End, The : A Novel

When the world ends, who you become begins.

The End begins with a chilling silence - the absence of wildlife in an African safari park, a subtle foreshadowing of the cataclysmic event to come. In London, Martin Larkin, a disillusioned teacher, and Katie, a successful barrister, are about to face a world far removed from their ordinary lives. The arrival of Bohr’s Comet, initially a source of global excitement, disrupts technology and throws nature into chaos. As the comet’s influence intensifies, Katie undergoes a shocking transformation. She abandons her life with Martin, seeking a radical new identity in Sydney’s underbelly. But the comet brings more than personal turmoil. A terrifying illness sweeps across the globe, decimating the population. Society fractures further, and the ABs, a new dominant life form, rise to power. Martin, forced into the role of survivor, navigates a post-apocalyptic world. He grapples with loss, betrayal, and the constant struggle to stay alive. His journey brings him face-to-face with the remnants of authority and a society forever changed. The End culminates in a heart-wrenching confrontation. Martin must confront the woman he once loved, now a symbol of the transformed world, and define his place in this new, unfamiliar order.