Earthfall

by Stephen Knight

WHEN OUR WORLD ENDED, THEIR MISSION BEGAN The Sixty Minute War brought humanity to the brink of annihilation. Billions perished. The planet Earth was turned into a virtual graveyard, with the shattered, burned-out skeletons of great cities serving as tombstones marking Mankind’s demise. But in the United States, one final outpost remains. Ten years have passed, and Harmony Base, a subterranean U.S. Army installation that survived the nuclear inferno, has yet to receive any response to its continual radio transmissions. Long-range surface reconnaissance missions fail to locate any other survivors. Harmony’s personnel, a mix of military and civilian specialists, wonder if they are the only living beings left on the planet. Earthquake damage to the base’s vital power plant necessitates a different type of mission: the retrieval of spare parts from a storage depot in San Jose, 1,600 miles distant. Captain Mike Andrews and his crew set out across a Giger-inspired landscape blighted by lightning storms and deadly hazards that could swallow their all-terrain vehicles whole. The last thing Andrews expects to encounter in the nuked ruins of San Jose are survivors led by a twisted freak with mental powers off the scale... Harmony is America’s last chance to rise up from the ashes of the nuclear holocaust and help restore civilization. But only if Andrews and his crew can escape San Jose…and the madman who calls himself The Law.

Genres: Science Fiction, Post Apocalyptic, Military Fiction, Horror, Fiction, Apocalyptic, Fantasy

266 pages, Paperback

First published February 21, 2013

Reviews

[Glen Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book courtesy of Amazon Prime lending library, and promptly devoured it in a day. It's not hard-core science fiction, but it is fun. Knight does a good job of painting a world destroyed by nuclear war and fallout. The story takes place 10 years after the 30 Minute War. A team is sent to California from Kansas to retrieve some necessary equipment to keep their underground shelter functioning, only to find that San Jose is not as uninhabited as they expected. The vehicles they used reminds me of the old Damnation Alley story by Roger Zelazny (minus the giant scorpions in the desert), and the story goes quickly, keeping your attention all along the while. The only complaint I have is a few cliches that pop up--all the girls are gorgeous, the villain has no redeeming qualities whatsoever, and the dialogue gets stilted at the end--but all in all I had a great time. I do plan on picking up more of his books, which is probably the biggest complement I can give.

[David Dalton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall I liked this book. Not as much as the Gatheering Dead family of books, but it was okay. A little suspenseful. I found that some of the characters whined alot and the strange mixture of soldiers that were in the service before the End of the World and the soldiers that joined AFTER the End of the World caused some problems. The post-EOTW soldiers were a little too trusting. You can tell this was an early effort by the author that he beefed up to finally get it out to print. I would give it 3 1/2 stars if I could. I did not want to round up because I just didn't feel it was to the quality I have expected to see from Mr. Knight.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5. Read as part of the collection THIS IS THE END Will get the next in the series

[Jeff Hunt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Earthfall met my expectations, but my expectations were set low based on Kindle store pricing and the Amazon reviews. It was entertaining and a quick read that I got through in a couple days. However, compared to the better examples of books within the post-apocalyptic genre, the characters here fell flat and the prose was lacking.



The plot of Earthfall was different from other post-apocalyptic novels. As a reader I prefer the science fiction aspect of the post-apocalyptic genre to be limited to the existential catastrophe that is the setup for the world after such disaster. In Earthfall, I found the villain’s sometimes superhuman abilities to be unnecessary to the plot and somewhat out of place.



My favorite post-apocalyptic novels focus on the exploration of the human condition in solitude and interactions between groups of people once stripped of technology and the strictures of the collapsed society. However, in Earthfall, Hamony Base is its own mini-society which, in terms of interactions and technological amenities, is not much different than modern day America. And there is little interaction between the Harmony Base group with other groups of survivors excluding the fighting that takes up so many of the pages in the book.



In summary, Stephen Knight in Earthfall departs from the typical post-apocalyptic novel and in doing so leaves much of what I enjoy about the genre behind. He also introduces aspects that I don’t favor including a superhuman villain and beau coups of violence.

[Penforhire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this post-apocalyptic SF. Good characterizations. Good thriller-paced plot. I have just a few nits to pick.

The author should do a word count of the number of times he uses "decimate." It was noticeably too many times.

And my larger complaint was how the primary antagonist was "psionic." That was just not necessary to the story and threw the story completely away from 'hard' SF, which it otherwise seemed to be. Mr. Knight did a fine job of it too. That is why that character's powers felt so gratuitous and unnecessary. Every point point that used those powers could have been handled in a more conventional way.

Anyway, Stephen Knights work is aosrt of a guilty pleasure for me. Not quite as guilty as when I admit to enjoying some of John Ringo's work but in a similar vein.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I expected a Stephen Knight to be great..I was not disappointed. Loved the story and the characters! Very thorough details, great characters and such a different feel. Anxious to read more from Mr. Knight!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

i mostly really enjoyed this. the one thing i didn't like was "Law". i really don't think the book needed the addition of a psychic/supernatural/cia-supersoldier character. it would have been just as compelling if he had just been a really bad dude.

[Elisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, future post apocalyptic world craziness. The bad guy was a little bit of a stretch, the abilities, but it was good action and well told. I really liked the characters, though a couple were irritating until they are honed in the heat of battle, and I loved Mulligan, the old warhorse.

[C Patrick Daily · Rating 2 out of 5]

The survival aspects, technologies and militaria were fine, the big bad was kind of stupid. I almost stopped reading it when he was revealed, I did put it down for about a year. Glad I finished it, but I'm glad it wasn't longer, LOL.

[James Cox · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was on the fence from the beginning to the end. It had a really good start, I wish they're had been more world building.

[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Survivors?

Mike & Rachel Andrews...two of the characters in this book which makes it so enjoyable.
The 60 minute war has decimated everywhere and everybody. The survivors are deep under ground in a bunker called Harmony. After 10 years it has been decided to scout areas to see if there could possibly be survivors. After an earthquake damages vital equipment in Harmony, it is up to captain Andrews team to go to San Jose to find needed repair items.
But it's not that easy. There are people and they're not very nice. It seems a CIA reject with unknown powers keeps everyone in line.
Lots of action, loads of descriptive details about their vehicles & how they have survived.
A fun book to read. The characters were believable, the storyline plausible. I really enjoyed this book...😁

[Shamon Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story!

[Craig DiLouie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A decade after nuclear Armageddon swept the planet, a single underground outpost is still working in the United States. Harmony Base, designed to survive an apocalyptic event and restore America afterwards, explores the radioactive wasteland looking for other survivors to support.

After an earthquake damages Harmony’s life support systems, it’s up to Captain Mike Andrews and the crews of two all-terrain combat vehicles to get to San Jose for critical parts they need. There, they find the survivors they’ve been searching for, reduced to savagery. And they’re hungry …

Stephen Knight has a military background that is on full display in his fiction such as THE GATHERING DEAD and EARTHFALL, which blends the procedural with the fantastic. He raises the technical and military detail in his books completely off the Michael Crichton scale and to the point of fetish, which is good for me as a reader, because I love a tense, action-packed apocalyptic story told with extreme realism. On every page, you know you are being told a story by a guy who knows his business. The all-terrain fighting machines the Harmony explorers use to cross the wastelands are virtually characters in the book, and I loved every minute of screen time they had. They’re fantastic–the ultimate ROAD WARRIOR vehicles. Knight’s attention to detail and realism also means his characters don’t do anything that has you slapping your head in disbelief. From the steady Captain Andrews to the haunted veteran Mulligan, they’re stark, likable, tough.

EARTHFALL reads as a complete story, though the ending leaves a very wide opening for a series. I’ll be sure to check out Knight’s continuing vision of a ROAD WARRIOR world in which a United States military outpost struggles to survive and make things right again.

[Brandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was all set to give my horror/apocalypse marathon a rest & then read this first page of this & just kept on going. I am not sure if there was a book before or after this one, but it mentions the "60 minute war". Perhaps I just missed the explanation for the name, but I don't recall there being one. The story revolves around Harmony Base, constructed underground, in which survivors of the war have been living. They go out, in search of survivors (it is 10yrs after the war) & they are not so sure anyone has survived. The landscape is still very radio active & so they are confined to the base. They go in in special vehicles made to withstand the radio activity & must wear space type suits to go out of the vehicle, which they normally do not even do. When an event at the base threatens the entire population 2 crews are sent out on a long journey to get supplies. The story picks up steam when they find those supplies. No spoilers here.

I liked the fresh take on people going out in search of survivors, instead of hiding underground & avoiding survivors. I liked the crusty old Sargent & the rest of the crews. The protagonist was not too believable to me after I finished & thought about it, but stories like this count on you to suspend your disbelief. It's a really good book & I would recommend it.

[Cristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spoiler Alert!! This book was alright. I've definitely read much better in this genre. I feel too much time was wasted on certain components of the story, while others were virtually ignored. All of the action is centered around a poorly fleshed out character who calls himself "The Law". And the action is redundant and takes far too long to come to an end, because it is a pretty mundane action sequence. None of the characters are very fleshed out at all. Mike and Rachel, who have known each other all their lives and are now married, seem to not know one another at all. Mulligan carries a huge story inside of him, but we only hear it at the end, and then it's as if nothing was said at all. Harmony base itself - how did it come to be, why were certain families brought there, how did the world really end? I mean Nukes, obviously, but what brought about the 60 Minute War?
All in all, it was an okay read, but definitely nothing special.

[Ralph · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun quick read. The plot was interesting and I think this premise could make a good book series. The book had decent action and some interesting characters however, I think the book could have been maybe a hundred pages longer to allow for more "meat" to the story line, more "surprises" and more background for the Law character who along with Mulligan were, IMHO, the two characters that were the most interesting and I think could have had a much better back story developed. But even with all of those comments if you like a quick, light romp though an apocalyptic future Earthfall is a good choice.

[Brett's Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though it is a little formulaic in its presentation of post-apocolyptic America, the hero's are the US Army (HUUAH!) and the villian is a psychotic psycho. However, I felt like the formula worked (or maybe I have just been reading to many of these types of stories lately). I found the overall message to be one of hope amidst great destruction and I also thought the author got the Army stuff right (lingo, culture), which made the presentation of the military mission seem authentic to me. More importantly, in my opinion, is that the characters were interesting and the effectively crafted characters are what keep me going through the formulaic story.

[Art Griswold · Rating 3 out of 5]

This had potential to be great but for some reason it wasn't. It was still a good read, I just felt disappointed when I was finished.

For post-apoc stories, this had way too much hope at the end. I prefer the genre to be darker, but that's not totally the authors fault, just a personal preferance.

The actions scenes were great, but why did the survivors automatically want to completely end the explorers? I thought a little bit more back story there would have been nice. Sprinkled in were some thoughts on the topic, but not enough to really give a crap about the entire group.

Overall, it was still good story

[Mike Glisson]

Good action adventure. Lots of heroes, villains. Too much like Damnation Alley, but good read!

I've always had a morbid fascination with post apocalyptic scenarios. This one definitely fit the cravings. It was too much like Damnation Alley, though, to be original. Two self-contained all terrain vehicles loaded with missiles blasting through devastated land torn apart nuclear holocaust and by raging storms in its aftermath. Confronted by radiation inflicted survivors! Really? Ah, well, I liked it anyway and couldn't put it down till I finished. For those who didn't live in the seventies, it would still be an entertaining read, if you're into end of the world story's.

[Jeremy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was basically the tale of two books. The first half of this novel was not GREAT, but very good; a tale of a wasteland world decimated by nuclear war, and a small base of survivors than managed to survive it all in an underground bunker. The second half of this story was over-the-top, and didn't seem to fit the rest of the plot. It almost seemed like the author tried to shove two concepts into the same book that just simply didn't mesh well together. I'm going out of my way here not to bring up any spoilers, but simply put, "The Law" should have been a different book.

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a fan of Stephen Knight and post-apocalyptic fiction so this was a treat. I enjoyed the story, but really wish there had been a little more detail regarding the actual war that decimated the world. But that was really my only complaint. The story flowed well with very tight, well-written action sequences. The characters weren't all fleshed out as well as they could have been, but they were still likable and I rooted for them. And Mulligan? Wow. That's a story that could fill another novel.

I felt the ending left it open enough for a sequel. Which I would love to see!

[Colin Hickey · Rating 3 out of 5]

An ok read, not bad but not great. The premise is good but too much military jargon for my liking. Reads more as a military / road adventure novel whereas I would have enjoyed more background on the 60 minute war and interaction with the San Jose survivors. Not sure if this book is part of a series and if these are explored further. This book passed the time and was mildly enjoying but wouldnt go out of my way to read it.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly couldn't think of a good reason to deny this one any stars. It's a gripping post-nuclear adventure set in an underground base housing what's thought to be the last vestiges of civilization. A disaster entails sending a crew into the desolate wasteland above on a mission to save the lives of all the survivors. The action is gripping, the characters varied and well done, and the suspense masterful. An enjoyable read.

[Pilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Post-apocalyptic novel set 10 years after the nuclear holocaust. A community is living underground, ready to "re-seed" the earth. An earthquake damages the power. A group sets out looking for a critical piece of equipment and finds a savage cult. Wrapped around the action is the discussion of how people have been affected by the war, whether they were part of it, or were raised underground.

[Chris Sachnik · Rating 1 out of 5]

As you can see by my rating, I wasn't a fan. I won't waste time going over everything I didn't like. The main take-away should be that I wasn't as shocked by how much I disliked this book as I was that this wasn't the authors first book. It read like writing 101, but it's the guy's fourth book. Amazing.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am surprised how much I liked this book. Military fiction usually doesn't do it for me but this one was an exception. I found myself really feeling the action and could see the world the author created. I am a sucker for post-apocalyptic anything so that was what drew me in and I am glad I gave it a try. Really enjoyable read.

[Anton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book! The plot may not be that elaborate, but it reads really well and somehow achieves the effect of transporting you in the environment of post-nuclear war America. The characters seem alive and the action is pretty exciting. But then again, I love post-apocalyptic fiction :-)

[Todd Stanley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing after reading all of his other books. Characters weren't very fleshed out, and the action was just "okay". Looking forward to his next book to prove this was just a blip in his career.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book from start to finish, I'd really like to see this one made into a movie. Recommend to anyone who enjoys post apocalyptic or science fiction novels. Earthfall goes on my favorites shelf.
5 stars.

[Tulara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting premise - good characters - it was chock full of fancy military vehicles I would have liked to have known more about. But the tale of life after a sixty-minute nuclear war, was spell-binding alone. Good read.