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The Fall #1
Survivors of the Fall
When the country descends into chaos, how far will you go to survive?
No news. No emergency services. And the governor just fled the state.
When Riley Armstrong's father comes home early wearing his police uniform, she knows something is wrong.
Only a handful of people are aware of an asteroid that is threatening to turn the West Coast into a crater, but it's only a matter of time before everybody else finds out.
Her grandmother's farm is fifteen hundred miles away from the impact zone. But with anarchy spilling into the streets, and lunatics at every turn, will they even survive the perilous interstate journey to get there?
Officer Keith Bowman, a hard-headed brute serving a suspension, runs point for his partner through the city. But when what's left of his broken family falls apart, and it's everybody for themselves, is anyone worth saving?
Facing moral dilemmas and unique challenges on every leg of the journey, Riley and her family are forced to do whatever it takes to survive.
The first book in The Fall series - Plunge into an apocalyptic thriller with everyday characters thrust into an explosive high-octane action adventure.
No news. No emergency services. And the governor just fled the state.
When Riley Armstrong's father comes home early wearing his police uniform, she knows something is wrong.
Only a handful of people are aware of an asteroid that is threatening to turn the West Coast into a crater, but it's only a matter of time before everybody else finds out.
Her grandmother's farm is fifteen hundred miles away from the impact zone. But with anarchy spilling into the streets, and lunatics at every turn, will they even survive the perilous interstate journey to get there?
Officer Keith Bowman, a hard-headed brute serving a suspension, runs point for his partner through the city. But when what's left of his broken family falls apart, and it's everybody for themselves, is anyone worth saving?
Facing moral dilemmas and unique challenges on every leg of the journey, Riley and her family are forced to do whatever it takes to survive.
The first book in The Fall series - Plunge into an apocalyptic thriller with everyday characters thrust into an explosive high-octane action adventure.
- GenresApocalyptic
201 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 23, 2023
562 people are currently reading
262 people want to read
About the author
Steve Heuzinkveld
11 books10 followersHey -- thanks for stopping by!
My name's Steve, and I'm an apocaholic.
I'm a fan of all things apocalyptic, because who doesn't love imagining a world without traffic?
When all the rules of society are gone, when emergency services don't answer, and when every day is a struggle to survive, the capacity for human potential and heroism is unlimited.
Which is why I love to write about everyday characters thrust into scenarios where they are forced to go beyond their breaking point, and make peace with the person they have become when they emerge on the other side.
My inspiration comes from books, games, movies and TV shows. Some of my favorite stories include The Stand, The 100, The Walking Dead, Falling Skies, Westworld and of course, The Last Of Us.
When I'm not writing, I'm in the kitchen trying a new pickling recipe, or figuring out the best way to zombie-proof my house without alarming the neighbors.
I love hearing from my fans - follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/Steve..., or to receive a notification when my next book releases, sign up for my newsletter at https://www.steveheuzinkveld.com/news... - chat soon!
My name's Steve, and I'm an apocaholic.
I'm a fan of all things apocalyptic, because who doesn't love imagining a world without traffic?
When all the rules of society are gone, when emergency services don't answer, and when every day is a struggle to survive, the capacity for human potential and heroism is unlimited.
Which is why I love to write about everyday characters thrust into scenarios where they are forced to go beyond their breaking point, and make peace with the person they have become when they emerge on the other side.
My inspiration comes from books, games, movies and TV shows. Some of my favorite stories include The Stand, The 100, The Walking Dead, Falling Skies, Westworld and of course, The Last Of Us.
When I'm not writing, I'm in the kitchen trying a new pickling recipe, or figuring out the best way to zombie-proof my house without alarming the neighbors.
I love hearing from my fans - follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/Steve..., or to receive a notification when my next book releases, sign up for my newsletter at https://www.steveheuzinkveld.com/news... - chat soon!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
January 9, 2024
A page-turner
A really action-packed book. Right from the beginning it carried me through. I can't believe how much happens to the same family. A great read.
A really action-packed book. Right from the beginning it carried me through. I can't believe how much happens to the same family. A great read.
