Cover of Dies the Fire: A Novel of the Change
Dies the Fire, a Novel of the Change, by S.M. Stirling
Despite Stirling’s workmanlike prose, he is an excellent storyteller, artfully combining science fiction and fantasy into a unique post-apocalyptic miasma. The story is engrossing, realistic (despite its huge early-story Deus ex Machina moment) and totally enjoyable.
Expecting nothing but a diversion on a road trip, I finished it and then bought two of the sequels. If you are a fan of post-apocalypse fiction, fantasy, or alternative history, Dies the Fire will be a delight.
As a side note, reading this book while I was traveling in the Pacifc Northwest brought the story even more vividly to life. Nothing like “Reading in the Setting,” a habit I picked up after reading James Clavell’s Tai-Pan on my first trip to Hong Kong in 1985.
I read Dies the Fire a few years ago and really, really loved it. Picked up the next book in the series and just couldn’t get into it. I really need to give the whole thing another try, because I’ve heard nothing but good things about the rest of the series.
My brother recommended it to me when we had dinner at his house before heading up to Oregon and Washington. I downloaded the sample onto my Kindle, and by the time the light flashed in the sky, I was buying the book. Great fun.