Invasion: War for Earth Book Two

by J. Thorn, Zach Bohannon

We never saw it coming. The Invasion has begun. With the world in chaos and the aliens swarming the domed city of Nashville, Maya Talbot continues on her quest to find her children while destruction rains down from above—the aliens have arrived and the invasion has begun. With a crew of unlikely allies and a mother's incredible determination, she must find her kids and get to safety before it's too late. But what if Maya can't outrun the alien invaders, and what if there isn't anywhere left for the survivors to hide? The race is on and the clock is ticking because the aliens seem bent on annihilating the human race and destroying the planet. Invasion is the new post-apocalyptic thriller from bestselling authors, J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon, the second book in the War for Earth trilogy.

Genres: Dystopia

234 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 18, 2018

About the author

Want a story that’s rooted in a fundamental aspect of being human?

I believe reading dark fiction can be healing. My overriding mission is to connect with you through my art, and I hope to inspire you to do the same. I’m a word architect and driven visionary. I’m obsessed with heavy metal, horror films and technology. And I admire strong people who are not afraid to speak their mind.

I grew up in an Irish Catholic, working class family and was the first to go to college. I didn’t have expensive toys, so I used my own imagination for entertainment. And then I abused alcohol for entertainment. I spent the first thirty years of my life convincing myself I wasn’t an addict and the last ten worrying about all the potential threats the substances hid from me.

Anxiety and depression are always hiding in the corner, waiting to jump me when I start to feel happiness.

I had to break through family programming and accept the role of the black sheep. In my 30s I started writing horror and formed a heavy metal band while my family rolled their eyes, sighed and waited for the “phase” to end.

I spent years paralyzing myself with self-loathing and criticism, keeping my creativity smothered and hidden from the rest of the world. I worked a job I hated because that’s what Irish Catholic fathers do. They don’t express themselves, they pay the damn mortgage. I may have left my guilt and faith behind long ago, but the scars remain.

My creativity is my release, my therapy and my place to work through it all. I haven’t had a drink in a long time, but the anxiety and depression are always lurking. Writing novels and songs keeps it at bay. I scream over anxiety with my microphone and I turn my guitar up loud enough to drown out the whispers of self-doubt.

I hope to leave a legacy of art that will continue to entertain and enrich lives long after I’m gone. I want others to see that you don’t have to conform to the mainstream to be fulfilled.

Don’t be afraid of the dark. Embrace it.

Experience:
By the end of 2014, J. Thorn will have published over one million words and sold over 100,000 ebooks, worldwide.

J. Thorn is a Top 100 Most Popular Author in Horror, Science Fiction, and Fantasy (Amazon Author Rank). In March of 2014 Thorn held the #5 position in Horror with his childhood idols Dean Koontz and Stephen King at #4 and #2 respectively. He is an official, active member of the Horror Writers Association and a member of the Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers. J. is a contributor to disinformation.com and a staff writer for HeavyPlanet.net as well as a founding board member of the Author Marketing Institute.

Thorn earned a B.A. in American History from the University of Pittsburgh and a M.A. from Duquesne University. He has spent the last twenty years researching mysticism and the occult in colonial American history.

Reviews

[Trianda Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved It

Thoroughly enjoyed this book, and looking foreword to the next one, I was expecting there to be some side effects especially after the way Maya had left the dome.

[Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a little bit since the War for Earth began, not a large amount of time but for Zach and J who have been consistently releasing quality post apoc books in numerous series I was a little bit worried this one got lost along the way. My other concern was that I wouldn't recall specifics clearly. Thankfully, an insanely action packed opening that could have served as a climax for another book threw me right back into the action and the heads of these characters. The two leads from the first book are back and both are extremely relatable characters. Their motivations are clear from the beginning, that is until the inevitable hitch in their plan. There's a new character brought into our group that was mentioned in the first book, that kind words could not in anyway describe. Said character is a good villain to add to the mix, among the growing alien threat.

There's more hope than I expected to be found in this particular version of apocalyptic America. You'll cheer for the home team when they get their deserved wins. Of course at this point we're looking at a full scale invasion so we'll see how long that hope lasts.

The only complaint I have about this story, which is action packed and character driven from page one and can be knocked out in a good sitting, is the same I had with the first book and really it comes down more to personal taste. I'd like to know more about the alien threat. They're intentionally left vague, I know these authors really enjoy the horror of the unknown, but they're an interesting villain that hasn't been fully explored yet.

This is my favorite of the Bohannon and Thorn books since The Final Awakening ended, and if that series is any indication we're in for an excellent final chapter and I couldn't be more excited.

[Curt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audible version of this book with Chelsea Stephens taking the narration honors and doing a great job.

Book 2 picks up right after Maya escapes the Nashville dome and makes it to her mother's place only to find that Gerald, her asshole Ex, took her kids and accosted her mother. Maya decides to hunt him and her kids down. Rhino is still on the wrong side of the dome but has a plan to take it down. While this is happening the aliens are kicking the heck out of humanity.

The story certainly had plenty of action and was a great page-turner. I found Maya a frustrating character as she exhibited the symptoms of battered wife syndrome. Despite all that Gerald had done to her (and her mother) she kept second-guessing if she could/should trust him. In book 1, Rhino had stayed behind so that she could find her kids and clearly, there was something there between them. But upon them meeting up again, it was like she had forgotten all that. Back and forth we had to endure her vacillating about what to do.

In the end, it all ended in a cliffhanger anyway. There is still a lot left outstanding, like the fate of her mother, the fate of the women being held hostage by a bunch of stereotypical rednecks, and even the fate of John (the cop) and her ex-husband Gerald.

In spite of the frustration (or maybe that is called plot tension?) I will go on to the 3rd, and hopefully final book. The humans do have some defense against the aliens, but will it be enough to drive them off?

[Julie Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have the trilogy, so will just say that book two is filled with action, aliens and some egotistical men...rather pathetic in many ways. Thank goodness for strong women.

Maya continues to battle against the odds to save her children, and though there is plenty of luck involved, she knows what she must do, however difficult it is.

Fast-paced and enjoyable.

Recommended.

[dennis barron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Invasion: War for Earth. J. Thorn

Book two in this explosive action filled series. The world as we know it has ceased to exist. Survival of the strongest or better yet, the luckiest. Hard decisions to be made by the survivors. Enjoyed immensely. Anxiously awaiting book three!

[Andrea Bolton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can’t wait to read book 3!