A post-apocalyptic thriller of the after effects in the United States after a terrifying terrorist attack using electromagnetic pulse weapons. New York Times best selling author William R. Forstchen now brings us a story which can be all too terrifyingly real…a story in which one man struggles to save his family and his small North Carolina town after America loses a war, in one second, a war … America loses a war, in one second, a war that will send America back to the Dark Ages…A war based upon a weapon, an Electro Magnetic Pulse (EMP). A weapon that may already be in the hands of our enemies.
Months before publication, One Second After has already been cited on the floor of Congress as a book all Americans should read, a book already being discussed in the corridors of the Pentagon as a truly realistic look at a weapon and its awesome power to destroy the entire United States, literally within one second. It is a weapon that the Wall Street Journal warns could shatter America. 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.
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I thoroughly recommend this book to everyone. I admit to being a science fiction fanatic, but this book could turn anyone into a “prepper”. It really makes you think about the implications and possible consequences of our current civilization. It’s pretty scary to think about. It poses the question, “what if?” and does a pretty good job of it. I just can’t tell you how little we think about these things and I don’t want to give it away. This book really makes you think.
I highly recommend this book if you enjoy the post apocalyptic genre. It was so realistic it was frightening. No gimmicks needed, or trumped up drama, just a very realistic look of the many, many challenges we would each face in the aftermath of an EMP attack. and how very quickly people can change when faced with such incredibly dire circumstances. It may just make you want to become a prepper. This is truly one of the best in the field, so don’t miss it.
An EMP attack on America would be a fast-track to dystopia. I bought ONE SECOND AFTER the day after I heard William Forstchen’s radio interview (on Coast to Coast AM) discussing the dangers of an electro-magnetic pulse (EMP) attack. I devoured the book the day it arrived in the mail.
Forstchen’s story describes the effects on a small North Carolina college town when a coordinated EMP attack brings down America’s electric power grid, telecommunications networks, mass transport, and most technologies that make modern life possible. Even with the advantages of an adequate water supply, fertile land, a moderate climate, relative isolation, good leadership and a relatively homogenous community, life in the small town is reduced within days to a struggle for physical survival.
Some have argued that the book was overly pessimistic in describing the likely effects of an EMP attack, and that a higher proportion of cars, trucks, cell phones, radios and other technologies that depend on electronic circuitry would survive.
But the electric power grid almost certainly would not survive, at least in the regions directly affected by an EMP attack. If only one major region were so affected, that alone would devastate our economy and likely end America’s brief tenure as the greatest nation on earth.
In my view, ONE SECOND AFTER is merciful in glossing over the horrors that Americans would face in densely populated urban areas from social unrest, famine and epidemic. In focusing on the survivalist aspects of post-EMP life in a small rural town, the book also understates the threat to freedom that would arise when governments claim far-reaching emergency powers. For this reason, I consider EMP to be one of the leading threats to America’s security today, and probably the most underrated one.
If you aren’t familiar with the risks of an EMP attack and what you can do to prepare for it, I suggest you read ONE SECOND AFTER and the bibliography at the back.
This is the book that really hooked me on the post-apocalyptic genre. I remember I saw it as an also-bought on another book and the cover caught my eye. At the time, it was still on pre-order, so I pre-ordered the hardcover (I had no Kindle then) and the day it arrived, I tried to pace myself to make it last longer. I still finished it in a day.
It was just so realistic I could picture it all. I’ve read quite a few post-apoc books since this one, but it still ranks up there at the top for me.
To date this is the most realist book I have read on an EMP strike. The progression of events is what is so haunting and informative. This book still has me thinking on my own skill sets and resources.
Very informative about how unprepared we are for catastrophic events. We should be prompted to prepare for hard times!!!!
This is what I am reading now; only into the first 100 pages, but it is an interesting and insightful book. Based on the first-hand knowledge of it’s author, it is also a compelling read. The family and town are based on his own, though his knowledge is from research only, thank goodness.
The main premise of the book is about what happens after the USA is hit with an EMP attack, and you just follow this addictive read that is so well written. It looks like this is the first of a trilogy. I highly recommend it if you like suspense and thrillers!
I truly enjoy reading this book. Although it is a dystopian book, it is a subject of dystopian that can become a reality.
A MUST READ FOR PREPPERS AND THOSE WHO DON’T BELIEVE IT CAN HAPPEN
Scary scenario of a family experiencing life after the destruction of The Grid that we all take for granted today!
Forstchen has a writing style that is very intimate and brings the reader directly into the center of this family’s struggle.
Thought-provoking, terrifying, and sad – you will find yourself recommending this book to everyone you know.
The most terrifying book I have ever read due to the fact that it is the most realistic book which I have ever read. If you think it cannot happen, you are deluding yourself. Read the book.
Unfortunately I didn’t finish this novel, because it was all telling and hardly any showing. I liked the concept and the beginning was good, but then it turned into meetings where all the characters did was sit around and talk and tell what was going on after the EMP attack. A novel needs to show what’s going on, net tell. For that reason, I’m out.
When an EMP brings the country to its knees, a professor in Black Mountain, North Carolina unites his community and defends against invaders. This is well-written and engaging, but it’s a difficult book to read. The images it planted in my mind are gruesome, somber and horrifying. I don’t know if any amount of preparedness much helps if something of such magnitude were to happen, but I now have an idea of what reality would look like beginning one second after.
I heard so many great things about this book, so when I actually got around to reading it, I was disappointed. I felt the writing was lazy – at one point instead of describing a character’s features the author simply stated she looked like Nicole Kidman. Really? I guess that works, but still… Come on!
Another huge issue I had with this book is that it followed the plot of Alas, Babylon almost to the point of plagiarism.
Not impressed with the book at all.
This book was pretty amazing! I’d never really thought about science fiction stories this way but this book is far more than science fiction, it’s what the United States’ reality could be. I’m not saying that the world is about to explode from alien technology but this book gives you the hard facts of what could happen if a foreign country used an EMP. To sum it up, it was scary, sad and horrific at times but a story you couldn’t put down and when you were finished, you wondered what will happen next. Thank you William Forstchen for an eye-opening view of life without electric…
Wow! I don’t know where to begin. This book has left me speechless, like the feeling after watching Avengers: Infinity War for the 1st time. This book explains a phenomenon that could definitely take place in today’s world which is a bit frightening to think about. Definitely recommend it though!
This is by far one of the best books I have read in years. One Second After is one of those great books that you just cannot put down and before you know it the sun is coming up and you have read through the night. Not only is the book version of this great but what is even better is the audio book. The audiobook brings a new depth to the story that had me laying on the couch in the dark with my eyes closed and being completely engrossed in the story.
One Second After is a novel about what happens if a Nuke is set off 20 miles up in the sky and causes an Electronic Magnetic Pulse. At that time, life as we know it would be over. No item with a computer in it would work. Our coveted electronically controlled cars, cell phones, and anything run by electricity would be a thing of the past.
The actual horrific impact is too much to fathom.
I think everyone should read the book, although some of it is certainly graphic which it had to be to paint the true picture.
Well written and a great yarn.
I liked the information on emps and what was needed to survive.
ok