The Way
A postapocalyptic road trip and a quest for redemption
It’s 2048, fifteen years after the world was ravaged by a lethal avian flu virus. Cities and electrical grids have been destroyed, and with few exceptions, only the young have survived. The natural world has reclaimed the landscape, with herds of wild camels roaming the American West and bioluminescent crocodiles lurking in the rivers. New diseases have emerged as well, including a particularly terrifying one known simply as Disease X, which appears as a kind of fast-moving dementia, destroying people's minds over the course of several months before ultimately killing them.
Will Collins, the last surviving resident of a Buddhist retreat center in Colorado, receives an urgent request: to deliver a potential cure for Disease X to a scientist on the West Coast. So Will sets out into an unknown and perilous world, haunted by dreams of the woman he once loved, in a rusted-out pickup pulled by two mules. He doesn’t have much time—temperatures are rising to lethal heights, a notorious bandit is on his tail, and armed militias patrol the roads. Fortunately, he has allies: a clever raven, a huge stray cat, and a tough teenage girl who has learned to survive on her own. The novel engages with important existential questions, but is also imbued with keen, perceptive humor.
"A highly original contribution to the canon of dystopian literature, The Way is a thrilling and imaginative novel, full of warmth, wisdom, and surprises. It raises age-old questions about life, death, and how to live, while reflecting our own world in unsettling, uncanny, and even hopeful ways." — Spiegel & Grau
The Way was among five novels (and five nonfiction books) recommended for December reading by the LA Times: Read the Article
It has also been named to Zibby Media's "Most Anticipated" list for this fall and winter. The book was published in the U.S. on Dec. 3, 2024, and will launch in the U.K. in March 2025.
Praise for The Way
"Not many writers could match the marvelous imaginative achievement of Cary Groner’s The Way. Groner creates a post-apocalyptic world that is frighteningly believable, and populates it with finely drawn characters—both gracious and wicked—whose capacity for love, hope, and cruelty mirrors what we encounter in our real, present world. Part page-turner, part love story, partly a plea for respect of both human and animal life, The Way heightened my appreciation for what I too often take for granted.”
— Roland Merullo, Author of Breakfast with Buddha
"Part survival story, part grimoire, The Way is a magical book. Cary Groner is a master storyteller. His glorious, enchanting prose cast a spell on me from the bleak beginnings of his post-apocalyptic tale until its symphonic conclusion."
— Domenica Ruta, author of Last Day
"Cary Groner's The Way is everything that apocalyptic doomer novels should be: entertaining, unsparing, and spiritual. This is an invigorating addition to the vital literature that bears witness to what we can't afford to ignore: our collective patterns of self-destruction. I loved it."
— Claire Vaye Watkins, author of I Love You but I’ve Chosen Darkness
"A thrilling, life-affirming adventure, The Way is a bold blend of a post-apocalyptic scorched earth, ancient Buddhism, and interspecies relationships — all packed into a tightly woven story of horror, hope, and love."
— Katie Hafner, author of The Boys
“The Way is a fantastic post-apocalyptic novel that blends insight, adventure, and heart. I would readily recommend it to readers across genres—whether you’re here for the premise, the philosophy, or the character-driven storytelling, there’s a little something for everyone."
— Forever Lost in Lit
"A smart, tough-minded thriller."
— The San Francisco Chronicle
"Cary Groner's latest is a triumphant success."
— Booklist
"An ultimately hopeful vision of the aftermath of disaster....An engaging window into a strange new world."
— Kirkus Reviews
"Groner offers a contemplative take on the postapocalyptic genre that leaves room for hope but doesn’t stint on realism. This novel reads like Cormac McCarthy’s The Road meets Robert M. Pirsig’s Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Highly recommended."
— Library Journal
"Groner paints a persuasive picture of his dystopian world, peopled with strong characters and driven by cinematic action. This [novel] reinvigorates an overworked genre."
— Publishers Weekly
"I found the most fascinating part of this novel in the essence of found family."
— Rocky Mountain Reader
"Open-ended yet optimistic, The Way is a hopeful dystopian novel in which a man searches for peace and beauty at the end of the world."
— Foreword
"Cary Groner brings Buddhist philosophy into his tale, as the characters explore what it means to live without harming others, and to have hope—even in the context of the end of the world."
— Lion's Roar
"Vivid and often philosophical, the story is both tender and brutal....This is a post-apocalyptic novel that even someone burnt out on post-apocalyptic novels can appreciate."
— Engadget
Book Clubs
Thinking about reading The Way with your book club? Download our book club kit linked below for discussion questions, recipes, a playlist and more.