Looking for a book from 70/80's

[mdb]

I am trying to remember then name of a sci-fi book from the 70/80's - It starts out that scientists were in Cryo in a mountain side in the Northwest - I think. Their chamber had positive air pressure in case there was a leak, they would be safe. The main door to their chamber was bent during an earthquake while they were under and a couple of the cryo chambers were broken and those scientists were dead. They finally get out of the mountain and EVERYTHING has changed in the US. I wish I could remember the title or the author. Any help would GREATLY appreciated.

 

[PaulMmn]

Was the scientist's son, now an old man, still living nearby, waiting for Dad to come home? I've read -that- book, but can't remember the author or title at the moment. --Paul

 

[murphy]

I am trying to remember then name of a sci-fi book from the 70/80's - It starts out that scientists were in Cryo in a mountain side in the Northwest - I think. Their chamber had positive air pressure in case there was a leak, they would be safe. The main door to their chamber was bent during an earthquake while they were under and a couple of the cryo chambers were broken and those scientists were dead. They finally get out of the mountain and EVERYTHING has changed in the US. I wish I could remember the title or the author. Any help would GREATLY appreciated.

Chapter 8 of Donald E. McQuinn's book, Warrior, starts out:

In the existence of the cave, it was less than a moment after the crescendo of destruction created by the earthquake and the sudden onset of new lights and heat before a new sound filled its spaces. In the terms of man, it was almost a full day. The sound was a whir of gentle competence, as though machines of compassion worked at their tasks. Another of man's day periods passed before there was yet another sound. The mewing complaint begged to be heard.

When it stopped, the reborn silence pulsed with significance.

The lights grew brighter gentley, never exceeding a dim, dusklike quality.

Wreckage was strewn wildly throughout the area, which now stood revealed as an altered natural site, with man-made side rooms and a floor of level concrete. Hundreds of large glass and metal objects with the ominous ballistic lines of missiles lay on the floor, some crushed under fallen boulders, most trailing snapped wires and tubes. Once arranged in two neat opposed rows, each shape on its own, low wheeled table, they were now in terrible disarray.

Does this sound like anything you remember. The book came out in 1990.

 

[mdb]

Murphy - Warrior might be it - I have a couple of his books and will need to check through them and verify. Unfortunately they are in storage and it will be a bit - but THANKS for the input. I looked on Amazon and the cover looks VERY familiar.
I just thought it had been longer than 1990. Thanks, again

 

[mdb]

Paulmmm - thanks for your input - the book you described sounds interesting. if you think of the title, let me know. I'd like to read it.

 

[midworldman]

Was the scientist's son, now an old man, still living nearby, waiting for Dad to come home? I've read -that- book, but can't remember the author or title at the moment. --Paul

The story your refer to is part of a compilation called Bolo: Annals of the Dinochrome Brigade by Keith Laumer. It's the first story in the book and is titled, "Night of the Trolls." The entire book is made up of stories related to self-directing, sentient, autonomous battle tanks called Bolos. The one you refer to has an astronaut awaken from what he thinks is a week-long test of a cryo tank, only to discover that eighty years have passed and a nuclear war has occurred. He has to contend w/ a Bolo that has been left on automatic sentry patrol all that time. The Bolo is viewed as a "troll" by the survivors of the war; a primitive, superstitious lot.

The request at the start of this thread is not one of the stories in the book. That doesn't ring a bell. Sounds interesting though. I'd like to read that one as well.

 

[murphy]

Murphy - Warrior might be it - I have a couple of his books and will need to check through them and verify. Unfortunately they are in storage and it will be a bit - but THANKS for the input. I looked on Amazon and the cover looks VERY familiar.
I just thought it had been longer than 1990. Thanks, again

I looked it up too. The blurbs seem to focus on Gan Moondark without mentioning the help he received from the group from the past. The people in the Crygenics union were mostly technicians, rather than scientists, with a sprinkling of military. There were only about 11 people that came out of the cave alive.

I started a reread of it, but had to stop. While I really liked the premise of the story, the writing was not very good. In the hands of a better writer, it could have been a great story.