Despite a supposedly near-future setting that seems more mid-seventies than early twenty-first century, somewhat stereotypical characterization, and archaic dialogue, prolific horror master Hugh B. Cave still spins a grand story with his new tale of survival and ecological horror. A band of regular folks head into the Canadian wilderness to escape what is left of a society ruined by pollution, violence, and drugs. Cave never confronts the societal "big picture," nor does he deal with the question of why more people did not head for the woods just as our protagonists do. Instead, he concentrates on his small group of characters as they discover that Mother Nature is very angry indeed with humanity. Just as frightening is the one blue-collar member of the group who knows something about fixing things, hunting, fishing, and firearms. The others can't survive without his skills, but they may not survive the consequences of his behavior either. All a bit simplistic, perhaps, but still a good read.
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