The Nightmare Begins

The Survivalist #2

by Jerry Ahern

World War III is now a bloody page in American history. With nuclear holocaust killing more than a quarter-billion people worldwide and the United States just a memory, John Thomas Rourke, ex-CIA Cover Operations Officer, weapons expert, and survival authority is enduring the ultimate test. Soviet Occupation Forces have landed and must begin the "pacification" of America. They will start by liquidating any prominent Americans who could become a rallying point for armed resistance. The first name on the list is Samuel Chambers, the lone surviving member of the Presidential cabinet. And as the American KGB invades Texas to find Chambers, they find Rourke there as well. With his young friend Paul Rubenstein, Rourke is fighting his way back home to continue the search for his missing wife and children. Paramilitary armies, heavily armed brigands, a beautiful KGB infiltrator, an unending stream of War refugees, and a land gone mad with violence block his path. The birth of the U.S. II has begun and the quest continues for John Thomas Rourke - THE SURVIVALIST.

Genres: Post Apocalyptic, Fiction, Adventure, Action, Science Fiction, War, Dystopia

170 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 1981

About the author

Jerry Ahern (born Jerome Morrell Ahern) was a science fiction and action novel author best known for his post apocalyptic survivalist series The Survivalist. The books in this series are heavy with descriptions of the weapons the protagonists use to survive and prosecute a seemingly never-ending war amongst the remnants of the superpowers from pre-apocalypse times.

Ahern was also a firearms writer, who published numerous articles in magazines such as Guns & Ammo, Handguns and Gun World.

Jerry Ahern passed away on July 24, 2012 after a long struggle with cancer.

Ahern also released books under pseudonym Axel Kilgore.

Reviews

[Henry Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

The series' title character is John Rourke, a former CIA operative who was on a civilian flight at the hour the missiles struck. His sidekick in this book was Paul Rubenstein, a former white collar geek type with a good heart, and a mental toughness allowing him to cope and adapt well to the new world, under Rourke's hands-on tutelage. Rubenstein was on the same flight, which crashed out West. The story picks up as the pair are making their way through Texas for the eastern seaboard, where Rourke hopes to find his wife and kids still alive somehow, and Rubenstein plans to turn south into Florida to look for his parents. They're traveling on motorcycles (Rourke in style--his is a Harly).

This series has most of what you would hope to find in a post-apocalyptic yarn: A smart, skilled, resourceful hero who is up to the extraordinary task of surviving in such a world; a wide-open Wild-West type landscape of dangerous wilderness and ghost towns; and a rogue's gallery of brigands and Soviets to ensure Rourke's quest is no radioactive milk run. And yet Ahern avoided some of the cliches...er, conventions I've come to expect in the genre. There were no human mutants, for instance. Our heroes did encounter a group of infected teenagers, but the author made it clear they were living on borrowed time--not transforming into vampires or Marvel supervillains. And though there was some sexual tension here and there, there was no prose-porn.

What about gun porn? From what I've read, Ahern has a reputation for this. Maybe I still don't understand where the threshold is defined between describing a weapon/its use and descending into "gun porn," but in my opinion the author's treatment of firearms in this book was the former, and not the latter. Rubenstein's primary weapon (a WWII German submachinegun, MP40) is so interesting that I now am tempted to seek out the first issue just to find out how it was acquired. Rourke's signature side armament are twin Detonics Combat Masters, and his use of them at one point (though nothing flamboyant enough for a John Woo movie) actually had me break reading silence and sound off with a hearty "ooh-rah!" For long range, he carries a CAR-15, arguably the father of the M-4 carbine in such wide use today in US troop deployments.

I have a prejudice against the entire M16/AR15 family of weapons. The 82nd Airborne Division was usually one of the first units to get new toys (the Kevlar helmet, the M249 SAW, etc.), and I did get to plink with some M16A2s when they were still brand new. Their accuracy was pretty good, I'll admit, and they were far more dependable than the A1s I had used in OSUT. Yet I was apalled by their tendency to malfunction in spite of diligent cleaning. Especially in sandy environments. Yet the AR15 and its derivatives are still the most popular assault/battle rifle with the Pentagon and in men's fiction.

OK-moving on.

The bad guys in Nightmare Begins were also a breath of fresh air. No "B" movie Nazis here--even the KGB honcho. And his wife/agent Natalia is surprisingly complex. (Rourke recognizes her, BTW, from one of his spook missions in Central America.) In addition to the knowledgeable depictions of weaponcraft, I appreciated thoughtful details like the difficulty of finding gasoline after a nuclear war. A very popular author in the genre fails to address this issue honestly. Another author in the genre, many of whose books I personally like, had his protagonist once use Federal Reserve notes to pay for something in the post-nuke economy...and they were accepted! Rourke and Rubenstein find it necessary to forage (though they make an effort to deal fairly and honestly with others). This is a far more sober speculation, IMO.

Nightmare Begins has left me with the impression that at this point in the continuity, the series is just hitting its stride. I certainly plan to read the other Survivalist book I picked up, and will be on the lookout for others. Based on this reading, I recommend The Survivalist as an intelligent, well-written TEOTWAWKI series with plenty of action to keep us turning pages.

[Lauren Stoolfire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just like with the first novel in this series, I'm feeling awful manly right about now. I feel like I should be in an '80s action movie starring Chuck Norris.

[Kurt Vosper · Rating 3 out of 5]

see book 1

[Keith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was fun easy reading in my teens. Would actually like to pick one up again and see what I think now. :D

[Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of the Survivalist, Thomas Rourke, continues in this second volume. Gone are the red phone calls between the President of the USA and Soviet Premiere. Also gone is the geopolitical discussions and goings on. Here, everything is a lot more focused and centered in Texas a few weeks after World Wear 3.

We begin with Rourke and his companion Rubenstein traveling back to Atlanta to find Rourke’s family. Along the way they are waylaid in Texas amidst the growing unrest among the survivors of the nuclear attacks. There are a group of what I believe were once national guard soldiers trying to reestablish control in the chaos, often with machine guns. There are also a gang of outlaws who also form a raider group that goes around pillaging and murdering civilians. Finally, we have another player in Texas – the Soviet army. They have taken over Chicago and have sent a force into Texas.

What drives the plot of the book is the search for Samuel Chambers who is the one surviving member of the US President’s cabinet and is now the de facto President. Eventually all the main characters, Rourke, Chambers, and a Soviet general converge in a military base near Houston. Another important character is Natalia Tiemerovna who is also on a mission to find Chambers but is rescued by Rourke and Rubenstein. Natalia is the most interesting character in the book as her loyalties begin to waver the longer she is with Rourke and sees what has remained in the Texas. Her quest and sympathies are the only major character development in the book.

This second volume has all the action and violence that I expected and desired. It is a 1980’s paperback apocalyptic novel. It is pure pulp and not great literature. It is fun to read and has an over-the-top action hero who always takes the masculine path to solving a problem. I love these kinds of books, but they may not be for everyone.

Rourke is a killing machine. Rubenstein is the side kick who gradually becomes more confident in himself as he learns to survive. The post-nuclear world is becoming more and more lawless with Mad Max type biker gangs taking over. Survivors can either become predator or prey in this lawless world. This may sound somewhat depressing as I describe it but is actually a fun read.

The book tells a complete story but is still one major plot thread that hasn’t been resolved. I was eager to pick up the next volume to see where the story goes, which is a good indication of my enjoyment of this book.

[Jim Dunlop · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first read the survivalist books back in the early 1990s and never really thought they were that great. In fact, I only read I believe the first two or three books so going back to book 2. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it too much. I was surprisingly pleased by how decent the book was there’s some good action sequences, and everything moves along at a good pace with memorable characters. I guess my biggest gripe would have to be The nuclear war in general is treated fairly poorly. It’s as if there was only some kind of conventional war and not a world changing event like a nuclear war. Soviets are invading what’s left of the USA, which seems slightly implausible, considering their country would be completely destroyed as well. It’s up to John Thomas Rourke to bring the war to the Russians as he continues to search for his wife and children. Not a bad read.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's some terrible dialogue that probably inspired some great 80s action movies, and some individual behaviors that seem shoveled in for plot advancement, but I like this series well enough. It's easy to read and the characters are developing. I'll plan on reading the third one.

I read a good chunk of this series 15 years ago. My memory is foggy, but for some reason I really enjoy reading it.

[Natasa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm loving this series, I'm listening to graphic audio books which are absolutely amazing. They are also pretty short (cca 3,5 hours) which I like, it's a nice break in between books that are usually 3-4 times longer.

[Rob Badger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second book

The second book in the series continues the story well, expanding the narrative to include the viewpoints of other survivors

[Neil Feltham · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another good read from my school days. Used to have the complete series in paperback.

[EchoBaz(Unofficial World's Fastest Reader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

It didn't really get many emotions out of me like the first book did, but it was fun to listen to in the background.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my “James Patterson” the dialogue is laugh out loud. Who doesn’t love a good one man against the communists just to get back to his wife during WWIII?

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Old school pulp fiction at it's best. Bad dialog, over the top characters and plot holes you could drive a truck through. Very enjoyable!

[munchiniwa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Story, poor grammar

I enjoyed the story but the errors in grammar, duplicate pasting of paragraphs, and typos was very distracting. This needs to be edited and re-published.

[Carl · Rating 4 out of 5]

enjoyed this blast from the past

[Joe Harley · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s The Survivalist for god’s sake. Every single book is non-stop, rock ‘n rolling, Detonics firing, evil destroying, balls, out, FUN!

[Matt Kight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable and easy but not entirely believable most of the time. That's okay, it's still exactly what I wanted. Starting on Survivalist #3 right away.

[Joseph B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahern's Survivalist series continues in The Nightmare Begins; after the brief nuclear war Russia moves in to invade key American cities as our hero John Rourke continues his journey to reunite with his family. Fighting all manner of dangers along the way. If you enjoyed the first book, the second won't disappointment you.

A bulk of this novel unsurprisingly focuses on John Rourke and his companion, Paul Rubenstein, as they continue their trek across the Southern U.S. John remains a serious yet empathetic protagonist who drops relative survival info here and there intertwined with an enjoyable story. The post-World War 3 setting also is very grounded; there's no mutants, psychic abilities, etc. that are a common staple in this genre.

The secondary cast is developed pretty well. Sarah Rourke and her children are still struggling to survive in a now anarchist society. A stark contrast to John who is ready for anything that is thrown at him. Ahern uses this disparity well storytelling-wise. Additionally we are introduced to Russian KGB agents Natalia and Vladimir who are more nuanced than other pulp fiction villains usually are. They are loyal to their nation but have differing perspectives on the actions of it. Plus a newly appointed President of the United States gets some time in the spotlight. The prose is still as descriptive and immersive as the first book, which is a strong point of this series.

Like the first book, I'd say 3 1/2 stars out of 5 in general but for pulp fans 4 out of 5.

Note: This review was edited in 2024 upon a re-read for expanded perspective and more detail.

[Nicholas · Rating 2 out of 5]

What did I think? I think I thought this book/series was way cooler when I was 8 and first read it. It does explain where I got my preference for long, detailed lists of weapons for RPGs and a deep down dislike of Soviets comes from though.

While I wasn't aware of the term "Mary Sue" at the time that I first read this, I see now that holy goodness gracious is Rouke a Mary Sue. Or Marty Stu, whatever the kids are calling it these days, and I don't mean the watered down, useless definition tossed around so liberally on the net these days.

Hold up a few minutes. I need to go relieve some masturbatory tension by looking at some pictures of guns, with their cool blued, sleek hardness gracefully and erotically enhanced by additional recoil-providing gas ports along the long, long barrel. Then I'll imagine myself slowly, gently caressing the gleaming rounds of 15whatever grain Federal Premium hollowpoint full metal jacket manstoppers, as I slowly, sensually insert them into the individual vaginas, wait, no, I mean, chambers of my massive Colt Python. Then I'll have a threesome with my glimmering matched Detonics .45s. . . ummmmmmmmmmm

Yes, Ahern has a thing for his guns. A big thing.

Whaddya mean, "What about the characterization and storyline"? Yeah, I guess it paid some lip service to those things also. I mean, it has a beautiful female Soviet spy. That counts, right? overall, TNB is kind of sloppy, but I think the author really invested himself in the story. I'll probably read a few more to see if he improves, or continues on the same path.

[Carl Timms · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gets things going but not great

It's ok,not great. It gets the story going now the war has happened but compared to the a adventures to come in fact tree superior later books its just a stepping stone. Finale is exceptionally unsatisfying also, being just a but too easy.

Natalie is way more annoying than I remember though and the way John just casually flirts with her actually makes me really dislike him. Paul is a great character though. He really starts to come into his own in this one.

[D. E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 2nd Novel of the Survivalist Series/El Paso/Chicago/Atlanta

JA has penned the 2nd novel of the Survivalist Series which takes place primarily in the southwest. He and his oak, Rubenstein, continue their easterly journey until they are forced north too by pass destroyed nuclear areas. They save the new President from the Russians and Rourke continues his search for his family. He his is an excellent dread for the genre.....ER

[Lance · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of the same but the main character runs into some new people and gains some new enemies and some new allies. The Soviet Union and the KGB are more of a presence in this book as they have actually landed in the USA and are continuing their efforts to take over. Rourke continues his quest to find his wife and children.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent start to the series. This is my favorite non fantasy, non SF series, although it later develops some SF elements in it. Ahern writes action as well or better than anyone. I've learned a lot from him.

[stormhawk · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second installment of The Survivalist series is the one that sealed the deal for me and kept me reading. There are elements of hope in this post-apocalypyc novel. I think that sense of hope is what raises the story beyond most comparable books in the genre.

[Little Timmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite adventure series. Dr John Thomas Rourke leads his family and friends through a post apocalyptic world fighting ever step if the way. Fantastic characters and plots. Very detailed weapon descriptions. Excellent series. My highest recommendation

[Matt · Rating 1 out of 5]

Let the horror begin. Nothing happens from here through the rest of this 26-part series.

[Ron · Rating 2 out of 5]

Post-apocalyptic pulp goodness.

[Dan Panke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can see this series having a good life as the story seems well thought out and it does hold your interest.