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One Second After

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One Second After

By: William R. Forstchen
Narrated by: Joe Barrett
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Summary

A post-apocalyptic thriller of the after effects in the United States after a terrifying terrorist attack using electromagnetic pulse weapons.

In a small North Carolina town, one man struggles to save his family after America loses a war that will send it back to the Dark Ages.

Already cited on the floor of Congress and discussed in the corridors of the Pentagon as a book all Americans should read, One Second After is the story of a war scenario that could become all too terrifyingly real. Based on a real weapon—the electromagnetic pulse (EMP)—which may already be in the hands of our enemies, it is a truly realistic look at the awesome power of a weapon that can destroy the entire United States, literally within one second.

In the tradition of On the Beach, Fail Safe, and Testament, this book, set in a typical American town, is a dire warning of what might be our future and our end.

©2009 William R. Forstchen (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Fantasy Fiction Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction Suspense Technothrillers Thriller Thriller & Suspense Dystopian Technology Exciting Scary War Survival Natural Disaster Military Emergency Preparedness
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Critic reviews

"[An] entertaining apocalyptic thriller....fans of such classics as Alas, Babylon and On the Beach will have a good time as Forstchen tackles the obvious and some not-so-obvious questions the apocalypse tends to raise." ( Publishers Weekly)
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This is a great book. Well written, well paced and with strong characters you evolve throughout the book.

Ignore the reviews which mention an overdose of American patriotism - the book is set in an area where there are a lot of patriots and with a strong christian background. If these weren't in the book then it wouldn't be a true representation of the area or the people.

Great Book

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I found this book absorbing, it gave a good insight into the more rural culture of America, the pace of life what we here in England might have referred to as village life.
What was alarming was the speed that all of the nicety was swept aside in the name of survival.
In the book you had strong leadership and a community for the best part worked together, this however is not mirrored by others and the horrors of war are all to real.
This is a horrifying tale that is far to close to the true but should be read.

A frightening possibility

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I have often thought that we rely too much on electronics in almost every area of our daily lives - we have lost the art of being ‘offline’ and this story is so close to the truth of what could happen. I could not stop listening even though I had a chill of realisation down my back the entire time. A must listen .....

Frightening but not surprising

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What did you like most about One Second After?

I don't know about "Like" - but it was a brilliant book. YES... very Americatastic... but once you get past that - i hate to say it - but this was a book that is horribly close to the truth of what would probably happen in the event of an EMP event. Horribly realistic. FANTASTIC NARRATOR. All i can say is its a good thing that Tesco is open 24/7... i'm picking up some extra cans of beans, vitamins, water, more water, aspirin. Generator anyone?

What was one of the most memorable moments of One Second After?

When the main character read the story to his dying daughter.... and then went to kill the last family dog for food for his family....

What does Joe Barrett bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

His accent so kept it real. Massively conveyed the finality of so many of the decisions they all had to face

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Yes... massively. had to stop and almost cry in many parts. Horrified by the brutality of humans. The end... so wasn't the end....

Any additional comments?

Prepare to be moved but if you don't like abject American patriotism... avoid.

I'm heading down to Tesco .......

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An outstandingly well presented glimpse into a potential future should we not get ourselves back in check. The west has become weak, dependant on technology, and we're all too happy to carry on like there isn't a threat, or that we'll all be fine. This book is a glimpse into what could happen if the lights go out. It's emotional, depressing, hopeful, and scary all at the same time.

This isn't a story, it's a warning.

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