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One Second After

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About this listen

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 & Suspense Thriller Dystopian Technology Exciting Scary War Survival Natural Disaster Military Emergency Preparedness

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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If all of our modern conveniences were taken away in a split second how long would it take our society to unravel? How long would it take civilisation to revert to savagery?
This book is a disturbing what if scenario which could become reality all too easily if not though EMP as depicted in this work then by other means such as economic collapse.
A truly riveting story which is shocking and disturbing along which some devastatingly heart-breaking moments.
This book will definitely leave you thinking, if not change your outlook on our times.

A Five Star Listen

A shocking look at how fragile our civilisation is

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If you could sum up One Second After in three words, what would they be?

Civilisation calapses. Endure........

What did you like best about this story?

The drama and the potential that it is feasible.

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

Great representation of characters.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Eating his dog...I was gutted

Any additional comments?

Enjoyable, and will make you think.

The end of the world as we know it.

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I’m a fan of the genre and it’s a decent addition. As referenced in the title, my heart sank when it became apparent 1/3 of the story would revolve around a sick kid in need of insulin. I’ve seen or read this a million times and it never adds to the story. Will listen to the next one, with fingers crossed there are no kids who have lost their inhaler (another similar trope that steals from the narrative)

Ok, but the insulin narrative hogs too much plot

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If you ever wondered why N Korea threatens EMP . Could not stop listening but did have tears in my eyes towards the end .

Something everyone should know

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🧡 I like this for what it is; a straightforward post-apocalyptic prepper tale with an optimistic sheen. What can I say? I like reading about the end of the world and this is an EMP scenario. It’s my version of an easygoing read. I would only recommend this to apocalypse aficionados.

❤️️ Forstchen wrote this as a warning about the threat of an EMP attack, which he believes is great. Authenticity was obviously a priority and you could tell how much consideration went into ensuring a realistic progression of events.
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Soundbite

🎧 I think the fact that I listened rather than read this story heavily influenced my opinion. Having since read reviews detailing consistent grammatical errors, I don’t think I would have finished the written version. But the listening experience was fun.
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Shall I Compare Thee To...

The Walking Dead without the zombies or anything really bad happening.

An Entertaining Warning

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