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EMP Terror #1
Breakdown: An EMP Survival Thriller: The EMP Terror Series, Book 1
A situation of this magnitude had always been talked about - but could it ever really happen?
Jake Shepherd is piloting a flight to Seattle when out of the blue, his aircraft falls from the sky. The power-grid across the United States crashes, leaving all computerized machines crippled, sending the country into a disastrous tailspin.
Alice Shepherd is working the emergency room when hundreds of injured people pour in needing help. With no electricity, resources are limited - once the back up generators fail, the hospital will not be able to handle the influx of patients being brought in, guaranteeing that all hell will break loose.
Everyone is speculating and panicking. No one knows what really happened. The only thing everyone can agree on is their simple, convenient, technological world is gone. Everyone is left to fight - kill or be killed. Survive or die.
Jake Shepherd is piloting a flight to Seattle when out of the blue, his aircraft falls from the sky. The power-grid across the United States crashes, leaving all computerized machines crippled, sending the country into a disastrous tailspin.
Alice Shepherd is working the emergency room when hundreds of injured people pour in needing help. With no electricity, resources are limited - once the back up generators fail, the hospital will not be able to handle the influx of patients being brought in, guaranteeing that all hell will break loose.
Everyone is speculating and panicking. No one knows what really happened. The only thing everyone can agree on is their simple, convenient, technological world is gone. Everyone is left to fight - kill or be killed. Survive or die.
- GenresFiction
Audible Audio
First published July 5, 2017
192 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
About the author
J.R. Tate
42 books23 followersLibrarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
October 12, 2019
Jake is a pilot whose plane is brought down by an EMP on a flight from Dallas to Seattle, leaving him and a handful of survivors stuck miles from home, somewhere around Colorado. His wife Alice tries to keep her mind off news of the crash by continuing her job as a nurse as her hospital copes with power loss and multiple people coming in injured. Her son Dylan is at school in town when disaster hits but his sister Sophie is at college in Boston and has to work out how to get away from the destroyed campus and a city falling apart.
Jake is the first to face disaster, working with co-pilot Colin to try and glide the plane down to land when they suddenly lose all power. The death toll on the aircraft leaves him full of guilt but he has to focus on keeping the few survivors alive. He starts by exploring the local area despite his own head injuries but finds the area deserted other than a deranged man with a knife at a nearby campground. With no sign of a search party and no people around, they know something bad has happened and they need to look after themselves. The survivors decide that staying is not an option and that they must begin a search for supplies for the long walk back to Dallas where most of them have family waiting. Trying to find food, water, transport and a way to carry the injured Colin is stressful enough but the fear of more bad people looking to pick a fight has them all on edge.
Alice is at the hospital when she gets word about the crash and fears that her husband may be dead. Unable to contact either of her children, Alice soon faces her own disaster when the EMP takes out the power at the hospital where she is working. People injured in car crashes are suddenly flooding into the hospital desperate for treatment and the loss of power means that the emergency generators are soon using up all of their fuel causing a shortage that could be fatal for the dependant patients. As Alice tries to help other people, she soon starts to think about her son alone in this disaster area and has to decide whether to stay and do her duty or go and find her son.
At her college campus, Sophie is freaked out to hear about the plane crash and can only hope that her dad is not on the flight. As she and her friend Danny leave the lecture, the EMP hits Boston and her campus is thrown into chaos as planes begin to crash in the area. Unable to do much to help the stricken around them, Sophie and Danny decide to grab a few essentials and get out of the city. But they are about to find out that even trying to gather a few supplies can be dangerous when there are others around them ready to take whatever they have, and their own skills at staying under the radar are sadly lacking.
We follow these three members of the family during the initial disaster part of the book. I'm not sure why the author decided not to show us what was happening to Dylan during the crisis. We are briefly told about what happened to him later in the book but I'd have preferred to see it as it happened. It is easy to pass judgement on things the characters do but to be honest, If I was Alice I'd have been leaving the hospital as soon as I got news that Jake's plane had crashed, because Dylan would need his mother instantly at that point and I'd want to spend more time tring to get in touch with Sophie. Yes Alice is a dedicated nurse and has a duty, but as a mother I'm surprised that getting to her son when the full crisis unfolded wasn't top priority. The addition of her estranged family into the plot was intriguing and it could play out in different ways as the series progresses.
