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Helios: Whisper Ridge: After the Pulse: Book 1
High in the mountains east of Klamath Falls, the secluded community of Whisper Ridge watches as the sky ignites. When a catastrophic 2027 Carrington Event tears through the Earth’s magnetic shield, the grid collapses, and civilization vanishes swiftly.
Mason Ashford, a solar analyst and the last person who ever wanted to be in a leadership position, finds himself thrust into the middle of a crisis no one is ready for. At his side is longtime friend, Lisa Taylor, a sharp-minded and unflinching individual, the only person who understands the science as deeply as he does.
But survival takes more than knowledge.
Elijah Rourke, a retired Army officer with the calm precision of a man who’s seen too much, becomes the backbone of Whisper Ridge’s defense. Tessa Vaughn, a battle-hardened Navy Corpsman with scars she doesn’t talk about, brings grit, skill, and a quiet strength Mason can’t ignore.
As chaos spreads beyond the mountains, Whisper Ridge must transform from a peaceful gated community into a united front against a world in turmoil. In the aftermath of the storm, loyalty is tested, and ordinary people become the only heroes left.
Mason Ashford, a solar analyst and the last person who ever wanted to be in a leadership position, finds himself thrust into the middle of a crisis no one is ready for. At his side is longtime friend, Lisa Taylor, a sharp-minded and unflinching individual, the only person who understands the science as deeply as he does.
But survival takes more than knowledge.
Elijah Rourke, a retired Army officer with the calm precision of a man who’s seen too much, becomes the backbone of Whisper Ridge’s defense. Tessa Vaughn, a battle-hardened Navy Corpsman with scars she doesn’t talk about, brings grit, skill, and a quiet strength Mason can’t ignore.
As chaos spreads beyond the mountains, Whisper Ridge must transform from a peaceful gated community into a united front against a world in turmoil. In the aftermath of the storm, loyalty is tested, and ordinary people become the only heroes left.
491 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 4, 2026
118 people are currently reading
14 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
March 20, 2026
This was one of those stories that grabbed me and never let go.
“The drop-off is accelerating. The planet’s natural shield, the thing that’s kept us safe from the sun’s temper tantrums for millennia, is barely holding together.”
When a catastrophic Carrington Event in 2027 wipes out the power grid and sends civilization into collapse, the quiet mountain community of Whisper Ridge suddenly becomes ground zero for survival. The author does a fantastic job showing how quickly normal life can disappear and how fragile our systems really are.
“That’s what we do now. We survive. We hold the line. We protect what’s ours, and we don’t wait for someone else to fix it.”
What really makes the story shine are the characters. Mason Ashford is a fascinating, but reluctant leader. He’s brilliant when it comes to the science but uncomfortable with the responsibility suddenly placed on his shoulders.
Lisa Taylor is sharp, capable, and every bit his intellectual equal. I also loved the addition of Elijah and Tessa. Elijah’s calm, strategic military mindset balances the chaos, while Tessa is an absolute standout, battle-hardened, skilled, and quietly formidable.
Although this is not a romance, there is a small budding connection throughout the story.
The cast feels realistic, no one magically has all the answers, but everyone brings something essential to the table.
Tropes/themes:
Apocalyptic
Natural disaster
Science/survival
Klamath Falls, Oregon
Human resilience
Tiny romantic element
Cliffhanger ending
This is my favorite of Liscom’s work so far. He’s learning to write women in a realistic way rather than the caricature we get from so many other male authors in this genre. These women have strong roles in the community, and are important to the plot. How refreshing!
I am still perplexed at how none of these characters seem to have a pet. Nor does anyone in the neighborhood, how is this possible?
This is an intense, character-driven survival story with strong male and female leads, high stakes, and a frighteningly plausible scenario. I’ve already downloaded the second book.
“The drop-off is accelerating. The planet’s natural shield, the thing that’s kept us safe from the sun’s temper tantrums for millennia, is barely holding together.”
When a catastrophic Carrington Event in 2027 wipes out the power grid and sends civilization into collapse, the quiet mountain community of Whisper Ridge suddenly becomes ground zero for survival. The author does a fantastic job showing how quickly normal life can disappear and how fragile our systems really are.
“That’s what we do now. We survive. We hold the line. We protect what’s ours, and we don’t wait for someone else to fix it.”
What really makes the story shine are the characters. Mason Ashford is a fascinating, but reluctant leader. He’s brilliant when it comes to the science but uncomfortable with the responsibility suddenly placed on his shoulders.
Lisa Taylor is sharp, capable, and every bit his intellectual equal. I also loved the addition of Elijah and Tessa. Elijah’s calm, strategic military mindset balances the chaos, while Tessa is an absolute standout, battle-hardened, skilled, and quietly formidable.
Although this is not a romance, there is a small budding connection throughout the story.
The cast feels realistic, no one magically has all the answers, but everyone brings something essential to the table.
Tropes/themes:
Apocalyptic
Natural disaster
Science/survival
Klamath Falls, Oregon
Human resilience
Tiny romantic element
Cliffhanger ending
This is my favorite of Liscom’s work so far. He’s learning to write women in a realistic way rather than the caricature we get from so many other male authors in this genre. These women have strong roles in the community, and are important to the plot. How refreshing!
I am still perplexed at how none of these characters seem to have a pet. Nor does anyone in the neighborhood, how is this possible?
This is an intense, character-driven survival story with strong male and female leads, high stakes, and a frighteningly plausible scenario. I’ve already downloaded the second book.
March 9, 2026
Excellent story
January 17, 2026
Phenomenal start to post-CME survival series!
Helios: Whisper Ridge, After The Pulse book 1 is an outstanding start to a new post-CME survival thriller series. It begins in the days leading up to the CME, through the disaster and in the weeks immediately following it. It starts with a bit of a slow burn, introducing us to all the major characters and how they think under normal circumstances and, subsequently, in the worst of circumstances. This is an absolutely fantastic start! Overall, 5/5 stars, highly recommended to any reader who enjoys survival thrillers and especially post-CME survival series!!
Helios: Whisper Ridge, After The Pulse book 1 is an outstanding start to a new post-CME survival thriller series. It begins in the days leading up to the CME, through the disaster and in the weeks immediately following it. It starts with a bit of a slow burn, introducing us to all the major characters and how they think under normal circumstances and, subsequently, in the worst of circumstances. This is an absolutely fantastic start! Overall, 5/5 stars, highly recommended to any reader who enjoys survival thrillers and especially post-CME survival series!!
January 26, 2026
This was pretty decent. It did a step by step build up to getting ready for an event which seems a little too far fetched considering most will never know an event is coming let alone have time to make list and purchase months worth of food and necessities but for the purposes of this book it was very interesting. Rarely do we see the build up or get an idea of what it might take to actually survive it. Some good points are made and information that can be helpful. The storyline is interesting and you can like some of the characters which always helps. I think this is to be a series? If so I will happily read the next one out.
March 29, 2026
Mostly reasonable.
Unusually for the genre, I found myself nodding, 'Yes, this is plausible'.
There aren't page after page with unending weapons' porn. Or other porn...
There are lots of descriptions of all kinds of things, and sometimes I found myself thinking 'You already said that. Three or four times...'
The fighting and killing isn't (mostly) unbelievably gory.
The EMT nurse mostly doesn't pull off medical miracles senior surgeons in university hospitals wouldn't brag about, because knowledgable colleages wouldn't believe them...
And the catastrophe that ends the world is reasonable too!
Unusually for the genre, I found myself nodding, 'Yes, this is plausible'.
There aren't page after page with unending weapons' porn. Or other porn...
There are lots of descriptions of all kinds of things, and sometimes I found myself thinking 'You already said that. Three or four times...'
The fighting and killing isn't (mostly) unbelievably gory.
The EMT nurse mostly doesn't pull off medical miracles senior surgeons in university hospitals wouldn't brag about, because knowledgable colleages wouldn't believe them...
And the catastrophe that ends the world is reasonable too!
March 18, 2026
Excellent!
This is one of the best post-apocalyptic books that I’ve read in recent years and I read a LOT. Great characters, especially the story-teller and I really appreciate that the book didn’t start out in the typical fashion. I am tired of the lights going out, cars don’t work, everyone is checking their dead phones as planes fall out of the sky. This beginning had a much more authentic feel
This is one of the best post-apocalyptic books that I’ve read in recent years and I read a LOT. Great characters, especially the story-teller and I really appreciate that the book didn’t start out in the typical fashion. I am tired of the lights going out, cars don’t work, everyone is checking their dead phones as planes fall out of the sky. This beginning had a much more authentic feel
March 28, 2026
Great Story!
I read a lot of Apocalyptic fiction and this was a slightly different and enjoyable twist on the usual plot. I enjoyed the characters and their development. They feel like real people. The book reads fast with lots of interplay and action. The story is well written and I couldn't put it down until I finished. It's now 4 am. I will definitely be looking for more books by this author.
I read a lot of Apocalyptic fiction and this was a slightly different and enjoyable twist on the usual plot. I enjoyed the characters and their development. They feel like real people. The book reads fast with lots of interplay and action. The story is well written and I couldn't put it down until I finished. It's now 4 am. I will definitely be looking for more books by this author.
January 29, 2026
solar flare disaster changes everything
Right from the start, the premise s excellent, the backstory fascinating, & the main character unforgettable.
It’s realistic enough, in that I do believe the government has been bought out, & knowledge would not be shared with the average citizen.
Right from the start, the premise s excellent, the backstory fascinating, & the main character unforgettable.
It’s realistic enough, in that I do believe the government has been bought out, & knowledge would not be shared with the average citizen.
January 24, 2026
I am a huge fan of the Ranch series, so I eagerly dove into Whisper Ridge. I was not disappointed! This is a very well written, taut, exciting work. Very highly recommended....Sean Liscom does not disappoint!
January 28, 2026
Whisper Ridge was a fantastic start to this series. It had everything I want in a story, good people making the hard and dangerous decisions to keep everyone safe and not afraid to take action when needed. I am really looking forward to the next book.
February 12, 2026
Solid read
This book was not a difficult read, but tough to put down. Mr Liscom keeps the story flowing, with satisfying twists and turns. Good character development.
Looking forward to continuing the Saga
This book was not a difficult read, but tough to put down. Mr Liscom keeps the story flowing, with satisfying twists and turns. Good character development.
Looking forward to continuing the Saga
March 18, 2026
Just as superb as The Ranch Series!
New resourceful characters. Should be a movie! Plot is beautifully unfolded. True strength of this book is I have already got book 2. Please write fast. Thank you.
New resourceful characters. Should be a movie! Plot is beautifully unfolded. True strength of this book is I have already got book 2. Please write fast. Thank you.
January 17, 2026
Good tale of a remote community dealing with a CME and the resulting damages. Liscom is a good storyteller and always develops likeable characters.
January 18, 2026
Excellent read
I am a fan from The Ranch series. Helios is just as good. Can't wait for the next installment of this series
I am a fan from The Ranch series. Helios is just as good. Can't wait for the next installment of this series
January 25, 2026
so tired of the ordinary…
Never expected the extraordinary from another apocalyptic tale, but here it was, and it captured me and captivated me til the end.
Never expected the extraordinary from another apocalyptic tale, but here it was, and it captured me and captivated me til the end.
February 4, 2026
Very good read
Hated to see the end of this book. The character building, the plot, the twists and turns all make this story shine. Found a new author I'm going to !ove.
Hated to see the end of this book. The character building, the plot, the twists and turns all make this story shine. Found a new author I'm going to !ove.
February 5, 2026
Good plot
I liked it. Written well. Not exceptionally different from other books in this niche but I enjoyed it. K k
I liked it. Written well. Not exceptionally different from other books in this niche but I enjoyed it. K k
February 8, 2026
Page Turner !
Enjoyed the book. Definitely gives you thoughts on what to expect in trying times. Hope it never happens. Pray hard.
Enjoyed the book. Definitely gives you thoughts on what to expect in trying times. Hope it never happens. Pray hard.
February 21, 2026
Best book
I loved the book,it kept me on edge, I couldn't wait to read the next page. I can't wait for book two.
I loved the book,it kept me on edge, I couldn't wait to read the next page. I can't wait for book two.
February 28, 2026
Great Book
I enjoy reading books like this one. Struggles, yes…but also shows people banding together, working together. I really hope there will be a book number two…
I enjoy reading books like this one. Struggles, yes…but also shows people banding together, working together. I really hope there will be a book number two…
March 10, 2026
I really liked this book. The writing was good and the storyline was believeable. Kept my attention thru out the book.
March 20, 2026
Good reading
I liked this genre, it's easy reading and a believable story line.
I'll read the next book with anticipation. Onto next.
I liked this genre, it's easy reading and a believable story line.
I'll read the next book with anticipation. Onto next.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews