Posted: 10/27/2016 8:36:01 AM EDT
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Book/audio MP3, same difference.
Kunsler of the peak oil fame wrote this one. Overall it's not bad. Set in up state NY a good while after a "war in the holy land" and "two nukes going off in Washington DC and LA" and what is unstated that was obviously some sort of oil shortage. It's 10 or more years into things. Everyone in his little town is lethargic. Stuff continues to fall apart and people are apathetic. A church group moves into town, very unusual folks. They seem to be the catalyst for people to finally start doing things. Along the way their is some gun play with some local wannabe gangsters (but they aren't driving Volkswagons or chilling at the high school broke and braggin). And a local land baron who is a big trader loses a boat crew down in Albany. Interesting story, nothing crazy like zombies, blue helmets, etc. Not even that much violence. Cons- a very down look at faith, like I said lots of lethargic, apathetic people in the story. "GD" is used I'm guessing a few hundred times throughout the story, it starts most sentences. The church group that moves to town, despite greatly helping the town, have some strange things going on. It's evidently a series, and I just got the 2nd book "Witch of Hebron". I'll listen to that on the next long drive to a training class. What did make the book worthwhile IMO was just giving some thought to the long LONG term of the scenario listed. I started scribbling out some notes on long LONG term logistics needs after listening to the book. A good story will get you thinking, even if their wasn't a lot of "bang, bang, shoot, shoot, bullet bullet gun!" in it. LOL 
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Originally Posted By Zan:
The writer is a very interesting dude, a liberal, but still very interesting. |
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Very late to this discussion but I've read the first three books, couldn't find the 4th on audiobook yet. Spoilers ahoy!
In my business Kunsler is a common commentator so I've read a lot of his other stuff. His podcast and blog are sometimes entertaining. I am sympathetic to a lot of his architectural criticism, but his environmental and energy doomsaying gets tiring after a while. He's predicted 13 of the last zero oil crises. As for his fiction, they are somewhat entertaining but he's not the greatest writer. Just somewhat clunky in pacing and flow. The worst flaw to me is that it's a huge Mary Sue story of the plucky carpenter with traditional tastes inspiring the people, being elected mayor, giving shelter and solace to the hot young widow. Oh, did I mention he's a deadly pistol shot despite having very little experience? People mentioned the witch in the 2nd book, the 3rd book gets even weirder with the story of his son's travels through the mid south. Kunsler's contempt of rednecks (compared to yankee farmers) and urban blacks both show through. But some of his ideas are interesting in a long decline scenario. Islands of relative peace within a hostile countryside, difficulty of travel even without a bandit threat. He shows several ways how people could organize themselves, like a return to serfdom under an organized and protective leader, or the messianic group. Then the town holding on to the old ways via deep denial of their actual situation. People putting too much faith in old organizations and perceived rule of law, until it goes into crisis and they are shocked and left adrift by the perceived sudden change. Importance of good people working together even if they have different mindsets. |
“Let everyone sweep in front of his own door, and the whole world will be clean.”
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe