survivors by Ian Hobson

I'm a sucker for the post apocalypse survival scenario. A few points though: 1. I'd suggest that it isn't a good idea to call it 'Survivors': http://www.survivorstvseries.com/index2.htm A wonderful seventies series from the BBC, where you get to see Peter Bowles cough himself to death, in the first episode. 2. The escape to Scotland plot is, I think, an echo of the eighties ITV programme 'Knights of God'. 3. The driving off with someone hanging on then falling off and shaking their fist is a lovely echo of much seventies Doctor Who. 4. Thinking about it, the story seems to be set in the seventies / eighties (the heyday of the British telly apocalypse). 5. A key point that it's important to look at in this kind of post apocalypse adventure is morals and ethics. Survival in a situation of desperate lack of resources means putting yourself before others. I'd be even more interested if the menacing figures where also morally sympathetic. 6. Lager is spelled as 'larger' throughout. 7. For me, a few portions of the writing were a little distant, but in general, I thought that the survival plot carried it along. To me, though, versed as I am in these kinds of stories, it felt a little bit like listening to Interpol when you really like Joy Division, recognising the riffs and the style and hoping that they come up with something fresh. 8. If you haven't read it already, track down a copy of 'The Death of Grass' by John Christopher. It's the best apocalypse survival book I've ever read. Moral considerations are to the fore. Cheers, Mark

On the subject of post-apocalyptic survival, I can highly recommend "The Pesthouse", the new novel from Jim Crace. I've been waiting patiently to write about it on Booktribes, but they don't seem to update their book list very often. Anyway, Ian - this is great; I really think you have a knack for telling a story. I thought the bit where the bloke was chasing the car was excellent. Not sure that radiation would show much respect for the Scottish border, though; I suspect that life up there would be just as bad. One point to think about - does the story need nuclear fallout AND a deadly virus? Would anyone notice the virus? It's a bit like hanging someone who's just shot himself...