Jill Anderson

Strap in for a nail-biting race to save the world. The Calendar delivers all the thrills and chills you’re looking for in an exhilarating summer read.

Scientists around the world concur that a massive asteroid is headed towards the planet. World leaders and scientists strive to explore solutions to save humanity—some with altruistic intensions and others with a selfish desire to crush everyone in their path in order to gain the upper hand. Alternately, the author also shares vignettes with average citizens to explore the various ways people deal with their fear in the face of such a monumental crisis.

What would you do if you learned the world might end? Would you get lost in yourself, would you look for someone to blame, would you pray, would you rage, would you try to pretend you didn’t know? WM Gunn has crafted an action-packed thriller with a serious side. As we follow main and side characters through the events of one year, we also explore the psychology of the human mind and the various ways people tend to deal with tragedy. The author returns to this theme throughout the story while deftly maintaining the tempo.

In such a global story, I expect the cast of characters to be large, and it is. President Carter was exactly the guy you’d hope America had at the helm in a time of crisis. Honest and earnest, a true friend and loving husband. As his friend struggles to face the real possibility of the end of everything, Carter prompts him to consider, “Have we done more good than evil, have we given more than we received, have we loved more than we hated?” Questions we hope guide all our leaders, to be sure.

What thriller would be complete without a female scientist being ignored by the men around her? Dr. Hinton is perfect in the role. And since she loves Modelo Negra beer as much as I do, how could I not approve? Gunn’s use of her character to craft the suspense near the end of the book (no spoilers) is nicely executed. I also enjoyed Richard and Bailey, two of the ‘everyday’ characters we meet along the way. Richard’s tender care for Bailey as she struggles to keep her grip on reality is touching and nicely portrayed.

There were a few instances of missing quotations marks and an instance where the word ‘windows’ was used instead of ‘wind’ that momentarily took me out of the story. However, these minor errors didn’t detract from my enjoyment in any measurable way.

If you’re a music lover, you’ll appreciate the careful use of song lyrics throughout the story along with their acknowledgements at the end. I pulled up a few to listen as I read, enjoying a return to songs I hadn’t heard in years and hearing them in a new way as well. How many songs do we ‘know’ without really thinking about what they are saying? It was a fun side quest on this compelling adventure.

Thoughtful and entertaining, hopeful and tense, The Calendar dances along many themes while delivering a story that will keep you locked in the action. Although I admit I’m a pretty fast reader, I devoured this one in a day. A compelling novel you won’t want to miss!