A book that really makes you think – could
this really happen – probably not, but just maybe.
A disaster type story when the world runs
out of oil due to a series of explosions throughout all the oil producing areas
that stops the flow of oil. Tankers are
destroyed and the oil stops flowing. We
are not told why this happened and to me it does seem rather improbable.
Within one week water supplies dry up as
there is no fuel for the pumps. Then
electricity fails and the whole world descends into chaos. In the UK the Government has set up several
safe zones where food and bottled water and fuel has been stock piled. One we focus on in the book is the O2 arena
at Greenwich run by members of the Government and controlled by the RAF and
Police. 2,000 people are housed here,
all skilled and important types who will be needed in the future. The area is fenced in to keep out all the
marauding gangs roaming the country.
Normal life has ceased as food and water
run out.
The story also centres on a group of 450
people who are existing on a north sea oil rig, catching rain water to drink
and growing their own food. They keep
chickens and their waste plus human waste is stored and fermented to produce
methane to run a small generator. They
have some boats which they use for foraging trips ashore for supplies,
including medicines.
The climax of the story occurs when the O2
arena group run out of stores and sail down the Thames and up the east coast to
try and take over the oil rig.
An interesting story which gives some idea
of how people would react in an emergency such as this.
I did not enjoy it as much as other books
by Scarrow but would recommend it if you like this type of story.
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