Countdown to Oblivion

by Brian Bowyer

An alcoholic father, out to rescue his daughter from a psychopath, finds himself in the middle of an extinction event.

From Brian Bowyer (author of Old Too Soon, Flesh Rehearsal, Autumn Gothic, and more) comes a harrowing novelette that will appeal to readers of dark, transgressive fiction.

Genres: Horror

ebook

Published June 9, 2024

Reviews

[Yolanda Sfetsos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, this book is so good I read it in one sitting!

Chuck is a no-nonsense kinda guy with a drinking problem, but when the world is about to turn to shit, he finds himself in the middle of a rescue mission...

Yikes! This story might be short but it grabbed me by the throat and dragged me along until the shocking conclusion. The sense of dread hit me from the very beginning, and only got thicker and harder to ignore as I turned the pages.

The family at the centre of this apocalyptic tale—with freaky SF elements guaranteed to give any reader nightmares—are a complicated and very dysfunctional bunch with a hell of a lot of problems. But that doesn't mean that I didn't feel for them, because I did.

Countdown to Oblivion packs quite the punch. It's violent and brutal. A total nightmare of apocalyptic proportions featuring characters I should've disliked but actually felt bad for, and enjoyed following until the very end. Except for Kyle. Kyle can fuck off.

Anyway, you should check it out.

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

In less than fifty pages, you get the chills of an entire novel; the claustrophobia of an impending apocalypse; the crazy astrophysics of an extinction event; the rot in the best humanity has to offer; and lots of drugs, booze, and derailed family relations. Somewhere in all this, love shines through - not once, not twice, but almost all the time.

Brian Bowyer's 'Countdown to Oblivion' does not waste words, preferring to use only as many as necessary. In a couple of pages, you already care about the characters, you've decided to stick around and discover their fate, prepared to be shocked by the brutal honesty of the images and determined to appreciate the single-mindedness of the story. And there's a note of subtle humor (or is it irony?) in the devotion of a alcohol-addicted father to his meth-addicted daughter's well-being. But the strongest love knows cosmic irony the best.

Cover by Don Noble.

[Jacy Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Any time I start to feel good about the world, I like to pop in on a Brian Bowyer book, and slap myself down a bit. Whenever I rea done of his books, I'm reminded of that line from Dragnet, "Just the facts, ma'am." That's all Brian gives you. Unapologetic, dark, and unforgettable. Countdown to Oblivion is no different. Brutal and unflinching, CTB is a quick, dark read. Check it out.

[Edward · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast short read with all the drama of a full novel. It’s a drug fueled race to the end of the world where we meet the shadiest characters and the worst human monster of all. Sharply written with some wild moments. I liked this a lot.

[Wayne Fenlon · Rating 5 out of 5]

If an extreme horror version of The Twilight Zone is ever considered, give Brian Bowyer the damn pen.
No wasted words. Just some wasted people... Ha!
An easy five stars.

[Paige Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re familiar with Bowyer’s work you might recognize this story from a particular collection of his ;)

Chuck is on a mission to find his daughter. He fights for her in every way he can and never gives up until he finds her. During this journey the world is also doomed to end before they know it. A public broadcast has been announced live from the president.

I don’t want to give anything away but if you haven’t read this yet, you need to! A quick and easy one-sitting read that can be finished in an hour or less. Bowyer has a writing style that cannot be matched and this story packs one mean punch to the face for being under 50 pages!

This story has a little bit of everything when it comes to extreme horror.

Highly Recommend!

[Mort · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bowyer's tight prose and writing without judgement, makes this story incredibly believable despite its bleakness.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was different from Brian's other books I've read. It was more Twilight Zone sci-fi, but don't think that means that he left out the horror. There is absolutely blood in this one. Great, quick read.

[Kiera ☠ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this apocalyptic short story of absolute madness. Very true to Brian's style the characters are extremely chaotic in the best way. The reason/cause for the impending end of the world is incredibly imaginative and quite honestly, I wish there was more. Holding out hope that maybe Brian blesses us with a continuation in the future!

If you're looking for a quick read that packs a punch, this definitely fits the bill. A wild ride from beginning to end that will have you begging for more. These characters will stay with me long after I've finished reading for sure.

[Nat Whiston · Rating 5 out of 5]

I mean interesting start with Chuck in a strip club, but it sets the scene. Seedy, unsettling and at least he pays Ginger handsomely for the information he needs. She made a nice $400 dollars in less than 5 minutes too. As soon as Chuck buys the gun we know he is a man on a mission. His personality shifts between a Clint Eastwood vibe and a character from a Tarantino film. Which is kinda why I loved the character, it’s a difficult thing to do in a short story but Brain pulls it off masterfully. I also enjoyed the visual concept of good and evil, that Chuck could see his devil and angel on his shoulder. Which makes the reader realise how truly conflicted he is as a person.
Definitely a much darker end of a world story than expected. That showcases addiction and a very disturbing way of life. Which shook me to my core, especially when it highlights the effects of drugs on children when it’s the only life they have ever known. But this story is nothing like the usual end of the world tales, this highlights the hidden darkness in humanity. Which will honestly make you want the end to come swiftly. There is a reason this man has won awards, the shock factor and pace in this one, will haunt your dreams.

[Sophie Ingley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Lovecraftian apocalypse, fuelled by crystal meth and violence.
I loved this very.
Another brilliant short from Brian Bowyer.

[Douglas Hackle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short, dark, disturbing-yet-fun tale. With the end of the world nigh, the remnants of a dysfunctional family spend their last day on Earth drinking whiskey, smoking meth, and eating spaghetti. I’d probably do the same.

[Caribou · Rating 4 out of 5]

COUNTDOWN TO OBLIVION is a bleak transgressive work from the ever-talented writer Brian Bowyer. Always stellar writing from him, and this quick read was no different. It tells a vicious tale of a family reaching the end of their rope and their tragic fates. Absolutely loved the gritty, apocalyptic feel. Settings I could see and feel whilst reading and characters that felt personal, real, but at the same time crazy as fuck. This was a quick read, I absolutely blasted through it, couldn’t stop, and enjoyed every word. Concise storytelling, vivid imagery, and a sick ending. No complaints beyond the fact that I just wanted to know a tiny bit more about the family (but at the same time I like for it to remain a bit cryptic and you can certainly make your own assumptions quite easily based on context). Maybe that’s not so much a gripe as it is a compliment to the characters. Great book!

[Paul Preston · Rating 5 out of 5]

How will you spend your final hours?

Everyone will react differently when the end is imminent. You’ve been warned, there is nothing any of us can do, tomorrow night earth will be obliterated.
This story was just wild with its nonchalance. Brian has written something deep and beautiful yet it is hidden beneath a family at the very lowest of their low. There is no judgement here, no blaming or shaming, just a guy doing what he feels is right.
I can’t say any more even though I am dying to talk about this short, 40 page story.
I’m m going to be dwelling on this for awhile.

[Elle Stockton · Rating 5 out of 5]

How will you spend your last day on Earth?

Chuck, his daughter, Jenny, and a little girl named Trinity spend their final hours together watching news reports on the upcoming apocalypse. Chuck drinks whiskey while Jenny shoots up and Trinity smokes meth. After resting, they all do meth and await the president’s address.

Doom from outer space will impact the planet ending all life. They take off to see Jenny’s friend who knows what’s coming between eight and nine that night. They arrive at his house just past ten in the morning.

Kyle leads the group to his satellite-surveillance chamber where planet Earth is projected on a cinematic screen. Chuck and the girls take turns dissecting parts of what’s coming to end the world. The girls smoke meth while Chuck hits the whiskey and they sack out for a while.

Then it begins—bloody and gruesome—true Bowyer extreme horror. This reader didn’t see it coming. Definitely a must-read for Bowyer fans. Highly recommend.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The end of the world is coming. But before, Chuck an alcoholic father is rescuing his daughter Jenny, a lost girl named Trinity. Oh, there is also a son, Jericho, but he has another fate. What is Kyle hide in his basement by the way and why is everybody doing booze and crystal. This is one of the best extinction tales I came across for a very long time. Merciless and brutal the author draws an absolutely convincing road to nowhere scenario with his outcast characters. To the point, nail biting, honest, simply good. One of my favorites written by Brian. Highly recommended.

[Ronald McGillvray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only Brian Bowyer can make an already unsettling apocalyptic scenario more chaotic, brutal and violent. This drug fuelled rampage towards the end of the world is nothing short of breathtaking. A master of brevity, Brian packs an enormous punch with this one. Fasten your seatbelts because “Countdown To Oblivion” is one hell of a ride.

[Robert Kluver · Rating 5 out of 5]

After whiskey-loving Chuck sets out to rescue his daughter from a bad man, the President makes a grave announcement.

I had a great time with this apocalyptic novelette. It’s like Melancholia but with meth heads. 5 extinction events out of 5.

[John The Crippledgimp · Rating 5 out of 5]

An awesome whiskey filled meth fueled short about the world ending..... Brian Bowler just fuckin rocks. Go to godless.com and pick this one up.