The Work of the Dead — Ron Foster

A gripping epic prepper fiction tale of catastrophe and suspense mixed with sometimes humorous survival in the dystopia of the post apocalyptic Deep South. This a continuing fast paced science fiction fantasy that foresees the fall of America after a solar storm takes the electrical grid down. The story is set in the aftermath of a world in which famine leads to mass chaos. The Federal Government forms a new economy by issuing  two new paper currencies,military script for the FEMA camps and the Amero for the city states backed by nothing more than promises. The individual possession of gold and silver coinage is now historically illegal once again, but for people living far from government camps it's all the currency the Free Traders Guild uses except for barter as a means of monetary exchange.

This Post-apocalyptic fiction science fiction anthology series brings in some of the beloved characters from the bestselling classic original Prepper Trilogy and a motley crew of diverse survivors and heroes living on lakes and rivers drawn from other books from Mr. Foster years as a apocalyptic and dystopian fiction writer get a chance to all meet up at the yearly Trade Rendezvous. This mystery/thriller story begins in the heart of a crisis five years after the power grid went down. This apocalyptic drama sets the stage and gives threader a chance to see several newly introduced characters interacting with their favorite old survivalist ones as well as a glimpse at their back stories of survival.

After barely surviving the first economic collapse in the country the Free Traders guild formed themselves a bank and backed trade notes with gold and silver. The new emergency government of the United States has just confiscated all the metal in that particular bank and the traders are wondering what to do with all the bits of seemingly worthless  paper they are left holding.

There are vast expanses of highways and deserted roads connecting ruined cities in the scorched and overgrown wilderness between the FEMA camps, tiny trade towns and small community enclaves in the New South. The areas between one point and another is a world without rule of law (WROL) and the populace is menaced by gangs and cruel highwaymen. Armed trade groups travel in small convoys, making a living by carrying food, fuel, and other special trade goods between the towns and at a central meeting place twice a year called Rendezvous. This ambitious amalgam of prepper fiction and post-apocalyptic novel splices the story together through its strong hero's interconnected character-driven narratives.
 
 Dixon is one of these survivor narrators and traders as well as the owner operator of a homemade armored bus traveling the back roads that tells his point of view of this apocalyptic adventure.