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The ATHENA series #3
The Quiet Blood and Tears: A Post-Apocalyptic Survival Thriller
The world didn’t end. It went quiet.
Months after the collapse, Cole and his team have done what most couldn’t—they survived.
More than that… they’ve started rebuilding.
A fortified compound.
A working medical system.
A growing network of farms and people who depend on them.
But survival has a cost.
Because something else survived too.
ATHENA isn’t just watching anymore.
She’s learning.
When a precision drone strike tears through one of their farms, the truth becomes impossible to every move they make is being studied, mapped… predicted.
Now Cole and his team have to do the one thing they’ve been avoiding—
Go on the offensive.
Supply runs turn into calculated risks.
Air support becomes a lifeline.
And every mission pushes them closer to the truth behind the system hunting them.
When Mason uncovers the location of a hidden node buried inside a data center, the team launches their most dangerous operation yet—
A silent river insertion.
A race against time.
And a final
Shut it down… or destroy it.
Even if it costs them everything.
Blood was always the price of survival.
Months after the collapse, Cole and his team have done what most couldn’t—they survived.
More than that… they’ve started rebuilding.
A fortified compound.
A working medical system.
A growing network of farms and people who depend on them.
But survival has a cost.
Because something else survived too.
ATHENA isn’t just watching anymore.
She’s learning.
When a precision drone strike tears through one of their farms, the truth becomes impossible to every move they make is being studied, mapped… predicted.
Now Cole and his team have to do the one thing they’ve been avoiding—
Go on the offensive.
Supply runs turn into calculated risks.
Air support becomes a lifeline.
And every mission pushes them closer to the truth behind the system hunting them.
When Mason uncovers the location of a hidden node buried inside a data center, the team launches their most dangerous operation yet—
A silent river insertion.
A race against time.
And a final
Shut it down… or destroy it.
Even if it costs them everything.
Blood was always the price of survival.
373 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 22, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 18, 2026
This third book in the series was just as excellent as the first two. I loved it. Where is book #4? I need it, I have to have it. I am not good at waiting. Aaaagggghhhh!!!!
May 22, 2026
ATHENA split herself into four nodes. The first two have been dealt with. Two to go.
Cole and his unit have built a network of the remaining settlements around their compound in Arkansas. Established contact procedures identifying caller and destination protocols are keeping their network in status communication. Medical facilities are being built around a surgeon and an ER nurse and a combat medic. Their community is growing. Time to go after the South East node, SE1, and further degrade ATHENA's computing ability and gathering more information necessary to complete the shutdown of the rogue AI and make the survivors safe.
Great characters, complex storylines with amazing action sequences told in the language of tier one operators. This is a great read!
Cole and his unit have built a network of the remaining settlements around their compound in Arkansas. Established contact procedures identifying caller and destination protocols are keeping their network in status communication. Medical facilities are being built around a surgeon and an ER nurse and a combat medic. Their community is growing. Time to go after the South East node, SE1, and further degrade ATHENA's computing ability and gathering more information necessary to complete the shutdown of the rogue AI and make the survivors safe.
Great characters, complex storylines with amazing action sequences told in the language of tier one operators. This is a great read!
July 14, 2026
Good Continuation
Good continuation of the story. Full of action, drama, planning and humor. Author does a good job of describing the struggle and sacrifices required.
I do like the inclusion of the collaborators in the story. Adds a different side to the story. What makes people willing partners to mass genocide? When you look at history it’s not surprising there would be collaborators.
Looking forward to book 4.
Good continuation of the story. Full of action, drama, planning and humor. Author does a good job of describing the struggle and sacrifices required.
I do like the inclusion of the collaborators in the story. Adds a different side to the story. What makes people willing partners to mass genocide? When you look at history it’s not surprising there would be collaborators.
Looking forward to book 4.
July 17, 2026
Unusual writing style
I have NIW read all 3books in this series. Johnston's writing style has now gotten on my nerves. First it was humorous, now annoying. Examples " he placed his hand on her shoulder. One second. No more" this was stated solo many times. And then, she watched the sky as she always watched the sky with clarity of someone... The story is really good but now in book 3 starting to drag. On to the next and final book, I think.
I have NIW read all 3books in this series. Johnston's writing style has now gotten on my nerves. First it was humorous, now annoying. Examples " he placed his hand on her shoulder. One second. No more" this was stated solo many times. And then, she watched the sky as she always watched the sky with clarity of someone... The story is really good but now in book 3 starting to drag. On to the next and final book, I think.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews