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Owen Garratt
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The Pulse: Apocalyptic Action Thriller - Book One Kindle Edition

by Owen Garratt (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 out of 5 stars 68 ratings

The Pulse is a phenomenal, haunting debut from Owen Garratt - the first in a series of gritty, emotional, post apocalyptic action novels chronicling Jack Broderick’s quest to find his newly estranged family after the end of the world.

"A sensational novel - brilliantly written - exceptional story. The protagonist Jack Broderick is extremely well developed as are all the other characters. A highly recommended read and well worthy of five stars."
Ron Batty - NetGalley Review ★★★★★

Big Jack Broderick is a legend in Occupational Health and Safety Circles.

Or was...

Some things you don't bounce back from.

After a crushing personal loss, life got away from him: too much drink, up 100 lbs, his marriage on the rocks. On a business trip to Tampa, Jack finds himself unemployed (again), facing arrest and a crippling lawsuit after punching out his boss.

But when a massive solar flare destroys the grid and sets the world on fire, Jack survives a plane crash and vows to find his estranged family.

Can an out of shape, emotionally gutted, borderline alcoholic with no food, tools, weapons, or supplies, fight through 3000 miles of scorched landscapes, burned-out cities, and a starving, desperate populace to save his family... and himself?

Teeming with sparse yet arresting prose, Owen Garratt has written a magnificent first novel. The Pulse hits the mark with note-perfect pacing, vivid and real characters, and authentic edge of the seat action that keeps the pages turning!

The Pulse is an intelligent, brutally vivid, gripping action thriller, perfect for fans of The Stand by Stephen King, and Cormac McCarthy's The Road.

"Owen Garratt writes both beautifully and viscerally, and Jack Broderick is the perfect re-envisioning of the Man’s Man. The Pulse is electrifying, noble, and heartbreaking."
— Joel Hames, author of the Sam Williams thrillers.

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  1. Book 1 of 3
    The Pulse
  2. Print length
    355 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    November 23, 2022
  5. File size
    1.2 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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From the Publisher

What Critics are Saying...

review from bestsellers world

review from the kindle book review

midwest book review

indepenent book review

BIG JACK BRODERICK IS A LEGEND IS OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY CIRCLES
How can an out of shape, emotionally gutted, borderline alcoholic make it with no food, or supplies?
THE PULSE IN AUDIO TBOOK AND TABLET

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The Pulse is disaster fiction at its best!" — D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

"Wonderful language, vivid descriptive prowess and an aptitude for detail!" — Matt McAvoy, The Kindle Book Review

"A cut above the typical action-packed but insubstantial thriller; electrifying and gripping throughout." — Erin Britton, San Francisco Book Review

"This first book in the series is engaging, and readers will undoubtedly surprise themselves." — Glenda Vosburgh, The US Review of Books

"Rich, compelling, and triumphant!" — Robert Buccellato, Manhattan Book Review

"Shockingly brutal and refreshingly realistic. Owen Garratt's writing is stripped down and vivid all at once." — Daniel Ryan Johnson, BestsellersWorld

"A real page turner, The Pulse is an intriguing read with loads of high-stakes conflict." — Kathy L. Brown, The Independent Book Review

"The Pulse is an action-packed page-turner!" — Foluso Falaye, Seattle Book Review

From the Author

Writing a novel is like a lot of things we jump into: having kids, home renovations, gardening, or buying an aquarium. We see some other schlub manage it and we think, "Hey, if THAT guy can do it..."

Before you know it, you find yourself up to your armpits in diapers, bum cream, blight, trying to pronounce "plecostomus", and waiting in the ER with your detached finger on ice.

Meaning, the experience is nothing like we thought it'd be. Why is the baby crying? Which are weeds and which are tomatoes? I measured the damn thing three times; how can it be the wrong size? Why is the bottom of the tank carpeted with baby snails?!

What follows is an eternity of sweating, oaths, cursing, wringing hands, rending garments, and self recrimination. Your nearest and dearest, who initially thought the book/reno/fish tank amusing, have stopped asking about it, or are avoiding you completely. Spouses pepper you with financial questions, the most popular being variations on the "How much more money are you going to throw at this thing?" theme.

You want to hide in bed, but you've only slept about 6 hours out of the last 40, in ten and twelve minute increments.

But eventually, dawn breaks. The children potty-train, The Colonel (my wife) calls in a contractor. Grass reclaims the garden, the fish die, and the manuscript collapses at the finish line. You take a deep, sweet breath through your nose and wipe crust from your eyes. You notice the dog seems to have grown. And when did we get that houseplant?

