Title: Survive The Unrest
Series: Small Town EMP
Author: Grace Hamilton
Publisher: Relay Publishing
Genre: Post Apocalyptic, EMP, Action, Suspense
Release Date:9th April 2025
BLURB
In the aftermath of disaster, safety comes with a price…
It’s been one year since the NWO was defeated. A year since the world got a fighting chance to claw its way out of darkness. But the road back is a long one, and the journey is fraught with danger.
At first, Austin Merryman is relieved to see soldiers in town, tasked with restoring order. He’s intrigued, as well. Dr. Lydia Koble is working to establish a regional government in the aftermath of the EMP. And she wants to meet community leaders like Austin.
Austin and Amanda set off for a meeting with the doctor, leaving Savannah, Malachi and Andy at the homestead. But they quickly discover Koble is not the benign leader she pretends to be. She craves power—and she’ll do whatever it takes to get it.
Meanwhile, Savannah slowly realizes the soldiers at their farm are not there for her protection. She, Malachi and Andy are little more than hostages.
And their battle for survival is not over yet…
REVIEW
Once again, the cover represents a snapshot from the book of Amanda & Austin and the dog they add to their family. The cover fits really well with the rest of the bookcovers for this series, and I would definitely pick it up from a book store shelf. I'd want to learn more about the characters and world.
I had mixed feelings approaching reading this book, I hadn’t realised that it had been six years since I read Survive The Conflict bk3 in the series. I was worried I wouldn’t remember everything that had happened but was never the less still really eager to revisit the great characters in this series.
The book basically picks up a year after the New World Order were defeated. It may have been a year but there are still people reeling from the war raged with the New World Order. Austin is grieving his brother Ennis whilst being immensely proud that his brother took down Zander. Theres a memorial gathering planned at Grangeville so Austin, Amanda, Savannah and Andy travel there. Savannah is naturally eager to see Malachi who lives in Grangeville with his mother Tonya who is still running the ministry for those who still practice religion. Savannah is also wanting Andy to have a chance to meet and mix with some children his own age, rather than being round adults the whole time.
Theres unrest at the service with Adam Kerry grumbling and asking where the government is at their time of need, Austin steps up and talks about the need for them all to pull together to work together to improve their own lives.
Then an army truck pulls into Grangeville and the men led by Captain Miguel Garcia ask for Austin saying its important they speak with him. They want to transport Austin and Amanda back to the homestead in the army vehicle and discuss something important. At first Austin is very wary, can the newcomers be trusted and what do they want to talk to him about back at his homestead? Then it turns out that Amanda did basic training with Captain Miguel Garcia years ago so Austin relaxes a little. It’s decided Savannah & Andy will stay with Tonya whilst they find out what the army men want. Captain Miguel Garcia eventually explains that his boss Dr Lydia Koble wishes to speak to Austin and Amanda at the base is Boise as soon as possible. Captain Garcia explains that Dr Koble wants to bring “leader types” such as Austin & Amanda who want to work towards peacekeeping, order and rebuilding together. More ominously Captain Garcia also mentions that Dr Koble wants to know what Austin actually knows about the Blackdown Protocols & Dr Bastani. On a positive note, Dr Koble is extremely interested in getting the power back on, though on the negative side she wants to be in control of it deciding who gets access to it and when.
Of course, Austin is reluctant to leave Savannah alone at the homestead with Andy, even when Captain Garcia says he will leave two experience armed guards, it’s not enough for Austin. Then Malachi offers to stay at the homestead and help continue the preparations for winter with Savannah.
It soon becomes apparent that Captain Garcia and his men have one aim, to get Austin & Amanda to Boise and in front of Dr Koble as soon as possible. Captain Garcia is the not the same man that Amanda did basic training with. When they come across a small town that has been attacked by men dressed up as military and people are injured Captain Garcia is insistent at moving forward say these people are not his problem, he has his orders to carry out. Amanda & Austin refuse to accept this and will not move on until they have helped the injured. Its soon proven that Amanda’s thoughts are correct about the inexperienced men with Captain Garcia when there’s an ambush and he walks right into it. Garcia and his men are killed. So, it is just Austin & Amanda that arrive at the Boise base in the school. Unfortunately, Dr Koble has not returned from a visit she was making elsewhere so they have no choice but to wait. It’s not long before they realise everything is not as it seems and they are advised to escape as soon as possible and to contact a man called Professor Novak in Spokane. Austin & Amanda’s “insider friend” is brought before Dr Koble when she finally returns and is shot! Austin & Amanda don’t hang around to speak to Dr Koble the steal a jeep and break out of the base. They are chased and tracked but eventually arrive back at the homestead with an extra passenger, a dog! They arrive in the nick of time to help with final preparations for a battle with Andy’s Uncle Zeke who wants his nephew, but Andy is petrified of him so Savannah, Malachi etc do not intend on handing him over.
Austin & Amanda learn a lot has happened at the homestead whilst they have been away. The so called, “guards/protectors” turned out to be lazy, and inconsiderate, just taking whatever they wanted until Savannah relieves them of their weapons and they then appear to be cooperating, however both Malachi & Savannah are literally waiting for the guard’s retaliation. Their guard slips down when visitors from Grangeville arrive and soon the guards have the upper-hand again. The homesteaders can’t believe the destruction and devastation the guards have left behind them, but they roll up their sleeves and get on with salvaging what they can and preparing for “Uncle Zeke” to arrive.
When the battle is over its decided that though the homestead had been a good place for them it is no longer safe and they all need to move on. The whole group go to Grangeville, staying at Tonya & Malachi’s home. Though the future is uncertain, Austin & Amanda know they need to speak to Professor Novak in Spokane and they intend on sneaking off alone on yet another treacherous mission. However, Savannah is determined to go with them, having heard they had such a narrow escape getting away from Dr Koble. Malachi is torn, between his need to protect him mother Tonya & his love & need to protect Savannah.
I really enjoyed the process of Savannah “growing up” throughout the series so far. She is very protective of Andy. It would have been so easy to just hand him over to his Uncle Zeke, but she knew Andy didn’t want that, so with the others at the homestead they prepared for a battle! The romances are still going on but obviously ended up taking a back seat to the main plot full of angst, betrayal and action. Malachi mentions that he thinks Savannah would make a great mum the way she looks after Andy, and she remarks she wouldn’t want to bring children into the world how it currently is, so I’m not sure of their possible future. The World that these characters are living has changed forever even if the power was to come back on things could not go back to how they were before.
My immediate thoughts upon finishing the book were Wow! I couldn’t believe that the group were having to leave all they’d tried to build at the homestead. Though I guess thanks to Uncle Zeke and Dr Koble’s army knowing the area its in it really is no longer a secret, safe place. Where will the character settle or travel next? And in a world, that's like a powder keg ready to ignite at any moment where do you go and who do you trust? I was surprised to learn that Dr Lydia Koble isn't the top boss she appears to be, she seems to be very beholden, reliant and strongly influenced my Kevin Goodman.
Summing up the battle with Uncle Zeke at the homestead may have been won but I can’t help feeling is he going to turn it into a war. I can't help wondering if Savannah etc wouldn't have been ensuring future safety better if they had just shot him when they had the chance. I can’t wait to read more. I needn’t have worried about it being so long since I read the last book in the series as I soon slipped right back into the Small Town EMP world with its array of brilliant characters.
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