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book buzz:darkness falls by kyle mills

Darkness Falls by Kyle Mills

Have you ever wondered what would happen if the world’s supply of oil was suddenly unavailable? Author Kyle Mills has, and it’s scary as hell.

In Darkness Falls, bioterrorists have discovered a way to quickly wreak havoc and panic on a world-wide level: using a nasty strain of crude-oil-eating bacteria to wipe out the world’s oil fields. High gas prices are nothing compared to not having gas or oil at all. The inconvenience of useless individual automobiles is minor. Think about delivery trucks, military vehicles, barges, planes, fire trucks and ambulances. Without oil, grocery stores have nothing to sell, factories can’t use plastic in their products and medical personnel can’t rush to victims’ homes. There’s nowhere to go, no way to get there, and nothing we can do about it. Society breaks down and chaos ensues. The terrorists win.

Unless the good guys can stop them first, of course. Because genetic engineer-turned environmentalist Erin Neal had previously used similar bacteria to clean up toxic spills, he is now the only person with the knowledge and expertise to thwart the bioterrorists’ attack. Neal is a reluctant hero, tucked away in his desert home, quietly mourning the death of his environmental activist girlfriend. He sets aside his personal demons, however, to work with Homeland Security to try to trace the source of bacterial infestation and to minimize its effects. Neal discovers a tangled knot of conspiracy, lies and madness that is far worse than any personal demons he has.

Mills has done some amazing things with this book. Sure, he’s created a suspenseful thriller that’s fun to read. But he’s also presented a powerful ecological argument for living a conscious, earth-friendly lifestyle without being preachy, whiny and judgmental about it. (Darkness Falls inspired me far more than all the current “Go Green” campaigns and Al Gore combined.) Mills examines both sides of important, complex issues — global warming, energy dependence, activism, the U.S. military, consumerism, large corporations, the environmentalist movement, dependence on technology, social constructs — in a thoughtful and respectful manner. His characters are flawed and conflicted, which makes them realistic and compelling.

Darkness Falls entertained me, freaked me out and even inspired me a little. Pumping gas in my car will never be the same again, that’s for sure.

Book Buzzometer: A

You can read an excerpt of Darkness Falls here.