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Portrait of W. Clark Boutwell
Author spotlight

W. Clark Boutwell

Author of After The Fall Was Over: Book One of The Silence and the Gods Trilogy

Born in Chicago and raised outside Philadelphia, Clark, a physician, teaching and practicing intensive care for newborn infants on four continents and eight countries. He retired after fifty years in medicine. He lives in a cabin in the woods in the hills of Tennessee with his "pound puppy," Babe, and his new wife. He has been an avid solo hiker, backpacker, and climber since he was a mere lad of 11. Some of his stories are true.

He has traveled extensively to Rwanda, Kenya, India, Ecuador, Zambia, and Ghana as a volunteer physician.

"Outland Exile," a Pinnacle award recipient, (iUniverse, Oct 2015) and Exiles' Escape (Indigo River Feb 2018 and also a Pinnacle awardee), and Malila of the Scorch (Indigo River 2019 and a Firebird Awardee (for Best Sci Fi in July 2019 along with books 1&2, a Book Excellence awardee, and a 5-star review from Readers' Favorite) form the first of two trilogies (Old Men and Infidels) set in the devasted/enlightened America of the 22nd century.

The Second Trilogy (The Silence and the Gods) was inaugurated with "After the Fall Was Over" in 2025. Requiem for the Gods is in presentation now, and WT Marriage of Convenience is in the works.

The book
Cover of After The Fall Was Over: Book One of The Silence and the Gods TrilogyAfter The Fall Was Over: Book One of The Silence and the Gods TrilogySci-FiFantasyGenerations after the old republic dies by its own hand, the successor states are still at war. General Fettwap Aliende and the high-tech Unity DUFS invade the outlands west of the AppIach. Agrarian, less populous, and decidedly unfashionable, the invasion should be a walkover. Yet, on the fourth day out, the Unis awake to brutal cold and discover that their brain-ablated troopers have slipped their mental leash. The rank-and-file, oblivious to orders, kill their officers and each other until only the submissives remain. And then the Americans attack, scooping up what remains. Aliende bullies his considerable bulk onto the only skimmer leaving the frozen outlands. On the spur of the moment, Aliende dragoons Captain Blanche Woods to cover his back. All other passengers are executed to cover his cowardice. Outrunning the news of his own defeat, Aliende returns to Nyork and seizes, with Woods' help, the reins of power, aspiring to become Solon, supreme and protected. Blanche Woods, a TranTran, coerced into sex reassignment as a child but regretting it ever since, hopes her new status, based on her talents rather than her "Protected Class," will give her a chance for real advancement. However, Aliende's paranoia assigns her to the unenviable task of rooting out all American spies - and she falls down the rabbit hole prepared for her. The CORE, the master computer of the Unity, has ghosts who create rabbit holes. The CORE entities realize that a decaying Unity, whether by neglect or conquest, means the CORE dies-taking its ghosts with it. Feeling like "babes underfoot in a bar brawl," they plot to alter reality.★★★★★ 5.0 on the Hive5 reviewsOpen the book
Reviews

Latest from readers

On After The Fall Was Over: Book One of The Silence and the Gods Trilogy

★★★★★

Sci-fi with real political teeth

“Sci-fi readers who like their stories with actual political teeth will like this. The CORE entities plotting to alter reality because their own survival is on the line is such a great sci-fi conceit. First book in a trilogy so be ready for a cliffhanger-ish end.”
AmazonJohanny Parker · Amazon · still live
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On After The Fall Was Over: Book One of The Silence and the Gods Trilogy

★★★★★

Took two tries, then couldn't put it down

“Took me two tries to get into it (a lot of names/factions to track) but once Blanche gets assigned to find spies, I couldn't put it down. That's the real start of the book for me.”
AmazonFabiana · Amazon · still live
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On After The Fall Was Over: Book One of The Silence and the Gods Trilogy

★★★★★

Everything goes sideways fast and I loved it

“I love a good everything goes sideways in the first act kinda books and this delivers. The frozen outlands invasion going wrong within days set the tone perfectly. Excited for book two.”
AmazonFernanda Bascope · Amazon · still live
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Read all 5 reviews of After The Fall Was Over: Book One of The Silence and the Gods Trilogy

Press

In the press

Press coverage of W. Clark Boutwell · The Literary Hive

Aug 6, 2026
Jun 25, 2026