February 2, 2025
Mark Twain once said, “There is no such thing as a new idea. It is impossible. We simply take a lot of old ideas and put them into a sort of mental kaleidoscope. We give them a turn and they make new and curious combinations. We keep on turning and making new combinations indefinitely, but they are the same old pieces of colored glass that have been in use through all the ages.” It’s true. There aren’t any new story ideas to turn into new and interesting tales no matter the genre or sub-genre. They’ve all been told many times, and apocalyptic fiction is no exception. What makes a story appear new, interesting, and different is the spin the writer puts on how he/she tells it. To make an old story idea appear new, fresh, and interesting a story has to be character-driven, more than plot-driven. Survivors of the Fall is a character-driven story.
An Asteroid colliding with Earth, destroying civilization as we know it is an old sci-fi trope that’s been used ad nauseum, but it’s the cast of characters that Steve Heuzinkveld creates and populates Survivors of the Fall with that makes it an un-put-downable read. Those characters are so lifelike that they could have been my neighbors or your neighbors, or even you and me. There are no heroes or heroines among them, they are all flawed in one way or another, just like you and me. They are just ordinary human beings struggling to survive in a chaotic world. Everyone who picks up this page burner will quickly find themselves rooting for one or more of these characters, in my case they were Riley and her mother Susan. At times I found myself so invested in their life-and-death struggles that I wanted to grab my .50 caliber Desert Eagle and join them in their fight.
I had never read anything by Steve Heuzinkveld before downloading and reading Survivors of the Fall but I’m now a fan and have already downloaded book 2 in the series, Raiders of the Fall. These books could probably be read and enjoyed in any order, but for the most enjoyment, they should be read in the order in which they were written.
An Asteroid colliding with Earth, destroying civilization as we know it is an old sci-fi trope that’s been used ad nauseum, but it’s the cast of characters that Steve Heuzinkveld creates and populates Survivors of the Fall with that makes it an un-put-downable read. Those characters are so lifelike that they could have been my neighbors or your neighbors, or even you and me. There are no heroes or heroines among them, they are all flawed in one way or another, just like you and me. They are just ordinary human beings struggling to survive in a chaotic world. Everyone who picks up this page burner will quickly find themselves rooting for one or more of these characters, in my case they were Riley and her mother Susan. At times I found myself so invested in their life-and-death struggles that I wanted to grab my .50 caliber Desert Eagle and join them in their fight.
I had never read anything by Steve Heuzinkveld before downloading and reading Survivors of the Fall but I’m now a fan and have already downloaded book 2 in the series, Raiders of the Fall. These books could probably be read and enjoyed in any order, but for the most enjoyment, they should be read in the order in which they were written.
August 13, 2024
I’m a post-apocalyptic junkie. It’s at least 75% of the books I read. Not gonna lie, this one was a bit much. The whole meth-head scene was way over the top. Could have done without that.
January 19, 2023
One of my favorite books I've read, the pacing was fantastic and it had me on the edge of my seat from the first to the last page. I can't wait for the next book to come out.
February 20, 2023
It was often really over the top and there was one trope that I'm sick of in this kind of books (the stupidly evil other group of survivors) and it was pushed to its absurd conclusion.
Otherwise it's a fast paced surviving "the end of days" type story with a little copaganda thrown in the mix.
Otherwise it's a fast paced surviving "the end of days" type story with a little copaganda thrown in the mix.
May 30, 2023
I had not read an asteroid-strike story for a bit so seemed like a nice change from the normal EMP etc plots. Unfortunately, I was never able to engage with these characters. I'm not sure what kind of police officers Nolan and Keith were, but they had some major lapses: if you want to keep your family, especially a teenage daughter, from disclosing information about an asteroid until you can get out of town, you should consider taking her phone; don't make a deal with a weak and self-serving jerk for water, just find your own (even if you lost your first stash; don't let said sniveling take your gun from you. Usually if character dies early, it is impactful, but I just shrugged. Trying to leave the west coast to get to the Midwest whilst thousands of others are trying to flee should be fruitful ground for stories about conflicts with desperate people. Instead we get a lot of improbable fights with a checklist of snarky car-jackers, the sniveling and Keith's ex-wife, and a disgusting group of druggies. We keep seeing most of these same miscreants all the way there. I get you might have to take strong measures to survive these baddies, but both mother and daughter are able to kill multiple people in an up close and very personal way. The asteroid doesn't even arrive until very late in the book and it ends with Riley asking Susan to show her how to get pine nuts. Yep...pretty much sums it up. I have a rule that I won't usually give a one star if I finish a book; I did finish this and the editing was decent. Still, I don't care what happens with the asteroid.
June 24, 2023
can’t stand the repetition
I quit. After approximately the 800th repetition of the phrase “Keith Bowman’s whiskey-cured voice” I just can’t take any more. EVERY time the character speaks we have to be reminded that his voice is “whiskey-cured.” The author is apparently so proud of that phrase that he just can’t let it go. Find a different adjective if you must, or even better just tell us who’s talking. We got the picture already.
Same with the “stately white coupe.” That was fine the first 300 times it was used for the car but then it got worse than distracting. Look up some coupe models and pick one already!
None of the characters, including Riley, are appealing or sympathetic and I don’t care what happens to any of them. They all are dim bulbs and with the possible exception of Riley all are jerks, especially Keith, and including Nolan. No need to shed a tear there.
The breakdown of social order is very unlikely to be that quick: Mass riots and looting won’t break out in the first 5 minutes of a news leak. Give it a day or two. Most people start with denial which takes some time to wear off. Then there will be arguing over fake news. They don’t immediately go out to loot and shoot. People’s actions are not realistic at all.
No need to read further.
I quit. After approximately the 800th repetition of the phrase “Keith Bowman’s whiskey-cured voice” I just can’t take any more. EVERY time the character speaks we have to be reminded that his voice is “whiskey-cured.” The author is apparently so proud of that phrase that he just can’t let it go. Find a different adjective if you must, or even better just tell us who’s talking. We got the picture already.
Same with the “stately white coupe.” That was fine the first 300 times it was used for the car but then it got worse than distracting. Look up some coupe models and pick one already!
None of the characters, including Riley, are appealing or sympathetic and I don’t care what happens to any of them. They all are dim bulbs and with the possible exception of Riley all are jerks, especially Keith, and including Nolan. No need to shed a tear there.
The breakdown of social order is very unlikely to be that quick: Mass riots and looting won’t break out in the first 5 minutes of a news leak. Give it a day or two. Most people start with denial which takes some time to wear off. Then there will be arguing over fake news. They don’t immediately go out to loot and shoot. People’s actions are not realistic at all.
No need to read further.
April 22, 2025
I wasn’t ready. I thought I was just reading a post-apocalyptic survival story. Cute. Simple. Action-packed. Maybe a little emotional.
NO.
This book came at me like a speeding semi on black ice with no brakes and ripped out my soul on page 37. I'm still reeling. I’ve been emotionally looted. I need a trauma blanket and a group hug from fictional characters who ALSO need therapy.
😩💥 My Personal Thoughts (a.k.a. emotional breakdown in paragraph form)🫣🫣
Okay. No. Because why did Steve Heuzinkveld come for my sanity like this?? This book had me in a full-on chokehold from the first chapter. Like—I thought I was just popping in for a little post-apocalyptic drama, a few tense scenes, maybe a little survival angst. WRONG. I was dragged—dragged—through a moral minefield of humanity at its rawest. And I wasn’t prepared.
Riley?? My baby Riley?? She’s a literal teenager who had to grow up overnight in a world where the rules don’t just shift—they evaporate. Watching her evolve from a girl with normal teen worries to someone carrying the emotional weight of her entire family’s survival? Gut-wrenching. I wanted to wrap her in a blanket and tell her it’s going to be okay even though it very much was NOT.
And Keith?? Oh my God. He's the definition of a broken man trying to make things right, and the way I was rooting for him like my life depended on it?? He's jaded, complicated, and painfully human. He doesn’t have it all together, but that’s what makes him feel real. He's not some perfect savior—he's someone trying to do the right thing in a world where "right" barely exists anymore.
But it’s not just the characters. It’s the pace, the tension, the constant fear that something worse is waiting around every corner. This book doesn’t give you a second to breathe, and when it does, it hits you with some emotional gut-punch about love, loss, or how society can collapse in a heartbeat.
