by John Barnes
First published 1994
The year is 2028. A military strike aimed at destroying an illegal weapons cache in the Arctic goes horribly wrong. The attack releases enormous amounts of energy from polar ice, causing Earth's climate to warm drastically and suddenly. In the Pacific Ocean, a hurricane begins forming that dwarfs anything humanity has ever witnessed. This storm stretches thousands of miles across, with winds reaching supersonic speeds. It changes course unpredictably and refuses to weaken. Worse, it creates dozens of smaller but still deadly storms in its path. Politicians and world leaders, consumed by their own schemes and interests, dismiss the threat until catastrophe strikes. The massive hurricane devastates the Pacific coastline while its offspring storms destroy communities worldwide. Death tolls climb into the tens of millions. As civilization crumbles and survivors fight over resources, a small group of determined individuals develops an ambitious plan to save humanity from complete annihilation. Their solution is so bold it could fundamentally change what it means to be human.
Genres: science-fiction, adventure, action, 21st-century, climate-change, apocalyptic
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, save-the-world
Setting: Arctic, Pacific Ocean
Period: 2028
Paperback · Tor
Content warnings: death, violence