Swan Song I love post-apocalyptic novels. Not that I read them all the time or anything — in fact, quite infrequently — but I was always the type of girl to wonder what the world would be like if uninhabited. At least, by everyone but me. Cartwheeling down the empty corridors of my high school. Looting the shopping mall. Not having to wait in line for the good rides at amusement parks (though that requires at least one other living soul to operate the ride. Hmmm). Plus,The Boyfriend was out of town for some time, and such fun books fly by and keep you really involved, which means that I stayed busy and entertained… and read the whole 950 page book in 3.5 days, of which my eye doctor would definitely not approve.

Swan Song is an epic, post-apocalyptic story about a world post-nuclear war. Following several sets of characters as they somehow survive and meander closer to finding one another, the story (of course, people!) revolves around two forces of good and evil: good personified in (of course, people!) a sweet blond girl and evil taking the hideous and ever-changeable face of the man with the scarlet eye. There are trials and tribulations, food shortages, betrayal, wolves, radiation sickness, magical objects and predictions, and (of course, people!) a final battle between the vanilla and sunshine forces of good and the gnashing and raping forces of evil. Why, gee! Whoever will win? (Hmmm. Of course, people!)

Regardless of my (of course, people!)’s, I thoroughly enjoyed this book for what it was: pure entertainment that pandered to my own fantasies and fears, and kept me riveted for the weekend I was at home alone. Is it prize-winning stuff? No, but it was fun. If you want to go all post-apocalyptic, “The Stand” by Stephen King would be better (I would recommend the abridged version). But if, after that, you want to hang out for another 1,000 pages where there are no lines for roller coasters and where jewelry is ripe for the taking, this is a good choice.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars – Vacation reading