One Man Can Make a Difference

Dick is a Marine, aka a Devil Dog. He is suffering from PTSD and has been living in the tunnels of Chicago since before the EMP sent society into chaos. He also has a good heart and will fight for what is right and just. As a result, he has a collection of children surviving with him that he has rescued from the gangs that would sell them into slavery.

Craven’s first book in the Out Of The Dark series, Devil Dog, highlights some of the demons that a post-war veteran has to fight within themselves. It’s a gritty tale and shows some of the worst of mankind’s actions when there is no rule of law. Edmund Burke once said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” But, what happens when good men do something?

All of Craven’s books are short reads but pack a powerful punch. Looking forward to book number two in the series.

5 out of 5 stars.

Will mankind become extinct?

Dr. Peyton Shaw of the CDC has been sent to Kenya to isolate and stop a mysterious Ebola-like disease. That is what she does best. It’s her life’s work. Within a matter of days, the disease has infected the globe. And, Peyton has been pulled into a battle for the very existence of mankind.

Riddle’s first novel in The Extinction Files, Pandemic, is a very detailed account of how the CDC, WHO, and other response groups handle an epidemic outbreak. Couple that with an ancient organization that believes it is saving the human race and you have a fantastic mystery to solve. There are layers upon layers of interconnections that will keep you guessing throughout the entire book.

Pandemic is a very long book, but so worth the read. Riddle does an excellent job of building the backstory and pulling together all the pieces in the mystery. He truly brings forth a quality product. I look forward to the sequel.

5 out of 5 stars.

Vigilante Justice Served

Jesse Townsend has lost everything and wants nothing but to find his sister in Tennessee. On his trek from Colorado he encounters injustices that he cannot ignore. It is the right thing to do and JT would rather die helping than walking away.

Bird’s second novel in the Society Lost series, Betrayal, JT travels alone lost in dark thoughts that have all but broken him. Willing to be a lone vigilante if needed JT sets out to rescue those imprisoned at the hands of despots. His spirit is renewed once he finds others that will stand along his side against the evils this new society has unleashed.

This book takes good look at how a man can find new purpose in his life. I look forward to reading the next installment of JT’s adventure. It’s a long way to Tennessee.

5 out of 5 stars.

Let Me Go Home

Clayton Shepard just wants to get home to Texas and his family. He miraculously landed back on Earth in Canada after two CMEs knocked the power out on the ISS as well as all the planet. After finding an older model plane that still flies he crashes it in a field near the Denver airport. A secret government group finds him and imprisons him in their underground facility. Once inside no one is allowed to leave.

Abrahams third novel in The SpaceMan Chronicles, Retrograde: A Post Apocalyptic Thriller, focuses on the new society that is holding Clayton hostage while waiting on those outside to die off. This gut wrenching story shows the determination of a man who wants nothing but to get home. And, Clayton is not the only one who wants to leave this underground lair.

I have enjoyed this trilogy and hate to see it end. It was nice to depart from the land based prepper story and see things from outer space. If anything, this series is unique in the post-apocalyptic genre in that respect.

5 out of 5 stars.

Refuge Lost

Jesse Townsend is a former sheriff who now lives up in the Rocky Mountains with his family. He sought refuge once he lost the election and saw what appeared to be the coming downfall of society. Raising sheep is the family’s main food source which has increasing been threatened by wolves. Now it seems that man may be an even more formidable predator.

Bird’s first novel in the Society Lost series, The Shepherd, follows JT as he tries to keep his family safe in a post-apocalyptic world. This new world was brought about by a greedy bunch who aligned themselves with the worst of society to reshape it into a one world society. JT thought his preparations and seclusion in the mountains would spare them from the effects of this unholy alliance.

This book had a twist in it that slapped my upside my head. I was totally unprepared for it and quite heartbroken over it. It is a darned good story and I highly recommend it. Can’t wait for the next book in the series.

5 out of 5 stars. I wish I could give it 6.

They Will Forcefully Use You

Misha is a teenaged farm boy in the post-apocalyptic Guild, the society that runs what was once Denver.  He meets an attractive young lady on a trip into town with his father. She lures him into a trap set by the resistance. Is she friend or foe? Who are the good guys and who are the bad?

Parker’s novella, Guild: A Dystopian Short Story, shows us what each side of the powers that be will do to rule over the people. It is well written and hooks you into this dystopian world immediately. The two main characters are well developed. And, I would like to see more of them.

I’m hoping this was a test balloon that floated well for Parker. There is more of this story I would like to read.

5 out of 5 stars.

Terror at sea

Jim Rutherford and a close circle of his friends are as prepared as anyone could be for a disaster. Once it hits they find themselves with limited options once Delaware City becomes overrun by terrorists. Thanks to Judith Hoskins, they have a small boat to carry additional supplies when they head out to sea. But, the ocean is not immune to criminal behavior.

Bird’s fifth novel in The New Homefront series, Viking One, can be read as a stand-alone novel. It steps away from the story of Evan and Jason while keeping to the same universe. The two stories dovetail into one another. The escape to the ocean was a nice change to the overland adventure.

I don’t know if Bird plans to continue their story and have them meet up with the folks in Tennessee, but I certainly hope he does. I have loved every moment of this series.

5 out of 5 stars.

What do I do now?

Clara Thomas is caught on her commute to work as an EMP is unleashed. Not knowing what else to do she and her coworker walk back home. Once the reality of what has happened sinks in, Clara finds herself searching for ways to keep her family safe and survive. She is unprepared and has no idea where to begin.

Lockwood’s first novel in the Zero Power series, It Began: A Post-Apocalyptic EMP Survival, tells the story of survival from the outlook of someone who is not a prepper and has minimal skills. Fortunately, her coworker agrees to help as she is the sole provider for an aged grandmother and a dysfunctional older sister.

I had a hard time reading this book as I did not like the protagonist at all. I could not find it in myself to even feel the least bit of empathy. The story seemed to meander around while attempting to find its purpose. The ending was unfulfilling and left me with no desire to read the sequel.

3 out of 5 stars.

I received this book for free from the author for review consideration. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.

Do Not Ever Give Up

Evan and Jason and the rest of the crew that sought to recover new supplies have been captured by the UN Peacekeeping forces and separated. While trying to escape, and find their way home again things are not going well at the homestead. Will the oppression being brought about by those supposedly in charge finally defeat those that seek to remain free?

Bird’s fourth novel in The New Homefront series, The Resolution, is one of the saddest so far. Those that do not want to be dependent upon the government suffer the most. It does offer hope and new beginnings.

It will be interesting to see where the story takes up from here.

5 out of 5 stars.