Working on a concept for an Apocalyptic novel...

The EMP premise, while not perfect, is certainly the most plausible and interesting out of the lot. Zombies are overplayed as all hell, financial breakdowns dosn't cause apocalypses (not without foreign invasion at any rate, and as far as I am concerned any Red Dawn-ish scenarios are immediately dismissed) and asteroids are way too Armageddon-ish.

That said, saying an EMP hitting all of the US (the improbable logistics of which being ignored) would turn off all electricity is... well not wrong, but incomplete. There are several devices (especially used by the government or large private corporations) that are shielded against EMP. Not everyday light switches, obviously, but crucial stuff like key communications, servers, ect. Hence, the government would retain some capacity of communication and intervention, so complete societal collapse is unlikely (not to mention foreign aid is a variable, unless the whole damn world either completely hates the US or has been EMP'ed too). Then again, it's fiction, and it happens in a rural area, so I guess we can bypass all that.


If you look at natural catastrophies, society breaks down in three days or less. In Haiti, they were chopping fellow victims up with machetes within three days of the quake and fighting for water. Same thing in New Orleans.
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Haiti is, shall we say, a special case, a far cry from rural US. And I never heard about people being chopped to death with machetes in New Orleans; thefts and some murders, sure, but nothing outstanding. I think (especially in rural areas where people are farther apart) shit will not hit the fan that quickly. Once people start running out of food and other essential supplies, however... Basically, cities are fucked up, and my best guess is that small rural communities will spring up to survive (much easier in Alabama, this region will likely suffer much less than big cities like New York), until the government get it's shit together and starts rebuilding the network. Guess you could add the conflicts THAT would cause in later chapters/sequels.
 
You could also use a supernatural cause for the apocalypse, I don't think that there too many books with a Supernatural Apocalypse aftermath scenario.
 
Walpknut said:
You could also use a supernatural cause for the apocalypse, I don't think that there too many books with a Supernatural Apocalypse aftermath scenario.
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For good reason. If Allah (pbuh) decided to bring about the end of humanity we would all be gone to a man.

There is no escaping a supernatural Apocalypse
 
That's why religiosu books are so boring, they have no imagination when writing their fiction.
 
I wish you good luck in writing this, whatever you decide to pick for your story. I'm currently writing one of my own, mainly as an exersise. What I would say is...

1) Make the world the story is set in 'believeable'. I don't mean it has to be 'realistic' (ie like the world we live in), but the world you describe will have the uber-cynics sitting back and thinking 'yes, I could see that working'.

2) Don't make it a pastiche of a current book / game / film / tv show. Yes, be influenced by it, but draw from other sources too.

3) Don't have your central character(s) as amazing perfect people with god-like powers. It's been done too many times.

4) Don't turn your book into a tract about your hobby-horses. That will make it boring.

5) Break the mold of the genre your book is in, or at least crack it a bit. The resulting unfamilarity will (hopefully) make it more interesting.

6) Have the plot twist and turn. I've taken insperation from The Simpsons - where the event at the start of the episode never has anything to do with the event(s) of the episode.

7) Do your research. Not just the obvious, but the older classics too. One example - all zombie survival horror really owes a debt to Day Of The Triffids, particulary in the second part where they discuss the future for a marginalised humanity in the face of millions of triffids, slowly breaking down the barriers to kill them all.

Just an idea - why do you need a 'big' event? Perhaps a 'small' event which causes more and more ripples until the effect is as large event. That's why they never mentioned the event that caused the dead world in The Road - because the event becomes the story otherwise.

So what about EMP accident -> worldwide economic panic -> economic breakdown making the 1930's look like happy days -> collapse of political units -> collapse of modern civilization?

I'd reccomend you go and get HG Well's Shape Of Things To Come, where he describes a 1940's civilization collapse particulary vividly. Even though the last third he really does get on his hobby horse(s).

Well, thats off the top of my head. Time to go back to work.
 
KarmaPolice said:
'believeable' Vs. 'realistic'
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That's absolutely right. Something believable will provide you with narrative material afterwards. Realism will only be a time-consuming burden.

KarmaPolice said:
because the event becomes the story otherwise
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This is true as well. Many many scifi authors tend to assimilate their global context with the core of their scenario. And that's a pity. Having a cosmic event does not imply that it should be at the center of the scenario. It can only "be there" and give you an ambiance, a setting. "The Road" tends to be cited a lot on these forums, but what the heck, I shall use it too as an example of a successful story that does not focus on its context.
 
Ilosar said:
The EMP premise, while not perfect, is certainly the most plausible and interesting out of the lot....

That said, saying an EMP hitting all of the US (the improbable logistics of which being ignored) would turn off all electricity is... well not wrong, but incomplete. There are several devices (especially used by the government or large private corporations) that are shielded against EMP.
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I plan on addressing that in my storyline. There will be exceptions to the rule and there will be limited areas where the effect did not reach. For instance, vehicles that do not have electronic ignitions or circuit boards will still run/function properly. Any electronic device not plugged into a outlet, not turned on, stored in a closed metal box or stored where there is sufficient shielding, would not be affected. Any hardened military equipment will not be affected. Anything more than 2 feet underground - in say a basement - would be protected, as long as it's not plugged into an outlet.

I also plan on covering the factors that inhibit any remaining government from having a major impact due to the scope of the issues. In other words, the government/military left will not be able to stop societal collapse except in close proximity to the locations where they still operate.

Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the northern part of Maine and the lower protion of Florida would not be hit. Those areas and their response will factor into the storyline.

I'll also cover U.S. naval fleets returning home to help and how their absence affects the regions they left. I'll more than likely cover aid from allies like Canada and Britain, etc. as it applies to the story.

Haiti is, shall we say, a special case, a far cry from rural US. And I never heard about people being chopped to death with machetes in New Orleans; thefts and some murders, sure, but nothing outstanding.
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Nothing outstanding? Police officers in New Orleans shot and murdered innocent civilians for fun and profit during the aftermath of Katrina. Looting, murder, shooting at relief and rescue operations, people in nursing homes drowning, rapes, authorities raiding law abiding citizens homes and confiscating legally owned firearms, police caught on video robbing/looting businesses - yeah, nothing outstanding happened there... :roll:

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@ Karma - good post, I appreciate your thoughts and input. I've thought of some of that, but you bring up some great points to consider.

@ eom - lol, you are such a troll. But to your point, I was covering why they would die, not the significance to the storyline, as far as that goes - it just means several million more dead people.
 
if the emp is strong enough, devices might not have to be turned on to be ruined. A really strong emp (like solar type radiation) could send enough energy to heat up anything connected to an antenna... and by antenna I mean a wire.
 
WillisPDunlevey said:
if the emp is strong enough, devices might not have to be turned on to be ruined. A really strong emp (like solar type radiation) could send enough energy to heat up anything connected to an antenna... and by antenna I mean a wire.
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This is correct and earlier in this thread I addressed that issue.

Second Issue:

The protagonist of my book for various reasons must be very well established with a big bankroll to fund and develop various projects that become key to the storyline. I have not decided how he acquired his wealth.

The options are;

7) He comes from a wealthy family that owns lots of land. Old money as in very well established and upper crusty.

P) He marries into money. See wealthy family above, same except different. I'll stipulate he marries for love, not love of money.

69) He wins the lottery, just a lucky mook with a powerball ticket.

xxx) He built up and ran a very successful construction business and was bought out by a much larger corporation. Now he has time and money to play with.

Which seems the most appealing/realistic to you?
 
El Patron

El Patron



Dammitboy said:
... xxx) He built up and ran a very successful construction business and was bought out by a much larger corporation. Now he has time and money to play with.

Which seems the most appealing/realistic to you?
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A builder, may be the fast track to character projection: self motivated / self starting, able to delegate / able to empower, know when to gamble on spec building / know when to sell out and down size.

A friends network developed doing business, doing business well, could become crucial in reinventing some level of social order, or at least a respectful stand off.

Consider a "Good Judge Of Character" Perk that might allow him to effectively employ those in his rural area who have been written off as alcoholics, ex cons, or drug burn outs.
Know how to exploit their latent talents. and start a few in their own construction related businesses, heavy equipment operators, masons, electricians.
Could have provided some timely crisis intervention , advanced money to an employee that became crucial in saving his family.

Having the right amount of loyal skilled labor at the right time might allow him to rapidly expand his operation with this neglected talent pool.
He can build and sell at the hottest point of a regional building boom, and wind down and keep his winnings as the opportunity cools.

Doesn't have to be the Godfather, unless a shadowy past may reveal decision making milestones.
He might make his 'seed money' growing pot with his school buddies,
and ... when they went off to master the technology to grow ... oh ... industrial quantities of a Mexican mushroom in Mason jars,
he was busy remodeling a relative's farm house and discovered he was good at it.


A builder, talent, earned experience, and luck to give him the stats he needs to succeed in the pre, and post apocalypse. :dance:


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Mo' fusion --> http://www.npr.org/2011/11/09/141931203/-power-for-the-planet-company-bets-big-on-fusion

May just be 'cold fusion' revisited or a dubious deus ex machina that peeked out into the media just before the super sized EMPs, spawning a legend, and a possible Grail Quest. :shrug:



4too
 
I would say his father was a business tycoon in some large city, but he was orphaned at a young age when his parents were slain by a common crook in an alley.
now, he uses his vast inheritance to fight crime, or whatever it was you said.
 
eom said:
I would say his father was a business tycoon in some large city, but he was orphaned at a young age when his parents were slain by a common crook in an alley.
now, he uses his vast inheritance to fight crime, or whatever it was you said.
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No that's been done already. I would say his father was was a scientist, who had to send his son to another planet. Because the first was about to blow up. When he get's there, two old people find him in the corn field. When he get to be 15, he learns he has superpowers and the amazing ability to see through women's lockerooms.
 
69.... is verry interesstin, you would think ''what a lucky bastadt, he wins in the Lottery'' but then, oh ''poor Motherfucker'' he cant spend it, bcz everything is shit, and he is like the only one who can make the projekt working with all that money :D
 
I like the lottery one the best.

IMO It gives someone who might have different thought processes and priorities lots of money. Most of the people who are successful though business think differently than people who are more realistic about the effects of and possibility of the world falling apart.

It takes a certain type of attachment to society and the system of commerce/capitalism to be really successful in it. You really cant be a Warren Buffet if you are constantly thinking about how everything is going to fall apart at any minute and what you can do to survive a complete breakdown of society/cannibalism.
 
My thought was any lucky idiot can win the lottery, it's what you do with that money that matters.

If I went that route, the protagonist would be thinking that the value of the dollar is getting worse and worse so he wants to invest in things that will retain value and will help him with his idea about how to be self-sufficient.

I kinda think it sounds too goofy and farout though?
 
From my reading of both human nature and history, it's often the bastards, the shysters and carpetbaggers who do the best in situations where 'civility' has collapsed. Genuinely 'good' people don't really thrive in places of anarchy.

I've given this some fair thought. How many of us actually do useful jobs? You could have your protaganist some kinda blue-collar slob with a shady past suddenly become very important in his town 'cause he has the practical skills to keep things running? Could be a nice contrast when he has to deal with the people who looked down on him before having to come to him for favours.
 
KarmaPolice said:
From my reading of both human nature and history, it's often the bastards, the shysters and carpetbaggers who do the best in situations where 'civility' has collapsed.

Genuinely 'good' people don't really thrive in places of anarchy.
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I'll have to disagree with you. 'Good' people can survive in situations of anarchy - if - those good people can make the hard difficult choices required to survive.

I intend to make this mostly about making those hard difficult decisions and still retaining a sense of humanity...
 
KarmaPolice said:
From my reading of both human nature and history, it's often the bastards, the shysters and carpetbaggers who do the best in situations where 'civility' has collapsed. Genuinely 'good' people don't really thrive in places of anarchy.
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How so? Since when has the jerks ever did good in the world (and the mongols eventually fell so don't say that lol)
 
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