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Maybe my expectations were just too high? An apocalyptic thriller set in my own backyard and co-authored by two outstanding authors sounded like a sure thing. Alas, the book has too many flaws to enumerate, but two stand out: the Island of Hawaii is HUGE! Someone with no concept of the size of the island may not have noticed, but the characters bounced around between far flung parts of the island multiple times per day as though they could teleport. This made me distrust all of the book's science. The abrupt deus ex machina ending was absurd, simplistic and came out of nowhere - as though the authors simply got tired of writing.

I really enjoyed the snarky banter between teenagers who are forced to rely upon one another despite not trusting each other any farther than they could throw them. The setting is a Southern California where Colorado River water politics take a turn for the worse and quite suddenly all the taps run dry. Apocalyptic chaos ensues, and in the days immediately following the "tap out" a band of teenagers are some of the few people who don't immediately descend into self-centered anarchy. It is a romp with plenty of serious drama but also a lot of sparks of humor and glimpses of the good sides of humanity. I really enjoyed it.