Patrick Morgan’s novel Apparent Horizon starts with the main character, Michael Cavanaugh, getting drunk with his two best friends in Drew Baskin’s home on the night before Drew’s wedding. The third friend, Aaron Hillson, tells Michael and Drew of top-secret research he did at NASA with Gamma rays, which are released during a supernova—when a giant star collapses on itself creating a black hole.

Aaron tells them that the gamma rays from a supernova will reach earth at 11:13 in the morning, which will be during Drew’s outdoor wedding. Sure enough, at 11:13 during the wedding vows, the sky brightens both beautifully and frighteningly. The priest makes light of the phenomena by saying, “What we just witnessed was a blessing from God on this marriage.”

Three days later, Michael goes to Aaron’s apartment and discovers his dead body with a suicide note written to Michael explaining that he didn’t want to be around while the world quickly moves toward its doom. The rest of the novel is about how poorly Michael and Drew handle life during the approaching doom.

This dark novel is very well written and edited. I don’t recall reading a novel in which the main character has so few admirable qualities. In fact, I don’t recall any admirable characters in the whole novel. I was expecting to read a survival story that might turn dark at the end. I wasn’t expecting so much darkness throughout the story, and I don’t recall ever reading a novel in which the author gives the main character so many flaws. This is a very unique novel.