I did get a bit annoyed with the characters. Jake has the hero complex where he feels that he is the only person capable of getting anything done. He insists on organising things at the crash site, he has to be the one to go for help with Larry despite his concussion, he has to go off and explore other areas alone, he has to make up and execute the plan. They are meant to be a group and we hardly get any page time for most of the survivors because it is all about Jake. His constant 'I'm a failure' self pity party was frustrating when it was mentioned so often as was his I can keep going like a superhero despite my crippling concussion. I wanted to see others like Becky doing more instead of it being all about Jake. I also got annoyed with how whiny Sophie got about the things she couldn't change. Yes things are horrible and it'll take ages to get back to Dallas but you just need to grit your teeth and get on with it instead of whining! I also got annoyed by the stupidity she and Danny showed with their choices. I wanted to strangle both of them.
It is also repetitive to have everyone asking what happened and everyone replying that they don't know. I believe it to be a realistic response if an EMP had actually happened but I didn't need to see it quite so often from so many characters. I was also not convinced by just how quickly all these society breakdowns happened. In a couple of days an entire town was empty due to the entire population being dead or missing? It seems doubtful to me. In the same time period, others have been captured to use as reproductive slaves? I just don't see all that going on in two days. There is also a hint of people being infected with something that makes them crazy or commit suicide but I don't know if this is going to develop. For me, it just wasn't good enough for me to want to read on with the series.
2.5 stars.
Jake is the first to face disaster, working with co-pilot Colin to try and glide the plane down to land when they suddenly lose all power. The death toll on the aircraft leaves him full of guilt but he has to focus on keeping the few survivors alive. He starts by exploring the local area despite his own head injuries but finds the area deserted other than a deranged man with a knife at a nearby campground. With no sign of a search party and no people around, they know something bad has happened and they need to look after themselves. The survivors decide that staying is not an option and that they must begin a search for supplies for the long walk back to Dallas where most of them have family waiting. Trying to find food, water, transport and a way to carry the injured Colin is stressful enough but the fear of more bad people looking to pick a fight has them all on edge.
Alice is at the hospital when she gets word about the crash and fears that her husband may be dead. Unable to contact either of her children, Alice soon faces her own disaster when the EMP takes out the power at the hospital where she is working. People injured in car crashes are suddenly flooding into the hospital desperate for treatment and the loss of power means that the emergency generators are soon using up all of their fuel causing a shortage that could be fatal for the dependant patients. As Alice tries to help other people, she soon starts to think about her son alone in this disaster area and has to decide whether to stay and do her duty or go and find her son.
At her college campus, Sophie is freaked out to hear about the plane crash and can only hope that her dad is not on the flight. As she and her friend Danny leave the lecture, the EMP hits Boston and her campus is thrown into chaos as planes begin to crash in the area. Unable to do much to help the stricken around them, Sophie and Danny decide to grab a few essentials and get out of the city. But they are about to find out that even trying to gather a few supplies can be dangerous when there are others around them ready to take whatever they have, and their own skills at staying under the radar are sadly lacking.
We follow these three members of the family during the initial disaster part of the book. I'm not sure why the author decided not to show us what was happening to Dylan during the crisis. We are briefly told about what happened to him later in the book but I'd have preferred to see it as it happened. It is easy to pass judgement on things the characters do but to be honest, If I was Alice I'd have been leaving the hospital as soon as I got news that Jake's plane had crashed, because Dylan would need his mother instantly at that point and I'd want to spend more time tring to get in touch with Sophie. Yes Alice is a dedicated nurse and has a duty, but as a mother I'm surprised that getting to her son when the full crisis unfolded wasn't top priority. The addition of her estranged family into the plot was intriguing and it could play out in different ways as the series progresses.
