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Dark Waters #1
Zero Hour
The hardest thing and the right thing are often the same.
Spencer Hayes, along with his girlfriend, Kate, and their dog, Finn, enjoy a life most people only dream about. Living aboard their thirty-one foot sailboat, Restless, they make the most of all that paradise has to offer. But that changes in the blink of an eye when EMPs strike the east coast of the United States.
Spencer quickly finds himself struggling to survive as the once laid back little town of Marathon in the Florida Keys is thrust into chaos and destruction. To complicate matters further, Kate is out of town visiting her parents in Stuart, Florida when the nuclear attack disables the grid, leaving Spencer with some tough choices to make.
His prior military service gives Spencer an overwhelming sense of duty to his community. But the responsibility he feels to help his fellow man clashes with his desire to reunite with Kate in a world turned upside down.
As humanity unravels, desperation becomes the new normal, adding to the seemingly insurmountable odds he and Finn must overcome in order to survive. Spencer is forced to make decisions he may regret. Only time will tell if the hard thing was also the right thing.
Spencer Hayes, along with his girlfriend, Kate, and their dog, Finn, enjoy a life most people only dream about. Living aboard their thirty-one foot sailboat, Restless, they make the most of all that paradise has to offer. But that changes in the blink of an eye when EMPs strike the east coast of the United States.
Spencer quickly finds himself struggling to survive as the once laid back little town of Marathon in the Florida Keys is thrust into chaos and destruction. To complicate matters further, Kate is out of town visiting her parents in Stuart, Florida when the nuclear attack disables the grid, leaving Spencer with some tough choices to make.
His prior military service gives Spencer an overwhelming sense of duty to his community. But the responsibility he feels to help his fellow man clashes with his desire to reunite with Kate in a world turned upside down.
As humanity unravels, desperation becomes the new normal, adding to the seemingly insurmountable odds he and Finn must overcome in order to survive. Spencer is forced to make decisions he may regret. Only time will tell if the hard thing was also the right thing.
254 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 31, 2023
446 people are currently reading
154 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
July 23, 2025
Aspects of this book were good, the dog, and the rescue of the girl, Maya. But overall the pace was slow, and it was surprising how little the plot advanced in an entire first book. Part of the problem was that Spencer was by himself too much, agonizing about finding Kate. Aspects were confusing, it was billed as a ‘high altitude’ EMP, which would be 20-30 miles up, and barely visible, if at all. What was described was a detonation at or near ground level, which would produce a very contained EMP effect. (I’m no expert, but William Forstchen is, and I rely on his guidance). The Marathon area is immediately swept by massive fires, largely unexplained - wiping out nearly all structures. Sparks from failing electrical transformers? I was left curious about what happened next, the book ended at an odd point, in the middle of a plot segment, but I may not read on.
July 20, 2024
This is another EMP disaster book, but starts very slowly. Very slowly. There is a lot if extraneous detail in an apparent effort for us to get to know Spencer. I was starting to wonder if there was really going to be a disaster. A high-altitude EMP would be...high altitude, so you might see a flash, or might not. It certainly wouldn't account for all of the conflagration on the ground. This small town in the Keys also starts shooting and looting very, very fast. How are there that many criminals already there? Spencer seems content just to roam around a bit to check on people and find things before making a decision to sail away on his boat. Through all of this there was a lot of non-essential detail that made me glad that I am a speed reader. I'm on the fence about continuing the series, though I am slightly interested to see what happens next.
March 15, 2023
Meh. Maybe by Book 2 series improves… ??
Got about 48% of the way through (Chapter 15) Zero Hour- so I think I gave this story a fair shake - I just couldn’t stick with it any longer.
I found reading the 1st book in the Dark Waters series more a chore than a pleasure.
There’s nothing in particular “wrong” with the story/plot, it’s just that there is a whole lot … lacking. At least for me.
In addition to an exhausted, overused (EMP) plot theme, with no outstanding new features to add to the already oversaturated apocalyptic genre chock full of EMP focused books, I found the pacing pretty slow. Not much action either.
And dry as a bone. Which was remarkable as this book began on the sea.
(Notice how that wasn’t even funny & just landed flat? Yeah, that’s how I felt reading the 1st half of Zero Hour.)
The world building is fairly excellent, however. I could see, smell, feel, everything in rich detail & contrast.
I just sometimes had to reread a couple sentences a few times to get there, as I constantly found myself drift off daydreaming, or distracted by something in my out-of-book real world.
Something that pretty much never happens to me. Time after time I unfortunately came across passages or entire pages which were completely uninteresting, or totally “overly written”; bogged down with unnecessary detail or flowery prose. And I simply really hate to say it, kinda boring in general.
Which made immersion in the story difficult to impossible.
It pains me to leave a negative review. But I review 99+% of the books I read, so it’s only fair I do so honestly, & not just for the books I really love.
So - do YOU skip this one? Bruno Miller’s Zero Hour?
Well, believe it or not I can see where you might want to go for it.
If I had more patience currently, had the time & ability right now to hang in there all the way through this 1st - foundational- book in the Dark Water series, perhaps the 2nd book would improve my view of the series as a whole.
By the end of this 1st book, & a couple chapters into Book 2, the other main characters will come into play, which might turn everything around for this whole storyline.
Breathe lightness, humor, a sense of quickness- basically the rainbow that’s it’s desperately currently missing.
(Perhaps the story is awaiting the, “woman’s touch.” And when the female lead appears, all will become less …. stodgy …?? Lol?? ;)
I’ll never know.
But perhaps you’ll give the series a try.
I see there is potential. IF the pace picks up, characters become more complex, interesting, & fun, & the storyline branches off into unique subplots.
I’ll check out your reviews! ;)
Got about 48% of the way through (Chapter 15) Zero Hour- so I think I gave this story a fair shake - I just couldn’t stick with it any longer.
I found reading the 1st book in the Dark Waters series more a chore than a pleasure.
There’s nothing in particular “wrong” with the story/plot, it’s just that there is a whole lot … lacking. At least for me.
In addition to an exhausted, overused (EMP) plot theme, with no outstanding new features to add to the already oversaturated apocalyptic genre chock full of EMP focused books, I found the pacing pretty slow. Not much action either.
And dry as a bone. Which was remarkable as this book began on the sea.
(Notice how that wasn’t even funny & just landed flat? Yeah, that’s how I felt reading the 1st half of Zero Hour.)
The world building is fairly excellent, however. I could see, smell, feel, everything in rich detail & contrast.
I just sometimes had to reread a couple sentences a few times to get there, as I constantly found myself drift off daydreaming, or distracted by something in my out-of-book real world.
Something that pretty much never happens to me. Time after time I unfortunately came across passages or entire pages which were completely uninteresting, or totally “overly written”; bogged down with unnecessary detail or flowery prose. And I simply really hate to say it, kinda boring in general.
Which made immersion in the story difficult to impossible.
It pains me to leave a negative review. But I review 99+% of the books I read, so it’s only fair I do so honestly, & not just for the books I really love.
So - do YOU skip this one? Bruno Miller’s Zero Hour?
Well, believe it or not I can see where you might want to go for it.
If I had more patience currently, had the time & ability right now to hang in there all the way through this 1st - foundational- book in the Dark Water series, perhaps the 2nd book would improve my view of the series as a whole.
By the end of this 1st book, & a couple chapters into Book 2, the other main characters will come into play, which might turn everything around for this whole storyline.
Breathe lightness, humor, a sense of quickness- basically the rainbow that’s it’s desperately currently missing.
(Perhaps the story is awaiting the, “woman’s touch.” And when the female lead appears, all will become less …. stodgy …?? Lol?? ;)
I’ll never know.
But perhaps you’ll give the series a try.
I see there is potential. IF the pace picks up, characters become more complex, interesting, & fun, & the storyline branches off into unique subplots.
I’ll check out your reviews! ;)
September 20, 2023
COULD BE BETTER
Loved the dog and that the main character, Spencer, wants to help people even in these apocalyptic circumstances. He has a great heart and so does his dog. The problem I (and my husband) have with the story is the main character is weak-willed and wishy-washy, and, yes, at times, stupid. He doesn't live up to his shiney background of experience in the Coast Guard. He gets himself nearly killed at every turn because of stupid decision-making. His excuse is he is sleep deprived, shell-shocked (old term now), and doesn't know what to do. Okay. But as a Coast Guard veteran who has spent time sleep deprived under severe and exhausting training exercises he has too much of a good background to continue throughout the book like that. He goes back and forth to go by land or sea to rescue his lady love when it becomes obvious to a fifth grader what he should do. This caused my husband to come to the kitchen yelling about what the guy should do. It's actually obvious from almost the beginning yet he spends the entire book belaboring this decision ad nauseum. I would like to know what happens but don't know that my curiosity is worth a second book. Sorry.
Loved the dog and that the main character, Spencer, wants to help people even in these apocalyptic circumstances. He has a great heart and so does his dog. The problem I (and my husband) have with the story is the main character is weak-willed and wishy-washy, and, yes, at times, stupid. He doesn't live up to his shiney background of experience in the Coast Guard. He gets himself nearly killed at every turn because of stupid decision-making. His excuse is he is sleep deprived, shell-shocked (old term now), and doesn't know what to do. Okay. But as a Coast Guard veteran who has spent time sleep deprived under severe and exhausting training exercises he has too much of a good background to continue throughout the book like that. He goes back and forth to go by land or sea to rescue his lady love when it becomes obvious to a fifth grader what he should do. This caused my husband to come to the kitchen yelling about what the guy should do. It's actually obvious from almost the beginning yet he spends the entire book belaboring this decision ad nauseum. I would like to know what happens but don't know that my curiosity is worth a second book. Sorry.
March 9, 2023
Zero Hour
Dark Waters #1
Post-apocalyptic, Thriller
Bruno Miller
⭐️⭐️.5
The start was quite slow and it mainly focused on Spencer, his boat, his struggle with a dolphin and a shark and other technical details of his boat. It wasn't until 17% that something started to happen.
If you are into boats or sailing then you might enjoy the descriptions but otherwise, it starts to feel bogged down and full of info dumps with the constant references to facts about his boat. This happens the whole way through the book and even though it's a short read, I feel like the majority of it is full of descriptions and details that aren't needed.
I know that the MMC jumps from one situation to another as the author is trying to show how desperate things are and to create a sense of urgency, but it just makes the reading almost boring because I couldn't get a grip on the plot direction. The one goal throughout this book was for Spencer to make his way to Kate but by the end of the book, he hasn't even left yet.
That being said I did like Spencer's altruism, he continuously tried to help other people even though it slowed down his own progress and put himself in more danger. His dog, Finn, was also a nice addition and meant that he had someone to talk to and interact with.
Dark Waters #1
Post-apocalyptic, Thriller
Bruno Miller
⭐️⭐️.5
The start was quite slow and it mainly focused on Spencer, his boat, his struggle with a dolphin and a shark and other technical details of his boat. It wasn't until 17% that something started to happen.
If you are into boats or sailing then you might enjoy the descriptions but otherwise, it starts to feel bogged down and full of info dumps with the constant references to facts about his boat. This happens the whole way through the book and even though it's a short read, I feel like the majority of it is full of descriptions and details that aren't needed.
I know that the MMC jumps from one situation to another as the author is trying to show how desperate things are and to create a sense of urgency, but it just makes the reading almost boring because I couldn't get a grip on the plot direction. The one goal throughout this book was for Spencer to make his way to Kate but by the end of the book, he hasn't even left yet.
That being said I did like Spencer's altruism, he continuously tried to help other people even though it slowed down his own progress and put himself in more danger. His dog, Finn, was also a nice addition and meant that he had someone to talk to and interact with.
January 10, 2026
Spencer, Kate and their dog Finn were planning to live on their boat and off the grid but, when Kate went to visit her folks and Spencer was refurbishing the boat, the unthinkable happened. An EMP changed everything in a matter of minutes.
Spencer, a coast guard veteran, heads into Marathon Key and is overwhelmed by the destruction caused by fires, explosions and desperate people.
The story is believable but told on about a fourth grade level. Spencer is young and naive and still trying to live by his ethics while the other people are, for the most part, selfish, greedy, violent and stupid.
There are a few exceptions. At one time Spencer had worked as a bartender at a bar on Marathon and his boss, Damon and his family, had a well fortified house that figured in the story.
If you’re a fan of post apocalyptic fiction and you like Florida as a story location you might find this series amusing. It’s an easy listen that has no bad language or adult themes.
Spencer, a coast guard veteran, heads into Marathon Key and is overwhelmed by the destruction caused by fires, explosions and desperate people.
The story is believable but told on about a fourth grade level. Spencer is young and naive and still trying to live by his ethics while the other people are, for the most part, selfish, greedy, violent and stupid.
There are a few exceptions. At one time Spencer had worked as a bartender at a bar on Marathon and his boss, Damon and his family, had a well fortified house that figured in the story.
If you’re a fan of post apocalyptic fiction and you like Florida as a story location you might find this series amusing. It’s an easy listen that has no bad language or adult themes.
May 16, 2023
Not impressive, our main character was making foolish mistakes and extremely concerned with others rather than finding his own family. I’m sure he was meant to be an honorable man just helping others but he wasn’t really getting that far in that endeavor either. He was able to reunite a child with its mother but aside from that he just kept running into gunfights and putting his dog in danger with him ( dog lover here, I would have had my dog as top priority). His parents are elsewhere as well as his girlfriend- he has the means to stock up that boat and get to them but instead plays Rambo on land every chance he gets. I found his character to be scattered and unfocused in the midst of chaos. I’ll pass on the 2nd book in the series.
October 24, 2024
Fun story
Great action packed adventure with lots of twists. Great character & plot development. I did get tired hearing about Kate & Stuart, and I got tired with Spencer's wishy-washy attitude. By book 3 the editing is a bit random, but hopefully, it will even out in book 4. There seems to be a lot of cut & paste without removing one. I kept thinking I was missing part of the story, then I realized that it was a part that I actually had read earlier, and was now in the part I was reading. There's a lot of technical stuff that I really was unfamiliar with, so I skimmed those pieces. I have enjoyed all these books so far, and highly recommend them. They are short reads with lots of action, and basically only the bad guys die.
Great action packed adventure with lots of twists. Great character & plot development. I did get tired hearing about Kate & Stuart, and I got tired with Spencer's wishy-washy attitude. By book 3 the editing is a bit random, but hopefully, it will even out in book 4. There seems to be a lot of cut & paste without removing one. I kept thinking I was missing part of the story, then I realized that it was a part that I actually had read earlier, and was now in the part I was reading. There's a lot of technical stuff that I really was unfamiliar with, so I skimmed those pieces. I have enjoyed all these books so far, and highly recommend them. They are short reads with lots of action, and basically only the bad guys die.
March 12, 2025
So this has the potential to be a great series! However, I kept finding myself completely annoyed and angry at Spencer from the time he got to land to the end of the book. I understand that the author is trying to make it feel real and give the characters real emotions but I gotta tell you - I wouldn’t have wasted the time going to the turtle place. I’m not sure I would have even gone to the friend’s place considering how just dumb-lucky Spenser was to not have been killed MULTIPLE TIMES.
I’ll probably read book 2 to see if I can engage with the characters more and I really hope I do because like I said - this has the potential to be a great series.
I’ll probably read book 2 to see if I can engage with the characters more and I really hope I do because like I said - this has the potential to be a great series.
December 30, 2025
Soooo I read this book because I needed my Z book and this one was short and on KU. So I had absolutely no expectations. That being said.
I’m not entirely sure there was even actually a main plot? Like the disaster doesn’t hit until a quarter of the way into a very short book. And the rest of the book is spent with him guilting himself saying he needs to get to Kate, then doing anything but. This whole book is him doing side quests to get enough hero and self esteem points to finally go on the main story line of finding his girlfriend. It’s not a bad book. Writing is fine. The characters are fine. Dog is awesome. There’s nothing wrong with the book…. There’s just not much to it either.
I’m not entirely sure there was even actually a main plot? Like the disaster doesn’t hit until a quarter of the way into a very short book. And the rest of the book is spent with him guilting himself saying he needs to get to Kate, then doing anything but. This whole book is him doing side quests to get enough hero and self esteem points to finally go on the main story line of finding his girlfriend. It’s not a bad book. Writing is fine. The characters are fine. Dog is awesome. There’s nothing wrong with the book…. There’s just not much to it either.
