http://onesecondafter.com/

Anyone else here read this book? It came out in March.

What do you think of the plausibility of the EMP as it plays out?


The book becomes so grim, so fast. I found it more disturbing that Cormac McCarthy's "The Road." And more interesting because One Second After focuses on a community as well as a particular family.

Makes me think some things one may not want to survive.

No doubt this EMP scenario is very enticing to America's enemies. I lost sleep over this book during the last 80 pages or so.

I hope those who say the EMP effect would not be as thorough as the novel plays it, are correct.

By the way, the book is not as artful as The Road, not by a long shot. Mediocre writing and editing, but that did not distract me from the compelling premise and plot developments.

Creepy.

After watching the Foxnews video on the link website, where on earth does Mr Forstchen get the idea that the USA would be taken back 300-400 years considering electricity generation hasn't been in widespread use since the the early 1900s which was a good 60 years after the invention of the electric filament light bulb back in 1835 by James Bowman Lindsay.

Some expert.

Apperently 90% of all Americans could be dead after the attack according to Mr Forstchen, what he failed to mention was that the other 10% just went to bed early and started to learn the piano.

The reason why "The Road" is a better read is because it's author, Cormac McCarthy wasn't writing a post apocalyptic survival guide. Like many great writers, he uses scenarios to write about the human condition.

McCarthy isn't really writing about the end of the world from a practical POV, the problem with books like "One Second after" and "Patriots" is the limited imagination of the writers, they do write from only the practical POV.

There's another post apocalyptic book out, can't recall the title but it's premise is that a biological agent is released that eats hydrocarbons, it's supposed to be used to clean up oil spills but it starts attacking every plastic product and hydrocarbon byproduct in it's path. Similar results as the EMP scenario. There's no real story, just a collection of anecdotal info that the authors obviously collected along the way of doing whatever research they did. There are parts of it that seem specifically contrived just to allow the authors to show off some obscure bit of trivia, like how some fighter pilots choose whether to eat before a long flight...it's interesting in it's own way but you can't sustain a story with trivia.

Most of the post apocalyptic stuff written nowadays reminds me of the really bad early Ian Fleming stuff, where the descriptions of spy stuff carried by Bond, James Bond and his predilection for shaken martinis substituted for plot and character.

One Second After is definetly not an 'apocalyptic survival guide' that's for darn sure. I thought the book was very well written compared to many many many other similar books out there. Was it 100% accurate on what would happen with an EMP attack... probably not. Was it pretty accurate as far as looting and lawlessness I think Katrina and other disasters has proved his views pretty darn correct. The big thing the book did was make YOU think about yourself being prepared w/out food or water or any gov aid.

Also, I don't even think you can compare it to "The Road" and FOR SURE not to "Patriots"... that book was horrid and was def. trying to pass itself off as a "survival manual for the 21st century".

I did research the author and he does know a good bit about history and war history so his battle `scenes`, triage and lawlessness are probably pretty darn accurate.

Anyway, it was a good read compared to the other ones out there.

Haha, I just found this review of Patriots.


PATRIOTS by James Rawles.
I have only been able to force myself to read 50 Pages or so, so far. MAYBE afer I have read more, I'll change my mind. BUT so far, this book seems written by someone who wants to bragg about what their survival group has accomplished, or has aspirations of accomplishing, AND.... promoting different products. I had to put down the book after reading "THANK GOD FOR MY EMERGENCY WAR SURGERY BOOK"

You forgot the comma in Mr. Rawles' name...;^)

He spells his name, James Wesley, Rawles.

And if you want to see him selling stuff, check out his survival blog, you can buy a retreat in Idaho or if you're a youngish woman you can audition to be his next wife...

His current wife is terminally ill and is, honest to god, conducting an online search for "Jim's" new wife via his website. No word if the dowry has to include rolls of nickels...

one last thought, I'm sure that the author of "one second after" has all the best intentions but anyone who claims that Newt Gingrich is brilliant is someone best avoided in my opinion.

If I based reading choices on authors' views of other people then I'd miss out on a lot of good books.

If I paid much attention to what Hollywood actors say about political figures it would be difficult, for me, to watch most films.

So, for me, it is better to judge the work itself.

Which in this case is not a great literary masterpiece but is a provocative take on an interesting subject matter.

Coincidentally, check out this article in today's Wall Street Journal.


http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204619004574318630585925804.html


* JULY 31, 2009

Hollywood Destroys the World

The new wave of disaster movies and TV shows isn’t about staving off the apocalypse. It’s what happens afterwards that counts. Viggo Mortensen versus the cannibals.


A flood of postapocalyptic stories is now headed toward movie theaters and TV screens: Expect to see characters fending off cannibals, picking up day-to-day survival techniques and struggling to maintain their humanity amid the ruins.

Previous waves of pop-culture disaster, from the Atomic Age paranoia of “War of the Worlds” to Watergate-era flicks such as “The Towering Inferno,” have depicted calamity in stunning detail. Many of the new projects, however, actually skip the spectacle of doomsday. Instead, they’re more fixed on what goes down in the aftermath.

You make a good point Dagny, I was basing my comments on the one second author on what I read on his own website. He has co-written books with Mr. Gingrich and praises him on that same website. I've had the misfortune of interacting with Mr. Gingrich while attempting to photograph him, been verbally and physically abused by his security staff on his orders and think very little of him either personally or politically and anyone who claims him to be genius is as I wrote, someone who's writings I intend to avoid. If I miss out on some brilliant writing I have only myself and my experiences to blame.

To each their own...