One hundred and eighty-three years after biological warfare
eradicated all but a trace of mankind, Beth Gooding graduates from basic
training as a Cultural Anthropologist with a Linguist subcategory. For intermediate
training, she is sent to Hope, a remote outpost near Old Boston. She is assigned
to Professor David James and required to learn Old Persian, a language she
considers useless in a society recovering from near extinction. Despite their age
difference, romance develops as Beth and Dr. James endure austere lives typical
of the early 1800’s frontier. Dr. James eventually introduces Beth to a
three-million-year-old shard found by his father—an object that could not be
duplicated with modern technology. In attempt to uncover the shard’s origin,
David and Beth set out to explore the radioactive Kill Zone in Old World Syria.
Through constant struggle to survive and many brushes with death, they come to realize
life without the other wouldn’t be living at all. On returning to civilization,
they reveal the shard led them further back in time than they could have
imagined—and provides potential to move human kind further into the future than
anyone dared dream.
Here’s the moment when Beth realizes the civilization from
which she and David evolved, the Old World—the one in which we now live—was not
the first. Instead, a more advanced civilization called the Endohl preceded it.
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My shaky touch brings the device to life, and it displays an
organized index. We select a reading called “Extinction of the Endohl,” a name
appearing on every box in the room—the name we believe they called themselves.
We understand the language in general but are too
inexperienced to be fast readers. Still, by late afternoon, we have a fair
concept of what happened to them. The Endohl were much like those in the Old
World—warlike and opinionated, a bad combination. As near as we can tell, the
only major difference between the Endohl and our predecessors was their
advanced technology. In the end, one group created a weapon that destroyed
everyone, but much more slowly than BHS killed the Old World.
In their case, it appears the Armageddon weapon of choice
was influenza, released into an unsuspecting population without any natural
immunity. Pointing to the information on the screen while struggling with the
translation, I mutter, “Crap, I guess we have them to thank for the common
cold.”
David just grins. “Or for our immunity to it. Until BHS,
influenza killed more people in the Old World than any other disease—hundreds
of millions.”
His grin quickly morphs into an expression of dismay, and he
sighs as he continues reading. When he shakes his head, he summarizes with,
“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. They only built one vault, the one we’re in now,
but they suspected influenza’s creators built another in an unknown location.
When they sealed themselves inside this vault, they thought only a few of their
people would survive in the outside world. In a very real sense, the people of
the Old World owed their existence to the extinction of the Endohl. Their
influenza extinction was an evolutionary horizon, a point in history where one
species dies off and another arises. Their near extinction begot the people of
the Old World—people with influenza tolerance. We are an evolutionary horizon
too—the aftermath horizon, the people with BHS immunity who are now expanding
into the New World.”
I believe his interpretation is
correct. “That would also explain a lot of Old World biblical history—the
reason Adam and Eve’s children found mates. Not everyone died. Some of the
Endohl were naturally more resistant than others. It could also explain the
long lifetimes attributed to some of the original survivors in the Biblical
book of Genesis. The original survivors probably had access to Endohl serums to
extend life but not the knowledge to create it. When the supplies were
exhausted, the life spans reverted to those we now experience. It’s even
possible that long ago, at the very beginning of what became the Old World
civilization, fanciful tales about the fountain of youth might have been true.”
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Here are some reviews of Aftermath Horizon that might move
you to purchase a copy:
This is an incredible novel with a profound message. About 200 years after biological warfare devastates mankind, population rebuilding and exploration lead to a discovery almost beyond imagination. There are no zombies; however, you'll find excitement, love, and deep meaning in the story.
Aftermath Horizon is a book that transcends to all
ages. I would call this book a close match something like Twilight. If you
never gave Twilight a chance either you should have. Books like this aren't
chained to any specific genre. It's not just sci-fi, it's not just romance,
it's all of the above. The way the author makes such a strong connection with
his characters allows the reader to make that connection as well. You don't
have to be a young teenaged girl to be able to connect with the main character
Beth as she carves her path in life after a massive biological war that makes
the Earth uninhabitable. You don't have to like sci-fi thrillers to become
enveloped in this story that crosses through several generations. You will be
hooked from the first chapter guaranteed.
What a privilege to read this book! It was one of the
best, adventurous books I have read in a long time. I didn't want to put it
down. I wanted to see what was going to happen at each turn. I can't wait to
read it again! Wonderfully written!
After the human race is almost wiped out by a terrorist biological attack, some
doughty survivors make the slow comeback. Every twist and turn makes you think,
and say, "Yeah! It might be like that." Each step is plausible,
exciting, or novel and makes you want to see what happens next. You admire the
main characters' brains and nerve, and wish them well, and yet, this is also a
"Love story." There's something to suit the tastes of every reader. I
liked the story.
Thanks
for reading,
James
L. Hatch
P.S. Please check out all my books from Solstice
Publishing:
The Substitute
Oh, Heavens, Miss
Havana!
The Training Bra
The Trophy Wife
Ordinary People; Extraordinary
Lives
Aftermath Horizon
