# One Second After



## ComputerGuy (Dec 10, 2010)

Just got done reading this on my Kindle. Very riveting. Next is Patriots: Surviving the coming collapse. Hard to get through this one. To many product endorsements it seems. Reads like an infomercial 

After that is Lights Out. 

Any suggestions?


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

ComputerGuy said:


> Any suggestions?


Don't let you're kindle battery run out. 

I also read One Second After and have Patriots and a few others but don't seem to have time to read. Too much gardening and firewood right now.


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## Turtle (Dec 10, 2009)

Don't waste your time with "Patriots"... it is terrible and has almost zero plot. Just buy the author's actual how-to book.

"Dies the Fire" by S.M. Stirling is a great book, probably one of my top five all-time favorites. You won't pick up a ton of info, but it is a great character study of how different people would handle and recover from a world-wide societal collapse. It is actually the first in a series of books, but I think the first three are the best, as they deal with the generation who lives through The Change.

"One Second After" was also a fantastic book; good choice. If you liked that one, I think you would enjoy "Dies the Fire".


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## Hooch (Jul 22, 2011)

i just started lights out...great read so far!


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## horseman09 (Mar 2, 2010)

IMHO, _One Second After_ is a very well-written, gripping tale based on solid science and a likely scenario.

As America declines and defense and R&D budgets are slashed, America's degraded intelligence capabilities and eroded future-risk defensive capabilites will make an EMP a probable event. _One Second After _ will become even more relavent.


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## ComputerGuy (Dec 10, 2010)

Thanks everyone. I am going to scrap Patriots and go to Lights. 

I am really suffering through this one. Seems like every sentence is "Johnny remembered to have all members of the team use a Max Smart knife which they purchased from Max Smart knives on the internet"

I need a razor blade.

OH Horse, the is no IMHO. Your onionskin is usually right on!!


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## want2bready (Aug 5, 2011)

Desperate times 

and Desperate times 2 Gun control 


are both books I read last week and have really gotten me thinking. Wondering how likely those scenarios are to happening.


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## neil-v1 (Jan 22, 2010)

You could try Alas Babylon and also The Wild Shore and On The Beach. I don't think they match One Second After, but they are without a doubt worth the read.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand is another good one.

Amazon.com: Atlas Shrugged (9780451191144): Ayn Rand: Books


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

I checked out 'One Second After'and only got to page 40.It was one scary book.It makes a lot of sense about how fast things go down in a societal breakdown.


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## dahur (Dec 18, 2009)

I'll have to get "One second after".

I just read a very good book
"World made by hand" James Howard Kunstler

Life after some nuclear event, no access to oil. Horse and buggies again, and the strong survive.


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## Rainy13 (Aug 5, 2011)

One second after is a great book...Taught me alot. Scared me too.
Just started reading Lights out.


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## gypsysue (Mar 27, 2010)

One Second After really is a great book. I didn't like Patriots and I don't know why it has such an "Oprah"-style following. :nuts:

A lot of the other books above are good, such as "Alas, Babylon". "The world ends in Hickory Hollow" is another good post-apocalyptic fiction novel.


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## IndigoLight (Apr 15, 2010)

Turtle said:


> Don't waste your time with "Patriots"... it is terrible and has almost zero plot. Just buy the author's actual how-to book.


Second that.


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## IndigoLight (Apr 15, 2010)

Meerkat said:


> I checked out 'One Second After'and only got to page 40.It was one scary book.It makes a lot of sense about how fast things go down in a societal breakdown.


I've heard similar comments from many people... this book made them uncomfortable, scared them, they didn't get the happy ending (like a Hollywood movie ).
This book is very important IMHO. 
It truthfully portraits what would happen with our society, our every day life when/if SHTF. Yes, certain parts made my skin crawl and other parts made me cry. But we need to face our fears and live through the uncomfortable feelings, it is good for our growth as human beings and as preppers .


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## IndigoLight (Apr 15, 2010)

dahur said:


> I just read a very good book
> "World made by hand" James Howard Kunstler
> 
> Life after some nuclear event, no access to oil. Horse and buggies again, and the strong survive.


I liked this book as well.
And I loved his "The Long Emergency".


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## dahur (Dec 18, 2009)

Anyone read "Lights out" by David Crawford?
In prowling Amazon this evening, 200 reviewers loved this book.
EM attack destroys almost all electrical devices.


