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Soft Apocalypse

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Soft Apocalypse

By: Will McIntosh
Narrated by: Erik Davies
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About this listen

What happens when resources become scarce and society starts to crumble? As the competition for resources pulls America's previously stable society apart, the "New Normal" is a Soft Apocalypse. This is how our world ends; with a whimper instead of a bang.

"It's so hard to believe," Colin said as we crossed the steaming, empty parking lot toward the bowling alley. "What?" "That we're poor. That we're homeless." "I know." "I mean, we have college degrees," he said. "I know," I said.

There was an ancient miniature golf course choked in weeds alongside the bowling alley. The astroturf had completely rotted away in places. The windmill had one spoke. We looked it over for a minute (both of us had once been avid mini golfers), then continued toward the door. "By the way," I added. "We're not homeless, we're nomads. Keep your labels straight."

New social structures and tribal connections spring up across America, as the previous social structures begin to dissolve. Soft Apocalypse follows the journey across the Southeast of a tribe of formerly middle-class Americans as they struggle to find a place for themselves and their children in a new, dangerous world that still carries the ghostly echoes of their previous lives.

©2011 Will McIntosh (P)2011 Audible, Inc.
Science Fiction Fiction

Critic Reviews

"In this moving debut from Hugo-winner McIntosh, the prosperous world of 2023 ends not with a bang but with a crackle, the sound of genetically engineered bamboo growing overnight and destroying roads and buildings.... McIntosh strongly delineates his characters and makes Jasper's struggles very affecting. Though it may be soft, this apocalypse has plenty of sharp edges." (Publishers Weekly)
"Bottom line: If Soft Apocalypse isn't nominated for a Hugo or Nebula Award, I will eat the entire book page by page." (Paul Goat Allen)
"[McIntosh] has written a first novel that's compelling, credible, and relentless, whose best and most disturbing moments will stay with the reader for a long time." (Locus)

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Unique and believable

This is a uniquely believable version of an apocalypse. Brought about by human frailty and ending in a 'solution' that is less than satisfactory for the characters, but as a reader makes you question - what would you do? It isn't obvious and that's what makes this a good read. Definitely made me re-engage with the idea of tribalism. And if like me you've never lived in a developing country, or through a war, this is the closest I've seen to something that actually places people I can relate to in that situation of absolute poverty, drastic inequality, and insecurity.

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