Eldorado by Jay Allan Storey

In post Peak-Oil Vancouver, the world of bookish community college instructor Richard Hampton is blown apart when his younger brother Danny disappears and the police are too busy keeping a lid on a hungry, overcrowded city to search for him.

Richard must make the transformation to street-smart warrior to survive when he jumps the Food Train to the disintegrating suburbs in a desperate search for Danny and his dog, Zonk.

Branded a criminal by a community of outcasts, imprisoned, and condemned to death, Richard is rescued by streetwise Carrie, who joins in his search.

They trek across the remnants of the sprawling suburbs, facing criminal gangs, renegade militias, and the hardships of the road. Gradually their friendship evolves into something more.

The trail finally unwinds at a deserted complex in the remotest corner of the suburbs. What they discover there will alter their lives and their world forever.