A Journal of the Flood Year

by David Ely

In a near-future, half-flooded world governed by technobureaucracy and ultraconformity, where human contact is abhorrent and passion unheard of, William Fowke already has a reputation as a trouble-maker. And now he insists that the Wall - the engineering marvel that keeps what remains of America's East Coast from being inundated by the Atlantic Ocean - is leaking. Convicted of sedition and 'excluded', Fowke begins a horrific, thrilling odyssey through a nether world of gulags. With the exception of agent Julia Keller, who arrested him, everyone is hostile, including his former bosses and fellow prisoners, leaving Fowke excluded even by the excluded. And desperate to get back to his threatened Wall to sound the alarm.

Genres: Science Fiction

223 pages, Paperback

First published January 27, 1992

Reviews

[Deborah Sheldon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Ely's novel "Seconds", but this felt dull and sterile. The plot is basically: I love the Wall, the Wall is faulty, no one believes me; rinse and repeat. There are echoes of "1984" and "Brave New World", but not in a good way. [2.5 stars]

[Ugh · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first two-thirds of this was solid four out of five stuff. I love the idea of this great rock wall stretching across an entire continent, holding back the raging waters of the Atlantic. It's an image that's definitely going to stay with me. And I really liked the main character's combination of strength, a sense of duty and a perverse self-destructive streak. Plus I think there was the right level of more overtly sci-fi elements, and I think the story had a lot to offer. For me it tailed off a bit towards the end though (although I read it over quite a perdio for such a short novel), so four stars seemed a bit generous overall. About two-thirds of the way through it stopped being quite so powerfully evocative and entertaining and became a little too generic. But still one of the most enjoyable reads I've had lately.

Favourite quote: I do nothing all day, but I am tired. Lethargy has settled into me. I feel slack and languid. Does this mean I am starting to accept this life?

[Nicky · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, but ultimately nothing new -- a mishmash of your basic post-apocalyptic/dystopian plots. Even the format comes from John Wyndham, I believe. The tone is very similar, at least, and the basic situation, just... It's a bit Brave New World, bit The Chrysalids, bit The Kraken Wakes, maybe a bit of The Giver and 1984.

So... as you can tell from that list, it's just a wee bit derivative. The writing style is okay, but nothing to write home about, in my opinion.

[Frederic Heath-Renn · Rating 2 out of 5]

The blurb promises Don't Look Up-style satire; the book delivers bog-standard dystopian fiction (the love interest is even called Julia!). I was surprised when I checked the copyright page to find it was from the early 90s, because it feels much fustier.

[Foreign]

UK: Philip Gwyn Jones

[Debrah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book but what happened to the ending?!!