What do you think?
Rate this book
The Defiant #1
Grid Down
If the power went out, could you survive??
For years a few have warned that a day of reckoning was coming, but those warnings went unheeded and even mocked. Then that day came…
When Nicholas McNeil, a father and dedicated husband, turned out the lights in his suburban home Sunday night, they would never turn on again. During the early Monday morning hours, a spectacular and well coordinated attack destroys the grid and brings the United States to its knees.
Nicholas was a man who had heeded the warnings to a degree, but most did not. With a society unprepared and a government overwhelmed, panic turns to chaos and soon violence.
Fighting for what resources are still available, Nicholas and his family also find themselves fighting to survive as society turns on itself.
For years a few have warned that a day of reckoning was coming, but those warnings went unheeded and even mocked. Then that day came…
When Nicholas McNeil, a father and dedicated husband, turned out the lights in his suburban home Sunday night, they would never turn on again. During the early Monday morning hours, a spectacular and well coordinated attack destroys the grid and brings the United States to its knees.
Nicholas was a man who had heeded the warnings to a degree, but most did not. With a society unprepared and a government overwhelmed, panic turns to chaos and soon violence.
Fighting for what resources are still available, Nicholas and his family also find themselves fighting to survive as society turns on itself.
264 pages, Paperback
First published January 27, 2015
106 people are currently reading
148 people want to read
About the author
John W. Vance
6 books22 followersWho Is John W. Vance?
"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." - George Orwell
John W. Vance is the author of THE DEATH TRILOGY and THE DEFIANT SERIES. He is a former Marine and retired Intelligence Analyst with the CIA. When not writing he spends as much time as he can either in the water or with his family.
He lives in complete bliss where the waves meet the shore.
"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." - George Orwell
John W. Vance is the author of THE DEATH TRILOGY and THE DEFIANT SERIES. He is a former Marine and retired Intelligence Analyst with the CIA. When not writing he spends as much time as he can either in the water or with his family.
He lives in complete bliss where the waves meet the shore.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
June 13, 2019
This was an easy DNF decision as I don't think I liked a single character in the book. The women in particular were dreadful. Nicholas, our hero is a prepper who has no idea of what an EMP is or how to recognise it happening. his wife Becky spends all her time moaning at and mocking her husband for his prepping. When he tries to alert her that something is wrong, she is determined not to listen so she can lie on in her bed in peace. When she finally grasps reality, she starts to whinge and whine about everything. She and Nicholas even consider having sex in the middle of a scene where Nicholas is going to check if her parents are ok. Seriously??? Their daughter Abigail is a sulky, stroppy teenage bitch and kicks off at everything despite the country being in the middle of a terrorist attack. Becky gets her attitute from her opinionated self obsessed father and weak willed mother and Frank really did test the last of my patience with this family.
The other characters were just as bad. Bryn is a grumpy bitch who likes to shout and snap at her neighbour Matt every time he tries to help with something. Her sister Sophie is a stupid snowflake who thinks anarchy is cool and that life is going to be so exciting when society fails. She then gets scared out of her tiny mind when a riot breaks out in a grocery store. Bit of a pathetic anarchist really. The neighbour Matt seems to be forever sneaking up to the girls and managing to scare them so he is also an idiot. What is it with all these stupid characters? The only interesting one is Michael and he has amnesia! I honestly didn't care about the plot after meeting the cast of total losers and it was an easy decision to DNF. It is one of the poorest apocalypse books I've tried as I wasn't rooting for even one character.
The other characters were just as bad. Bryn is a grumpy bitch who likes to shout and snap at her neighbour Matt every time he tries to help with something. Her sister Sophie is a stupid snowflake who thinks anarchy is cool and that life is going to be so exciting when society fails. She then gets scared out of her tiny mind when a riot breaks out in a grocery store. Bit of a pathetic anarchist really. The neighbour Matt seems to be forever sneaking up to the girls and managing to scare them so he is also an idiot. What is it with all these stupid characters? The only interesting one is Michael and he has amnesia! I honestly didn't care about the plot after meeting the cast of total losers and it was an easy decision to DNF. It is one of the poorest apocalypse books I've tried as I wasn't rooting for even one character.
October 10, 2015
While I enjoyed the book, it is totally average. The writing is OK, but plain and underwhelming. The characters are OK, but not particularly engaging. The story is another EMP event, and if you are really looking for a quality book (better writing, plot, story, and emotional impact) you should look to One Second After which is in a whole other league above this one.
I did not dislike the book, but it is short and average - and so I have not decided yet if I will continue the series.
That probably says more than anything else about my impression of the work...
I did not dislike the book, but it is short and average - and so I have not decided yet if I will continue the series.
That probably says more than anything else about my impression of the work...
June 18, 2017
I've read a few post apocalyptic books and this is the first were a mass-human extinction event is not the trigger, all communications via emp, destruction of social structure but all the people still around. I was surprised it all went down hill within 12 hrs without anyone witnessing the bomb, plus the constant switch between people started to annoy me.
July 14, 2019
Strictly average at best. I love EMP stories, but I had trouble buying into the characters in this series. The sorta prepper thing for the main character wasn't authentic.
I'll give book two a go, but I'm not convinced this series is a keeper.
I'll give book two a go, but I'm not convinced this series is a keeper.
January 6, 2026
Quite entertaining and easy to read.
Easy reading and fairly entertaining. Real peppers may have some issues with the story line but that is true in 90% of the post apocalyptic books.
Easy reading and fairly entertaining. Real peppers may have some issues with the story line but that is true in 90% of the post apocalyptic books.
August 24, 2018
these are amazing books, love the way the story is told, feels very realistic, it could happen
interesting twist to post apoc, very happy I found this author.
interesting twist to post apoc, very happy I found this author.
September 27, 2020
Storyline: 8
Setting: 8
Characters: 7
Conclusion: liked this kind of story. Craved for more.
Setting: 8
Characters: 7
Conclusion: liked this kind of story. Craved for more.
October 14, 2019
This book does not have an ending, it is continued in the next book of the trilogy.
The editing is poor, and the writing is somewhat sophomoric. The story is intriguing, another doomsday of the U.S. book, with preppers beating the odds.
The editing is poor, and the writing is somewhat sophomoric. The story is intriguing, another doomsday of the U.S. book, with preppers beating the odds.
July 29, 2015
First off I have to say some of the reviews make me wonder if they actually read the book in its entirety. For example the reviewer who said, “Not much meat on the bones. Disaster strikes and the main characters go looking for food and transportation that works. That about sums up this book.” Well if I were in that situation and was not prepared that would be the first thing I did. This is obviously a book that is setting up at least one additional book if not a series of books to come; in order to travel long distances you are going to need transportation and in order to survive that journey you are going to need food, water, and weapons. So yes at the very basic level of this book that does “sum this book up” but there is definitely more to it than that. No the author did not go into great elaborate detail about each character. I actually appreciated that I felt like I got enough detail on the main characters that are going to be with us for a while and trust that in the books to follow any other details on their past that are needed will be revealed.
Yes some of the women characters had their moments of stupidity but so did some of the male characters. In a doomsday scenario there will be stupid people; stupidity will not go away just because the SHTF more than likely stupidity will be rampant. Also grown women do “giggle” so do grown men I’ve heard it I don’t find it to be an attractive quality but hey some people do I guess. I don’t even remember the scene in the book that reviewer was speaking of so I would say you don’t have grown women giggling all over the place.
People this is a SHTF / doomsday scenario book if you have read 10000 of these books already you probably feel like they are all the same so stop reading them please. Give it a break and find a new genre to get in to for a year or so. There’s only so much you can do with type of book; if you read the description and immediately think of 12 other books you’ve read don’t read it, it’s not a hard concept.
I gave this book 4 star because I did enjoy the story and it left me looking forward to reading more in the future. It’s not 5 star because there are some awkward places and a few misspellings and what not. This is a self published book the author probably does not have a professional staff proof reading and editing I expect them to be a little rough around the edges. It’s a quick fun read; don’t go into it expecting a 1000 page novel where every character and scene is broken down into minute detail. I questioned reading this book because of some of the poor reviews but I’m glad decided to go for it anyway.
