Systemic Shock (book)

Last updated

Systemic Shock by Dean Ing is the first novel in his Quantrill trilogy (the others are Wild Country and Single Combat) and is a science fiction thriller set in the mid-1990s. After the Soviet Union collapses, as a consequence of the events described in General Sir John Hackett's book The Third World War (1978) in August 1985, China and India form a "Sino-Ind" coalition and launch a devastating nuclear attack on America.

Contents

Plot

The book is based around Ted Quantrill and his activities during an episode of post-apocalyptic anarchy that followed the limited nuclear exchange which destroyed the major cities in the United States during World War IV. Utah's Mormons gain political ascendancy and buttressed by its newfound mineral abundance as the Arctic defrosts, Canada becomes a superpower. Quantrill becomes a covert operative and infiltrates a polygamist fundamentalist schismatic Mormon compound.

Sequels

In Single Combat, Quantrill joins the resistance against President Young's increasingly theocratic Mormons and the maquis succeed in overthrowing him. In Wild Country, Quantrill has become a US marshal on the border between an enlarged Mexico and post-apocalyptic Texas, but anarchic elements still persist in the area, which he must curtail.

Reception

Greg Costikyan reviewed Systemic Shock in Ares Magazine #11 and commented that "The fact that the story is less than plausible does not distract from its value; Systemic Shock is still an interesting book, albeit not for the faint-hearted." [1]

Reviews

See also

Notes

  1. Costikyan, Greg (November 1981). "Books". Ares Magazine (11). Simulations Publications, Inc.: 24.
  2. "Title: Systemic Shock".

Related Research Articles

<i>Schrödingers Cat Trilogy</i> Novels by Robert Anton Wilson

The Schrödinger's Cat Trilogy is a trilogy of novels by American writer Robert Anton Wilson consisting of Schrödinger's Cat: The Universe Next Door (1979), Schrödinger's Cat II: The Trick Top Hat (1980), and Schrödinger's Cat III: The Homing Pigeons (1981), each illustrating a different interpretation of quantum physics. They were collected into an omnibus edition in 1988.

<i>White Bear and Red Moon</i> Fantasy tabletop wargame

White Bear and Red Moon is a fantasy board wargame set in the world of Glorantha, created by Greg Stafford and published in 1975. Stafford first tried to sell the game to established publishers, but despite being accepted by three different game companies, each attempt ended in failure; eventually he founded his own game company in 1974, the influential Chaosium, to produce and market the game.

<i>The Magic Labyrinth</i> 1980 novel by Philip José Farmer

The Magic Labyrinth (1980) is a science fiction novel by American writer Philip José Farmer, the fourth in the series of Riverworld books. The title is derived from lines in Sir Richard Francis Burton's poem The Kasîdah of Hâjî Abdû El-Yezdî:

Reason is Life's sole arbiter, the magic Laby'rinth's single clue:
Worlds lie above, beyond its ken; what crosses it can ne'er be true.

<i>Expanded Universe</i> (book) 1980 collection of stories and essays by American writer Robert A. Heinlein

Expanded Universe, The New Worlds of Robert A. Heinlein is a 1980 collection of stories and essays by American writer Robert A. Heinlein. The trade paperback 1981 edition lists the subtitle under other Heinlein books as More Worlds of Robert A. Heinlein because the contents subsume the 1966 Ace Books collection, The Worlds of Robert A. Heinlein. The current volume is dedicated to William Targ.

<i>A Rebel in Time</i> 1983 science fiction novel by Harry Harrison

A Rebel in Time is a 1983 science fiction novel by American writer Harry Harrison.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Still Forms on Foxfield</span> 1980 novel by Joan Slonczewski

Still Forms on Foxfield is a 1980 science fiction novel by Joan Slonczewski. It was their first novel.

<i>WarpWar</i> Science fiction board wargame published in 1977

WarpWar is a science fiction board wargame published by Metagaming Concepts in 1977 that simulates interstellar combat. It was the fourth in Metagaming's MicroGame series.

<i>Asteroid Zero-Four</i> Board game

Asteroid Zero-Four is a science fiction board wargame published by Task Force Games in 1979.

<i>Mayflies</i> (novel) 1979 novel by Kevin ODonnell Jr

Mayflies is a novel by Kevin O'Donnell Jr. published in 1979.

<i>Michael and the Magic Man</i> 1980 novel by Kathleen M. Sidney

Michael and the Magic Man is a novel by Kathleen M. Sidney published in 1980.

<i>Watchtower</i> (novel) 1979 novel by American writer Elizabeth A. Lynn

Watchtower is a fantasy novel by American writer Elizabeth A. Lynn published in 1979.

<i>Lifekeeper</i> Novel

Lifekeeper is a novel by Mike McQuay published in 1980.

<i>Beyond Rejection</i> 1980 novel by Justin Leiber

Beyond Rejection is a novel by Justin Leiber published in 1980.

<i>Songs from the Stars</i> 1980 novel by Norman Spinrad

Songs from the Stars is a novel by Norman Spinrad published in 1980.

A Planet in Arms is a science fiction novel by American writer Donald Barr, published in 1981.

Stardrifter is a novel by Dale Aycock published in 1981.

War Games is a novel by Karl Hansen published in 1981.

<i>Starship & Haiku</i> 1981 novel by Somtow Sucharitkul

Starship & Haiku is a novel by Somtow Sucharitkul published in 1981.

Dale Aycock is an American author of science fiction.