Duende Meadow

by Paul Cook

Six centuries after the Last War, the battle for America has just begun.

For six long centuries after mankind’s Last War, a handful of survivors dwelled in a place of eternal twilight below the fields of Kansas. Transformed into duendes, ghost-like beings, by the fields of organic energy which protected them, they waited for nature to heal the wounds of the Earth. But when, at last, they reached the light, they found their land in the hands of their age-old enemies.

Genres: Science Fiction, Post Apocalyptic, Fiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

Reviews

[Paul Grech · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published in the mid-1980s, Duende Meadow is very much a product of its time as it deals with the aftermath of an issue that felt extremely real in those years nuclear holocaust. That is not to say that the novel feels irrelevant if read today because, as with much good science fiction, it uses the premise to debate much deeper issues of human nature that are timeless.

As it is Duende Meadow picks up the story 600 years after a war in which countries emptied up their nuclear arsenal on each other and the remaining American survivors are living underground. What happened and the situation is drip fed to the reader throughout the book as it unfolds the story meaning that it keeps interest alive throughout. Even the mystery central to the plot - what is happening above ground - is revealed in a manner that keeps one guessing.

In all this is a quick, entertaining and satisfying sci-fi read.

[Vik-thor Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this novel when it first came out, back in 1985. I kept my copy through many moves, and just reread it. It is a nice recovery after apocalypse story. It is shaped by what was going on in the world at the time. Thinking back, I can recall some of the fear that everything might end soon, because of the actions of the military complex that think they know everything that infuses some of the book. Mr. Cook is a bit heavy handed in a few places on making Monaco, the main antagonist, into someone truly unlikable. It is quite easy to suspend my disbelief at pretty much all of the scientific excesses and just take the book as it is, and to just let myself be in that time, 580 years from now, but shaped by the world as it was 30 years ago.

[Will · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded up to 3

Bought this for $1 because I thought the cover art and concept were both very weird. Basically, in this universe the cold war ends in an apocalyptic nuclear war. In order to survive and repopulate the earth after the nuclear winter, a group of Americans transform themselves into ghosts (?) called *duendes* and live in a mall deep under Kansas, literally inside solid rock (???) (apparently possible because they're intangible or something?)

Anyway, they get up to the surface and it turns out the Russians beat them to the punch by simply living in underwater cities rather than dealing with the whole ghost transformation thing.

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

2⭐️ Just a Book/Unremarkable

This book is a post-apocalyptic alternative history fantasy, not science fiction. The initial stages were promising; however, instead of diligently developing the narrative, the author (in my opinion) resorts to an improbable device, thus avoiding the necessity of in-depth character and plot development. It is unfortunate that the book's plot, while promising, did not fully realize its potential.

I had no favorite quote

[James]

Six centuries after the Last War, the battle for America has just begun. For six long centuries after mankind's Last War, a handful of survivors dwelled in a place of eternal twilight below the fields of Kansas. Transformed into "duendes," ghost-like beings, by the fields of organic energy which protected them, they waited for nature to heal the wounds of the Earth. But when, at last, they reached the light, they found their land in the hands of their age-old enemies...

[Conan Tigard · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, let me just say that this piece of fiction was written before the fall of the Soviet Empire. So, if you choose to read this, just look back and remember the fear and ignorance that we used to feel towards that mighty power on the other side of the world.

I found myself really liking Duende Meadow. And I could tell that I really got into it because I became very uncomfortable with what the American military wanted to do to the Soviets. The writing of the military personnel is extremely well done, which, of course, actually made me tense.

I found myself actually rooting for the Soviets and the American scientists to be victorious, when the American military finally went on the offense.

I rated this book an 8½ out of 10.

[Jeremy J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such a fun read. Dated now that things have changed but very fun.

[Foxtower · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good.. a great premise... I just wanted more!

[Foxtower · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good.. a great premise... I just wanted more!