Written in 1977 Larry Niven paints a present day, scientifically capable Earth on the brink of a major disaster. There is no hiding that in this book, the comet hits, and the end of the world as we know it is nigh. Surprisingly it takes a bit of time before the comet actually hits. A whopping 200 pages, from a 600 page book. We see that the entire focus is not only on the Hammer Fall, but the politics and feelings of the time to aid in the setting. It is more of a book on survival, and I'm sure many survivalist would get a kick out of reading it.
Through the eyes of journalist Harvey Randall, and amateur astronomer Timothy Hamner, who happen to meet at a party, we learn of the new comet. Hamner discovers the comet on his amateur, albeit expensive, telescope. Harvey Randall sees Hamner on The Tonight Show, with a young boy who also happened to discover the comet, and realizes the opportunity he has for a short informative series. News of the comet sweeps through the media, and more information is hungrily eaten up. Randall begins interviewing NASA specialists, Dr. Charles Sharps, who continually assures that the comet will miss. It later comes out that the math shows the comet will hit, but that there is an inherent error, of say 10%. This assuages fear for some, but others, through religious fears, or plain common sense being to plan for the Hammerfall.
I think it's important to mention, that while all of the above development is happening, we are tracking the stories of a multitude of others. We get background from a nuclear power plant supervisor, working on getting the plant set up. We have Senator Jellison, and his daughter, who happens to have dated Harvey Randall in the past. And we have Russian doctor and astronaut, Leonilla Malik. And there is another story that is taking place, the history of the comet. Told through an omnipotent narrator we get the history of the comet. Lumbering through space picking up debris, missing Earth so long ago, and coming through for another pass.
Through Randalls acquaintance with Senator Jellisons' daughter, Maureen, the Senator learns of the comet, and is prodded by Maureen, and her partner, Col. John Baker, an astronaut, to work together an plan to send an Apollo ship up and record the Hamner-Brown comet as it passes. Originally met with resistance, until it is learned that the Russians are sending up a crew, and the Americans can't be outdone, Baker, and Col. Rick Delanty are picked to head the American program. Leonilla Malik is picked for the Russian team, as well at Brigadier Pieter Jakov.
Even though the comet has been slated to miss, albeit that chance is now less than 1%, Senator Jellison has plans set up to vacation at his ranch during the Hamner-Brown comet fly-by. Being a Senator he is an alpha male, with experience and prowess to be a leader in a pinch, and we see this come into play later. Harvey Randall has taken some light precautions, but seeing as he has been reporting on the Hamner-Brown comet, and has been assuring the populous that it will miss, has decided that he will be in Los Angeles for the fly-by. Down on the ground, seeing what the people see, feeling what they feel. JPL and NASA are in their California Institute of Technology research labs watching feeds from the Apollo and Souyez shuttles, with Col. Delanty, Col. Baker, Malik, and Jakov reporting their findings. Timothy Hamner is also in LA, attempting to reach the JPL labs to watch the live feeds of the comet. The big players are in place ready for the Hammerfall. Well not really.
Hot Fudge Tuesday, Hammerfall. Surprise surprise the Hamner-Brown comet hits. The hit points are seen by our astronauts from space, with impacts in the Gulf of Mexico, Pacific Ocean, and on land. The resulting impacts are so massive they throw massive amounts of water into the air, causing a perpetual rain. Tectonic plates are a fury of activity, being moved in ways never before. Whole pieces of land simply slip and slide all over the place. Gatherers on PCH are simply dropped into the ocean along with miles of ocean side property. The tremors of Hammerfall are felt throughout the world, off the charts.
During the Hammerfall we get perspectives from a lot of characters I have not mentioned. I'm not sure if I find it necessary to mention them at all. They add depth to the story, but I'm not sure they add much besides that. You hear form them and about some of them later. Needless to say, those who thought they were ready for the Hammerfall were not, and those who did not think it would fall surely were not ready. Harvey Randall sees the fall, and immediately tries to get home to get the small bit of supplies he packed and get out of LA. Timothy Hamner was on the freeway in LA. Amazingly he runs into a woman he was trying to court, they make it of of LA alive, due to some tricky driving by Eileen. The scientist at JPL are flabbergasted, to say the least, and rush out of the building. Dr. Sharps knows of the Jellison ranch and sets out to get all he can there. Dr. Dan Forrester, another scientist at JPL breaks off from the group to return home. As a true thinker he has a different goal for the end of days. Preserve knowledge, the fundamental aspects, as well as the more haughty ones. At his house he has piles and piles of books, including "The Way Things Work" a 2 volume book with an aptly named title. He starts zip locking and packing up books, and dumping them in a septic tank in his backyard. So when civilization does get the chance they can rebuild not from the ground up.
So the grand migration of our major characters to Jellison Ranch begins. Timothy Hamner faces a multitude of problems to get there. Harvey Randall and Mark Czescu, long time friend and companion, with two others work their way there. Senator Jellison is already there and in crisis management mode. I think this books certainly has something to say for the attitude of people in the situation. There are multiple times where our main characters are despondent on what to do, and we get to experience this. They are not chin held high against the face of certain death characters. They are mortal beings who are terrified. For Senator Jellison we get to experience the two moral stances. Protect ourselves, or help others. The Christophers, a well known family in the valley that Jellisons Ranch is in, are for the stance protect ourselves at all cost. Jellison on the other hand is trying to work out how to help all that need it and how to secure this place of respite they have.
Jellison ranch is situated in the Sierra Mountains. When the Hammer hit water tables were vastly effected, and we see the whole central valley underwater. We also see an almost never ending rain, as huge amounts of water have been thrown up into the air. There is the possibility of farming around Jellison ranch, and livestock. So it's a pretty groovy place.
Well, our characters manage to make it to Jellison Ranch. The chaos we see along the way is massive. We see heard of people wandering around. Moral decisions made by our characters to either help or not help those who are stranded without a car. And we see plans fall awry. It wouldn't be a very interesting book if our main characters did not get lucky form time to time, and we see a lot of that along the way.
Now we transition into Part 3 of the book. Jellison Ranch, attempting to be a utopia of sorts. But what always happens to the "Haves" when the "Have nots" discover them. War. The Christophers have convinced Jellison to seal off the valley. They've blown up bridges, which of course Randall and Czescu manage to make it across mere minutes before the explosion, and caused land slides. They've posted armed guards and are turning people away. Unless you are lucky enough to know Jellison and drop a name, or to know someone else in the valley.
Meanwhile the astronauts up in space have outlasted their slated oxygen and food supply and need to come back down to Earth. Unfortunately their tin can in space has sustained quite a bit of damage from the Hamner-Brown comet passing pretty much through them. They manage to make it back to Earth in the Russian capsule, and are rescued by farmers. Since Col. Baker was dating Maureen Jellison they make their way to the Jellison Ranch. Along the way they run into the Nassor army group, but make it out alive to arrive at the ranch to report their findings.
Alim Nassor, black power political leader has been fighting against the Hammerfall, and against his fellow man. Certain religious sects have popped up, and chosen to blame technology for the strike of the Hamner-Brown comet. God has smiled us for our lust for technology they claim. So we have two things that these groups want to attack. The Jellison Ranch complex. And the Nuclear Power Plant. Word gets to the Jellison Ranch that there are attackers on their way, as well the fact that the Nuclear Power Plant is up and running.
A note about the group that has formed. They are cannibals. Food has become scarce, especially meat, and to sustain oneself you need to have a set up like Jellison Ranch, or eat people. You could try to hunt animals, but most people are better at hunting unsuspecting humans than wild animals. And this group has the unique trait that once you join them and eat human flesh you are pretty much stuck with them. As you are now socially unacceptable. Also keep in mind that this group is comprised mainly of to-be soldiers from a military training camp. They have tanks, machine guns, semiautomatic rifles, and a sliver of training. So they are a force to be reckoned with. Alim Nassor joins his forces with this group.
So, we have the cannibals marching on to destroy technology and who do we run into narratively, Dan Forrester. A diabetic, who has worn through his shoes and feet trying to get to Jellisons Ranch. He is the ace card of this book. Once you bring him into play all others attempts seem to be for naught. He makes it to the valley, and manages to come in at the best time. A town meeting deciding what to do. Help the nuclear plant, which the Christophers are against, or bear down and try to fight the oncoming army. Harvey brings in Forrester, who quietly begins asking if the valley has a laundry list of supplies. A general ruckus forms with a general curiosity what all these things could make, a smile creeps on Forresters face and he calmly admits "Mustard Gas". Bam, Dan Forrester, trump card, with his "How Things Work" books shows up to save the day. Not only that, but he convinces the valley that the Nuclear Plant is insanely valuable. Electricity is pretty key to survival, and when the winter comes they're going to need it to survive.
So Hamner is sent to the Nuclear Plant, with a small group of fighters to help fight against a possible attack, and Forrester is tasked with building chemical weapons. The army approaches, Randall and a small team are sent out to slow their progress, but against tanks and a swarm of hungry hungry cannibals they're no match. They make it back to the valley just ahead of the cannibals and are up on the ridge and see massive catapults have been built. Through the canyon below the army marches forward, when the catapults launch. Winds carry the yellow mustard gas through the canyon and the army is abated.
At the Nuclear Power plant life almost seems like the Hammer never hit. Tim Hamner arrives with his cohort and for the first time since the Hammerfall is back in civilization. Clean clothes, running water. The army has yet to attack, but with Hamners warning the plant gets ready for the attack. They manage to ward off the smaller contingent of soldiers sent to the plant. But with the failure of the attack on the Jellison Ranch the army will be back with full forces against the Nuclear Power Plant. Hamner returns to the valley to seek more men to fight the army. At this point the Senator, whose health was already failing, is on his last legs. Al Hardy, his right hand man, and a conniving man at that, has more or less taken over. He does not have the foresight that Jellison had. But the image of Tim Hamner, freshly shaven in clean clothes is a rather convincing message. Meeting with Senator Jellison we hear his last words "Give them the lightning again.". So that's that, forces are sent to the power plant and the army is abated.
Epilogue. Thank goodness we got one of those. 600 pages and we really needed a flash forward. The power plant up and running, has been able to send power to the valley. Dan Forrester, unfortunately, has passed away. But before that he recorded hours upon hours of his knowledge onto tapes, as well as direction on how to get to his house to rescue the valuable resources trapped in his septic tank. Life is attempting to get back to normal. The landscape of the planet has been forever changed, and mankind's numbers have fallen dramatically. But the world keeps on spinning, and man has survived.
So that's it. A synopsis of the book. Quite a bit longer than I had anticipated, but maybe the next one will be shorter. I think there were some fun ideas expressed in this book. It was a joy to read, and in all honesty made me want to go buy some MRE's and a motorcycle just in case. A survivalist would enjoy reading the book, and would identify with Mark Czescu quite well. The book and knowledge lover will identify with Dan Forrester, hence why he is my favorite character. And there are even some strong female characters. Albeit not major characters, Marie Vance is a pretty kick ass lady. And I apologize for talking nothing of the story arc with Gordon Vance, her husband, I didn't really find it in need of mentioning. Lucifer's Hammer was very different than the Ringworld Series by Larry Niven, but fun all the same. Thanks for reading!
© JKloor 2014 Books