From the Bookshelf of Apocalypse Whenever…

Lucifer's Hammer

Larry Niven,

Jerry Pournelle

Start date: April 1, 2017

Finish date: May 1, 2017

Discussion: AW BOOK CLUB (spoilers)

Discussion leader: Gertie

Why we're reading this: MAY 2017 book, discussion link here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Note, this is a longer book,…more
[close] MAY 2017 book, discussion link here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Note, this is a longer book, so you may want to get started earlier than usual.

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Showing 2 of 346 topics — 20,929 comments total

AW BOOK CLUB (spoilers)

* What is a good book for AW discussion? (Nominations pool)
By Gertie · 64 posts · 216 views

last updated Oct 03, 2025 09:53AM

* AW Book Club: what we've read
By Gertie · 16 posts · 1822 views

last updated Dec 10, 2019 09:01AM

showing 10 of 64 topics view all »

What Members Thought

Oct 06, 2008 Cameron rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction, sci-fi, post-apocalypse, natural-disaster

I certainly see why this book is considered to be an icon of post-apocalypse fiction; it covered every aspect of the subject; scientific probability, mind-numbing global devastation, the production of unlikely heroes and villains, starvation, disease, brutality, man's inhumanity to man, courage, preparation, salvage, invention, even cannibalism. I'd nominate it for required reading for anyone interested in the subject.

I thought it started out kind of slow because the destruction doesn't really g ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Mar 28, 2009 Sarena rated it really liked it

Shelves: post-apcalyptic

Interesting enough to keep me going, vivid imagery. Follows some of the same formulaic post-apocalyptic good vs. evil, civilized vs. madness. The novel got predictably blase in terms of the romantic/political struggles, which seemed forced and out of place.

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Nov 18, 2008 Jamie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: science-fiction

I wish I could have rated this higher. I loved the beginning of this book. It had all the elements of a great apocolyptic tale...by the end though it deteriorates into a morality play and things become just a bit too pat for a satisfying conclusion.

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