Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

After the EMP Saga #1-3

After the EMP: The Darkness Trilogy

Rate this book
Get the first three books in the After the EMP series in one box set! If the power grid fails, how far will you go to survive? Madison spends her days tending plants as an agriculture student at the University of California, Davis. She plans to graduate and put those skills to work only a few hours from home in the Central Valley. The sun has always been her friend, until now. When catastrophe strikes, how prepared will you be? Tracy starts her morning like any other, kissing her husband Walter goodbye before heading off to work at the local public library. She never expects it to end fleeing for her life in a Suburban full of food and water. Tackling life’s daily struggles is one thing, preparing to survive when it all crashes down is another. The end of the world brings out the best and worst in all of us. With no communication and no word from the government, the Sloanes find themselves grappling with the end of the modern world all on their own. Will Madison and her friends have what it takes to make it back to Sacramento and her family? Can Tracy fend off looters and thieves and help her friends and neighbors survive? The EMP is only the beginning. The Darkness Trilogy (Books 1-3 in After the EMP) follows the Sloane family as they attempt to survive after a geomagnetic storm destroys the nation’s power grid.

554 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 2, 2017

706 people are currently reading
124 people want to read

About the author

Harley Tate

47 books160 followers
When the world as we know it falls apart, how far will you go to survive?

Harley Tate writes edge-of-your-seat post-apocalyptic fiction exploring what happens when ordinary people are faced with impossible choices.

Subscribe to Harley's newsletter for two exclusive prequels you can't get anywhere else: www.harleytate.com/subscribe

The end of life as we know it brings out the best and worst in all of us. The apocalypse is only the beginning.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
395 (59%)
4 stars
179 (26%)
3 stars
72 (10%)
2 stars
11 (1%)
1 star
6 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
337 reviews1 follower
October 20, 2019
Excellent reading!

I just discovered this author and am so glad I did. This is great post apocalyptic reading. The characters are interesting and relatable, the storyline intriguing and plausible. It’s hard to find an apocalyptic series that isn’t so full of blood, death and violence that it’s impossible to relate to or enjoy. I love the little fur ball kitty that adds to the story. All the characters are people I know. It’s a great mixture of different ages so this would be a great series for young adults to read as well. Looking forward to the next book!!
Profile Image for Cristy Robinson.
73 reviews6 followers
August 25, 2023
post-apocalyptic tropes and surprises abound

Harley Tate has woven a true post-apocalyptic tale from beginning to end in After the EMP. After a coronal mass ejection zaps the electrical grid and leaves the US dark, chaos erupts and four friends must risk their lives to get home. But home isn’t much better, as they quickly find. Evil intentions, base motivations and plenty of stolen guns pepper the narrative of all 3 books in the trilogy. I fell in love with Madison and her friends and family, even coming to love a mangy cat. If you’re a fan of the genre, this is a perfect next read for your TBR.
178 reviews1 follower
March 4, 2020
The darkness trilogy was alright as far as EMP series go... but there was not a lot of character building and it only lasted 556 pages in all so this book only basically skimmed the basics of what the EMP would be like and didn't give me time to really get engrossed in the characters' plight... i was hoping the next part of the trilogy expanded on the family's journey through the post-apocalyptic world but it doesn't it starts all over with new characters... so in my thoughts it is a disappointment.
16 reviews1 follower
February 10, 2021
Not An Attack From Another Country, But From The Sun

There is a lot of writing about an EMP attack on the USA. All of which is True about one thing, Congress has had & ignored the chance to prepare us for. But what if we were hit NATURALLY - by the Sun - as happened in the 1800s & was worldwide? This story shows what would happen, as civilization breaks down, & a few people struggle to survive...
Good, clear, strong characters, a story line that pulls you thorough it, without wanting to put the book down. Scary? Yes, but a real look at how near the edge we are to chaos.
Profile Image for Robbi Leah  Freeman.
465 reviews8 followers
June 8, 2023
A Little Farfetched but world ending is …

I actually like this book. Characters are well outlined and many learning experiences to read and highlight. Some of the book is no way that would happen but you have to have characters that you like to get you to the end and there is heartbreak. Interesting reading on morals and judgement once there is no police or government. Looking forward to reading the next two books. I hope the world doesn’t go towards the end but after pandemic and everything else who knows when reading can help you in the future.
22 reviews
January 25, 2018
What a RIDE!

This is a great set, the characters are well written, the storyline is well thought out, and the end of a chapter leaves one wanting more. As you think through the series, you wonder if the world will really fall so far, so fast. You think, you look at the evening news, and you realize that though it is fiction it could really happen.
As a society, are we so close to the edge that an event could be the tipping point........
1,147 reviews5 followers
May 7, 2018
Walter, Tracy, Madison, Peyton, Brianna, Tucker, Drew, and Wanda

This is a trilogy of every day citizens of The United States of America and what can happen if an EMP strikes the earth. This trilogy takes the reader on an unforgettable journey of survival, adventure, love 💘, heartache, and action as the little group of a make shift family survive their NEW reality. A great 👍 trilogy and it is just the beginning.
Profile Image for Ceh131973.
554 reviews5 followers
December 3, 2017
What would you do if the sun just ended life as you knew it? This is the saga of one family's struggle to survive and find each other. Tate created believable charcters and kept the pace very fast. Also reseach was done for this to use a CME rather than a typical EMP. It was a really fast read and I am looking forward to the next trilogy.
3 reviews
December 3, 2019
Thought provoking and a good read!

This series was one of the best I have read. It didn't drag along with the characters surviving one grim event after another. A good mix and variety of characters. Only thing I would have liked more of is how the families are doing a year later.



294 reviews1 follower
April 8, 2020
Never Forgot

Dark trilogy so many things can go though your mind if you find yourself in the new U.S. Like the Sloan family. Making the hard chooses and killing to keep themselves alive.
This is a good clean apocalypse series, this series goes to show that you can keep God in it and the book will still entertain better than those with profanity.
2 reviews
July 11, 2023
I love the premise of this book and the characters are mostly likable however, there is a ton of unnecessary wording. This trilogy could easily lose 200 pages with the hope talk and what’s to come on every page. How many times do we need to hear about “it will be hard, but we’ll make it”.
I’ll read the rest of the series though haha.
Profile Image for Kat.
400 reviews39 followers
November 19, 2023
Great Start On An Important Subject

This is a great book to give you a perspective on a what if. The story gives so many tips on what to prepare for. Health, Skills, Self-Defense. Reality in the death of people you care for. If people don’t prepare, life could and is as scary as it seems.
329 reviews3 followers
January 7, 2024
wow

You never know what happen when everything is gone or changes. What you will do to survive. This is a book of what may happen to your family and friends during a world crisis. How far you are willing to fight to protect them. Enjoyed the different perspectives and characters. Book flows smoothly. On to the next episode
216 reviews3 followers
December 18, 2017
Solar storm

Excellent story of family dealing with aftermath of a CME stopping the world as we know it. Believable characters with story line that covers each day. Read it in one day and can hardly wait for the next book!
Profile Image for john bedsworth.
38 reviews
January 26, 2018
Extremely excellent reading it kept me interested in getting to the end.

This book was very well written I truly enjoyed reading from this author. I will definitely be reading more from them.
2 reviews
January 27, 2018
Enjoyed the whole trilogy

I love the whole thing . Nobody want something like this to happen but if it does here's a few ideas . They're good people and they're bad people sometimes choices are hard
41 reviews8 followers
January 15, 2020
Great plot and storytelling.

I do enjoyed this book. What a cast of strong characters. I cannot recommend this highly enough. Great plot and no slow spots. Thanks for a wonderful tale!
27 reviews
October 3, 2020
It's hard to put down

Ever wonder what will happen when the lights go out. A good example of the way people are today, everyone has cell phones some never put them down, a good author with believable characters . A good read
13 reviews
April 23, 2021
WOW just wow!!!!!


WOW what a Thriller. Kept me Anticipating What would happen next. Could put It down. Very well written. Just about had me crying when ever an important Member of there team died.
2 reviews
December 28, 2022
Good plot

Excellent book, holds the attention of the reader, has a great plot. Reader can easily connect to the characters. Looking forward to reading the other books in the series.
Profile Image for Frank Dupree.
324 reviews3 followers
May 3, 2023
Sadness and Joy

There’s plenty of both when the lights go out! The sadness of life never being the same and losing loved ones but the joy of success and good fortune too. There’s a lot in here and I’m sure you will enjoy it like I did!
Profile Image for Darla DeWalt.
30 reviews
April 21, 2024
very unforgettable.

My new, best author. This is my 2nd series about different EMP’s. Loved the theories but very different twist. My interest was held to the end and I can’t wait to start the next selection. Harley Tate my new best author.
Profile Image for Carmel McKenzie.
533 reviews4 followers
September 14, 2018
Apocalyptic

Very good story line, but as most apocalyptic books there seems to be more bad guys than good guys . Would this be right if that really happened?
Profile Image for marcie.
8 reviews1 follower
November 6, 2018
Very good

I've read the first three and am completing the whole series I love ready these kinds of books love them
65 reviews3 followers
November 27, 2018
Great read.

Very enjoyable as far as apocalyptic books go. Characters easy to follow and know. Hope to see more. I highly recommend.
Profile Image for karen cance.
35 reviews1 follower
April 25, 2019
Excellent story

I never put the book down. The story was fascinating and alive with practical information. Hope you enjoy this book!
198 reviews1 follower
October 20, 2019
Good series

Love, laughter, and heartache combined with a realistic CMS provides hours of good entertainment in this series. Jared to say goodbye to the characters.
4 reviews
December 28, 2019
Interesting and Enthralling.

This book kept me reading until the end! Scary thought, an EMP. Live through these characters and see what to expect.
1 review
August 5, 2022
this was great, and really eye-opening to see WHAT could happen to society
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.