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Red Exodus

Red Exodus


A merica has been devastated by the Annihilation virus, a disease that eliminated civilization as it killed 95% of humanity. Gregg MacDonald, his wife Christine, and his two daughters, Sarah and Leah, are bare survivors in a post-apocalyptic anarchy. After a narrow escape from death at the hands of marauders, they feel compelled to seek sanctuary with the Chosen, a mysterious religious cult secure within a walled, armed compound. Within the compound’s walls, they feel secure for the first time in decades and can live in pre-Annihilation normality. But when they learn the secret mission of the Chosen, they have to decide whether they are more secure within the compound than outside it and whether they can commit themselves to the frightening future the Chosen and their charismatic leader, Prophet John, have chosen to bring about. In making this decision, Christine and Gregg have to assess their own basic values, the relationship between their religion and their faith in science, and the degree to which they are willing to put their daughters at risk. Ultimately, they have to decide whether to leave most of what they love and help the Chosen pursue Prophet John’s dangerous dream.

Reviews


I read both the TALE OF TWO PLANETS and RED EXODUS. and I must say that the development of characters and the way the story (RED EXODUS) is told is quite amazing. Maybe it's because kids are involved; maybe it's because it's kind of a mystery, but it had me sitting up late reading until I finished it. The story is compelling, and the characters are interesting. I can't say too much about it because there are some surprises that I don't want to ruin. I would definitely recommend this book to both sci-fi readers and others. ★★★★★


Interesting book about Mars and the story about the people traveling to and living on Mars. It was difficult to put the book down. Great read!!! ★★★★★


When the actions and activities of the main characters start getting under my skin, I know the Author has written well. ★★★★


I went to Yale (1965) with "Alain Gunn." He was mega-bright then, and that carries through with his enthralling writing seen in "Red Exodus." I haven't finished it yet, but I've really enjoyed the Religion vs. Science dichotomy in the book.
★★★★★


This book starts off post-apocalypse, as the main character and his family fight to survive after civilization has collapsed. They connect with a Christian sect that has the goal to leave Earth and settle on Mars. The book deals with the journey to Mars and the events during the first few years after colonization. It explores two interesting questions: 1) how can faith in a benevolent God persist when civilization has fallen apart, with millions dead? 2) Can a belief in science coexist with a belief in a higher purpose designated by God and faith? I thought the story was interesting and thought-provoking. ★★★★★


Just finished "Red Exodus" and enjoyed it. I highly recommend reading "Tale of Two Planets" first for the back story, but that's not essential. Gunn's writing is easy to read and moves right along. There is somewhat less technical scientific detail in this book than in its predecessor, which is another reason to read "Tale" first, get the technical back story on earth's pandemic, space flight, and survival on Mars. "Red" covers more years than "Tale" as children grow up, and adults age. It involves a misled leader of a new Christian group, "The Chosen" (no, its not by Chaim Potok), which seems to cover a familiar pattern. Still, there are many interesting developments. Some questions raised involve the roles of fanatic followers, questioning believers, scientific believers and scientific non-believers, all represented in the mix. (The author is a Christian, a surgeon and a scientist, so he knows a thing or two.) The mix of skills, gifts or disciplines and their importance to community survival on a new planet is also interesting, particularly the impact of music. This is a sci-fi mystery adventure that is fun to read. Don't forget, read "Tale of Two Planets" first. ★★★★★

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