Prelude

by Kurt Cobb

A novel about secrets, treachery and the arrival of peak oil. This tale of suspense provides a startling reinterpretation of contemporary events as it dramatizes the central issue of our age–our troubled energy future. It's the summer of 2008, and Cassie Young is a rising star at a prestigious Washington, D. C. energy consulting firm. She's destined for an early partnership and a big payout from a planned merger with a larger rival. Against the backdrop of spiking oil prices, she uncovers an alarming eyes-only report in the chairman's computer files. Contrary to the public pronouncements of her firm and many official agencies, the world may start running dangerously short of oil, the lifeblood of modern society, within only a few years. Her transformation from one of the firm's true believers into a worried skeptic begins when she meets Victor Chernov, a former oil trader, who helps her gain access to the secret report. But when the hunt for the person who compromised the firm's computer system begins, Cassie suddenly finds herself on a collision course not only with her employer, but also with the government of the world's largest oil exporter. Now she must maneuver skillfully in a game of cat and mouse that places her career and ultimately her life on the line. Prelude takes readers to the Canadian tar sands; to the heart of Houston, the energy city; to an offshore drilling platform; and to the streets and suites of Washington, D.C. in a journey that unlocks the mysteries of a substance that the world cannot do without.

Genres: Fiction

272 pages, Paperback

First published November 10, 2010

Reviews

[Zinta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before I’d even opened the cover of Prelude, the novel about peak oil by Kurt Cobb, I knew this was going to be a good read—and an unnerving one. After all, I had heard the author speak before; we live in the same Michigan city of Kalamazoo. I knew him to be a mesmerizing speaker about all things energy and global resources, something of our local Al Gore, and I also knew that every time I heard him speak, I went home feeling shaky about our planet’s future. Shaky, but also resigned to do my part to make things better.

I’ve also been a long time reader of Cobb’s intelligent and meticulously researched blog, Resource Insights. Every time I log on, I learn something new and find myself yet again rethinking how I use energy. Now, Cobb has put his research and insights into a novel, calling it fiction, yet this story of intrigue and espionage is based on what he has learned about how we use energy.

Prelude is a story about Cassie Young during 2008, employed at an important Washington D.C. energy consulting firm. Her firm is forever making announcements about how deep go our energy reserves, but then Cassie discovers a report hidden from public scrutiny. The report reveals a looming energy crisis based on manipulated figures by major world oil exporters, and the crisis is not at all at a comfortable distance. Peak oil is a reality to which society is turning a willfully blind eye. After all, we live in a world where oil is our lifeblood, and if we should run out of this limited resource, the world as we know it would come to a screeching halt.

The fast-paced story takes Cassie to Canada to take a closer look at tar sands, about which we are hearing today as another resource for oil. She meets Victor Chernov, a former oil trader, who reveals yet more damaging data to her. Forget about Cassie’s career … she is soon running for her life. This kind of information is too big for one person to carry.

Who will listen? What does this mean for civilization as we know it? Consider this excerpt:

“Suddenly for Cassie the whole world had now become one big manifestation of energy, much of it in the form of oil. Humans were not builders any more. They were just the guiding hands for the flow of petroleum that came from deep underground and then went deep into the life of society. Petroleum, she knew, was doing the lion’s share of work for the world.

“Cassie had understood all this intellectually before. She even knew the energy industry was the key industry in society. Nothing got done without energy. But she had never before understood it so concretely as she did today. She wondered if she could ever go back to looking at the fountain in Dupont Circle and not think of the energy needed to pump the water, or see a farm field and not think of the oil that goes into the tractors and the combines, or even enjoy simply reading a book without thinking about the energy used to cut the logs that were moved to the mill and made into pulp and then into paper that was then shipped to the printer and bound into books that were shipped to the bookstore.” (Pgs. 153-154)

I’ve passed Prelude along to others interested in doing something about ecology and especially those who aren’t, and recently sent it to my son as a gift … even as I considered the energy expended to do so. The novel is well written, packed with fascinating information, and concludes with a glossary and questions answered by the author for those who wish to learn more.

Kurt Cobb is an author and columnist who speaks and writes frequently on energy and the environment. His column appears on the Paris-based science news site Scitizen, and his work has been featured on Energy Bulletin, The Oil Drum, 321energy, Le Monde Diplomatique, Common Dreams, EV World, and many other sites. He is a founding member of the Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas—USA, and he serves on the board of the Arthur Morgan Institute for Community Solutions. He maintains a blog called Resource Insights.

An author interview appears in the Winter 2011-2012 Issue of The Smoking Poet.

[J.Z. Colby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely more relevant to our times than 10,000 other books. It took great skill and courage to put such a troublesome topic into fictional form. Anyone who does not know about our energy predicament has their head in the sand, and a good story like this is about the most painless way to learn about it.

[Waco Sinker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kurt Cobb knows his stuff on peak oil and the peak oil community. I appreciate that. I'm giving three stars because the world needs novels that paint a bright warning sign on the impending catabolic decline (or collapse, depending on events) of our hydrocarbon civilization. Fortunately, Cobb has a compelling character in the Russian emigre Victor, Cobb's mouthpiece on peak oil. Through him Cobb gets the tone and message about right. I'm wondering if Cobb modeled Victor on the real life Dimitri Orlov, a Russian emigre and U. S. citizen who has been a visible figure in the peak oil community (see Dimitri's blog, Club Orlov). Another possible candidate, the Italian scholar and scientist Ugo Bardi (see the blog, Cassandra's legacy). Whatever the inspiration, the dry humor and stoicism of that character worked for me. The romance and the corporate intrigue didn't hold my interest, which is unfortunate because that's most of the plot. Ah well, hopefully it's just me.

Interested in the collapse novel genre? Let me commend the climate change novel Vapor Trails, sort of a fraternal twin to Prelude. Very similar to Prelude in structure but the story and characters seemed more absorbing.

Closing thought: peak oil and climate change, coming soon to a lived experience near you.

[Jack Rochester · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Pretty Good Story, But A Flawed Portrayal of the Petroleum Business

I rather enjoyed the story about Cassie, Paul and Victor, even though they barely rise beyond being stick figures designed to drive the plot. What most concerned me is the author's facile knowledge of the petroleum industry and the specious argument about peak oil. I checked some of his references and they are circa 2005, which means they pre-date the shale revolution which, although this novel is copyright 2010, was in full swing at that time. Although I can't guess his motives or where he acquires his information [after all, he lives in France], he completely ignores and sidesteps an aspect of the energy industry that is turning the entire world on its ear and will continue to do so for at least another 30-50 years. I'm glad that's so, and that no such phenomenon as peak oil should concern us beyond abstract, philosophical musings, because now we have a few more generations to get our energy act together with wind, solar, hydro and other renewable resources.

[Rachael · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had to read this for a book club discussion. Good content, nice way to bring the story of peak oil some human context . . . but can't say that I really "enjoyed" it. However, Kurt Cobb is extremely well informed and did a Skype discussion for us--very nice guy and gifted activist.

[Maggie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gave this two stars, but I think it's worth reading. It's a super fast read and supports a MI author!