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Solar Flare
Professor Jason Hobart, plagued by self-doubt after a misinterpreted prediction left him discredited and mocked, now faces the greatest challenge of his career--convincing the President of an imminent catastrophic solar flare
436 pages, Hardcover
First published September 28, 1996
5 people are currently reading
200 people want to read
About the author
Larry Burkett
304 books56 followersLarry Burkett was an American radio personality whose work focused on financial counseling from a Christian point of view.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
December 31, 2024
Easily 5 stars! What a book. I have to wonder how long it took the author to write this book.
It starts off following an underdog physicist, a scientist who studies solar flares. He made a prediction about a solar flare that did not completely follow his predictions years ago, and the media made a mockery of him so he was pretty much black listed in all circles based solely on the media twisting what happened with his prediction. However, he still studies solar flares, to the degree he is more knowledgeable than anyone else in the field. In his studies, he comes to believe a massive solar flare he is studying is going to cut off all electricity and collapse society. His apocalyptic prediction gets in front of the president but it seems like everyone on the planet is against him because the media had previously made him out to be a lunatic scientist. If the president doesn't listen, the majority of Americans could die.
A little over half way through this story, which I very much enjoyed, the story line really takes a hard turn. The focus shifts from the main characters, to what is happening in America at this point. There are a lot of POV's from murderous and evil characters, that almost tainted the story for a time. It felt very dark, doom and gloom, and I was only able to tolerate about half a chapter here and there until I pushed through quite a good section of the book. I wondered at one point if I'd be able to finish it. As a Christian fiction reader, I felt some of the content felt dark and evil for a book labeled CF. However, I do feel like the author made his point with that particular content and by the end of the book, I felt like I understood why it was included.
The amount of information about solar flares and what life will be like when a solar flare does hit earth at some point in the future, was well researched and written so thoroughly into the story, that I didn't feel like I was lost or couldn't understand all of the scientific talk. It was very informative and interesting and I imagine a significant amount of time was spent researching this before the author even started writing. What happened in society, crisis measures taken, the collapse of society and survival were also well researched and the author really knew his stuff when writing this book.
The faith based threads were definitely woven into the story in a bold way. As mentioned before, there's a section of the book where it seems evil and depravity seem to rule and it will be hard for CF readers to push through due to the murderous POV's, but I was very pleased with how everything came together. Again, five star read for sure. Apocalyptic for sure!
It starts off following an underdog physicist, a scientist who studies solar flares. He made a prediction about a solar flare that did not completely follow his predictions years ago, and the media made a mockery of him so he was pretty much black listed in all circles based solely on the media twisting what happened with his prediction. However, he still studies solar flares, to the degree he is more knowledgeable than anyone else in the field. In his studies, he comes to believe a massive solar flare he is studying is going to cut off all electricity and collapse society. His apocalyptic prediction gets in front of the president but it seems like everyone on the planet is against him because the media had previously made him out to be a lunatic scientist. If the president doesn't listen, the majority of Americans could die.
A little over half way through this story, which I very much enjoyed, the story line really takes a hard turn. The focus shifts from the main characters, to what is happening in America at this point. There are a lot of POV's from murderous and evil characters, that almost tainted the story for a time. It felt very dark, doom and gloom, and I was only able to tolerate about half a chapter here and there until I pushed through quite a good section of the book. I wondered at one point if I'd be able to finish it. As a Christian fiction reader, I felt some of the content felt dark and evil for a book labeled CF. However, I do feel like the author made his point with that particular content and by the end of the book, I felt like I understood why it was included.
The amount of information about solar flares and what life will be like when a solar flare does hit earth at some point in the future, was well researched and written so thoroughly into the story, that I didn't feel like I was lost or couldn't understand all of the scientific talk. It was very informative and interesting and I imagine a significant amount of time was spent researching this before the author even started writing. What happened in society, crisis measures taken, the collapse of society and survival were also well researched and the author really knew his stuff when writing this book.
