Mount Doomsday [Paperback]

M.D, Donald A. Berman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 15, 2005

When Mount Lassen erupts, it's news. When it is discovered that its ash is radioactive, it's more. Flashbacks to volcanic events in history foreshadow the current catastrophe being witnessed in Japan.

Editorial Reviews

Review

An environmental shocker. Earthquake = nuclear disaster - how timely! MOUNT DOOMSDAY is a riveting tale whose characters are human, intelligent, and flawed.  --Shelley Glowoski, Midwest Book Review

I'd expect film interest.  --Mark Medoff, author of Children of a Lesser God

If you love disatser stories - Dante's Peak or the Book of revelations - MOUNT DOOMSDAY is for you. The punch line is both unexpected and inevitable. If you like feeling secure this book is not for you. --Shuyler Kaufman, Carolina Mountain Magazine

A page turner. I liked the interspersing of facts and fictionalized Michener-like mini-stories about historic eruptions.  --C. Michael Lederer, Ph.D., University of California Energy Institiute, Berkeley

A wholly absorbing story I found hard to put down. I enjoyed learning about past volcanic eruptions - with a modern radioactive twist. --Tom Carpenter, Director Nuclear Oversight Program, Government Accountability Project

From the Author

How could I have known fiction would turn to fact? An earthquake damaging a nuclear plant - improbable at best. Research for the book revealed the frightening reality of poor planning and nuclear industry mismanagement so recently evidenced in Japan.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: High Country Publishers (May 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 193215857X
• ISBN-13: 978-1932158571
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,278,271 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Donald A. Berman, M.D. (1932- ) comes to writing fiction with more than 50 years experience in the medical profession. Dr. Berman served in the U.S. Army at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, as Flight Surgeon and Division for the Second Infantry Division. He holds a commercial pilot rating with fixed wing, seaplane and helicopter ratings. He has authored many medical and scientific articles. His interests in science and history first led him to write MASADA, a novel describing the Jewish revolt against Rome in 72 A.D. His latest work, MOUNT DOOMSDAY, originally published in 2005, depicts a scenario in which an earthquake results in a nuclear plant disaster. The recent unfortunate events in Japan at Fukushima have turned this fiction novel into fact. Research for the book revealed startling facts concerning a history of long standing mismanagement, poor planning and oversight of the nuclear industry, including multiple multiple spills, leaks, meltdowns and accidents involving highly toxic radioactive materials.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The characters are human, intelligent, and flawed, May 18, 2005

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mount Doomsday (Paperback)

Donald Berman is a doctor with over forty years of experience who has expertise as a military flight surgeon, a senior aviation medical examiner, and holds a commercial pilot license with instrument, multi-engine, seaplane and helicopter ratings. He has published numerous medical articles and texts on medical environmental protection and regulatory compliance and one novel. He has a passion for archaeology, history, the earth sciences, and the interplay between technology and Mother Earth.

Mount Lassen, a gorgeous peak located south of Mt. St. Helens in the Cascades, shows signs of imminent eruption. Richard Burrell, a prominent newsman whose wife, Lee is a professor of geology, is sent over to investigate. Lee accompanies him, and her Geiger counter meter shoots to the active side. Unbeknownst to park rangers, a family is trapped in their overturned camper just off of the road. The feds and a naive president conspire to keep the story under wraps. In the meantime, Dr. Berman regales his fixated readers with historical versions of major volcanos that have erupted throughout history to set a menacing and terrifying tone to an already viscerally anguished situation, which ratchets up when a leak is discovered in a nearby nuclear plant that is no doubt creating the radioactive lava:

"Charlie stepped over to the edge of the pool to look at the rods. He expected to see them all stacked neatly, but to his surprise a number of them were broken and lying in pieces at the bottom of the pool. 'Did you know that some of these rods are broken?' he asked rather casually.

Malone came right over to see what he was talking about. His face turned ashen when he saw the broken rods lying in disarray on the floor of the pool. 'Sorry, fellas, but those rods should not be there. We will have to leave the area immediately.'"

Berman does an excellent job of both setting up a scientific chain of events, aided by historical analysis, and creating the present day human story of Mount Lassen. Not content with the simple tales of volcanic horror, he affixes an environmental shocker to his story. His message is that we will always have volcanic eruptions, and our rush to create nuclear power plants on tectonic plates is sheer insanity and/or stupidity. Berman has a point, of course, and doesn't hesitate to create a plausible scenario which should scare anyone living on the West Coast. MOUNT DOOMSDAY is a riveting tale, and Dr. Berman should keep at it until maybe someone will listen to his wisdom and experience. He'd be mighty handy in an emergency! And he can write...what a guy. His characters are human, intelligent, and flawed. The story is timely.

Shelley Glodowski
Senior Reviewer

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mount Doomsday, December 9, 2005

By 

Francine M. Denowitz "frani" (Southeast Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mount Doomsday (Paperback)

I read the Book, Mount Doomsday, and was very impressed with it. I loved the way the author blended the present story with historical facts that explained the underlying geographical issues. This book could predict a future headline story on CNN. It was very interesting

I couldn't put this book down once I started and I am looking forward to the sequel.

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good story! (but a cursed family), September 18, 2011

By 

Moni - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: MOUNT DOOMSDAY (Kindle Edition)

This was a very entertaining and informative story. The author has a wonderful style that is easy to enjoy. I thought the science was very well presented: accurate, but not techo-babble. My only quibble with the story was that at times there seemed to be just about every possible sub-plot woven into what was already a full story. Not enough to just let the volcano plot stand on its own, but also faulty government, corrupt big business (naturally), faulty nuclear facilities, TV ratings war, assorted relationship drama, etc...

And the Bergeron family! Beyond a doubt, the most unlucky people in modern fiction. Bob, Jan, Ryan, Lisa, and puppy Sasha have the worst luck of any folks I have ever read. Do not be near them; you will be destroyed.

And my burning thought at the end of the story: what happened to Sasha????