Showing results by author "Mark J. Russell" in All Categories

The best-selling Extinction Cycle series by Nicholas Sansbury Smith first introduced listeners to a world ravaged by an engineered virus that turned men into monsters. Now, for the first time ever, comes a collection of Extinction Cycle short stories that explore the human spirit and the fight for survival in the face of overwhelming odds from some of the leading voices in the post-apocalyptic genre.

When Abram Patterson learns about an impending solar flare, every moment matters. Loaded up in his trusty 1976 Land Cruiser, he must get his wife and daughter from their home in New Hampshire to their remote retreat in Central Vermont. Nick Caulfield, a single father of two, is always in work mode. But when the country is on the brink of collapse, he must focus on getting his children to safety. His neighbor, Abram, has left in a hurry, and he quickly realizes that the region will soon be plunged into chaos.

During the aftermath of a massive solar flare that has plunged the country into the Dark Ages, Abram and Nick must prepare the compound against the growing bandit threat. But will earlier decisions sink their chances of survival and put those they love at risk of being annihilated? As if the bandit threat wasn’t bad enough, an erratic stranger is closing in on Abram’s compound. But something is lurking beneath the surface of this man, who sees the collapse of society as the greatest opportunity of his life.

Mayhem is about to boil over. After the most recent attack on their remote compound in Central Vermont, Abram and Nick find themselves safe, for now. But when a new group rises up to take advantage of the turmoil caused by the massive solar flare, Abram and his fledgling community will have to become more proactive if they want to survive. A member of this new group has intimate details of the compound and is ready to strike at a moment’s notice. But his leader’s plans are far sweeping and risk putting the entire region into the hands of a madman.

Do you remember when the milkman delivered and TV was a test pattern and a snowy channer? When Fibber McGee and Molly captured your imagination on Monday-night radio and cars had rumble seats and running boards? Then you are a golden soul, someone rich with experience who can embrace life with more freedom and perspective than you ever had when you were younger.

Self-identifying as “evangelical” is risky business these days. What is Evangelicalism? Is it a historical artifact? A political philosophy? A set of doctrines? A litmus test for genuine faith? Perhaps more important, what will come to mind when future generations hear something described as...

When an EMP attack plunges the nation into darkness, the days of panic have only just begun.... About to leave for Army Basic Training, Peter Meier awakens to a society on the edge of collapse. But when three strangers wander onto his family’s backwoods property in rural Wisconsin, a shocking turn of events plunges his world into turmoil. Meanwhile, in the nearby town of Bowman, Mayor Tom Grossman must work tirelessly to maintain a sense of calm. With no power, cars, or phones, will he be able to quell the rising tensions and keep the townsfolk composed?