The faith based threads were definitely woven into the story in a bold way. As mentioned before, there's a section of the book where it seems evil and depravity seem to rule and it will be hard for CF readers to push through due to the murderous POV's, but I was very pleased with how everything came together. Again, five star read for sure. Apocalyptic for sure!
June 9, 2022
I read Solar Flare eons ago when I was still part of a religious cult. What I find interesting, writing about the book today, is that even now I think of this book and the implications the giant solar "flare" had on the earth. Knowing the solar activity is increasing again (it does this every 150 years or so but not since we've been so reliant on technology) I've been thinking about it more often.
There is a new book on the market that will be made into a Netflix series. I tried to read it but I kept comparing it to this one and it came up short, hence this review. If you're interested in realistic catastrophic scenarios for the earth, I can recommend this book. Interestingly, in reading the reviews in hindsight, it appears that many "very religious" folks were unhappy with Burkett because the book wasn't "christian" enough for them. That may be why I liked it so much back them. However, a warning to you: this is christian fiction.
There is a new book on the market that will be made into a Netflix series. I tried to read it but I kept comparing it to this one and it came up short, hence this review. If you're interested in realistic catastrophic scenarios for the earth, I can recommend this book. Interestingly, in reading the reviews in hindsight, it appears that many "very religious" folks were unhappy with Burkett because the book wasn't "christian" enough for them. That may be why I liked it so much back them. However, a warning to you: this is christian fiction.
August 30, 2019
This was disappointing. Someone looking for cheering vaguely conservative world views or Christian world views might appreciate it ... I say might. Someone trying to learn how conservative Christians solve the worlds problems over a few beers around a campfire might be interested.
Might. It could have used some more editing. There were stretches where the same word was repeated many times over making the flow awkward. There were simple errors, like when visiting the White House the main character reflected on the historical significance ... of where George Washington had first lived ... Washington never lived there. I'm not even certain he visited it after it was finished. He was dead by the time it was first used as the home of the President.
There is so much of it that doesn't seem to reflect how human beings behave. When civilization collapses all the cities are taken over by "gangs". Not new groups of roving hungry young men but the existing gangs are so large and violent and unopposed, they run everything.
The villains are cartoonish.
The main character is an annoying, whiny loser. Yes, there are people in the world who are annoying whiny losers, I'm not saying that isn't realistic ... but, I don't like annoying, whining, losers and I don't want to hang out with them for 300 pages.
Being able to write a large book and get it published is more than I can do. I'm not saying I can do better. I am saying that I don't want to read something at this level.
I'm not just bashing this because it is conservative or Christian. I *am* conservative and Christian. (okay, libertarian and Christian). "Left Behind" was a very good story which was very well done. I can't stand when authors on the left put up cartoon Christians or conservatives to fight against. I don't like it when authors put up cartoon liberals either. Cartoon antagonists just aren't good.
I like post apocalyptic stories. This just wasn't good.
Might. It could have used some more editing. There were stretches where the same word was repeated many times over making the flow awkward. There were simple errors, like when visiting the White House the main character reflected on the historical significance ... of where George Washington had first lived ... Washington never lived there. I'm not even certain he visited it after it was finished. He was dead by the time it was first used as the home of the President.
There is so much of it that doesn't seem to reflect how human beings behave. When civilization collapses all the cities are taken over by "gangs". Not new groups of roving hungry young men but the existing gangs are so large and violent and unopposed, they run everything.
The villains are cartoonish.
The main character is an annoying, whiny loser. Yes, there are people in the world who are annoying whiny losers, I'm not saying that isn't realistic ... but, I don't like annoying, whining, losers and I don't want to hang out with them for 300 pages.
Being able to write a large book and get it published is more than I can do. I'm not saying I can do better. I am saying that I don't want to read something at this level.
I'm not just bashing this because it is conservative or Christian. I *am* conservative and Christian. (okay, libertarian and Christian). "Left Behind" was a very good story which was very well done. I can't stand when authors on the left put up cartoon Christians or conservatives to fight against. I don't like it when authors put up cartoon liberals either. Cartoon antagonists just aren't good.
