My rating: 3.5 of 5 starsA copy of Countdown City was provided to me by Quirk Books for review purposes.How would you spend your remaining days if you knew an asteroid was on target to destroy the Earth in a few short months? Would you pack everything and travel the world? Would you finally do all those things you've been pushing off and just haven't ever gotten around to? Or would you continue living your life as if nothing has changed? Henry Palace is no longer employed with the Concord Police Department, but that doesn't stop him from solving various mysteries. Sure, the Earth is in the direct path of an asteroid but he continues working because that's what makes sense to him. That's always been what his life was about, what gave his life meaning and he isn't going to stop now just because his days are numbered. A missing person case has become quite simple in this day and age where people are running away from their lives to fulfill bucket lists and the like. Palace's lasted missing person investigation leads him to a group of revolutionaries that are slowly building their own society with their own new set of rules. As the clues begin falling together Palace realizes that not only is this not a simple missing person case but this is one individual that is on a crusade and doesn't wish to be found. While I'm a huge fan of post-apocalyptic novels, I'm beginning to understand the appeal of pre-apocalyptic novels as well. Being able to witness a society that is slowly preparing themselves for catastrophe and watching the evolution of society and civilization and watching things slowly change for the worst is not only mesmerizing but frightening in its realism. It will definitely leave you wondering how you would respond: would your survival instincts kick in or will you scramble away in fear?While the mystery aspect didn't hold the same intensity as the one in The Last Policeman, this was still an engaging installment. Society as we know it has reached its saturation point and the situation is bound to get worse. I eagerly await the final installment of this thrilling pre-apocalyptic tale to find out the fate of the Earth and the whole of civilization.
