And All the Earth a Grave
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Author Description
It all began when the new bookkeeping machine of a large Midwestern coffin manufacturer slipped a cog, or blew a transistor, or something. It was fantastic that the error -- one of two decimal places -- should enjoy a straight run of okays, human and mechanical, clear down the line; but when the figures clacked out at the last clacking-out station, there it was. When the initial shock began to wear off, his face assumed an expression of intense thought. In about five minutes he leaped from his chair, dashed out of the office with a shouted syllable or two for his secretary, and got his car out of the parking lot. At home, he tossed clothes into a traveling bag and barged toward the door, giving his wife a quick kiss and an equally quick explanation. He didn't bother to call the airport. He meant to be on the next plane east, and no nonsense about it.... It started out as a fad, it really did. But in the end it was the death of us.
Menrva's Summary
THE PULSE
A catastrophic accounting error triggers a desperate flight and a societal collapse. The protagonist, a bookkeeper for a coffin manufacturer, discovers a monumental error in the company's figures. This error, stemming from a malfunction in a new bookkeeping machine, leads him to abandon his life and flee east, initiating a chain of events that ultimately results in widespread devastation.
INSIDE THE PAGES
- The inciting incident is a decimal error in a bookkeeping machine.
- The error has a cascading effect on both human and mechanical systems.
- The protagonist flees his life and family due to the error.
- The narrative suggests a societal breakdown initiated by this event.
- The story progresses from a fad to a catastrophic outcome.
- The book explores themes of unintended consequences and societal fragility.
- The narrative framework appears to be third-person, following the protagonist's actions and the broader consequences.
THE COLLECTIVE ECHO
The premise of 'And All the Earth a Grave' sets up a narrative driven by a seemingly minor technical glitch that spirals into apocalyptic consequences. The genre suggests a focus on the breakdown of societal structures and the human response to widespread disaster. The description implies a story that begins with a personal crisis for the protagonist and expands to encompass a global catastrophe, likely exploring themes of fate, human error, and the fragility of civilization. The progression from a 'fad' to 'the death of us' indicates a dark and potentially cautionary tale.
Page Count:
20
Publication Date:
2011-05-01
Publisher:
Alan Rodgers Books LLC
ISBN-10:
1606644890
ISBN-13:
9781606644898
Dystopian
Science Fiction
Thriller
