When the earth's atmosphere explodes into a blazing wave of global fire, few could hope to escape with their lives. But John Thomas Rourke, ex-CIA Covert Operations Officer, weapons specialist and survival expertwould not be denied another chance at life to thwart the Communist takeover of the devastated planet. Rourke finds himself in an unusual alliance with the forces of New Germany against the bloodthirsty Russian foe when he receives world of the appearance of a new and deadly Soviet super weapon. Survivors describe being washed with a pale green light before earth and rock suddenly explode in debris-filled, mushroom-shaped clouds. Realizing the Russians have perfected a particle beam weapon that will tip the balance of world power, Rourke embarks on a perilous journey to the frozen Ural Mountains to steal the secret of the killer-beambefore New Germany responds to the new threat with their own nuclear arsenal. It would take only one or two thermonuclear detonations above ground to destroy the earth's already fragile ecosystem. Rourke's hazardous mission must not fail, for the life of every human being on earth now depends on the skills of The Survivalist.