The Terror

The Survivalist #14

by Jerry Ahern

After everything, after the Night of the War, after the Great Conflagration and the Awakening, it had come down to this.

Revenge. One man on an utterly personal mission, ice-cold in his grief.

And in spite of the Doomsday Machinery, the thermonuclear devices and the futuristic technology of war, the weaponry he selected for his manhunt in the desert was also very personal.

Trained by his CIA-trained weapons and survival expert father John, Michael Rourke prepared himself with care. In the double shoulder harness were his twin Beretta 92-Fs. At his waist the modified Milt Sparks magazine four pack. And the knife.

Bowie-patterned, the blade was nine inches long, two inches wide, hand ground, sand blasted, the handle hollow, machined from a solid block of steel. Holes drilled in the double quillion-style guard allowed it to be lashed to a pole, turned into a spear. This was a very particular, very lethal instrument of revenge.

Now he was ready for the hunt.

Genres: Post Apocalyptic, Fiction

222 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 1, 2008

About the author

Jerry Ahern (born Jerome Morrell Ahern) was a science fiction and action novel author best known for his post apocalyptic survivalist series The Survivalist. The books in this series are heavy with descriptions of the weapons the protagonists use to survive and prosecute a seemingly never-ending war amongst the remnants of the superpowers from pre-apocalypse times.

Ahern was also a firearms writer, who published numerous articles in magazines such as Guns & Ammo, Handguns and Gun World.

Jerry Ahern passed away on July 24, 2012 after a long struggle with cancer.

Ahern also released books under pseudonym Axel Kilgore.

Reviews

[Joseph B · Rating 3 out of 5]

The new setting of the Survivalist series continues to grow on me as Ahern weaves together various plot threads and factions into his longform storytelling; despite the shortcomings on the prose front. The Terror starts off with a big, as a major character is killed off setting in motion a revenge story. While a pretty standard trope, I admit I've grown fond of the Rourkes, Natalia, and Paul throughout the past 13 books and that has me more invested in the character arcs.

Vladmir Karamatsov is undeniably the big bad of this current mega-arc; striking at the heart of the Rourke clan and making it clear he wants to rule the world. John and Natalia set out to assassinate Vladmir, while he searches for a doomsday weapon from the Night of the War. Michael also has a prominent role in this story; but I won't say more to avoid spoilers.

I have noticed Ahern's prose while descriptive at times, has grown more repetitive which one can say is to be expected as we're over a dozen books into this series. It's a small complaint though. I still enjoy the Survivalist series for being some good pulp. 2.5/5 stars, but a solid 4/5 as a piece of pulp.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Czternasta część przyjemnego odzwierciedlenia kina akcji w klimatach postapo z czasów filmów na kasetach wideo.

[Little Timmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite adventure series. Dr John Thomas Rourke leads his family and friends through a post apocalyptic world fighting ever step if the way. Fantastic characters and plots. Very detailed weapon descriptions. Excellent series. My highest recommendation

[Keith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was fun easy reading in my teens. Would actually like to pick one up again and see what I think now. :D

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

See my review under "Total War," Survivalist Book 1.