I have been very remiss in my book reviewing duties. Summer of the Apocalypse, by my friend James Van Pelt, came out in 2006. I got a copy at MileHiCon that year, and read it that night.
There were two reasons why I was anxious to read the novel. First, I’ve been a fan of Jim’s writing since I first heard him read his short story "Once They Were Monarchs" at CONduit in 2005. Jim’s one of the best short story writers out there, and I highly recommend his collection 
The Last Of The O-Forms & Other Stories.
Second, at CONduit in 2006, Jim had read from Summer of the Apocalypse, so I’d already had a taste of the book and wanted more.
The basic plot of the book follows a character named Eric, but I think you’ll like the book even if you don’t share a name with the protagonist. The novel alternates between Eric as a 15-year-old boy trying to survive as most of Earth’s population is wiped out by a plague, and Eric as a 75-year-old man trying to make sure the knowledge of civilization isn’t lost forever.
The novel is tensely paced, the characters are well-drawn, and the story is memorable and thought-provoking. That’s why I can recommend it to you almost a year and a half after reading it. I’m just sorry I didn’t get around to reviewing it sooner.