Ten long years after the meteors fell to Earth, Mick and small group of eight have banded together and learned to adapt to the new life. In the destroyed city of Boston, there is no clean running water, no power, and no communication. It is as though the Earth went backward, to a time when everything was a struggle just to survive. Mick’s group is not the only one to survive; different groups are situated around the destroyed city where they are forced to do the best they can, no matter what it takes.

Things have now just gone from very bad to worse as a deadly virus promises to finish the job the meteors failed to do. But, there is hope. A surviving group of scientists is hard at work, attempting to find a cure to save the last of civilization. And then there’s the group led by a self-declared king, who firmly believes everything belongs to him. With the clock ticking down on all their lives, Mick must find a way to stop those that oppose his search for deliverance before another catastrophe befalls them. Along the way, he must rediscover what it truly means to be human -- before everything is lost.

I've always been a fan of books with a post-apocalyptic scenario where imagination can fully flow. This one is a little different. While many are set immediately after or even hundreds of years in the future, this one is set just ten years after the event. The plotting was sound, delivering a truly descriptive look at “what if.” The author’s mix of characters, the good guys and the bad, was accomplished very well and the dialogue was first-rate. An enjoyable read for sure.

Impetus by Scott Sullivan is a post-apocalyptic novel set in Boston, or rather what remains after meteors decimate the planet, leaving the skies filled with permanent grey dust clouds and the remains of humanity eking out a mean existence in the rubble. The story is told from the points of view of Mick, a man with teenaged twins who he seeks to protect from the harsh realities of their new world; Solomon, a young man with disabilities being abused by a cruel and vicious band of survivors; and Sid, a scientist who has been working at a secret facility until he discovers that its head has concocted a virus to wipe out the rest of humanity. The three points of view begin to merge together in this tale of morality and making the right choices in a world where everybody else seems hell-bent on making the wrong ones.

Impetus by Scott Sullivan starts off with a lot of potential and is filled with harrowing descriptions of the world Mick now inhabits. The writing is decent and the plot is engaging, though I did feel that Mick coddled his kids a little too much which would probably leave them completely unprepared should something unfortunate happen to him. But that was only a minor beef in what was otherwise an interesting story in which the good guys are safely perched on the moral high road while the bad guys seem to enjoy wallowing in filth and depravity. Great for anyone looking for a post-apocalyptic yarn without all the blood and violence.

Once thriving with technologies and promises of evolution towards the future, Earth’s civilizations have to start all over again when meteorites hit the planet. Ten years later, cities are now synonymous with crumbling buildings and empty streets. Mick and his small group of eight had adapted, surviving day to day without power, water and all the necessities that no one can afford anymore. Physically, the survivors successfully endure hardships, but not mentally. The devastation caused by the meteorites are too absolute for anyone to stay positive. To make things worse, a deadly virus poses a new threat, perhaps the ultimate humans’ termination. Impetus by Scott M. Sullivan is a post-apocalyptic thriller that will open our eyes to the true limits of the human instinct to survive.

Sullivan not only delivers a story that is character-driven, but one that delves deeply into the human mind. In dire situations, will people have enough strength to uphold the ethical principles that are so easily ignored when one is not in peril? This is Impetus’ overarching message; good versus evil. The post-apocalyptic world is not the main focus here, but the story of humankind is. We have managed to successfully evolve in everything else but moral principle is a tricky one. Simply put, this is an intelligent book that deftly revolves around humanity with flawless prose that keeps one reading. With substantially well-developed characters, it is not difficult to truly identify with each of them. I will certainly be looking forward to read more from Mr. Sullivan.

Civilization ended when the meteorites fell. Mick and his ragged group of companions barely manage to survive. Their meager existence is put to the test when they encounter a band of ruthless thugs led by the self-appointed Rubble King. Things turn from bad to worse when both parties are tangled in a web of lies and deceit spun by a secret organization tasked with rebuilding humanity. Humanity stands on the brink of extinction, but hope can come from the unlikeliest of sources. For humanity to survive, Mick must take fate by the reins and make hard decisions.

Impetus by Michael M. Sullivan is a well-told tale of humanity trying to rise up from the ashes of a worldwide catastrophe. We see the best and worst humanity has to offer and how morality evaporates from all but the most steadfast of people. Michael M. Sullivan writes with clarity and precision. Each scene, each dialogue and character holds a meaningful place in the plot. Every character is a fully-fleshed being. He gives readers villains and protagonists they can latch onto emotionally, to root for and to despise. Mick as the protagonist is a study on how an everyman can, through circumstances not of his own choosing, rise up to become a leader. At the other end of the spectrum, we have the manipulative King who is given the opportunity to craft his perfect world after the collapse of society.

The novel moves along at a brisk pace, slowing down occasionally to delve into a character's ruminations and shed some light into their back-story. Tight, taut writing and meaningful characters make this novel a good read for those interested in the post-apocalyptic genre. Upon reading The End, I felt a strong desire to write the author and tell him to create more stories about Mick as well as his allies as they struggle to carve out an existence in such a hostile world. Impetus is a good read, so much so that I strongly feel that it deserves to have a sequel.