The world has come to an end. That is to say, the normal world of commerce and daily life has ended globally. A massive flu pandemic has wiped out over five billion people, or 70 percent of the world’s population. The survivors are faced with a whole new world.

The U.S. is now divided into two types of places where people live: metro areas, which offer basic services for their residents, and Reclaimed Territories, which are outside of the city limits and are similar to hippie communes. There are also some mostly uninhabited areas where gangs are rampant. Manufacturing has basically come to a halt. There are supplies stored in warehouses, but getting the goods distributed is difficult as stealing and looting is widespread. There is a central government, but it is hampered by cities that try to govern themselves and by a lack of resources.

"Mike Chen gives readers a chilling look at what a global pandemic could do to our society and crafts an intriguing story of how such a scenario could play out."

When the flu pandemic reached its highest point, the government set up quarantine areas to try to stop the disease from spreading further. A BEGINNING AT THE END centers on four characters who survived and are trying to rebuild their lives six years later. Former pop star Moira, also known as MoJo, wanted to escape her old life and the suffocating and controlling nature of her father. Before she could be quarantined, she ran away and started a new life outside of the settled areas, joining a gang. Rob's wife died during the quarantine, and he is now raising his daughter, Sunny, all by himself. And Krista, a single woman who has a deep distrust of men, is trying to survive on her own. These four individuals are brought together through a work setting. Rob is drawn to the two women, both of whom adore Sunny.

The new government’s main concern, now that the majority of its population perished during the pandemic, is to care for and nurture its children. After all, they are the future of the world. When Sunny starts acting out and getting into trouble at school, Rob faces the prospect of losing custody of her to the state. Can Krista and MoJo help him fix the problem, even as they each face their own hurdles in this new world?

Author Mike Chen gives readers a chilling look at what a global pandemic could do to our society and crafts an intriguing story of how such a scenario could play out.