The End, My Friend Book Review
The End, My Friend: Prelude to the Apocalypse by Kirby Wright is a novel about the collapse of modern society. Wright was born and raised in Honolulu and his first two novels set in Hawaii. They deal with racial tensions on the islands. He has earned a MFA in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. Wright has won numerous writing awards including first place at the San Diego Book Awards for his collection of poetry: Before the City.
The world ends with a whimper, so to speak — no mass extinction events, no world wide revolution, no depletion of fossil fuels. It ends the way that America would end the world, slowly breeding it dry with greed. Workers are forced out of jobs by cheaper automation. Individual rights are limited through laws protecting big business. Prices rise. Inflation gallops ahead of the ability to earn money. Guns are banned. Protests became riots, and riots became battles. Massive arrests became common place and once the president was assassinated, it was all over. America, along with the rest of the world, has returned to a Hobbesian state of nature.
Tony and Evo decide it is time leave their Southern California home and head north. The Phoenix Army is moving into California from one direction and Mexico from another. There still seems to be a sense of community, in a way, but that will quickly end when then fuel and food reserves run out.
The collapse is already beginning with roving gangs that are after anything they can get. Safety will not last much longer. Tony and Evo collect what valuables they have and the load up the Land Rover grab the cat (who has cancer) and head out.
The End, to use a cliché, is as much about the journey as it about the destination. The story is a study of people and how individuals and groups handle themselves once society collapses. There are the good and the bad, and in the state of nature the good and bad move to extremes. There are bikers, hippies, religious compounds, and of course people willing to scam, steal, or kill. Tony and Evo encounter all these on their journey in search of security.
Wright’s writing style is smooth and flowing. Once the reader accepts the collapse of society, which is more believable than most apocalyptic scenarios, the story runs smoothly without a hitch. The rest of the events in the story are easily believable. There is no miracle technology or supernatural intervention into the world, but there is violence and lawlessness. The interactions that Tony and Evo have on their way make up the bulk of the story. The characters are well developed and very believable. The story is also well developed, very plausible, and moves in a logical manner. .
The new standard of exchange is gold, silver, and bartering. Some people turn to the land and start producing their own food. Some people band together in groups for either security or to take what they need from others. Tony and Evo encounter their share of challenges and threats. Solutions are practical although at sometimes Tony and Evo get by on a little luck, but all within reason.
The End is advertised as a futuristic thriller and lives up to that billing, although the future may not be that far from the present. The book is clearly written and will hold the readers interest to the end, which may not be the end. Although there is closure, there are enough material for a sequel or additional books in the series as the sub-title itself hints: Prelude to the Apocalypse. All in all, this is a realistic thriller and recommended to all who like a bit of escapism or a nice weekend read.
Review by review: Joseph Spuckler
