Dissolution by W. Michael Gear is about how university students and ranchers manage to survive an apocalypse that is initially started by an economic crisis, which later entails EMP and nuclear attacks.
This is an apocalyptic western which takes place in Wyoming, and it is apparently the first in a series. From a prepper standpoint, there's not much informational value, except food is a tool with much leverage. I learned a new acronym, WFFF - Will Fuck For Food. The book does realistically portray back country camping, and the author does a good job with characterization. Much like other apocalyptic novels, a federal bureaucrat is the primary villain, which has become a literary meme.
The novel does give some food for thought, regarding the fragility of our economic system, and our dependency upon electronic transactions. Is cash the king? What happens when dollars have no relative value? What replaces cash for transactions? What happens when millions of people realize that food is not readily available? On a side note, does the native American (Indian) spirit world exist, and if so how do you access it? As I said, there are many things to ponder after reading the novel.
Overall, I enjoyed the novel, though there were many stereotypical characters. The plot flowed well; there was plenty of action and the novel was a quick read. I look forward to a sequel when it is available.
4 stars out of 5.
