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In the End #1
In the End
Shortly after four college students arrive at a cabin near Vail, Colorado where they plan to enjoy a two week vacation skiing and having fun in the snow, a nuclear explosion occurs in the city of Denver.
They do not know if Denver is the only place where this has happened or if it is safe to go home to Idaho. With the power out, they have no access to news or information. It's a few days before the beginner's lodge they have come to visit opens so very few people are in their immediate area.
Some of the survivors simply cannot face the new reality. Those who can must use their intelligence and tap into their inner resources to survive the threats they face from a nuclear attack - and from other survivors.
They do not know if Denver is the only place where this has happened or if it is safe to go home to Idaho. With the power out, they have no access to news or information. It's a few days before the beginner's lodge they have come to visit opens so very few people are in their immediate area.
Some of the survivors simply cannot face the new reality. Those who can must use their intelligence and tap into their inner resources to survive the threats they face from a nuclear attack - and from other survivors.
29 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 31, 2013
2 people are currently reading
70 people want to read
About the author
Edward M. Wolfe
21 books50 followersAuthor of a variety of science fiction sub-genres.
ACX audiobook producer/narrator.
ACX audiobook producer/narrator.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 9, 2013
First Strike (In The End, #1) by Edward M. Wolfe
Nobody likes an apocalypse in the middle of their vacation.
College is a time for self-exploration, partying hard, and taking memorable trips with your friends. Some students choose to run off for spring break, and others hit the slopes in the winter. Jim and Angela were the snow type. They pulled together a few friends, friends with a car, and headed for the cabins near Vail, Colorado. What could possibly ruin a two week vacation skiing and having fun in the snow? How about a nuclear explosion!
No radios are broadcasting, the power is out in every direction, and no one is sure how safe it is to be outside. The ski lodge they have planned to vacation at is still a few days out from opening leaving the population on the mountain scarce. They are left with few choices, and even fewer answers.
These are the times in life you find out what you’re really made of! Some people will survive, some will thrive, and some… well… some will die.
Heartfelt thanks to Edward M. Wolfe whom graciously sent me his eBooks First Strike (In The End, #1) and Hell on Ice (In The End, #2) as a gift. I own a Kindle (eReader), but I hate it. I just like the feeling of a real book in my hands. I always try to thank authors who send me their books via Kindle, but I honestly never read them. Edward M. Wolfe’s In The End series is the first eBook I have successfully read on my Kindle. That alone should be a testament to how good it is!
Excerpt:
“”Where are you going?” she asked, realizing she would be all alone if he left.
“I’m going back for the gun.”
“What gun!?””
I love that Jim’s survival instincts seem to kick in out of nowhere. It was like he was a boy that in the flash of the bomb mutated into a man in an instant. He not only displayed valuable critical thinking skills, a talent that seems to have skipped many of the children in the upcoming generation, he also instinctively understood the importance of; morale, preparation, and how important it is to keep a calm head in a crisis. Jim is NOT someone I would kick out of my apocalypse crew, for sure!
Excerpt:
“…She wished she still didn’t know. And she certainly didn’t want to see. She wondered what the hell was wrong with people. Murder and suicide. Shock and denial. She wondered if something was wrong with her and Jim too, or were they the normal ones?”
The definition of normal won’t apply in the apocalypse.
Poor Angie. At least that’s what she wants you to think! She does a good job of playing dumb letting the men do all the hard work. Every once in a while the author, Edward M. Wolfe, allows Angela’s true intelligence to subtly make an appearance. Fantastic character layering with this little minx!
Excerpt:
“He mentally sang a revised version of a song by a comedienne named Julie Brown.
“Everybody run. The retard’s got a gun.””
I love Downtown Julie Brown! What an awesome, 80’s specific reference. I haven’t thought about her since Earth Girls are Easy hit the TNT weekend movie loop a few years back. BIG Star lineup in that movie; Geena Davis, Jeff Goldblum, Jim Carrey! They sure have come far!
Excerpt:
“If the power station is just knocked out, then it can presumably be brought back online fairly soon, depending on how bad the damage is. But if it was an EMP, it could be years before we see electricity again – especially if this is happening all over the country.””
For someone so informed about EMPs you would think simple clues would’ve given it away that an EMP had not hit, at least their area. I’m surprised they didn’t use the car battery to fuel any electrical devices when they weren’t in need of the vehicle. It should be common knowledge to a maintenance man or mechanic how to set that up. They also have the diesel engine from the ski lift that could be used to bring some electricity to the lodge.
Still, it was nice to see characters that at least had an inkling of what could be occurring. With no contact to the outside world, someone had to at least speculate.
Excerpt:
“”If you were able to drive it, we either didn’t have an EMP blast, or it’s shielded, which would be really unusual for the average car. Did you happen to borrow it from someone who works at NORAD?””
One thing I didn’t get, If they could start the car why not use the car radio? Jim was so focused on finding batteries for the little radio, but all the while they had a radio at their fingertips. It isn’t like it was going to work anyway, but someone should have at least tried the darn thing.
Excerpt:
“”That’s really cool. You probably think it’s dumb, but I’m always amazed by modern technology. We really do live in the space age, ya know?”
“Yeah. Technologically, we’re advanced beyond anything we should be allowed to possess.””
We are headed into a future where technology could quite possibly destroy the world. Cellphones, computers, and RFID chips is ending the privacy we enjoy and turning us all into government robots. Soon nature may decide it’s time to flush the Human Race and start all over!
Excerpt:
“…Or maybe I just wanted to find an ordinary explanation for something that didn’t have one.””
Great line! This doesn’t just apply to the characters in the book, it is a statement many of us could find ourselves in front of the mirror using as an excuse on any given day and for any given reason.
Even the strongest will sometimes fall, and even the weakest can sometimes lead. Crisis and stress brings out the true colors of a person’s soul.
Excerpt:
“”Are you insane?!””
This little story could easily be manipulated into a full length novel. I wanted more… more… more…! Edward M. Wolfe you’re nothing but a tease my friend! Lol!
I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND giving this story a read!
Review provided by DJ Harris (aka DJ6ual):
June 8, 2013
A two week holiday turns out to be so much more!!
Jim, Josh, Hailey and Angela are on a skiing vacation from collage, when there is a nuclear explosion in Denver. Unsure wether it's safe to return home to Idaho, they need to work together, which isn't always easy as they are all copping with the stress of the situation differently.
I felt bad for Jim, walking in on a botched murder/suicide. I understand people panicking, but hell that was very full on!
Poor Terry, he's so lucky they spotted him up there.
I love the bit about putting the radio between two mirrors reflecting light to make it work if you have no batteries, so cool!! That was until I found out he was just messing around and it's actually a hand cranked one!!
I loved everything then overcome.
It broken heart when Hailey and Josh came back after being exposed.
Looking forward to more from this author!
Jim, Josh, Hailey and Angela are on a skiing vacation from collage, when there is a nuclear explosion in Denver. Unsure wether it's safe to return home to Idaho, they need to work together, which isn't always easy as they are all copping with the stress of the situation differently.
I felt bad for Jim, walking in on a botched murder/suicide. I understand people panicking, but hell that was very full on!
Poor Terry, he's so lucky they spotted him up there.
I love the bit about putting the radio between two mirrors reflecting light to make it work if you have no batteries, so cool!! That was until I found out he was just messing around and it's actually a hand cranked one!!
I loved everything then overcome.
It broken heart when Hailey and Josh came back after being exposed.
Looking forward to more from this author!
June 3, 2013
Okay I really liked this, I think I'm an Edward Wolfe fan girl at this point.
His writing is superb, funny, real and touching. It is so hard to find an author capable of all these emotions in writing.
In the end is the first part of a story about an apocalypse type situation. You get stuck in straight away which I love, I hate build ups... I like to know what is happening.
I loved the Jim character, so fun. I can imagine his attitude so clearly and Angela is definitely needed to be the opposite to him. With the Josh and Haylie situation you can't help but feel for Angela and that's how Wolfe keeps us on a knife edge of emotions.
Brilliant as always... Now part two!
Give me a long epic stand alone please, Mr Wolfe. No more short stories, you're too good.
His writing is superb, funny, real and touching. It is so hard to find an author capable of all these emotions in writing.
In the end is the first part of a story about an apocalypse type situation. You get stuck in straight away which I love, I hate build ups... I like to know what is happening.
I loved the Jim character, so fun. I can imagine his attitude so clearly and Angela is definitely needed to be the opposite to him. With the Josh and Haylie situation you can't help but feel for Angela and that's how Wolfe keeps us on a knife edge of emotions.
Brilliant as always... Now part two!
Give me a long epic stand alone please, Mr Wolfe. No more short stories, you're too good.
November 8, 2013
A group of survivors is thrust together after a nuclear bomb destroys Denver and covers the surrounding area in a cloud of poisonous ash. This isn't an average post-apocalyptic tale. It focuses on the characters and how they deal with the fallout of an earth shattering disaster. I read a lot of post-apocalyptic fiction, and First Strike was like a breath of fresh air. The characters were realistic, the situations were believable, and there was enough action to keep me turning pages at record speed. The author does a wonderful job of making you feel like you're part of the small group of survivors in this story. I will most definitely be reading the other books in this series!
July 9, 2013
I was getting into the story and it cut off before I knew it. I was like wait whats happening. I have to know what happens. I totally visualized the murder/suicide part in my head with the guy spinning in circles. Jim was kinda douchey but entertaining all in the same. I kinda want him and Angela to hook up. I guess I have to read pt 2 you tease.
December 28, 2013
I'm not a fan of serialising books, I have no problem books following on from each other, but reading a story and having it cut short to find out what's next doesn't do it for me. If you're releasing a story it should at least have an ending, this doesn't, it basically reads like the first chapter of a longer book and provides no conclusion at all.
Which is a shame, because what is there is pretty good, it tells the story of a four people who have gone skiing and who witness a nuclear attack on nearby Denver. There's some interesting events and the characters work well, but it just ends abruptly.
The author does have talent, the writing is good, but on its own there just isn't enough here to get into. If you don't mind buying your book sin instalments then it's probably fine for you, but for me it just made me feel I'd wasted an hour reading a taster for something longer.
Which is a shame, because what is there is pretty good, it tells the story of a four people who have gone skiing and who witness a nuclear attack on nearby Denver. There's some interesting events and the characters work well, but it just ends abruptly.
The author does have talent, the writing is good, but on its own there just isn't enough here to get into. If you don't mind buying your book sin instalments then it's probably fine for you, but for me it just made me feel I'd wasted an hour reading a taster for something longer.
September 18, 2013
2 Just not for me stars
When I started this book I was EXCITED after reading all of the reviews I thought I had hit a goldmine when I read this book. It was everything I normally like in a book but, boy was I disappointed. I did give this book 2 stars because Edward Wolfe is a hell of an author and deserves that. The book it was short and it disappointed me when I read a short story that ends in a cliffhanger making the reader have to purchase book 2 in the series. PUT IT ALL IN ONE BOOK! I didn't like the characters and I didn't like the story. This was a serious let down for me!
When I started this book I was EXCITED after reading all of the reviews I thought I had hit a goldmine when I read this book. It was everything I normally like in a book but, boy was I disappointed. I did give this book 2 stars because Edward Wolfe is a hell of an author and deserves that. The book it was short and it disappointed me when I read a short story that ends in a cliffhanger making the reader have to purchase book 2 in the series. PUT IT ALL IN ONE BOOK! I didn't like the characters and I didn't like the story. This was a serious let down for me!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews