The Long Night (Book 1)

A Post-Apocalyptic Cyber Thriller

By: Alex Bueno

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

When darkness falls, can you find your way home?

In an instant, everything changed. "The Long Night" takes you on a heart-stopping journey of survival, as a massive cyber-attack triggers a nationwide blackout. This cyber-attack survival thriller is a must-read for fans of "One Second After" by William R. Forstchen, "Lights Out" by David Crawford, and "Station Eleven" by Emily St. John Mandel.

After a cyber-attack, followed by an electromagnetic pulse (EMP), the Winter family from Harbour Island, Florida, faces an unprecedented struggle for survival. Former military officer John Winter and his son, Jack, find themselves 100 miles from home when technology disappears. Their dangerous journey back is filled with dangers in a world that has suddenly turned primitive overnight.

Meanwhile, back at home, John's wife, Emily, an esteemed electrical engineering specialist, along with their daughter, Sarah, face the daunting task of surviving in a world now shrouded in darkness and chaos. Their courage and intelligence are their only weapons against the advancing chaos.

"The Long Night" intertwines the Winter family's intimate fight for survival with the broader challenges faced by a nation under cyber siege. This captivating story, set in a post-EMP America, challenges readers to confront their reliance on technology, making it a remarkable addition to the dystopian fiction genre.

Immerse yourself in this narrative, a blend of cyber thriller and post-apocalyptic survival, where the resilience of community, faith, and scientific expertise shines in the darkest of times.

"The Long Night" is a testament to human resilience in the face of a technological apocalypse.

• Excerpt from "The Long Night":

Suddenly a deafening series of explosions reverberated around the arena. John and Jack instinctively ducked, their hearts racing. As they dared to glance up, they witnessed electrical transformers detonating, sending showers of sparks and flames into the night sky. Power lines, once a symbol of modern reliability, were now ablaze, their flames flickering like malevolent serpents.

A massive LED panel at the front of the Amway Arena, which usually displayed highlight reels of the Magic’s star players, horrifyingly burst into flames. The inferno cast an eerie, otherworldly orange glow over the entrance below.

On the streets, every car came to a sudden and mysterious stop. Smoke billowed from beneath the hoods of some vehicles, while others were jolted by the sudden deployment of airbags, leaving their occupants shocked and disoriented.

Without hesitation, John seized Jack’s arm, yanking him away from a live wire that had fallen perilously close. “We need to get out of here!” John’s voice cut through the chaos, his eyes darting, searching for a sanctuary amidst the bedlam.

They moved away from the crowds still pouring out of the Amway Arena. They found a spot up ahead, a brief respite from the vehicular and electrical chaos.

Taking a moment to assess the situation, John was struck by the profound darkness that had enveloped them. It was an oppressive, almost palpable void, swallowing every sound and sight. Not a single light was on - no streetlights, billboards, emergency lights, or even headlights.

The streets, once teeming with life, now resembled a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Cars lay abandoned, their drivers standing nearby, their faces etched with disbelief and confusion. A cacophony of voices rose as people grappled with the inexplicable blackout. (...)

Great story!

Great storyline. Can’t wait for book 2 hopefully it will be out soon. Need to know how it ends.

Mostly plausible

A refreshing (!) apocalyptic story: minimal violence until the end, low levels of testosterone, not obsessed with preppers, and somewhat believable scenarios. I really enjoyed 90% of the story because it described realistic, plausible activities that would follow a disaster.

Good story bad narration

Narrated by virtual voice which just isn’t the same as a person there is no inflection no emotion idk I think it was a bad choice nothing compares to that human factor

story, practical science and knowledge

Good book, and I enjoyed a story that had people working together - and not just another book all about fighting. and I look forward to hearing it done again with a human and not an AI.

I do not like the virtual voice.

The virtual voice isn’t right. It says words wrong and the cadence of speech is latent at times. Real narrators should be used!

meh

not very interesting and poorly written. seems to drag on forever with promises of getting more exciting but it never does. leaves a lot of loose ends as well.

Please stop virtual voice!!!

The story is slow and after mundane. It is more believable than many books in this genre. But virtual voice makes it nearly unbearable.

Stop using AI narrator. Wish I could tolerate the AI.

From as much as I was able to withstand the AI narrator I believe the book has potential to be right up my alley. However I was barely able to get through the first few chapters before I could no longer put up with the narrator.