University of Washington students Ryan Palmer and Amy decide to bug out of Seattle when international tensions threaten to boil over into a world war. In normal times their journey to Ryan’s childhood home in rural Idaho would take less than a day. But these aren’t normal times. As they travel supplies become scarce, gasoline becomes impossible to buy, people panic and nuclear war erupts. … Together they must confront their worst fears as they fight to reach home and refuge.
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It’s just another early Saturday morning in Seattle for UW student Ryan Palmer, slumped asleep over his laptop after a late night of studying, when an incessant banging wakes him. It’s his girlfriend, Amy, demanding he turn on his TV to verify something she heard while out jogging. They’re both shocked to hear “due to the Chinese missile attack, the president has ordered the United States Armed Forces to DEFCON level two. All military leaves have been canceled and personnel have been ordered back to their units.” Less than an hour later, the young couple learns that China and North Korea have launched nuclear missiles — a Seoul-based correspondent updates the crisis on a dorm TV when the screen suddenly goes blank — and by the time they’re out of city traffic, they learn that Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam in Honolulu has been immolated and American troops in South Korea are under attack.
When they stop at a rest area, a police officer alerts them that a fuel tanker was hijacked just east of Spokane. As they pass the city, they hear that Russian forces have just breached the Ukrainian border, raising the specter of two NATO collective defense situations. A retired ambassador tells a radio interviewer, “I believe we’re witnessing the start of the third world war.” A few moments later, their phones deliver text messages that a ballistic missile strike is imminent, along with a radio Emergency Alert System alarm, and a few minutes later, just before they cross the Idaho state line, a Pentagon correspondent is cut off in mid-sentence. The anchor calmly states they’ve lost contact, but Ryan realizes, No, your Washington correspondent is dead.
Not far into Idaho, the Jeep runs out of gas, and Ryan and Amy set off on foot. However, she moves ahead of him as he adjusts his backpack and bugout bag, and when he hears Amy scream, he rushes to find her held at gunpoint by a childhood friend. Jeb is surprised Ryan’s alive, having assumed he died Sunday morning when Seattle was nuked, and declares Amy’s curiosity will result in their deaths. Will they really die in the Idaho countryside, with Ryan’s home nearly in sight, or will his stalled text message finally reach his parents in time?
A fast paced and action packed story about another world war. Terrifying to think about it although it might become true…… (hopefully it dosen´t!). The story describes with good rhythm all the things that desperate humans do when bad things happen – the best and the worst comes out. It´s an enjoyable and entertaining reading and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
I downloaded a free copy of this book from Story Origin and this is my honest review.
This is an introduction to the next book and here you will meet 3 of the characters that will be in the first full book. This intro takes you from Seattle to Idaho where Ryan, Amy and Ryan’s family live. Kyle writes good books and I am looking forward to reading the first full book.
Race to Refuge – a review by Rosemary Kenny
Join with young sweethearts Ryan and Amy as, following the start of what could be WWIII, with cyber attacks on US tech and many radio broadcasts warning that missiles are being deployed by North Korea on US targets worldwide, they race along in Ryan’s truck towards his parent’s home.
Will Ryan’s brother be safe in the Far East?
What happens after Ryan and Amy run out of fuel?
Who do the couple run foul of in the forest after a startling discovery?
Kyle Pratt gives no let-up in this action-packed, exciting tale of near-future-possibilities, set against a background of overcoming the odds and finding out that East, West, Home is Best – for now at least!
Grab a copy of Race to Refuge by Kyle Pratt – and don’t forget your bug-out bag!