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

Sam and his teenage daughter Erin return to the surface to find a very different world from the one they left. Stranded, they must adapt quickly or become one of the creatures that now roam the earth. In the Middle East, a small team of soldiers may be the only ones left in a harsh environment overrun by creatures. With very few options and far from any refuge, they set out on a quest for help. Will the reapers hunt them down before they make it to the coast?

A businessman discovers he has a ghostly twin whose presence may be far more ominous than he had thought.... Mischievous children learn that supernatural forces are nothing to toy with, after a Halloween prank goes wrong. And holiday festivities set the backdrop to a terrified teen’s worst fears, when his grandmother’s corpse comes looking for revenge....

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?

The Unites States and China vie for supremacy in the international marketplace as China seeks to become the global leader. A pandemic sweeping across the world send the markets spiraling into chaos, increasing the tension between the two superpowers. Armed conflict needs only a spark. Will China’s attempt to expand their territories into the South China Sea be the trigger that plunges the two mighty nations past the rhetoric and into a shooting war?

In this explosive fourth installment of the popular A Shrouded World Series, Jack is seemingly back from the dead. Mike and Trip are in a desperate bid to help their friend before he falls victim to whatever is plaguing the inhabitants of Valhalla. New enemies are exposed along with new found friends, but will it be enough to stop the tides of time? Follow along, as our heroes embark on their most dangerous quest yet.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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?

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?

Another American carrier was hit by the Chinese, this time from their vaunted hypersonic ship-killer missiles. The United States must respond or jeopardize losing the task forces meant to keep China from the South China Sea and Taiwan. In doing so, they run the risk of escalating the conflict beyond its current regional confinement.

In the midst of China’s colossal buildup, the undersea battles for control of the South China, East China, and Philippine Seas continues. China and the United States have put a majority of their submarines to sea, both seeking to effect a winning solution. The dangers of China’s missiles persist, effectively keeping America’s mighty carriers away from the conflict. But time is running out, and an answer to the threat must be found if the United States hopes to retain any hope of keeping the South China Sea out of China’s hands.

North Korea had planned on waiting until China invaded Taiwan. However, with the American preemptive strikes, as outlined in Operations Plan 5015, provided the impetus for the massed Korean People’s Army to begin moving. Armored columns started out of their laagers, arrows aimed for the DMZ and beyond. The United States and South Korea sought to slow the tide threatening the peninsula.

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.

The Chinese invasion fleets have firmly established a beachhead on Taiwan’s eastern shores and are striving to force their way inland. With Taipei laying only a few miles away, the United States Marine Expeditionary Units on the island stand in the way of China’s advancement. China’s air supremacy seeks to displace the Marines and drive for the capital. As the future of Taiwan hangs in the balance, the war on the Korean peninsula rages on. American and South Korean forces are waging a defensive battle to hold back North Korean’s mechanized brigades.

With war threatening large on the Korean Peninsula, two massive convoys have departed Chinese ports. Dubbed the Northern and Southern invasion fleets, this collection of warships, landing vessels, and merchant ships are aimed straight at the island nation of Taiwan. First though, they must cross the Taiwanese Strait. Past the twelve-mile limit of China’s territorial boundaries, American submarines and bombers are waiting to pounce.

In an engagement that many had said was inevitable, the United States and China had exchanged opening shots. While conducting a Freedom of Operations mission, a US destroyer had been sunk by Chinese forces placed on a disputed man-made island. Twelve American sailors rescued from the waters were held captive by China, claiming them to be prisoners of war. In response, the United States mounted a rescue effort while also striking at the Chinese military installation. Fearing retaliation and to be in a position of strength, both countries sortied their fast-attack submarine fleets.