Dies the Fire (2004)

10/11 Reread. As I was reading this I was wondering why I love dystopian fiction so much. Is it the feeling of unsteadiness it gives me in everyday life? Is it that I have a deep and abiding faith in humanity to get it right the second time? Is it that my own life is comfortable? I don't have a solid answer, but this book is one I love. Despite the coincidences, despite the staggering body count complete with graphic descriptions of arrows thumping meatily into flesh & bone, despite the goofy portrait of the Wiccans- it's a book I sink into and embrace.


12/10Solid, engaging apocalyptic dystopia. If you are willing to suspend your disbelief and accept coincidences and luck of the [b:The Clan of the Cave Bear|1295|The Clan of the Cave Bear (Earth's Children, #1)|Jean M. Auel|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1324059993s/1295.jpg|1584694] sort, you are in for a rollicking good tale. There's, for instance, a bowyer in every bush when the good guys realize that crossbows are going to be the preferred defensive weapon in the new world- but it works. The body count is astronomical, but in this context not at all gratuitous. The constant, reverent references to Tolkien were delightful.

The characters are likable and interesting, the central conceit fresh and the setting of my own back yard was a bonus. I'm going on to read the rest of the series, for sure. And I anticipate re-reading this as often as I revisit, say, [b:Alas, Babylon|38169|Alas, Babylon|Pat Frank|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1169064009s/38169.jpg|37962] or [b:A Canticle for Leibowitz|164154|A Canticle for Leibowitz|Walter M. Miller Jr.|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1329408540s/164154.jpg|250975].

Recommended, if you like this sort of thing. ( )

This book was great in theory. It was nice to read about places near where I live. I was a little tired of the Wiccan parts, but overall pretty decent. I liked it enough to give the second one in the series a shot. ( )

Posted at my blog:

It’s funny how obsessed we are with stories in post-apocalyptic settings. My dad doesn’t really like them, but me mum and I love them. I asked her once why she liked them so much, and she said because they were about humankind’s ability to overcome. Dies the Fire fits that quite well. The premise is that somehow the physics of our world change (a time event called The Change) and fast combustion no longer works. This means that electricity, guns and explosives don’t work anymore, but slow combustion like fire and the human body still do. Basically, it sets humankind back a ways and the book (series actually) is about the immediate effects and how a group of people deal with it.


Title: Dies The Fire, the series is The Change
Author: S. M. Stirling
Length: The first book is 573 pages (paperback), there are several series in this world

Strengths:

Very interesting premise handled in a realistic (and sometimes gruesome) way
Strong female character and interesting male character along with a ragtag group of others form a nice little community
A few amusing moments (there is a comment about the stupidity of sheep)
Fairly accurate on the science once you get past the change in the laws of physics

Weaknesses:

I read it a while ago, but I really don’t remember any interesting character development… or what the overarching plot beyond survival was, but survival is a pretty decent plot
Towards the end of the first book and pretty much all of the second book there is a lot of political intrigue that happens, which doesn’t interest me at all (and is why I didn’t read the second book) but may interest other people
If cannibalism grosses you out a lot, I don’t recommend reading this book, since that is something desperate humans with no food left tend to do

Summary: It’s a very good book if you like post-apocalyptic settings and have a secret love of homesteading stories (>.>
More reviews at http://www.onstarshipsanddragonwings.com/ ( )

Honey introduced me to Steve Stirling. Quite a clever premise and some interesting characters. Will be interesting to see where the series goes ( )

More reviews at: http://www.onstarshipsanddragonwings.com/2011/04/01/diesthefire/

The premise is that somehow the physics of our world change (a time event called The Change) and fast combustion no longer works. This means that electricity, guns and explosives don’t work anymore, but slow combustion like fire and the human body still do. Basically, it sets humankind back a ways and the book (series actually) is about the immediate effects and how a group of people deal with it.

Title: Dies The Fire, the series is The Change
Author: S. M. Stirling
Length: The first book is 573 pages (paperback), there are several series in this world
Strengths:
Very interesting premise handled in a realistic (and sometimes gruesome) way
Strong female character and interesting male character along with a ragtag group of others form a nice little community
A few amusing moments (there is a comment about the stupidity of sheep)
Fairly accurate on the science once you get past the change in the laws of physics
Weaknesses:
I read it a while ago, but I really don’t remember any interesting character development… or what the overarching plot beyond survival was, but survival is a pretty decent plot
Towards the end of the first book and pretty much all of the second book there is a lot of political intrigue that happens, which doesn’t interest me at all (and is why I didn’t read the second book) but may interest other people
If cannibalism grosses you out a lot, I don’t recommend reading this book, since that is something desperate humans with no food left tend to do
Summary: It’s a very good book if you like post-apocalyptic settings and have a secret love of homesteading stories (>.> ( )