Reviews of "Lights Out"

pea-jay · Posted: Wed Feb 28, 2007 12:43 am Post subject: Re: Reviews of "Lights Out"

It was a good read and though I am not a sucker for "doomer porn" I do appreciate disaster stories, especially if the disaster reactions requires on-the spot problem solving, esp. MacGuyver Style. That guy rocked. In any case my thoughts:

The bad or dumb:
Let's start negative cos really the negatives arent that bad. The scenario itself is kind of convoluted and frankly a bit implausible. Plus I've read differing opinions on the strength of a high altitude nuke blast and what that would translate to on the ground. The US response to that blast I also thought was unrealistic. Under the current admin, president or vice pres, if we were nuked by someone/some entity remotely islamic the response would be overwhelming nuclear retaliation, ICBM style. You can better believe those missles underground are not gonna get fried and be rendered worthless. Whether that would result in a global exchange or simply a few fried middle east cities is another story. I'd also take issue with the virus. The introduction of that in the plot line added nothing and detracted from the story. It's like the OIL STORM movie taking a time out to discus a catestrophic volcanic eruption. Irrelevant. I also think that if everything was as disrupted as the story makes it out to be, I cant imagine the formation of FEMA camps. When I was in college I stumbled across a declassified Cold War Era government study of the effects of a global nuclear exchange between the then USSR and the US. Under the widespread exchange scenario, the government's own researchers concluded serious doubt in the continued viability of the US in a functional integrated form. Regional disintegration was a more likely outcome. FEMA's "dry run" in New Orleans after Katrina added more doubt to the FEAR FEMA outcome.

Questionable:
The development of characters and viewpoints that were mostly anti-liberalism, anti-Democrat (Capital D here) and right-leaning was at times annoying. But then again, the story WAS set in Texas so I'm not finding fault with it. These characters were interesting to follow but didnot speak to me cause they werent like me. I'd expect a whole different story and characters if the story was set in a liberal, out doorsy Pacific Northwest Town or down-to-earth, isolated New England Village. Also questionable was Lights out kinda glossing over the food issue. For the first few weeks food shipments of questionable quantities were still being supplied. I'm taking a hardline on that--if the blast was as disruptive as they made it out to, I would expect the whole food supply chain would grind to a halt within days or hours. A run on the grocery store would occur, cleaning it out even down to the pickled pigs feet and all. Then over the next few weeks, IF the trucks were working (they dont say how) I would imagine some staples, warehoused items and locally available crops would begin showing up. Since most places are just in time stockpiles would deplete fast. So would processed food. With the raw materials coming from points far and wide to a central location and then out for distribution I couldnt see this restarting without power or security. So the Kroger in reality would a wreck long before it became it in the novel, save for grocery stores in the midwest, rural south and west. Fuggedaboutit if they were urban stores or anywhere in the desert southwest. Their farming strategies were equally suspect--attempting to replicate in a smaller scale conventional agriculture, though the specifics were not discussed much and in the end both the master farmer and his apprentice wound up dead. Whoops. Hope they made good notes. I have to think if the author was more well read on alternative farming strategies and sustainability the characters would have taken a radically different approach. I did love that little "discovery" of the compost pile. Nice touch. Still the rest was too conventional and questionable in success. It was also helpful for this story that the plot lines end before the onslaught of winter. Late season farming in Texas...maybe. If Karate Man lived outside of Detroit, they would have never survived winter unless all stockpiled enough food BEFORE hand. Also the continued dependence (to a much lesser degree) to oil-based fuels was questionable, though their strategy of raiding/harvesting fuel from disabled vehicles made logical sense and was entirely plausible. If I had a working car and hundreds of disabled cars were laying around, I would be sure to have a siphon handy. Over the long haul this wont work of course, but the story ended before Mark and company ran into eht point of Peak Abandoned Vehicular Fuel Harvesting.

The Good:
There was alot to like about the story. The characters were interesting and though this novel took the epic approach with a wide ensemble of characters. Hard to keep track of them at all times but made for a good story. I think many of the reactions depicted in this story were valid which I would consider instructive. I liked how the author depicted initially ordinary characters--Mark and Jon and developed them into the protagonist and antagonist for this story. In a future like HalFast depicted, your worst enemy may be someone that knows you very well. I did have my concerns about all of the marauding MZB Gang members described in the story but I dont doubt they would occur in reality. It would be interesting if anyone had opinions on what kind of person would become an MZB leader and what they would be like BEFORE civilization collapsed. I cant imagine all MZBs are todays criminals. I liked how the author handled the New Age Ranch visit and ultimate rejection by Mark as well as the untimely overrunning of the ranch by MZBs with inside info. I bristled as I read the discription of Mr. Davis and his community. Similarly I like how Silver Hills (mostly) pulled together in a multi-ethnic model of cooperation. I would imagine PO's resident racists would differ from Light's out outcomes in this respect. I dont doubt the scenario depicted would result in horrendous race riots but I think it would also result in some degree of multi-ethnic cooperation as well. It all depends if there is a common goal and benefit to cooperation. The strategies used to exchange "money" for goods was also instructive. Though some criticised the conventional approach (such as continued dependence on driving) for the characters in the story, I would NOT expect any of them to suddenly start applying sustainable solutions or technologies to their new found problems. They ARENT going to consider whether or not they continue to do something because they didnt do that before hand. Their adoption of alternate technologies/strategies only occured out of accident or necessity and were inevitably improvised. All logical for a collection of what were SUV driving, energy dependent, rural residential suburban sprawlers before the burst. Like I said, this story would be vastly different for a small townsfolk or an ecovillage dwellers.

All and all, a good read...
Even made me add a couple extra bulk food items to my most recent costco purchase.
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TM · Coal Joined: Jul 05, 2008 Posts: 1

I started reading and then I couldn't stop. I found it to be very addictive. It was a fun read.

However I found all talk of womens lib and the racial stuff un necessary and distracting. Actually, it became irritating at times. It was almost as if the author was trying to prove to the world that women were just as capable as men in combat, I found that notion ridiculous(especially in situation they were in). COuld they be a help, yes; but geez man, lay off the "I am woman hear me roar" crap. Just have them (the woman) do it, and don't harp on the man vs. woman BATTLE so much. I don't think that whole argument was even near reality.
And the racial stuff, again it was unnecessary to prove that Blacks/hispanics could talk, chew gum, and fight at the same time.... just have them do it with out all the hub bub. As far as I'm concerned, there wouldn't even be any argumment to that effect, I'm tired of the Black vs. white vs. hispanic BS. And i think many other folks are to. We as a culture are past that, Jesse Jackson is Passe' and so is your racial story line. Nuff said.

To leave on a good note, It was entertaining, I learned from it, and I did enjoy it. The above criticism is not to be taken personally, Just keep it in mind when writing your next book.

TM

PS - If you write another book; I would buy it. Smile

green_achers · Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 12:50 pm Post subject: Re: Reviews of "Lights Out"

I enjoyed it when I read it a couple of years ago, and it sounds from the discussion like it might have been updated some. Of course, the right-wing slant is standard for this type of literature, and while I don't want to comment too much to that, it is necessary to go there a little bit in discussing the story's utility to planning.

I think the bias of the author slants the perceived threats and the outcomes. Hey, it's his book, and he can write whatever he wants, but somehow I doubt in a real-life situation if only right-wing political correctness will ensure survival. I suspect it might be a bit more complicated than that, and survival might depend on a combination of traits.

To some extent is seems to me that a lot of this kind of writing comes down to wishful thinking. I'm sure there's a left-wing version also. It's probably not a very good idea to get too attached to either side.

Another thing, as others have pointed out, it's pretty lacking on the ag front. Sure in a catastrophic scenario such as this one, there would be more immediate needs than getting food growing, and he is to be commended for including that need at all. But I found the endless search for a running tractor pretty funny. I don't imagine the San Antonio area is too much different than around here, where there are probably hundreds of pre-1970's tractors within a few miles radius.

The story is probably a bit more gun-heavy than reality would be, but that's what an adventure story needs, it seems. I actually liked the nuts-and-bolts parts about how they got things running and how they worked together more than the combat sequences. It reinforces my drive lately to get a lot more self-reliant in the practical skills like mechanics, plumbing, carpentry, etc.
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