I like post apocalyptic stories. This just wasn't good.
January 26, 2013
As a Christian and a fan of science fiction, I had great hopes for Solar Flare as I opened the book and began to read. Christian art in all its forms is used to glorify God and/or as a vehicle to present ideas about the faith. Solar Flare is Mr. Burkett's means to discuss ideas about society from a Christian perspective. If you do not want to hear those ideas, do not buy this book.
The book is an easy read and is suitable for young readers however, the pacing is slow to begin with and that my challenge new readers.
The effect of massive solar flares on society and technology is a great topic for science fiction but, unfortunately, Mr. Burkett is not a great science fiction writer. While I have learned much and enjoyed reading several of Larry Burkett's books on finance there is a huge difference between writing non-fiction and fiction. When writing fiction you want to show the story through thoughts, setting, action and description. Non-fiction writers usually just tell the story. Mr. Burkett largely tells us the story, just as he had done in many of his earlier non-fiction books.
One earlier review said Mr. Burkett, "SCREAMED points that should have been whispered." I agree. There is better Christian Science fiction available that presents ideas of the faith in a less preachy manner.
Sadly, I cannot recommend Solar Flare. I hope that someday a Christian author will take this topic and create a better science fiction story.
The book is an easy read and is suitable for young readers however, the pacing is slow to begin with and that my challenge new readers.
The effect of massive solar flares on society and technology is a great topic for science fiction but, unfortunately, Mr. Burkett is not a great science fiction writer. While I have learned much and enjoyed reading several of Larry Burkett's books on finance there is a huge difference between writing non-fiction and fiction. When writing fiction you want to show the story through thoughts, setting, action and description. Non-fiction writers usually just tell the story. Mr. Burkett largely tells us the story, just as he had done in many of his earlier non-fiction books.
One earlier review said Mr. Burkett, "SCREAMED points that should have been whispered." I agree. There is better Christian Science fiction available that presents ideas of the faith in a less preachy manner.
Sadly, I cannot recommend Solar Flare. I hope that someday a Christian author will take this topic and create a better science fiction story.
July 20, 2008
This is the first time I have read a book by Larry Burkett, so I am not familiar with his other works. I felt this book was clumsily written, the introduction of characters, main or otherwise, seemed to be just thrown together, and the Christianity conversion of the characters was cumbersome.
One of the main characters of the book is a scientist/professor who watches the sun for solar flares. He thinks a major solar flare is going to harm the earth but he isn't going to go public with it due to his past experience when he did and got ridiculed. If Burkett had stuck with this main character, giving more details surrounding him - like showing some redemptive qualities, giving better details on how he grew to love his co-worker, and so on - it would have been a bit more graceful.
Overall, the plot was OK, but the execution was unskillful and awkward. And the end leaves you wondering if it was worth it.
One of the main characters of the book is a scientist/professor who watches the sun for solar flares. He thinks a major solar flare is going to harm the earth but he isn't going to go public with it due to his past experience when he did and got ridiculed. If Burkett had stuck with this main character, giving more details surrounding him - like showing some redemptive qualities, giving better details on how he grew to love his co-worker, and so on - it would have been a bit more graceful.
Overall, the plot was OK, but the execution was unskillful and awkward. And the end leaves you wondering if it was worth it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 30, 2012
This book is phenomenal, idea wise. I like the writing style in that it is simple and gets to the point. The storyline can be annoyingly frustrating at first while you are waiting for the shoe to drop, but it makes the result all the better. This book has phenomenal ideas and thoughts, and it really makes you question the way we run society today. Is it better than our past? I love that there is no real conclusive answer in this book, either. This is a very human book, and Burkett really details all the nuances of the solitary human spirit vs the human spirit bound by a mob.
October 26, 2015
This was a great book about what it would be like returning to the days pre-electronic age... Interesting take on crime and punishment etc. Where people are made to work to eat, no slacking. Where the community is safe for children to go and play... Enjoyable read
August 7, 2008
An interesting premise, but fairly predictible
November 20, 2009
Hard to get in to but GREAT after you do!!! I own this book! All of the family (cept Jess) has read it and like it a lot.
November 7, 2012
Not a very good book.Poor editing detracted from what could have been a good story.
July 12, 2020
This book was published in 1997. It is about a scientific expert on solar energy and a professor whom no one believes. He has tried to warn the world that a flare so powerful could interrupt all communication in the world and wreak havoc on our lives. Then, it happens. We are hit by several flares, each one bigger than the next. Satellites are destroyed, the North and South poles switch magnetic fields. Transportation is halted and goes back to the horse and carriage days. The evil people in the cities, gangs, take over; stealing, pillaging and killing. Finally, thousands leave the cities and life begins as it did in the colonial days. A camp is built near an Amish community and former city dwellers learn to live off the land. People go back to basics and the President introduces an old way to deal with law breakers. When the power comes back on, most of the gangs start making their way to the new villages to steal because they cannot find food or shelter in the cities any more.
I couldn't help but think of all the evil things going on in our world today as I read this. Perhaps pulling the plug on technology and the feeling of so many that they are owed something, might change the world. What a concept!
I couldn't help but think of all the evil things going on in our world today as I read this. Perhaps pulling the plug on technology and the feeling of so many that they are owed something, might change the world. What a concept!
September 16, 2022
I started reading, expecting a post-apocalyptic disaster story, only to have it quickly become more of a political thriller. Okay, so not a deal-breaker, and I found it easy enough to shift gears on that. So far, most of what I've read in the post-apocalyptic subgenre, and the EMP flavor in particular, has been from the perspective of the average Joe on the ground, and not focused on the decision-makers, which I found somewhat refreshing. Thing is...I somehow had the impression that Burkett was a better writer than this. While I sympathize, at least to a point, with many of the ideas conveyed via the action and characters, the author was more than a bit ham-handed with his opinions about those ideas. In short, his subtext frequently became text, as it were. And he apparently couldn't resist frequent over-exposition, commentating, and over-simplification of the pertinent worldview that threatened to throw me out of the story. On top of that, I was unsure how much of his technical worldbuilding was scientifically correct, but I guess that nudges me into doing a little research and fact-checking, which is always a good thing.
May 17, 2020
Nothing On What I Imagined. For Two Main Reasons. One: I Never Read The Plot On The Back Of The Book And Two: Its Larry Burkett. This Book Was Recommended To Me By A Friend And I Regret On Taking So Long To Read It Because I Didn’t Know What I Was Getting Into. Its Amazing On How So Much Could Happen In An Event Like This. Extraordinary How People Would Turn Against Each Other. This Book Made Me Feel So Many Different Emotions Towards Humanity And Many Of The Times I Do Believe The Author Chose Carefully The Correct Emotional Response People Would Have. I Highly Recommend This Book! It Really Makes You Think And Changes Your Way Of Seeing Things. Thank You Larry Burkett R.I.P. And God Bless You!!
June 5, 2020
I enjoy a good prepped/catastrophe book as much as anyone, and though this premise was good, the awkward writing definitely threw me off my stride. The author was so anxious to get his Christian message across that he stretched the bounds of believability way too far. The world became narrowed to "good Christian" vs "selfish bad heathens" with far too many convenient coincidences for a good story to maintain. Sorry - I really wanted to like this book.
August 31, 2017
Poor writing, repetitive content. Political content contorted a possibly good story.
February 6, 2020
I didn't finish it. The writing was of poor quality. The story line was predictable and slightly unbelievable.
May 14, 2020
It can happen. I'm I ready?
October 20, 2020
Just a great book=--one of the first authors to explore EMT. A classic.
May 30, 2023
Pretty flimsy Christian propaganda book.
Read
June 22, 2023The only thing I remember about this book is that Burkett didn't do enough (any?) research about Amish people.
