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Apocalypse Drift
For years, the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security issued warnings – the United States was vulnerable to a cyber-attack. It was 2017 when the attack was finally launched, coming from a direction that no one had predicted, with consequences beyond imagination.
Wyatt and his family were already on the down and out. Years fighting through a struggling economy, tight credit, and government regulations had already taken their toll. When society collapses, they have one chance left – a lifeboat awash in a sea of anarchy.
There is a place of safety, a deserted island nicknamed Crusoe – but it won’t be easy. The journey requires passage through a landscape decimated by riots, ravaged by desperate looters, and plagued with ruthless pirates.
Apocalypse Drift is the adventure of an everyday American family as they fight for survival in a world gone mad.
Wyatt and his family were already on the down and out. Years fighting through a struggling economy, tight credit, and government regulations had already taken their toll. When society collapses, they have one chance left – a lifeboat awash in a sea of anarchy.
There is a place of safety, a deserted island nicknamed Crusoe – but it won’t be easy. The journey requires passage through a landscape decimated by riots, ravaged by desperate looters, and plagued with ruthless pirates.
Apocalypse Drift is the adventure of an everyday American family as they fight for survival in a world gone mad.
318 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 9, 2013
13 people are currently reading
240 people want to read
About the author
Joe Nobody
68 books117 followersJoe Nobody (pen name for the author who wishes to keep his identity confidential) has provided systems, consulting and training for the U.S. Army, Department of Homeland Security, Office of Naval Research, United States Border Patrol as well as several private firms and government agencies which cannot be disclosed.
He is currently active in this area and for the security of his family and ongoing business, wishes to remain anonymous.
He has over 30 years of competitive shooting experience, including IPSC, NRA, and other related organizations. He has been a firearms instructor and consultant for over 30 years and holds the rights to a United States Patent for a firearms modification.
Joe initially became involved in helping private citizens "prepare" at the request of his students and clients. A conscientious instructor, he would always inquire as to why they wanted to learn certain skills or techniques and often the response was to prepare for more than just simple home invasion or self-defense. If you ask Joe what his greatest attribute is, he will tell you he is a "problem solver" and uses his formal education in Systems Engineering to this end.
"As the economy worsens, world tensions rise, and the modern media propagates bad news faster than ever before, more and more people want to prepare. I wrote HOLDING because it allows me to reach more of the good folks who are concerned about their security. I want them to sleep better at night knowing they have a plan of defense should the 'Event' ever occur."
He is currently active in this area and for the security of his family and ongoing business, wishes to remain anonymous.
He has over 30 years of competitive shooting experience, including IPSC, NRA, and other related organizations. He has been a firearms instructor and consultant for over 30 years and holds the rights to a United States Patent for a firearms modification.
Joe initially became involved in helping private citizens "prepare" at the request of his students and clients. A conscientious instructor, he would always inquire as to why they wanted to learn certain skills or techniques and often the response was to prepare for more than just simple home invasion or self-defense. If you ask Joe what his greatest attribute is, he will tell you he is a "problem solver" and uses his formal education in Systems Engineering to this end.
"As the economy worsens, world tensions rise, and the modern media propagates bad news faster than ever before, more and more people want to prepare. I wrote HOLDING because it allows me to reach more of the good folks who are concerned about their security. I want them to sleep better at night knowing they have a plan of defense should the 'Event' ever occur."
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
June 20, 2015
Ugh. Finally allowed myself to give up on this. I tried with this one, I really did. I rolled my eyes at the repeated referral to Wyatt's college-aged daughter and wife as "girls", and ignored the lack of decent editing, and put up with the black-and-white cartoon caricatures that everyone in the book seems to be, but when halfway through the book Helen was introduced, that sent me over the edge. Joe Nobody should not try to write women. At all. Helen appreciates the protection of the national guard soldiers on her block, and when one whistles at her as she walks by, her response is to think "He must be REALLY lonely". Then she witnesses the start of a riot, and later a lieutenant interviews her about it. She "can't help herself" and checks for a wedding ring. Then he has two of his soldiers take her home. They're waiting for the power to come on so they can take the elevator with the food and water they gave her, and the soldiers aren't paying attention to her, and she's "not used to being shunned by men". She asks if she's done anything to offend them, and it turns out the REASON they're not paying attention to her is because they saw the look in their louie's eye, and they know he's smitten with her. I just can't, at that point. To give an example of the horrid editing, somewhere in Helen's musings there's a reference to Statin Island, about a page after I noticed a "lead" instead of "led". The whole thing's a cardboard-cutout prepper fantasy, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
June 4, 2013
The only unrealistic part of this novel was the cumbaya embracement of a rand Paul type legislation by congress. Overall the read was quite realistic in its portrayal of a national digital takedown.
August 14, 2018
Writing was not good, editing was even worse. Characters were cardboard cutouts. I gave up about a third of the way thru.
December 25, 2017
Apocalypse drift
Good read. Scary how easily a first world country can deteriorate into chaos . The plan of recovery is excellent
Good read. Scary how easily a first world country can deteriorate into chaos . The plan of recovery is excellent
April 26, 2013
Apocalypse Drift is the story of a catastrophic economic breakdown in America. An intricate plot by the Chinese government causes the American infrastructure to collapse. It starts with fraudulant income tax returns and eventually turns into pandemonium.
One man's financial crisis prior to the collapse places him in a prime position to ride out the chaos. Wyatt lost his business and his home due to the nation's economy. Having already made the choice to live on his boat had Wyatt and his family in a better starting spot than many of the other citizens of the United States.
Wyatt becomes the leader of a group of boaters who leave the mainland in search of a safe haven as the situation in America worsens. They choose to avoid the martial law, potential labor camps, and people who are willing to take their possessions by force by taking to the sea. The waters turn out to hold their own threats.
Meanwhile, the politicians from Washington D.C. work on plans to strike back at China and get the nation back on track.
That about covers the story.
This book has some amazing ideas within it. The detail going into the economic collaps of America is brilliant in my opinion. A lot of research and consideration went into this. Kudos to the author for that.
One of the most unfortunate aspects of this story is the author's writing style. It is very dry and matter of fact for the most part. At times, he does manage to bring some excitement and emotion into the story but not often enough. In some ways, I felt as if I were reading a historical account or and outline. This is dissapointing because the general concepts are fresh and original.
The characters leave much to be desired. Although some back story is given, it was not enough to make me care for anyone in the book. I really enjoy having someone to root for and not just wanting to see how the story ends.
Perhaps with some work, Joe Nobody could become a solid author. I might consider picking up more of his work at some point, but he is nowhere near the top of my list.
One man's financial crisis prior to the collapse places him in a prime position to ride out the chaos. Wyatt lost his business and his home due to the nation's economy. Having already made the choice to live on his boat had Wyatt and his family in a better starting spot than many of the other citizens of the United States.
Wyatt becomes the leader of a group of boaters who leave the mainland in search of a safe haven as the situation in America worsens. They choose to avoid the martial law, potential labor camps, and people who are willing to take their possessions by force by taking to the sea. The waters turn out to hold their own threats.
Meanwhile, the politicians from Washington D.C. work on plans to strike back at China and get the nation back on track.
That about covers the story.
This book has some amazing ideas within it. The detail going into the economic collaps of America is brilliant in my opinion. A lot of research and consideration went into this. Kudos to the author for that.
One of the most unfortunate aspects of this story is the author's writing style. It is very dry and matter of fact for the most part. At times, he does manage to bring some excitement and emotion into the story but not often enough. In some ways, I felt as if I were reading a historical account or and outline. This is dissapointing because the general concepts are fresh and original.
The characters leave much to be desired. Although some back story is given, it was not enough to make me care for anyone in the book. I really enjoy having someone to root for and not just wanting to see how the story ends.
Perhaps with some work, Joe Nobody could become a solid author. I might consider picking up more of his work at some point, but he is nowhere near the top of my list.
February 2, 2015
More like 2.5 stars. Character development was more simplistic than I enjoy, but the premise was interesting. In most dystopian futures, our end comes from disease or natural disaster. Also, most of those books see us being set back a hundred years or more. This book sees our downfall coming from a computer hack that sets us back in a scattered fashion, but not into the dark ages by a long shot. I believe it's far more likely that we will be ruined by a computer hack than by a zombie outbreak or a worldwide tsunami. I also believe this book accurately portrayed the depths to which many people would sink in such circumstances. (I read the Kindle edition, which had many word errors indicative of a spellchecker being allowed to choose the incorrect word to replace a misspelled one. I find that incredibly annoying.)
February 18, 2014
The story paints a picture of an economic war on the United States by China, and I especially enjoyed the sub-story about Marinaville and Crusoe. Some of the other story threads didn't hold my interest quite as well (and often read a bit too dry) but following the mariners attempts to survive kept me completely sucked in. I enjoyed Wallace Reed's attempts to help govern the country, although his search for his father's murderer wasn't quite as interesting to me. The second to last scene with Rose was pretty powerful and left me depressed for the rest of the day.
March 12, 2014
A very decent TEOTWAWKI book. Most of these survivalist pre- and post-apocalyptic books appeal to me in the exploration of apocalypse causation (politics, war, economy, weather, and such) and survival techniques. Often the plot and character development is not their strong points, as with this story. Definitely worth the read though. I liked his theory of the political-economic rapid slide into decline. His survival methods are solid, if a bit biased to the random violence side. There is a fair amount of uber-conservative preaching. If you know what TEOTWAWKI stands for then read it.
November 14, 2015
The premise for this story is really thought provoking. The Chinese government bring the USA down by destroying the $ and electricity network reducing society to anarchy. There are many pov in this book that make it a bit hard to remember who is who at times but the story keeps moving. The resolution of a tax free country in recovery is even more thought provoking... just not sure if it'd work. First book I actively discussed with DH for ages. Good book. - very different dystopian.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2013
Really neat read, well done, with enough nautical twists to capture imaginations.
Only issue is the paperback is printed with type smaller than customary and it cut down the readability needing good light and good eyes. I would have rather paid a couple dollars more for copy done inlarger type (more because the text would flow onto more pages).
Only issue is the paperback is printed with type smaller than customary and it cut down the readability needing good light and good eyes. I would have rather paid a couple dollars more for copy done inlarger type (more because the text would flow onto more pages).
August 6, 2014
I enjoyed the book. It's got some food for thought and the book's scenario felt plausible which adds to the atmosphere.
I didn't enjoy the subplot about the marina. It became a bit boring to be honest and found myself rushing through it to get to other parts of the story. I wish he'd fleshed out some of the other sub plots or edited this one down, boats are boring.
I didn't enjoy the subplot about the marina. It became a bit boring to be honest and found myself rushing through it to get to other parts of the story. I wish he'd fleshed out some of the other sub plots or edited this one down, boats are boring.
October 30, 2014
I enjoyed this more than I expected since it was part of a collection. The premise for the devestation of the financial/economics of America is worryingly possible. The ensuing storylines were enjoyable and realistic with the final "solution" redressing the apocalypse equally novel. A good read all around :)
March 25, 2013
Reasonably good idea for a story, ok characters, weakish ending.
The last dozen pages could have been the outline for a 2nd book.
Nothing new here as SHTF fiction goes, but a quick, pleasant enough read.
The last dozen pages could have been the outline for a 2nd book.
Nothing new here as SHTF fiction goes, but a quick, pleasant enough read.
August 12, 2015
A really good look at what could happen. Really well written. I personally think Reed had a super idea!
April 3, 2013
Slow start, great middle, end was waaaayyy too rushed
April 27, 2013
Had a hard time starting this, found the beginning kind of dragging but by about the 30 page I was hooked!
December 9, 2013
This was a dry read. It read more like non-fiction. I do not believe Joe Nobody is a real person. I think this name is a pseudonym for one or more people with an agenda.
January 18, 2014
Not as good as other efforts by this same author - just so so.
Read
May 1, 2014As usual Joe does a great job.
July 2, 2014
Every time I read this sort of book amazon and my ammo dealer get more money. Very clever SCADA and economic attack. Overly optimistic handling of the events.
July 18, 2014
The story was interesting, but the writing was terrible. It read a bit like a Boxcar Children book - very simplistic language and forced dialogue.
September 20, 2014
An interesting situation. Some parts of the story were enthralling, other parts dragged, but overall quite 'enjoyable'
August 26, 2014
A frightening, and possible, "what if" scenario of how easily the mighty United States could be brought to her knees without one weapon being fired.
February 15, 2015
Great book. I wish our goverment would adopt the no tax laws that were adopted to start the world over in the book. I could not put this book down!
September 10, 2024
One of the main reasons I strongly recommend this book is: 1) Its clean - real but refreshingly clean 2) totally believable (the author knows how politics, etc. work) 3) the ending.... no spoilers!
June 20, 2017
Great realistic apocoliptic story. Loved the nautical aspects of the story. Well written.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews