Tinker's Plague

by Stephen B. Pearl

Betrayed by petty-minded superiors in Nova Gaia, Brad and Carla race to save innocents from the blind hatred of long-dead killers.

The Earth is struggling to rebuild itself from the excesses of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Brad, a Doctor of General Applied Technologies colloquially known as a Tinker, travels the Dark Lands--areas without electricity--helping the people bootstrap themselves back from the edge of civilization.

All until he finds the plague in the town of Guelph.

Now Brad and his assistant Carla struggle to save the lives of the rapidly succumbing townspeople, while a cold war battle between Novo Gaia and the United Grid Regions plays out over the quarantine and the lives of the people in the Dark Lands. The political theater is leaving Brad with a mounting toll of dead victims.

Will Brad and Carla be able to stop the plague, or will the contagion escape, infecting a world that is in no condition to survive another catastrophe?

Genres: Science Fiction

352 pages, Paperback

First published December 18, 2009

About the author

Stephen B. Pearl? He is a husband, mystic, science enthusiast, home handyman, backyard mechanic, and writer. His works tell the story.

PUBLISHING HISTORY

NOVELS
Cloning Freedom Novel Brain Lag publishing Dec 4, 2020
Cats Novel Published by Ankh Shen publishing September 2018
Tinkers Sea novel published by Brain Lag Publishing, August 2016
Horn of the Kraken novel published by Pendelhaven, July 2015
War of the Worlds 2030 novel published by Damnation Press, September 2013
Worlds Apart novel published by Dark Dragon Publishing, August 2013
Nukekubi novel published by Dark Dragon Publishing, April 2012
Slaves of Love novel published by Club Lighthouse Publishing, March 2010
Tinker’s Plague novel published by Draumr Publishing, December 2009
The Hollow Curse novel published by Club Lighthouse Publishing, June 2009

SHORT STORIES

Tinker's Toxin Short Story Brain Lag Publishing 2019
Goodbye my Safety Blanket Essay published in 1984 in the 21st Century, Riverdale Avenue Books 2017
Healing Short Story published in Happy DILF day, Riverdale Avenue Books 2016
Three Parts Love Short Story published in Happy MILF day, Riverdale Avenue Books 2016
Seven Days Short Story published in Love, Time, Sex and Magic Anthology, Pop Seagull Publishing April 2015
Better the Devil You Know Short Story Published in Morbid Seraphic Anthology, Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing 2012
Yule Fire Short Story Published in Yule Anthology, Pagan Writers Press January 2011
Sorrow’s End Short story published in Samhain Anthology, Pagan Writers Press November 2011

Reviews

[Heather Pearson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first came across this book when I attended the Eden Mills Writer's Festival in September 2010. I didn't meet Stephen Pearl, but I did spend about ten minutes talking with his wife. She gave me Stephen's card with his web address and I promised I would check it out.

I then visited his website and found that he had posted the opening chapter of his book Tinker's Plague. I read it and thought that it was pretty good and that I'd have to get a copy. I didn't act on it right away, but my thoughts kept returning to this book. A few more months went by and this book was still on my mind. Enough, I ordered it through my local independent book store and waited again.

I have to admit that it was well worth the effort, though I do wish I had acted sooner and bought it right away, had bought it at the event.

This is a post apocalyptic novel set right in the area of Eden Mills and Guelph, Ontario. Brad is a tinker and he travels around from town to town with his horse drawn trailer full of technological wonders. Life is different in this after time, The tinkers are a well educated group, Brad has a Doctor of General /Applied Technologies, that are trained by the Novo Gaians. Today we would view the Novo Gaians as the environmental and the compassionate members of society. In the after time, the tinkers are the ones who travel the dark lands selling and trading goods as well as providing various levels of medical care.

Brad is doing just that when he is alerted that a new type of illness is felling people in the city of Guelph. Is it really a new illness or is it a long forgotten ailment from the before period of time come to wreck havoc on an unsuspecting population.

Mr. Pearl has created a new world. He didn't make it all perfect and pretty; he included the nasty parts as well. The thieves, scoundrels and politicians. What he also included are people such as Brad who have the will to make things better for everyone, not just for themselves. The people who live in the dark lands aren't bad, many of them have limited education and are living hand to mouth. They just want to survive and provide for their families. Pretty realistic. The Griders seem very self centred and only care about themselves. If it's not in their best interest, they don't want to get involved and in fact will try and make matters worse. The Novo Gaians are the altruists. They truly want to make the world better.

I found this a fully believable set of characters and populations. I had no problem with horses pulling trailers full of technology. I live in a Mennonite area and view similar events every day.

I am hoping that there will be a follow-up book to Tinker's Plague so I can read more of Brad's travels and adventures.

[Stephen Pearl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hay other people do it. It's my baby but for all that it is a book I would love to read if I picked it off the bookshelf.

Cover text for Tinker’s Plague
Betrayed by petty minded superiors in Novo Gaia, Brad and Carla race to save innocents from the blind hatred of long-dead killers.

The Earth is struggling to rebuild itself from the excesses of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Brad, a Doctor of General Applied Technologies colloquially known as a Tinker, travels the Dark Lands- areas without electricity- helping the people bootstrap themselves back from the edge of civilization.

All until he finds the plague in the town of Guelph.

Now Brad and his assistant Carla struggle to save the lives of the rapidly succumbing townspeople, while a cold war battle between Novo Gaia and the United Grid regions plays out over the quarantine and the lives of the people in the Dark Lands. The political theater is leaving Brad with a mounting toll of dead victims.

Will Brad and Carla be able to stop the plague, or will the contagion escape, infecting a world that is in no condition to survive another catastrophe?

[Ira Nayman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strong characters in an involving plot in a well researched and highly credible future world - could you ask for more in a science fiction novel? I didn't think so. If you haven't already gotten a copy, what are you waiting for?

[Faye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what a gripping story, loved every page. Andromeda Strain crossed with the Postman with a little bit of I am Legend thrown in ( no zombies ) .... This book is worth getting if you love PA sci fi

[Phoenix Friesen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my second read through of this book, I figured it was topical given the current global pandemic. Still very engaging and enjoyable a second time. I had forgotten the big reveal in the intervening years since I last read it and literally gasped out loud when I got to it. My only wish is that this book had gone through the editing it deserves. Pearl's writing is very good but even the best authors benefit from a professional editor; the typos are sometimes distracting and a had to reread some passages several times because of names that were reversed/changed or otherwise confusing phrasing. Overall I thoroughly enjoy this novel and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys realistic guesses at what our future holds.

[The Master · Rating 1 out of 5]

Was going to leave a good review, then noticed the author gave himself a 5-star rating. Lame. Let the book and its readers speak for themselves.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn't bad or anything it was just that I do not have much knowledge about much of Stephen's story was about (which was mostly medical stuff and technology). Other than that it was pretty good, characters didn't always seem like they where just different bodies with the same brain, though a lot of the background characters (and what I mean by that is you never saw the story from their point of view) seemed to easily persuaded by anything they hear.

WARNING: This book contains material better suited for the ages 17 and up.