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Zero Power #1
It Began: A Post-Apocalyptic EMP Survival
Clara Thomas was a 9th grade English teacher, living a simple life at home with her sister and grandmother. She always had plans to settle down some day and become a writer. Sometimes, plans are just dreams left unfulfilled. They thought that the widespread outage was just within their vicinity. They were wrong. Without any electricity and power, Clara needs to help her family survive. The people in society have become restless, and will do anything for food. With the fall of power, law and order have become nonexistent, letting people get away with crimes. Will Clara be able to be strong for her family and those around her to get them through this crisis? Will she be able to get herself through it?
312 pages, Paperback
Published May 5, 2017
193 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
Max Lockwood
17 books19 followersMax Lockwood writes suspenseful, post-apocalyptic thriller and dystopian fiction while living in New York.
Growing up with parents who were preppers and always planning for the worst, but hoping for the best, got him interested in writing in the first place. “What would happen if the world were to change?” is something he asked himself his whole life. Until one day he decided to put it down on paper.
His stories will have you reading on the edge of your seats…you have been warned!
Growing up with parents who were preppers and always planning for the worst, but hoping for the best, got him interested in writing in the first place. “What would happen if the world were to change?” is something he asked himself his whole life. Until one day he decided to put it down on paper.
His stories will have you reading on the edge of your seats…you have been warned!
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
August 5, 2017
It Began: A Post-Apocalyptic EMP Survival (Zero Power #1) by Max Lockwood is an audible book I requested and the review is voluntary. The first third of the book Clara should be in Pooh's Corner as Eeyore. She sounds just like him without anti-depressants. This is before the power goes out. She lives with a crazy sister and grandmother that is going senile but I think she is just as bad. The last part of the book gets better but now she thinks she knows everything, I think she found some drugs along the way. It ends in a cliff hanger, a pet peeve of mine. If you don't mind those, good for you...I don't. It does depict, here and there, of what life might be like without power. Makes a person think. It is also different from other EMP survival stories. I doubt, out of all the people there she would have been picked to go find help from politicians seeing how she was just some random school teacher that hated her job... but...it was an okay read overall. What made it all better was the narration. This is it's saving grace for me. The narrator added a lot to the story. If I had been just reading it, I probably would have given it lower numbers but the narration was good and gave it that extra oomph that it needed to keep me going and interested. Worth a read, I mean listen. Will I try another of this author's work? Yes, can't see why not. Just not in this series.
March 5, 2018
This was a boring book with an uninteresting irritating heroine. So much focus one the inside of her head "psychological problems" and so little about what she should be doing and how to survive.
She was so annoying, I wanted her to die.
Don't waste your money or your time.
She was so annoying, I wanted her to die.
Don't waste your money or your time.
June 7, 2017
I was asked to read this story for an honest review; here it is.
What would you do if everything you knew changed...no power for all those things you took for granted? This tale explores human behaviour and just how quickly it turns into the worst of itself.
It's not an original story but a thought-provoking one, with interesting characters, especially the sister who knew of the terrible times were ahead before they happened. It did have a disturbing end, obviously ready for book two.
It did read like a YA novel and would be enjoyed by those who enjoy the apocalyptic genre.
What would you do if everything you knew changed...no power for all those things you took for granted? This tale explores human behaviour and just how quickly it turns into the worst of itself.
It's not an original story but a thought-provoking one, with interesting characters, especially the sister who knew of the terrible times were ahead before they happened. It did have a disturbing end, obviously ready for book two.
It did read like a YA novel and would be enjoyed by those who enjoy the apocalyptic genre.
September 12, 2017
The most boring book ive ever read. No imagination, story very bland. I felt like it was written by someone wanting to write but didn't know how, the characters bored the life out of me and I felt so many time to just bin it and start a new book but forced myself to finish it
May 18, 2018
Unbelievable
I mean that literally and figuratively. When crisis hits you cannot afford to learn on a slow curve. Fight or flight kicks in or you are dead. None
of the characters behaved realistically. I got to page 154. That took effort. I wish the author well. I tried.
I mean that literally and figuratively. When crisis hits you cannot afford to learn on a slow curve. Fight or flight kicks in or you are dead. None
of the characters behaved realistically. I got to page 154. That took effort. I wish the author well. I tried.
May 24, 2017
Is the sister's name Merry or Tessa?!? ARG! I finally just had to stop reading...
September 16, 2017
Overall an entertaining listen. This is more of an apocalypse "light" story. I had a really hard time with this book. It's a slower moving story that gives a lot of background/inner dialog which made the story drag at times, so it wasn't holding my attention. I kept waiting for something "more" to happen. Eventually the story does pick up a little, gets a bit more interesting and then it ends. Just when we are about to get more insight to Tessa. So a slight cliffhanger.
It's a story about people who have no clue what to do in an emergency situation. Those people who never take a second glance around them or think "what if". It's different in the sense it's about people who are not prepper's and therefore not prepared for any kind of disaster. Even though they are not prepper's they just seem clueless. It's hard to remember sometimes that there are really people in world who are this clueless.
Clara was not an immediately likable character. She was not a strong female character. She was depressing, weak and had low self esteem for the first half of the book. Add in her relationship with her neighbor and she was even more unlikable. She is suppose to be a 9th grade English teacher but she has no clue what an EMP is? Doesn't she do a lot of reading being an English teacher? She is completely naïve about the world around her until it changes. Slowly she starts to become a more self assured and independent person. She still isn't equipped to handle the changes in the world around her. She is learning as she goes. Which is a good way to get killed in the way she does it.
Cooper was likable but again not someone with a good grasp on their situation. He came across as a puppy dog especially in the beginning.
Her sister Tessa had more sense than she did at times even being "crazy". Tessa was the most interesting character in the story. There is definitley something going on with her.
Beckett Royce did a fantastic job with the narration as usual. She has a voice that is easy to listen to for long periods of time. Clearly spoken with a nice even pace. Good character voices. Her narration is what kept me listening especially in the beginning. She portrayed the characters perfectly, as they were written. Very enjoyable
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and voluntarily provided this review.
It's a story about people who have no clue what to do in an emergency situation. Those people who never take a second glance around them or think "what if". It's different in the sense it's about people who are not prepper's and therefore not prepared for any kind of disaster. Even though they are not prepper's they just seem clueless. It's hard to remember sometimes that there are really people in world who are this clueless.
Clara was not an immediately likable character. She was not a strong female character. She was depressing, weak and had low self esteem for the first half of the book. Add in her relationship with her neighbor and she was even more unlikable. She is suppose to be a 9th grade English teacher but she has no clue what an EMP is? Doesn't she do a lot of reading being an English teacher? She is completely naïve about the world around her until it changes. Slowly she starts to become a more self assured and independent person. She still isn't equipped to handle the changes in the world around her. She is learning as she goes. Which is a good way to get killed in the way she does it.
Cooper was likable but again not someone with a good grasp on their situation. He came across as a puppy dog especially in the beginning.
Her sister Tessa had more sense than she did at times even being "crazy". Tessa was the most interesting character in the story. There is definitley something going on with her.
Beckett Royce did a fantastic job with the narration as usual. She has a voice that is easy to listen to for long periods of time. Clearly spoken with a nice even pace. Good character voices. Her narration is what kept me listening especially in the beginning. She portrayed the characters perfectly, as they were written. Very enjoyable
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and voluntarily provided this review.
June 8, 2017
The author kindly provided me a copy of the ebook upon my promise of an honest review.
High school teachers, Clara and Cooper, are both colleagues and carpool buddies. One day as they are driving to work, a traffic jam becomes a nightmare. Every vehicle goes dead at the same time. Moments later, a large airplane crashes into the crowded street and nearby buildings, causing unimaginable carnage and death. Clara and Cooper narrowly escape the crash and spend the next hours attempting to help the injured and dying. No phones work, no vehicles run, and they realize no emergency assistance will reach them for hours, if it comes at all.
