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Downfall: A Post-Apocalyptic EMP Survival Thriller
When the lights went out, civilization fell in hours. Now survival means becoming someone you never thought you'd be.
Sam Prescott was closing the biggest deal of his career in Nevada when every electronic device on Earth died in an instant. Planes fell from the sky. Cars went silent. The modern world collapsed overnight. Now, with two thousand miles of lawless wasteland between him and his family, Sam must navigate a hellscape of burning cities and desperate survivors to get home.
Meanwhile, in St. Louis, his wife Rachel watches their safe suburban neighborhood transform into a war zone as neighbors turn predator and armed gangs claim territory house by house. With their supplies dwindling and killers closing in, she faces an impossible trust her children's lives to her convicted murderer brother-in-law, or watch them die defending a home that's already lost.
In a world where the strong prey on the weak, how far would you go to protect the ones you love?
Written by Justin Bell, one of the most prolific post-apocalyptic authors on Amazon, with nearly a hundred titles to his name. If you love books by Mike Kraus, Kyla Stone, TL Payne, Jack Hunt or Ryan Schow you'll LOVE Justin Bell!
Sam Prescott was closing the biggest deal of his career in Nevada when every electronic device on Earth died in an instant. Planes fell from the sky. Cars went silent. The modern world collapsed overnight. Now, with two thousand miles of lawless wasteland between him and his family, Sam must navigate a hellscape of burning cities and desperate survivors to get home.
Meanwhile, in St. Louis, his wife Rachel watches their safe suburban neighborhood transform into a war zone as neighbors turn predator and armed gangs claim territory house by house. With their supplies dwindling and killers closing in, she faces an impossible trust her children's lives to her convicted murderer brother-in-law, or watch them die defending a home that's already lost.
In a world where the strong prey on the weak, how far would you go to protect the ones you love?
Written by Justin Bell, one of the most prolific post-apocalyptic authors on Amazon, with nearly a hundred titles to his name. If you love books by Mike Kraus, Kyla Stone, TL Payne, Jack Hunt or Ryan Schow you'll LOVE Justin Bell!
420 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 20, 2026
11 people are currently reading
4 people want to read
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
February 21, 2026
Explodes off the page from the very beginning!
Downfall, book 1 in the Downfall series chronicles the struggles of the Prescott family, separated by 1000 miles, struggle to not only survive the stunningly fast collapse of society following a devastating EMP attack. Sam, the father of the family is on a business trip while his wife Rachael and kids, Anna and Jack, are stuck at home as the neighborhood devolves into anarchy and is taken over by a group of want to be warlords. Jeff Prescott, Sams brother, in custody for hunting down and killing the men who killed his wife and young daughter is the wildcard in the mix.
The book has such well written descriptions of the destruction and chaos, coming from both characters and via narration, that everything creates a very immersive reading experience! The rest of the writing excellently showcases just how skilled a writer Bell truly is. The characters are superb, especially considering this is only the 1st book in the series, and the action is so well choreographed that no confusion occurs, even during the most chaotic sequences! This book has been eagerly awaited, since the prequel hit my inbox, and is more than worth the wait!
5/5 stars, extremely highly recommended for fans of survival thrillers, especially of the post-EMP variety, and well constructed thrillers in general! The writing is so good it will likely convert some who have never given the apocalyptic survival thriller genre a try! I can't wait for the next book in the series!!
Downfall, book 1 in the Downfall series chronicles the struggles of the Prescott family, separated by 1000 miles, struggle to not only survive the stunningly fast collapse of society following a devastating EMP attack. Sam, the father of the family is on a business trip while his wife Rachael and kids, Anna and Jack, are stuck at home as the neighborhood devolves into anarchy and is taken over by a group of want to be warlords. Jeff Prescott, Sams brother, in custody for hunting down and killing the men who killed his wife and young daughter is the wildcard in the mix.
The book has such well written descriptions of the destruction and chaos, coming from both characters and via narration, that everything creates a very immersive reading experience! The rest of the writing excellently showcases just how skilled a writer Bell truly is. The characters are superb, especially considering this is only the 1st book in the series, and the action is so well choreographed that no confusion occurs, even during the most chaotic sequences! This book has been eagerly awaited, since the prequel hit my inbox, and is more than worth the wait!
5/5 stars, extremely highly recommended for fans of survival thrillers, especially of the post-EMP variety, and well constructed thrillers in general! The writing is so good it will likely convert some who have never given the apocalyptic survival thriller genre a try! I can't wait for the next book in the series!!
Displaying 1 of 1 review