Point of Impact (Nuclear Dawn Book 1) By Kyla Stone - Solid Story, Well Told, Good Characters - Worth A Read!

Point of Impact (Nuclear Dawn Book 1) by Kyla Stone

As often happens, I discovered this post-apocalyptic series when an ad appeared on my Facebook feed. I was looking for something new to read, and I noticed it was an entire series available on Kindle Unlimited, so I grabbed it. Then, as I started reading, it grabbed me!

Dakota, a waitress in a Miami bar and grill, is doing her job when a ballgame on the television is interrupted by a special report of a bomb being disarmed in Chicago. Next, there is a report of a bomb detonating in Washington, D.C. It isn’t long before she has a feeling something similar is about to happen in Miami when a nuclear device indeed detonates near her place of work. The bomb wrecks the bar and kills or gravely injures many people. Dakota and a customer, Logan, attempt to help who they can, but Dakota, well trained in survival techniques, realizes she must find adequate shelter before the fallout rains down on the city.

A short distance from the bar, Dakota’s younger sister, Eden, is alone in her foster patent’s home when she receives a text from Dakota telling her to find a safe place to hide until she can rescue her. All the while, before and after the blast, a mysterious figure named Maddox is stalking Dakota and her sister for unknown reasons.

Surrounded by death and destruction, Dakota has one purpose; find and rescue her little sister and get them to safety, if there is such a place. First, Logan has to face multiple obstacles before she completes her mission.

Point of Impact is the first in a series of five books. If this book is any indication of the content in the rest books in the series, it is well with the time to look at.

First, the characters are compelling. Dakota, a young woman who has suffered some physical and mental trauma, is a survivor and can read people. Thanks to some extensive training she received at the hands of a hermit living in the everglades, she has learned to identify dangerous situations and respond to them appropriately and with a cool head. She is always thinking and is always prepared to respond to difficult situations.

Logan also has a past causing him some difficulty, but he tries hard not to let it show. He seems to have a sense of justice and is not afraid to come to the aid of others. Dakota knows he’s tough and good in a fight, and she relies on him to help her get out of a few situations.

Eden is a victim of the same traumatic situation as Dakota, only she wound up much worse. She knows that Dakota will do whatever it takes to take care of her, but she is also happy in her foster home, where she is afforded opportunities she wouldn’t otherwise have. She seems to be the principal focus of the chief antagonist, Maddox.

There isn’t a lot about Maddox in this story yet. It appears he will figure more in the sequels. He appears to be under the control of someone who wants both Dakota and Eden, and he seems to be relentless in his pursuit. He has very little compassion for others, although he is shocked at the level of devastation as he looks for clues to find the girls.

Along with the characters, I really enjoyed the narrative. The descriptions of people, places, things, and situations were so detailed that I could accurately picture what the author wrote about. The narrative was not overly wordy with the descriptions, there was enough there to set a scene for the characters to react to and carried the action forward.

That being said, I would also caution potential readers, especially those disturbed by graphic scenes, that some descriptions in the story are of those severely injured by the nuclear incident, and are very gruesome. While the detail is amazing, it could call up images some may consider over the top.

I have to take my hat off to the author for her research of the science she used in the story. After the nuclear device detonates, there is a great deal of discussion on who was responsible for the incident and the ramifications of the aftermath. Owing to Dakota’s training, she knew all the facts that would probably take place when something like this would take place. She could tell, step by step, and down to the minute, what would take place. It was a very detailed description, and I found it informative and interesting.  Dakota also faced a medical situation that required her to perform a procedure, also described in such detail, I could feel it every step of the way.

There are four more books in the series and I intend to reading all of them as time permits. I hope they are all as good as this first one.
Author Kyla Stone lives in Georgia. She has written many dystopian novels, all available for reasonable prices. Here’s how she describes herself and her work...

"I spend my days writing apocalyptic and dystopian fiction novels. Because what’s more fun than imagining the end of the world from the comfort of your couch?"

 

"I love writing stories exploring how ordinary  people cope with extraordinary circumstances,      especially situations where the normal comforts,  conveniences, and rules are stripped away."

 

I enjoyed Point of Impact immensely and recommend it for those who enjoy a fun story with excellent characters put into situations that seem impossible to survive.

Well, there it is...

Qapla!