What do you think?
Rate this book
Final Dawn #1
Escape From Armageddon
The author of the best selling novel "The Secession of Texas" brings you "Final Dawn," an apocalyptic love story.
What would you do if you finally found the love of your life, and were making plans to spend eternity with them - and then found out that eternity was only two years? Mark is a romantic and carefree young engineer, and a bit of a cornball. His beloved Hannah is a beautiful scientist. Pragmatic, intelligent and analytical, she longs for the family she never had, and a change from her horrific childhood. Mark offers that change, and her life is finally complete.
Then Hannah discovers that mankind is doomed. Suddenly their lives become a mad scramble, to find a way to save themselves and everyone they love.
What would you do if you finally found the love of your life, and were making plans to spend eternity with them - and then found out that eternity was only two years? Mark is a romantic and carefree young engineer, and a bit of a cornball. His beloved Hannah is a beautiful scientist. Pragmatic, intelligent and analytical, she longs for the family she never had, and a change from her horrific childhood. Mark offers that change, and her life is finally complete.
Then Hannah discovers that mankind is doomed. Suddenly their lives become a mad scramble, to find a way to save themselves and everyone they love.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 14, 2013
100 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
About the author
Darrell Maloney
103 books36 followersDarrell Maloney is a storyteller and author based in San Antonio, Texas.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
May 13, 2017
I love this author but I was somewhat put off reading it at first by the description of it as an apocalyptic love story. I'm not a romance fan especially in dystopia so I nearly didn't read it-but I'm so glad I did! When we join the story our MCs are already in a happy and stable relationship with no angst or mass sex scenes. It is about how a couple planning a future together are derailed by an impending disaster. So if you don't like romance, don't be put off by that description. This is very much an apocalypse novel with normal relationships running through it.
Mark is a security expert and Hannah is a scientist, and they are shocked to have won the Powerball jackpot. Before they get a chance to think about how rich they have become, Hannah is demoted at work for telling her bosses that an asteroid is on collision course with Earth and will hit in under 2 years. Hannah realises that it is being covered up so the public will know nothing until it hits, to avoid panic, while the chosen government people hide in newly constructed bunkers. She also realises that others in her department were demoted for the same reason. Now Hannah and Mark decide to build their own bunker for family and friends.
The action switches to the old salt mine that the couple buy and start to turn into an underground bunker where they will safely sit out the 5-7 years of ice age after the blast. On the same land they also build a huge home on the surface that they can live in when the Earth heats again. I was fascinated by their preperations and how hard they tried to conceal the true nature of the projects from the contractors for security reasons. They also tackle the issues of sleeping arrangements, food storage, clothing supplies for growing people, water, power, schooling, entertainment, animals, fuel...knowing that if they don't get enough, they can't just go shopping once the bunker is sealed. I always love the preperation parts of these novels, watching as the projects are completed and how problems are solved.
I also liked the moral question of who to bring into the bunker and where the cutoff must be. It is decided that 40 must be the maximum and only immediate family, which causes problems when spouses married into the family realise their own parents and siblings are excluded. It is a tough thing to have to think about. Which 40 would you choose and who would you leave behind to probably die? Needless to say, this is left until two months before the impact. There is also the question for Hannah and Sarah about whether to go public with the story to warn the general population and give them the chance to save themselves. The decision to do this with four months to go puts them on the government radar, but brings forward others to confirm their story.
What this author does so well is balance the tension with the development of the characters. This is one of the best authors I've read for making you love the characters and root for them in the survival situations. Mark and Hannah are a nice, normal couple when we meet them. The other two MCs who I also like are Hannah's best friend and co-worker Sarah, and Mark's brother Bryan. These are the first two people let into the secret and the four of them deal with the preperations. They are the kind of characters you like and would want to have as friends so you want them to survive, which is vital to me in apocalypse novels.
The book takes place over the two years from Hannah discovering impending doom, to the chosen ones moving into the bunker with a week to go. It is a tense story and you gradually watch the clock ticking down, hoping that the characters manage to get inside safely before the blast happens, and without the government finding them. That added a whole new level of tension to the book! I found it a totally compelling read and another great start to a series by this author. I plan to finish the three series by the author during the summer or autumn and I'm very much looking forward to reading them all.
Recommended for fans of apocalypse fiction and prepper fiction.
Mark is a security expert and Hannah is a scientist, and they are shocked to have won the Powerball jackpot. Before they get a chance to think about how rich they have become, Hannah is demoted at work for telling her bosses that an asteroid is on collision course with Earth and will hit in under 2 years. Hannah realises that it is being covered up so the public will know nothing until it hits, to avoid panic, while the chosen government people hide in newly constructed bunkers. She also realises that others in her department were demoted for the same reason. Now Hannah and Mark decide to build their own bunker for family and friends.
The action switches to the old salt mine that the couple buy and start to turn into an underground bunker where they will safely sit out the 5-7 years of ice age after the blast. On the same land they also build a huge home on the surface that they can live in when the Earth heats again. I was fascinated by their preperations and how hard they tried to conceal the true nature of the projects from the contractors for security reasons. They also tackle the issues of sleeping arrangements, food storage, clothing supplies for growing people, water, power, schooling, entertainment, animals, fuel...knowing that if they don't get enough, they can't just go shopping once the bunker is sealed. I always love the preperation parts of these novels, watching as the projects are completed and how problems are solved.
I also liked the moral question of who to bring into the bunker and where the cutoff must be. It is decided that 40 must be the maximum and only immediate family, which causes problems when spouses married into the family realise their own parents and siblings are excluded. It is a tough thing to have to think about. Which 40 would you choose and who would you leave behind to probably die? Needless to say, this is left until two months before the impact. There is also the question for Hannah and Sarah about whether to go public with the story to warn the general population and give them the chance to save themselves. The decision to do this with four months to go puts them on the government radar, but brings forward others to confirm their story.
What this author does so well is balance the tension with the development of the characters. This is one of the best authors I've read for making you love the characters and root for them in the survival situations. Mark and Hannah are a nice, normal couple when we meet them. The other two MCs who I also like are Hannah's best friend and co-worker Sarah, and Mark's brother Bryan. These are the first two people let into the secret and the four of them deal with the preperations. They are the kind of characters you like and would want to have as friends so you want them to survive, which is vital to me in apocalypse novels.
The book takes place over the two years from Hannah discovering impending doom, to the chosen ones moving into the bunker with a week to go. It is a tense story and you gradually watch the clock ticking down, hoping that the characters manage to get inside safely before the blast happens, and without the government finding them. That added a whole new level of tension to the book! I found it a totally compelling read and another great start to a series by this author. I plan to finish the three series by the author during the summer or autumn and I'm very much looking forward to reading them all.
Recommended for fans of apocalypse fiction and prepper fiction.
March 11, 2018
There were a couple of big errors that put me off early in the story. Hannah always loved astrology? She is an astrophysicist so I think astronomy is what was meant. Shortly after, Sarah quit her job and turned around and called Sarah? I think Hannah was the one who quit. It also seemed quite lucky that they won a big lottery so they could build their safe zone. That being said, I did rather like a lot of the ideas and way they executed their plan to build the mine and the living area for after it was safe to emerge. I also like Mark and Hannah. I will likely read book 2 to see what happens now that the disaster has arrived.
December 16, 2018
Unusual end times story
This seems very plausible. The characters are very compelling. That something could hit the earth is realistic and the government response seems dead on. Sad that so many people are duped in this outlook. But our heroes are Well organized. Look forward to seeing what happens.
This seems very plausible. The characters are very compelling. That something could hit the earth is realistic and the government response seems dead on. Sad that so many people are duped in this outlook. But our heroes are Well organized. Look forward to seeing what happens.
April 16, 2019
Great preparation Story
Informative as well as a great read.
Being a recipient of the megabucks, allows him to have no restrictions in preparing for future disaster. It was fun and educational learning about all the preparations without the restriction of limited funds. I enjoyed his style.
Informative as well as a great read.
Being a recipient of the megabucks, allows him to have no restrictions in preparing for future disaster. It was fun and educational learning about all the preparations without the restriction of limited funds. I enjoyed his style.
June 17, 2021
Great reading
I choose this book cause I was caught up with all my other readings. This book was a real page turner. Looking forward to the next in the series. There was a couple of mistakes, but we'll worth the read.
I choose this book cause I was caught up with all my other readings. This book was a real page turner. Looking forward to the next in the series. There was a couple of mistakes, but we'll worth the read.
April 30, 2018
Good book
Read all of the books in order to really enjoy. Characters are realistic and get better and better. Storyline continues to grow and develop.
Read all of the books in order to really enjoy. Characters are realistic and get better and better. Storyline continues to grow and develop.
August 10, 2021
Loved it!
Great book, very well written! I enjoyed getting to know these characters and it sure makes me want to win the lottery!
Great book, very well written! I enjoyed getting to know these characters and it sure makes me want to win the lottery!
November 26, 2022
Great read
Writing is easy to read and flows well.
Premise is on point.
My only real gripe is winning a lottery which funds this whole thing?
Writing is easy to read and flows well.
Premise is on point.
My only real gripe is winning a lottery which funds this whole thing?
May 29, 2017
A really great "end of the world" story!
Don't let the description about this book being a "love story" put you off. It may have characters in love, but how can any book about the end of the world NOT talk about the people we love either dying or living such a fate. This first book (I've read all but the last few three times since the series began) is just the beginning of a series of books. This first one is a little slow paced but the next books after become more dramatic and suspenseful. If you like reading stories in this genre, you will not be disappointed. It's a great book for teens and above and preteens if they are mature enough for the subject matter. There are no steamy sex scenes and the language is pretty mild. As I re-read the next books in the series I'll comment on whether or not these two qualifiers change. What I especially like about this series are the descriptions of everything these people do before "the end", to help them survive. If you are one of those people preparing a "bug out" place to go to, this book may give you some ideas you might want to implement in your own shelter. It definitely gave me a few things to think more carefully about!
Don't let the description about this book being a "love story" put you off. It may have characters in love, but how can any book about the end of the world NOT talk about the people we love either dying or living such a fate. This first book (I've read all but the last few three times since the series began) is just the beginning of a series of books. This first one is a little slow paced but the next books after become more dramatic and suspenseful. If you like reading stories in this genre, you will not be disappointed. It's a great book for teens and above and preteens if they are mature enough for the subject matter. There are no steamy sex scenes and the language is pretty mild. As I re-read the next books in the series I'll comment on whether or not these two qualifiers change. What I especially like about this series are the descriptions of everything these people do before "the end", to help them survive. If you are one of those people preparing a "bug out" place to go to, this book may give you some ideas you might want to implement in your own shelter. It definitely gave me a few things to think more carefully about!
August 30, 2014
Great 1st in a series
While I found some things in this book too "lucky", I just ignored them and focused on everything else. I am getting ready to start book 2 so that should tell you that I really enjoyed book 1. This book is about a meteor heading toward Earth and the preparation of mainly one small group for the event. It goes into lots of detail about the preparation but the anticipation is always there so it stays interesting. So, book 2, here I come!
While I found some things in this book too "lucky", I just ignored them and focused on everything else. I am getting ready to start book 2 so that should tell you that I really enjoyed book 1. This book is about a meteor heading toward Earth and the preparation of mainly one small group for the event. It goes into lots of detail about the preparation but the anticipation is always there so it stays interesting. So, book 2, here I come!
October 25, 2022
Final Dawn
I love this series. I've read the first 13/14 at least a dozen times. It's written in a way that just makes you feel as if you're right there in it. My main issue is the mix-ups. I'm not referring to minor typos or grammatical errors. By mix-ups I mean incorrect details regarding the story line and using the wrong characters name. Its annoying and makes the books frustrating. Mind you, I'm well into having read the first 15ish books numbering in the double digits.
I love this series. I've read the first 13/14 at least a dozen times. It's written in a way that just makes you feel as if you're right there in it. My main issue is the mix-ups. I'm not referring to minor typos or grammatical errors. By mix-ups I mean incorrect details regarding the story line and using the wrong characters name. Its annoying and makes the books frustrating. Mind you, I'm well into having read the first 15ish books numbering in the double digits.
November 30, 2014
The author tales a good tale and if you go into reading this with that thought you will enjoy the story. It is not a manual and not even realistic in some one ways but a story with some luck and imagination a story of things might be.
September 23, 2015
Good read...
Enjoyed this book tremendously...all the preparations to be made...was tired after reading those!
Quite a useful but of info for prepper s...
On to the book in the series...enjoy!
Enjoyed this book tremendously...all the preparations to be made...was tired after reading those!
Quite a useful but of info for prepper s...
On to the book in the series...enjoy!
March 23, 2014
Good book for romance
I usually don't like romantic books but this is an exception. Has a good story line as well and the characters. are believable.!
I usually don't like romantic books but this is an exception. Has a good story line as well and the characters. are believable.!
February 20, 2015
The 'Almost' End
I really liked this book and zipped right through it. I liked all the planning and detail. Learned a lot about survival.
I really liked this book and zipped right through it. I liked all the planning and detail. Learned a lot about survival.
August 22, 2015
Not my favorite of this author
March 3, 2016
Awesomeness
Great book! Yes...as I leave to buy a $238 million dollar Powerball. I hope I'm as lucky and yes I too will build a fortress for my loved ones!
Great book! Yes...as I leave to buy a $238 million dollar Powerball. I hope I'm as lucky and yes I too will build a fortress for my loved ones!
March 3, 2016
Great book! I truly enjoyed this story, of preparing to survive a meteor strike. Recommended!!
March 11, 2016
Great read
Really enjoyed reading haven't read in a long time
It was great getting back to reading want to read more
Really enjoyed reading haven't read in a long time
It was great getting back to reading want to read more
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews