Book cover of Dies the Fire

Book description

S. M. Stirling presents his first Novel of the Change, the start of the New York Times bestselling postapocalyptic saga set in a world where all technology has been rendered useless.

The Change occurred when an electrical storm centered over the island of Nantucket produced a blinding white flash that…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

2 authors picked Dies the Fire as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

I read Dies the Fire about twenty years ago and think of it often.

An unexplained phenomenon changes the laws of physics, so goodbye electricity! Gunpowder doesn’t burn either. From there, it’s mass die-offs and different factions trying to figure out what to do next.

I love stories that go deep into world-building, and this book does. From the sinister turn the Society for Creative Anachronism takes to the Wiccan and other communities that stand against them, the detail is rich but not overwhelming.

I loved seeing how people adapted and how early decisions took on a life of their…

Unlike the typical post-apocalyptic fare of nuclear war or other identifiable disasters, Dies the Fire posits an interesting question: What if everything just stops working? Everything we rely on to drive modern society, from combustion to electricity, fails. Against this backdrop, a cast of characters from varied backgrounds all must struggle to adapt to this new reality. Civilization falls apart, and new orders spring up in their place. What drew me most to this was the different ways in which the characters responded to this situation. Some seek simply to survive, while others seek to exploit this new reality for…

If you love Dies the Fire...

Ad

Book cover of Shadows of the Past

Shadows of the Past by Eric Goebelbecker,

The Martians failed in 1894. In 1915, humanity won't be so lucky.

It’s 1915, and the trenches of the Somme are already hell for German soldier Emil Zimmerman. But when the familiar, terrifying howl of a Martian Wanderer sounds across the battlefield, he knows the true war has just begun.…

Want books like Dies the Fire?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Dies the Fire.

Browse books like Dies the Fire

Book cover of The Stand
Book cover of The Passage
Book cover of Alas, Babylon

Share your top 3 reads of 2025!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,277

readers submitted
so far, will you?