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ADRIFT: Wave of Ruin Book 1: A Post-Apoc/Disaster Thriller
One Family. Two fronts. No second chances.
From the 4.5-million-copy bestselling author Mike Kraus comes another gripping series, written with bestseller Marcus Richardson!
Terrorists launch the most devastating attack in American history, crippling the nation's ports and train stations in a coordinated strike. Cruise ships vanish in flame, states go dark and on board the last ship still afloat, Wyatt and Willow Carter are about to witness the final blow.
Trapped aboard the Emperor of the Seas as it approaches Miami, the Carters are separated when terrorists strike from within.
Meanwhile, back home in Wisconsin, their children Jack and Hadley, along with Wyatt's sister Sierra, face a different kind of war.
With the ship under siege and a nuclear weapon on board, Wyatt joins forces with a desperate security team in a last-ditch effort to reclaim control and prevent his wife and himself from certain death.
As the power fails, the cold sets in and neighbors turn hostile, the safety of Jack, Hadley and Sierra's home becomes a battleground.
Across dual fronts on land and sea, one family fights to survive in a world unraveling by the hour.
*****
Having sold over four and a half million books, Mike Kraus & Muonic Press are the #1 producing and selling indie press publishing post-apocalyptic tales, and for good reason. Since capturing audience’s attention with Final Dawn in 2012, Kraus has captivated and delighted his readers, both with his solo projects like Epoch's End, The End of All things, Surviving the Fall and No Sanctuary, and with his co-authored projects with authors like Stephanie Mylchreest, Justin Bell, Kate Pickford and others. Wave of Ruin is a 6-book series, published on a 6-8 week cadence.
From the 4.5-million-copy bestselling author Mike Kraus comes another gripping series, written with bestseller Marcus Richardson!
Terrorists launch the most devastating attack in American history, crippling the nation's ports and train stations in a coordinated strike. Cruise ships vanish in flame, states go dark and on board the last ship still afloat, Wyatt and Willow Carter are about to witness the final blow.
Trapped aboard the Emperor of the Seas as it approaches Miami, the Carters are separated when terrorists strike from within.
Meanwhile, back home in Wisconsin, their children Jack and Hadley, along with Wyatt's sister Sierra, face a different kind of war.
With the ship under siege and a nuclear weapon on board, Wyatt joins forces with a desperate security team in a last-ditch effort to reclaim control and prevent his wife and himself from certain death.
As the power fails, the cold sets in and neighbors turn hostile, the safety of Jack, Hadley and Sierra's home becomes a battleground.
Across dual fronts on land and sea, one family fights to survive in a world unraveling by the hour.
*****
Having sold over four and a half million books, Mike Kraus & Muonic Press are the #1 producing and selling indie press publishing post-apocalyptic tales, and for good reason. Since capturing audience’s attention with Final Dawn in 2012, Kraus has captivated and delighted his readers, both with his solo projects like Epoch's End, The End of All things, Surviving the Fall and No Sanctuary, and with his co-authored projects with authors like Stephanie Mylchreest, Justin Bell, Kate Pickford and others. Wave of Ruin is a 6-book series, published on a 6-8 week cadence.
417 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 7, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 2, 2025
I struggled quite a bit with this book. The actual premise is fine with a coordinated attack on US ports, ships, trains and power. My struggle is with the characters and the telling.
On the cruise ship: Wyatt spends quite a bit of time playing commando whilst trying to find his wife. The dialogue between himself and the security guys at times was not believable and seemed to try to inject some pseudo-comedic elements (Die Hard-ish). At one point we are told that Claude, one of the guys fighting the terrorist, is killed by a traitorous ship engineer, but a few pages later he speaks to Wyatt who is going off on his own. Hmmm??? Jumping off the ship seemed like their best chance, but they would never get far enough away from the nuclear blast (now downgraded to dirty bomb?).
At the home in Wisconsin: where to start with this lot. Aunt Sierra is pretty hopeless. She actually lives alone supposedly off-grid in a small remote cabin (though 10-15 minutes from a town is not that remote, Sierra). Yet she seems nearly clueless about survival issues, despite a prepper brother, nearly anti-gun, very slow to come to grips with reality, very immature and way-way-way too concerned with being the "fun aunt." Jack the nephew might be their best chance at survival. The constant bickering and barbs between he and his sister (another attempt at some levity?) was just wearing. I'm kind of on the fence about continuing with this as I'm not really sure I care about any of these people. I may just to see how Erin and the Kendricks, both introduced late in the book, survive what is next.
On the cruise ship: Wyatt spends quite a bit of time playing commando whilst trying to find his wife. The dialogue between himself and the security guys at times was not believable and seemed to try to inject some pseudo-comedic elements (Die Hard-ish). At one point we are told that Claude, one of the guys fighting the terrorist, is killed by a traitorous ship engineer, but a few pages later he speaks to Wyatt who is going off on his own. Hmmm??? Jumping off the ship seemed like their best chance, but they would never get far enough away from the nuclear blast (now downgraded to dirty bomb?).
At the home in Wisconsin: where to start with this lot. Aunt Sierra is pretty hopeless. She actually lives alone supposedly off-grid in a small remote cabin (though 10-15 minutes from a town is not that remote, Sierra). Yet she seems nearly clueless about survival issues, despite a prepper brother, nearly anti-gun, very slow to come to grips with reality, very immature and way-way-way too concerned with being the "fun aunt." Jack the nephew might be their best chance at survival. The constant bickering and barbs between he and his sister (another attempt at some levity?) was just wearing. I'm kind of on the fence about continuing with this as I'm not really sure I care about any of these people. I may just to see how Erin and the Kendricks, both introduced late in the book, survive what is next.
August 11, 2025
Adrift - a review by Rosemary Kenny.
The Carters are on a cruise ship when international terrorists attack it...and many other US ships, ports, air, rail and IT systems.
The fallout also affects the rest of the family at home in Wisconsin, where fear sets off looting, rioting and killing amongst neighbours and strangers alike.
Can Wyatt and Willow get home across the perilous miles - and can Sienna, Jack and Hadley pull together to defend their sanctuary in a world gone mad?
Read Adrift today - you'll be grabbed by the imagination
for sure!
The Carters are on a cruise ship when international terrorists attack it...and many other US ships, ports, air, rail and IT systems.
The fallout also affects the rest of the family at home in Wisconsin, where fear sets off looting, rioting and killing amongst neighbours and strangers alike.
Can Wyatt and Willow get home across the perilous miles - and can Sienna, Jack and Hadley pull together to defend their sanctuary in a world gone mad?
Read Adrift today - you'll be grabbed by the imagination
for sure!
August 9, 2025
I definitely won't be going on a cruise ship any time soon. Book 1 Adrift of the Wave Of Ruin series, was an exciting and thrilling read from start to finish. Fantastic storyline, kept you glued to each chapter. Great main characters all thrown into a world of chaos. Looking forward to the next book. Definitely recommend.
December 19, 2025
Not sure how this book has such a high rating. I think the authors are phoning this one in. Got to 20% and couldn't take it anymore. Aunt Sierra is the dumbest character I've seen in a long time. You know your brother has a special binder, yet you go to the store to get remnants? What kind of moron are you? Sorry, just couldn't get past that. I'll try another, generally like Mike Kraus.
March 19, 2026
Graphic Apocalypse!
Adrift shows how much murder and mayhem there can be in an apocalypse when terrorists use multiple strikes against those they call evil. It was a constant rush against bullets and bombs, with blood painting pictures of death. Brilliant characters and great action on every page. Even the terrorists were memorable, if not disliked!
Adrift shows how much murder and mayhem there can be in an apocalypse when terrorists use multiple strikes against those they call evil. It was a constant rush against bullets and bombs, with blood painting pictures of death. Brilliant characters and great action on every page. Even the terrorists were memorable, if not disliked!
August 9, 2025
This is a great start to the series. It has an interesting storyline with a well balanced selection of characters & a well thought out plot. I did really enjoy it & will definitely be reading the nest book in this series! A good fun end of the world read!
August 12, 2025
What an awesome start to a great new series. Once again again full of suspense and danger. Is there a chance of survival for anyone. Don’t miss out and find out.
August 24, 2025
Adrift
Great book really enjoyed reading it. Loved how the book went from one part of the family to the other. It keeps you wanting keep reading .
Great book really enjoyed reading it. Loved how the book went from one part of the family to the other. It keeps you wanting keep reading .
August 30, 2025
Great book with action and interesting characters and plot. Looking forward to reading more in the series.
November 19, 2025
Disaster Averted
Well written and fast paced, great story line...edge of your seat scenarios plus interesting
characters to support. Definitely a series to enjoy!
Well written and fast paced, great story line...edge of your seat scenarios plus interesting
characters to support. Definitely a series to enjoy!
December 15, 2025
Cruise?
An excellent beginning to a disaster book. Page turner! I read this in two sittings Make sure you don't mind reading all night!
An excellent beginning to a disaster book. Page turner! I read this in two sittings Make sure you don't mind reading all night!
October 21, 2025
Another suspenseful book by Mike. Kraus!
Another one I couldn't put down. Each page building so realistically I felt I was one of the characters. Hopefully, the next book is as good.
Another one I couldn't put down. Each page building so realistically I felt I was one of the characters. Hopefully, the next book is as good.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews