Great observation. It flat-out creeped me out (in no small part because I live smack in the middle of Washington, DC) and that's why I posted the initial query on the plausibility of his EMP scenario.

Stephen King has become a wealthy man writing novels that appall literary critics and scare the bejeezus out of the masses. Lots of peops will pay for a good scare (scary fiction, roller-coasters....). No fiction, until "One Second After," scared me more than "The Stand," because of the initial plot plausibility. The Stand, a mass market non-classic (and better written) book, still begs the question: what is optimal lethality for a virus to cause societal breakdown or severe economic damage? 90%? 80%? 50%? 30%? The federal government no doubt has such analyses.

For written and film entertainment, a great plot grounded in non-fiction can compensate to a considerable degree for mediocre fictional characterizations and dialogue. That's assuming you're not too distracted by imperfect grammar, writing style or discriminating in whose works or what genre you'll consume. Reader reviews of "One Second After" reveal that quite aside from the plot, some folks find the writing intolerable. I found the writing tolerable but lamentable. At the least it needed better editing.

As to the initial point of this thread, just how plausible the One Second After EMP premise is apparently is in dispute.

But it might be a good idea to have a 1958 Plymouth Fury. Not named: "Christine."

Welcome to the forum. Thanks for getting off the sideline.


:-)