Near Miss Day is all about the asteroids, meteorites, and comets that orbit our planet, and what would happen if one hit or came just a little too close? Many say an impact is low, but one just has to look at the moon to see all the craters left by other “near misses”. Most people believe we would be given fair warning of impact, but the simple fact is Center for Near Earth Objects can only track a small number of what is really out there. And consider the Russian meteor in 2013….No warning was given.

The best work of fiction on this particular topic is

In Lucifer’s Hammer, we follow a group of Southern Californians through the days of discovering a comet to the months after the impact. The group of Californians represent people from all socioeconomic levels, occupations, and moral integrities.

As the a small piece of comet impacts the Earth, Southern Californias must deal with an earthquake and a tsunami that floods the San Fernando Valley. They must make it to the mountains if they want to survive at all.

This is a riveting novel, and I also found the cross section of characters allows readers to identify easily with someone in the book. Give this “oldie but a goodie” a try.