And let’s talk about the quiet moments—because in the middle of all the chaos and carnage, there are these tiny scenes that rip your soul open. A look. A choice. A line of dialogue that makes you put the book down and just stare at the wall for a second. It’s raw. It’s intimate. It’s haunting in the way that sticks with you long after you finish.
I swear, by the last page, I was sitting there like: “What do I even do with myself now?” Because when I tell you I felt every damn heartbeat in this book? I mean it. I’m emotionally barren now. I don’t even know who I am without Riley and Keith and this absolute descent into beautifully written madness. Where Is book 2 because I need my next fix..
🔥 Tropes
Found family in the end times
Morally gray protector with a tragic backstory
Apocalypse road trip
Grumpy(ish) x Soft-hearted teen dynamic
Survival = character development on steroids
Lawless world where every decision costs something
🎨 Vibes
Dirty fingernails and raw hope
“What would YOU do?” moral chaos
Every chapter feels like a last breath
The Walking Dead if it focused on the soul, not the zombies
Tense, gritty, gutting, yet somehow still human
NO.
This book came at me like a speeding semi on black ice with no brakes and ripped out my soul on page 37. I'm still reeling. I’ve been emotionally looted. I need a trauma blanket and a group hug from fictional characters who ALSO need therapy.
😩💥 My Personal Thoughts (a.k.a. emotional breakdown in paragraph form)🫣🫣
Okay. No. Because why did Steve Heuzinkveld come for my sanity like this?? This book had me in a full-on chokehold from the first chapter. Like—I thought I was just popping in for a little post-apocalyptic drama, a few tense scenes, maybe a little survival angst. WRONG. I was dragged—dragged—through a moral minefield of humanity at its rawest. And I wasn’t prepared.
Riley?? My baby Riley?? She’s a literal teenager who had to grow up overnight in a world where the rules don’t just shift—they evaporate. Watching her evolve from a girl with normal teen worries to someone carrying the emotional weight of her entire family’s survival? Gut-wrenching. I wanted to wrap her in a blanket and tell her it’s going to be okay even though it very much was NOT.
And Keith?? Oh my God. He's the definition of a broken man trying to make things right, and the way I was rooting for him like my life depended on it?? He's jaded, complicated, and painfully human. He doesn’t have it all together, but that’s what makes him feel real. He's not some perfect savior—he's someone trying to do the right thing in a world where "right" barely exists anymore.
But it’s not just the characters. It’s the pace, the tension, the constant fear that something worse is waiting around every corner. This book doesn’t give you a second to breathe, and when it does, it hits you with some emotional gut-punch about love, loss, or how society can collapse in a heartbeat.
And let’s talk about the quiet moments—because in the middle of all the chaos and carnage, there are these tiny scenes that rip your soul open. A look. A choice. A line of dialogue that makes you put the book down and just stare at the wall for a second. It’s raw. It’s intimate. It’s haunting in the way that sticks with you long after you finish.
I swear, by the last page, I was sitting there like: “What do I even do with myself now?” Because when I tell you I felt every damn heartbeat in this book? I mean it. I’m emotionally barren now. I don’t even know who I am without Riley and Keith and this absolute descent into beautifully written madness. Where Is book 2 because I need my next fix..
🔥 Tropes
Found family in the end times
Morally gray protector with a tragic backstory
Apocalypse road trip
Grumpy(ish) x Soft-hearted teen dynamic
Survival = character development on steroids
Lawless world where every decision costs something
🎨 Vibes
Dirty fingernails and raw hope
“What would YOU do?” moral chaos
Every chapter feels like a last breath
The Walking Dead if it focused on the soul, not the zombies
Tense, gritty, gutting, yet somehow still human
June 11, 2024
I have to say, this book is an absolute masterpiece! It's a true thrill ride from start to finish.
The fast-paced action and suspense will keep you on the edge of your seat, desperate to know what happens next.
The characters in this story are truly relatable and incredibly fun to follow on their journey throughout the narrative.
The way the story is written makes it feel like you're watching a movie unfold before your eyes.
The character development is incredible, with the characters changing, growing, and adapting in response to the challenges they face.
This book truly makes you wonder how you would act if you were facing the same kind of challenges and dire circumstances as the characters.
It makes you question your own mortality and what you would be willing to do to survive in times of crisis.
10/10 recommend!
Thankyou steve for pulling me out of my reading rutt! I nearly missed work and found myself stuck in my car when i got home because I just had to find out what happened next in the story!
Please note:
There isn't any TW list some of the themes may be upsetting to some.
The fast-paced action and suspense will keep you on the edge of your seat, desperate to know what happens next.
The characters in this story are truly relatable and incredibly fun to follow on their journey throughout the narrative.
The way the story is written makes it feel like you're watching a movie unfold before your eyes.
The character development is incredible, with the characters changing, growing, and adapting in response to the challenges they face.
This book truly makes you wonder how you would act if you were facing the same kind of challenges and dire circumstances as the characters.
It makes you question your own mortality and what you would be willing to do to survive in times of crisis.
10/10 recommend!
Thankyou steve for pulling me out of my reading rutt! I nearly missed work and found myself stuck in my car when i got home because I just had to find out what happened next in the story!
Please note:
There isn't any TW list some of the themes may be upsetting to some.
May 15, 2024
An amazing book that didn't get the recognition that it deserved. I found about this author on Facebook, and he said apparently the book didn't was received so well, but I don't understand why. I couldn't let it out of my hand until I finished it.
I wasn't sure it will get me, but oh boy. Every time I thought I will know who's gonna d*e next or who's gonna betray who, I was wrong. I can't wait to start the next book.
I wasn't sure it will get me, but oh boy. Every time I thought I will know who's gonna d*e next or who's gonna betray who, I was wrong. I can't wait to start the next book.
August 10, 2024
3.5 stars rounded up.
I'm not usually a fan of end of the world books but found this read intriguing and entertaining. It's fast-paced and has plenty of action. I did find certain characters slightly unbelievable at times and plot surprises which were maybe unrealistic, but the imagery and world-building were such that I wanted to continue reading and the editing good. The actual cataclysmic event I felt could have come earlier in the novel but then that may have been by design.
All in all, worth a read and rec'd if it's your bag.
I'm not usually a fan of end of the world books but found this read intriguing and entertaining. It's fast-paced and has plenty of action. I did find certain characters slightly unbelievable at times and plot surprises which were maybe unrealistic, but the imagery and world-building were such that I wanted to continue reading and the editing good. The actual cataclysmic event I felt could have come earlier in the novel but then that may have been by design.
All in all, worth a read and rec'd if it's your bag.
July 24, 2023
It was a struggle...
...to finish this book, read more? Not happening! Seriously, two police officers, with family, getting out of town, and decide to stop for water? And, not only stop for water, but grab so much that it draws attention from other shoppers... Narrative only goes downhill from there...
...to finish this book, read more? Not happening! Seriously, two police officers, with family, getting out of town, and decide to stop for water? And, not only stop for water, but grab so much that it draws attention from other shoppers... Narrative only goes downhill from there...
August 4, 2023
Great read - Here comes the end of the world!
Action packed and fast-paced. I read this in one sitting. There were characters that I was rooting for and some well written nasty ones, too.
Great build up to the apocalyptic event. I'm looking forward to the second book to see what comes next.
Action packed and fast-paced. I read this in one sitting. There were characters that I was rooting for and some well written nasty ones, too.
Great build up to the apocalyptic event. I'm looking forward to the second book to see what comes next.
September 15, 2023
Had potential
Overall I’m into the story, but every few chapters the characters will do something so dumb/unrealistic/melodramatic that I consider putting it down.
No one in their right mind would bury a taser and pepper spray when they have lost all their other weapons. Least of all a cop.
Also the writer seems to have forgotten to give Jesse a personality.
Overall I’m into the story, but every few chapters the characters will do something so dumb/unrealistic/melodramatic that I consider putting it down.
No one in their right mind would bury a taser and pepper spray when they have lost all their other weapons. Least of all a cop.
Also the writer seems to have forgotten to give Jesse a personality.
January 28, 2024
Okay, not for me
I finished this book, barely. I like the writing and I fell in love with the characters but it was just not for me. There is a lot of action and it's very fast paced. The plot has great potential. I would read this author again.
Reader beware there is a lot of violence, including one unsuccessful intimate scenes.
I finished this book, barely. I like the writing and I fell in love with the characters but it was just not for me. There is a lot of action and it's very fast paced. The plot has great potential. I would read this author again.
Reader beware there is a lot of violence, including one unsuccessful intimate scenes.
August 13, 2024
Quick SHTF Descent
I know it’s an asteroid but the descent into chaos was basically instantaneous. 2-3 days is a crazy short amount of time for things to disintegrate.
Stuart and Karen definitely got what they deserved, felt bad for Jesse though.
Very curious about what happens after this book so will have to grab book 2!
I know it’s an asteroid but the descent into chaos was basically instantaneous. 2-3 days is a crazy short amount of time for things to disintegrate.
Stuart and Karen definitely got what they deserved, felt bad for Jesse though.
Very curious about what happens after this book so will have to grab book 2!
June 6, 2023
not bad
I like the storyline, there’s really no need to keep the same descriptive phrases, ie. the whits car, the voice on the phone or radio. Elsewise, I recommend this book and will happily read the next.
I like the storyline, there’s really no need to keep the same descriptive phrases, ie. the whits car, the voice on the phone or radio. Elsewise, I recommend this book and will happily read the next.
January 19, 2024
Okay
I have read many Post-Apocalyptic series. This is one I didn’t not like. I rated it a 2, because the plot was okay. There was too much foul language and description violence for my tastes. The only reason I finished it was to find out what happened to Riley.
I have read many Post-Apocalyptic series. This is one I didn’t not like. I rated it a 2, because the plot was okay. There was too much foul language and description violence for my tastes. The only reason I finished it was to find out what happened to Riley.
June 10, 2024
Good read
I enjoyed this book. It had some really intense moments but also some also forced moments. The meth heads were really strange part of the story.
I did like the diner scene. I am gonna bet that diner will be part of later books. Or maybe not?
I enjoyed this book. It had some really intense moments but also some also forced moments. The meth heads were really strange part of the story.
I did like the diner scene. I am gonna bet that diner will be part of later books. Or maybe not?
June 15, 2024
I got about half way through and just couldn’t keep going. I agree with Susan, “language!” I may have been willing to overlook it but the story and characters were not compelling enough to convince me to continue.
October 22, 2024
Really enjoyed this book, as a post apocalyptic junkie be it books or series I found this one fast paced enough to keep my attention without super long chapters! I was glued from start to finish, and can’t wait to get stuck into the next instalment.
November 26, 2024
It was o.k., but it seemed more far fetched than a lot of this genre.
A comet, going to hit part of California, and everybody goes crazy. Most people don't believe actual news any more, they're not all gonna believe rumors and start killing each other. Drive out of the state!
A comet, going to hit part of California, and everybody goes crazy. Most people don't believe actual news any more, they're not all gonna believe rumors and start killing each other. Drive out of the state!
March 26, 2025
Exciting apocalyptic thriller!
There are a lot of bad people doing bad things in this introduction to this apocalyptic nightmare. Fortunately, there is also a small group of good characters, as well. I enjoyed the heart-pounding action.
Kindle Unlimited
There are a lot of bad people doing bad things in this introduction to this apocalyptic nightmare. Fortunately, there is also a small group of good characters, as well. I enjoyed the heart-pounding action.
Kindle Unlimited
June 7, 2023
Loved this story. Very fast paced with lots of thrilling and intense moments. A few surprises and great characters. All in all kept me riveted to the end. Looking forward to reading the next book.
September 18, 2023
Racing to safety
This book keeps up the action from opening to the final word. Good characters waiting for book two. Sure it will keep the action going.
This book keeps up the action from opening to the final word. Good characters waiting for book two. Sure it will keep the action going.
April 15, 2024
Dnf 35%
Nope.
Nope.
May 14, 2024
I found the book to be like any other apocalyptic book/movie. Unfortunately it didn't wow me
September 4, 2024
Fast paced and full of action! I read it in one sitting.
September 11, 2024
Hooked immediately by this book!
October 19, 2024
Good read
This was a different take on the end of the world and I actually liked it. Some scenes were a bit naive for police to have done but all in all, it was a good read.
This was a different take on the end of the world and I actually liked it. Some scenes were a bit naive for police to have done but all in all, it was a good read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews