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Some Say In Fire #1
Decay
Hank Dermitt has decided to take charge of his life, leaving rural Oklahoma for the heart of Chicago with the hopes of making it in the big city. He may not have a job, a car, or a plan, but his best friend from high school, Jason Kindler, is happy to give him a couch to sleep on, even though he may have ulterior motives. Yes, things seem to be looking up for Hank.
Until the apocalypse gets underway, that is. Scientific hubris has caused the magnetosphere of the earth to rapidly decay, leaving direct sunlight too intense for human beings. In just a few hours, all of Chicago is cowering indoors during the day, fighting massive fires, and getting desperate for water.
With the city falling apart around them, Hank and Jason’s friendship will be put to the ultimate test, as each must decide just how far they’re willing to go to survive…
Until the apocalypse gets underway, that is. Scientific hubris has caused the magnetosphere of the earth to rapidly decay, leaving direct sunlight too intense for human beings. In just a few hours, all of Chicago is cowering indoors during the day, fighting massive fires, and getting desperate for water.
With the city falling apart around them, Hank and Jason’s friendship will be put to the ultimate test, as each must decide just how far they’re willing to go to survive…
180 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 17, 2021
75 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
About the author
Russell C. Connor
38 books77 followersRussell C. Connor has been writing horror since the age of five, and is the author of two short story collections, four eNovellas, and ten novels. His books have won two Independent Publisher Awards and a Readers’ Favorite Award. He has been a member of the DFW Writers’ Workshop since 2006, and served as president for two years. He lives in Fort Worth, Texas with his rabid dogs, demented film collection, mistress of the dark, and demonspawn daughter.
His next novel, Predator, will be available in the fall of 2018.
His next novel, Predator, will be available in the fall of 2018.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
June 10, 2022
This is the first book I've read by this author. It was the cover that pulled me in.
Hank is an Okie who follows his best friend to Chicago to find a job and get on in life. Things do not go to plan.
Instead, the apocalypse happens. Then again, the cover tells the story so I knew what I was getting into. There's some story about the magnetosphere that doesn't matter. What does matter is that the heat is rising, and the water is evaporating. That's the setup. Since it's a short book, I won't spoil anything after that.
First off, this isn't horror. I was kind of expecting a zombie apocalypse, but instead we have people being donut holes to each other, with one little twist. That's not to say I didn't enjoy the story. I did. I just thought it was going to be something different.
The editing is decent with a few errors, but nothing that took me out of the story. Fun for what it is.
4/5*
Hank is an Okie who follows his best friend to Chicago to find a job and get on in life. Things do not go to plan.
Instead, the apocalypse happens. Then again, the cover tells the story so I knew what I was getting into. There's some story about the magnetosphere that doesn't matter. What does matter is that the heat is rising, and the water is evaporating. That's the setup. Since it's a short book, I won't spoil anything after that.
First off, this isn't horror. I was kind of expecting a zombie apocalypse, but instead we have people being donut holes to each other, with one little twist. That's not to say I didn't enjoy the story. I did. I just thought it was going to be something different.
The editing is decent with a few errors, but nothing that took me out of the story. Fun for what it is.
4/5*
January 9, 2023
This was a thrill ride with a fast-paced action that grabs and doesn’t let go. The devastation is all consuming and you feel the fear, and then the despair through the narration.
How can one survive in a land where sunlight instantly kills you, where burns can turn you into an animal and water is disappearing?
In every scenarios of post-apocalyptic worlds I’ve ever thought, none would have come close to being this horrifying as portrayed in the story. It’s a scene straight out of a nightmare which is brilliantly showcased. The characters are well fleshed-out. Hank is relatable but so is Jason. No matter how bad things get, there will always a part of humanity that will turn inhumane and do deprave things showing once again that Men (as in species and not gender), are the true monsters.
One hell (pun intended) beginning of a series! I highly recommend!
What a way to start the year while hoping NO ONE has “destroyed magnetosphere” on the 2023 bingo card!!!
How can one survive in a land where sunlight instantly kills you, where burns can turn you into an animal and water is disappearing?
In every scenarios of post-apocalyptic worlds I’ve ever thought, none would have come close to being this horrifying as portrayed in the story. It’s a scene straight out of a nightmare which is brilliantly showcased. The characters are well fleshed-out. Hank is relatable but so is Jason. No matter how bad things get, there will always a part of humanity that will turn inhumane and do deprave things showing once again that Men (as in species and not gender), are the true monsters.
One hell (pun intended) beginning of a series! I highly recommend!
What a way to start the year while hoping NO ONE has “destroyed magnetosphere” on the 2023 bingo card!!!
January 3, 2023
3.5 stars
I picked this up while it was available for free and will read on into the series. The blurb was intriguing and much of the book is interesting, if not always good.
The opening sequence of events on the flight was very interesting, but momentum is lost as we get to know the characters more. Hank is a sympathetic and likable fellow, but his friend, Jason, is clearly a bad guy from the start. With this story being told from Hank's perspective, we're given insight in why Jason might have become like he is, but rather than earn sympathy for Jason, we just see how many warning signs Hank missed because Jason was his friend. It's the kind of human melodrama one expects to see unfold as society breaks down. For me, it was the weakest part of the story as Jason’s character arc was so obvious and predictable.
Where the story does well is explaining how things break down. I'm not a fan of the Large Hadron Collider theory being presented in the story as so many conspiracy theories exist around that, but I guess it makes some sense that that would be suspected in the early stages of the event. There are alot of other interesting elements presented like the evaporation of water sources, global impact and breakdown, the Addled, the Great Migration and the likelihood of survival in cities versus less developed areas. I hope the scope of this series expands beyond Hank and Chicago. There are already several subterranean groups in the world and I'd be interested in learning how they manage this kind of event.
The questions raised by the idea of this kind of event may prove more interesting than the series offered by the author. How many escape into the subway lines of NYC or the French Catacombs in search of a way to survive the surface? Do bunkers and storm shelters offer people any hope? Can Earth recover or is this the event that turns our blue and green marble of a planet into another arid, red wasteland like Mars?
I picked this up while it was available for free and will read on into the series. The blurb was intriguing and much of the book is interesting, if not always good.
The opening sequence of events on the flight was very interesting, but momentum is lost as we get to know the characters more. Hank is a sympathetic and likable fellow, but his friend, Jason, is clearly a bad guy from the start. With this story being told from Hank's perspective, we're given insight in why Jason might have become like he is, but rather than earn sympathy for Jason, we just see how many warning signs Hank missed because Jason was his friend. It's the kind of human melodrama one expects to see unfold as society breaks down. For me, it was the weakest part of the story as Jason’s character arc was so obvious and predictable.
Where the story does well is explaining how things break down. I'm not a fan of the Large Hadron Collider theory being presented in the story as so many conspiracy theories exist around that, but I guess it makes some sense that that would be suspected in the early stages of the event. There are alot of other interesting elements presented like the evaporation of water sources, global impact and breakdown, the Addled, the Great Migration and the likelihood of survival in cities versus less developed areas. I hope the scope of this series expands beyond Hank and Chicago. There are already several subterranean groups in the world and I'd be interested in learning how they manage this kind of event.
The questions raised by the idea of this kind of event may prove more interesting than the series offered by the author. How many escape into the subway lines of NYC or the French Catacombs in search of a way to survive the surface? Do bunkers and storm shelters offer people any hope? Can Earth recover or is this the event that turns our blue and green marble of a planet into another arid, red wasteland like Mars?
April 26, 2022
What do you do if the protective layers of our atmosphere suddenly breakdown and just walking in the sun can fry you alive? That's the premise of Russell C Conner's dystopian struggle for survival in Chicago. Exciting, fast paced, and very satisfying. Well worth glimpsing a world where one moment you're thinking about a bright future in the Windy City and the next you're struggling to find food, water, shelter and safety from a predator you thought was your friend. Do you descend to the barbarous level most around have gone to or do you try to hold on to a shred of human decency?
April 25, 2022
Connor has a way of sucking you in with his humor and then smacking you in the face with horror and suspense! I really enjoyed this book. It was funny, scary, disgusting, and sometimes, even heart wrenching. Hank’s everyman character is put to the test and changed as the world becomes inhabitable and society breaks down. This is a fast read, which sucks because it’ll leave you wanting more! (Which is good, because there are two more books!)
April 26, 2023
Hank comes to Chicago to visit his friend, Jason. Jason turns out to be a jerk. Suddenly, the earth is heating up and killing people. They have to survive the night to live. Jason becomes very dickish and declares himself the King of Chicago. Hank and Micky (a neighbor) try to escape but find nowhere to go without burning up. This was a first of a series. It was depressing so I don’t think I’ll continue.
May 27, 2025
New to me
I discovered Mr. Connor’s work in an anthology book and have been addicted to him ever since!
His writing is clean and descriptive at the same time and conveys so much more than simple ideas and descriptors.
Although (being a cheap Scots) most of his works I’ve read via kindle unlimited, I ended up purchasing many of books I’ve already read.
Very much looking forward to reading the next book in this series!
I discovered Mr. Connor’s work in an anthology book and have been addicted to him ever since!
His writing is clean and descriptive at the same time and conveys so much more than simple ideas and descriptors.
Although (being a cheap Scots) most of his works I’ve read via kindle unlimited, I ended up purchasing many of books I’ve already read.
Very much looking forward to reading the next book in this series!
November 19, 2022
A very interesting EOTW story
Wow. This book was so different from other End Of The World books I have read. I like some of the characters in this book. The descriptions were very vivid and I was able to loose myself in the story. I liked the story.
Wow. This book was so different from other End Of The World books I have read. I like some of the characters in this book. The descriptions were very vivid and I was able to loose myself in the story. I liked the story.
December 18, 2022
This was really good! Had me riveted from the start! What a nightmare scenario for the end of the world! Scary stuff! I really liked the main character & found it a well written, enjoyable apocalyptic story! Hit all the right notes, good pace & tension & original ideas! A good fun read!
May 8, 2023
Well written
Okay, so I gave this four stars because it was well written, interesting story line and has characters that are engaging. But it taught me that I'm not really keen on post-apocalyptic stories high on violence. Still, kudos to the author if this is you thing.
Okay, so I gave this four stars because it was well written, interesting story line and has characters that are engaging. But it taught me that I'm not really keen on post-apocalyptic stories high on violence. Still, kudos to the author if this is you thing.
September 16, 2025
Just look at this cover, how could I pass this book up? It’s Chicago and it’s an apocalypse, need I say more? Good story with a fun concept and readable prose…It’s not The Road but who cares, relax and read this story!
July 27, 2022
Awesome
Very good kinda slow at first. But got very good after a few chapters . I am going to get the second one too. Can't wait to see what's nextm
Very good kinda slow at first. But got very good after a few chapters . I am going to get the second one too. Can't wait to see what's nextm
July 4, 2023
Excellent
Wasn't too sure I would enjoy the book at first. But geez was it a wild ride! Definitely worth the read. Had trouble putting it down
Wasn't too sure I would enjoy the book at first. But geez was it a wild ride! Definitely worth the read. Had trouble putting it down
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews