced using a “Dictaphone” for her work. 1977 seems like a long time ago. This is a repeat book for me, having read it when it came out or shortly after. I’m reading it again because it showed up on someone’s list as the best end of the world type novel. But, this book reminds me not to read Shelfari reviews before or during reading a book. I noticed the numerous characters in the book, maybe even more because of the reviews. Not good. Read a book standalone, he says to himself. Make up your own mind about what you like or dislike. That said, the number of characters was annoying at first, but you eventually had them all organized in your mind by the middle of the book and it was not so annoying anymore.
John Marlowe wrote this review Saturday, September 29, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Was it a good TEOTWAWKI (The End Of The World As We Know It) book? Yes and no, I suppose. Is how the authors described it, how it would be if a comet struck the earth so that it caused huge tsunami’s to wipe out most of the world? I’m guessing it might be in a lot of ways. What would the survivors miss the most? Everything we take for granted now.
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“Very good book about a giant meteor striking the earth and destroying civilization.”
Ryan King wrote this review Sunday, September 16, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Exciting story but uninteresting charaters. ”
Helen P wrote this review Tuesday, August 21, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Wow! I was thinking about writing this novel in 1978 and someone beat me to it. In fact the top 4 graduates of the Defense Institute of Security Assistance Management (DISAM) all read the book at night while taking the class. It was not coordinated, its just that one day one of us opened their briefcase and there it was. They were on page 3, I had just finished it the night before another finished it the week before and one was toward the end. Very well writen. The event has happened many times in our past, we have had some close calls and it will happen again. Must read.
Albert Clark wrote this review Friday, June 1, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Ancient Destiny by Albert Clark is another take on the same general subject, but deals with escaping from Earth before the Hammer strikes.”
