On the eve of the US invasion of Baghdad, as the world waits for war, a miles-high wave of incredible power cordons a vast area from southern Canada to northern Mexico, wiping 99 percent of the US population from the face of the earth in the blink of an eye. In Seattle, at the very edge of the phenomenon, heroes must rise to meet the unimaginable challenges of food riots, mass panic, and terror. James Kipper, chief engineer of the city, and Caitlin Monroe are on the trail of a Muslim fanatic ready to take advantage of what has become known as the Disappearance. Meanwhile, General Tusk Musso and Admiral James Ritchie are trying desperately to keep the peace in a world gone mad with fear.
Gritty, suspenseful, and thought-provoking, Birmingham’s audacious geopolitical thriller asks what would happen to the world if America suddenly disappeared.
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"Nice continuation from After America as the world adjusts after 2 years of the most of the American population vanished. Now the battle is reclaim the country and to restore the world to something closer to what we know. Nice little post-Apocalypse work." — John (4 out of 5 stars)
"Nice continuation from After America as the world adjusts after 2 years of the most of the American population vanished. Now the battle is reclaim the country and to restore the world to something closer to what we know. Nice little post-Apocalypse work."
“John Birmingham’s ability to seamlessly merge the gritty realism of Tom Clancy with the raw speculation of Michael Crichton is like no other author I’ve ever read. Brilliant, nail-biting, thoughtful, and excruciatingly pertinent to our times, his latest novel, Without Warning, is simply a tour de force, a true classic in the making. It should be required reading for the entire world.”
“Delivers all the action and techno-detail that any Clancy fan could wish for.”
“Like any well-built tech thriller, the actions come fast and hot, ripping the reader along on the ride.”
“[A]n unusual and intriguing scenario…This well-thought-out alternate history will appeal to fans of hard SF and techno-thrillers.”
“If you really want to be terrified, consider John Birmingham’s Without Warning, an alternate reality in which 99 percent of the US population is wiped out by a mysterious energy force on the eve of the country’s invasion of Baghdad.”
“Narrator Tom Weiner impresses with a broad range of male and female characterizations that reach across several cultures—English, Spanish, Australian, and others. Overall, Weiner’s delivery is strong, exacting, and accurate…This is must listening—fast paced and edgy.”
“A blockbuster…While Birmingham’s shocking premise may unnerve some American readers, a story line replete with full-throttle action should appeal to Anglophones everywhere.”
“An absolutely cracking read that was set to become a classic series.”
" Well crafted treatise on what would happen to the world if the North American population suddenly disappeared. Looking forward to reading on. "
" I absolutely loved this book! A great read. "
" An interesting take on an end of the world scenario, and an engaging read. While the book is dated, anti-Muslim, and otherwise generally intolerant of anyone who isn't the author - you can ignore his prejudice and enjoy an interesting take on the apocalypse genre. "
" Novel idea for a novel. Parts were slow, parts I couldn't put down. Not sure I liked it enough to read the next installment. "
" Thought this whole "end of the world as we know it" a great concept - haven't read similar before. Some great sections... A tad predictable ending. "
" Entertaining fun. "
" Fantastic author, fantastic writing. I can't wait to finish so that I can start the sequel! "
" On the eve of Gulf War 2, most of the people in the United States, Canada, and Mexico are exterminated by a mysterious atmospheric phenomenon. Non-stop action from several different viewpoints. The first of a trilogy. "
" a good idea looking forward to the next installment "
" A very interesting premise. the global ramifications if most of US population disappeared would be incredible. "
" Yep, he's found a rhythm... and it is good "
" Great science fiction and "alternate history." A real page-turner. "
" Interesting concept, but the story never really went anywhere, and it all ended with a fizzle. "
" I understand the authors idea of trying to accentuate the disaster that has unfolded and the chaos that followed but I found that there were too many main characters and the book bounced from each of their stories too quickly. I will read the next two books but I hope they are better than this one. "
" Would have been much better if the basic premise wasn't flawed. Really, a forcefield that turns people into goo, all across the United States but nowhere else? The sociological aspects, however, were spot on (hypothetically). "
" Under all the shooting and exploding and swearing, there really wasn't a story there. Very disappointing. "
" Interesting ideas, not much empathy for the people though "
" Really fun alternative history read. Hey, Seattle gets to be the capital of America, too -- what's left of it. "
" This was interesting. Birmingham took the idea of a world without an America and ran with it. What if all of a sudden America ceased to exist? Well, that is what he answered. I think that there might be a subsequent book to this, I'll look for it. "
" Audiobook. An interesting take on the post-apocalyptic genre, how the world unravels after America is wiped out by a mysterious force. "
John Birmingham is the author of the Axis of Time trilogy and several other novels and nonfiction titles. His book Leviathan won Australia’s National Prize for Nonfiction in 2002. He has written for the Sydney Morning Herald, Rolling Stone, Penthouse, Playboy, and numerous other magazines. He and his family live in Brisbane, Australia.
Tom Weiner, a dialogue director and voice artist best known for his roles in video games and television shows such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Transformers, is the winner of eight Earphones Awards and is an Audie Award finalist. He is a former member of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
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