Quite an interesting and well written disaster thriller. It doesn't waste much time at the beginning getting to the main action of the story. The action moves quickly and is engrossing with just the right level of technical and scientific data included her relation. The ending is satisfying without being trite.

A massive storm is about to hit Silver Lake, Pennsylvania, bringing with it the threat of flooding and evacuation. The storm alone is dangerous, but the situation rapidly gets much worse when lightning strikes the nuclear reactor that provides power to much of the state. The containment breach is immediate, and the spread of nuclear waste is hastened by the severity of the quickly moving storm system. With extreme wind and rainfall, the contamination has spread for miles before anyone even knows what has happened.

Conveniently, journalist Marla Hollis happened to be inside the nuclear plant at the time of the breach, writing an expose on the many safety rules that are being broken and ignored by the plant’s wealthy owners. Inside the building at the time of the explosion, Marla gains access to shocking information about the dangerous practices occurring at the plant – trapped inside, she releases minute-by-minute updates as conditions worsen in Silver Lake.

Meanwhile, at city hall, acting mayor Sarah Redmond struggles to control the situation, simultaneously dealing with flash floods, evacuation and increasing cases of radiation sickness. Sarah’s husband is an EMT on the front lines of the disaster, and he risks his own life to save as many residents of Silver Lake as he can from the threat of radioactive waste.

It is shocking to read about a nuclear disaster close up, through the eyes of these three characters who have very different perspectives and circumstances. The story is immediate, completely engrossing and very believable. Realizing how easy it would be for a disaster such as this to happen, not far away but right here in North America, is unsettling to say the least – as I’m sure is Mara’s intention. However, I just didn’t connect with the characters, who seemed formulaic and flat. So, while the plot was fast-paced and thought-provoking, I felt that in this case, the message overshadowed the medium. The story was lost in the author’s need to take a stand about the dangers of nuclear energy – although he makes a very good point.

I received this book from Forge Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

There is a perfect storm heading for Silver Lake and it results in a nuclear disaster of major proportions. Sarah is the acting mayor while the current mayor is out recovering from heart surgery. She is put to the test to see this town through the storm and resulting disaster. She thought that the only ill effects would be major flooding from the storm. But when lightening hits the nuclear facility and results in a massive breach she has her hands full. Her husband is one of the town's EMT's and he does everything he can to help save as many residents as he can.

Marla is a local journalist and is at the plant interviewing the owner when the breach occurs. She had previously been tipped off about things not being as they should. While reporting on the disaster she uncovers just what has been going on at the plant and who exactly tipped her off.

Not everyone will survive this disaster, but heroes are revealed amid the heartbreak.

I received an eARC from the publisher through NetGalley.

Fabulous! Great world building, loving the characters, will be looking for more by this author!

Fallout is an adequate disaster novel. The plot and writing were decent, but the characters were a bit over the top, and the happy ending for the teenage couple more than a little unbelievable.
What really caused my low score is the attack on nuclear energy. While in the USA its use is not common, Europe has over 150 plants that have operated for years without major problems. The cherry on the top was awarding a Nobel prize to two characters for publishing inaccurate facts about nuclear power.

The town of Silver Lake, Pennsylvanis has readied itself for a massive storm, but nothing has prepared the residents for a nuclear power plant meltdown. A lightening bolt strikes the reactor, setting in motion a disaster to rival that of Chernobyl, leaving mayor Sarah Redmond and her husband, an EMT to try to contain the disaster as much as possible. Meanwhile, reporter Marla Bloom, on site at the power plant for a story, finds herself stuck inside as the reactor begins to meltdown. She may not be able to escape, but she will stream the disaster live from the site. As town residents succumb to radiation sickness, and worse, Silver Lake is cut off from the rest of the world by the ferocity of the storm. A frightening, all too real scenario that will have readers wondering where their closest nuclear power plant is located