Dies the Fire

by S. M. Stirling Narrated by Todd McLaren

Overview

Michael Havel 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 Mackenzie was singing and playing guitar in a pub when her small Oregon town was thrust into darkness. Cars refused to start. Phones were silent. And when an airliner crashed, no sirens sounded and no fire trucks arrived. 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...

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

What is the foundation of our civilization? asks Stirling (Conquistador) in this rousing tale of the aftermath of an uncanny event, "the Change," that renders electronics and explosives (including firearms) inoperative. As American society disintegrates, without either a government able to maintain order or an economy capable of sustaining a large population, most of the world dies off from a combination of famine, plague, brigandage and just plain bad luck. The survivors are those who adapt most quickly, either by making it to the country and growing their own crops-or by taking those crops from others by force. Chief among the latter is a former professor of medieval history with visions of empire, who sends bicycling hordes of street thugs into the countryside. Those opposing him include an ex-Marine bush pilot, who teams up with a Texas horse wrangler and a teenage Tolkien fanatic to create something very much like the Riders of Rohan. Ultimately, Stirling shows that while our technology influences the means by which we live, it is the myths we believe in that determine how we live. The novel's dual themes-myth and technology-should appeal to both fantasy and hard SF readers as well as to techno-thriller fans. Agent, Russell Galen. (Aug. 3) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

In an instant marked by a blinding flash of light, the world changes forever as modern technology ceases to function. Those who survive the initial Change include pilot Michael Havel, who leads his stranded passengers out of the wilderness in search of civilization's remnants. Wiccan folksinger Juniper Mackenzie, her daughter, and a few friends flee to the Mackenzie's cabin, where they hope to relearn old skills and grow food to feed themselves and others. The author of The Peshawar Lancers once again starts with a global catastrophe, this time building a stunning speculative vision of a near-future bereft of modern conveniences but filled with human hope and determination. Highly recommended. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940171124540
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	05/19/2008
Series:	Emberverse Series , #1
Edition description:	Unabridged
Sales rank:	577,945

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