By: William R. Forstchen

I’ve read a fair amount of William Forstchen novels over the years. The first time I ran into him was in either a Star Trek or Wing Commander book. I enjoyed Pillar in the Sky as a good piece of hard sci-fi. I also enjoyed One Second After – the first in a series of “post-apocalypse” books about what would happen after an EMP attack on the country left the US in deep trouble.

48 Hours is a new book about what could happen if a series of Coronal Mass Ejections (CME) hit the earth, followed by a large “Sunspot”(?) or eruption that threatens to kill everyone. We start in media res after the first huge CME has damaged electricity and communications. From there we move back and forth between our heroes, scientists, and the president. They have 48 hours before everything comes to a head…

I’ve read a lot of end of the world, post apocalyptic, and survivalist books over the years. This one is middling. It starts with a great scenario – but doesn’t follow through.

Compared to John Matherson in One Second After, Darren and Darla seem one dimensional – good hearted shooters with plenty of experience. They have a valid criticism about who gets to be saved (the politicians, the bureaucrats who make the lists, their cronies) verses who should really be saved. And because of the timetable they decide to take matters into their own hands – with a gun toting pastor and a collection of local trustworthy people. Same thing with the scientist and the president… and the National Guard Commander… Yes, for someone who can write complex characters, here we get none. They would be at home in most pulpy survivalist novels.

Also, there are several passages where the same plot points are repeated by various characters over and over again. This book felt like it needed more time and more editing.

464 Pages

3/5