The Effort

Reviews

"[Claire Holroyde's] prose is measured and clear, and the plot arcs nicely from the scientific issues to more personal stakes. An adept contribution to the realm of apocalypse fiction."—Kirkus Reviews "Page-turner of the year! In the grand tradition of Stephen King's The Stand, Pat Frank's Alas, Babylon, and J.T. McIntosh's One in Three Hundred, this book is the story of a massive comet that threatens to end human existence and those who fight to prevent that catastrophe. Call it a techno-thriller, call it apocalyptic fiction -- I call it great writing. This is an important and provocative novel, one that should be read by all who care about the future of the planet and humanity's role in its preservation. Claire Holroyde is an exciting new voice in modern fiction, and we're lucky to have this stirring and fully imagined book."—David Heska Wanbli Weiden, Author of Winter Counts "A solid debut novel from Claire Holroyde, reminiscent of the movies Deep Impact and Armageddon . . . You won’t want to put the book down."—Red Carpet Crash "Claire Holroyde's The Effort artfully mirrors an allegorical warning on the state of our planet's climate with a more imminent threat of complete and total annihilation of the human species. It speeds up the doomsday clock -- that's ticking relentlessly on every page -- but with a lingering and aching glimpse at everything that's about to be lost. Heart-pounding and heart wrenching all at once, it's ultimately, somehow, a story of immense hope. Just a stunning debut."—Jane Gilmartin, Author of The Mirror Man "Twisty . . . Holroyde displays a keen vision of societal and diplomatic breakdown amid imminent disaster. The deeper themes about human nature make this apocalyptic thriller more than escapist reading."—Publishers Weekly "The Effort offers a vision for how humanity could avoid an existential crisis with international collaboration, while also highlighting the environmental threats created by humans."—Electric Literature "The Effort, in the tradition of science fiction novels past, manages to sweep aside national, sectarian, and governmental boundaries to . . . offer a glimmer of hope. It serves as a small, miraculous contrast to a world which, for the most part, simply folds its wings like [an] eagle and sinks when threatened with space debris, or with its own consumption patterns . . . Do we die with a bang, with a whimper, or both? Or do we find some way to live? The Effort suggests maybe all three at once."—Observer "The Effort is ultimately a novel about the desire to live. Struggle is everywhere, on the individual level and in the broader sense as a species. Working together is proven essential. In the end, Holroyde has faith in an intangible human condition: survival depends on our willingness to help each other, and that quality allows humanity to thrive through adversity."—Chicago Review of Books Expand reviews