The nuclear war between Soviet Union and USA started and ended in October 28, 1988. 

New York, San Antonio and Washington D.C. are hit with nuclear weapons along with crippling EMP-strike from high-altitude detonations of nuclear warheads. The war is over in 36 minutes. 

The story starts with Kunetka’s and Striebers’s personal descriptions of their experiences in Warday. Years later, they decide to make journey across post-war America for documenting lives of the people rebuilding society. In their journey Kunetka and Strieber travel across USA, including Texas, California and New York. 

After Warday

What is impressive in the book is the realistic approach to the world of Warday. There is no oh-so-typical societal collapse where motorcycle gangs roam and prey for the weak. There are functional cities where people go to work and try to live their lives. There are trains and cars. The rest of the world is impact and Japan and U.K. give foreign aid to USA. Of course there is also much misery to be found after war. There is nuclear fallout, economic collapse, poverty and diseases, one to mention Cincinnati Flu, a new ravaging disease responsible for millions of deaths worldwide.  

 

The story is represented as series of interviews along the way. If you have read World War Z you know what we are talking about. The interviews include for example a U.K. relief worker assigned to USA, economist studying post-war economics and sea captain who was hunting ”code blind” enemy vessels on Warday who did not know whether to attack or return home on war day. There is also documentation from Kunetka’s and Strieber’s travels in form of surveys, charts and official documentation.  

Warday is really unique book. For start, you rarely see authors theirselves as characters in their book. The book also handles the post-nuclear war life in really realistic way which means it can be quite boring for some people. I also found myself leafing some parts of the book, especially different questionnaires and charts. But also these ”boring” sections are needed in the book because they give the book that realistic approach. The authors have written a detailed documentation about a war that never happened.  

 

If you seek fast-paced, post-apocalyptic thriller stay away from Warday. But if you are interested in bit more realistic take of post-war living in devastated America, this book has lots to offer.

 

If you liked Warday book review, remember to check our Bookvault for more post-apocalyptic book reviews! You can also follow us in Facebook or Instagram.