3rd in the trilogy for the Riley family. They've managed to get secure shelter but must hunt with the other survivors for food and medicine. As the "community" grows, life looks a little brighter but with so many unknowns, I'm sure we'll see this group later.

Erupting Chaos (EMP Catastrophe Book 3) - Grace Hamilton



I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in order to provide an honest review.



Grace Hamilton is a pen name for an author who writes of a lot of doomsday and prepper style fiction. Given her penchant for the prepper lifestyle, this should come as no surprise.



“Erupting Chaos” is the third and final book in Grace Hamilton’s EMP Catastrophe trilogy. It follows the story of a family of four trying to survive and make their way in a time where the world has been hit by a EMP event.

There is no electricity and most modern amenities we are comfortable with; people are suddenly having to find a way to do without.

But with resources dwindling and people learning how to get back to nature and learning to do things for themselves, fighting for what is left – there will always be trouble and those who would rather take then work for it.

Having to make alliances and finding out who they can really trust in this scary new world and preserve what little resources that they have. Learning how to care for people without modern medicine, learning to hunt and learning how to cultivate and grow fresh vegetables and fruits.

It really brings back the saying that it takes a village – yet someone in their village is threatening to undone all they have achieved. Can they find out in time before they lose all they have worked for?



“Erupting Chaos” is a short and enjoyable doomsday read. If you think about what would happen today if we were really thrust into this sort of situation, I believe what happens to this family would happen to many of us. A very realistic look at the possibilities that face us in a catastrophe of this magnitude. Helped by the relatable story line and character created by the author.

I struggled initially to get into this book. But I’m so glad I kept on reading, especially after loving the previous two books so much.
There’s funny moments, heartwarming AND heart wrenching moments. A boatload of suspense which meant that I had to keep shushing my husband when he was trying to interrupt the amazing bits! (He wasn’t impressed but I HAD to find out what happened next).
If you love smooth story telling, and suspense this is definitely the book for you. However, reading the previous two is a must otherwise some bits won’t make sense.

After reading the first two books in this trilogy and especially the cliff hanger at the end of book two I was certainly eager to read more as soon as it was available. This time on the book cover I think it could be Matthew and his wife Kathleen or perhaps even Matthew with Jade. Looking at the cover, the area the two figures are standing still looks quite bleak. I couldn’t wait to read more and find out how things would develop for the characters, particularly the Riley family and their new friends that they are trying to recreate a community with.

The action picks right up where it ended in book two. Jade though injured herself runs for Nikki, the person needed from the gun club with some medical knowledge to help David. David being seriously ill really highlights how much, and how many people rely on the medical services. Nikki ends up making a list of medications and supplies that will quickly become scarce and would be incredibly useful to have. There’s a bit of verbal tussling to decide who will go on what will probably be a hazardous mission. Eventually it is decided Nikki should go as she knows what medical supplies are needed and if they come across anything they are unsure about she can say what it is and what it’s used for. Wyatt goes as a protector and searcher for supplies. The other protector/gun handler is Jade, and finally Max is coerced into going as he can identify the cartel members that got away during the gun battle. Initially Matthew tries to insist on going but he is talked into staying with his sick, bed bound father, but soon wanders off to see if anyone else other than Wyatt at the gun have any idea where the well is on the Riley property. Then when the well is found in a rather dilapidated state Matthew recklessly insists on going down into it to see what repairs are needed. He wants to start work on the well straight away but the gun club members want and eventually insist on waiting for Wyatt’s opinion on the well.

When Kathleen tries to encourage her husband to visit with his father, he is too restless and is more interested in getting the well in working order. He can’t bear to just sit helplessly by his father’s bedside. He isn’t the only one concentrating on actually physically doing something, to help David. David’s granddaughter Allison takes her grandmothers place working in the garden, whilst Ruth sits with her increasingly ill husband. Despite been told to wait to be taught some more about handling a gun Patton is determined to continue learning how to shoot, as he wants to bring home some rabbit for his grandad to eat when he hears it is a good meat source for David to eat.

Just when you think everything is going to work out well, it’s discovered that Samuel has teamed up with the fleeing cartel members, Matthew and Wyatt decide to pre-empt any trouble and offer to help Samuel and his people, who seem to be living in an old scrap yard and look like they need all the help they can get. Matthew generously allows them access to the well. . . . . but should he trust them? Then there’s the mystery of who is sabotaging the Riley family & friends attempts to become self-sufficient, surely, it’s not someone in their close group? Who would want them to suffer?

The characters really go through a lot more in this last book, in addition to what has already happened to them previously. Just when you think nothing else can go wrong it does! I felt sorry for Matthew and could kind of understand the fact he didn’t want to face up to the possibility of his father dying. Rather than sit at his bedside he wants to be anywhere else but there and uses the jobs on the land, especially the fixing of the well to keep himself busy and to not think about his father’s mortality.
Ruth really ages in this book, once the strong lead in the family at her husband Davids side, his ill health and the new, more selfish, violent way people have interacted with her have really changed her. Without David fit, well and by her side she is lost and unsure how to continue.
Allison has her fears to overcome in this book when she is faced with having to use a gun. I loved the interaction between Allison and her younger brother Patton who is desperate to help anyone in any way he can. Sadly, everyone seems to brush him away as being too young right now. However, when things take a seriously bad turn at the River Rock Hotel his sneaking around and insistence on knowing how to handle a gun turn out to have been a very positive skill.
Even the characters that did things I disliked or maybe considered as ”bad” were so well written and there were explanations of how and why they had become the way they were, such as Samuel, Nikki and Max.
As readers we follow the younger characters “growing up” and learning to adapt, some of them much quicker and easier than the older characters. I enjoyed reading as Max finally seemed to turn his life round to who his sister Kathleen saw him as in the beginning, a caring, honest man. Jade has some of her rough edges rounded off within this book, though is still great with a gun and can still work as hard as any male.

My immediate thoughts upon finishing reading this book were, “Wow, is it really that time!” I ended up reading this one late into the night, I hated having to put it down. In fact, I finished it in the early hours of the morning!!

Summing up, this book was a great end to another amazing series by Grace Hamilton. Fantastic world building & destroying by the EMP. Really believable and wide range of characters. At least one character to love and one to hate for everyone!!