Post-Apocalypse
This novel is post-apocalyptic by genre. The future is marred by the outbreak of a horrific virus of archetypal nature. The humans are transformed into a dark version of themselves by a virus that makes monsters of them, like zombies. This has led to the devolution of world economies and governments with the outbreak of survivalism and chaos. Texas is now the most established nation—not state, nation—in the Western world as changes bring about a second Wild West epoch.
Monstrosity and gore
The imagery that best defines the surreal aspect of this science-fiction story is monstrosity and gore. The quasi-zombie monsters plague the humans and kill them, and they constantly spread infection too, so the sci-fi motifs of zombie fiction are present. Tim is defined as a villain by his ability to be infected by the evil virus and not only survive, but be transformed into an agent of the illness. The gore is a commentary on animal nature, because humans are quite fragile and squishy. They form an imagery that comments on mortality.
Salvation and survival
Amy and Peter play the messianic role. Like Moses and Aaron in Exodus, or Jesus and John the Baptist in the gospels, Amy and Peter are agents for survival of death. They introduce hope where hope is not obvious. The imagery of their heroic nature is also fulfilled by the archetypal foil of their role. Tim becomes patient zero, which is basically a way of making him an antichrist. He survives death another way, becoming a possessed agent for death. He opposes Amy with fervor.
Community and future
One survivor alone would not constitute successful survival of the human race. What really has to survive is human community, because without a community of people, the advantages of being human are severely limited. Without having doctors and farmers and such, humans are reduced back to hunting and gathering, not to mention the horrific undead monsters that are basically a new kind of predator. The imagery of community and future found in the ending of the novel is a reference to a hopeful future. The epic times lead the survivors to deify the heroic saviors, Peter and Amy, by remembering them through legendary remembrances.
