Cataclysm: The Divide: Book One

by Tommy Clark

The world is not the same place it once was. America, once united, now known as The Divide is a savage land where the vicious and remorseful survive. Follow the story of Stuart and Malcolm. Two survivors of the wars that broke the country and sent life back several centuries.
Stuart has a past he would rather forget. He was placed in a position of leading a small group of survivors. Now he struggles to keep the group together and safe, as well as work toward a future where they can live in harmony-well sort of.
Malcolm is a young man who managed to hide out in a small community for as long as he could. Now he ventures out in The Divide to find a safe haven. When he bumps into Stuart and his group he finds a reason to stay.
Can they find a way to survive? With volatile groups, a faction with a score to settle and wild beasts, will the group find a way to a safe place? Can They ever stop moving? How will the group handle being pushed to its limits? What will the group do to survive in The Divide?

283 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 12, 2017

About the author

Tommy was born in Carthage, MO. He spent most of his early life living in the small town called Lamar, MO, with several years spent living in Joplin and Neosho during college. He was first introduced to writing in a creative writing class while in high school. He wrote sketches for student design nights for his local theater group. Then he began to write plays and scripts while attending Crowder College in Neosho, MO.

When college was over, he married his wife, Helen Crites. Shortly in to his marriage he lost his father to complications during surgery for heart trouble. He, with his wife, returned to Lamar for a year to be near family. With the birth of his son, Dylen, He and Helen decided to move north. The decision was based on his intentions to finish college. After a short time at the University of Central Missouri (and a rough battle with Chron’s Disease), Tommy finally earned an Associate’s degree in Web development from State Fair Community College in Sedalia, MO.

During the times of dealing with Chron’s he wrote his first full novel “Mental Health Day”. It is a story of a young man struggling with life in general and the rut he has found himself in. Working at a behavioral health hospital Tommy spent hours writing a story that became “Rogue’s Phoenix: Thieves and Kings”, a fantasy-fiction novel telling the story of the inhabitants of an unusually formed world and the trouble cause by a devious thieves’ guild. Branching out into another world he started another story taking place in a war-torn America. The country, now divided, is in shambles and those still alive struggle to stay that way.

He writes in many different environments including; Fantasy-fiction, Science Fiction, alternate future, post economic collapse and every day stories in the world we live in. Tommy tries to use his real-life experience to create in-depth characters and interesting situations. Tommy still lives in Missouri with his family and friends. When he is not writing, He likes to spend his time with the family; fishing, hunting, camping and playing on the water. With his variety of works in many genres he can offer something for everyone.

For more information on Tommy, or to find other work by him, visit his website at www.tommyclarkauthor.com.

Reviews

[RJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s been eight years since the collapse of the United States. Cars no longer took to the roads, trains no longer rode the rails, planes remain grounded. It all started with a war over the remaining oil reserves. The war was not kind to anyone, but America took it the hardest. It ended in a second civil war. Half of the country was walled off; the West fell to the Russians. Columbia was a walled city of the wealthy and the new capital of what was left of the United States; now referred to as the Divided States, i.e., The Divide. Stuart Knowles, Coach, and Taylor scavenged for supplies in small communities far out from their homestead, referring to themselves as Nomads. The trio comes upon Malcolm, an eighteen-year-old mechanic looking for safety and companionship. Thus begins the main plotline of Malcolm’s tale of survival. Stuart has a history as well that composes a second plotline. The characters are well-developed, the tale of comradery among survivors told with honesty and emotion. The tale is a good solemn look at a post-apocalyptic future and a compelling start to a new series. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[NormaCenva · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this! It was great to follow a young character who was not annoying for a change! I do hope the Series will continue as I am interested in how the story will develop further down the road.