This book starts with a reference to a lost gospel that we don't quite understand--and the nuclear war breaks out and destroys the planet. The date is December 21, 2012 (the Mayan prophecy for the end of the world).
The story then follows the paths of seven survivors:
Marc Brady - A marine, accompanied by his dog, Dog, who had an illicit relationship with Angela, another survivor. They share a psychic connection and he spends much of the book trying to reunite with her. When they do reunite, they start on the road to Charlie, fighting their attraction to each other the entire time. Angela is the only woman Mark ever loved. Marc is a good guy. He doesn't know Charlie is his son.
Angela White - Angela is a doctor who shares a past with Marc. He is her true love, but they couldn't be together because of circumstances beyond their control. Angela has some kind of special powers--a witch, a demon, etc... we're really not sure. She has a son from the one night she spent with Marc. She made a deal with Kenn, an abusive man and a marine, to stay with him as long as he took care of her and Charlie, her son. She and Charlie both hate him. Marc meets up with Angela and start driving across the country to find Charlie.
Charlie White - Angela and Marc's son, on a marine base with Kenn when the bombs fly. He has some of the same powers as Angela, but must keep them hidden from Kenn. Angela communicates with him after the war to try to guide him to safety. He and Kenn really don't like each other, but Angela made a deal and Charlie sticks to it. There is something special about Charlie that we don't know. Adrian takes a special interest in him.
Kenn Harrison - A marine, not a good person, who is watching over Charlie, Angela's son, when the war occurs. Even though is abusive, he also has a strong desire to please people, and he becomes second-in-command when he and Charlie meet up with Adrian's group of survivors.
Samantha Moore - A meteorologist who is "lucky" enough to have a spot reserved for her at Norad, except that she doesn't make it there because of an EMP blast. What happens to her is horrible, but she doesn't give up and waits for her opportunity to get out.
John Harmon - John is a doctor. He is also dying of cancer. He and his wife, Anne, make their way across the broken US until they join up with Adrian's group. Adrian somehow knows (from a dream) that John is mean to be with him.
Kendle Roberts - The only survivor of a Carnival Cruise, Kendle floats in the ocean for around sixty days. She washed ashore on an island and was found by Luke. She makes a life for herself, with Luke, on the island.
Adrian Mitchel - Adrian is a former marine, but a member of Greenpeace when the bombs go off. He is also the son of the former president. He thinks he could have prevented the war by telling the truth about himself so he is filled with guilt. He is also very charismatic and makes it his goal to gather survivors and start over. His community of survivors is known as Safe Haven.
Eventually, they all meet up in Safe Haven (except for Kendle). They create their own army and attempt to communicate with other survivors and grow their communication. We know something links all these people together and by the end of the book, we're pretty sure we know what it is.
This is a great book. The characters are very well-developed and real, even some of the minor ones, and I am just waiting for when the secret about Adrian and the others comes out. Why did it cause the end of the world? What kind of secret is that powerful?
Highly recommended.
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Top reviews from other countries
Nicole J loves to read
Read this post-apocalyptic series...
Reviewed in Australia on June 4, 2014MajorDad
Well written and distinctly plausible.
Reviewed in Australia on October 1, 2016