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## WinTheMindWinTheDay (Jul 27, 2011)

Turtle said:


> Don't waste your time with "Patriots"... it is terrible and has almost zero plot. Just buy the author's actual how-to book.
> 
> 
> IndigoLight said:
> ...


Third that. I got to the part when they met up with the similar group, and set up phase lines of patrol, etc., and I just lost complete interest. I felt that it was neither informative enough, nor entertaining enough to sit through any longer. The man is a brilliant, knowledgeable man, yes, and has some great ideas, and a pretty good blog. However, Patriots, for a lack of a better word, is stale.


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## preppingsu (Aug 7, 2010)

Try 'Last Light' and 'After Light' by Alex Scarrow. Written with a UK perspective in mind.
I enjoyed both, managed to get hubby to read them but he felt quite depressed after!


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## MichaelK (Aug 3, 2011)

Another good read is Dickenson's "Wolf and Iron", about a young collegian that adopts a tamed wolf in the aftermath of economic colapse.

Another is "Lucifer's Hammer" by Larry Niven, about a dinosaur-killer sized asteroid that hits the earth, and how people struggle to survive afterwards.

You can't fault the author's too much for what they are writing, because their stories are based in part on their own experience. Niven is a outer-space science fiction writer, so of course, destruction comes from on-high. Sterling is a mideval history buff, so "Dies the Fire is just a way to recreate a mideval life. I think that's the least plausible of all the story lines. Forchten is a military historian, so of course the lead character in "One Second After" is a military historian who's experience saves everyone from the killer cannibalist horde! Yes, Patriots does read like a product-placement advertisement, but I'd I agree that it's written as a how-to manual in narrative form. The book really goes downhill once the author goes into the conspircy theory of why the Europeans invade.

What you really need to do is read them all and slowly digest and mix them together. All together, they can cooperatively paint a realistic picture of what post-disaster life is likely to be like. There will be people that form support groups to everyones mutual benefit! There will be people so base they are willing to break your child's arm to snatch the last crust of bread out of their hands! Use them all to form your own prepping stratege.


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## HozayBuck (Jan 27, 2010)

gypsysue said:


> One Second After really is a great book. I didn't like Patriots and I don't know why it has such an "Oprah"-style following. :nuts:
> 
> A lot of the other books above are good, such as "Alas, Babylon". "The world ends in Hickory Hollow" is another good post-apocalyptic fiction novel.


Hickory Hollow was a big surprise to me, really liked it!!! I will admit I've read Patriots about 5 times, starting as share ware online... it has it's good points but yes it reads like an infomercial , I will say that I do believe Rawles has actually used and tested the items he push's . But I do get tired of writers who think a person can only survive if they have a $200.00 knife from whozitz blade works...

I stand in the flood of good praise when I say I thought "One second " wasn't a good book...but I will revisit it and try to be more open minded.. the medical issues were very real.. I just picked at it because of how they didn't seem to have any basic survival skills or even common knowledge...

I liked Lucifer's Hammer, read it back when it was new and once or twice since..

There is a good read on line I think at Frugal Squirrel ..called "The Castle" I really enjoyed that one..it had ideas in it I had never thought of..!! awesome read!

"Lights out " is an outstanding book!! I've read it twice on line , it's since been pulled because it's been published... the Author did a way above average job and I highly recommend it !!...

The three books of the extended story beginning with "Deep Winter" followed by " Shatter and Remnant" is a long and really good story...

All three have been published and are on Amazon.. I would highly recommend all preppers to buy all 3 along with Light's Out before any others... these come closest to what I see as being more likely to happen...

I'm very lucky in that I have a 4 in my hard drive..


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## Necred (Sep 26, 2010)

Michael Vey/ prisoner of 25th cell.. RP Evans


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## DanaThrives (Aug 6, 2011)

ComputerGuy said:


> Just got done reading this on my Kindle. Very riveting. Next is Patriots: Surviving the coming collapse. Hard to get through this one. To many product endorsements it seems. Reads like an infomercial
> 
> After that is Lights Out.
> 
> Any suggestions?


I really liked One Second After. I read Patriots before that & thought it was OK. I think it was intended to be a manual in a fictional format. It got to the point that I just sort of skimmed over all of the detailed weaponry stuff. I have started reading Lights Out. I'm only on chapter 17, but so far I really like the book!


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## ComputerGuy (Dec 10, 2010)

I am still trudging through Patriots. 

I love the Kindle. After that I have to read Benjamin Franklin, In his own words the Lights Out


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## Jezcruzen (Oct 21, 2008)

"One Second After" and "Lucifer's Hammer" are both good books.

Recently I also read "Devil colony". It, too, was riveting.


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## philjam (Dec 17, 2008)

UncleJoe said:


> Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand is another good one.
> 
> Amazon.com: Atlas Shrugged (9780451191144): Ayn Rand: Books


She was ahead of her time. I read it as a cautionary expose of what happens when socialism/communism gets the upper hand. Like today. However, not much value to the average prepper who does not have access to private jets and unlimited construction projects in Shangri La. 
As old as it is, it is still a great read.


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## Ponce (May 3, 2009)

Wasted my money with "Patriots"........"One Second After".......was great.


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## Idaholady (Apr 24, 2010)

I read Patriots five years ago...then read One Second After last year. I loaned that book out to two people and they couldn't get into the book, it was too scary for them. I read Lights Out recently, and recommend that to everyone....excellent book....


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

DanaThrives said:


> I read Patriots...It got to the point that I just sort of skimmed over all of the detailed weaponry stuff.


I did a lot of "skimming" through Patriots also.


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## StrayDog (May 2, 2011)

Reading One Second After now and started off pretty boring. It has gained some intensity now that I am in chapter 4 though and overall has been a good read.


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## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

I just read Soft Apocalypse by Will McIntosh and reviewed it in the product review section of this forum. Good book. Now I'm reading Burn Down the Sky by James Jaros. It's also really good and set about 20 years after the collapse, which from the few novels of this type that I've read is a unique twist-many seem to feature the collapse, whatever it may be, as a relatively recent event.

I'll review this book as soon as I'm done with it, which will probably be within the next day or two.


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## Fn/Form (Nov 6, 2008)

ComputerGuy,

Glad to see you are still making your way through Patriots. My opinion of that work differs from what seems to be the majority here. 

I agree that One Second and others are more entertaining and do have value. But very, very few of them can hold a candle to the preparedness-based origin and purpose of Patriots. Patriots is part of the original breed (Ragnar Benson, Boston T., etc.) that still constitutes the standard for preparedness fiction. In fact, most of these newer books are "I wish I would have prepared" vs. "we prepared". 

Also, referring to specific manufacturers and tools gives us a recommended standard. That is an invaluable starting point when we're examining our own locale and needs.

There's more fiction out there. An older read is Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank. If my books weren't in boxes right now I'd give some more recommendations.


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## pipelayer916 (Jul 23, 2010)

I've been wanting to read this one, and Alas, Babylon. I found One Second After in PDF. If anyone would like a copy PM me and I will send it to you.


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## Possumfam (Apr 19, 2011)

Yep, read One Second After, and am currently reading Lights Out. But no one has mentioned the series that got me started reading this kind of stuff. It was written by Terri Blackstock. She has a series of four books (I'll probably get them out of order) Last Light, Night Light, True Light, Dawn's Light. I can't say that it teaches alot of preparedness, but the books follow a typical, suburban, unprepped family through a shtf scenario. I read the first chapter of the first book online, then I checked them out from our library. The entire family has read them, and some are re-reading them. We loved them!


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## SageAdvicefarmgirl (Jun 23, 2011)

Part of my frustration of the book One Second After is that it seemed to portray the life of a community organizer, not a typical family. There were good parts where one can consider potential SHTF scenarios. 

I love to tell folks (the ones whom I wish would start prepping) about the part where people were breaking in to old restarants to eat the waste from the grease traps! Thats when I tell them it couldn't hurt to have some extra food stocked up!


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## BillM (Dec 29, 2010)

This was a good read. I really enjoyed it.


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## ComputerGuy (Dec 10, 2010)

So far Lights Out has been pretty good. I'm only to the point where they are at the Davis Ranch for the second day. There are some great ideas, like they mention a type of Camouflage pattern. It is not in your face like, We got the Multicam at Jims Sports and Grill in Chicago!

So far a good read and it has me taking notes and idea. Battery powered fans. Need to check into that!


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## Possumfam (Apr 19, 2011)

ComputerGuy said:


> So far Lights Out has been pretty good. I'm only to the point where they are at the Davis Ranch for the second day. There are some great ideas, like they mention a type of Camouflage pattern. It is not in your face like, We got the Multicam at Jims Sports and Grill in Chicago!
> 
> So far a good read and it has me taking notes and idea. Battery powered fans. Need to check into that!


WHAT??? THEY GO BACK OUT TO THE DAVIS RANCH??? :ignore:


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## akmike (Feb 17, 2010)

I read "One Second After" while flying to Las Vegas with my son for a wheel chair rugby tournyment. I had heard about the book and on a whim picked it up at a bookstore at the airport. Did not inspire a lot of good thoughts about dealing with a group of guys in wheelchairs in Vegas, a long way from home.

Just recently finished "Alas Babalyon". I thought it was very good. Just started rereading "Lucifers Hammer". I enjoyed it years ago and am enjoying it again.


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## paulfunk (Aug 20, 2011)

*Earth Abides*

If you liked One Second After and World Made By Hand you would like Earth Abides.


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## Ezmerelda (Oct 17, 2010)

UncleJoe said:


> Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand is another good one.
> 
> Amazon.com: Atlas Shrugged (9780451191144): Ayn Rand: Books


:ranton: Atlas Shrugged is a piece of crap. I recommend you not waste your time on it. Ayn Rand worships rationality and logic, but doesn't seem to know how to use either.

She blames the ills of her made-up world on people of faith, misquoting the Bible to justify her point of view. The antagonists in her book, progressive liberals that they were, were described as religious people whose faith taught them the concept of spreading the wealth.

The term, "brother's keeper," which appeared umpteen jillion times in her book, is only in the Bible once, when Cain was smarting off to God. Being your brother's keeper is not Biblical doctrine. What is Biblical doctrine is, "If a man doesn't work, neither let him eat."

And that several-pages-long speech by John Galt? Utter tripe. :rantoff:

But, I enjoyed Alas, Babylon. I skimmed over the excessive product descriptions in Patriots, and found the story informative. I actually read it before I even considered preparing for a prolonged disaster, so it achieved its purpose in me, it got me to start preparing for more than a three day period.


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## ComputerGuy (Dec 10, 2010)

Possumfam said:


> WHAT??? THEY GO BACK OUT TO THE DAVIS RANCH??? :ignore:


Now I get it. LOL. Finished that book. You know you read a good book when you miss the characters. YEAH KARATE MAN.

Started reading the walk........I have little sympathy!!


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## Immolatus (Feb 20, 2011)

Just finished reading One Second After.
Absolutely incredible story.


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## Possumfam (Apr 19, 2011)

ComputerGuy said:


> Finished that book. You know you read a good book when you miss the characters. YEAH KARATE MAN.


LOL - I know whatcha mean. Hubby works w/ a Gunny that carries an alice pack to work EVERYDAY!!! Makes a person say "Hmmmm." We don't have a MAG, and we don't have a Gunny. We need to see if we're like minded.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

I'm about 75% through Lights Out. It really does grab you and hold on. Mark's family just showed up. :2thumb:


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## redneckhillbilly (Aug 28, 2010)

Read Patriots with the idea that its an infomercial how to manual wrapped up into a story and its more readable. Highly recommend Lights out, it turned the wifey from a "yeah i guess we need to be better prepared" to "i just found a wood burning stove on craigslist for us to go get this weekend and heres the number to call about the water barrels.....etc". One second after is a good read to give a bit of insight as to how most people and communities would be able to deal or not deal with a shtf scenario. i liked all three in varying degrees for what they offer and or for their story value.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

redneckhillbilly said:


> Highly recommend Lights out, it turned the wifey from a "yeah i guess we need to be better prepared" to "i just found a wood burning stove on craigslist for us to go get this weekend and heres the number to call about the water barrels.....etc". One second after is a good read to give a bit of insight as to how most people and communities would be able to deal or not deal with a shtf scenario. i liked all three in varying degrees for what they offer and or for their story value.


That's a seller for me! Now if I can just get DH to read it....


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## redneckhillbilly (Aug 28, 2010)

Got the wife to read it by ordering the signed copy of it. Then gave it to her and made sure i mentioned that i ordered it and had it signed just for her. When she didn't start reading it right away then i made the subtle "what you aren't going to read the book i got for ya thats signed by the author?" Yeah, i used the guilt trip, it worked, she got hooked.


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## BlueShoe (Aug 7, 2010)

I read a couple million, er, hundred pages of Atlas and it bored me to death. It just lurched along with dribs and drabs of progress. I think it's written for a fast reader and those she would like to convert. I got it already, and I read slowly. When is something going to actually happen? I gave up. It was a waste IMO. I would've liked to have finished it, but now that it's on video...I think that's all it's worth to me.

I only read the teaser of chapters from Lights Out since it was pulled, but I didn't want to stop. It's an easy read. It's not really low brow in writing style, but I wouldn't say it's sophisticated in plot and dialogue. It's a good start into understanding what could happen and that you need to consider violence as a survival tactic--if you want to survive.


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## cybergranny (Mar 11, 2011)

*Can't debunk this info on EMP/CME*

Just watched this video off cspan and the Heritage Foundation. Outstanding guests and info including Rep Bartlett Heritage Foundation Discussion on Electromagnetic Pulse Threat | C-SPAN

This is from 8-15-11


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## redneckhillbilly (Aug 28, 2010)

Cool and informative. 11:00 min into it he mentions "one second after" and that Newt Gingrich and Bill Forstein (i think i got that right) brought a box of 500 copies by to give to every member of congress.


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## Beanie (Aug 26, 2011)

I'm reading OSA now on my Nook. I'm 1/2 way in and I am sooooo worried about the characters already!!!


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## ComputerGuy (Dec 10, 2010)

redneckhillbilly said:


> Cool and informative. 11:00 min into it he mentions "one second after" and that Newt Gingrich and Bill Forstein (i think i got that right) brought a box of 500 copies by to give to every member of congress.


An excellent questions/answers panel! I enjoyed it. I even learned a few things. The chick with the glasses and green/blue dress was hot!


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## Beanie (Aug 26, 2011)

goshengirl said:


> That's a seller for me! Now if I can just get DH to read it....


For real!!! Hubby is half way on board but teetering. Maybe I should give him a few good reads.


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

We read all this like we'r watching a science fiction movie,but this is real and more evil than many of us even realize.
Prepare for the bodys needs ,but don't forget the soul.


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## Magus (Dec 1, 2008)

I loved: One Second After, but it didn't give the south enough credit.we're eat up with backyard farms and gardens here.


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## IndigoLight (Apr 15, 2010)

Immolatus said:


> Just finished reading One Second After.
> Absolutely incredible story.


I liked it very much too. I did not look for "prepping instructions" like some others, so I didn't get disappointed. I just read it as a book and found it to be well written, with characters and plot I could relate to, and portrayal of very realistic scenarios our modern society may face in ANY extended emergency.


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## IndigoLight (Apr 15, 2010)

goshengirl said:


> That's a seller for me! Now if I can just get DH to read it....


For those who are not really into reading (not necessarily your DH ) our library carries "One Second After" in audiobook CD format. 
Your husband, wife, partner may be willing to listen to it on their way to and from work.
It's worth a try anyway, right?


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## Ezmerelda (Oct 17, 2010)

tenOC said:


> I read a couple million, er, hundred pages of Atlas and it bored me to death. It just lurched along with dribs and drabs of progress.


Finally! I think many people become so enamored of the idea of Galt's Gulch that they completely overlook the MANY flaws in the book - many of which are directly related to the author's antipathy toward Christianity in particular. She makes many irrational leaps in order to make Christians the villains, but of course, never names them directly, because in 1957 the majority of Americans considered themselves such, even if in name only, and she wanted the book to sell...I cringe whenever someone praises the book.

Don't get me wrong, I am as much a "gulcher" as anyone - why work hard if most of your hard earned pay goes to someone else? But the book isn't as great as people say it is. The Emperor has no clothes!


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## Possumfam (Apr 19, 2011)

ARGH!!!! Currently reading "Light's Out" and I'm getting tooooo into it! My realities are starting to cross! :gaah: Had to run an errand - started to get pistol to take with! Mom called to ask if I'd seen the news, I KNEW it was gonna be bad (got book brain real bad!) and finally, I started to put a sick friend on the prayer list at church last night, when I realized IT WAS A CHARACTER FROM THE BOOK!!!! I gotta finish this one and take a break!


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## Turtle (Dec 10, 2009)

Beanie said:


> For real!!! Hubby is half way on board but teetering. Maybe I should give him a few good reads.


