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The World Burns #1

The World Burns

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Tension grips the country as the nuclear talks with Iran starts to go poorly. This is largely ignored by the populace and the threat of war goes unheeded.

Blake has lived his life through hard work and his blog- Back Country J. He's an off grid homesteader, blogger and author. He has the life that preppers dream of, and he never knows it. As an on again off again handyman he learns how to fix everything in his life except loneliness, until he meets Sandra.

Sandra is a Army veteran who has caught his attention, and also the preacher's daughter. Sparks fly the first time they meet and the shy hermit asks her out on a date.

Follow the couple as they try to survive raiders, hunger, and human nature when the balloon goes up after an EMP is set off.

100 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 7, 2015

378 people are currently reading
322 people want to read

About the author

Boyd Craven

57 books172 followers

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5 stars
568 (44%)
4 stars
405 (31%)
3 stars
231 (17%)
2 stars
54 (4%)
1 star
26 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
Profile Image for Emma Sea.
2,214 reviews1,226 followers
maybe-read
July 21, 2015
all of my reservations about this book stem from the fact the author has broken it up into five sections. I would be more inclined to buy a single book that cost five dollars, than 5 x novelettes at a buck each. With a novel, I am more confident¹ the structure of the story serves the narrative. With 5 x parts, I suspect the structure will serve the desire to maximize page counts and therefore increase KU income.

I went to Amazon 100% excited to buy this, but I have left without clicking.


¹ not entirely confident, mind you
Profile Image for chucklesthescot.
3,000 reviews134 followers
May 13, 2017
I read this series in February 2016 and have really enjoyed it so far, but I'm just getting round to getting them reviewed. I have quite a backlog of reviews to deal with!

Blake lives the life of a hermit and prepper on his ranch outside town, avoiding people other than Duncan the local preacher who he does odd jobs for. He is self sufficient and has his own popular prepper blog. Things look up for him with a mutual attraction to Duncan's daughter Sandra, but on their first date, the EMP hits. As the town falls apart, Blake and Sandra have to secure the ranch and prepare to defend it while hoping that Duncan can find his way to them from a town that is a distance from them.

Since I stumbled across prepper fiction, I have been a happy chuckles! What I love in these books is the human story of trying to survive against the odds. You get the characters-sometimes military, sometimes civilian getting ready for a disaster and then trying to survive through the breakdown of society, attacks by bad guys and dealing with day to day shortages and problems. I love the drama of it and these books are generally fast paced. This book was no exception.

Blake is a guy who just wants to live in peace, relying on feeding himself from the land, producing his own resources and having limited contact with people or government interference. He is happy with his life and shares his self sufficiency tips online for others to learn. His only real friend is Pastor Duncan, who is also a prepper, and Blake uses his handyman skills to help with church repairs. Blake is a nice guy-ordinary, self taught skills, resourceful but able to look after himself. I like his friendship with Duncan. Duncan is a bit more kickass than you would generally expect in a preacher. His prepping skills in theory might go against his religious morality but Duncan is not prepared to stand by and let bad things happen to good people on his watch.

The romance in the story comes in the form of Sandra. She is a follower of Blake's website and is delighted to find out who he is on their date. She fixed military vehicles for a living and is capable and strong, which I like to see from the female MC. She is a good pairing for Blake and you do want them to be happy. The romance between them is not the focus for the story-it is more of a background theme, but it does feel right and belongs there. I'm not a romance fan as followers know, but I liked the pairing and the development of their relationship set against an apocalypse.

When the EMP hits, things fall apart quickly as people begin to panic and criminals start to take advantage of the lawless situation. Planes are falling from the sky, cars are coming to a halt, the power grid is down and those in prison are freed to cause carnage and threaten the surviving citizens in the town. Blake and Sandra might want to lie low and avoid trouble but it won't be long before the thugs move out of town and onto nearby property, threatening their new life. Do you risk your safety to help other people against the criminals? How far should you go to defend yourself? Is it wrong to kill people in the aftermath of a disaster if they want to take what is yours? These are all questions that Blake is going to have to answer.

