The dead lands : a novel

Title:

Author:

Percy, Benjamin.

Personal Author:

Percy, Benjamin.

ISBN:

9781455528240

Edition:

First edition.

Physical Description:

403 pages ; 24 cm

Abstract:

A post-apocalyptic reimagining of Lewis and Clark's epic journey is set in a world decimated by a superflu and nuclear fallout, where two explorers investigate rumors of an area of growing crops, plentiful rain and a dangerous rising army. 50,000 first printing.

Subject Term:

Regression (Civilization) -- Fiction.

Quests (Expeditions) -- Fiction.

Survival -- Fiction.

Armies -- Fiction.

Genre:

Science fiction.

Summary:

Holds:

Available:*

Library	Material Type	Shelf Number	Status
Searching... Main Library	Book	FICTION PERCY	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

In Benjamin Percy's new thriller, a post-apocalyptic reimagining of the Lewis and Clark saga, a super flu and nuclear fallout have made a husk of the world we know. A few humans carry on, living in outposts such as the Sanctuary-the remains of St. Louis-a shielded community that owes its survival to its militant defense and fear-mongering leaders.

Then a rider comes from the wasteland beyond its walls. She reports on the outside world: west of the Cascades, rain falls, crops grow, civilization thrives. But there is danger too: the rising power of an army that pillages and enslaves every community they happen upon.

Against the wishes of the Sanctuary, a small group sets out in secrecy. Led by Lewis Meriwether and Mina Clark, they hope to expand their infant nation, and to reunite the States. But the Sanctuary will not allow them to escape without a fight.

Reviews (1)

Kirkus Review

The world has been devastated by virulent flu and panic-induced nuclear war. In the former city of St. Louis, two visionaries prepare to leave the safety of their walled city, Sanctuary, and travel to Oregon with the mysterious guide Gawea. Their names are Lewis and Clark. While the characters and details of Percy's (Red Moon, 2013, etc.) novel are hardly original on the surfacecorrupt new government that controls the people through fear; great unknown beyond the walls where monsters and lawless men roam; climate destroyed by human negligencethere exists, from the very first pages, a tension that engages interest. Much of this is due to Percy's clear, descriptive prose but also to the smaller elements of surprise that he builds into the narrative. The supernatural side of Lewis' character and the vulnerable love that Clark feels for her (yes, her) brother balance out the more expected episodes of mutant monsters and human cruelty. Cutting back and forth from the small band of travelers to the terrors and uprising in Sanctuary, Percy uses this to build suspense but also to develop relationships among the characters. There are moments during the journey that recall great fantasy classics like The Lord of the Rings, and deepened by the historical Lewis and Clark connection, this part is ultimately the more interesting, but there is a certain satisfaction that comes from the inevitable fall of the corrupt Sanctuary as well. The problem with post-apocalyptic novels, however, is that they are devilishly hard to endand this one is no exception. The final chapter feels more like a punch line than a revelation. It's hard to imagine much positive change in this ravaged world, so how can the characters hold out hope? In a literary world peppered with post-apocalyptic novels, Percy's stands out. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.