The Dog Stars is an incredible debut. Although post apocalyptic books seem to be rather thick on the ground these days, I believe Heller's novel is unique in that it does not present 'life after' as a grand adventure, but points out that survival may come at the cost of one's humanity. And that the people you care most for before the plague may not be capable of surviving the aftermath. There are moments in this book that portray an almost lyrical beauty of the world he writes, and others that reflect the single mindedness one would need to survive in such a situation. The Dog Stars is going to be among my top favorites of books I've read this year.