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The Fall: Part 1
“A masterpiece of storytelling” – Goodreads.com
“Brilliantly conceived … taut and chilling” – A.W Baldwin
2040: The world is burning, and hope is almost lost…
As feuding trillionaires insulate themselves on sub-Antarctic islands and lobby for nation-state recognition, the eco terrorist known as Vidar pours fuel on the flames of social disintegration. Mega storms and heat wreak havoc, driving the greatest diaspora in history. America is broken. A new civil war threatens. The fate of civilization lies with the first independent president and a revolutionary AI, but then a mystery virus triggers a nuclear war.
Told from multiple perspectives, The Fall takes you from the halls of power to the unforgiving streets as the world we know unravels. This is how it REALLY ends…
Presented in three 80-000-word chronological parts, 'The Fall', is the first stunning installment of ‘The Anthropocene Series', a speculative vision of the fate of humanity.
The Anthropocene Series
For 3,000 centuries the blue planet blessed us with her riches. As our civilizations rose and fell, her bounteous resources were there to seed others. But now we have outgrown her, so imposed upon her complex systems that we have earned our own unit of geological the Anthropocene —an era which appears destined to be short-lived. We are a fiendishly intelligent species, capable of creative genius as well as mindless destruction, are we smart enough to save ourselves?
The Anthropocene Series grapples with this paradox in a speculative vision of mind-blowing scale. From feuding tech trillionaires to a teenager speaking truth to power, from a jaded FBI agent trying to regain faith in justice to a conviction politician navigating the shoals of compromise, these and other intersecting stories propel you into the near and distant future. Book 1, The Fall, tells the story of our post-truth plunge into climate disaster. Book 2, From Ashes, the long and bitter struggle for survival in a post-apocalyptic nightmare, while Book 3, Beyond, suggests that despite, or perhaps because of our selfish genes, humanity may yet endure in some form among the stars.
“Brilliantly conceived … taut and chilling” – A.W Baldwin
2040: The world is burning, and hope is almost lost…
As feuding trillionaires insulate themselves on sub-Antarctic islands and lobby for nation-state recognition, the eco terrorist known as Vidar pours fuel on the flames of social disintegration. Mega storms and heat wreak havoc, driving the greatest diaspora in history. America is broken. A new civil war threatens. The fate of civilization lies with the first independent president and a revolutionary AI, but then a mystery virus triggers a nuclear war.
Told from multiple perspectives, The Fall takes you from the halls of power to the unforgiving streets as the world we know unravels. This is how it REALLY ends…
Presented in three 80-000-word chronological parts, 'The Fall', is the first stunning installment of ‘The Anthropocene Series', a speculative vision of the fate of humanity.
The Anthropocene Series
For 3,000 centuries the blue planet blessed us with her riches. As our civilizations rose and fell, her bounteous resources were there to seed others. But now we have outgrown her, so imposed upon her complex systems that we have earned our own unit of geological the Anthropocene —an era which appears destined to be short-lived. We are a fiendishly intelligent species, capable of creative genius as well as mindless destruction, are we smart enough to save ourselves?
The Anthropocene Series grapples with this paradox in a speculative vision of mind-blowing scale. From feuding tech trillionaires to a teenager speaking truth to power, from a jaded FBI agent trying to regain faith in justice to a conviction politician navigating the shoals of compromise, these and other intersecting stories propel you into the near and distant future. Book 1, The Fall, tells the story of our post-truth plunge into climate disaster. Book 2, From Ashes, the long and bitter struggle for survival in a post-apocalyptic nightmare, while Book 3, Beyond, suggests that despite, or perhaps because of our selfish genes, humanity may yet endure in some form among the stars.
297 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 1, 2025
1 person is currently reading
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 1, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed Jake Avila’s The Fall: Part 1, which is the first of his new 'The Anthropocene Series.' Presented in three parts, this is an epic, multi-layered tale set in a not-too-distant future, which is all the more frightening in that it could conceivably happen.
The novel is tremendously ambitious in both its scale and its execution, yet its intimately drawn characters have a depth that holds interest. Told from multiple points of view, the narrative arc seamlessly shifts from scene to scene, making it a masterpiece in subtlety, given the scope of the work.
The world as we know it is breaking down in an inexorable decline, thanks to greed and indifference to the natural ecosystems upon which life itself depends. In The Fall: Part 1, the author cleverly depicts the consequences of inaction on climate change in a vivid and fast-moving narrative that sweeps the reader up in the respective plights of its protagonists. It is terrifying in its familiarity and offers a glimpse of what could happen if the warnings of environmental impact are not heeded.
The futuristic elements depicted in the novel are evocative of a world which, although different from contemporary reality, is not so far removed as to be improbable. This grounds the narrative in a reality that might have been lessened if this had not been the case. The role of AI, for instance, is explored in the character of Gaia, “…who looked real, that is, until you stared into the fantastic green orbs of her eyes, which were a third bigger than human.” Gaia’s humanity and developing intuition are an interesting contrast to her human counterparts. The novel draws from current and developing technologies and thoughtfully represents how they might evolve in an original and engaging manner. What is probably not as evident is the depth of research the writer must have undertaken to get a handle on such an enormous range of background material, yet he includes it seamlessly without stalling the pace of the narrative.
The characters are skilfully deployed within the story, allowing the reader to identify with and see events through the eyes of each protagonist. I particularly felt empathy for the character of Betsy, who, when faced with almost overwhelming odds, finds the courage to persevere. While Vidar, although capable of extreme violence, is still portrayed in such a way that you can understand his motivations, even if you cannot condone his actions. Carmen Beaufort, a green independent presidential candidate, is idealistic but fettered by a political system in free fall where there can be few, if any, winners. But is she humanity’s only hope? Greed and self-interest are central themes of the book, where trillionaires seek to build their own self-sustaining microsocieties removed from governmental controls in a bid to survive at all costs. Given the contemporary geo-political climate we find ourselves in, the scenario that Avila depicts is not inconceivable; in fact, quite the opposite.
Although the scope of this novel is epic, the intimacy of many of the scenes gives them a realism and immediacy that is often found lacking in speculative fiction. For those wary of tackling substantial novels, this book is worth investing the time in. The writing is faultless and the reader quickly gets swept up into the narrative threads, which although complex, are easily followed. I became thoroughly engaged with the characters and their respective fates as the novel unfolded. The Fall: Part 1 is a masterpiece of storytelling and one that I can thoroughly recommend. I can’t wait for part two…
The novel is tremendously ambitious in both its scale and its execution, yet its intimately drawn characters have a depth that holds interest. Told from multiple points of view, the narrative arc seamlessly shifts from scene to scene, making it a masterpiece in subtlety, given the scope of the work.
The world as we know it is breaking down in an inexorable decline, thanks to greed and indifference to the natural ecosystems upon which life itself depends. In The Fall: Part 1, the author cleverly depicts the consequences of inaction on climate change in a vivid and fast-moving narrative that sweeps the reader up in the respective plights of its protagonists. It is terrifying in its familiarity and offers a glimpse of what could happen if the warnings of environmental impact are not heeded.
The futuristic elements depicted in the novel are evocative of a world which, although different from contemporary reality, is not so far removed as to be improbable. This grounds the narrative in a reality that might have been lessened if this had not been the case. The role of AI, for instance, is explored in the character of Gaia, “…who looked real, that is, until you stared into the fantastic green orbs of her eyes, which were a third bigger than human.” Gaia’s humanity and developing intuition are an interesting contrast to her human counterparts. The novel draws from current and developing technologies and thoughtfully represents how they might evolve in an original and engaging manner. What is probably not as evident is the depth of research the writer must have undertaken to get a handle on such an enormous range of background material, yet he includes it seamlessly without stalling the pace of the narrative.
The characters are skilfully deployed within the story, allowing the reader to identify with and see events through the eyes of each protagonist. I particularly felt empathy for the character of Betsy, who, when faced with almost overwhelming odds, finds the courage to persevere. While Vidar, although capable of extreme violence, is still portrayed in such a way that you can understand his motivations, even if you cannot condone his actions. Carmen Beaufort, a green independent presidential candidate, is idealistic but fettered by a political system in free fall where there can be few, if any, winners. But is she humanity’s only hope? Greed and self-interest are central themes of the book, where trillionaires seek to build their own self-sustaining microsocieties removed from governmental controls in a bid to survive at all costs. Given the contemporary geo-political climate we find ourselves in, the scenario that Avila depicts is not inconceivable; in fact, quite the opposite.
Although the scope of this novel is epic, the intimacy of many of the scenes gives them a realism and immediacy that is often found lacking in speculative fiction. For those wary of tackling substantial novels, this book is worth investing the time in. The writing is faultless and the reader quickly gets swept up into the narrative threads, which although complex, are easily followed. I became thoroughly engaged with the characters and their respective fates as the novel unfolded. The Fall: Part 1 is a masterpiece of storytelling and one that I can thoroughly recommend. I can’t wait for part two…
November 2, 2025
As a fan of apocalyptic fiction The Fall is a must read! An excellent, fast moving tale told from different characters points of view. Exploring current themes of climate change, political and cultural division, activism and the power of extreme wealth. These are fascinating topics that are introduced brilliantly in book one and I look forward to reading more in the rest of the series. Highly recommended
November 7, 2025
Wow, this book completely sucked me in! I really enjoyed how the book was structured from the POV of a mix of different characters - each one added depth and helped the world building feel nuanced. What made this book scary was how close it feels to our own reality, a glimpse of what could actually happen. A very well paced, thought provoking and overall enjoyable read.
November 1, 2025
It took me a few chapters to get into this first part of this epic book but I’m glad I stuck with it and recommend anyone who struggles at the beginning to keep going, it’s worth it. Loved the character led chapters and their interweaving storylines.
November 1, 2025
I finished the books yesterday.
Very well done Jake!
Page turning, confronting and deliciously vengeful.
Now I can put the iPad down and resume life......
Very well done Jake!
Page turning, confronting and deliciously vengeful.
Now I can put the iPad down and resume life......
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews