The first book in a trilogy, it certainly owes much of its inspiration to a stylistic blend of Matheson and Ballard. There is a certain underlying confusion, as if at first the author had thought of a re-telling of 'The Mask of the Red Death', then changed his mind, turning to 'I Am Legend' and then concluded his narrative wanderings with 'The Day of the Triffids'. Apart from that, the defensive and power dynamics of closed communities are described quite well - by the book, in short - and in general the writing is good. In other words, despite the many misgivings it raises (perhaps because I am not a teenager and have a scientific, as well as a literary, background), it is a good read.