September 13, 2023
Fabulous plot, but the writing wasn't stellar. Quite redundant. But, the idea is appreciated.
September 29, 2023
Second time I read this book. Great eye opener on how society can survive a geological event. Interesting to see and realize how anarchy can quickly escalate when people panic.
April 1, 2025
I hated this book!
February 19, 2017
Great read. Flowed good. Just when you thought it was over, something else happened. A lot of info on how our wonderful world was created. Gave a scenario of the effects of a liberal worldview.
April 29, 2025
Read this one when it first came out in the late '90s and was entertained. Re-read it just now in 2025 and, despite many of the issues, both social and political, still being issues today (which was discouraging enough on its own), and the science of solar flares blacking out electrical networks not having changed much, I was not as entertained this time around. The trite characters, the corny dialog, the descriptions of minutiae that added nothing, and the long, drawn-out final six chapters which I found myself skimming simply didn't interest me.
I'm all for Christian fiction if it's well-written, but too often in the Christian publishing world (for both fiction and music) there is a strict formula that ultimately curtails any creativity or naturalness on the part of writers. Writers like Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy, George Eliot, Jane Austin, and Louisa May Alcott were able to write engaging fiction with interesting and unique characters AND incorporate Christian values and world-view without being trite. Not many would classify their work as "Christian" fiction and yet it clearly is. Their hands weren't tied by publishers who demanded a salvation arc in every book or that the "bad guys" had to be of a certain political bent.
Having said all that, Larry Burkett did the best he could and many parts of Solar Flare were interesting, even prescient, but sadly, more of the book was just boring and silly. A shame.
I'm all for Christian fiction if it's well-written, but too often in the Christian publishing world (for both fiction and music) there is a strict formula that ultimately curtails any creativity or naturalness on the part of writers. Writers like Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy, George Eliot, Jane Austin, and Louisa May Alcott were able to write engaging fiction with interesting and unique characters AND incorporate Christian values and world-view without being trite. Not many would classify their work as "Christian" fiction and yet it clearly is. Their hands weren't tied by publishers who demanded a salvation arc in every book or that the "bad guys" had to be of a certain political bent.
Having said all that, Larry Burkett did the best he could and many parts of Solar Flare were interesting, even prescient, but sadly, more of the book was just boring and silly. A shame.
April 19, 2013
This one started off so badly written that I wasn't sure I would be able to stick to my 100-page rule. I got to page 81 and at some point after that, it got interesting enough to stop counting. As a story, this was actually quite gripping. But it was still painfully poorly written in places. There was a lot of repetition of facts that were quoted only a page or two previously - as though the reader might have forgotten (or gotten bored, gone away, and picked up again after two weeks). The prologue was repeated almost verbatim in chapter one... my complaints could go on. However, it did grip me to the end and I quite enjoyed it. The ending felt unfinished - as though there could be a sequel, but I would probably read it if there was one. If you liked watching "The Day After tomorrow", then you'll probably enjoy this.
February 3, 2017
I thought very highly of Burkett as a financial advisor using the Bible as the source for the financial principles he espoused. BUT, he's no novelist. His view here of groups with whom he (and often I) disagrees is simplistic, and he has people do things that seem to be unlikely given the circumstances. Some of his ideas about how the government should handle a Carrington event seem good. I need to check on whether some of the effects of a flare on electric and magnetic systems that he has happen in the book are valid.
June 15, 2015
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. A friend recommended it and brought it to me when she found it at a yard sale for $1. I read the into and sat it down to continue a couple books of the series I was reading. I picked it up when I didn't have the next book in the series, and after digging through the first couple chapters it really picks up. I was expecting a whole science fiction "lets go put something in space", but it turned into a "end of the world" story. Would recommend.
July 30, 2008
A book that my science / non-reading son picks up and reads over and over which is always a good thing. I like it myself as well even though it made me stretch.
March 5, 2009
This was a decent read. I picked it up because I love astronomy. Compared to other books out there, it probably doesn't stack up. Pick it up if your reading list is growing thin.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews