The Good Apocalypse

Under The Influencers #1

by E.M. Foner

The end of the world is nothing to laugh about, usually...

Hadley Brown has quit her corporate web developer gig and the Manhattan rat race to take a job editing the newsletter and influencer portal for The Good Apocalypse, a prepper supply business in rural Amish country. Her ex-boyfriend warns her to expect paranoid survivalists, but instead she finds that the employees and influencers may be the sanest people she’s met in years. Soon after Hadley arrives, events in the world start spiraling out of control, and the race is on to see which version of the apocalypse will win. Join her on a surprisingly optimistic journey to the future surrounded by new friends who are less obsessed with endings than hope for a new beginning.

The Good Apocalypse can be read as a deep prequel to the author’s sprawling EarthCent universe, but it's The next book in the Under The Influencers series will move in a different direction.

Genres: Science Fiction

295 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 12, 2025

About the author

I wrote Date Night on Union Station while taking a break from work on a science fiction epic I've been struggling with for years. The goal was to cheer myself up and to find out if there is still an audience for a science fiction comedy that gets its laughs from dialogue and funny situations rather than from gross-outs and shocks. As many readers have pointed out, the EarthCent series could be rated PG under the old fashioned system, no bloodshed, no graphic sex, no four letter words. And after years of imagining a galaxy for my epic in which multiple human civilizations are at war with each other, it did me a world of good to write about a galaxy where most people are just trying to make a living and find some joy in life. I received so many requests to extend the Date Night universe into a series that I put aside my epic for an extended period to write a sequel, Alien Night on Union Station. The events take place five years after the conclusion of Date Night, and the plot involves a mix of business, diplomacy, gaming and family relations. As a bonus, we finally get to meet Kelly's mother. After the positive response to Alien Night, I wrote a third book for the series, High Priest of Union Station, which is currently in the editing stage and due out in mid-October. I just started a book that extends the EarthCent galaxy with a different mission and cast of characters, though they may intersect at some point.

Reviews

[Edward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good news, good news! The world is ending …

An interesting book full of quirky and clever people running an online prepper company preparing for the end of the world. All of them have different ideas on how that end may come to pass. If you’ve read any of the author’s other works you will feel,right at home with the blend of humor and storytelling. I look forward to the next book in the series to find out what happens to the friends as they face the new future.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surprisingly I’ve only given this book 3 stars. I love E M Foners earth cent ambassador series and the spin off series as well. I love reading about Ambassador Kelly Mcallister and her husband Joe, their family and friends.

This is the start of another series. It’s a story of a group of “preppers” who are awaiting the apocalypse which will be initiated by any one of a number of theories, from financial to AI and of course nuclear meltdowns.

I found the premise of the book quite interesting, but I found the story dry and I’m afraid I didn’t connect or resonate with any of the characters, I found them flat and only 2 dimensional. It took real effort to finish the book, when normally I storm through to the end.

I will probably try the next in the series as I trust Mr Foner and I hope that I will learn to love these characters and their place in the story.

[Daniel S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

eager beaver

I hope we don’t have to wait long for the next book in this new series. I definitely need, more than usual, some happy distraction from reality, lately. Much as I think benevolent artificial sentience or benevolent aliens are our only hope to avoid catastrophe and anthropogenic self-extinction, I don’t really believe the first will happen soon enough, nor the second one at all. So, I hope the next book comes in time to give me a few hours of happy distraction.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

it got really interesting right at the end

The premise is great. I’m excited to read the second book. I enjoyed the pacing but I prefer a bit more interpersonal interaction in books. I’m sure many readers won’t mind that the romance and friendships are glossed over. In a surprising twist the male characters need more characterization. I couldn’t always tell who was speaking. 3.5 stars

[Mustrum Ridcully · Rating 5 out of 5]

the bulk of this wonderful book is a fine reflection of the current world situation

The science fiction puts in its appearance at the end of to book.
As ever this author has done in depth research to get his facts right and he sets the situation for what I am sure will be a riveting series.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

First book in the series

Very enjoyable. This story is different than the author’s previous work and shows his broad knowledge of economics, preparing for a major catastrophe, living in a tent in Pennsylvania near the Amish, and human nature. A great story.

[Ursula Fricke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't understand Hadley's secret (seemed kinda not worth hiding), but overall I love the group including Betsy. I enjoyed getting to know them and their outlook on life and the apocalypse, I even learned a thing or two (mostly about the economy and its hazards). Looking forward to book 2.

[Al · Rating 5 out of 5]

a fine addition

I was pleased to see this offering from E.M. Foner. As usual the characters are well developed and interesting. The premise and community are welcoming. I look forward to reading more.

[Gregory N. · Rating 5 out of 5]

awesome characters

As always, Foner produces a world that runs on the fun and well rounded characters in the book. I loved reading it. More please!!

[Linda Kutner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

Kept my attention from the very first chapter. I was worried that there wasn’t going to be follow up books. Glad to see this is only book one.

[Virginia Night · Rating 5 out of 5]

slow and steady

This story isn’t flashy. It’s sloowww pacing . However the slow pace allows time to consider the different perspectives and to consider the possibilities.

[David Whitecotton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you considered

There were several secenerios of AI. How about if the apocalypse is simply humankind becoming more and more stupid from letting AI do our thinking for us.

[IMHO · Rating 5 out of 5]

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