Diary of the Apocalypse
Diary of the Apocalypse (original title: Day by day Armageddon ) is the first part of a four-part series of novels by the American writer J. L. Bourne from 2007. The German translation by Ronald M. Hahn was published by Heyne Verlag in 2010.
action
The reader learns the story of a man who records his experiences in a post-apocalyptic world in a diary . The protagonist of the novel, a soldier on home leave, lives alone and reports strange reports from the media at the beginning of the novel: An unknown "flu virus" seems to have broken out in China and is spreading rapidly. Soon there will also be reports of the first disease outbreaks in the USA. Finally, the President of the USA spoke up on television and spoke of a highly contagious disease that caused suspicious symptoms in those affected. The Minister of Homeland Security finally tells you what danger mankind is actually facing: the undead. The minister gives further details: “The infected succumb to their injury after a short time. But after an hour they get up again to find the living. ”The protagonist of the novel does not only begin to barricade himself in his house after these reports - at the same time he does not follow a call from his officer to come back to his military base. Little by little, the communication channels collapse. After first contact with the undead, the protagonist is certain: the world he knew no longer exists. After a while, the protagonist makes contact with a living neighbor - John. Together with John he sets out to explore the world that is now in the hands of the voracious undead. Here the two secure an airplane, among other things. The survivors learn over the radio that the remaining US military is planning a nuclear strike against the undead masses - San Antonio , the city that is less than 12 km away from John and the main character, is also to be bombed. The two are forced to flee by plane. After a technically forced emergency landing, they find a new shelter: a floating dock in a ferry port. Both survivors received a radio call for help from a family trapped in an attic by a horde of the undead. The protagonist succeeds in freeing them and bringing them to the floating jetty unharmed. In the further course there are always dangerous encounters with the undead. While searching for food, the survivors meet another, unharmed person: Tara. She was stuck in a car for days, surrounded by the undead. After the small group's swimming barrier leaks and sinks, they set off in a boat to the northeast and then cross over ashore. Relatively aimlessly, the group goes into the interior of the Texan country and comes across a missile silo by chance - the "Hotel 23". Equipped with plenty of food and drink, the group seems to have found a safe haven - until suddenly the silo is besieged by strangers. After they try to force their way into the missile system, the protagonist of the novel decides to shoot the intruders with a grenade launcher. In this battle, all unknown attackers are killed and the group of survivors seems safe.
particularities
- The paperback edition is provided with handwritten notes, underlining and drawings to create a realistic impression.
- JL Bourne designed the layout and cover of the novel "Diary of the Apocalypse" independently.
literature
- JL Bourne: Diary of the Apocalypse (Original title: Day by day Armageddon ). German by Ronald M. Hahn. Heyne Verlag 2010, 336 pages, ISBN 978-3453527935 or ISBN 3453527933
Web links
- Website by JL Bourne
- Reading sample from paperback edition 2010 (Heyne Verlag)
Individual evidence
- ↑ JL Bourne: Diary of the Apocalypse, 2010, Heyne Verlag
- ↑ JL Bourne's official Facebook fan page