What do you think?
Rate this book
Code Umbra #1
Countdown: A Post-Apocalyptic Survival Thriller
375 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 28, 2026
36 people are currently reading
7 people want to read
About the author
Millie Copper
70 books62 followers
Click here to download your FREE copy of Wyoming Refuge.
Millie Copper, writer of Cozy Apocalyptic Fiction and preparedness mentor, was born in Nebraska but never lived there. Her parents fully embraced wanderlust and moved regularly, giving her an advantage of being from nowhere and everywhere.
Millie Copper lives in the wilds of Wyoming with her husband and young son, tending chickens and attempting a food forest on their small homestead. After living off the grid for several years, they've recently gone back on the grid. Four adult daughters, three sons-in-law, and five grandchildren round out the family.
Since 2009, Millie has authored articles on traditional foods, alternative health, homesteading, and preparedness-many times all within the same piece. Millie has penned seven nonfiction, traditional food focused books, sharing how, with a little creativity, anyone can transition to a real foods diet without overwhelming their food budget.
The twelve-installment Havoc in Wyoming and six-installment Montana Mayhem Christian Post-Apocalyptic fiction series use her homesteading, off-the-grid, and preparedness lifestyle as a guide. The adventures continue with the upcoming Dakota Destruction series.
Millie Copper, writer of Cozy Apocalyptic Fiction and preparedness mentor, was born in Nebraska but never lived there. Her parents fully embraced wanderlust and moved regularly, giving her an advantage of being from nowhere and everywhere.
Millie Copper lives in the wilds of Wyoming with her husband and young son, tending chickens and attempting a food forest on their small homestead. After living off the grid for several years, they've recently gone back on the grid. Four adult daughters, three sons-in-law, and five grandchildren round out the family.
Since 2009, Millie has authored articles on traditional foods, alternative health, homesteading, and preparedness-many times all within the same piece. Millie has penned seven nonfiction, traditional food focused books, sharing how, with a little creativity, anyone can transition to a real foods diet without overwhelming their food budget.
The twelve-installment Havoc in Wyoming and six-installment Montana Mayhem Christian Post-Apocalyptic fiction series use her homesteading, off-the-grid, and preparedness lifestyle as a guide. The adventures continue with the upcoming Dakota Destruction series.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 30, 2026
Cooper joins the apocalyptic big leagues!
Countdown, book 1 in the Code Umbra series chronicles the period immediately preceding the passage of a massive near earth object between the earth and the moon, expected to cause untold chaos on a global scale. Tessa Courtland formerly worked for a conglomerate that tracked objects in the Solar system. A mysterious phone call with the phrase "Code Umbra" changes everything. Tessa suddenly finds herself, her family, friends and co-workers all in mortal danger from her former employer. The book is, simply put, phenomenal! Even with the destruction not really occurring yet, Cooper manages to torque up the tension with her skilled storytelling. This is a standout book for me this year, the world building is stellar, no pun intended. The set up for book 2 leads me to believe it will be a wild ride, A ride I'm eagerly waiting for! Overall, 5/5 stars, highly recommended for fans of apocalyptic survival thrillers and immaculately plotted conspiracy thrillers, or just thrillers in general. The writing is sufficiently excellent to attract readers who might not normally even read the genre!
Countdown, book 1 in the Code Umbra series chronicles the period immediately preceding the passage of a massive near earth object between the earth and the moon, expected to cause untold chaos on a global scale. Tessa Courtland formerly worked for a conglomerate that tracked objects in the Solar system. A mysterious phone call with the phrase "Code Umbra" changes everything. Tessa suddenly finds herself, her family, friends and co-workers all in mortal danger from her former employer. The book is, simply put, phenomenal! Even with the destruction not really occurring yet, Cooper manages to torque up the tension with her skilled storytelling. This is a standout book for me this year, the world building is stellar, no pun intended. The set up for book 2 leads me to believe it will be a wild ride, A ride I'm eagerly waiting for! Overall, 5/5 stars, highly recommended for fans of apocalyptic survival thrillers and immaculately plotted conspiracy thrillers, or just thrillers in general. The writing is sufficiently excellent to attract readers who might not normally even read the genre!
May 5, 2026
Countdown is a tense and fast-moving post-apocalyptic survival thriller that centers on urgency, resilience, and the human instinct to endure against overwhelming odds. Millie Copper leans into the genre’s core strength, high-stakes decision-making under pressure, while maintaining a strong emotional undercurrent that keeps the narrative grounded.
The story builds momentum through escalating threats and limited time, forcing its characters into impossible choices where survival often comes at a cost. The pacing is sharp and deliberate, creating a sustained sense of tension that mirrors the relentless countdown implied in the title.
This is a gripping survival-focused thriller that emphasizes atmosphere, urgency, and the psychological strain of navigating a collapsing world.
The story builds momentum through escalating threats and limited time, forcing its characters into impossible choices where survival often comes at a cost. The pacing is sharp and deliberate, creating a sustained sense of tension that mirrors the relentless countdown implied in the title.
This is a gripping survival-focused thriller that emphasizes atmosphere, urgency, and the psychological strain of navigating a collapsing world.
May 2, 2026
I love Millie Coppers writing. This book did start off as a slow burn but the payoff was so worth it! If you love complex characters and heart pounding situations this is it for you. This is a new situation for me under this genre and that’s saying something. I can’t wait for the next one and also recommend her other books as well!
May 1, 2026
This was really brilliant! I slightly different type of apocalyptic adventure from this writer & wow what a pleasure it was to read! Great pace, good tension & a super interesting plot! I do recommend!
May 5, 2026
Really good
For the 1st book of this series, the asteroid is more of an asterisk. The real story is Tessa and Erin. Lot's of exciting edge of your seat goings on.
Looking forward to book 2.
For the 1st book of this series, the asteroid is more of an asterisk. The real story is Tessa and Erin. Lot's of exciting edge of your seat goings on.
Looking forward to book 2.
April 8, 2026
Such a great book! I couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait for the next one to come out. I want to know what happens next.
I received an ARC copy from the author and all opinions are my own.
I received an ARC copy from the author and all opinions are my own.
May 1, 2026
Loved this book
This story was great! It kept my heart pounding! I can't wait for the next book. I love this author's books, try out some of her other series
This story was great! It kept my heart pounding! I can't wait for the next book. I love this author's books, try out some of her other series
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is unlike any other post apocalyptic thriller I have read. This was a bit of a slow burn and I was unsure of what I'd gotten myself into. I'm glad I kept reading. After a few chapters I was hooked and couldn't put it down. If you're into nail biting thrillers and government shenanigans, this is for you. Oh, and the over zealous reporter has his moment too.
I'm a book reviewer for this book and I am leaving this review voluntarily
I'm a book reviewer for this book and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews