...it's like TV Tropes, but LINKED DATA!
The Brief History of the Dead
- 111 statements
- 20 feature instances
- 9 referencing feature instances
The Brief History of the Dead | type |
TVTItem | |
The Brief History of the Dead | label |
The Brief History of the Dead | |
The Brief History of the Dead | page |
TheBriefHistoryOfTheDead | |
The Brief History of the Dead | comment |
The Brief History of the Dead is a 2006 fantasy and adventure novel by Kevin Brockmeier.Once Upon a Time, in a land far, far away... really far away... there existed a city. It had no name, and nobody knew exactly where it was. It was just called The City. Its unnatural lack of an actual label and location in the world may be due to the fact that it's not even found in the world. It is an afterlife of sorts, but it's not the kind of heaven or hell that most people would expect. It is simply a place where the souls of the dead wind up after departing the Earth.Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_1'); })But unlike the typical depictions where people spend the rest of eternity lounging around in the afterlife, it turns out that the souls only stay in The City as long as there are people alive who remember them. Once everyone that ever knew them dies off, their soul ends up blinking out of The City, and it is unknown where these souls go. But lately, it seems that something is happening in The City. People seem to be vanishing more quickly than usual...Cut to Antarctica, where a trio of researchers for Coca-Cola are trying to discover methods of using the polar ice in the manufacture of soft drinks (since the cap was already melting anyway). These three were Laura Byrd, Michael Puckett and Robert Joyce. The expedition was supposed to last only six months, but disaster struck when their communication arrays got busted. A while passed as they waited for Coca-Cola to re-establish contact with them or send a rescue team, but no such thing came along.Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_2'); })Eventually, they figured they needed to get out of this mess themselves, so Puckett and Joyce set out to find another station of researchers, these ones studying the migratory habits of emperor penguins. However, they had not returned to Laura for weeks after they departed, so after much sulking about on her own, Laura resolved to go out on her own to find the station, and hopefully Puckett and Joyce as well...As the story goes back and forth between The City and Laura's exploits, the situation becomes clearer and clearer: a highly lethal virus has been spreading far and wide, and thanks to the severe increase in death rates, people in The City, of course, are starting to pop out as well. Eventually, Laura is the only person left alive on the Earth, and it is due to her absurdly spatious memory that there are still thousands of people left in The City. Now she must somehow endure the harsh trials of Antarctica, for once her death comes around, The City and everyone inside it will completely vanish.Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_3'); }) | |
The Brief History of the Dead | fetched |
2023-02-02T22:42:20Z | |
The Brief History of the Dead | parsed |
2023-02-02T22:42:20Z | |
The Brief History of the Dead | processingComment |
Dropped link to TheJourneyThroughDeath: Not a Feature - UNKNOWN | |
The Brief History of the Dead | processingComment |
Dropped link to ThePlague: Not a Feature - ITEM | |
The Brief History of the Dead | processingUnknown |
The Journey Through Death | |
The Brief History of the Dead | isPartOf |
DBTropes | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_1f6983f7 | type |
Ambiguous Situation | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_1f6983f7 | comment |
Ambiguous Situation: Even the characters aren't entirely sure what's about to happen at the ending. | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_1f6983f7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_1f6983f7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead | hasFeature |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_1f6983f7 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_2c7416bb | type |
Acting Unnatural | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_2c7416bb | comment |
Acting Unnatural: A Corrupt Corporate Executive, the last of the Coca Cola execs left in The City, decides to destroy the memorandum where they agreed to keep their part in The Plague a secret, realizes that there are no shredders in The City. Long story short, he ends up wandering around carrying a trashbin, then having to break a hole in an iced-over river to shove the dustbin through. He is entirely aware of how ridiculous and shady he must look. | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_2c7416bb | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_2c7416bb | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead | hasFeature |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_2c7416bb | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_2dbc1855 | type |
Ghost City | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_2dbc1855 | comment |
Ghost City: Aside from the obvious pun one could make about The City, The City becomes this early on when a huge number of people die from The Plague. Part of the plot from there is the last remaining people running into each other, and the handful of new arrivals, and trying to figure out what happened. | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_2dbc1855 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_2dbc1855 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead | hasFeature |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_2dbc1855 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_393a1e86 | type |
But What About the Astronauts? | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_393a1e86 | comment |
But What About the Astronauts?: What about the researchers in Antarctica?. Turns out, they manage to catch The Blinks and die too, due to bringing Coca Cola with them. | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_393a1e86 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_393a1e86 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead | hasFeature |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_393a1e86 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_4b52ff08 | type |
May Contain Evil | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_4b52ff08 | comment |
May Contain Evil: The Plague was spread by contaminating the syrup at a large Coca Cola bottling plant. | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_4b52ff08 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_4b52ff08 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead | hasFeature |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_4b52ff08 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_4e3d253b | type |
Downer Ending | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_4e3d253b | comment |
Downer Ending | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_4e3d253b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_4e3d253b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead | hasFeature |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_4e3d253b | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_4e887103 | type |
The Aloner | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_4e887103 | comment |
The Aloner: Laura Bird | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_4e887103 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_4e887103 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead | hasFeature |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_4e887103 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_5fdf73bc | type |
Photographic Memory | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_5fdf73bc | comment |
Photographic Memory: Laura appears to have this, and it ends up saving thousands of people from popping out of existence, at least temporarily. | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_5fdf73bc | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_5fdf73bc | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead | hasFeature |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_5fdf73bc | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_6ac3af76 | type |
Divorce Is Temporary | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_6ac3af76 | comment |
Divorce Is Temporary: Sort of. Laura's parents meet again in the afterlife and rekindle their relationship. | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_6ac3af76 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_6ac3af76 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead | hasFeature |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_6ac3af76 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_6d332aea | type |
Driven to Suicide | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_6d332aea | comment |
Driven to Suicide: Several characters, for various reasons. One character did so after his family was killed by a landmine. He was thus reunited with them in The City. | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_6d332aea | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_6d332aea | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead | hasFeature |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_6d332aea | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_91e894b4 | type |
Apocalypse How | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_91e894b4 | comment |
Apocalypse How: Class 3a. | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_91e894b4 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_91e894b4 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead | hasFeature |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_91e894b4 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_959cb9aa | type |
One Degree of Separation | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_959cb9aa | comment |
One Degree of Separation: Pretty much the entire plot. | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_959cb9aa | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_959cb9aa | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead | hasFeature |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_959cb9aa | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_ad22fa80 | type |
Apocalyptic Log | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_ad22fa80 | comment |
Apocalyptic Log: The diary Laura finds at the research station. | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_ad22fa80 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_ad22fa80 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead | hasFeature |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_ad22fa80 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_adfd3165 | type |
For the Evulz | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_adfd3165 | comment |
For the Evulz: No clear reason is theorized or outright stated as to why whoever created the virus even did it. They just... did. | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_adfd3165 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_adfd3165 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead | hasFeature |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_adfd3165 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_c3c18143 | type |
Hope Spot | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_c3c18143 | comment |
Hope Spot: Laura finally finds the research station after much trudging through the harsh weather for several days, and she can finally contact civilization. Too bad there's no civilization left on the other end. | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_c3c18143 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_c3c18143 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead | hasFeature |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_c3c18143 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_cbe687ab | type |
Corrupt Corporate Executive | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_cbe687ab | comment |
Corrupt Corporate Executive: The Coca Cola executives, including the one who hired Laura to go on the expedition. They're actually not directly responsible for The Plague and its spread, but they do agree (after having a board meeting in the Afterlife) to keep it a secret. | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_cbe687ab | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_cbe687ab | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead | hasFeature |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_cbe687ab | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_cd2cf2e3 | type |
Typhoid Mary | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_cd2cf2e3 | comment |
Typhoid Mary: Nobody really finds out the culprit, but it turns out they used Coca-Cola as the distribution nexus for the virus by mixing it into the syrup tanks. Everyone who drank Coke, and anyone who got near them, would be infected and killed quickly. This is how all the researchers in Antarctia got infected in the first place; they took Coke as part of their rations. Incidentally, this is how Laura survives so long, since she has an aversion to drinking Coke. | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_cd2cf2e3 | featureApplicability |
-1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_cd2cf2e3 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead | hasFeature |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_cd2cf2e3 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_d57f4a99 | type |
The Nothing After Death | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_d57f4a99 | comment |
The Nothing After Death: Played with. The departed souls of people end up in the afterlife in The City. It's after their time in The City when it's implied this happens. | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_d57f4a99 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_d57f4a99 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead | hasFeature |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_d57f4a99 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_e294a0be | type |
Our Souls Are Different | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_e294a0be | comment |
Our Souls Are Different | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_e294a0be | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_e294a0be | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead | hasFeature |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_e294a0be | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_name | type |
ItemName | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_name | comment |
||
The Brief History of the Dead / int_name | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_name | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Brief History of the Dead | hasFeature |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_name | |
The Brief History of the Dead / int_name | itemName |
The Brief History of the Dead |
The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.
Copyright of DBTropes.org wrapper 2009-2013 DFKI Knowledge Management. Imprint. - Thanks to Bakken&Baeck for hosting. Contact.
Copyright of data TVTropes.org contributors under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.
Copyright of data TVTropes.org contributors under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.