The Twilight of Briareus

The Twilight of Briareus (1974) by Richard Cowper is set in Britain in the immediate aftermath of a supernova whose radiation has reached Earth, triggering dramatic climate shifts, social breakdown, and a slow-moving catastrophe whose full consequences the surviving population is only beginning to understand. The novel is narrated in the form of a journal by Calvin, who records his experiences in a depopulated, snow-covered landscape as he and a small group attempt to establish a sustainable refuge. The radiation's longer-term effects on human reproduction become a central concern as the story develops. Cowper's earliest novel of this type, and notably different in setting and tone from the White Bird of Kinship series that would follow. First edition published by Victor Gollancz.

Hardcover. First Edition, First Printing. Octavo, bound in mauve paper covered boards with gilt lettering on spine. London: Victor Gollancz, 1974. ISBN: 0575017600. #11206.
Fine in fine dust jacket.