One Second After Audiobook

Plot Summary

In a world bound to modern chains we call technology; the audiobook One Second After is a reminder that if we are not careful, history is destined to repeat itself. When a country ignores the threats aimed at its heart, the wrong people with the right weapon are a swift and brutal reminder of our vulnerability as a nation. Retired Army Colonel John Matherson returned to his rural North Carolina hometown when his wife was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Now a respected college professor, he is the father of two children. Narrated through his eyes the story takes us through what happens if the worst case scenario becomes reality. When the telephone communication system fails, and all electrically powered items suddenly stop working; it is quickly apparent that the townspeople are not prepared for life as it was in centuries past. The former colonel suspects the weapon used was an electromagnetic pulse or EMP and his thoughts go quickly to his insulin-dependent daughter. Food supplies dwindle quickly with no refrigeration, those interred in nursing homes and needing refrigerated medicines and medical equipment such as John’s father are suffering; and no one is answering who or how this happened. Through the use of older technology that is not affected by the black-out the citizens slowly begin to discover how to survive in this new world. However, tragedy strikes often and without remorse. Skills that were once part of our heritage are missing such as the growing of crops. If the people cannot feed themselves they will starve or turn to cannibalism. John Matherson finds himself more involved with the other citizens to find ways to survive and go on in this new era. While a work of fiction, the book has been used as an example of what our future could become if we are not careful. Author William R. Forstchen wrote his first novel in 1983, and has now penned over 40 books. A graduate of Purdue University, he is a Professor of History with specialties in technology and military history. One Second After spent several weeks on the New York Times best seller list and is quite a popular audiobook here at Audio Book Store.

Publisher Summary

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 weaponthe 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. Download and start listening now!

Quotes

The only thing more terrifying than this masterfully crafted story is the possibility of it actually happeningand not a damn thing being done to protect us. – W.E.B. Griffin and William E. Butterworth IV, New York Times bestselling authors Civilization slides into the abyss of a new dark age in this horrifying apocalyptic novel. – Stephen Coonts, New York Times bestselling author Forstchens work has flair and power. – Joel Rosenberg, New York Times bestselling author Good storytelling consists very simply of creating characters so believable that the reader forms a deep bondShortly after the first page, I had been reeled in hook, line, and, sinker. – David Hagberg, author of Dance with the Dragon [An] entertaining apocalyptic thrillerfans 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 What would happen in the U.S. in the event of an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) attack? The answer: Everything electronicEVERYTHINGwould be fried. Thats exactly what happens in this story, which centers on Colonel John Matherson, U.S. Army, retired, now a professor of history in Black Mountain, North Carolina. The characters powers of ingenuity are challenged to the limit as they realize just how fragile the barrier between civilization and barbarism is. Joe Barretts baritone is steady and sometimes a bit gravelly, and his serious tone suits these events well. His vocal characterizations are not as good as his narrative, but they do not distract from the story overall. – AudioFile Forstchens well-crafted and compelling storyreminds us of how helpless wed be without modern technologya chilling thought, as EMP is a real threat to the industrialized world. Elegantly narrated by Joe Barrett; a haunting, essential listen. – Library Journal (audio review) Retired Army colonel and college teacher John Mathersons stoic determination that his family survive the chaos is convincingly communicated through Barretts deep, brooding tonesMost compelling are his realistic enactments of Mathersons deterioration from infectionA compelling, cautionary tale. – Booklist