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Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank

"Though written more than 50 years ago, this story of one community's struggle to survive and thrive in the wake of nuclear war, is just as terrifying now as, I'm sure it was then. And though it was a frightening read, I was left wanting an emotional connection with the characters that just never quite happened." 

3 Stars

Pros: Frank was ahead of his time when it came to knowledge of nuclear warfare and also about equality and inclusivity/He seemed moderately progressive which was a welcome change. 

Cons: There are definitely some points where it's not entirely politically correct but, this was also back in the 50s, so it's kind of to be expected/The characters were all pretty 2 dimensional and not that interesting, I would have liked to see a deeper dive of the characters and their relationships, now just how they react to the cataclysmic situation. 

Full Review: 

"They will stand far off, in fear of her torment and say, "Alas, Alas! You great city, you mighty city, Babylon! For in a single hour your judgement has come." Revelations 18:10. 

That passage, learned from the Preacher in childhood, is now code between two brothers. "Alas, Babylon" is the warning sign for cataclysm, so when Randy receives a message from his brother Mark, he doesn't hesitate. And since Mark is a commanding Officer in the U.S. Army, Randy knows this is going to be destruction on a global scale.  He does exactly as his brother asks, stockpiling what he can of supplies and picking up his sister-in-law and niece/nephew at the airport. He manages to get everyone to safety, just as the first H-Bomb hits.

The air explodes in blinding light, windows shatter, retinas burn and the little town of Fort Repose, Florida, is transformed into Babylon, destruction, death and mayhem abound. The story that follows is Randy's struggle to survive and to make sure that his family and neighbors survive and if at all possible, thrive as well in the aftermath of nuclear war. 

Frank gave the reader a very detailed, well thought out and plausible story but what was missing, for me, was the emotion behind it all. Randy, the protagonist, wasn't all that deep of a character. He was intelligent, straight forward and practical but I think what I was hoping for and never got was an emotional connection. It was interesting to see how people cooperated or didn't and how civilization reverted back to the hunter/gatherer days but there was not all that much feeling behind it, for me.

And though there were times where there was definitely a generation gap with some of the language and customs, for the most part, Alas, Babylon still holds up even though it was written almost 65 years ago. If you're a fan of post-apocalyptic fiction and want a good, factual, rundown of how life will most likely be after something as horrifying as nuclear war, then this book is for you. 

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