Author Description

A series of reactor explosions accidently set off makes Ireland a wasteland in perpetual ash and desolation, like Pompeii without the casts of human figures in the ruins. Most of Britain's destroyed; much of Western Europe has vanished underwater, as have most of the Americas; Africa fares not much better. Robin, a paleo-archeologist, returns to the former site of the beach resort town south of what was Dublin, in Bray, for an excavation. With her are a cranky assistant, Karen, and a two eccentric volunteers, Karl & Jenny. They're all from Sweden, whose wise environmental stewardship, cautious mentality, and lucky climate enabled its cosseted citizens to survive the Incident. (The Bray House has its moments of inspiration. The whole set-up, from a book written in 1990, unfortunately seems more relevant than ever: global warming and ecological disasters push many nations into choosing nuclear energy to keep their consumer economies going).