Lucifer's Hammer

Lucifer's Hammer ( eng. Original Title: Lucifer's Hammer ) is a novel by the authors Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven, published in 1977.

Action

The plot depicts ( for the first time in the context of a novel ) realistically the downfall of modern civilization by the impact of a comet.

As an amateur astronomer discovered a new comet ( named Lucifer's Hammer), we initially assume that the earth is no danger. A few months later breaks the comet and the debris fall on the Earth. It comes to gigantic tidal waves, earthquakes and climate changes.

For the survivors, a new era, marked by the struggle for survival and trying to rebuild civilization.

Reception

• Lucifer's Hammer in 1978 was nominated for the Hugo Award.
• In one of the different levels of action appears a minor character, the David Brin incited to write the novel, Postman. Most features of this figure are in Lucifer's Hammer already clearly visible.