One Second After by William R. Forstchen
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Book Reviews of One Second After
Book Review: A thrilling page turner - frightening and gripping
Summary: 5 Stars
I read this after reading Patriots, another post apocalyptic thriller. This was a far superior book. I don't view works of fiction as scientific treatises, so I won't waste time debating the merits of the science/EMP foundation for the plot.
The plot is aptly summarized on the other reviews and on Amazon, so I will just say that this book started off gently but quickly had me sucked in to the point that I couldn't put it down. The way the chaos unfolds transforms the book into an epic journey of survival. The main character is a 48 year-old professor. Interestingly, the author does not have him transform into a Ramboish Road Warrior. Instead, the main character is more reluctantly sucked into events, and even then, is more an observer than a true participant. Most of the action and heroics are left to others. I don't know whether the scenario of the book is truly possible or not, but I know it is a terrifying scenario when you realize how dependent our entire food infrastructure is upon electricity and transportation. Any sizeable city or town would simply perish within a few months without the steady supply of food and water that seemingly by magic appears around us. Google "EMP threat" if you really want to get freaked out. As a pure story, this book is outstanding. If you are looking more for disaster prep, I would recommend Patriots, although the story really suffers in the last 1/3rd of the book.
Book Review: One Second After I put this down, I wanted to read it again!
Summary: 5 Stars
I adore post apocalyptic fiction, there is just *something* so fantastic in reading about the scenarios that take place after a nuclear war, or natural disaster, or man made disaster on an epic scale. I read this genre mostly because I want to hear how the survivors cope; I want to hear the descriptions of how our world ended and what state it's in afterwards. I gobble up the desecration of modern society and the inevitable "back to the basics" survival that takes place.
In "One Second After", it's an EMP (electro magnetic pulse) that knocks us on our behinds and Americans are without any electronic device, which we all know we depend on way too much to survive. Imagine no refrigeration which means no way of keeping food from spoiling, and medications from spoiling also. Within weeks, or months everyone who depends on Insulin, anti-rejection meds, chemo drugs, etc would be dead. Our cars would be rendered immobile, there would be no method of communication, and in this book its about a small mountain community in North Carolina who are extremely isolated which is both a positive and a negative.
William Forstchen is an amazing writer; he really knows his stuff especially when dealing with military and technical issues and most importantly human nature. He also has written a book that is from the beginning to the end, fascinating and gripping and well worth your time.
Book Review: Required. A moving look at what we do not want to look at.
Summary: 5 Stars
SPOILER ALERT:
All of our talks over the last fifty years concerning weapons of mass destruction have focused on nuclear devices, and, to a minor degree, biological weapons.
The book gives the perfect definition of an EMP weapon - a Time Machine that will set teh country back two hundred years.
There's a bit too much "rah-rah happy ending," but that is only a brief moment in a wonderfully written novel that tells us how easily all we take for granted can be taken away from us.
We get to see the slow motion collapse of two centuries of economic and social development over the course of less than a year, and an incredibly challenging year it is.
SPOILER BEGINS:
The death of his daughter due to Type 1 diabetes will move you to tears.
The sacrifice of her favorite dog, so her sister might be able to carry her child to term, will move you to tears. Protein.
We must do all we can to insure this does not happen.
By the way, a horrific year after The Pulse, the American population is down to about thirty million.
You can guess what happened to them, or you can read this required reading, for a quick outline.
You should prepare for several restless nights after you have finished this book, and some long, hard discussions with your family.
Book Review: Foretelling. Exciting. Emotional. Fascinating.
Summary: 5 Stars
ONE SECOND AFTER by William Forstchen is a fascinating glimpse into a potential future of America.
We have all heard about emergency preparedness, in one form or another. A little water, flashlights, candles, perhaps some food in case th elights go out. But what happens if the grid goes down altogether? And stays down? No running water, no food deliveries to the stores, no electricity, no medicine?
The systems upon which are economy is built are complex, intertwined, and susceptible to interruption, for any number of reasons. We have already seen the devastation and disruptions caused by earthquakes, hurricanes, and wars. Is America invulnerable? No.
The book traces the twelve months after an EMP (electro-magnetic pulse) cripples the U.S. infrastructure and economic systems. John, a history professor and ex-military type, is thrust into a leadership role in his community as they turn to him to lead them into survival. One consequence after another befalls him and his family as they struggle through the issues of life. America is thrust back to 1850, economically, and their fight for survival makes for fascinating reading.
Few of us are prepared for that reality. Who would survive? What desperate means would confront us? How would we provide for our families and ourselves?
Are you prepared?
Book Review: What would you do...?
Summary: 5 Stars
After hearing this book promoted on Sean Hannity, and THEN endorsed by Brad Thor, coupled with the fact that I love "end of the world" novels... reading this book was a no-brainer. I've heard about EMP's on `Coast to Coast AM' a few times but never really took my interest any further. This book, albeit fiction was a very scary slap in the face. There is no doubt that this could happen and if (hopefully not WHEN) this happens the horrors described in this book will seem like child's play.
William does a magnificent job describing how our society would fare in the aftermath of an EMP. Man, it's even scary just thinking what would happen if our entire power grid just... just fried! The residents of Black Mountain find themselves a society unto themselves after the unthinkable happens. I really started to wonder if society would deteriorate as fast as Mr. Forstchen wrote. Food rationing, martial law, overnight cults, cannibalism, public executions, and death rates that climb faster than the temperature in the Mojave Desert.
I was, however, a little surprised at how short this book was considering the subject matter. That being said, trust the buzz on this one yall because it is a very entertaining, very worthwhile, very scary, please-wake-up read. Now I wonder if the people who NEED to read this book, will?