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Quick Fall of Light
Quick Fall of Light is a novel of a bird flu pandemic, a woman and an "extinct" bird who are caught in its deadly approach, and the extraordinary relationship between them. The bird in the story is America's passenger pigeon, historically extinct for almost 100 years. Yet, in Quick Fall, a colony has been harbored safely and secretly for many years in the Olympic Rainforest of Washington State. It is here where the story begins, and the mystery of the bird's survival becomes key to saving mankind.
Some ten years after publication, the novel more than ever asks the question, "How would we handle a modern-day pandemic?" The central characters are living in a time in which worldwide illness has changed the structure of their lives. Each of them is holding onto the past while confronting their own mortality. Josephine Russo longs for her husband, who's recently died in a suspicious plane crash. Gary Sterns, a logger and keen observer, has discovered a secret facility in the rainforest he logs in. And Martin Pritchard tells us what it's like to work for a pharmaceutical without conscience. As their stories converge, they all begin to realize one thing. A remarkable, well-trained bird is taking them on the biggest chase of their lives. And to Josephine Russo, that chase will define who she is.
A Foreword Reviews winner for Science Fiction in 2010, the book is perhaps more relevant today than it's ever been. Pandemics are seldom seen and written of even less. For Quick Fall of Light both have occurred in one remarkable decade.
Some ten years after publication, the novel more than ever asks the question, "How would we handle a modern-day pandemic?" The central characters are living in a time in which worldwide illness has changed the structure of their lives. Each of them is holding onto the past while confronting their own mortality. Josephine Russo longs for her husband, who's recently died in a suspicious plane crash. Gary Sterns, a logger and keen observer, has discovered a secret facility in the rainforest he logs in. And Martin Pritchard tells us what it's like to work for a pharmaceutical without conscience. As their stories converge, they all begin to realize one thing. A remarkable, well-trained bird is taking them on the biggest chase of their lives. And to Josephine Russo, that chase will define who she is.
A Foreword Reviews winner for Science Fiction in 2010, the book is perhaps more relevant today than it's ever been. Pandemics are seldom seen and written of even less. For Quick Fall of Light both have occurred in one remarkable decade.
- GenresFiction
298 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
November 15, 2016
This was a refreshingly unusual novel, with an almost-dystopian setting, a bird flu pandemic, and passenger pigeons. Not a quick read, but beautifully written; at least one passage made me cry. (Actually, made me call up my mom and read it to her, so we could both cry.) Recommended.
October 26, 2010
I found this book a fun and interesting read to say the least. Sherrida is a descriptive author who I enjoy reading.
November 20, 2024
I liked the story and concept in this book, but there was a lot of, I’m not sure what to call them, maybe metaphors. Some of these, I thought, didn’t make much sense and caused the book to drag in some areas.
June 16, 2012
Quick Fall of Light is an emotional, touching and powerful story about Josephine Russo who has lost her husband. Her husband died in a plane accident in Olympic National Forest. Joserphine finds out that her husband has kept secrets from her and realizes what he has done. Quick Fall of Light is also a story about an extinct bird, which has been saved from extinction by careful and secret research methods. This rare bird may hold a key to humankind's survival.
Quick Fall of Light is equal parts science fiction, mystery, environmental thriller and character-driven storytelling. I like this combination, because the story flows intriguingly from start to finish. This book is a quick read and the story isn't long, but the characters bring it to life and give depth to the happenings. The story is a bit sad, but also hopeful - this is a great combination, because it gives the author a chance to write about the emotions of the characters.
Although Quick Fall of Light is an apocalyptical science fiction book (a mutated avian flu virus kills people all around the world), it manages to avoid the usual apocalyptical clichés, because the author uses her characters to move the story forward instead of writing all the time about what's happening to the world and how people react to the deaths. I think it's great that the author has concentrated on her main characters, because the characterization is simply superb.
Here's some information about the main characters and the plot:
- Josephine Russo is a woman who married an older man. Her husband, Robert Russo, worked for the university and was involved in a secret Wilson's Bridge project. He worked partly for Colzer-Bremen (a pharmaceutical company, which makes a vaccine called Pass-Flu) and did research with the extinct passenger pigeon.
- Josephine meets a man called Gary Sterns in the woods. Gary knows her husband and shows her something extraordinary and amazing in the woods.
- Gary has also lost a loved one and sometimes thinks about her.
- Josephine and Gary start a journey together and try to get to Nebraska to an old man's (Burt Hennings) house. This old man was mentioned in Josephine's husband's notes.
- Martin Pritchard works for the Colzer-Bremen and takes care of things for the company. His wife is Shanna and her daughter is Rachel. His daughter has Addison's disease.
- Josephine, Martin and Gary are totally believable and realistic characters.
That's all I'll write about the characters and the plot, because I don't want to reveal too much.
It was interesting to read about the passenger pigeon and things related to it (I've always been interested in nature, animals and plants, so it's nice to read books about these subjects). I especially enjoyed reading how this bird was linked to the survival of humankind - it was interesting to read how the bird was connected to Colzer-Bremen and their vaccine. It was also interesting how the author had managed to find a connection between the great flu of 1918, the extinction of the passenger pigeon and the avian flu virus.
This book offers quite a lot of information about birds and especially pigeons, which is interesting. If you want to know more passenger pigeon, you may want to read this article. This book also contains social criticism and observations about human life, but not too much.
This book has been compared to Michael Crichton's books, but I think that this comparison doesn't do justice to this book, because Michael Crichton never wrote as well and beautifully as Sherrida Woodley. Sherrida Woodley's exquisite writing separates her from other writers, because her descriptions of certain events and emotions are surprisingly lush (she also creates complex characters).
The comparison to Rachel Carson (the author of Silent Spring) is more justified, because the author writes about birds and environmental things. It was interesting to read how human survival was linked to the survival of an extinct bird and the preservation of our fragile biodiversity. This subject has often been handled in science fiction, but seldom in this kind of format, because the author has managed to bring something new to the genre by writing mainly about the characters. I've often avoided reading apocalyptical books, because the characters in these books are usually more or less bland, so reading about Josephine Russo, Gary Sterns and Martin Pritchard was wonderfully refreshing.
Quick Fall of Light is an exceptionally well written, touching, intelligent and thought-provoking book. I liked the author's descriptive writing style, because she wrote beautifully about Josephine's grief, life and marriage. I think that Quick Fall of Light will appeal to readers who are interested in environmental thrillers and books related to nature. It's possible that Quick Fall of Light will also appeal to readers who aren't familiar with science fiction books, because this book is easy to get into.
I hope that Sherrida Woodley writes more books, because I'd like to read more from her. I'm sure that all the other readers, who read this book, will want to read more from this talented author.
Quick Fall of Light is equal parts science fiction, mystery, environmental thriller and character-driven storytelling. I like this combination, because the story flows intriguingly from start to finish. This book is a quick read and the story isn't long, but the characters bring it to life and give depth to the happenings. The story is a bit sad, but also hopeful - this is a great combination, because it gives the author a chance to write about the emotions of the characters.
Although Quick Fall of Light is an apocalyptical science fiction book (a mutated avian flu virus kills people all around the world), it manages to avoid the usual apocalyptical clichés, because the author uses her characters to move the story forward instead of writing all the time about what's happening to the world and how people react to the deaths. I think it's great that the author has concentrated on her main characters, because the characterization is simply superb.
Here's some information about the main characters and the plot:
- Josephine Russo is a woman who married an older man. Her husband, Robert Russo, worked for the university and was involved in a secret Wilson's Bridge project. He worked partly for Colzer-Bremen (a pharmaceutical company, which makes a vaccine called Pass-Flu) and did research with the extinct passenger pigeon.
- Josephine meets a man called Gary Sterns in the woods. Gary knows her husband and shows her something extraordinary and amazing in the woods.
- Gary has also lost a loved one and sometimes thinks about her.
- Josephine and Gary start a journey together and try to get to Nebraska to an old man's (Burt Hennings) house. This old man was mentioned in Josephine's husband's notes.
- Martin Pritchard works for the Colzer-Bremen and takes care of things for the company. His wife is Shanna and her daughter is Rachel. His daughter has Addison's disease.
- Josephine, Martin and Gary are totally believable and realistic characters.
That's all I'll write about the characters and the plot, because I don't want to reveal too much.
It was interesting to read about the passenger pigeon and things related to it (I've always been interested in nature, animals and plants, so it's nice to read books about these subjects). I especially enjoyed reading how this bird was linked to the survival of humankind - it was interesting to read how the bird was connected to Colzer-Bremen and their vaccine. It was also interesting how the author had managed to find a connection between the great flu of 1918, the extinction of the passenger pigeon and the avian flu virus.
This book offers quite a lot of information about birds and especially pigeons, which is interesting. If you want to know more passenger pigeon, you may want to read this article. This book also contains social criticism and observations about human life, but not too much.
This book has been compared to Michael Crichton's books, but I think that this comparison doesn't do justice to this book, because Michael Crichton never wrote as well and beautifully as Sherrida Woodley. Sherrida Woodley's exquisite writing separates her from other writers, because her descriptions of certain events and emotions are surprisingly lush (she also creates complex characters).
The comparison to Rachel Carson (the author of Silent Spring) is more justified, because the author writes about birds and environmental things. It was interesting to read how human survival was linked to the survival of an extinct bird and the preservation of our fragile biodiversity. This subject has often been handled in science fiction, but seldom in this kind of format, because the author has managed to bring something new to the genre by writing mainly about the characters. I've often avoided reading apocalyptical books, because the characters in these books are usually more or less bland, so reading about Josephine Russo, Gary Sterns and Martin Pritchard was wonderfully refreshing.
Quick Fall of Light is an exceptionally well written, touching, intelligent and thought-provoking book. I liked the author's descriptive writing style, because she wrote beautifully about Josephine's grief, life and marriage. I think that Quick Fall of Light will appeal to readers who are interested in environmental thrillers and books related to nature. It's possible that Quick Fall of Light will also appeal to readers who aren't familiar with science fiction books, because this book is easy to get into.
I hope that Sherrida Woodley writes more books, because I'd like to read more from her. I'm sure that all the other readers, who read this book, will want to read more from this talented author.
August 4, 2017
I found the story engaging—very engaging this post-apocalyptic (nay, in media res apocalyptic) plague story that centered on the extinct species “passenger pigeon” to be a well-written medical thriller, a lovely psychological study, a travelogue, and a great mystery/thriller. The mystical element in the transference of homing between species is what sets this apart from your average book. Highly enjoyable.
July 1, 2012
A pandemic and the return of the passenger pigeon - intertwined. I loved the plot and devoured the book in a few nights reading.
I enjoy the author's descriptive style - I feel she is still developing her "voice" - but I agree with other reviewers that the book would benefit from more aggressive editing. Recommended!
I enjoy the author's descriptive style - I feel she is still developing her "voice" - but I agree with other reviewers that the book would benefit from more aggressive editing. Recommended!
December 11, 2020
I just did. not. care.
October 7, 2024
Really really interesting to read post-covid! Well-written an interesting, but it was pretty detail heavy at times.
January 10, 2011
Just found out I won a copy of this from "First Reads" and it will be coming in the mail in a month or so. I can't wait to review it for Goodreads!
January 9, 2011
I had to really push to get through this book, and half the time I wasn't sure what Woodley was trying to say. The idea for the story is good, and the characters were interesting, but "Quick Fall of Light" is badly in need of aggressive professional editing. As a writer, it's so difficult to know if the concept in your head has been adequately translated onto the page, and that's where an editor is so important. A hundred times I found myself wondering, "What exactly is happening here?" or "What is that supposed to mean?" I also got the feeling I was supposed to care about the fate of the passenger pigeon, and that just didn't happen.
I honestly feel bad not being able to write a more positive review after receiving a complimentary autographed copy from the author. My advice to her in her future writing would be to work for better clarity in both storyline and internal dialogue, and to make use of a talented editor.
January 9, 2011
I had to really push to get through this book, and half the time I wasn't sure what Woodley was trying to say. The idea for the story is good, and the characters were interesting, but "Quick Fall of Light" is badly in need of aggressive professional editing. As a writer, it's so difficult to know if the concept in your head has been adequately translated onto the page, and that's where an editor is so important. A hundred times I found myself wondering, "What exactly is happening here?" or "What is that supposed to mean?" I also got the feeling I was supposed to care about the fate of the passenger pigeon, and that just didn't happen.
I honestly feel bad not being able to write a more positive review after receiving a complimentary autographed copy from the author. My advice to her in her future writing would be to work for better clarity in both storyline and internal dialogue, and to make use of a talented editor.
August 13, 2011
The story line is an interesting one - can a supposedly extinct bird species provide a cure for a deadly flu? Told through three characters and their struggle to survive while presenting several philosophical questions.
The book struggles in continuity and transitions - better editing is needed to help with flow of story. The antagonist's sections tend to be the most distracting due to the choppy tangents but I think as a whole, this book is worth reading because of the discussion that can ensue afterwards.
Keep reading the book- just skim through that which gets bogged down from tangents. There are some beautifully written passages that evoke the wonder of nature and of conflict(man v. man, man v. nature, man v. self).
I look forward to reading more from Sherrida Woodley.
The book struggles in continuity and transitions - better editing is needed to help with flow of story. The antagonist's sections tend to be the most distracting due to the choppy tangents but I think as a whole, this book is worth reading because of the discussion that can ensue afterwards.
Keep reading the book- just skim through that which gets bogged down from tangents. There are some beautifully written passages that evoke the wonder of nature and of conflict(man v. man, man v. nature, man v. self).
I look forward to reading more from Sherrida Woodley.
December 6, 2012
The premise of this book sounded like the perfect thriller to me but I found myself getting confused and many times going back to re-read a page again, trying to understand what was going on. I read some of the other reviews to see if the problem was just me....i try not to read reviews before finishing a book so as to watch my own opinion form while enjoying a book, and not become jaded.
Other readers had been having the same issues so I decided to put the book aside. It was a struggle to get through as much as I did (a few chapters) and I began to lose interest. If the book is re-released after some strong editing, I'll run to try again!
Other readers had been having the same issues so I decided to put the book aside. It was a struggle to get through as much as I did (a few chapters) and I began to lose interest. If the book is re-released after some strong editing, I'll run to try again!
November 12, 2010
I liked the story, but I felt bogged down by the writing style. I felt I was battling to understand her small nuances, even though I understood the plot. An interesting idea, involving supposedly extinct birds, bird flu, anti-viruses and a raging wildfire.
December 3, 2010
A good book, but a little over my head. It is the first book I have read in over twenty years. I plan on many more since my retirement. Seemed to come together at the end, but I wanted more.
July 3, 2013
Great plot line, but not a very fluid wiring style making it a chore to read.
Want to Read
November 11, 2010This looks like it will be a great book to read.
Want to Read
November 13, 2010Looks good.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews