Review: 48 Hours

48 Hours by William R. Forstchen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ll be honest. The writing in this novel leaves a lot to be desired. Sentences structures are clunky and awkward, the rules of grammar poorly executed or ignored. Add to these affronts shallow characters and an over-dependence on themes of religion (a huge turn-off for me), and this novel should technically be a train wreck, right? So why, then, am I wide awake at 2 am, having raced through the pages, holding my breath and rooting for humanity?

48 Hours is an apocalyptic novel that is set against the backdrop of a solar flare that threatens a global “extinction level event”. Forstchen’s work often plays in this genre sandbox, where I’ve encountered several of his other books and subsequently developed an appreciation for many aspects of his style. Though his writing is not a showcase of eloquence and sophistication, he knows how to build suspense—and does so masterfully. He is able to climb almost imperceptibly to a climax and then refuses to hit the brakes until the sometimes bitter end. Additionally, I am consistently impressed with his ability to set his sights on a single goal and then steadfastly refuse to deviate from it. This tunnel vision serves him well and is reflected in an avoidance of unnecessary blather—a refusal to develop subplots that don’t fuel the major storyline (an author indulgence I find to be inexcusable in many pieces of contemporary fiction). Finally, Forstchen engages the reader by appealing to commonalities we share relevant to the human condition (including an innate fear of dying) and then asks us to consider what our own reactions would be given the direst of circumstances. In short, he makes it personal.

This is not the typical “prepper-hides-in-the-mountains-‘til-it’s-over” story so common to the genre. Although heavy-handed on the religious overtones and overt quoting of scripture by the characters, this book shines a light on human nature in adversity that transcends the ethics of organized religion and focuses on “the better angels of our nature”.


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