Earth Abides

At times the prose can be either clunky or dreamy/mystical, but overall Stewart has written a realistic novel of life after a plague annihilates most human life. (I recommend skimming or skipping those parts printed in italics.) The action spans over forty years by focusing on only three or four of them. The adventure aspect is almost nil, with the drama coming from the lead character's letting go of his ideas of how civilization might--or should--start again. The only thing I can really hold against this book is that it apparently inspired Stephen King to write The Stand.