End of Days by Eric Walters
In a reality similar to ours, all of the world’s most brightest scientists and mathematicians have disappeared from society, working in secret as the International Aerospace Research Institute to stop a deadly threat unlike anything humanity has ever faced: an asteroid threatening to obliterate all life on earth, racing towards earth. The head scientist, Professor Daniel Sheppard, has been working effortlessly to stop the asteroid from hitting, but feels the pressure of the fate of 7 billion lives in the balance, all relying on him to save humanity. But little does he know that his closest colleagues could turn traitors. As the doomsday clock ticks down, Sheppard is running out of options, while presumed dead billionaire Joshua Fitchett has already taken matters into his own hands, recruiting 16 year old Billy to his cause to lead mankind to safety, and to complete his destiny.
This book changed my view of apocalyptic scenarios, elaborating on all sides of the picture, how not only the main characters manage to cope, but how fragile society really is, how it can crumble into ashes when people realize that their lives now have a deadline to them. This book causes me to ponder about things I never really realized about this genre of book, like how the world would keep going if it knew that their lives would be ended shortly, and if they knew exactly when they would perish. It also shows how, if faced with a common threat, even if it is the end of the world, countries who have had unstable relationships, no matter who they were, they came together to stop a terrible fate, working side by side. How it took an asteroid to bring a planet together really touched on how, when there are the right circumstances, people can put aside their differences and accomplish incredible, world changing things. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars, and recommend it to anyone who wants a break from stereotypical Judgement Day stories and want a fresh face of science fiction.
