The City, Not Long After (Mass Market Paperback)

by Pat Murphy (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
The intersecting spheres of dreams and earthly passions that marked Murphy's recent novel The Falling Woman and her novelette "Rachel in Love" (both Nebula Award winners in 1988) continue in this story of a depopulated San Francisco. In the wake of a devastating worldwide plague, the handful of artists who have transformed the city with mirror mazes, self-propelled clockwork creatures and a coat of blue paint on the Golden Gate Bridge find that the city itself collaborates in unpredictable ways, from rains of flowers--or frogs--to the appearance of angels. When megalomaniac General Miles threatens the city, newcomer Jax works with painter Danny-boy, mechanical genius The Machine and others on a pacifist version of guerrilla warfare. Too often this novel recalls the studiously surreal antiwar stories of the '60s. A sweet fable, this is pleasing but evanescent, fading like the half-forgotten dreams it delicately evokes.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal
After a deadly plague sweeps the world, toppling governments in its wake, a few surviving artists who have claimed San Francisco as their home wage an unorthodox war against an invading army intent on bringing the blessings of law and order to a community that has discovered a better way of life. The author of The Falling Woman , a Nebula Award winner, evokes a haunting vision of life after society's collapse, as art becomes magic and combines with the power of love to defeat the engines of war. Highly recommended.-- JC
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback
• Publisher: Spectra (January 1, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553283707
• ISBN-13: 978-0553283709
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #936,110 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A magical post-apocaliptic tale of San Francisco, July 6, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The City, Not Long After (Hardcover)

Set in San Francisco "not long after" most of the population has died. Some of the survivors have decided to stay in the City they love and have established an odd community of hippies, artists and misfits.
The plot centers around their decision to resist militaristic invaders on their own terms.

This is a lyrical and entrancing novel with a solid plot and interesting charachters. The subject matter could easily dissolve into New Age sentimentality but Murphy comes through with shinning colors, staying true to the characters while delivering an original and fascinating story with a poetic and mythological feel.

If you live in San Francisco you must read this. If you don't live here it'll make you wish you did.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars UnBelievable that I could have almost missed this, February 19, 2005

By	Wende J. Sharrock "MBaggins of Blue Star Mage... (Santa Cruz, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The author, Pat Murphy has been one of my favorites for years. Lately I got to tracking down all that she has written and came upon this wonderful gem.
Other reviewers have reiterated the story for you - don't believe any of it until you have read it for yourself. The tease I will give you - I could not put it down.
I think it is the best book I have read in awhile (maybe 2 or 3 years) and I am an avid reader; at least a book a week sometimes a book a day. And I have read some good ones.
This book filled me with unaccountable glee and random bouts of laughing and crying. It was philosophically intellectual, artistically rendered in joy and hope, intertwined with magic and possibility. But mostly it is a story of the absolute reality of art and the responsibilities of artists; to change the world, make it over in the image that delights them the best, and nothing is ever the same afterwards. That is what this book did to me, and I am grateful.
But I am not selling my copy; it goes into the save forever to read over and over group.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful, if a bit cliched -, February 1, 2005

By	L. Berk "Leah Lionheart" (Praha, CR) - See all my reviews

I first stumbled upon this book some seven-odd years ago, when I was just moving into the beginnings of a proverbial intellectual 'awakening.' I spent perhaps four months tracking it down, as it was out of print and not carried at my library; read it at least a half-dozen times while it was in my posession, and only begrudgingly gave it up when the time was due (though it was rather tempting to keep and fess up the library fine).

In hindsight, this book is idealistic in nature: It is a peaceful, love-beaded dystopian novel with more than its share of hope. It tells the story of a community of citizens who have migrated to San Francisco, in an event to both continue with their crafts (There are painters, sculpters, just plain tinkerers). They also attempt to organise themselves against the "General," a militaristic dictator-esque figure moving across America.

This settlement comes in the wake of an outbreak of plague, as a result of an altruistic attempt to bring peace to the world, and to the United States.

Although a children's book, this novel still stands out in my mind as being one of the most powerful books I have ever read. Rarely do a book's details stay with one for the better part of ten years, in the clarity that this one has. Well-worth tracking down, or buying used.