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The Gertrude Threshold
Brandon knows today will be his last. He has been dreading this moment his entire life. Scientists had long ago predicted the year and the day when all living things, everything Brandon has come to know, would go up in flames – the day Earth hit the Gertrude Threshold.
For seventy years, Brandon had aged with the sun. He’d watched it grow bigger and the Warming fry the planet. Science was powerless to stop it. Plants withered. Oceans dried up. Humanity went mad. People sought safety underground. Radiation poisoned the world they left behind above.
Now, Brandon languishes on his deathbed. He looks after his grandson, Ky, and again wonders what survival left him with. Ky’s parents, John and Ellen, wander throughout the underground tunnels. Ellen mourns the loss of everything she and her child will never experience. Desperate to spend his final hours with the man he has grown to love, John abandons his wife and child.
Brandon, his family, and the underground survivors have no future, only the past, and less than 24 hours to reclaim the years the Warming stole while Earth begins to fall apart around them.
For seventy years, Brandon had aged with the sun. He’d watched it grow bigger and the Warming fry the planet. Science was powerless to stop it. Plants withered. Oceans dried up. Humanity went mad. People sought safety underground. Radiation poisoned the world they left behind above.
Now, Brandon languishes on his deathbed. He looks after his grandson, Ky, and again wonders what survival left him with. Ky’s parents, John and Ellen, wander throughout the underground tunnels. Ellen mourns the loss of everything she and her child will never experience. Desperate to spend his final hours with the man he has grown to love, John abandons his wife and child.
Brandon, his family, and the underground survivors have no future, only the past, and less than 24 hours to reclaim the years the Warming stole while Earth begins to fall apart around them.
126 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 29, 2014
3 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Brooks
1 book4 followersChristopher Brooks is the author of The Gertrude Threshold. He was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago.
Christopher graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University. Originally, he set out to study biology and become a doctor. Organic chemistry and a love of writing convinced him to study English-writing instead.
Christopher now works at Edelman, a public relations firm, at its headquarters in Chicago.
Christopher graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University. Originally, he set out to study biology and become a doctor. Organic chemistry and a love of writing convinced him to study English-writing instead.
Christopher now works at Edelman, a public relations firm, at its headquarters in Chicago.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 10, 2015
The Gertrude Threshold is a powerful tale very well told. You will not forget it once you put it down.
I grew up in an apocalyptic faith (I no longer adhere to this religion or belief system), but the experience has left its mark on me. It's one thing to see the end of the world portrayed on movie theaters or TV or read about it in books, but it's quite another to have felt it in your bones for the first eighteen years of your life. I therefore judge this genre of book by one simple criteria: does the book re-awake the same feelings of dread and awe I felt as a child contemplating the utter destruction of the world around me?
The Getrude Threshold takes place in the near future. The Sun's main sequence has gone awry, and what was once predicted would take place a billion years from, the expansion of our star as its nuclear fuel begins to run out, is taking place now. The planet is slowly cooking as the heat rises and there is no solution to the problem and no hope. Fantasies such as a time travel exit out of Hell on Earth have been exposed as opiate for the masses and planed
migrations to Mars and similar locales beyond our practical grasp.
Threshold (the book's name is derived from the last name of a scientist who has calculated the exact tipping point when the heat will overwhelm the final barriers mankind has built to survive the inferno) takes place on Last Day and follows the actions and thoughts of four main characters, John, his wife Ellen, Ky, their five-year-old son, and Brandon, Ky's elderly grandfather. Earth's remaining population has retreated to a claustrophobic underground warren of tunnels and living complexes that become increasingly disordered and dangerous as society collapses. In this maze of despair, our four characters will interact with other survivors and seek out what grace they can as fate deals with each of them in turn.
Rest of post up at: http://www.rule-set.com/ricks-blog/bu...
I grew up in an apocalyptic faith (I no longer adhere to this religion or belief system), but the experience has left its mark on me. It's one thing to see the end of the world portrayed on movie theaters or TV or read about it in books, but it's quite another to have felt it in your bones for the first eighteen years of your life. I therefore judge this genre of book by one simple criteria: does the book re-awake the same feelings of dread and awe I felt as a child contemplating the utter destruction of the world around me?
The Getrude Threshold takes place in the near future. The Sun's main sequence has gone awry, and what was once predicted would take place a billion years from, the expansion of our star as its nuclear fuel begins to run out, is taking place now. The planet is slowly cooking as the heat rises and there is no solution to the problem and no hope. Fantasies such as a time travel exit out of Hell on Earth have been exposed as opiate for the masses and planed
migrations to Mars and similar locales beyond our practical grasp.
Threshold (the book's name is derived from the last name of a scientist who has calculated the exact tipping point when the heat will overwhelm the final barriers mankind has built to survive the inferno) takes place on Last Day and follows the actions and thoughts of four main characters, John, his wife Ellen, Ky, their five-year-old son, and Brandon, Ky's elderly grandfather. Earth's remaining population has retreated to a claustrophobic underground warren of tunnels and living complexes that become increasingly disordered and dangerous as society collapses. In this maze of despair, our four characters will interact with other survivors and seek out what grace they can as fate deals with each of them in turn.
Rest of post up at: http://www.rule-set.com/ricks-blog/bu...
February 11, 2015
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
(Spoilers within)
The Gertrude Threshold is about the life of one family at the end of the world and what they're doing at the end. Each chapter focuses on a character and the trial they're going through, what they're choosing to do and their thoughts on it.
Sometimes I got lost because it bounces back and forth between times and I would start reading a section not knowing if it was what was happening 'now' or if it happened ten years ago. It was also very verbose, which some may like but isn't my personal preference in writing styles. It could completely lose me at times.
There was also a time when a man hunted down Ellen and I was just wondering why and how. How did he know where to find her when she'd been somewhere completely unexpected for over an hour, and then was wandering around? How did this man who is starving to death have so much energy to even do this? This is a time when everyone could be dying in an hour or two, they've been starving for a long time and are weak and covered in burns and such. I just felt weird that he tracked her down in a place where so many got lost during this whole story, and he didn't know her or where she stayed exactly.
I'll also admit I was confused on the setup of their place. I get that they were underground, but I had a hard time picturing exactly where she stayed in comparison to people like the thug. It sounded like they were separated - and the enforcer yells at her asking why she's in the same area as him and such - but then it didn't feel like it with him going down the same path she did when she was on her way home.
Read the rest here.
(Spoilers within)
The Gertrude Threshold is about the life of one family at the end of the world and what they're doing at the end. Each chapter focuses on a character and the trial they're going through, what they're choosing to do and their thoughts on it.
Sometimes I got lost because it bounces back and forth between times and I would start reading a section not knowing if it was what was happening 'now' or if it happened ten years ago. It was also very verbose, which some may like but isn't my personal preference in writing styles. It could completely lose me at times.
There was also a time when a man hunted down Ellen and I was just wondering why and how. How did he know where to find her when she'd been somewhere completely unexpected for over an hour, and then was wandering around? How did this man who is starving to death have so much energy to even do this? This is a time when everyone could be dying in an hour or two, they've been starving for a long time and are weak and covered in burns and such. I just felt weird that he tracked her down in a place where so many got lost during this whole story, and he didn't know her or where she stayed exactly.
I'll also admit I was confused on the setup of their place. I get that they were underground, but I had a hard time picturing exactly where she stayed in comparison to people like the thug. It sounded like they were separated - and the enforcer yells at her asking why she's in the same area as him and such - but then it didn't feel like it with him going down the same path she did when she was on her way home.
Read the rest here.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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April 25, 2015It's the end of the world. And everybody knows it. How will you spend your final hours? This is the premise of Christopher Brook’s first book, The Gertrude Threshold. It is beautifully written and focuses on a family of four: mother, father, child, five years old, and grandfather, seventy years old. It is a fascinating exploration into the true essence of Human Beings. While you might expect this family to hold each other tight, share memories, and die together, quite the opposite happens. As is the case with most Human Beings, at the core, the members of this family are selfish. When self-preservation is not an option, self-satisfaction is next up.
For many years, mankind has been aware of the exact date when all life will cease to exist. Just beneath our characters' warm exteriors of acceptance, lays a cold layer of desperation. We join the mother and the father as they spend their final hours doing what the promise of death empowers them to do. Things that the hope of life would never allow. Meanwhile, grandfather is stuck caring for his young grandson. Physically he may be with him, but mentally he is far, far away.
I really enjoyed the style Christopher uses to tell this story. It is well paced and riveting. Although the subject matter is dark and depressing, there are definite times of tenderness and discovery, as well as some heart pounding moments of pure suspense. You do not have to be a fan of science fiction to enjoy this book. I am very excited for Christopher and eagerly await his next project.
For many years, mankind has been aware of the exact date when all life will cease to exist. Just beneath our characters' warm exteriors of acceptance, lays a cold layer of desperation. We join the mother and the father as they spend their final hours doing what the promise of death empowers them to do. Things that the hope of life would never allow. Meanwhile, grandfather is stuck caring for his young grandson. Physically he may be with him, but mentally he is far, far away.
I really enjoyed the style Christopher uses to tell this story. It is well paced and riveting. Although the subject matter is dark and depressing, there are definite times of tenderness and discovery, as well as some heart pounding moments of pure suspense. You do not have to be a fan of science fiction to enjoy this book. I am very excited for Christopher and eagerly await his next project.
December 28, 2014
The Gertrude Threshold: A Novella by Christopher Brooks
The end of the world is coming, it has been predicted that it will hit The Gertrude threshold. seventy year old Brandon is on his death bed, looking after his grandson Ky. Ky's parents along with a lot of other people head to the underground tunnels. Brandon and his Ky are left to deal with the the end of the world together.
A fast paced unique short story. Very original and unique writing style. The detail and descriptions pulls the reader into the story as if you were there. I fee that those who like sci-fi will enjoy The Gertrude Threshold: A Novella.
The end of the world is coming, it has been predicted that it will hit The Gertrude threshold. seventy year old Brandon is on his death bed, looking after his grandson Ky. Ky's parents along with a lot of other people head to the underground tunnels. Brandon and his Ky are left to deal with the the end of the world together.
A fast paced unique short story. Very original and unique writing style. The detail and descriptions pulls the reader into the story as if you were there. I fee that those who like sci-fi will enjoy The Gertrude Threshold: A Novella.
April 27, 2015
Wow! This was an odd, powerful reading journey. It's surreal, it's deeply psychological. It focuses on the characters as they live through the final days, minutes, seconds of planet Earth. A great effort. There were a few, minor bothersome tics, but nothing to interfere with the overall reading experience.
September 12, 2015
If you like Bradbury, you should check this out. I almost gave up about 20% through, but it got better.
February 5, 2022
This was a super odd read and I couldn’t quite figure out what exactly was happening. I understood that it was an apocalyptic event called The Gertrude Threshold that had been predicted down to the final moment, and it was kind of interesting, although I didn’t know who in the family I was supposed to be focusing on—Grandpa Brandon and Ky or John and Ellen and then I didn’t understand what was happening with the tubes and the Epilogue threw me altogether, so—call me perplexed with this one.
December 22, 2025
A novella that makes you stop and think. The characters are well developed and the setting is completely unique. Highly recommend reading this.
February 20, 2015
The book is a fast read, characters are well developed and the plot is very much in line with our worries about the fate of our planet. I enjoyed it very much.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews