Meet New Books
Book Cover

Dies the Fire

Book 1 in the series:Emberverse

Save:
Find on Amazon

'Dies the Fire' by S.M. Stirling is a post-apocalyptic novel where a mysterious event disables all modern technology, throwing the world back into a pre-industrial era. The story follows different groups of survivors as they navigate a world without electricity, guns, or machinery, focusing on their struggles to adapt to the new reality and rebuild society. The book explores themes of community, survival, and the impact of historical models on shaping the new post-technological world. The writing style includes detailed descriptions and complex character development, with a mix of pagan and historical elements woven into the narrative.

The plot of 'Dies the Fire' revolves around how society copes with the sudden loss of technology and the shift to a more primitive way of life. The characters face challenges in food production, defense, and medical care, leading to a reconfiguration of social structures and power dynamics. The book delves into the personal journeys of individuals as they navigate the aftermath of the apocalyptic event, highlighting themes of resilience, adaptation, and the exploration of different responses to a changed environment.

Characters:

The characters vary from strong leaders to antagonists, representing different approaches to survival and community formation in a post-apocalyptic world. Some characters lack depth, while others offer a more layered portrayal.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is detailed and descriptive, blending practical survival elements with speculative fiction. However, the extensive detail can sometimes overshadow character depth and emotional connection.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot centers around a sudden global event that disables all modern technology, resulting in the breakdown of society. Survivors are forced to adapt by creating new communities, facing challenges from other groups and the harsh realities of a pre-industrial world.

Setting:

The setting is primarily in rural Oregon following a global catastrophe that disables technology, creating a harsh landscape for survival and community-building.

Pacing:

The pacing of the novel fluctuates, initially slow due to extensive details on survival, but accelerating as conflicts arise and communities form.
Michael Havel pulled his battered four-by-four into the employees’ parking lot, locked up and swung his just-in-case gear out of the back, the strap of the pack over one shoulder and the gun case on t...

Notes:

The novel is set in a post-apocalyptic America where all technology fails in an event called 'The Change'.
Characters must adapt to survive without modern conveniences like electricity and firearms.
The story follows three main groups of survivors: Juniper McKenzie, Mike Havel, and Norman Arminger.
Juniper, a Wiccan priestess, becomes a leader of a close-knit community in the Willamette Valley.
Mike, a former Marine pilot, leads a group known as the Bearkillers. He gains a reputation for strength and combat skills.
Norman Arminger, a history professor, tries to create a feudal society based on his interpretations of history.
The novel explores themes of survival, community, and the struggle to rebuild society after a catastrophic event.
There is a significant focus on practical survival skills like farming, archery, and weapon-making.
The story delves into human behavior under stress, including the rise of cannibalism and banditry.
The characters represent various societal responses to The Change, from altruism to brutal self-preservation.
Critics have noted the author’s heavy emphasis on Wiccan ideology, which some find preachy.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of cannibalism, violence, and psychological trauma resulting from apocalypse scenarios.

Has Romance?

While not the main focus, there are romantic subplots that develop among characters.

From The Publisher:

S. M. Stirling presents his first Novel of the Change, the start of the New York Times bestselling postapocalyptic saga set in a world where all technology has been rendered useless.

The Change occurred when an electrical storm centered over the island of Nantucket produced a blinding white flash that rendered all electronic devices and fuels inoperable-and plunged the world into a dark age humanity was unprepared to face…

Michael Pound was flying over Idaho en route to the holiday home of his passengers when the plane's engines inexplicably died, forcing a less than perfect landing in the wilderness. And as Michael leads his charges to safety, he begins to realize that the engine failure was not an isolated incident.

Juniper McKenzie was singing and playing guitar in a pub when her small Oregon town was thrust into darkness. Now, taking refuge in her family's cabin with her daughter and a growing circle of friends, Juniper is determined to create a farming community to benefit the survivors of this crisis.

But even as people band together to help one another, others are building armies for conquest…

Ratings (19)

Incredible (2)
Loved It (11)
Liked It (2)
It Was OK (2)
Did Not Like (1)
Hated It (1)

Reader Stats (79):

Read It (22)
Want To Read (39)
Did Not Finish (1)
Not Interested (17)

3 comment(s)

Loved It
1 month

This is an End-of-the-world story where all gun powder fails to work and all electricity disappears, making society forced to go back 500 years technologically.

I find this an interesting approach and fun story. The military character could use more military influence on his re-building of the world, but it is fun and interesting, and the professions that survive finds new and important uses. There is not much time spent on the focus of the enemy, which is good, because that makes them more ysterious when you meet them.

My only complaint is that there is a ton of Wicca information and focus on the Wicca way that society would have worked and is working. Way more than I needed to make the story beleivable. I think that if the Wicca info was peeled back to equal the other societies represented, this would lose a good 50 pages of drivle that I skipped anyway - other than that, I enjoyed this book very much and the approach to re-building society after that world goes dark.

 
Loved It
1 month

Read and read but the series kind of petered out with the daughter.

 
Loved It
1 month

Action-filled postapocalyptic adventure where the protagonists are ruthlessly competent and pro-social attitudes are rewarded. I'm eager to get my hands on the next book in the series.

 

About the Author:

S. M. Stirling is the author of many science fiction and fantasy novels, including the Novels of the Change and the Shadowspawn series. A former lawyer and an amateur historian, he lives in the Southwest with his wife, Jan.

 
Meet New Books is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products and services on amazon.com and its subsidiaries.
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.