The "event"! - So named in the book - what is it? Everything suggests that this is a nuclear disaster. But what are those who triggered by what gear we get here, and what are the reasons? Both protagonists of the story that the reader will never know anything. And no matter, the important thing is not there - the subject is not the disaster itself - the important thing is to survive and to organize the survival continues for the existence of each and that of the community because perhaps depends the future of the human race; rebuild a society so there is nothing that the world suddenly reduced to what one has worn itself. For this the author will bring small groups of men in contemporary times when everything that modern life no longer exists.
The novelty is that this is happening in rural areas, far from cities, where it is certain that nothing will remain of modernity, its technologies and its infrastructure.
The characters, mostly farmers, easily return to the agrarian life, without need to relearn the fundamentals of the earth, and therefore the story can focus on human behavior.
The community of Malevil is rich: rich of medieval castle fortifications that withstood the disaster and who bring their safety; rich of their few pets, cow, bull, horses pigs and chickens; rich of their few bags of grain that may one day allow them to plant the land. But this wealth, relative, can not meet the needs of a handful of men; sharing with too many would mean death for members of the community of Malevil.
What will they do with these precious possessions? while they are coveted by other groups that unfortunately have nothing or very little, or want to have more fear of missing tomorrow, or wish to appropriate these resources by greed, to establish their dominance and power.
All activity of the clan focused on rebuilding a mini-company whose goal is survival. And one must spend there is so much energy every day he does not even possible to explore this devastated Earth to see what is happening. Maybe later, when the basic needs will be met sustainably, and that we will be able to effectively ensure security outside the walls of the fortress.
All the basic components of human society - social, spiritual, military, ... - and all the basics of human relations in society are subtly and simply highlighted in this book ethnographic virtues: a study of primitive societies heiresses knowledge modern societies that Claude Levi-Strauss does not deny.
No hero, strictly speaking, but characters with their qualities and defects, full of their humanity with all that it has good and bad, of which we are surprised to identify people around her, starting with self. The main protagonist, Emmanuel, proves to be a person with strong leadership, endowed with a manipulator of talent, he will, without despotism, in the service of his clan, even without the knowledge of its members. What will it be in the other groups?
This is the first novel by Robert Merle I read, and am impressed by the quality of his pen and his storytelling talent, despite the many criticisms that left him guessing and who had prepared me. It is therefore with a jubilant pleasure I have read the author's title I have left to discover, and I sincerely believe that great times are waiting for me playing with Robert Merle.