Author Max Lockwood immerses us in the maelstrom that is urban "civilization" when the worst has happened, bringing out the best and the worst in humankind. Clara and Cooper must learn to survive and to help others survive. To do that, they'll have to work out their own relationship and their relationships with flawed or disabled friends and family. They will face violence and horror and their own weaknesses as they struggle to establish a new kind of "normal" life.
The novel is imaginative in its details and situations, and evokes contemplation of whether we ourselves would fare better or worse than the people in the story, people who are not survivalists or doomsday preppers or former Navy SEALs. People who are as ordinary as we.
It Began is hard to put down; you'll want to finish it in one sitting. Be warned, however, that it is the first book in a trilogy and, as the title implies, the first book encompasses only the beginning of a larger story. Good thing for us, readers, that book two is already available, and book three is in the works.
The author cautions readers from the front of the book: "Please note that this work is intended only for adults over the age of 18 and all characters represented as 18 or over." It Began contains no explicit sex, but alludes to extramarital sex. The novel contains mild, infrequent cursing and instances of bloody, graphic death.
This is a secular work of fiction with neither positive nor negative references to religious faith.
High school teachers, Clara and Cooper, are both colleagues and carpool buddies. One day as they are driving to work, a traffic jam becomes a nightmare. Every vehicle goes dead at the same time. Moments later, a large airplane crashes into the crowded street and nearby buildings, causing unimaginable carnage and death. Clara and Cooper narrowly escape the crash and spend the next hours attempting to help the injured and dying. No phones work, no vehicles run, and they realize no emergency assistance will reach them for hours, if it comes at all.
Author Max Lockwood immerses us in the maelstrom that is urban "civilization" when the worst has happened, bringing out the best and the worst in humankind. Clara and Cooper must learn to survive and to help others survive. To do that, they'll have to work out their own relationship and their relationships with flawed or disabled friends and family. They will face violence and horror and their own weaknesses as they struggle to establish a new kind of "normal" life.
The novel is imaginative in its details and situations, and evokes contemplation of whether we ourselves would fare better or worse than the people in the story, people who are not survivalists or doomsday preppers or former Navy SEALs. People who are as ordinary as we.
It Began is hard to put down; you'll want to finish it in one sitting. Be warned, however, that it is the first book in a trilogy and, as the title implies, the first book encompasses only the beginning of a larger story. Good thing for us, readers, that book two is already available, and book three is in the works.
The author cautions readers from the front of the book: "Please note that this work is intended only for adults over the age of 18 and all characters represented as 18 or over." It Began contains no explicit sex, but alludes to extramarital sex. The novel contains mild, infrequent cursing and instances of bloody, graphic death.
This is a secular work of fiction with neither positive nor negative references to religious faith.
June 26, 2017
Clara Thomas is caught on her commute to work as an EMP is unleashed. Not knowing what else to do she and her coworker walk back home. Once the reality of what has happened sinks in, Clara finds herself searching for ways to keep her family safe and survive. She is unprepared and has no idea where to begin.
Lockwood’s first novel in the Zero Power series, It Began: A Post-Apocalyptic EMP Survival, tells the story of survival from the outlook of someone who is not a prepper and has minimal skills. Fortunately, her coworker agrees to help as she is the sole provider for an aged grandmother and a dysfunctional older sister.
I had a hard time reading this book as I did not like the protagonist at all. I could not find it in myself to even feel the least bit of empathy. The story seemed to meander around while attempting to find its purpose. The ending was unfulfilling and left me with no desire to read the sequel.
3 out of 5 stars.
I received this book for free from the author for review consideration. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.
Lockwood’s first novel in the Zero Power series, It Began: A Post-Apocalyptic EMP Survival, tells the story of survival from the outlook of someone who is not a prepper and has minimal skills. Fortunately, her coworker agrees to help as she is the sole provider for an aged grandmother and a dysfunctional older sister.
I had a hard time reading this book as I did not like the protagonist at all. I could not find it in myself to even feel the least bit of empathy. The story seemed to meander around while attempting to find its purpose. The ending was unfulfilling and left me with no desire to read the sequel.
3 out of 5 stars.
I received this book for free from the author for review consideration. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.
June 14, 2017
The events depicted in this book have occurred immediately following an EMP that has "Fried" all electronics just as expected from an EMP. The story describes the experiences of a young woman who lost her parents about ten years ago and has become the Caregiver for her delusional older sister and Grandmother suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.
The author does a good job involving the reader in the thought processes a reasonable person will go through as they begin to accept what has happened, realize what the ramifications are, and how to continue to support her family in the tribulations ahead.
If you're looking for extreme violence, horror, blood, guts, and violent sex, this isn't the book for you. If you're looking for a serious and entertaining evaluation of how a small family may struggle to cope with this situation and prepare YOU emotionally, this is a great book for you.
Review by THE HOLEY ONE
The author does a good job involving the reader in the thought processes a reasonable person will go through as they begin to accept what has happened, realize what the ramifications are, and how to continue to support her family in the tribulations ahead.
If you're looking for extreme violence, horror, blood, guts, and violent sex, this isn't the book for you. If you're looking for a serious and entertaining evaluation of how a small family may struggle to cope with this situation and prepare YOU emotionally, this is a great book for you.
Review by THE HOLEY ONE
August 2, 2017
This is the first book in a series, which presents us with an EMP survival story. The protagonist, Clara Thomas is a 9th grade school teacher caught in the violent beginning of the EMP. There is no explanation of why, who, or how; the story just continues from that point. Clara’s unexciting life consisted of teaching and caring for her grandmother and sister. The main event of this first book is a plane crash in the near vicinity, which Clara and her friend Cooper were almost a part of. With much introspection Clara examines her life in light of the crisis and vows to make changes. Clara spends her time volunteering help in town. Much conversation with little to no action. Becket Royce is one of the few female narrators I like and she does a wonderful job. This audiobook was given by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review via Audiobook Boom.
May 4, 2017
It Began
The first 20% of the book I wanted to shake Clara and pour a bottle of Prozac down her throat. Then I wanted to beat her for being so selfish and inconsiderate towards Cooper. Let him rest. Water. Food. A shower. Some consideration.
Throughout the book I am pulling out my hair try to understand her holier than thou attitude. Only I can save the world. Only my ideas are great. Did she ever realize she is just as crazy as her sister?
This book is so different from other apocalypse books. So far we see family who through mental illness drive their readers into their private craziness.
The first 20% of the book I wanted to shake Clara and pour a bottle of Prozac down her throat. Then I wanted to beat her for being so selfish and inconsiderate towards Cooper. Let him rest. Water. Food. A shower. Some consideration.
Throughout the book I am pulling out my hair try to understand her holier than thou attitude. Only I can save the world. Only my ideas are great. Did she ever realize she is just as crazy as her sister?
This book is so different from other apocalypse books. So far we see family who through mental illness drive their readers into their private craziness.
December 22, 2017
This was a fairly standard EMP story and the writing was decent for the most part. I had a hard time with Clara, the main character. She starts out as a sniveling, unhappy woman and as the story progresses tries to do her part to help the town but is still an unhappy and conflicted woman. She was just too unlikable for me and I usually need at least one person to care about. Cooper had potential but he was mostly sidelined and only surfaced to be the caring friend.
January 24, 2020
DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME ON THIS AWFUL BOOK
I wish I hadn’t wasted my iTunes gift card on the audio version of this book. It was a struggle to finish.
-the narrator did the best she could with a poorly written story line.
-this book is written in 3rd person and Claire, main character, over internalizes way to much
-all of the other characters are boring and underdeveloped.
-“In this story are far too many words over used in the writing of this story, which makes the story that much more worse of a story!”
-I found this book lacking in creativity
I gave it one stars because the author did seem to put some work into it, however I think they really cheeped out on the editing if they had edited it at all.
I wish I hadn’t wasted my iTunes gift card on the audio version of this book. It was a struggle to finish.
-the narrator did the best she could with a poorly written story line.
-this book is written in 3rd person and Claire, main character, over internalizes way to much
-all of the other characters are boring and underdeveloped.
-“In this story are far too many words over used in the writing of this story, which makes the story that much more worse of a story!”
-I found this book lacking in creativity
I gave it one stars because the author did seem to put some work into it, however I think they really cheeped out on the editing if they had edited it at all.
May 23, 2017
Typical
I am not a book critic. I envy anyone who can put words to paper. It waa pretty typical of this genre. I only had one issue. How old is the author? I had to stop reading for awhile when the author described the old woman with the gun as well on in years..late 40's or early 50s. What?
I am not a book critic. I envy anyone who can put words to paper. It waa pretty typical of this genre. I only had one issue. How old is the author? I had to stop reading for awhile when the author described the old woman with the gun as well on in years..late 40's or early 50s. What?
May 15, 2017
New Favorite Author!
Wow this book was written so well.I feel like this is what will happen in the event of an emp or financial crash.I really liked it.I just hope i dont have to wait long for a sequal.
Wow this book was written so well.I feel like this is what will happen in the event of an emp or financial crash.I really liked it.I just hope i dont have to wait long for a sequal.
September 10, 2017
Good beginning
I generally like end of the world books and was interested enough in this to see where this was going. I will probably get the second book in the series. The premise did remind me of Stirling's Dies the Fire a bit, but this is not quite as good.
I generally like end of the world books and was interested enough in this to see where this was going. I will probably get the second book in the series. The premise did remind me of Stirling's Dies the Fire a bit, but this is not quite as good.
June 25, 2018
Good book
Read all of the books in order to really enjoy. Characters are realistic and get better and better. Storyline continues to grow and develop.
Read all of the books in order to really enjoy. Characters are realistic and get better and better. Storyline continues to grow and develop.
October 23, 2018
EMP SURVIVAL Short Preview
So so story that goes basically nowhere, didn't know if I could finish and then it ended accomplishing NOTHING, Pass
So so story that goes basically nowhere, didn't know if I could finish and then it ended accomplishing NOTHING, Pass
February 13, 2020
3 stars
A bit confusing to me at first the plot slowly developed. Well written with good dialogue. Looks to be a promising series.
A bit confusing to me at first the plot slowly developed. Well written with good dialogue. Looks to be a promising series.
November 9, 2017
This book was chick flick apocolypse lite.There were way too many feelings and wishy washy moments in it.There were no answers as to what exactly happened to cause the power to go out and planes to fall from the sky.The days after were just weird.The narrator was good,but I expect that from Becket Royce.“I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.”
April 27, 2017
It Began
Max Lockwood
This is a apocalypse story. Chaos, mayhem and adventure and romance all thrown in together. This book does hang on a cliff. Can't wait for book 2.
A fast paced story that will have you frothing for the end.
Clara is a just your everyday average woman working through the world. She is a teacher with a secret on the side. Her life isn't all candy canes and rainbows either. The stress of trying to keep her little broken family together is tough. Her grandma has dementia and her older sister is a little crazy ever since the accident that took their parents away. Though she has done a lot for her family. She wishes that she were else where. With someone else or another life for that matter. But all that changes after a tragic accident occurs with her friend on their way to work. How will they survive? Will she be able to keep them safe. And why is her sister not starting to sound crazy anymore?
Max Lockwood
This is a apocalypse story. Chaos, mayhem and adventure and romance all thrown in together. This book does hang on a cliff. Can't wait for book 2.
A fast paced story that will have you frothing for the end.
Clara is a just your everyday average woman working through the world. She is a teacher with a secret on the side. Her life isn't all candy canes and rainbows either. The stress of trying to keep her little broken family together is tough. Her grandma has dementia and her older sister is a little crazy ever since the accident that took their parents away. Though she has done a lot for her family. She wishes that she were else where. With someone else or another life for that matter. But all that changes after a tragic accident occurs with her friend on their way to work. How will they survive? Will she be able to keep them safe. And why is her sister not starting to sound crazy anymore?
May 3, 2017
This is a new genre to me and I have never read anything by this author. I found that I was entranced by the book. It was a fast paced read and does end with a cliff hanger. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes post apocalyptic books
May 3, 2017
The idea of just a random person being sent to a different town to talk to the politicians. Nope.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews