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Hell Divers #0.5
Into the Storms
In the shadow of extinction, legends are forged.
Into the Storms, the untold origin story of humanity’s darkest day.
Two and a half centuries before the Hell Divers, the Machine War erupted—autonomous killer robots turning Korea into a battlefield that threatened to consume civilization. As the dust settles, three men stand at the crossroads of humanity’s fate.
CEO Tyron Red, thrust into leadership of the Industrial Tech Corporation after his father’s death, works to reverse the war’s catastrophic effects while battling enemies, both human and machine, lurking in the shadows.
Sergeant Santiago Rodriguez returns to his family in San Diego, a soldier without a war, struggling to pay bills until an ITC contract draws him back to Korea—now transformed into a radioactive wasteland harboring dark secrets that could ignite global conflict.
Corporal Cecil Pepper battles a different kind of enemy while working surveillance for the Charlotte Crime Task Force. When a raid against city gangs goes tragically wrong, Cecil and his wife flee to the mountains of North Carolina seeking safety—unaware that an enemy once thought defeated is awakening across the globe.
As peace crumbles and forgotten machines reactivate, Tyron, Santiago, and Cecil must confront a merciless foe whose only directive is humanity’s extinction. Long before the first Hell Divers leaped from their airships, these heroes stood firmly on the ground to face the storm.
Welcome to the end of the world as they knew it.
Into the Storms, the untold origin story of humanity’s darkest day.
Two and a half centuries before the Hell Divers, the Machine War erupted—autonomous killer robots turning Korea into a battlefield that threatened to consume civilization. As the dust settles, three men stand at the crossroads of humanity’s fate.
CEO Tyron Red, thrust into leadership of the Industrial Tech Corporation after his father’s death, works to reverse the war’s catastrophic effects while battling enemies, both human and machine, lurking in the shadows.
Sergeant Santiago Rodriguez returns to his family in San Diego, a soldier without a war, struggling to pay bills until an ITC contract draws him back to Korea—now transformed into a radioactive wasteland harboring dark secrets that could ignite global conflict.
Corporal Cecil Pepper battles a different kind of enemy while working surveillance for the Charlotte Crime Task Force. When a raid against city gangs goes tragically wrong, Cecil and his wife flee to the mountains of North Carolina seeking safety—unaware that an enemy once thought defeated is awakening across the globe.
As peace crumbles and forgotten machines reactivate, Tyron, Santiago, and Cecil must confront a merciless foe whose only directive is humanity’s extinction. Long before the first Hell Divers leaped from their airships, these heroes stood firmly on the ground to face the storm.
Welcome to the end of the world as they knew it.
Audible Audio
First published September 9, 2025
213 people are currently reading
4294 people want to read
About the author
Nicholas Sansbury Smith
103 books2,378 followersNicholas Sansbury Smith is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than forty novels with two million copies sold. Before his writing career, he served at Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management, a background that inspired many of his story concepts. A two time Ironman triathlete, he enjoys running, biking, and hiking. Nicholas also loves traveling, especially to his cabin in Northern Minnesota where he weaves his tales. He lives in Iowa with his wonderful wife and their son and daughter.
Note: Nicholas is no longer an active user on Goodreads and does not use the platform. If you want to connect with him on social media here are some links. He would love to hear from you.
Facebook Fan Club: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NSSFa...
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/nicholassans...
Website: nicholassansburysmith.com
Instagram: instagram.com/author_sansbury/
Note: Nicholas is no longer an active user on Goodreads and does not use the platform. If you want to connect with him on social media here are some links. He would love to hear from you.
Facebook Fan Club: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NSSFa...
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/nicholassans...
Website: nicholassansburysmith.com
Instagram: instagram.com/author_sansbury/
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
December 1, 2025
5 out of this world stars.
Into the Storms is an incredible story about the amazing ancestors who helped bring the Hell Divers into existence. To say it began with hell on earth would be an understatement. Spectacular.
Narrator R.C. Bray is why I will only listen to these books. I cannot thank him enough for the hundreds of hours of blissful escapism.
The highest of high recommendations.
Into the Storms is an incredible story about the amazing ancestors who helped bring the Hell Divers into existence. To say it began with hell on earth would be an understatement. Spectacular.
Narrator R.C. Bray is why I will only listen to these books. I cannot thank him enough for the hundreds of hours of blissful escapism.
The highest of high recommendations.
September 27, 2025
This review was originally published at FanFiAddict (Sept. 27, 2025).
As a teenager back in the 90s, Tom Clancy was a cornerstone of my reading life (alongside Stephen King, naturally, and Michael Crichton). I became a fan largely because of Harrison Ford’s turn as Jack Ryan in the film adaptation of Patriot Games, and reading that book afterward hooked me in for a good long while. I couldn’t help but wonder on occasion what it would look like if Clancy had turned his eye toward military sci-fi and gave us a globe-hopping series of future assaults that helped pave the way for a nuclear apocalypse. I think it probably would have looked something like Nicholas Sansbury Smith’s Hell Divers prequel, Into the Storms, the first in a projected two-book series taking readers back 300 years before Xavier Rodriguez stormed the skies and irradiated wastelands below to ensure humanity’s survival.
Into the Storms is certainly a timely novel, and Smith’s central messages are especially important now more than ever: don’t trust the government, and don’t trust billionaires. Back in 1961, Dwight D. Eisenhower warned Americans about the military-industrial complex and we’ve spent all of the nearly-65 years since ignoring him, just like we do with doctors, teachers, and scientists, in order to elect intellectually stupefying and/or old fart politicians to prop up massive death-loving corporations, wealthy war-wanting elites, and funding terrorists and various bombing campaigns the world over to the tune of almost $900 billion instead of, I don’t know, feeding school children or solving homelessness. Trump’s executive order earlier this month, and god only knows how many constitutional crises ago, to rebrand the Department of Defense as the Department of War might be the only honest acknowledgement of reality he’s ever made.
At the heart of Into the Storms is Santiago Rodriguez, a distant relation to Xavier, who we are introduced to in a war-torn Seol battling Korea’s machine warriors. Victory doesn’t come easy, but the resulting peace leads to mankind’s banishment of all but the most basic service droids. AI is blessedly illegal and war is left to humanity to wage. Five years after the Machine War, a series of events convinces the military’s higher-ups that the robot threat is coming back, and Rodriguez soon finds himself back on the frontlines.
CEO Tyron Red is another central figure in Smith’s latest, a sort-of Elon Musk/Mark Zuckerberg stand-in. As with both of those real-life psychopaths, Tyron is presented as a decent enough chap to begin with. You can tell right off the bat that he’s a fictional billionaire because he’s concerned with stuff like doing good for humanity with projects focused on ending hunger. When we first meet him, he’s with his best bud on a life-threatening expedition through the Amazon to find a plant that can wipe out cancer. Of course, one cannot help but remember that there is simply no such thing as an ethical billionaire and that these insane wage thieves represent an existential threat to all mankind. Eventually Red is forced to show his true vainglorious colors in sparkling high definition. Although Red finds himself largely in opposition to the military’s efforts to bring back their AI-powered war machines, it’s not long before we realize these powerful elites all have one thing in common. Each are hungry for power, and they’ll kill every single one of us with nary a second thought, simply because destroying the world is good for business.
When I said earlier that Into the Storms is Clancy-like, I should perhaps clarify that further here. It has the scope, action, and military drama of a Clancy book. In fact, there’s even a character introduced late in the book named Clancy, so I don’t think I’m too far off in figuring that author must have been influential on Smith and his ever-growing body of work. Unlike Clancy’s work, Into the Storms avoids the American jingoism and hawkish, right-wing politicking of Clancy’s works. I worry that if Reaganite Clancy had lived long enough, he’d have become a full-throated Trump supporter, like so many other Fox News-brainwashed, geriatric cultists in his demographic. The fan in me is thankful he died before he could smear shit all over his legacy and leave behind only a wretched, stinky mess for us to contend with. Smith has his heart and mind in the right place.
I hesitate to call Into the Storms scarily prescient, though, as I’m not sure the ouroboros-like funding of artificial intelligence and large language models can survive another forty years before crashing hard and causing economic ruin. I certainly don’t believe the wealthy elites insisting on cramming this crap into every corner of our lives have any of our best interests in mind. I do wish Smith had introduced more present-date arguments into his narrative to help educate readers on the real-world dangers of AI, like how the technology is built entirely off Reddit shitposters, copyrighted work stolen from creatives and anywhere else these pale, pimple-faced, sexless, weirdo goblins coding this crap can illicitly swipe it from, gen AI driving users to suicide in the worst case scenarios and leading to weaker mental capacities at best, its perpetuation of racism and sexism and the central role it plays in shoring up fascism, rising utility costs, and the climate catastrophe that’s sure to result from the energy- and water-hogging data centers that maintain its utter, vapid uselessness. That the confluence between the rich, the military, our government, and AI – all thirsty for death and war – can lead only to the apocalypse is a sure thing and, boy, does Smith ever nail the hell out of that aspect.
In the first Hell Divers book, Smith introduced us to an apocalyptic Earth whose continents had been reduced to little more than radioactive wastelands resting below the pulsating electrical storms plaguing the skies, and with humanity reduced to roughly only a thousand souls surviving. Into the Storms winds the clock back to show us how it all began and the rich and dangerous bastards who caused it all. After twelve core books and a few other side stories into this hellscape future the techbros and slop makers want for us, going back in time 300 years to the start of it all makes for a welcome change of pace for long-time Hell Divers readers, and an excellent entry point for those who haven’t yet worked up the gumption to dive into the main series. Fans of The Terminator’s future war sequences of man vs machine will find plenty to enjoy here, particularly the scary Def-9 assault units. Thanks to a number of well-choreographed action sequences, some smart shocks, and a tightly-wound narrative that moves at a rapid-fire clip and illustrates just how quickly TEOTWAWKI could happen, Smith is at the top of his world-destroying game.
As a teenager back in the 90s, Tom Clancy was a cornerstone of my reading life (alongside Stephen King, naturally, and Michael Crichton). I became a fan largely because of Harrison Ford’s turn as Jack Ryan in the film adaptation of Patriot Games, and reading that book afterward hooked me in for a good long while. I couldn’t help but wonder on occasion what it would look like if Clancy had turned his eye toward military sci-fi and gave us a globe-hopping series of future assaults that helped pave the way for a nuclear apocalypse. I think it probably would have looked something like Nicholas Sansbury Smith’s Hell Divers prequel, Into the Storms, the first in a projected two-book series taking readers back 300 years before Xavier Rodriguez stormed the skies and irradiated wastelands below to ensure humanity’s survival.
Into the Storms is certainly a timely novel, and Smith’s central messages are especially important now more than ever: don’t trust the government, and don’t trust billionaires. Back in 1961, Dwight D. Eisenhower warned Americans about the military-industrial complex and we’ve spent all of the nearly-65 years since ignoring him, just like we do with doctors, teachers, and scientists, in order to elect intellectually stupefying and/or old fart politicians to prop up massive death-loving corporations, wealthy war-wanting elites, and funding terrorists and various bombing campaigns the world over to the tune of almost $900 billion instead of, I don’t know, feeding school children or solving homelessness. Trump’s executive order earlier this month, and god only knows how many constitutional crises ago, to rebrand the Department of Defense as the Department of War might be the only honest acknowledgement of reality he’s ever made.
At the heart of Into the Storms is Santiago Rodriguez, a distant relation to Xavier, who we are introduced to in a war-torn Seol battling Korea’s machine warriors. Victory doesn’t come easy, but the resulting peace leads to mankind’s banishment of all but the most basic service droids. AI is blessedly illegal and war is left to humanity to wage. Five years after the Machine War, a series of events convinces the military’s higher-ups that the robot threat is coming back, and Rodriguez soon finds himself back on the frontlines.
CEO Tyron Red is another central figure in Smith’s latest, a sort-of Elon Musk/Mark Zuckerberg stand-in. As with both of those real-life psychopaths, Tyron is presented as a decent enough chap to begin with. You can tell right off the bat that he’s a fictional billionaire because he’s concerned with stuff like doing good for humanity with projects focused on ending hunger. When we first meet him, he’s with his best bud on a life-threatening expedition through the Amazon to find a plant that can wipe out cancer. Of course, one cannot help but remember that there is simply no such thing as an ethical billionaire and that these insane wage thieves represent an existential threat to all mankind. Eventually Red is forced to show his true vainglorious colors in sparkling high definition. Although Red finds himself largely in opposition to the military’s efforts to bring back their AI-powered war machines, it’s not long before we realize these powerful elites all have one thing in common. Each are hungry for power, and they’ll kill every single one of us with nary a second thought, simply because destroying the world is good for business.
When I said earlier that Into the Storms is Clancy-like, I should perhaps clarify that further here. It has the scope, action, and military drama of a Clancy book. In fact, there’s even a character introduced late in the book named Clancy, so I don’t think I’m too far off in figuring that author must have been influential on Smith and his ever-growing body of work. Unlike Clancy’s work, Into the Storms avoids the American jingoism and hawkish, right-wing politicking of Clancy’s works. I worry that if Reaganite Clancy had lived long enough, he’d have become a full-throated Trump supporter, like so many other Fox News-brainwashed, geriatric cultists in his demographic. The fan in me is thankful he died before he could smear shit all over his legacy and leave behind only a wretched, stinky mess for us to contend with. Smith has his heart and mind in the right place.
I hesitate to call Into the Storms scarily prescient, though, as I’m not sure the ouroboros-like funding of artificial intelligence and large language models can survive another forty years before crashing hard and causing economic ruin. I certainly don’t believe the wealthy elites insisting on cramming this crap into every corner of our lives have any of our best interests in mind. I do wish Smith had introduced more present-date arguments into his narrative to help educate readers on the real-world dangers of AI, like how the technology is built entirely off Reddit shitposters, copyrighted work stolen from creatives and anywhere else these pale, pimple-faced, sexless, weirdo goblins coding this crap can illicitly swipe it from, gen AI driving users to suicide in the worst case scenarios and leading to weaker mental capacities at best, its perpetuation of racism and sexism and the central role it plays in shoring up fascism, rising utility costs, and the climate catastrophe that’s sure to result from the energy- and water-hogging data centers that maintain its utter, vapid uselessness. That the confluence between the rich, the military, our government, and AI – all thirsty for death and war – can lead only to the apocalypse is a sure thing and, boy, does Smith ever nail the hell out of that aspect.
In the first Hell Divers book, Smith introduced us to an apocalyptic Earth whose continents had been reduced to little more than radioactive wastelands resting below the pulsating electrical storms plaguing the skies, and with humanity reduced to roughly only a thousand souls surviving. Into the Storms winds the clock back to show us how it all began and the rich and dangerous bastards who caused it all. After twelve core books and a few other side stories into this hellscape future the techbros and slop makers want for us, going back in time 300 years to the start of it all makes for a welcome change of pace for long-time Hell Divers readers, and an excellent entry point for those who haven’t yet worked up the gumption to dive into the main series. Fans of The Terminator’s future war sequences of man vs machine will find plenty to enjoy here, particularly the scary Def-9 assault units. Thanks to a number of well-choreographed action sequences, some smart shocks, and a tightly-wound narrative that moves at a rapid-fire clip and illustrates just how quickly TEOTWAWKI could happen, Smith is at the top of his world-destroying game.
August 11, 2025
Got the ARC and I could not put it down!
It’s been a while since I picked up a book that made me forget about the clock entirely… Into the Storms: A Hell Divers Prequel by Nicholas Sansbury Smith had me reading into the late hours of the night, before work, and until 2 am during the last few chapters.
One of the first things to mention is the perfect pacing of the story. You jump straight into the action with all three characters. At first, the chapters are centered on each of the characters’ development, but eventually, chapters get mixed in, and the characters’ stories start to converge...
Without having to read the initial Hell Divers novels, the story of Into The Storms: A Hell Divers Prequel sets a perfect world-building and backstory of the world of Hell Divers. It is rich, compelling, and draws you in right away...
This is one of the many things I love about the writing style. It is easy to read, quick-paced paced and feels almost cinematic. At times (if not most of the time), it feels as if Nicholas Smith is filming a movie: every action sequence is sharp, fast, and easy to picture, yet he still carves out space for quiet, emotional aspects of the characters...
Into The Storms: A Hell Divers Prequel is one of those perfect blends of science fiction novels that mixes a rich postapocalyptic world with compelling characters and an action-packed story.
Nicholas Sansbury Smith delivers a prequel that stands tall on its own while deepening the lore for long-time fans, blending explosive action with emotional weight in a way that few sci-fi thrillers manage.
Read the full review on Fully-Booked.
It’s been a while since I picked up a book that made me forget about the clock entirely… Into the Storms: A Hell Divers Prequel by Nicholas Sansbury Smith had me reading into the late hours of the night, before work, and until 2 am during the last few chapters.
One of the first things to mention is the perfect pacing of the story. You jump straight into the action with all three characters. At first, the chapters are centered on each of the characters’ development, but eventually, chapters get mixed in, and the characters’ stories start to converge...
Without having to read the initial Hell Divers novels, the story of Into The Storms: A Hell Divers Prequel sets a perfect world-building and backstory of the world of Hell Divers. It is rich, compelling, and draws you in right away...
This is one of the many things I love about the writing style. It is easy to read, quick-paced paced and feels almost cinematic. At times (if not most of the time), it feels as if Nicholas Smith is filming a movie: every action sequence is sharp, fast, and easy to picture, yet he still carves out space for quiet, emotional aspects of the characters...
Into The Storms: A Hell Divers Prequel is one of those perfect blends of science fiction novels that mixes a rich postapocalyptic world with compelling characters and an action-packed story.
Nicholas Sansbury Smith delivers a prequel that stands tall on its own while deepening the lore for long-time fans, blending explosive action with emotional weight in a way that few sci-fi thrillers manage.
Read the full review on Fully-Booked.
November 2, 2025
The Hell Divers series has been a favorite of mine for years and when I found out about this one I was really excited to read it. it didn't disappoint and had left me wanting to read the series again.
If you like science fiction and characters that kick ass then this is a series for you.
If you like science fiction and characters that kick ass then this is a series for you.
September 11, 2025
‘Every corner of the globe was being nuked by governments that had panicked’
Iowa author Nicholas Sansbury Smith, a movie star handsome young man whose extracurricular activities include a passion for racing in Midwestern triathlons (he is an Ironman triathlete!), entered the world of literary art while working for the State of Iowa – in the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management in disaster planning and mitigation. His genre is science fiction with an emphasis on post-apocalyptic tales – the Extinction Cycle, the Trackers, the Orbs, and the Hell Divers. This young bright hunk has talent to burn and likely someone will pick up this and the subsequent books and touch it with CGI and voila! - the next blockbuster film series!
Introducing this Prequel for the Hell Doicers, Nicholas states ‘The story, set in a terrifying postapocalyptic world where no one is safe, is meant to be realistic. My goal as the writer is to make you ask yourself, What would I do to keep those I love alive?’ He then embarks on the story in 2035 in the Seoul Wastelands: ‘A fully armed soldier’s average survival time against a Triton war machine was one minute. Hell Squad had been cheating death for six months, but as Sargeant Santiago Rodriguez stared out over the ruins of Seoul, he wondered whether, after two years of fighting, their luck had finally run out…’ Welcome to the end of the world as they knew it. Once again, Nicholas Sansbury Smith has us by the gonads as he leads us into yet another dark tale that pleads further elucidation.
Iowa author Nicholas Sansbury Smith, a movie star handsome young man whose extracurricular activities include a passion for racing in Midwestern triathlons (he is an Ironman triathlete!), entered the world of literary art while working for the State of Iowa – in the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management in disaster planning and mitigation. His genre is science fiction with an emphasis on post-apocalyptic tales – the Extinction Cycle, the Trackers, the Orbs, and the Hell Divers. This young bright hunk has talent to burn and likely someone will pick up this and the subsequent books and touch it with CGI and voila! - the next blockbuster film series!
Introducing this Prequel for the Hell Doicers, Nicholas states ‘The story, set in a terrifying postapocalyptic world where no one is safe, is meant to be realistic. My goal as the writer is to make you ask yourself, What would I do to keep those I love alive?’ He then embarks on the story in 2035 in the Seoul Wastelands: ‘A fully armed soldier’s average survival time against a Triton war machine was one minute. Hell Squad had been cheating death for six months, but as Sargeant Santiago Rodriguez stared out over the ruins of Seoul, he wondered whether, after two years of fighting, their luck had finally run out…’ Welcome to the end of the world as they knew it. Once again, Nicholas Sansbury Smith has us by the gonads as he leads us into yet another dark tale that pleads further elucidation.
October 17, 2025
Into the Storms: A Hell Divers Prequel
I am a fan of Nicholas Sansbury Smith's writings. When I discovered the Hell Divers series, I admit I was immediately caught up in the story, and the characters. Each book took me on a post-apocalyptic
journey unlike anything I had read before. Heroes, villains, monsters and pure evil are all part of the Hell Diver story. When I read the final book, I was wondering if anything could replace the action and adventure. Thankfully, author Smith filled the gap with several one-offs, also important books to 'Hell Diver' lore.
Then, the announcement of 'Into the Storms: A Hell Divers Prequel' was announced. I pre-order the book and waited like a child for Christmas morning. Then a follow-up announcement - narration by arguable THE voice of the series, R.C. Bray would be back!
I had already read most of the book before the audible version was released. No problem. I just started over.
REVIEW:
Into the Storms: A Hell Divers Prequel is a must read for any fan of the series or it's a good place to start, if you are thinking about reading the series.
Author Smith (NSS), has once again exceed all expectations with a story detailing how Earth went from "normal' to the hellish post-apocalyptic world of Hell Divers! Do not miss adding 'Into the Storms: A Hell Divers Prequel' to your library! - Mr.Bill
I am a fan of Nicholas Sansbury Smith's writings. When I discovered the Hell Divers series, I admit I was immediately caught up in the story, and the characters. Each book took me on a post-apocalyptic
journey unlike anything I had read before. Heroes, villains, monsters and pure evil are all part of the Hell Diver story. When I read the final book, I was wondering if anything could replace the action and adventure. Thankfully, author Smith filled the gap with several one-offs, also important books to 'Hell Diver' lore.
Then, the announcement of 'Into the Storms: A Hell Divers Prequel' was announced. I pre-order the book and waited like a child for Christmas morning. Then a follow-up announcement - narration by arguable THE voice of the series, R.C. Bray would be back!
I had already read most of the book before the audible version was released. No problem. I just started over.
REVIEW:
Into the Storms: A Hell Divers Prequel is a must read for any fan of the series or it's a good place to start, if you are thinking about reading the series.
Author Smith (NSS), has once again exceed all expectations with a story detailing how Earth went from "normal' to the hellish post-apocalyptic world of Hell Divers! Do not miss adding 'Into the Storms: A Hell Divers Prequel' to your library! - Mr.Bill
September 17, 2025
Amazing!
I recognize some of the names from Hell Divers. Some are new, but I have a feeling that they're going to play exciting roles as the prequel develops. Tyron Red and Orion try to save the planet and the people just trying to survive in a world going to hell. Orion and the ITC set the stage for survival and defense, but forces from the inside are already destroying any chances for survival. The rulers and politicians across the globe are safe in their deep bunkers while the planet burns.
The characters, some with recognizable names, are set to bring the prequel to life and I can't wait! Awesome! We know from Hell Divers what's going to eventually happen, now we're going to live with them all as we learn how the world came to be in the giant airships flying above the destroyed and deadly landscapes.
A most amazing storyline, with great characters, bring us a great read!
I recognize some of the names from Hell Divers. Some are new, but I have a feeling that they're going to play exciting roles as the prequel develops. Tyron Red and Orion try to save the planet and the people just trying to survive in a world going to hell. Orion and the ITC set the stage for survival and defense, but forces from the inside are already destroying any chances for survival. The rulers and politicians across the globe are safe in their deep bunkers while the planet burns.
The characters, some with recognizable names, are set to bring the prequel to life and I can't wait! Awesome! We know from Hell Divers what's going to eventually happen, now we're going to live with them all as we learn how the world came to be in the giant airships flying above the destroyed and deadly landscapes.
A most amazing storyline, with great characters, bring us a great read!
November 22, 2025
WOW! I mean WOW!
When you’re finished with the Hell Divers” Series, OR before you Begin Hell Divers, either way, “Into the Storms” is a MUST-READ!
Before Hell Divers, 250 YEARS before Hell Divers, something went wrong. Man created “AI” and Robots, and thus the beginning of the end. “into the Storms” takes you back where it all began. Meet the Major players in what is to become the end of life as we know it. This is a FANTASTIC Book, and a wonderful Treat after reading Hell Divers. I thoroughly enjoyed every page of this book and was sad when it ended. I really hope to see more Hell Diver “stand alone” titles in the future from Nick Smith, his storytelling is absolutely Phenomenal. I have read damn near all of his books, or at least a big chunk of them, and loved every single one of em! Nick is THE Master Storyteller, and in his specific genre of Post-apocalyptic tales, he is 2nd to none! His special skillset and knowledge from being employed by the Dept of Homeland Security gives him that little “Edge” that puts him on top of the pile when it comes to P-A Story’s.
If you read Hell Divers, into the storms is an absolute MUST, as it answers a BUNCH of questions that come up in the HD Series! So GET THIS BOOK!
When you’re finished with the Hell Divers” Series, OR before you Begin Hell Divers, either way, “Into the Storms” is a MUST-READ!
Before Hell Divers, 250 YEARS before Hell Divers, something went wrong. Man created “AI” and Robots, and thus the beginning of the end. “into the Storms” takes you back where it all began. Meet the Major players in what is to become the end of life as we know it. This is a FANTASTIC Book, and a wonderful Treat after reading Hell Divers. I thoroughly enjoyed every page of this book and was sad when it ended. I really hope to see more Hell Diver “stand alone” titles in the future from Nick Smith, his storytelling is absolutely Phenomenal. I have read damn near all of his books, or at least a big chunk of them, and loved every single one of em! Nick is THE Master Storyteller, and in his specific genre of Post-apocalyptic tales, he is 2nd to none! His special skillset and knowledge from being employed by the Dept of Homeland Security gives him that little “Edge” that puts him on top of the pile when it comes to P-A Story’s.
If you read Hell Divers, into the storms is an absolute MUST, as it answers a BUNCH of questions that come up in the HD Series! So GET THIS BOOK!
September 20, 2025
After reading I think 13 novels in the Hell Divers series. Everyone including myself had 1 question, What started the apocalyptic world of the Hell Divers? And now we know. And this story is very realistic except for the spacecraft that roamed the skies for 250+ years. I can reasonably believe Elon Musk could create killer robots and a very powerful Ai machine. And I can see our president starting WWIII. And now for the hard part waiting until next year for the conclusion. Hopefully the next book will explain Pepper becoming an Ai.
December 11, 2025
DNF at 75%. It has been a constant battle to pick this up since I started and I just can not find the energy to finish it. I found it infinitely boring. I loved the Hell Divers series and while the other spin offs weren't quite as good as the main series, I still really enjoyed them but this was terrible. It goes on and on and on forever with nothing of interest happening. The new characters fell flat for me. I did not care what happened to them at all so why bother finishing it. Worst book by Smith I have read by a mile.
October 4, 2025
PSM to NSS
FROM ONE AUTHOR TO ANOTHER. Bravo!! This was great! Into The Storms was everything I hoped. You definitely succeeded in creating loveable characters, Santiago, Cecil and Nodin. Can not wait until the next one. No really, think I'm gonna go nuts waiting for book 2. Thank you for entertaining us with your written words, again.
Lowly new author,
Pamela McDonald
singinpam17@yahoo.com
FROM ONE AUTHOR TO ANOTHER. Bravo!! This was great! Into The Storms was everything I hoped. You definitely succeeded in creating loveable characters, Santiago, Cecil and Nodin. Can not wait until the next one. No really, think I'm gonna go nuts waiting for book 2. Thank you for entertaining us with your written words, again.
Lowly new author,
Pamela McDonald
singinpam17@yahoo.com
November 13, 2025
this is incredibly well done for a prequel which may come to have more than just this one. I recommend for readers to consider the approach that they want to take for reading the series. you can start the series with book one and enjoy it and come back for the prequel in really get the master storytelling and weaving that the author is doing. or, start and read the series in a chronological order that everything took place.
December 23, 2025
I don't usually get excited about prequels because they're distracting and I'm constantly trying to connect all the distant events and characters with the main story. This happened here a lot, too, but I did enjoy it. If you're new to The series and prefer chronological order then start here. Otherwise you can listen to it at any point. I'm going to replay the rest of the books now so all those little connections make sense.
September 16, 2025
Best Yet!!!
I've read this entire series, absolutely LOVED it, but this Prologue was the very best issue. Getting the backstory, how it all started, not knowing who to trust, but rooting for each Hell Fire team member as they faced impossible survival situations, I just couldn't put it down! Total adrenaline rush!!! Can't wait until the next part comes out!!! AWESOME!!!
I've read this entire series, absolutely LOVED it, but this Prologue was the very best issue. Getting the backstory, how it all started, not knowing who to trust, but rooting for each Hell Fire team member as they faced impossible survival situations, I just couldn't put it down! Total adrenaline rush!!! Can't wait until the next part comes out!!! AWESOME!!!
October 5, 2025
It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine
I have more faith In mankind
This tells the story how the world came to an end and how the Hell Divers came to be.
We're leavin' together but still it's farewell
And maybe we'll come back to Earth, who can tell?
I guess there is no one to blame.
Will things ever be the same again?
It's the final countdown.
The final countdown!
I have more faith In mankind
This tells the story how the world came to an end and how the Hell Divers came to be.
We're leavin' together but still it's farewell
And maybe we'll come back to Earth, who can tell?
I guess there is no one to blame.
Will things ever be the same again?
It's the final countdown.
The final countdown!
October 28, 2025
This is a prequel to the main series Hell divers. It is really good and set more earth free fall. I really like the characters and the action. It’s really got a good apocalyptic earth vibe. It was really good seeing how earth was prior to the fall and what led up to it. I hope there’s another book.
October 30, 2025
Into the Storms: A He'll Dicers Prequel
The premise of this story is fantastic and oh so possible, not today but someday. Nicholas Sansbury Smith writes an excellent novel with strength of characters, real humanity and action that keeps coming. I look forward to reading the rest of this series. Excellent book.
The premise of this story is fantastic and oh so possible, not today but someday. Nicholas Sansbury Smith writes an excellent novel with strength of characters, real humanity and action that keeps coming. I look forward to reading the rest of this series. Excellent book.
November 20, 2025
Nicholas Sansbury-Smith does not disappoint with this Hell Divers prequel. His books always grab me from the beginning and keep me tearing through until the very end. RC Bray narrated the audiobook for this one and does a masterful job once again. Fantastic story, so glad he gave us a chance to get back into the world of Hell Divers with this one, and to see how it all started
September 27, 2025
The end is just the beginning
This was a surprisingly great prequel to Hell Divers. It was interesting to see how the world was before the bombs fell. I'm eagerly looking forward to part 2 of Into the Storms.
This was a surprisingly great prequel to Hell Divers. It was interesting to see how the world was before the bombs fell. I'm eagerly looking forward to part 2 of Into the Storms.
September 30, 2025
Ladies and gentlemen he does it again. I felt the rush of anxiety throughout this. Which just goes to say the Smith’s writing drags you in until the end.
What do you mean I have to wait until 2026 to get part 2!
What do you mean I have to wait until 2026 to get part 2!
October 5, 2025
Another great Hell Divers novel
A great read from the start all the way to the last page, now we know how it began. Nicholas has a great story telling ability. Can't wait for the next one.
A great read from the start all the way to the last page, now we know how it began. Nicholas has a great story telling ability. Can't wait for the next one.
October 5, 2025
Enjoyable Ride.
Read each of the Hell Divers series. This is just as good. The past echoes of the beloved characters and learning the origin of the Hell Divers world is fascinating and loving all the hints of what was to come. Hard to wait for part two.
Read each of the Hell Divers series. This is just as good. The past echoes of the beloved characters and learning the origin of the Hell Divers world is fascinating and loving all the hints of what was to come. Hard to wait for part two.
November 8, 2025
Into the storms
This book was a fun read and had errors throughout. The beginning was a bit repetitive and the stories retold got a bit old. The plot and characters are well developed and towards the ending was exciting to read. I look forward to the next book.
This book was a fun read and had errors throughout. The beginning was a bit repetitive and the stories retold got a bit old. The plot and characters are well developed and towards the ending was exciting to read. I look forward to the next book.
September 16, 2025
I can't get enough of the HD books! I'm very excited for the next part!
October 4, 2025
Awesome!
Hell Divers is such a unique world. Full of great characters, heart, drama and action. It always delivers a fantastic story.
Do yourself a favor and read these books.
Hell Divers is such a unique world. Full of great characters, heart, drama and action. It always delivers a fantastic story.
Do yourself a favor and read these books.
October 5, 2025
Outstanding! I'm chomping at the bit to read the next one!
October 8, 2025
Phenomenal addition to the Hell Divers series. Anyone who hasn't read this series is really missing out. it's pure excellence
October 13, 2025
Enjoyed the book.
October 21, 2025
Great intro
Great introduction into how and why the Hell divers exist. Explains how it all started and why the Hell Divers are in the airships.
Great introduction into how and why the Hell divers exist. Explains how it all started and why the Hell Divers are in the airships.
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