February 3, 2023
one man’s choices
It was a deep feeling of the battle between going for his girlfriend and their families or staying and saving as many people as he can. The insecurity brought about by an apocalypse was almost debilitating until Spencer regains his feet and does what he feels is right. And he charges into his new goals. Spencer would be one of the most realistic characters, except for Finn of course. The destruction of society started almost immediately and there were several gun battles before the fires die down. I stayed up very late to finish this story.
It was a deep feeling of the battle between going for his girlfriend and their families or staying and saving as many people as he can. The insecurity brought about by an apocalypse was almost debilitating until Spencer regains his feet and does what he feels is right. And he charges into his new goals. Spencer would be one of the most realistic characters, except for Finn of course. The destruction of society started almost immediately and there were several gun battles before the fires die down. I stayed up very late to finish this story.
February 5, 2023
Good read
I've read a lot of apocalyptic books. This one was a little different. Spencer is on his sailboat when the EMP hits. He makes it back home but everything is on fire. His girlfriend, Kate is visiting her family up the coast. There were a few times that I thought he was done for, but he is the main character of the story. But that didn't stop me from the edge of my seat. Now I want to read the next book as he is setting out on another adventure.
I've read a lot of apocalyptic books. This one was a little different. Spencer is on his sailboat when the EMP hits. He makes it back home but everything is on fire. His girlfriend, Kate is visiting her family up the coast. There were a few times that I thought he was done for, but he is the main character of the story. But that didn't stop me from the edge of my seat. Now I want to read the next book as he is setting out on another adventure.
August 4, 2025
Picked this up because I needed to read a book that started with "z" for my alphabet challenge. I was hooked on the storyline, the narrator wasn't as good, but then I didn't realize this was part of a series and now I have to keep going because I'm interested and invested. I can't find much on this author, but what I have found was he is a military veteran. Thank you for your service Bruno Miller, and thank you for a great read
June 18, 2023
Couldn't finish. Not a long book and seemed to spend A LOT of time explaining things that didn't matter (i.e. The whole fish/shark thing in the beginning.). Very boring. Found myself speed reading a bit. Finally gave up just after the EMP. Maybe it got interesting after that, but I was done trying by then. Sorry Bruno!
November 13, 2023
A very good book.
3.5 stars rounded to 4 because it was a good story. I really enjoyed this book but it did start off very slow and although the pace did quicken there was still something missing from it. Spencer and Finn, his dog, are the main characters whom we followed. Finn was amazing and played his part well but Spencer kind of fell short.
3.5 stars rounded to 4 because it was a good story. I really enjoyed this book but it did start off very slow and although the pace did quicken there was still something missing from it. Spencer and Finn, his dog, are the main characters whom we followed. Finn was amazing and played his part well but Spencer kind of fell short.
January 24, 2024
Open thinking new take.....
Most apocalypse stories are started or caused by some virus....this is a truly new look and something that could really happen. It also makes you think about things like natural disasters, severe weather or normal everyday events.....put the phone down, turn the electricity off.....see how long before you can't take it anymore. A real thinker....
Most apocalypse stories are started or caused by some virus....this is a truly new look and something that could really happen. It also makes you think about things like natural disasters, severe weather or normal everyday events.....put the phone down, turn the electricity off.....see how long before you can't take it anymore. A real thinker....
August 22, 2025
A solid post-apocalypse novel. Unlike Bruno Miller's Dark Road series, this book is a little longer, and more of a complete novel. Each of the Dark Road books just "ends." without any climax, denouement, and conclusion. The Dark Road books were fun, but the should've been 3 to 5 books, instead of 15 books.
February 3, 2023
very cool
A strong beginning to a new apocalyptic series. It begins on a sailboat off one of Florida Keys, a beautiful day. Until it wasn’t. Well until the SHTF or until AHBL.
I enjoy reading this author books and look forward to the next.
A strong beginning to a new apocalyptic series. It begins on a sailboat off one of Florida Keys, a beautiful day. Until it wasn’t. Well until the SHTF or until AHBL.
I enjoy reading this author books and look forward to the next.
February 18, 2023
Great new series
A great new series in the making. Loved the characters, and storyline. I am annoyed I have to wait for the next book. I want to know what happens next right now. Lol.
A great new series in the making. Loved the characters, and storyline. I am annoyed I have to wait for the next book. I want to know what happens next right now. Lol.
February 22, 2023
Terrific new series-Bruno won me over again!!
LOVE the characters-especially Finn (love animals in stories)! Great story-love it like i love your Dark Road & Cloverdale series (anxiously awaiting their completion *hint* 🙂!! Sooo excited to see where this story goes!!!
LOVE the characters-especially Finn (love animals in stories)! Great story-love it like i love your Dark Road & Cloverdale series (anxiously awaiting their completion *hint* 🙂!! Sooo excited to see where this story goes!!!
March 7, 2023
Survival after an EMP Strike.
Who doesn't love a good survival story? I enjoyed the book. At times, it was a little descriptive, but overall, I found it to be a good story. Spencer must find Kate after an EMP blast destroyed the town. I can't wait for the next one to come out.
Who doesn't love a good survival story? I enjoyed the book. At times, it was a little descriptive, but overall, I found it to be a good story. Spencer must find Kate after an EMP blast destroyed the town. I can't wait for the next one to come out.
June 5, 2023
A good read
A good read I'm glad that Miller is keeping us entertained with another story that keeps you engaged with such good writing Miller keeps you on the edge of your seat with the adventure he tells love his books
A good read I'm glad that Miller is keeping us entertained with another story that keeps you engaged with such good writing Miller keeps you on the edge of your seat with the adventure he tells love his books
June 12, 2023
Another good read from Bruno Miller
I had read the first few chapters in a compilation of post-apocalyptic stories a whole back & was thrilled to find the whole book! I enjoyed every bit of this book as I did Bruno Miller's other series. Looking forward to reading the next one!
I had read the first few chapters in a compilation of post-apocalyptic stories a whole back & was thrilled to find the whole book! I enjoyed every bit of this book as I did Bruno Miller's other series. Looking forward to reading the next one!
June 17, 2023
Like the other series by this author, AWESOME!
Wow, awesome storyline! At first I thought this was basically a continuation of the the other series, with his ex-wife on a cruise, but it's not! Loved the dog, well the whole story!
Wow, awesome storyline! At first I thought this was basically a continuation of the the other series, with his ex-wife on a cruise, but it's not! Loved the dog, well the whole story!
November 5, 2023
Barnburner
A great start to the series. I can't wait to read the next one. The hero is easy to like, but not super human. The only question I have about this story? Is she different? Read it.
A great start to the series. I can't wait to read the next one. The hero is easy to like, but not super human. The only question I have about this story? Is she different? Read it.
December 7, 2023
I loved this book! I have never read a post apocalyptic story before! I was a little intimidated by the genre but this book was well thought out, his characters were relatable, and I didn’t want to stop reading it. I am looking forward to reading the next one.
January 3, 2024
It held my attention throughout the short (200+ pages). So much happened it was hard to calm down while reading. The only drawback was the ending ... and knowing I would have to buy the next book to find out what happens next.
January 24, 2024
I did really enjoy this EMP end of the world adventure! I little different to the usual stories, I really liked the ideas, the characters & the overall energy of this book! For me good on all scores! First time reading this writer but not the last I think! I do recommend!
May 14, 2024
Excellent read
I read the beginning of this book in an anthology and just had to keep reading it. Loved the characters and the pace of the story. It's different than other apocalypse books and that's a great thing. A definite recommend!
I read the beginning of this book in an anthology and just had to keep reading it. Loved the characters and the pace of the story. It's different than other apocalypse books and that's a great thing. A definite recommend!
July 22, 2024
Survival 101
This is a look at the future we hope will never see. Generations of people have faced similar challenges and some made it through the difficult times and others didn’t. Somehow life seems to continue and the earth abides.
I pray that this is only a story.
This is a look at the future we hope will never see. Generations of people have faced similar challenges and some made it through the difficult times and others didn’t. Somehow life seems to continue and the earth abides.
I pray that this is only a story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews