The Event (The Survivors Book One)

“When the ships come... wear the necklace”.
The best post-invasion the world had ever seen. The secret is in the pendant... A very refreshing and original view of Sci fy and post apocalyptic plot, with tons of action and fast paced. Determination, strength, fear, sense of hopelessness and despair is very well combined in its twists and turns. I’m going the the second round, definitely!

A new Author to me he has shown that he has the ability to craft an adventure that once you start you will have a hard time putting it down the only thing that would make this a better read is if I had a hard book in my hands there in nothing as good as a real book when your reading a good story. The character development is good with a few twist and turns to offer surprise for you the story does drag about three quarters thru but then it picks up and gives you a good reason to want to read the next in the series. All in all a good investment in time and money.

There were grammatical errors which made the read not as seamless as it needed. They were few in number but enough to take 1 star off rating. Action in the story followed a logical progression and was believable. The main character Dean was well developed and and stayed believable. I found the long trek to Peru from New York a little like a travelogue during which the characters meeting each other seemed somewhat contrived. None of these things kept me from reading and enjoying this book thoroughly.

I was a bit hesitant to try a new sci-fi author. Then I read the blurb for the book and I was interested. What I saw was,
"...good science fiction like when I was a kid"
"---real sci-fi than anyone can understand."
and more.
I gave it a chance and really enjoyed it. It is one of those novels that had me so hooked, that I even brought my Kindle to the dinner table so I could get back to the story ASAP!
I'm looking forward to reading "The Survivors" and then "New Threat."

The story was interesting but easy to see where it was going in many ways. It did have surprises enough to keep you entertained and wanting to read more. The characters were well written and conversation natural. The technology I will leave to someone else to critique but it made sense that a tax man would think in terms of numbers. Overall I enjoyed the book and want to read the next book. I think older teens and adults would enjoy this book and series.

Think Beach. Sand. Warm temperatures. And a need to keep your reading light. Here’s the answer: A (modestly) SciFi book about aliens hiding among us that reads smoothly, quickly, is suspenseful, action-packed, includes a few spaceships, some plot twists, and throws in a little romance for completeness.

That’s what I’ll credit this for. It served me well in exactly that role. I may read the next installment, because ... it’s still summer. (Hooray, ??⛱)

The story telling is good,but i keep running across some serious issues. People climbing ropes,then throwing it back down? A rope doesn't go up with you when you climb it. A boat with a large berth? It's a large beam. Sloops that go25 mph? First of all,nautical velocity is in knots,but if that were it,I'd let it slide. Some catamarans can do 25 mph. Standard Mongolia are slow. A little research would help. There are simply a lot of casual mistakes and they become distracting.

Really loved this book. The main Character, Dean, is fun and relatable in a chaotic and wild reality. The other main characters are well developed without interrupting the excitement of the story. It is a very good story with some twists and turns. Some light humor in a serious situation. Well written, action packed, full of aliens and heros, looking forward to more. And oh yeah, a great dog, which brings the 5 stars home.

I loved this book! It was fun from beginning to end, and an easy-going read, meaning it flowed very nicely. The characters were fun and I really became invested in the side stories to their lives. Of all things, my favorite character was the dog, Carey!! ...I have to say it was the first time I saw a dog companion so well written into the main storyline, and the interactions with him were priceless. The interdependency between him and the main character was one of the best parts of the story for me, and my curiosity for where this friendship and storyline develops hinges greatly on what happens to the pooch. I've never had that happen before in a book! Great work. I highly recommend this for a very pleasurable read.

The only character in this book that i liked was the dog. I didn't feel like any of the characters were generic but, none of them were interesting to me. That left me a lot of while i was reading it to wonder how the aliens plan made sense. If the book sounded interesting to you give it a shot, if it is still on KU but, I wouldn't spend any money on it.

Spoilers ahead.

So there is this machine that is doing something that is making the planet uninhabitable for bad aliens put there by the good alien hundreds of years ago. For some reason the bad aliens thought it was a good idea to plant a bunch of hybrid human/alien people to recruit humans to turn off the machine keeping them off planet because "they are patient". If they can combine dna enough to create a hybrid species why couldn't they create one that is immune to whatever the machine is doing? Or just come down in some hazmat suits? Or use robots? Or hit the machine with a missile?

Overall I enjoyed this book. It's not a shoot-them-up SCI-FI thriller, but still weaves an intriguing story that entertains well and there are several interesting takes on SCI-FI tropes we've seen on TV for years (e.g. teleportation and FTL). I really appreciate that the author doesn't leave the reader with an unfinished story as this book, while it opens the doorway to a follow-on book, it wraps up all of the primary story-lines and can be enjoyed as a standalone novel.

As some review mention, there were a few rough areas where the suspension of disbelief was tough, but this is fiction and so I told myself, "why not?" and enjoyed the story. The story is fast paced and an enjoyable read!

Very enjoyable book; a little slow in places but overall a good read. There are some inconsistencies within the story line but they do not distract from the overall flow. Not really sure what the dog added to the story line? However, if one is a dog lover, I am sue they will enjoy the character.

I would expect a little more refinement as his writings continue and I look forward to reading his future books.

Okay read all the available books as of today and I have sat on the edge of my seat, stayed up all night even knowing I was going to a funeral today I was exhausted and emotional. I couldn't stop reading book after book. Please read and review. Support indie artists. They depend on readers reviews. If you like it tell everyone like I do.

This is not my usual genre, but something made me buy this particular book. To me it reads like a rollercoaster with lots of "really?I didn't see that one coming!"... You won't regret it in the end and well worth the money ??????

It's always a joy to find a new author slash storyteller. This book has a good plot and great character development. It will be interesting to see how the story continues to develop in the next book. Enjoy it it's hard to put down.

Think of a paper written for high school English class that received a "C" and that's what it's like reading this book. The only reason it's not 1 star is there may be some interesting ideas but the author is such a poor storyteller it's not worth finishing the book to find out for sure. Characters are simple stereotypes and it's all telling, not showing.

The Event by Nathan By star is a very interesting and absorbing read. It had me hooked right away. I felt I was there with them feeling alone, terrified, hunted, and trying to survive. Good change from regular plots on the subject.

The Event was an enjoyable fast read. I began reading before retiring for the evening, and finished the next day. I couldn’t stop reading as this story moved rather quickly. The characters and the story are believable, and there aren’t a lot of scientific details, but just enough to ensure plausibility. That is what I enjoy as I don’t want a ton of technical details in my sci-fi stories. I recommend this book and I’m looking forward to reading Book Two.

I loved this book. I had never heard of this author and I was reluctant to try his new book. But it had some good reviews so I decided to give it a try. Not only did I read it but have read the next one, New Threat, as well. Now I can't wait for the third one to be released in May. So whatever this author puts out I will read. So exciting!!!

Of course the story isn’t believable, is it? I liked the characters and look forward to seeing them develop throughout the series. How many double crosses will we see? Is another Event coming? Will a space suit be found for the cocker spaniel? Will he get his own piece of jewelry for his collar? Will he ultimately save Dean’s life out in space?

As an author of my the very first Sci-Fi novel too, I will not criticize much. An interesting reading.

Just one thing came to my mind after I read in the book's introduction: "Dean’s wife is dead. Her last words: When the ships come...wear the necklace" I immediately recall a "Signs" movie about aliens. In that movie the last words of main character's wife were "tell Merrill to swing away".

Found this very interesting and hard to put down.
I’d all but given up on any type of apocalyptic or end of world scenario, or really anything similar but, this was a great read and look forward to others in series.

Fast read. Very addicting. Who is doublecrossing who? Who has had a changed their mind? Who are the good guys? Even after the book is finished, I'm still wondering who can be trusted. Now scale that doubt up to world level! I want to hide under my bed.

Earth is attacked. Humankind is kidnapped by an alien race. Their destiny is extinction. Through a quirk of fate there is a handful of survivors who are determined to save what remains of the human race. This is a cliffhanger that you will not put down.

The plot is convoluted. Its hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys, the good aliens from the bad aliens or the good hybrids from the homicidal maniacs. The characters are barely more than two dimensional. The main premise, that aliens could abduct 7 billion humans in a few minutes, would be able to store them in container ships, but would then need to send them to the sun to destroy them, is beyond preposterous. Its intellectually offensive. No amount of story telling intrigue and artifice could salvage much from such weak logic.

I did, however enjoy the small amount of character development for the protagonist, and did finish the book. I was also kept interested waiting to see how the author would write his way out of the giant hole he dug for himself. He didn't make it out of the hole, but I did enjoy trying to find plausible plot twists and rooting for him.

Still, it is hard to recommend this book, and I won't be reading the sequels.

Sorry Nathan Hystad, but I must concur with virtually all of the negative reviews that the writing style comes across to serious readers as amaturish and unfinished. Not enough meat in the write places to hold my interest. Couldn't endure more than the first couple chapters.

I enjoyed the read, kept my interest till the end.
Being a lover of science fiction I liked the story, though at times it seemed to go astray. Still I quickly read the book and an looking forward to next one.

This wasn't your typical science fiction space opera. It was very well written, well thought out with an intriguing story line. It wasn't cluttered with sex but with just the right amount of romance. Very enjoyable. Now get to work and get the sequel/s printed?

This is a fun story with some cool plot twists but no spoilers here. Well edited and well written. I gave this five stars because I enjoyed the story. Pretty good character development.
There is no cliff hanger ending but a good setup for the next book.

Very enjoyable reading. Just when you thought you knew what was going to happen - you are wrong. I couldn't second guess the author. Flipping back in time, helped you to understand the mind of the lead character. I'm ready for book two.

This was a pretty good story. It was a little far-fetched in places, but for the most part the plot was good, the characters believable and the story was engaging. My curiosity is peaked so I will read the other books in the series.

There have been many stories created around the theme of the arrival of a massive fleet with ships hovering over all the cities of the earth. This is a very innovative twist on that general theme. Very well done!

Despite the naysayer or two, this is a good read. The story line grabs you right away and the characters are well developed. While there is a sequel, I liked how the ending was complete and didn’t leave me hanging.

Nathan put it all in, aliens, unlikely heroes, mystery, love and - you got it. ... more to come. I like this much better than endless battles. The author put real believable people in his story. Loved it.

The story idea of an Alien takeover has been done so many times, but I liked Hystad's take on it.
Some of the supporting characters needed more development, but the writing is descriptive, and easy to read.

I read about 5 to 10 books a week and it's not always easy to find good ones. This was a great one! Funny, interfering, innovative with great twists. Thank you for writing it and for those who are getting it, enjoy!

Very unique in its perspective and full of surprise twists. Characters are creative and relatable. It dies push the bounds of everyday people and their courage. Regardless, I am looking forward to book 2.

Great read. Enjoyed the different idea behind the alien's taking earth. I especially liked the double cross that was incorporated into the story. The idea to send everyone into the sun was brilliant. I would highly recommend this to others.

I enjoyed the book as it was paced well and detailed the characters who mattered well, the only thing I did not like was that I could not put it down and read it in record time. Great read, but don't start if you need to get to sleep!

This a was a good book. I liked it a lot,but the flashbacks made it a little confusing. Sometimes they made sense, but other times I couldn't tell what triggered them or the placement messed up the flow. However, overall I liked it.☺

Not a bad story but some really bad realism errors. The fiction part of science fiction is ok but the other parts need to be believeable. Sailboats DON'T go 30 mph, or knots and heading east after hitting Panama would put you back in the Gulf of Mexico (not the Carribean). I know small errors but ones that most readers are going to roll their eyes at , it detracts from the story.

Nathan put it all in, aliens, unlikely heroes, mystery, love and - you got it. ... more to come. I like this much better than endless battles. The author put real believable people in his story. Loved it.

The story idea of an Alien takeover has been done so many times, but I liked Hystad's take on it.
Some of the supporting characters needed more development, but the writing is descriptive, and easy to read.

Other reviewers have given you an idea on the story line. What I can add, is the nothing is as it seems. The author does a great job of hinting yet not revealing who the MC can trust. This aspect makes the book interesting.

The Event, book one in the Nathan Hystad survivors series, was an excellent opening to what promises to be a very entertaining, and fast-paced, story, chock full of believable characters and exciting events. Hystad does a nice job with the unlikely hero character. The story moves along quickly with just enough detail to allow the reader to understand where they are and use their own imagination to create the scene. I am looking forward to seeing how this story unfolds in the subsequent books.

This is not my normal genre, but I am so glad I read this book. Very unique alien story of first contact. The characters are well written and the plot flows. Tons of adventure! Looking forward to the next one!

I read about 5 to 10 books a week and it's not always easy to find good ones. This was a great one! Funny, interfering, innovative with great twists. Thank you for writing it and for those who are getting it, enjoy!

Very unique in its perspective and full of surprise twists. Characters are creative and relatable. It dies push the bounds of everyday people and their courage. Regardless, I am looking forward to book 2.

Great read. Enjoyed the different idea behind the alien's taking earth. I especially liked the double cross that was incorporated into the story. The idea to send everyone into the sun was brilliant. I would highly recommend this to others.

I enjoyed the book as it was paced well and detailed the characters who mattered well, the only thing I did not like was that I could not put it down and read it in record time. Great read, but don't start if you need to get to sleep!

This good have been a very good read if the author would have taken it to a darker story with more edginess. I can't help but think it is intended for junior readers. Good character development but far too predictable.

I wanted to like this book. However, the characters had no depth and the plot line was predictable. The sophomoric response of the guys to the women was ridiculous, all the talk of blushing just made me cringe. This is m

I enjoyed both the creative story and the fast pace. While many sci fi books get bogged down in trying to impress with endless details about the minutiae of the science behind the story Hystad allows the readers to use their imagination and concentrates more on story development. I can't wait to get the next installment.

Foolish facts can kill any tale. The author's ignorance of so much of the real world torpedo his effort. Often said: write about what you know. This young man doesn't know much yet. I felt embarrassed for him when he wrote of sailing for example.

This was a great book. I read this book over a 7 day period. It was literally one of those page turners. The reading is smooth and the author has a fluent writing style that makes the book read easily. If you like Sci-Fi and Action/Mystery books, you will like this book!

I wouldn't recommend reading. The writing was very immature and predictable with bad dialog. It was like a bad made for TV movie, and not one that is 'so bad it's good'. I can see that effort was put in and the author was passionate about what he was writing, but I was underwhelmed and disappointed. The characters didn't seem believable or all that likeable.

The Event is a fast paced read that captures your imagination and carries you in a thrill ride across the world and into space! What's not to like about a story that involves an accountant turned hero and his (newly acquired) dog battling invading aliens?!? There are some interesting twists and turns that will shock you! Give The Event a whirl, you won't be disappointed!

This good have been a very good read if the author would have taken it to a darker story with more edginess. I can't help but think it is intended for junior readers. Good character development but far too predictable.

I wanted to like this book. However, the characters had no depth and the plot line was predictable. The sophomoric response of the guys to the women was ridiculous, all the talk of blushing just made me cringe. This is m

I enjoyed both the creative story and the fast pace. While many sci fi books get bogged down in trying to impress with endless details about the minutiae of the science behind the story Hystad allows the readers to use their imagination and concentrates more on story development. I can't wait to get the next installment.

Lighthearted fun. I did enjoy it and did finish it. But dont look too hard at the science. Sailboats do not take days to cross an ocean, stars wont have any perceptible movement when moving within our solar system

Rather bizarre story that I just could not bring myself to get into. The necklace being used to stop an alien invasion, which is also given by the aliens, is just the start of nonsense on top of nonsense.

Mr. Hystad's fiction writing style is some of most compelling I've come across in this genre. The premise and plot are both well-conceived with enough plot twists to keep the reader guessing until the very last page. All the major characters are well-developed. I'm very much looking forward to reading the next installment in this series.

This story starts as a gentle, almost wistful tale of loss for Dean, the main character. His wife is gone – passing away to a mysterious illness.

Then the ships arrive. Thousands of alien vessels. And suddenly, every person in the world had disappeared – taken by the aliens. Except, strangely, Dean.

Dean is faced with a seemingly abandoned world, something which to the heart-broken Dean, isn’t entirely unwelcome.

But a series of clues from his dead wife begin him on a journey which crosses continents and extends into space beyond. He finds new allies, twists and turns as he discovers the true nature of the mysterious threat above.

This story starts almost gently. Full of yearning and heartbreak. Dean is damaged and lost. The desire for what his life should look like realistic and tangible, and shared by many of us. But it is ruthlessly torn away. But then his journey really begins. This is one of those books where it is very difficult to give meaningful details, as to do so would be spoilers – but rest assured, the ‘quest’ he finds himself on is both epic, yet grounded in reality as he visits many locations which would be familiar to a reader.

The action is compelling, and exciting. Again, not too many details on what this look like. But needless to say, for an action fan, or even a space opera ‘pew pew pew’ fan there is more than enough to get your chops into.

Production values are excellent. Nathan Hystad belongs to the new wave of professional Self-Published Authors, and this is a top grade book.

I whole-heartedly recommend this novel. And heart is a good word to use. There are very few books which have this much in them.

And even better, book two is only a month away!

The Event is the page-turning first novel of Nathan Hystad. The Event recalls the fears of UFOs and aliens from the golden age of science fiction but told in a modern style. The Event, the first in the Survivors trilogy, recounts a saucer invasion from the perspective of Dean, a small-town everyman facing an impossible situation. Initially stranded alone on a seemingly empty planet, Dean soon meets other survivors on his journey, unraveling the mystery of what brought the aliens to Earth. Compelling characters told with expert pacing, and very well-crafted, you won’t want to miss this adventure.

“When the ships come... wear the necklace”.
The best post-invasion the world had ever seen. The secret is in the pendant... A very refreshing and original view of Sci fy and post apocalyptic plot, with tons of action and fast paced. Determination, strength, fear, sense of hopelessness and despair is very well combined in its twists and turns. I’m going the the second round, definitely!

It’s a great start and a different scenario. I like the combination of action and suspense with a romance mixed in. I always like stories that include love to some degree because it adds spice to the story.

Other reviewers have given you an idea on the story line. What I can add, is the nothing is as it seems. The author does a great job of hinting yet not revealing who the MC can trust. This aspect makes the book interesting.

The Event, book one in the Nathan Hystad survivors series, was an excellent opening to what promises to be a very entertaining, and fast-paced, story, chock full of believable characters and exciting events. Hystad does a nice job with the unlikely hero character. The story moves along quickly with just enough detail to allow the reader to understand where they are and use their own imagination to create the scene. I am looking forward to seeing how this story unfolds in the subsequent books.

This is not my normal genre, but I am so glad I read this book. Very unique alien story of first contact. The characters are well written and the plot flows. Tons of adventure! Looking forward to the next one!