Faller

The survivors call it Day One: the day Earth tore apart into pieces (each of which somehow retains its own atmosphere) and its inhabitants lost their biographical memories and their ability to comprehend written language. In this unconventional apocalyptic thriller by Hugo-winner McIntosh (Burning Midnight), a man without any memories struggles to understand what happened during Day One with only the objects he pulls from his pants pockets: the photo of a couple holding hands, a food wrapper with cryptic images traced on the reverse, and a toy soldier and parachute. The man names himself Clue because he knows that these items are clues to understand what has happened to the world. All he has to do is figure out what they mean. Alternating between Clue’s present and flashbacks to the past, McIntosh puts physics to the test with a world-bending, mind-tripping thought experiment that functions well for the most part. As long as the reader is willing to accept an impossible premise, sloppiness with details—such as there being no mention of water anywhere on the chunks of planet—and some choppy prose, this is an overall sound piece of work. Agent: Seth Fishman, Gernert Company. (Oct.)