This is the first in a series of novellas about the aftermath of the EMP disaster and it does not take long to get into the story. There is plenty of action to keep the reader interested, and the character development is central to my enjoyment of the series. You do care about the main characters and what might be in store for them, which I find vital in books. The plot is good and the story flows nicely, with a mixture of tension, action and emotion. It also has an educational quality as we see the projects that Blake is undertaking at the ranch.

I certainly recommend this to fans of apocalypse and prepper fiction.
Profile Image for AudioBookReviewer.
949 reviews167 followers
May 26, 2016
My original The World Burns audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.

Taking a very small part of the world, author Boyd Craven III,   provides a unique view of an apocalypse as it is happening.  Blake is a prepper – an end of the world prepper who relies on his wit, bartering abilities and luck to make his home and small town life safe for him.  He blogs about his advances in building a prepper fortress relying on solar power and other methods of survival when the grid falls.

Sandra is an ex-military grease monkey and daughter of the local minister.  She’s also a secret reader of Back County J blogger.  When she meets up with Blake, the romance begins.  Not used to being around others for long periods of time, Blake struggles but falls hard for sweet Sandra.  Sandra falls even harder for him when she sees his preps and realizes Blake is none other than Back County J!  Just as they are ending their first date, the unthinkable happens – a massive EMP goes off rendering the area powerless, defenseless and our two sweethearts soon learn that life is going to be very difficult now that the power is out at the nearby prison thus releasing hardcore prisoners ….

Although Iran is mentioned and how the nuclear talks breakdown, they are only a side note.  I liked this book because it was about the here and now – it wasn’t about the big city chaos, the politics or military.  It is about the down to earth type people struggling against nature and humanity in their immediate area.  The struggle with morals and ethics is clear and emphasizes the situation makes them different.  This story is serious but light as well.  There were some duh moments during the romancing but they were fun and light.  Also, this story was not about blood and gore per se – yes there were some traps built that would do heavy damage but it was not focused on; neither was sex, in fact it was a nice change of pace.

The story line was strongly written and executed.  I could vividly “see” Blake, Sandra and the others as they came into the action.  Craven has a solid knowledge of human nature and the fears that drive us as a society.  He doesn’t hesitate to use that knowledge.

Kevin Pierce proved to be an excellent narrator.  Pierce spoke with confident tones with Sandra, a bit hesitant with Blake and so forth.  He portrayed each character vividly through his voice.  Smooth, his words tumbled forth effortlessly snagging attention and holding it.  He blended into the story like a shadow, you knew he was there but he became one with each character.

I enjoyed this book in many different ways - it was fresh, solid and as I said before - it had more down to earth characters.

There were no issues with production.  The audio was fluid.

Audiobook was provided for review by the author.
Profile Image for Celestine.
952 reviews132 followers
September 15, 2015
This is a prepper/survival story that is pretty interesting. However, I had higher hopes for the romance. The couple is sweet, but the heat is nil.
Profile Image for Rain.
2,577 reviews21 followers
January 17, 2022
Post-apocalyptic stories are my catnip, but this one was more of a preppers manual of how-to survive the end of the world. If that's your bag, you'll enjoy this one.

At the first sign of trouble, it was instantly the main characters against the world. They were building traps and securing their home - it was bad guys versus good guys. The characters were embarrassingly one dimensional. There was a tiny romance angle to this, that read like a middle school relationship.
Profile Image for Donna.
1,549 reviews37 followers
December 13, 2015
Good EMP post Apocalypse prepper story

I like the story, I like the characters. Blake is a young man with a prepper blog, a bit of a hermit. The apocalypse comes and he happens to be on a first date of sorts at his house, showing her around. They spend time together sorting out how to react to the world falling apart and hoping her dad, stuck in another town when it all went down, is ok.

This author needs some editing but does tell a good believable involving story. The lack of editing does not really interfere with the flow at all, so if you like a good post apocalypse story, give this one a try. It can be read in one sitting, since it is not long.
Now on to the next one in the series
Profile Image for Annie.
938 reviews32 followers
July 9, 2015
** I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review **

This is a short post apocalyptic tale...that could definitely become a reality...but lets hope not....lol It is a short story of survival and some of the ugly truth about what could go down if this happens! I liked it..it flowed well, it was narrated well and I listened all in one sitting! I recommend!

Thank You Audiobookblast(dot)com
28 reviews
May 12, 2021
The Autor Boyd Craven sounds like a nice guy with Christian values and his leading character achieves so much. So it was a pleasure to read. I learnt so much in this book. I had never heard about how in days gone by, a root cellar was used to store vegetables. The World Burns by Craven. was an excellent book!. This Post Apocalyptic Survival story was a really enjoyable, thrilling book. I don't know much about preppers, but it certainly makes one think about what is important in this world.
24 reviews
July 12, 2021
This book is a disaster, seems like it was written by a high school student. Pretty much a short story come on to hook you for future books. I paid 1$ for this book and still feel like I got taken. Has been awhile since I was so disappointed in a book.
Profile Image for Todd Oliver.
697 reviews10 followers
March 23, 2017
Great prepper story. I loved the story. It was short though. I hope the writer makes a follow-up to this book!
Profile Image for Mark.
427 reviews2 followers
August 9, 2019
Not quite as good as the other Boyd Craven novels that I've read, but still better than most in the genre. Off to a good start.
Profile Image for Bothsams Publishing.
8 reviews
August 12, 2018
BOTHSAMS CRITICS CHOICE REVIEWS
Bothsams Recommended Series Authors
Boyd Craven’s “The World Burns.” Genre: post-apocalyptic. Audience: prepper.
“This author delivers what he promises.”
Craven III, Boyd. (2015). The World Burns: A Post-Apocalyptic Story. Kindle Edition. Self-published.
Edited by Holly M. Kothe http://espressoeditor.com/
Pure entertainment for everyone, preppers and non-preppers, alike! Boyd Craven III is a prolific author, for a guy who wrote "in his spare time" until 2014, when he went pro. His works constitute an opus, all about surviving the end of the world through a prepper insider's footlocker of tactics and expertise. "The World Burns" showcases all the things he promises in his bio: "If you like a little clean romance and humor in your end of the world stories, you've come to the right place." Craven's dialogue is funny, realistic, well-crafted, and contains nothing extraneous or awkward. It carries the reader through the very short text - 94 pages, in this case. Our only real criticism is, in fact, we would definitely like to see more full-length novels, combining several of his stand-alone titles like "The World Burns" into a larger novel with a finale, in the vein of his "One Man's Opus: A Survival and Preparedness Story" series. The important thing is, no matter which title you choose from his portfolio, Craven consistently delivers what he promises: great dialogue, humor, a little romance, and a survivalist's dream adventure. We enjoyed his realistic descriptions of local environments and the sometimes stumbling efforts of survivalists to figure out what has ended the world this time, and the audio book with regional dialect, featuring Kevin Pierce. We would love to see this become a prepper television series. We would binge-watch it start to finish! We've selected him as a Bothsams Recommended Series author for our post-apocalyptic niche genre shelf.
Profile Image for TP.
1,039 reviews48 followers
November 20, 2020
It was an ok read but nothing really special.

I couldn’t get on board with the backwards ideology presented but I could overlook it. It was stereotypical, inhibited and quixotic, representing a teeny tiny minority in the world not many can identify with.

The general background and knowledge was a bit lacking when it comes to science. It was only superficial when it comes to an EMP and its strength as well as the area it has to cover to fry small devices as well. The strength and the placement of detonations, plural, to affect the whole continent of America was not realistic.

The characters chosen were a bit boring. The Humor at times eluded me. How they talked and treated each other was very weird. The characters and their actions were often not distinguishable from each other. Everyone had the same odd Humor, which was companionable for the characters but not for me as a reader.

Let’s see what the next short book holds.
Profile Image for Nancy Vance.
167 reviews2 followers
February 13, 2025
4 stars, with a caveat

The story is decent. Neither the profanity nor the gore that this genre can be heavy laden with. The book needs editing, but is fairly researched regarding "prepper" methods. The characters are a little flat in the beginning, but there's a better sense of them at the end.
However, if it had not been offered on KU, I wouldn't have purchased due to the multiple mini books that make up the series.
Taking into account what it has and what it lacks, I'd normally give 3 stars for an average. Because it is offered on KU, I've considered the Christianity potential, the complete lack of profanity and the limited, plot required violence (it IS the EOTWAWKI.)
4 stars, but only for KU.
-ncv
Profile Image for Vickii Bendit.
214 reviews5 followers
June 11, 2018
Craven always delivers a good solid story line with just enough of the real world woven into his tales to make it believable. We live in a world of way too much political correctness. People are afraid to say what they think because it could cost them everything they have and treasure. This Craven sets his story. A young woman who’s very world is decimated by a terrorist attack at a church and a friend begin waking the silent majority of America up. A call to arms begins sweeping America and begins to give birth to the not so silent majority.
62 reviews
June 4, 2017
Good book

Good fast read, ok for all ages, has religious overtones but did not take away from the story. Some swearing and killing. I would say mildly violent if your a younger reader. Lots of details for setting traps and what is needed to be self sufficient in an end of civil society scenario. Fun to read with that detail. I tend to prefer adult books but this was fast and fun read. Worth the .99 for sure.
Profile Image for John Brandon Brandon.
Author 1 book
May 30, 2021
Real People in a Real Bad Situation

I like books that draw me into the setting and suspense. The characters are relatable, not overly heroic or blessed with superpowers, just somewhat prepared when bad things happen quickly. I really like "G.I.Jane." She reminds me of a young woman who worked for me as an Account Executive after serving in the National Guard as a truck driver. I'm looking forward to this series.
1,692 reviews7 followers
September 3, 2022
3 or 3.5 stars. It was okay. Short enough that I could finish it. My biggest problem was that the writing was awkward and the dialogue painful in places. (Ie- The whole hip toss thing on pg 79 made no sense and then pastor saying, "Boys will be boys." Please!!!!!) Also the explanations for some things were long and boring ( eg.- making a smoker). The ending unrealistic. The book would benefit from good editing and revising! Won't be reading book 2.
201 reviews3 followers
March 6, 2018
The World Burns series is off to a great start. Well written, well developed characters and a great story line indicate to me that a great reading session is in the works. I really enjoyed this first book in Boyd Cravens universe and will report more as I journey through it. Based on the first in the series I think you are really going to enjoy it.
1,144 reviews5 followers
July 23, 2018
Blake and Sandra

This is the first book in this new series by Boyd Craven OIL and it starts off with action. The women in this series do hold their own. Blake is a homesteader and is surprised to learn that he is a 0430034 also. Lots of information and a great 👍 plot. Looking forward to Book 2.
Profile Image for Kwincie.
233 reviews11 followers
May 2, 2024
This probably would have been 3 stars for me had 2 of the main characters not gotten engaged at the end. It really bothered me. I enjoy post-apocalyptic books though and this story-line was easy to follow and a very quick read. I know there are more books to the series, but I didn't feel like this book left off with any cliff hanger that I need any answers to.
Profile Image for Chrystal Roe.
1,289 reviews12 followers
October 7, 2017
Oh I liked this.

I really liked the characters in this story. You have a country boy who sort of accidentally lives off grid, a preacher and his daughter. This is how they handle losing civilisation.
402 reviews5 followers
December 25, 2017
Love this writer!!!

Boyd Craven III puts out some awesome books. The plot, characters and writing skills are tops in the PAW. Not just this series but all of them. Keep 'em coming, Boyd. Outstanding!!!
Profile Image for Arely Ayala.
90 reviews2 followers
September 25, 2019
At first I did not think I was going to like this book but it is pretty good! no zombies but mostly emp survival where the humans are worse than zombies. I like the the characters and the plot and will buy the second book!
Profile Image for Jan Martindale.
145 reviews6 followers
May 1, 2023
fast read into TEOTWAWKi

Introduction to a catastrophic event, & an average joe character, handyman Blake. We learn Blake is an off-the-grid blogger-homesteader, who meets Sandra, Paster Duncan’s ex-military daughter, & starts dating.
Profile Image for Val Shaw.
126 reviews3 followers
December 24, 2016
Really good

I really liked this one and plan to read the next. I like how there's a mix of knowledgeable and not so knowledgeable.
Profile Image for sweetling.
99 reviews1 follower
June 6, 2017
Great read! Very fast paced, it grips you, slaps you with adrenaline and pisses you off along the way!
Profile Image for Vicki.
443 reviews
July 4, 2017
It was a good one, I love apocalyptic books.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews

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