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To Try the Impossible
After the Fall: The Engineer and the Apocalypse centers around a woman in the wake of nuclear war who is trying desperately to reclaim her past. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
I wanted to take someone newly in love, that first time that everything really clicks with someone, and then break it apart. That is what gave Haley the driving force to try the impossible and get home.
Also, I didn’t want an end of the world, let’s fight everyone type of book. I wanted a smart protagonist, someone who could think her way out of situations, an engineer and a nerd who could survive.
What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I was on a work trip and watching some disaster movie in a hotel and I thought that this would be the worst place to be at the end of the world. Not a nameless hotel near an airport, but an ocean away from home, knowing nobody and with no to get way home.
It became the idea for the novel which didn’t work, until I changed the protagonist to female engineering student. Once Haley arrived on the scene it all fell together.
The science inserted in the fiction, I felt, was well-balanced. How did you manage to keep it grounded while still providing the fantastic edge science fiction stories usually provide?
I tried to keep the science to mainly high school level, that everyone at some stage studied and could follow. Once I removed the computers and anything very high tech it became simple machines. For the end of the world survival, I relied a lot on what climate conscious people are trying. Solar, hydro and biofuels.
I still made mistakes and had test readers who corrected some errors. I’m no mechanic and had some big mistakes on the work Haley did, so having friends who knew these things helped me a lot.
What were some books or movies that you think were your main sources of inspiration for this novel?
MacGyver was a huge influence. I loved the television series growing up and I wanted Haley to be a female MacGyver at the end of the world.
I really liked Project Hail Mary and The Martian, where Weir made the science mainly simple enough for me to follow.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
The second book in this trilogy follows Haley and Addy as they continue their journey home, fleeing from a war is breaking out behind them. Expected at the end of 2025.
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Four years later and she’s living in the ruins of Washinton State after the world ended in a cascade of nuclear bombs, computer viruses and human plagues.
When she is accused of her friend’s murder, she flees into the night, with one destination in mind. Home to Marley, the love she left behind.
To escape her pursuers, skip around the swathes of chemical and radioactive waste, avoid the Kings, a roaming gang of marauders, she will need to use every bit of engineering knowledge she has.
Can she make it across the continent and an uncrossable ocean to finally get home?
Does home still exist or did it perish in the Fall?
After the Fall: The Engineer and the Apocalypse
After The Fall is a gripping post-apocalyptic narrative that follows Haley, a woman on the run from her recent past, as she attempts to reclaim her distant past across the ocean in the wake of a devastating nuclear war. While the premise might seem like well-trodden territory, Gerry Gainford transforms it into something refreshingly original. His approach reinvigorates familiar themes, defying expectations and conventions with a bold creative flair that stands out, particularly when compared to the genre’s usual offerings.
What sets After The Fall apart is its understated portrayal of the apocalypse. Rather than relying on the exaggerated desolation common in similar tales, Gainford opts for a more subdued yet deeply unsettling aftermath. Civilization has indeed crumbled, and the environment bears the scars of catastrophe, but the world Gainford crafts is far from a clichéd wasteland. Instead, it’s layered, intricate, and vividly rendered, offering depth beyond what Haley’s perspective reveals.
Haley herself is a compelling protagonist. A flawed and deeply human character, she’s driven by a singular goal: to get home. Her journey is fraught with hardship, vividly chronicled in a way that’s both harrowing and rewarding to read. Gainford’s inclusion of a content warning at the outset is a thoughtful touch, ensuring readers are prepared for the more intense moments without feeling blindsided. This deliberate consideration prevents the book from veering into gratuitous territory, striking a balance that respects the reader.
It is worth noting that the novel’s use of non-linear storytelling and frequent flashbacks, though thematically significant, can sometimes disrupt the narrative’s momentum. These shifts in timeline pull the reader away from the immediacy of Haley’s current plight. While the flashbacks provide valuable context, I feel their placement occasionally hampers the story’s flow, creating moments where the pacing falters somewhat.
The overall execution of After The Fall is nothing short of impressive. Gainford’s ability to breathe new life into a genre often saturated with repetition is commendable. His nuanced world-building and rich character development make for an engaging read, even when the timeline hopping proves momentarily frustrating. The conclusion hints at a sequel, which is an exciting prospect. While timeline mechanics may not be my preference, they don’t overshadow the book’s many strengths. I’m eagerly looking forward to the continuation of Haley’s journey and the next chapter in Gainford’s enthralling series.
Pages: 250 | ASIN : B0D8RFJ1ML
LITERARY TITAN 