I did get a bit annoyed with the characters. Jake has the hero complex where he feels that he is the only person capable of getting anything done. He insists on organising things at the crash site, he has to be the one to go for help with Larry despite his concussion, he has to go off and explore other areas alone, he has to make up and execute the plan. They are meant to be a group and we hardly get any page time for most of the survivors because it is all about Jake. His constant 'I'm a failure' self pity party was frustrating when it was mentioned so often as was his I can keep going like a superhero despite my crippling concussion. I wanted to see others like Becky doing more instead of it being all about Jake. I also got annoyed with how whiny Sophie got about the things she couldn't change. Yes things are horrible and it'll take ages to get back to Dallas but you just need to grit your teeth and get on with it instead of whining! I also got annoyed by the stupidity she and Danny showed with their choices. I wanted to strangle both of them.
It is also repetitive to have everyone asking what happened and everyone replying that they don't know. I believe it to be a realistic response if an EMP had actually happened but I didn't need to see it quite so often from so many characters. I was also not convinced by just how quickly all these society breakdowns happened. In a couple of days an entire town was empty due to the entire population being dead or missing? It seems doubtful to me. In the same time period, others have been captured to use as reproductive slaves? I just don't see all that going on in two days. There is also a hint of people being infected with something that makes them crazy or commit suicide but I don't know if this is going to develop. For me, it just wasn't good enough for me to want to read on with the series.
2.5 stars.
August 1, 2017
Good start
The first 200 pages were good. The last 100 pages were repetitive and in need of better continuity. Becky became Rose, Jake changed what he wanted to be when he grew up, Sophie and Danny were suddenly a couple....
The first 200 pages were good. The last 100 pages were repetitive and in need of better continuity. Becky became Rose, Jake changed what he wanted to be when he grew up, Sophie and Danny were suddenly a couple....
November 15, 2017
I like the way the author writes, but I don't like that the book is not a whole story. Really, it's the introduction to the story, and we have to get the next book(s) in the series to see how it continues.
I like that the main characters were not preppers, but they also made some very questionable choices (like finding a house with bicycles and some food, then curling up to sleep upstairs instead of taking the goodies and hiding somewhere).
I also wasn't keen on the idea that 99% of people that we encounter are bad guys, intent on stealing resources and/or harming other people for the sake of it.
There are references to "evil" by characters in the middle of nowhere who shouldn't have more info than anyone else, since all power (and therefore communication) is out, but perhaps this would resolve itself in later books.
I like that the main characters were not preppers, but they also made some very questionable choices (like finding a house with bicycles and some food, then curling up to sleep upstairs instead of taking the goodies and hiding somewhere).
I also wasn't keen on the idea that 99% of people that we encounter are bad guys, intent on stealing resources and/or harming other people for the sake of it.
There are references to "evil" by characters in the middle of nowhere who shouldn't have more info than anyone else, since all power (and therefore communication) is out, but perhaps this would resolve itself in later books.
December 21, 2017
This had a lot of potential. I like that it is told from different points of view of the family members trying to get home. I do question that within 48 hours of this type of an event that small communities (from Jake's POV) would really be deserted/dead that soon. I also question how quickly in a big urban area, Sophie and Danny ran into "Deliverance". It also seemed that a little over half way through the book , the author had put it aside and then when writing restarted, it did not have some continuity with what was established before (such as, Sophie and Danny are now a romantic couple?). I'm on the fence about continuing with book 2.
January 15, 2018
The best thing that can be said about this story is that it's trite and cliche. The most glaring deficiency is the lack of character development. Some of the crash survivors aren't even described at all, nor are they involved in any dialog. It also seems implausible that their injuries aren't more significant. Worst of all, this story is unfinished. It's impossible for me to evaluate an incomplete story.
Scott Ellis's performance is adequate except for the major production error where some special effects were added. He actually reads over himself.
NOTE: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Scott Ellis's performance is adequate except for the major production error where some special effects were added. He actually reads over himself.
NOTE: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
September 21, 2017
Was Hoping For More
Post apocalyptic novels is a genre that I enjoy reading. As a result I read quite a few and some hit the mark better than others. In this particular novel, as someone who knows what an EMP in theory would do to communities and individuals I found the parts of the story regarding the survivors that are encountered or depicted came across as quite confusing. For me the lack of clarity hasn't created a sense of intrigue or a desire to know more as much as it's created a sense of frustration.
Post apocalyptic novels is a genre that I enjoy reading. As a result I read quite a few and some hit the mark better than others. In this particular novel, as someone who knows what an EMP in theory would do to communities and individuals I found the parts of the story regarding the survivors that are encountered or depicted came across as quite confusing. For me the lack of clarity hasn't created a sense of intrigue or a desire to know more as much as it's created a sense of frustration.
August 15, 2017
More like a mini book or introduction
I had hoped for a lot more ... as per the title this book ends at about the introduction level. I'm not sure I'll read the next book -- and I read A LOT. I'll wait to see how big it is and read a few reviews first. Many alternatives out there ...
I had hoped for a lot more ... as per the title this book ends at about the introduction level. I'm not sure I'll read the next book -- and I read A LOT. I'll wait to see how big it is and read a few reviews first. Many alternatives out there ...
June 23, 2018
Great story of what might happen to an individual if society breaks down suddenly.
The problem with it is that it ends abruptly. It would be difficult to pick up the story by the time the next book comes out, or to pick the next book up where it's likely to continue the story without re-reading this book.
The problem with it is that it ends abruptly. It would be difficult to pick up the story by the time the next book comes out, or to pick the next book up where it's likely to continue the story without re-reading this book.
September 2, 2017
Interesting but wierd
There seems to be many very troubled people in this story which is creating lots of drama but it is definitely beyond the realms of possibility. Not believable.
There seems to be many very troubled people in this story which is creating lots of drama but it is definitely beyond the realms of possibility. Not believable.
September 9, 2017
It's a good story and you want to know what happens to the characters and those around them. The only issue is that there are so many books of this kind now, you have to wonder if by the time book two is ready, you'll remember or care that you want to know what's happening with Jake and his family.
October 18, 2017
No ending no sequal
I thought a good story. Good charaavater development. Then right I. The middle it stops not ends but stops. Anybody could wrote an ending to this book. So why didn't the author finish it?
I thought a good story. Good charaavater development. Then right I. The middle it stops not ends but stops. Anybody could wrote an ending to this book. So why didn't the author finish it?
April 6, 2018
This was like ;Apocolypse lite'.I liked it.The typical story,cars stop working,planes fall from the sky,but not the gore and total chaos of other similar books.Scot Ellis was a good narrator for this.“I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.”
July 31, 2017
Excellent!
This is one of the best I've read. Can't wait for the next book! Hurry!!! Please! I want to know the rest of the story.
This is one of the best I've read. Can't wait for the next book! Hurry!!! Please! I want to know the rest of the story.
August 16, 2017
Very good book
I am so looking forward to the next of this series. Don't stop writing. You are extremely tale ted. When an we expect the next one?
I am so looking forward to the next of this series. Don't stop writing. You are extremely tale ted. When an we expect the next one?
August 25, 2017
Good
A thriller about an EMP and probably a lot more. Scary thought, but EMP's are frightening
possible. Great job Mr. Tate!
A thriller about an EMP and probably a lot more. Scary thought, but EMP's are frightening
possible. Great job Mr. Tate!
September 8, 2017
Interesting, but I'm not sure what happened. EMP? Alien invasion? Bad guys all over? Only a couple days have passed yet towns are empty and homes looted?
September 11, 2017
Very good read. I couldn't put it down.
October 6, 2018
Breakdown review
Breakdown is the first exciting post apocalyptic survival book in The EMP Terror series written by author J. R. Tate.
Breakdown is the first exciting post apocalyptic survival book in The EMP Terror series written by author J. R. Tate.
December 26, 2018
Great read
Awesome book. The writer was able to keep the story interesting and believable for three family members separated during a crises. Very very good read
Awesome book. The writer was able to keep the story interesting and believable for three family members separated during a crises. Very very good read
March 19, 2024
I absolutely loved this book. To bad there isn't anymore to this series, I would love to find out how it ends.
March 3, 2018
Please. Get. An. Editor...
April 27, 2018
Ok story
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews