I have a thing for apocalyptic themes in fiction and film. Yes Virginia; I have a dark side and the midi-chlorians are not to blame. In most cases, I find these stories to be mindless fun. For example, Mad Max does not really provoke much critical thought, and that is OK. It is what it is. However, through luck or providence, I have stumbled across some real mind-benders of late.

The first of these is Plague Year by Jeff Carlson. If you’ve read Prey by Michael Crichton, Plague Year is it’s natural follow-up, yet darker and smarter. A relatively short, dense read; Plague Year picks up a few years after the accidental release of the “machine plague”, a manufactured nano-virus that disassembles the human body and uses it’s components to replicate itself. Smart and engaging, it will make you think twice about mixing biology and nanotechnology.

Next on the list is Germ by Robert Liparulo. While the author’s voice leans towards the formulaic, the story is anything but. The BBEG has manufactured Ebola that targets an individual’s DNA. The virus piggybacks on the common cold as it’s distribution mechanism.

The primary characters are well-conceived and well-executed. Our heroes are hunted by a very unique agent of the BBEG, which makes the chase interesting and intriguing to follow. Aside from the formulaic structure, the major drawback with the story is an unnecessary dip into a bit of trite conspiracy theory. Still, the core premise makes it worth the read.

Last, and anything but least, is The Swarm by Frank Schatzing. I haven’t finished reading it yet but, barring an implosion in the last 300 pages, I am fairly certain this is the best novel I’ve read in five years. Here is the setup:

Whales begin sinking ships. Toxic, eyeless crabs poison Long Island’s water supply. The North Sea shelf collapses, killing thousands in Europe. Around the world, countries are beginning to feel the effects of the ocean’s revenge as the seas and their inhabitants begin a violent revolution against mankind. At stake is the survival of the Earth’s fragile ecology — and ultimately, the survival of the human race itself.

I won’t say any more about the plot because I don’t want to ruin it for anyone. Instead, I’ll tell you that The Swarm is to our oceans what Snow Crash (Neal Stephenson) was to cyberspace. Yes. I just said that. Let it soak in.

The Swarm is a treatise on ocean ecology disguised as a thriller novel. Schatzing includes a three-page forward which cites all of the scientists who educated him and helped create the scientific firmament on which this outstanding novel is built. After reading this book, you will come away with a much better understanding of how dependent humanity is on our oceans. And, along the way you will be greatly entertained by an intense, well-crafted and well-paced story.

Peace,

Doug