Review Detail

One Second After by William R. Forstchen
One Second After, one of the most horrifying and apocalyptic science fiction that will stun you like an EMP!
The story is told in a third person viewpoint, therefore, making it a lot easier for readers to understand. It is good that there aren’t too much characters introduced in the book. The author doesn’t skip too much, which doesn't confuse the reader. The plot should be familiar to people who live in America, since it takes place in North Carolina, Black Mountain. The novel has done a great job in describing the lives of the people living there. It is a typical American novel with vivid descriptions that are realistic.
The first execution scene in the book, where all the citizens in the town realize the severeness and cruelty of martial law. John Matherson, the main character and also a history professor of a local college, publicly executes two teenagers who stole medical supplies during the electricity shortage period. The author does a great job showing a describing what the citizens react to martial law. The facial expression and environment of the crowd has explained all the feelings and thoughts of the moment. The dialogues between the supporting roles and the main character( John Matherson) deeply shows the slight forgiving attitude people have when the deal with unique and tough decisions. The thoughts and the feeling of the characters are well analyzed throughout the story.
Unlike most disaster movies or books, One Second After focused mainly on the reflection of poverty and the reality of human. While 2012, the movie was basically focused on the destruction and the casualties made by the disaster. One Second After focuses on the how the people govern themselves to save themselves. There is actually something that you can learn, unlike the 2012. One Second Later covers a smaller radius, while 2012 is larger. Because the story is not that globalized, people can easily refer to real life and learn how to prepare themselves when disasters actually happen. Not long after the EMP attack, John went to the drugstore and took most of the supplies that he might need in order to survive if the electricity never comes back on. It is based on reality and isn’t over exaggerated.
The overall story is like a miniature political party that is fighting over each other. The novel is not dull like focusing on one subject, but it is actually implying many things using the plot. It is educational and realistic, unlike other disaster novels that are too melodramatic. The plot is well done, and all the descriptions are deep and thorough. This book is clearly better than the other disaster books. This book is suitable to everyone who is interested in natural disaster novels.