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