I hate to keep going back to this book, but I just finished re-reading it and it is one of my all-time, top three favorites: "Dies the Fire" by S.M. Stirling. It is much more of an adventure novel and a great character study, dealing with how different types of people will handle a total collapse. The reader won't find a ton of survival tips, but there are a few nuggets of wisdom in there. I also credit this book with really opening my eyes to the possibility of a collapse of some sort (probably not as it happens in the book, but still...).

For those who have folks who they would like to "bring on board", this is a great novel. The following two novels are also great, and the six following that arc are also very good, but deal with the next generation who have grown up in the Changed world. The first novel remains my favorite. I have bought six copies of it, because I keep loaning it out and not getting it back! I've probably loaned it to twenty different people, and they have all loved it, and really gotten hooked on the idea of being prepared.


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

Turtle said:


> I have bought six copies of it, because I keep loaning it out and not getting it back! I've probably loaned it to twenty different people, and they have all loved it, and really gotten hooked on the idea of being prepared.


viral prepping? :lolsmash:


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## akmike (Feb 17, 2010)

Possumfam said:


> ARGH!!!! Currently reading "Light's Out" and I'm getting tooooo into it! My realities are starting to cross! :gaah: Had to run an errand - started to get pistol to take with! Mom called to ask if I'd seen the news, I KNEW it was gonna be bad (got book brain real bad!) and finally, I started to put a sick friend on the prayer list at church last night, when I realized IT WAS A CHARACTER FROM THE BOOK!!!! I gotta finish this one and take a break!


Put the book down and walk away slowly! Come back later after you have a chance to come back to reallity and finish it. Then start prepping like crazy.


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## Graebarde (Aug 30, 2011)

Turtle said:


> I hate to keep going back to this book, but I just finished re-reading it and it is one of my all-time, top three favorites: "Dies the Fire" by S.M. Stirling. It is much more of an adventure novel and a great character study, dealing with how different types of people will handle a total collapse. The reader won't find a ton of survival tips, but there are a few nuggets of wisdom in there. I also credit this book with really opening my eyes to the possibility of a collapse of some sort (probably not as it happens in the book, but still...).
> 
> For those who have folks who they would like to "bring on board", this is a great novel. The following two novels are also great, and the six following that arc are also very good, but deal with the next generation who have grown up in the Changed world. The first novel remains my favorite. I have bought six copies of it, because I keep loaning it out and not getting it back! I've probably loaned it to twenty different people, and they have all loved it, and really gotten hooked on the idea of being prepared.


DtF is on my favorite list too. I reread it annually to get ready for his annual addition to the series  It's a good read IMO and does an good study of people. Like you I'm on my third or fourth copy due to loan outs, something I rarely do just for that reason, but it IS a good way to get people thinking. The question asked is "What would you do today if the lights went out forever?" It's slowly bringing some of the clan into the fold.

FB


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## Graebarde (Aug 30, 2011)

The_Blob said:


> viral prepping? :lolsmash:


Hey.. what ever works eh?


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## Beanie (Aug 26, 2011)

Possumfam said:


> I started to put a sick friend on the prayer list at church last night, when I realized IT WAS A CHARACTER FROM THE BOOK!!!!


:lolsmash:

Has anyone read American Apocalypse?

Just finished OSA and loved it. I live in one of the cities that is mentioned over and over. Whoa....


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## gypsysue (Mar 27, 2010)

"The Last Survivors" trilogy, bySusan Beth Pfeffer, is a good set of books. Essentially, what happens is an asteroid hits the moon and knocks it a bit closer to the earth. That causes a change in the gravitational pull, leading to tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. The volcanic dust in the air makes farming/gardening poor or impossible for a while, and the power grid becomes "iffy" (I don't remember why. I'm about to reread the books). People are starving. Disease spreads. The elite close off areas from "the rest of the people". The books follow two different families who's paths eventually cross. 

The books individually are called: 
"Life As We Knew It"
"The Dead And The Gone"
"This World We Live In"


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## Turtle (Dec 10, 2009)

Graebarde said:


> DtF is on my favorite list too. I reread it annually to get ready for his annual addition to the series  It's a good read IMO and does an good study of people. Like you I'm on my third or fourth copy due to loan outs, something I rarely do just for that reason, but it IS a good way to get people thinking. The question asked is "What would you do today if the lights went out forever?" It's slowly bringing some of the clan into the fold.
> 
> FB


Me too! I just reread the first three and and am about 3/4 of the way through the last one... new book comes out tomorrow! :2thumb:

This is seriously one of the very few book series that I actually have the release dates for the new book memorized.


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## Turtle (Dec 10, 2009)

Hey, has anyone ever heard of a book called, "Rohan Nation"? The author was on the panel of the EMP experts on that CSPAN program I caught a few weeks ago, seems like an intelligent guy and a solid story. I may pick it up when I am at B&N tomorrow.


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## ComputerGuy (Dec 10, 2010)

Turtle said:


> Hey, has anyone ever heard of a book called, "Rohan Nation"? The author was on the panel of the EMP experts on that CSPAN program I caught a few weeks ago, seems like an intelligent guy and a solid story. I may pick it up when I am at B&N tomorrow.


I saw that panel discussion. The book is by Drew Miller. Have not read it though.

The panel discussion on EMPs was very informative


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## kejmack (May 17, 2011)

Do you know the writer has a website???

onesecondafter.com - Home


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## Irishjaeger (Aug 18, 2011)

I second Die's The Fire. I've read it about 6 times. Patriots was good IMHO but his tactics are crappy.


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## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

I went to the bookstore today, looking for Dies The Fire. They didn't have it but they did have another Stirling book, The Scourge Of God. Right now I'm 38 pages in and it's confusing and very difficult to read. It's about a post "Change" world, where people are at this point fighting a battle with bows and arrows, swords, and lances. The people are Wiccan, which I'm fine with, but there's way too much Gaelic (I think it's Gaelic) and the plot line is very tough to follow.

I really hope Dies the Fire is better than this one.


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## Turtle (Dec 10, 2009)

Jason said:


> I went to the bookstore today, looking for Dies The Fire. They didn't have it but they did have another Stirling book, The Scourge Of God. Right now I'm 38 pages in and it's confusing and very difficult to read. It's about a post "Change" world, where people are at this point fighting a battle with bows and arrows, swords, and lances. The people are Wiccan, which I'm fine with, but there's way too much Gaelic (I think it's Gaelic) and the plot line is very tough to follow.
> 
> I really hope Dies the Fire is better than this one.


Yeah, "The Scourge of God" is about seven books in to the series.... I really think that "Dies the Fire" and the two following it are the best of the series. Starting with the fourth book, they follow the second generation, which has become much more about swords and sorcery-style fantasy. The rest are good, if you are following the story, but I imagine it would be very tough to jump in with those.


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## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

That makes a little more sense. I didn't realize it was part of a series. It's getting a little better but maybe I'll hold off and read them in order.


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## Graebarde (Aug 30, 2011)

Jason said:


> That makes a little more sense. I didn't realize it was part of a series. It's getting a little better but maybe I'll hold off and read them in order.


I did that about six years ago, when I discovered the series. I picked up the second book and thumbed it, thought it was along the lines of a book I might like.. nice cover to attract my attention too (LOL). Well about chapter two I was wondering what was going on, because they kept flashing back to book one some.. then I checked his writing and found there was the first book DtF. I stopped reading and went back to the store and got the first book. ALL his books in the series are out in PB now I think. Hastings has them on the shelf or you might order them. Getting into the second series which is 25 years later would REALLY be confuzing for the interactions to be appreciated. Enjoy though.. they are addicting, enven if they go sci-fi.. duhhhhh it IS a sci-fi.. yep, it is, my computer still works )


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## mdmdmd (Apr 21, 2011)

I've read Patriots, Light's Out, and One Second After in the last several months. 
Patriots- As others have said on here, it is more helpful to read as a "how-to" manual, and I found myself skimming many parts myself. I struggled though it and am glad to have read it (I've got some pages dog-eared for future reference) but a great piece of literature it isn't.
Light's Out- Much better as a story. Liked the characters, made me think about my own community preps.
One Second After- Just finished. Scary, scary book. As the mom of an 11 year old girl I found myself sobbing through some passages. Really makes you want to learn more about EMP preps. This is the one book out of the three that I'm going to recommend to dh.
Love the other recommendations, but I think I'm going to have to take a little time off to regroup after reading OSA. After an earthquake, hurricane Irene, and flooding from Lee in the last 2 weeks I need to get some normality restored to my life; reading OSA wasn't the way to do it.


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