Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Search - Resurrection Day

Resurrection Day
Resurrection Day
Author: Brendan Dubois
It is 1972, 10 years after the nuclear war that destroyed the social and political fabric of both the United States and the Soviet Union. A reporter, investigating what seems to be a simple murder, uncovers evidence that the victim may have had ties to the missing president and his cabinet, as well as the events that led up to the war -- namely,...  more »
Info icon
ISBN-13: 9780515129496
ISBN-10: 0515129496
Publication Date: 11/1/2000
Pages: 465
Rating:
  • Currently 3.7/5 Stars.
 26

3.7 stars, based on 26 ratings
Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

Mahala avatar reviewed Resurrection Day on + 192 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
I really enjoyed this one! In fact, I read it in one day staying up way past my bedtime to do so! This book is a "what if" story in which the Cuban missle crisis of the 60s turned ugly and America got hit with nukes. A decade later, one man, an Army veteran is put into a situation which could expose the truth about that deadly event, but he has to survive spies, foreign governments, our own government and other shadowy operators with secrets they are willing to kill for.
reviewed Resurrection Day on + 308 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
It was a little slow to start but once into the story it was a chilling what if. Great story.
reviewed Resurrection Day on + 125 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Very good for an alternate history, keeps you guessing all the way. Nice to end the book with a smile on your face.
reviewed Resurrection Day on + 30 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Resurrection Day is an Alternate History that has an America that has been politically devastated by a nuclear exchange arising from the Cuban missile crisis. It's now 1972. Washington, D.C., is a radioactive crater; Nelson Rockefeller is running for president against George McGovern; and Boston Globe reporter Carl Landry is investigating the shooting death of a 60-year-old retired serviceman. Warned off the story after it gets spiked by the military's in-house censor, and emboldened by Sandra Price, a beautiful reporter from the London Times, Landry keeps digging at Swenson's past. What he uncovers is the truth behind the rumors of what really happened in the White House as the missile crisis spun out of controlAand evidence of an unholy alliance that is poised to reverse the course of American history. From cryptic references to post-bomb chaos in California to clever reworkings of '60s history (e.g., antidraft demonstrators chanting, "Hell, no, we won't glow!"), DuBois creates a sobering and imaginatively detailed vision of an America that has been crippled by tragedyAa nation where John F. Kennedy was not the King Arthur of Camelot but its Mordred, the man who brought down everything.
Read All 12 Book Reviews of "Resurrection Day"

Please Log in to Rate these Book Reviews

reviewed Resurrection Day on + 1451 more book reviews
Alternate history is not usually an area I enjoy reading but DuBois wrote such an excellent novel that I could hardly put it down. The tale twists the Cuba/Kennedy administration debacle into a tragedy that destroys several cities in our country as well as devastating Cuba, Russia, and other countries. Living under a dictator and in tightly controlled society, a reporter for the Boston Globe stumbles over a story that could change the history of the country. An old man, a veteran like himself, gives Carl a list of names of men who worked in the Kennedy administration. All have died one after another, some murdered and others in accidents. As Carl searches for answers he meets a beautiful British woman reporter with whom he falls in love. Carl finds himself in one life threatening situation after another as he tries to unravel the mystery. The two search for answers together until Carl finds his lover is a British spy who may be working contrary to our country's interests. The plot is fascinating and twists many ways. The only issue I found difficult to believe was that groups of people were living in the cities that were bombed. Who is telling the truth and who is filling his ears with lies? The reader must race to the end of the novel to find the answers.
sjarvis avatar reviewed Resurrection Day on
A great read for fans of alternate history.
reviewed Resurrection Day on + 27 more book reviews
Alternate history of nuclear response to invasion of Cuba.
Paucle avatar reviewed Resurrection Day on + 19 more book reviews
I learned of Brendan Dubois while he was "Jeopardy!" champion in 10/2012. An author of fiction is not a common profession on the show, and when he mentioned he often dabbled in speculative fiction (a la Harry Turtledove et al) I was intrigued. When Alex asked what he thought was his best work, this is the title he mentioned.

Wow- he wasn't kidding!

What if Kennedy's face-off with Krushchev turned turtle, and buttons got pushed? This is the world Carl, a reporter for the Boston Globe, lives in. It's 1972 and the USA is a 2nd rate nation. Though not nearly as devastated as the USSR (essentially one vast parking lot), major cities were hit (DC, NY, San Diego) and a few major military bases. Martial law is in place nationwide, headed by General Curtis, who's respected worldwide for managing to keep the rest of the world out of "The Cuban War" and the nuclear nightmare it would've entailed. Conversely, the memory of a feckless JFK is almost universally despised.

Is that how it really happened though? Assigned to cover a seemingly innocuous murder of a veteran, Carl is surprised to find his story killed. When he looks into why, events begin to snowball and before he knows it he's on the trail of a mystery. Is JFK still alive? What secrets was the veteran hiding? The only help he seems to be able to count on is a reporter visiting from the London Times. But can he trust her?

Mr Dubois has crafted a thoroughly satisfying alternate-history mystery. The characters are richly detailed, and the landscape is frighteningly believable. Best of all-- the way he wraps it all up seems to be completely satisfying. The only complaint I have is HEY! I have to sleep sometimes! Because this one is hard to put down.


Genres: