EMP Post Apocalyptic Fiction Super Boxset - Lights Out

Loved the set so far. Cannot wait to keep reading and see what happens next. Non-stop action! Felt like I was there as it was taking place. Heart rate is still up!! Would definitely recommend this book!!

The characters were very realistic, especially the bad guys.arts of the story were questionable, but not enough to detract from the story line. The ending was especially nice, the way all of the survivors adopted Winns philosophy. Hopefully humanity still is that good hearted.

I thought this book was good. I don't think the profanity was needed to add to the book. Action authors often times seem to make the hero or heroin go through to many horrible medical issues i.e. beatings, getting shot, knifed or etc. that it makes it hard to think of the character as a real person. I thought there were places that were a little slow but most of the time the story was fast paced.

I read the first 20% of the first book. I did not find the woman who was the main character and 1st narrator believable. I also found the story unbelievable. I consider an EMP event possible with the new technology and an attack is possible on our US mainland, but I can not believe the premise for this story as believable. I usually give these stories a lot of leeway to develop but this story moved too fast with the failure of all common sense and capability of the citizens affected by the emergency. I lost all interest in the book early on and forced myself to finish the first 20%.

This set contains two sets of apocalyptic fiction. Before it slips my mind, here is the review of the first set of three stories, Static, by James Hunt.

Worst piece of "world as we know it has ended fiction" I have read and I've read a lot. The characters are standard cardboard cutouts with no appreciable history or expansion. With the exception of one main character, none of the characters are likeable, even the protagonist that we're supposed to root for. Being a female, I hate to knock a female protagonist but the woman this book is built upon is simply unbelievable. I hesitate to say it's because the series was written by a man, but that's the feeling I got. While her actions always stayed true to the little character development we got for her, I have to say this woman would have died within hours of the disaster depicted. Beyond her desire to save her children she had no skills to back that desire and her initial abrasive actions would have seen her dead, end of book.

That the author choose to let her attitude survive the initial hardships simply through his character's mouthy behavior shows how little clue he has to what human behavior is in an apocalyptic situation. Nothing about Wren's background (what little there was) leads me to believe her metamorphosis into sharp-shooter and war planner.

The "Prepper" community she ends up part of, then pitted against, is a Liberal's nightmare of what 90% of the Prepping community is about. The author chose to portray Preppers as evil. I have to object to that because that was my mindset for many years before I actually spoke to local preppers and saw where most of them were coming from.

The only character that rang true for me was Rueben, the outcast she encountered in her quest to make her family safe.

I do have a kudos for the 3 book series. The author based it on homegrown American terrorists that desired to change the system. All the destruction stemmed from their destruction. Sorry, it still wasn't believable.

I also must admit that my usual complaint about Indie Author's poor spelling, grammar, and copy editing was not present. There is nothing to distract you from the story other than the situations believability and the characters unlikeability.

If I could give this 0 stars I would.

The main character, Wren, is quite possibly the most unlikable character I've ever read about, while at the same time, apparently being superwoman. This suburban wife/new architect who has never lived rough before suddenly learns to be an expert shot with a military-grade rifle in about 10 mins. Soon she's picking off running targets and gunning down men w/out a second thought. She can apparently walk 30 miles on no sleep and while suffering from being beaten, blown up, shot at, and beaten again.

Other characters have the same level of superpower. Apparently being knocked unconscious with the butt of a rifle means that you're dead to the world for 4 hours and then suddenly spring to life, ready to fight and flee - no ill effects or cognitive issues at all.

Characters are either complete psychopaths (Ted, Edric, and yes, Wren) or utter milquetoast useless blobs.

The story is nothing more than fight porn - lots of beating up, lots of blood flowing, people getting shot, hit with rifle butts (over and over and OVER), broken bones, blood (and "claret") flowing. Seriously the line about "claret flowing" was the one that had me saying "enough" and beginning to compose this review in my head.

I am stunned at the number of people who gave this 5* and 4* reviews. The quality of the writing and the story is quite simply abysmal. I could see giving it 3* simply for the utter ridiculousness of the writing and justifying a "so bad it's kinda good" idea. But anyone rating this as a legitimately good series has clearly never read an actual good book.

Haven't read anything this poor in some time. All I can say is that if the only people who survive an apocalypse are like those in this "community" then humanity is forever lost. This Edric character is a fascist and a criminal. A murderer no less! And most in that community are no better! This was a painful read, seeing one impossible outcome after another. Obviously, this writer is clueless of the true nature of people and what drives them. Protect our families? Yes, of course. But murdering innocent people to do it? No, of course not! If you think people are that way, then you are hanging out with the wrong crowd and are part of the problem with society, not the solution.

Wren's motivation for what she did was clear but the motivation of others were missing. I felt like I had missed a chapter or two when Edrik and Council put Wren in jail and held a trial. Why so hostile against her as she was merely a passenger in a car that Nathan drove? Nathan was the one who should have been on trial as he was the one who insisted they go to the camp and he should have known that those people didn't welcome strangers. Also, felt like I'd missed a couple of years due to the complete and total savagery exhibited by the lawless men so quickly after the EMP. Were these men all murderers and rapists psychopaths from the local prison? If not, why weren't they with their families? Did all their wives, children and girlfriends die within a few weeks? A few weeks or even months of roughing it does not jive with the complete breakdown of human decency and viciousness exhibited by these men. We had an interesting series of events in this story but they needed to be tied together with believable backgrounds and motivations. Awful things happened for no reason and characters acted without background and meaning.

This book wasn't really awful but it certainly wasn't really good either. It was a two and a half star book but unfortunately the store doesn't offer that option so I rounded up instead of down.
The EMP angle was a change from the usual zombie,virus and/or alien plot but the main character, who was repeatedly described by the author & almost every character in the book as a "prepper", was pitifully unprepared as was his group of fellow preppers. If the author wanted the characters to be true preppers, & apparently he did, he should have actually written them as actually being prepared. He also is yet another author who feels that if one descriptive word is good two or three are even better. After reading the two books in this series I have to say I would not likely read any more of this author's books.

Very good story, with some very engaging characters and others we love to hate. Enough action to keep your interest up and a BELIEVABLE story line. Even without the usual zombies, radioactive mutants, aliens, or any such critters, some of us humans can be plenty monster enough when the constraints of modern "polite" society are removed and the rule of law has ended. See how quickly and easily we can be thrown back hundreds of years, literally overnight, into a pre-industrial revolution way of life. Do you think you have the stuff it takes to keep yourself and those you love alive? Very much a thought provoking look into a situation that could very well be in our futures.

This was a good story but I'm not sure how realistic the first part of the terrorist attack was. The EMP was believable but the first part of the story...not so much. To be a sudden attack like that, especially on a city that size, would have taken a level of stealth, for that many people, that I'm sure couldn't have been pulled off without word getting out somewhere along the line. The characters were believable except that Wren had to have been the clumsiest person ever. She was constantly falling due to slipping and tripping. All in all, I did enjoy the book(s). Looking forward to reading more by this author.

I love a good "grid-down" book! This was a great box set! Clearly your story telling is very good.
If you want to call it a complaint, you can, but I am very good at reading "typonese", lol, so any misspelled words, or wrong name used, does not bother me, or affect the story in any way!
Being a person with slight OCD, I'd be a great proofreader, lol.
All in all, great stories! Thank you!

Stories getting better as I go. Some things, like weapons, tools, medical procedures, and even vehicles could stand more research and a stronger knowledge base on the part of the author. The stories, however, shine a light on the potential ethical, social, infrastructure, and criminal issues that could follow such catastrophic events. Those who wish to prepare for disaster, I helped deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, should read these stories, not with an eye for details (guilty ), but for a hint of what could be brought about by simple Human Nature. .

I really can't recommend it.

The premise of the book is an EMP event happening over North America. Nearly everything electronic has been knocked out.

I don't want to spoil this for anyone who may want to read this. I will say that the flow of both stories are kind of a mess. They're full of totally unlikely occurrences and coupled with crippling bad luck. People are best to a pulp and can still wield an effective offensive. Additionally, the character development is very poor.

The first part of this set focuses on a definite terrorists attack in Chicago, but nothing like that is mentioned in New York City in the second part.

I'm 39% done and can't read anymore. I hate the female lead character Wren.. Her name her actions her thoughts everything about her. I find myself wishing she would just die already and wondering why Im still wasting my time reading it. The non stop action was just too much.. I understand wanting to make a book exciting but this really wasnt it was just annoying chapter after chapter..

I really tried hard to like this novel. I know that writing is a lot of work. I ignored a few typos, but the rest of it just did not hold my attention. Too many characters had little depth. Cartoonish and predictable. To the author: Sorry for the negative review.

If there is a name for a style of writing where you feel as if your apart of the story Lights Out by Roger Hayden nailed it. I felt as if I was there and the characters were not characters at all but, my friends, enemies and the heartaches and events were happening to me. One of the best SciFi adventure getaway I've been on yet!

Excellent book! The action starts a the beginning and keeps you on the edge of you seat right till the end. With the way things are today, it makes you wonder if this could happen to us? If it does, I hope we have the same courage Wren showed in this book!

Very good Dystopia. Well written. A few minor editing issues. In these days with global threats peppers may not have it wrong. There will always be those that seek power for powers sake. Exciting book but definitely not a relaxing beach read. I would recommend. Gbash

Ninety percent believable. The last several chapters were real page turners. I stayed up two and a half hours after the wife said lights out, till I finished and Wren and the kids were settled in Reuben's cabin.

Once you start reading it's hard to put down until the books are finished. Enjoyed the prepping parts of the book and meeting Rob. The books have stirred my interest in prepping and finding my own community in an isolated area.

I love giving a star review on an author but I'm not a writer I am a reader and I hate having to say why I like the book or what appealed to me. I think it should be enough that I give a book 4 or 5 stars because I wouldn't waste my time if I didn't really really enjoy the book. I will look for the author and read more of his books that's a great recommendation I believe

Very good book. It's well written and the characters are interesting. It shows the courage and determination of a mother's love for her children and mankind. Looking forward to reading more by Roger Hayden.

Review after Book 1: Excellent, character-driven plot with relatable personalities and a few wrenches thrown in. Wanted to pop by and show my appreciation before I got to the next book in the box set.

I thought the first half of his Chicago setting had a solid Die Hard feel to it. I genuinely enjoyed the Wren character's willingness to do anything for her kids. You grow to love her and her children. The action was fast paced in the early chapters. The author writes stupid characters well and you can see the consequences of being mentally lazy early in a crises. The second half of the story gets far fetched, sketchy, and the violence near pornographic but your so invested it works out.
The New York story setting was enjoyable but couldn't decide wether it wanted to be PG-13 or R rated. Major story lines go unresolved but maybe that's just the mystery intended.
As a prepper/doomer/general bad ass I enjoyed the read. Engaging without turning into a laundry list. One thing that kept bothering me was how prepper's with an EMP proof car kept stressing running out of gas. Ummm, cars with fuel tanks not being used everywhere around you? And why do they siphon it eventually? Umm, punch a hole in the tank with your can beneath it?
Other than that, fun read...

I throughly enjoyed this read. I am a huge fan of survival type books and this one hit the spot. Believable characters and circumstances put together with enough action to keep things interesting. Definitely worth a read!

The story starts out really fast and hooks you from the beginning. A fast paced read with some interesting twists. The protagonist of the story got on my nerves a bit and at times I wanted to smack her myself. But overall it was an enjoyable read and I look foward to more from this author.

PROS: Interesting take on a disaster that could certainly occur, which separates these stories from the other post-apocalypse books out there, some of the characters are well-developed, author has obviously done considerable research into the "prepper" lifestyle and living off the grid.

CONS: Clearly wasn't edited before being published - grammatical and typographical errors detract from the story immensely; first part of the book centering around a female lead has gaping plot holes, some of the scenes/scenarios are a little too similar to events occurring in other popular apocalypse-type stories around today (Walking Dead, etc.).

This was a good story. At first Idid not like the main character but Wren adapted to her circumstances and becane a force to be reckoned with. lots of action and good character development. The book made me ponder how I would handle a similar situation. I look forward to the next book in the series.

Really enjoyed it. Kept me enthralled till the end. Would recommend anyone that loves apocalyptic tales to read it. I wanted more of an ending but have come to the conclusion that it was the only ending possible. Would highly recommend.

This was a good story. At first Idid not like the main character but Wren adapted to her circumstances and becane a force to be reckoned with. lots of action and good character development. The book made me ponder how I would handle a similar situation. I look forward to the next book in the series.

This books kept me turning the pages. Telling myself, just one more chapter and losing lots of sleep. I love apocalyptic type books and this one is right up there with the best. Definitely worth reading!!

This book series was riveting at times. However, I had to force myself to finish it after reading the inaccuracies. There were many, but the ones that put it over the top were the fictional Bear mountain being 8000 feet - the tallest mountain in New York is Mount Marcy at about 5500'. The author also has no concept of how far it is from Nyack to the Canadian border. Finally, there is no resolution whatsoever.

I downloaded this from the Kindle store, honestly because it was on Kindle prime. I was intrigued with the premise. I was pleasantly surprised with the first story and even more impressed with the second. I learned a lot, actually. For one thing I don't think we could ever truly prepare for all the possible ways the world can end... but you'd be foolish not to try and be prepared.

This is a really good story and well written. There were only a couple of problems with logical cohesion, but they were insignificant to the story as a whole. Personally i wasn't very co,fortable with the woman taking the lead role, but i got over it eventually.

Excellent story, well written, some things left out. How does an EMP device work? How do you construct a Faraday Cage? What do you put in a Faraday Cage ? Too little room here for me to answer the questions, and it would be better for the author to describe the answers in his books so the many who read this book would know. An EMP event, natural or man made WILL happen, like the Carrington Event of 1849 that destroyed telegraph lines across the Nation, perhaps very soon. Roger, the people have to know, and you can help so very much by telling them instead of just referring to an EMP. Some of us in the Armed Forces know, some Amateur Radio Operators know, but those who want to protect their families do not know. Educate them, please?
After reading the second book of the series the author has done a fair job in answering the two questions I asked above.
I endorse this book with 5stars and urge you to read his works called "Lights Out".

I enjoyed the stories in this collection.. my favorite was the first with Wren and Ruben..I liked the second story also..only drawback for me with the second story..is I thought it ended a bit too soon..would have like an epilogue summary..but overall both good stories

This book has a good story line, with characters who you can care about. It is a tale of preparedness and determination. I enjoyed the book. I would read more by this author as he has a writing style that is easy to comprehend and is descriptive enough to let you immerse yourself in the story.

Probably one of the workbooks I've read. Huge holes in story like how does a group build a 10 ft high wall around a town of several thousand by hand in 2 months. Where does the materials come from. Prepars that prepare for years and yet run out of supplies in 2 months. Silly dialogue and large parts of the story repeated to fail space. Just plain bad writing.

Absolutely amazing books! Kept my attention all the way through. Fast paced, relatable to the real world, relatable characters, very well developed plots! Looking forward to reading more from this author!

Not many novels keep me reading into the early hours, but this has. My heart has raced, my pulse quickened and my brear th held in shear gear and tension in anticipation of the outcome of the many scenes of conflict an viscousness. Well done.

Really enjoyed it. Kept me enthralled till the end. Would recommend anyone that loves apocalyptic tales to read it. I wanted more of an ending but have come to the conclusion that it was the only ending possible. Would highly recommend.

Implausible storyline. Terrible character development. Save your .99¢ didn't even get 1/2 way thru before realizing what a dog this was. Pretty much agree with the other 1 and 2 star reviews. Deleted it from my kindle and moved on