Showing results by author "John O'Brien" in All Categories

Hate and division have become a more prevalent part of our society. People can easily identify how violent or aggressive behavior has a negative impact on those involved and even those who witness it. But what about the more subtle but nonetheless negative behaviors of rudeness and incivility?

Teaming up with New York Times best-selling author Jeffery Deaver, Suspense Magazine offers up a nail-biting anthology titled Nothing Good Happens After Midnight. This thrilling collection consists of 13 original short stories representing the genres of suspense/thriller, mystery, sci-fi/fantasy, and more.

In the final chapter of the A Shrouded World saga, Jack, Trip, and Mike have brought the fight to the Whistlers’ terrifying homeworld. With the help of some unexpected allies, the crew must finally find a way to stop the enemy before they can tear through the planes of existence and destroy all life. What they don’t know, what they can’t know, is that there is so much more to the enemy than they previously thought, and defeating them may be an impossible task.

Jack Walker and Michael Talbot come from two worlds; the same, yet different. They both find themselves transported into an alien one, where things aren’t as they seem. While it appears similar to the ones they come from, there are some terrifying differences. Is it a dream? Or has reality been somehow warped? Jack comes from a world filled with nocturnal creatures that were once human, but now seek to destroy the last vestiges of humanity.

Danger lurks in the shadows... A place where the brave tread warily... Jack Walker has returned from the rescue of his girlfriend with a small band of survivors. Their harrowing journey from the Middle East included a stop at the CDC where they learned vital information about the ferocious new species that hunt at night. The night runners dominate the landscape and a world turned upside down by the sudden death of billions.

Our heroes have gone their separate ways in an effort to save Trip and unify their fight against the Overseers, who have an evil plot to take over not only this world, but all worlds. Mike asks for and receives help, but not in any way he could have prepared for, as Jack finds himself in the uncomfortable position of filling Otter’s shoes. Can Jack and Mike find a way to destroy the evil that has been unwittingly unleashed or will they succumb like every other civilization the enemy has encountered?

Leaving Las Vegas, the first novel by John O'Brien, is a disturbing and emotionally wrenching story of a woman who embraces life and a man who rejects it, a powerful tale of hard luck and hard drinking and a relationship of tenderness and destruction. An avowed alcoholic, Ben drinks away his family, friends, and, finally, his job. With deliberate resolve, he burns the remnants of his life and heads for Las Vegas to end it all in the last great binge of his hopeless life.

The rescue of hostages stirred up a hornet’s nest. Not one to take a defeat, the cartel plans for retaliation. News of an impending attack drifts through the intelligence channels and Red Team is called on to respond. On the other side of the world, the mysterious group taking out special operations teams strikes again. The symbols carved into foreheads they leave behind the only clue of their existence. Deep in the forests, hunters of a different nature prowl the nights.

Jack, a sometimes humorous, sometimes philosophical ex-special operations pilot and soldier is one of the few left to struggle through the desolation left in the aftermath; seeking to survive as a new ferocious species emerges from the rubble, hungry and unrelenting. Will his special forces training be enough? Will he be able to keep his children safe and guide the few survivors through perils that now roam the world they once knew? Or will the hordes that now own the night prevail, forever removing the last of mankind from existence?

Having survived Atlantis, the town of Indian Hill beckons. As Mike and Trip make their way toward Indian Hill and are in search of some much needed answers, Jack is fast on their heels. It is a dangerous journey fraught with all manner of creatures. Zombies, Night Runners and the Alien Whistlers do their best to prevent the trio from ever going home again. The Whistlers are constantly roaming the wilds in search of food, the zombies gather in large groups, and the night runners own the night.

Awareness grows... The gathering commences.... The world has changed. Jack Walker and the other survivors must adjust with it if they are to have a chance. They've managed to stay one step ahead so far but the gap is narrowing. The night runners are growing and adapting. The rules are changing. Winter is coming and the survivors must ready themselves for the long season. With Robert and Bri rescued from captivity, Jack focuses on the days ahead.

Coming of age, the impact of class, and familial and romantic love are the prevalent motifs, along with the instinct toward escape and subsequent nostalgia for home. Some of the stories are linked, and some carry O'Brien's distinct sense of the comical. In "A Rose in the Heart of New York", the single-mindedness of love dramatically derails the relationship between a girl and her mother while in "Sister Imelda" and "The Creature", the strong ties between teacher and student and mother and son are ultimately broken.

Follow Jack, Trip, and Mike in this next installment to find out what the universe will throw at them next.

The sanctuary walls were breached and through them poured screaming hordes of night runners. About to be overrun, the survivors formed a last stand against the thousands that threatened to end their existence. Inexplicably, the night runners, who were on the verge of taking one of the last vestiges of humanity, departed, carrying the limp body of Lynn with them.

Jack Walker and the other survivors continue their search for others. Unbeknownst to them, the night runners have initiated their own gathering and, with Michael's leadership, they are adapting. The survivors learn about some of these adaptations and strive to stay one step ahead. Their continued existence depends on it.

Dark clouds gather... A storm is breaking... With the sanctuary built, there is a respite from the nightly night runner assaults. Jack Walker and the group of survivors have bought themselves a little breathing room. Or have they? A peaceful daytime outing turns into yet another nightmare sweeping Robert and Bri up with it. The world has changed. Another danger has emerged. Ferocious packs of night runners still prowl at night and Jack must now locate and rescue his kids.

The Organization, as it’s called, is tasked with keeping the nightmares of myth and legend from invading the public eye. The group must be kept a secret along with the fact that the creatures exist. As civilization expands its boundaries, that undertaking becomes more difficult. A very few are selected to stand on the lines between humankind and the horrors lurking in the dark recesses of the world. Follow Jack Walker and Red Team as they’re pulled into the shadows to combat creatures that once kept them awake at night.

A cosmic noose tightens around our heroes’ necks as, once again, they are tasked to fight a war not their own. Their every move is watched, their every action thwarted, yet failure here will seal the fate of countless billions to something worse than death. Can Jack, Mike, BT, Trip, and Kalandar find a way to overcome the odds that have been stacked against them, or will it all come crashing down upon their heads?

Jack, Mike and Trip were ripped from their loved ones and thrown into a dangerous world they know nothing about, relentlessly pursued by Night Runners, Zombies and terrifying new creatures known only as Whistlers.

Like their own worlds, civilization has collapsed and danger lurks around every corner. The trio can do nothing but march forward and attempt to find some answers - some way to escape from the nightmare. Seeking only to return to their families, they must navigate through the unknown.

Lynn has been rescued from deep within the heart of a night runner lair. The answer to why she was taken remains a mystery. Sandra lies in a pool of her own blood, ending her desperate measures to draw Jack to her. As Red Team celebrates their joy of Lynn's freedom, they are unaware that a sight is centered on them from afar. A bullet tears through the air, streaking their way.