Downward Cycle: A Post-Apocalyptic Survival Thriller (Catalyst Book 1)

In a single heartbeat, the modern world dies. Planes plummet from darkened skies. Cars become lifeless husks at dead traffic lights. Every screen goes black, every connection severed. As thousands of satellites fall silent like dying stars, humanity faces a truth they're not ready to accept: the power isn't coming back. Not tomorrow. Not ever. Scott Montgomery thought his coastal cabin would be his escape from society. From a past he no longer wanted to remember. Now, as millions cling to the desperate belief that this is just another temporary outage, he alone seems to grasp the horrifying reality. But when he learns his young niece is trapped in a city falling into chaos, his self-imposed isolation must end. With a small group of new-found allies and Solo—a dog whose fierce intelligence matches his own survival instincts—Scott ventures into a collapsing world. In a race against time and human nature itself, Scott must navigate a landscape where every darkened window could hide either desperate survivors or something even worse. Because in a world where civilization crumbles faster than people's faith in it, saving his niece means becoming the very thing he's spent his life avoiding: someone others depend on to survive. Perfect for fans of William Forstchen's One Second After and A.G. Riddle's Pandemic. A haunting vision of civilization's end where the most dangerous thing isn't the darkness—it's the fatal hope that the lights will come back on. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ " Freaking awesome book. I’m on the second one now! Can’t wait to see how it turns out.—Brian M. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "The storyline for this post-apocalyptic dystopian world is dramatic, believable, and packed with enough action to keep me glued to the pages late into the night, much like 'A.G. Riddle's Pandemic.'” -Amazon Reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ " Thank for the greatest reading adventure I’ve ever been on!" -Phil R. Amazon ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “I want to thank you for the best book series I have ever read in my life. Your work is absolutely amazing! .” -Amazon Reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “After reading this book the first word that come to mind is Splendid! Writing of this order is too rarely encountered and even for those who usually avoid post-apocalyptic stories, this one is so well conceived and written that it supersedes genre. It reminds me of the depth found in 'One Second After by William Forstchen.'” -- Grady Harp on San Francisco Review of Books ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Great book. Couldn't put it down. I bought this book because I have read about every post-apocalyptic book series out there, including 'The Silo book series.' I was floored by how this is written. The people come alive, drawing you in. Many shocks, surprises keep you riveted to the page. I highly recommend." -Amazon Reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “As an author of apocalyptic fiction myself, I had to write a review detailing what an exceptional job of portraying how society could collapse following a large-scale Carrington Event, JK Franks has done. It's as immersive as 'The Cabin at the End of the World,' offering a unique take on the apocalypse. I absolutely loved this first book in the Catalyst series…” Read more