ORDER FROM CHAOS

American survivors of nuclear devastation fight to regain their freedom from tyrannical leaders in this postapocalyptic standalone sequel to Path of Affliction (2021).

In March 2017, nuclear explosions rock major American cities. The president retaliates by launching missiles at the countries suspected of the attack, and millions die worldwide. Minnesota native Frankie Buccetti gathers his friends and family, who now must survive in a country under martial law and rife with criminals and looters. The loved ones he doesn’t immediately reconnect with still manage to take care of themselves; they hunt and fish for food and eliminate any threats (which are mostly human). As the dust of World War III settles, many Americans hope to re-energize their wounded nation. But although some disagree with the president’s nuclear retribution, there’s a greater enemy to fight when a secret regime that had been consolidating power for years seizes control of the nation—and may be seeking to take over the rest of the world. Frankie knows that these new leaders will slowly erase their civil liberties, so he and his pals plan to fight back—and not quietly. Campanella squeezes a lot of story into this book, which isn’t just about staying alive in a dystopia; Frankie’s group also plays the postapocalyptic stock market, and the group’s members run into trouble in their individual love lives. Many in the large cast return from the earlier book, although readers just joining the series will easily catch up. Certain subplots this time around have little impact, such as those involving a revenge murder and chip implants. The text also suffers from numerous misspellings that prove distracting (“Secrete Service,” “picknick table,” “up their sleave,” and many more). The author, however, wisely narrows his scope by focusing primarily on action in the United States. The heroes are portrayed as politically conservative and will likely appeal most to readers who share their beliefs, and they’re up against unforgettably over-the-top villains.

Citizens staunchly defend their rights in an often-engrossing dystopian tale that occasionally stumbles.