The Night the Lights Went Out

by John Eider

A freak electrical storm sweeps over Britain, knocking out power lines in its wake. Without the National Grid, Britain is in left in the dark - no lights, no heat, no electricity...Three months later, from among the British refugees now scattered across northern France, a nation itself rocked by the crisis, a young soldier is recruited for a mission that takes him back home.This is his story, as he ventures back to find his homeland ravaged, its population scattered, and civilisation on the brink. This is a tale of an alternative future, set in a Britain at once recognisable and massively altered.

Genres: Fiction, Science Fiction

211 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 19, 2012

About the author

I am a self-published author from Great Britain. Thanks to everyone who has read or reviewed my books.

Reviews

[J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of all the books I've read this year, this is one of the most difficult to rate and classify. It's an intense read, densely written, heavy and realistic; but at the same time it's hopeful and light on its feet. The ending is left open, as if for a sequel, but because of the realism factor there's no other way it could possibly have ended.

The climax is strong and satisfying, but the denouement and falling action drag on a bit. It's possible the story would be stronger with a couple thousand words chopped off the end; but it wouldn't be the same book and the effect on the reader would be neither as heavy nor as hopeful.

The characterization is excellent. The author could use a professional copy editor or at least a good proofreader, and there are some sentences where I never did figure out a satisfactory meaning. But even when it threw me out of the story, there was never any question but that I'd dive back into it.

If you like post-apocalyptic fiction without the tired tropes of nuclear holocaust or zombies, well, I've read worse. Much worse. And I guess that answers the how-many-stars question: this story will stay with me. Knock off one for the lack of proofreading and the questionability of those ending chapters, then let's say four stars and one contented if wondering reader.

[Carolyn Oakeson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Uncomfortable read

Storyline was interesting. Main characters were well understood. Sad it wasn't a relaxing read. The grammar was awkward. Uncountable corrections that could have been made. Finished the book solely because of the subject matter.

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

John Eider mines the power-free post-apocalyptic trope with a story of Europe after a magnetic storm permanently scrambles Great Britain's power grid, with the result of hundreds of thousands of deaths, hordes of barely welcome English refugees in France and elsewhere, a British government in exile, and most of England devolved almost to medievalism.

Stephen J. Stirling has done it better, largely because his "Change" series postulates that the power outage is worldwide, also affects guns and gas-powered engines and cannot be gotten around through redundant systems or the repair of damaged infrastructure, and Stirling uses magic rather than scientific explanation for the failure.

Eider's scenario is implausible. It's tough to imagine that the rest of the world would let Great Britain sink to that extent, even were Eider's technological ideas well founded. The U.S., Canada and Australia, at least, would be mobilizing to send aid, generators, technical support and troops, if needed, as soon as England went offline.

If you can suspend your disbelief to the necessary extent, the story itself holds your interest. Army Pvt. Crofts, convalescing in France from injuries received in the chaos following "E-Day," is sent upon his recovery on a secret mission in England — assessing long-forgotten air raid shelters and command bunkers in small towns around the country and destroying any with "live" equipment that might be of use to enemy agents during the crisis. That, too, seems unlikely; however, as Crofts and his superior, Wareing, hike around the countryside, the places, situations and people they encounter feel authentic and the characterizations and prose are good.

[Nicola · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable book, despite not really going anywhere at all. As the title suggests, it follows the characters through the following year after all of the UKs electricity is cut off, leading to a complete collapse of government and society as we know it.

The characters and situations are very believable, i just feel as though not much happened and the pace was slow.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Different, well written although some how I wanted more!

[Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great premise, poor execution.

[Debbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Learned so much I didn't know about Edison and Westinghouse.