Genre : Science Fiction Format : Paperback Pages : 157 Published : 1969

” He had the road all to himself , and he laid on the gas pedal till there was no place left for it to go . He raised his goggles and looked at the world through crap – colored glasses , which was pretty much the way he looked at it without them , too. “

Summary : So in a post apoclyptic America sometime after nuclear bombs have gone off Boston has a problem . Boston has a plague killing most of its residents . Luckily , Los Angeles has the cure . There is just one problem … the land between Los Angeles and Boston is known as Damnation Alley . How did it get such a cute nickname ? Well , its filled with giant gilas , sandstorms , giant bats , radiation , giant scorpions , biker gangs , freak storms , and most dangerous of all … a mad botanist . You would have to be pretty crazy to drive through that but this is Los Angeles so of course they found one in a former mail delivery driver named Hell Tanner . Hell is willing to do this in exchange for a pardon for all his crimes ( which include but aren’t limited to smuggling , rape , murder , human trafficing , etc. ) so we know he’s reliable . Lord look out for Boston because Hell’s coming .

” Nobody’s ever done it before , except for that nut who ran it to bring the news and he’s dead . How can you get odds out of that ? “

Review : Do you like post-apocalyptic stories with giant monsters , armored cars , and a fight against time ? Then get this book . If you like stories with sarcastic antiheroes and biker gangs , then get this book . If you’re interested in classic science fiction or just curious about the origins of most nuclear wasteland stories then get this book . I guess what I’m saying is get the damn book .

“Swiftly , swiftly coming and swiftly going , coming and going . One night , two nights , three nights . I carved my tracks upon the Alley , my eyes dazzled and a madness possessing me . My wounds are upon me , and there is no end to the road I drive . “

Recommendations : Books 1. Vampire Hunter D Volume 1 by Hideyuki Kikuchi 2. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein 3. Vampires by John Steakley 4. Haunted Mesa by Louis L’Amour 5. The Long Walk by Stephen King

Songs 1. Mean Man – W.A.S.P. 2. Mother – Danzig 3. Panama – Van Halen 4. The Wanderer – Dion 5. Bicycle Race – Queen 6. Sandstorm – Darude

Movies 1. Damnation Alley (1977) 2. The Road Warrior (1981) 3. Death Race 2000 (1975) 4. The Wild Angels (1966) 5. In Hell (2003) 6. Godzilla (1954)

Don’t play much video games but this does remind me Fallout : New Vegas so I’ll throw that in as well .

Lesson from the book : The future sucks … but at least we get giant monsters !