Chaos Rising (Edge of Collapse, #0.5) by Kyla Stone

Chaos Rising (Edge of Collapse, #0.5) Reviews

• 
  Jennelle

  Liam’s story:
  And what a story it is! Fast paced and full of action. Never a dull moment. I couldn’t stop reading. Liam is a military man who’d much rather be alone. He’s smart and strong. He’s seen the happenings around him and decides it’s a EMP attack. By who and why is unknown. Cars stop running, there is no electricity and planes are falling from the sky. It’s very edge of your seat.
  
  I had to sign up for Kyla Stone’s newsletter for this, book 0.5 of the Edge of Collapse series and I’m not even mad about it.
  
  Hello Hollywood!
  This would make one hell of a movie!
• 
  NormaCenva

  I just want to make a note that there need's to be more books with the main AMAB character who is knitting or crocheting! Well, now when this is out of the way, the story is actually really good and gives a lot of important info for book 1.
• 
  Regina

  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -Kindle Book (Prequel to the Edge of Collapse Series. This story about Liam’s time in Chicago at the start of the EMP event could be read as a standalone book. It’s fast paced and edgy. Highly recommended to anyone who loves End of Days thrillers.)
• 
  Darcy

  This one is short and to the point, the world right as it starts to collapse. Liam, who seems ready for anything, is there and has to make some hard decision. I think he makes the right one, all the way until he gives something precious away. I feel like that was the wrong thing to do, but who knows. We'll have to keep reading to find out.
• 
  SheLove2Read

  Scary in a realistic way. I am interested in seeing where this goes. 4 stars
• 
  Stacy-ann

  I started out with this prequel to get a feel of the series. I enjoyed the writing and characters. But alas, I think it's too dark for me. Too graphic with the descriptions of plane crashes and charred bodies. I can see the potential of more violence depicted between survivors. I'm glad it was a short novella. I know the set up and read through descriptions and reviews. There's enough awfulness in the world, real tragedy, that I don't have to read a sensationalized series to get my fill.
• 
  Priya

  Books that have a post apocalyptic setting have taken on an entirely new meaning in the present situation we all are in! Nothing seems totally impossible now.
  This is a short introduction to one of the main characters in this series. An electromagnetic pulse(EMP) renders all technology useless so everything that relies on it fails too. Ex soldier Liam, who only left his isolated homestead in Michigan to help his twin and pregnant sister in law,is faced with this new reality where power is down, cars don't work, shortages and hence anarchy will reign very soon.
  Forced in the midst of all this to face the worst possible personal loss of his life, Liam has to somehow counter the outside till he gets a loved one to safety.
  It's definitely sad as is to be expected but the scenario of a world rapidly descending into chaos, how blithely people choose to disbelieve this is happening and the desperation that has only just started to take hold are depicted well. So much more relatable after seeing a version of it over the last two years!
• 
  Pam Nelson

  Holy heck man this ok hits you hard.
  I freely admit I am a sap, the tears bro that I cried.
  
  But that will not stop me I am diving into this series head first damn.
  
• 
  Cath

  This is the prequel to the Edge of Collapse and the main character is Liam Coleman, an ex-soldier who has been damaged by his service and prefers to now live a reclusive life out in the wilds. He has been coerced into visiting his identical twin brother Lincoln and his heavily pregnant wife Jessa in the windy city, Chicago, for Christmas. A heavy snow storm hits as he arrives and on the drive out from the airport, the car suddenly stops and everything goes dark! Their car has crashed along with hundreds of others. No-one’s phone is working and lights are off all over.
  
  Liam starts to consider that it may be much more than a simple power outage, when a plane falls from the sky, crashing nearby. Then another plane is coming down and this one is getting much, much closer. Liam has to make a split second decision on what to do and the decision he makes will haunt him for the rest of his days! Society starts to fall apart rapidly and he will have to dig deep to protect the few that he loves, possibly with his life.
  
  Avoiding falling planes and crowds of people, something he abhors with a vengeance, Liam has to make his way out of a city before people realise just how bad things are going to become. Only old vehicles work and he doesn’t have one, but he knows he can survive anything to get back to where he is comfortable. To get back home. But first he has to look out for those with him.
  
  Another cracking tale in the Post-apocalyptic EMP strike saga, with a damaged war vet as the main character, having to overcome being in surroundings that trigger his PTSD, in circumstances beyond his control and having to try and save his only family. This one is set in the mid of winter and a colossal snow storm, bringing record low temperatures. A great story with danger and desperate situations at every turn. I received an ARC copy of this book from the author and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
  
• 
  Lira

  Chaos rising é o início de uma série pós apocalíptica onde ficamos a saber como tudo começou.
  Liam está em Chicago quando o inesperado acontece, uma "explosão" (não é o termo certo mas não sei traduzir em pt) electromagnética pulsada que faz com que todos os sistemas elétricos deixem de funcionar. Carro, aviões, electrodomésticos, multibancos, e por aí vai... Conseguem imaginar o caos, certo?
  
  Acompanhamos Liam no início da sua jornada tanto para salvar a sim mesmo quanto o seu irmão gémeo e a sua mulher grávida de nove meses. E mais não digo! 🤫
  
  Devo dizer que não estava á espera de gostar tanto como gostei. Uma novella que nos faz sentir o desespero das pessoas, a raiva, o sofrimento.... A sério! Se já começou assim nem consigo imaginar os restantes livros da série!
  
  Agora vou começar o segundo que tem uma premissa 🤯
  
  
  🇬🇧
  
  Chaos Rising is the beginning of a post-apocalyptic series where we find out how it all began.
  
  Liam is in Chicago when the unexpected happens, a pulsed electromagnetic "explosion" (maybe not the Right term) that causes all electrical systems to stop working. Car, planes, electrical appliances, ATMs, and so on... You can imagine the chaos, right?
  
  We follow Liam at the beginning of his journey to save himself, his twin brother and his nine months pregnant wife. And I say no more! 🤫
  
  I must say I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did. A novella that makes us feel people's despair, anger, suffering.... Seriously! If it started like that, I can't even imagine the rest of the books in the series!
  
  Now I'm going to start the second one that has a premise 🤯
• 
  Ashley

  This was a bit of a melancholic read, but understandably so given the circumstances of what's going on in the book. It's a very compelling read, nonetheless. Incredibly realistic which makes it scary too. It's pretty much what I'd picture actually happening if there really was an EMP.
  
  I liked Liam a lot and am eager to know what happens to him next. I'm very much looking forward to book one. If you're a fan of these types of stories, I recommend checking out this quick and entertaining read.
• 
  RedRedtheycallmeRed

  I bought this for my teenage daughter, who doesn't really like to read (how is that even possible?) but likes this author. The next book looks more intriguing, but this is a quick intro to the post-EMP world. Liam is a little too stoic, I hope he has a bit more personality in subsequent books.
  
  
• 
  Mel

  Great to get a little back story on Liam
• 
  Hilary Whatley

  It was pretty good. Short.
• 
  Ashley Cestra

  Five. Big. Fat. Stars.
  This author and this plot deserve nothing less.
• 
  Lily (Night Owl Book Cafe)

  wow! I picked this up because it was a quick read and I sort of wanted to dip my toe into this series. See if it's something that might work for me. See if the author's writing style is good. What the story might be about.
  
  It met all of my expectations and at the same time, this book was a total gut punch that I did not expect.
  
  In this novella, we follow Liam and where he was, and his experience with the onset of the events. Liam's hard choices, and his heartbreak. That ending was just so emotional. The entire tiny novella was an emotional rollercoaster that kept me gripped and scrolling through the pages.
  
  I will definitely give this series a try.
• 
  Jackie

  Short quick read but it explains alot about Liam and his mindset. Definitely read this first.
• 
  Lucas Perry

  Even being short, it was tedious.
• 
  Sandra "Jeanz"

  I am always searching for new authors to try and after reading a brilliant post apocalyptic book, I was in the mood to read more of the genre but the next book wasn’t out for a while. I have joined some groups on Facebook so turned to those, checking out what had just come out, what people were talking about and I saw the cover for Chaos Rising which instantly made me want to know more. I needed to know who the lonely looking figure on the cover was, why were they alone, where were they going, etc etc. The cover certainly did its job of capturing my attention.
  I do love reading a series from the very beginnings as it is being released so it was a great time to start reading this series.
  
  The book’s central character is Liam Coleman who had served with Special Forces, until being discharged due to a back injury. Now he lives alone, on his own homestead, in which he is quite self-sufficient and prepared for anything. Liam is certainly out of his comfort zone in an airport surrounded by bustling crowds on Christmas Eve. If it had been up to him, he would have taken a quieter route and drove in his own vehicle, but there wasn’t time, he hadn’t seen his brother, Lincoln, for four years and he needed him, now. Liam is very fond of his brother Lincoln and his pregnant wife Jessa. In fact, he had seen Jessa first but his more outgoing brother had been the first to speak to her and the rest was history.
  Lincoln and Jessa finally arrive in their car to collect and one look at his twin brother tells Liam that Lincoln is struggling. Lincoln has also served in the army, he returned home with a prosthetic limb and PTSD from that same IED explosion take the life of his best friend. Lincoln has visibly lost weight and looks drawn and tired. Liam manages a few words with his 9 months pregnant sister-in-law, Jessa as they stow his bag away in the car boot. Though 9 months pregnant, Jessa is, calm and as capable as ever. Jessa reveals that Lincoln hardly sleeps and even worse had an outburst at work meaning he has now been laid off. Jessa tells Liam he is the only one who can talk to Lincoln, to get through to him and help him.
  On the car journey, they just generally chat about the baby and him not having a name yet as Lincoln has said he will know the baby’s name when he sees him.
  Suddenly, all the cars seem to lose control at the same time, ploughing into each other causing more and more accidents and injured people. Something strange has happened, the traffic lights are all out, people trying to use their mobiles to call for help are discovering they are not working at all either. Then to make matters even worse planes start flying lower and lower in the sky attempting to do emergency landings wherever they can. Liam is faced with an impossible decision when both Lincoln and Jessa need his help….who should he help, who needs him the most…..what would Lincoln want him to do….then something just seems to kick into gear and the decision is made.
  
  I won’t reveal any more of the plot, but what I will say is that this book is action packed and quite fast paced too.
  
  I soon became attached to Liam who is prepared to go out of his usual comfort zone in an attempt to help his twin brother Lincoln who is struggling with his PTSD. I was also fond of Jessa who despite being pregnant and in need of medical attention, finds it difficult to ignore her medical training passing casualties as Liam attempts to get them to safety. Another smaller character I really admired was Prisha, she ignores a colleague’s attempts to stop Liam and Jessa seeking refuge in the Hotel they are working in. Prisha doesn’t hesitate she goes to their aid immediately and finds anything they may need.
  
  My immediate thoughts upon finishing this prequel were
  Wow! A quick read, read it all in just one reading session. It is certainly action packed, and so much happens in this prequel. This book sets the scene for the possible horrors to come. I easily took to and adored, Liam, Lincoln, and Jessa. I definitely want to read more of this series......especially if it's all as great as this prequel!
  To sum up I really loved this book, I read the whole thing in just one reading session and I am looking forward to more from Liam but, also hoping for more from the new character we meet near the ending of the prequel along with Jessa’s parents maybe. This prequel is certainly a fantastic start to a potentially amazing series. Sometimes when you finish a book you think about what is to come in the rest of the series but this one, well it could go in so many different directions. I am just looking forward to discovering more.
  
• 
  Beverly Laude

  I fell in love with Kyla Stone's writing while reading the Nuclear Dawn series. So, when I saw that she had written another series involving an EMP event, I knew that I had to give it a try!
  
  Liam Coleman has reluctantly travelled from his remote hideaway in Michigan to visit his twin brother, Lincoln, for Christmas. Lincoln is suffering from severe PTSD and his pregnant wife, Jessa, has asked Liam to come and try to help. Minutes after they pick him up at O'Hare Airport, their car is involved in a huge crash, all cell phones are dead, and planes start falling from the sky.
  
  This was a fast-paced, action filled short book with great descriptions of the turmoil that might be involved with an EMP event. Even though it was a fairly short read, I was quickly drawn in and really felt the emotions of the characters. I can't wait to continue this series and see what Ms. Stone has in store for her readers!
  
  The narrator, Stacey Glemboski, does a great job and her performance really added a lot to my enjoyment of this book. Her pacing is perfect and her voices for the different characters were varied enough for the listener to know exactly who was talking. I was given the chance to listen to this book by the author/publisher and chose to review it.
• 
  (Grace) Kentucky Bohemian

  I Did it Backwards...
  ...and I'm fine with that. I listened to the audiobook of "The Edge of Collapse" which is book 1 in this series. THEN I discovered this prequel. But it actually worked out better for me. I don't often read post-apocalyptic tales because they are, by virtue of their subject, often dark and dismal. But the first book held me captive. So, I was delighted to find this read.
  
  I was especially intrigued by the broody character of Liam in the first book. His initial reaction to finding a pregnant woman naked, alone, and on the edge of both sanity and death was startling, to put it mildly. He did not display the hero trait one might expect at such a time. While the first book gave a little insight into his previous days of torment as he struggled to leave Chicago, it did not offer much depth. That's what this prequel is for.
  
  This is Liam's story from day zero. I already liked his character. Now, after discovering what he went through and what his thought processes were, I have even greater admiration for him. I'm glad I read it after the first book, though, since this is a dark tale with little to feel good about.
  
  This prequel is short and succinct but offers great info about Liam's history and character.
• 
  Walker

  This was a little over 4 stars for me.
  
  Liam is the introvert twin brother to Lincoln. He hasn’t seen Lincoln and his wife Jessa in four years. Both he and Lincoln had been in the armed services in Iraq and Afghanistan. Both of them had issues with which they had to deal. Lincoln had lost a lower leg and had to deal with PTSD. Liam had spent the past few years in his secluded cabin in northern Michigan away from the crowds that he hated. Jessa, Lincoln’s wife, had called him and told him that his brother needed him, so he flew down to Chicago to spend Christmas with them. Jessa was pregnant and due any day now.
  
  As they left the airport, there was apparently a high level atmospheric EMP blast that shut down power and all electronic devices, including cars that had computers in them and aircraft. This wreaked havoc and chaos.
  
  This had a well developed plot and is the set up for the next book in the series. The characters were well developed and consistent. The grammar is generally good, though the use of semicolons to make more complete sentences would have made reading smoother. I did appreciate the very limited use of foul language, which was mild when used.
  
  I would recommend this book.
  
• 
  AR bee

  This short story is a prequel to the dystopian Edge of Collapse series.
  
  Through a very action packed ride from O’Hare Airport to downtown Chicago, the main character Liam, visiting his twin brother Lincoln and sister-in-law Jessa, are anticipating a family Holiday when an ultimate disaster strikes.
  
  There is a lot of depth to the characters development here: Liam and Lincoln are military vets, both suffering varied degrees of post-war syndromes; Jessa is an accomplished medical professional, but physically hampered by her late-term pregnancy.
  
  Can they survive an end-of-civilization level disaster? A very enjoyable, fast paced page turner by this major author.
• 
  David Taylor

  If Chaos Rising is any indication, this new post apocalyptical series from Kyla Stone is going to be a story that not only grabs the interest but may send its readers emotions on a serious rollercoaster ride. This short introduction to the series has very like-able characters with enough backstory that you can get invested in each of them. I won’t provide any spoilers, but I will say I’m emotionally drained after reading Chaos Rising. I received an Advance Reader Copy and chose to provide this review.
• 
  Karen

  Liam
  
  This apocalyptic series prequel is only about 67% of the length of the book, with the remainder being an excerpt from book one. The author states, " I love writing stories exploring how ordinary people cope with extraordinary circumstances, especially situations where the normal comforts, conveniences, and rules are stripped away." This story does all that very well. I've already checked book one out of KU and can't wait to continue the journey with Liam as he works his way home.