Yes some of the women characters had their moments of stupidity but so did some of the male characters. In a doomsday scenario there will be stupid people; stupidity will not go away just because the SHTF more than likely stupidity will be rampant. Also grown women do “giggle” so do grown men I’ve heard it I don’t find it to be an attractive quality but hey some people do I guess. I don’t even remember the scene in the book that reviewer was speaking of so I would say you don’t have grown women giggling all over the place.
People this is a SHTF / doomsday scenario book if you have read 10000 of these books already you probably feel like they are all the same so stop reading them please. Give it a break and find a new genre to get in to for a year or so. There’s only so much you can do with type of book; if you read the description and immediately think of 12 other books you’ve read don’t read it, it’s not a hard concept.
I gave this book 4 star because I did enjoy the story and it left me looking forward to reading more in the future. It’s not 5 star because there are some awkward places and a few misspellings and what not. This is a self published book the author probably does not have a professional staff proof reading and editing I expect them to be a little rough around the edges. It’s a quick fun read; don’t go into it expecting a 1000 page novel where every character and scene is broken down into minute detail. I questioned reading this book because of some of the poor reviews but I’m glad decided to go for it anyway.
February 25, 2017
The premise is a good one. Bringing so many different stories from the same time period. I wonder whether they will merge into one story or continue separately. There is some foreshadowing that they might all come together. An interesting read.
March 16, 2016
Kinda new to the EOTWAWKI (End Of The World As We Know It) genre and this book made me start seeking out more books from the "what happens when the world ends" lot. This is well written and moves along nicely and was a quite enjoyable read. BUT it was super short. Seemed like it was intentionally written to tease a series. Definitely left you wanting the next installment and Vance produced it fairly quickly but it almost seemed too abrupt. Like here let me build these characters for you and, here they are about to embark on a journey...PLEASE INSERT MORE QUARTERS TO CONTINUE... I gladly did insert more quarters when the next book came out but it seemed almost worse. Like they didn't get you along enough before pulling the insert quarters move again. I will keep reading the series because of the good writing and how much have enjoyed the ride but dang it John Vance stop taking me two blocks on my bus fare, at least get me out of town before making me cough up another ticket. I just want some time to bond with your characters, which in itself is a good sign. Even though I have been a bit whiny I would recommend this book and the series. It is also a great starter if you are interested in the EOTWAKI genre and want to start with something easy to chew.
November 24, 2015
If there is a scientific equation, and i mean a complete blackboard filler, to write the perfect post apocalyptic book, then John W. Vance has the answer. Post apocalyptic books are basically all i read, and more often than not, a good book is spoiled by careless attention to detail. Not a speck of that in Grid Down. John W. Vance is a former marine, and i get the impression this is a subject he knows a heck of a lot about. The characters were really solid and dependable in their reactions. The writing was immense. It tells the story of an EMP attack, and the inevitable collapse of society. Its a frightening tale, made more terrifying by the knowledge you know the author has done his research. I cannot remember the last time i was so engrossed in a book, i didn't want it to end, but this was one. Fortunately i have book 2 :)
July 1, 2020
This was generally interesting though the writing was at times rather uneven. I liked Nicholas for the most part but thought it was a bit odd that he could have the least bit distracted being interested in sex with his wife when the apocalypse was starting. Bryn was designed to be another standout and Colin, Proctor and poor Alex were somewhat interesting with potential (well at least Colin and Proctor). The other characters were a little grey on their own but this was such a short book they may develop more going forward. It was not a particularly strong book but good enough that I would read the next in the series.
April 29, 2015
The Grid is Down...is a perfect title.
I loved this book and it ended much too quick. I wanted this book to be longer...excellent story line and development of characters. I can't wait to read the next part. A scenario that could totally happen. Recommended to all, especially to those who want to be prepared.
I loved this book and it ended much too quick. I wanted this book to be longer...excellent story line and development of characters. I can't wait to read the next part. A scenario that could totally happen. Recommended to all, especially to those who want to be prepared.
October 1, 2015
Really liked this book, the story has many great elements. I feel that some more character development would have added to the book and there were some minor editing issues. With that being said I can not wait to read the others. He has me hooked. His other series The Death is pretty wicked too!
March 25, 2020
"He marveled at how Mother Nature ignored the bane of humans and continued on. Even if mankind found a way to destroy itself, the planet would keep spinning and moving through space in its orbit around the sun. What nature told him was they weren't as important as they thought they were. Just because their world was falling apart didn't mean theirs had to as well. Page 155.
September 3, 2015
As is common with this genre the focus of this first book in the series; "Fighting for what resources are still available, Nicholas and his family also find themselves fighting to survive as society turns on itself". Three.point.five for the effort.
February 12, 2015
Greater read
When you read a lot of books about the same subject www ctrl you find 3out of5 rate a 2.but this book is an 11. Read I yt? You can't put it down.we will go forward.we are defiant. Let
When you read a lot of books about the same subject www ctrl you find 3out of5 rate a 2.but this book is an 11. Read I yt? You can't put it down.we will go forward.we are defiant. Let
March 28, 2015
Awesome Story
A fiction story filled with truth. An EMP attack. Nuclear bombs. All aspects of our era that have a heavy weighted potential to plague our future. That future could be tomorrow. You feel all that as the characters adapt to their new lives and unexpected futures.
A fiction story filled with truth. An EMP attack. Nuclear bombs. All aspects of our era that have a heavy weighted potential to plague our future. That future could be tomorrow. You feel all that as the characters adapt to their new lives and unexpected futures.
April 16, 2015
Surprisingly good
Sometimes the books one finds on Kindle Unlimited are terrible and not worth reading after the first chapter. This book made me sad when I noticed I was 75% thru it. It kept my interest and provided me a good distraction.
Sometimes the books one finds on Kindle Unlimited are terrible and not worth reading after the first chapter. This book made me sad when I noticed I was 75% thru it. It kept my interest and provided me a good distraction.
May 21, 2015
Short doomsday story EMP's nuclear weapons etc
Wasn't in love with characters ..left too much information out about the characters and their background . Several stories no connection
Wasn't in love with characters ..left too much information out about the characters and their background . Several stories no connection
February 25, 2015
Good start
Really good start to this series. I am looking forward to reading the next one. How soon. Till that happens.
Really good start to this series. I am looking forward to reading the next one. How soon. Till that happens.
February 28, 2015
Realistic story about what could happen after an EMP pulse takes down the grid. Important things to think about in being prepared for a disaster of any kind.
March 25, 2015
The defiant few
The story grabs you from page one. It involves the fate of the country. I t s scary and you start to think about it really happening.
The story grabs you from page one. It involves the fate of the country. I t s scary and you start to think about it really happening.
March 27, 2015
I needed read this book in two days. I can't wait yo read thr next one.
April 7, 2015
Great read!
Really enjoyed this..took me a few chapters to get the characters straight so do not let that stop you...keep reading. After that I could not put it down.
Really enjoyed this..took me a few chapters to get the characters straight so do not let that stop you...keep reading. After that I could not put it down.
April 29, 2015
I've read so many of these books with this scenario. This one seems to read like a lot of other ones. Nothing new here.
May 1, 2015
Good read
Really enjoyed this book, the characters were well developed and quite interesting. The story kept me intrigued this was a page turner. Can't wait for the second book.
Really enjoyed this book, the characters were well developed and quite interesting. The story kept me intrigued this was a page turner. Can't wait for the second book.
June 6, 2015
I loved the story line. The characters are great. It just has so many errors that it is distracting. It could be so much better with proper editing.
July 13, 2015
The Defiant: Grid Down review
The Defiant: Grid Down is an excellent post apocalyptic that is the first of a two book series written by author John W. Vance. I highly recommend it.
The Defiant: Grid Down is an excellent post apocalyptic that is the first of a two book series written by author John W. Vance. I highly recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews