The Forge of God

On July 26, Arthur Gordon discovers that Europa, the sixth moon of Jupiter, has vanished. Weeks later, Edward Shaw finds an unexplained cinder cone in Death Valley's geological records—one that appears to be either newly formed or artificial. Beside it lies a dying alien visitor bearing catastrophic news for Earth. As strange phenomena multiply globally—a granite mountain in Australia, sounds from Earth's core, lights among the asteroids—it becomes apparent that the planet faces imminent destruction with no means of prevention. The novel follows both the large-scale scientific dimensions of this cataclysm and the personal, emotional experiences of individual people confronting the end of civilization. Facing planetary destruction, different people respond in different ways: some turn to religion, others to family, and some seek out those promising escape. The narrative explores whether anyone will survive and who will remain to witness Earth's final moments of beauty and chaos. Nominated for the Nebula, Hugo, and Locus Awards, the novel presents an account of humanity's last days across both massive scientific and intimate human scales.