Dark Advent

I agree with the other reviewer, the cover of this books makes absolutely NO SENSE WHATSOEVER. Other than that I enjoyed the story a great deal, although I personally can't say it was better than the stand, or swan song...it definitely is a must read for any fans of the genre. Good luck finding a copy though.

I agree 100% with the other reviewers here. This is a post-apocalyptic novel in a league with the Stand, Swan Song, and Lucifer's Hammer. The writing was good and the story seemed very realistic. What really puzzles me is that there is so little mention of this novel anywhere. Why is this novel so underappreciated? I wonder if the cover art has anything to do with it? The cheesy picture on the front really made me hesitate to pick this book up at all--a demon with its mouth open with horrified children wading through fire inside...W..T..F??? As I read the book and was drawn into it, I kept wondering when this demonic being would come into the picture and hoping it wouldn't ruin what was turning out to be an excellent story. Thankfully, there was no such supernatural being, just good gritty drama and a story that seems all too possible.

Then you you MUST read this book. I look at all the lists I can about "end of the world" fiction and I am amazed at how this book is over-looked. I've read "The Stand", "Swan Song", "Alas, Babylon","Lucifer's Hammer", and "On the beach" and this is one of the better ones.

If you liked "The Stand", "Lucifer's Hammer", "Swan Song", "Black Sun", or any other after-the-world-ends novella, you will LOVE "Dark Advent".without going into too much spoiler details, this book does a very admirable and believable job of covering the Apocalypse and what happens to the few unlucky survivors of the End. Hodge does a magnifient job with the characters in this book. I found myself genuinely caring what happens to everyone, whether I wanted the character to live or die. Hodge explores the depths of human depravity in a world where there are suddenly no morals or laws (or at least no way to enforce them!). It is an interesting observation on how society probably would behave in this situation. It doesn't have the mystical/spiritual element of "The Stand" and doesn't just end with a mysterious Godlike intervention, the way other Apocalyptic novels do. There are no mystical dream sequences, nor is there a clear-cut Good & Evil presence after the End. Hodge lets the characters seemingly become who they REALLY are, underneath the makeup of civilization, which is removed in a most-forceful way (civilization, not the makeup!).The ending is believable, realistic - given the scenario, and this book is an AWESOME read. If you are a fan of post-Apocalyptic literature, this book is a must-have.