I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and timely review.

The first clue the human race was in trouble came in the form of blackout. Except before it happens, Dan's dad called him and warned him. He was able to stock up on water, food and emergency supplies. Unfortunately, the other citizens of San Francisco were not prepared. With the first full day without electricity and without cell service, the city is without alarm systems and leads to the start of looting. Dan and Lucy, in pursuit of antibiotics, narrowly miss being in the middle of a gangland killing.

The water is covered in a yellow substance. A day or two later there is a yellow pollen in the air, that soon turns into snow-like dustings. People now start dying, and bodies are stacked up at the curve of the streets. The book relates the efforts that Dan and his wife Lucy take to stay alive. With the population reduced, there is a need to have people 'volunteer' to replace workers, in exchange for rations. Even with the chaos, Dan and Lucy receive a letter from Dan's Dad in DC, and official authority to reserve themselves seats on a train that will travel to DC.

The book ended during the train ride, at a point where I was found myself wanting more, which will mean that I will have to buy part two to finish this story. I was thoroughly engulfed in the story, enjoying the stages of this dying city on what would be a dying earth. The pace was well done and the possibilities of what would happen in real life was also well researched. Even as bad as the book indicates things got, I think there would, in reality, been a lot more chaos throughout the time period of the book and not just at the train station.

That being said, I liked the book, want to read the next part, and read it all in three or so sittings. ( )