This dozy euphoria lasts about 20 minutes before something inside you makes a record-scratch sound. Your heart plunks down onto your diaphragm, your lip quivers, and your eyes well up as you realize, horrified, that the work is just beginning...

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BN9BWS2T
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Runding Pelham Publishing
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 23, 2022
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.2 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 355 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1777781002
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 3 ‏ : ‎ The Pulse
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 68 ratings

About the author

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Owen Garratt

Owen Garratt

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Owen Garratt was born on a windswept prairie, and after growing up in a town of 500 people, dropped out of university and became a full-time touring drummer. He then spent 27 years as a partially colorblind, full-time artist and has done portraits for celebrities such as Gene Simmons, Adam West, Joan Rivers, George Foreman, and William Shatner.

In addition to teaching his sons how to tend a fire, tie knots, and forage, Owen is also a Drum Sgt. with a pipe band, a marksmanship instructor for the Canadian military, a biathlon coach, has scuba dived with hammerhead sharks and beluga whales, makes chicken stock from scratch, and won 1st Place at the LATV Festival.

THE PULSE is his first novel.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
68 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book well-written and filled with great character development, with one review highlighting Jack Broderick as a competent man with a conscience. Moreover, the pacing is engaging, with one customer noting it's exciting from the first page. Additionally, the book receives positive feedback for its action-packed content and intelligence.

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9 customers mention "Character development"9 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with one review highlighting Jack Broderick as a competent man with a conscience.

"...love and sense of responsibility to his children, and he is a truly righteous man and truly competent man with a conscience...." Read more

"New effects of CME, interesting characters well developed and realistic scenes combine to make this a great read. Don't miss this" Read more

"Great action, great premise, and an empathetic protagonist. I know it's a cliche, but I seriously could not put the book down...." Read more

"...I enjoyed the story and the characters, although I would not read this on an airplane! Looking forward to book 2!" Read more

7 customers mention "Pacing"7 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the pacing of the book, finding it captivating and relatable, with one customer noting it's exciting from the first page and another mentioning it's filled with information.

"...It is a heavy action packed book that keeps you captivated...." Read more

"This book was exciting from the first page to the last with a few pages in between, so you could catch your breath...." Read more

"Great action, great premise, and an empathetic protagonist. I know it's a cliche, but I seriously could not put the book down...." Read more

"...job in bringing the main character Jack to life and he is both relateable and likeable with a complexity that makes for a character you will be..." Read more

6 customers mention "Writing quality"6 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, with one noting how the author balances strength in their storytelling.

"...Five stars for smart, fast-paced action and well-written prose." Read more

"I could not put this book down! This is one of the most well written books I have read. It is a heavy action packed book that keeps you captivated...." Read more

"...It's very unusual to find such a well-written book from a first-time published author but this is exactly that...." Read more

"...This writer is talented. I can't wait to read the entire series." Read more

4 customers mention "Action packed"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book action-packed, with one mentioning they enjoyed the plot.

"...It is a heavy action packed book that keeps you captivated...." Read more

"Great action, great premise, and an empathetic protagonist. I know it's a cliche, but I seriously could not put the book down...." Read more

"The Pulse had me holding my breath! Owen Garrett’s first book is an action-packed, quick read that kept me on the edge of my seat...." Read more

"I really enjoyed the plot and the character development. For an intense book, I appreciate the humor...." Read more

3 customers mention "Intelligence"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the intelligence of the book, with one review highlighting its determination.

"...Five stars for smart, fast-paced action and well-written prose." Read more

"...The book ends on the right note with a touch of grief and a ton of determination I highly recommend it and eagerly wait for the next installment to..." Read more

"...He is relatable, has intelligence and morals. He’s a man’s man and a woman’s man too, a very likable protagonist...." Read more

Slide over Jack Reacher and make room for Jack Broderick
5 out of 5 stars
Slide over Jack Reacher and make room for Jack Broderick
Take Memory Man’s Amos Decker, drop him in the burned-out world of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, and you have big Jack Broderick in The Pulse. This book has all the things I love in a great action story: 1. A big hero, but with a big flaw. 2. A world I’ve never seen but that’s fascinating to imagine. 3. Brutal action (but not too gory). 4. Periodic breaks in the action for relief—moments of human connection or simply a good laugh. 5. Other characters who seem real, some that I’d want to share a meal with, and some I’d run from as fast as my legs would take me. 6. An impossible quest. 7. Side bonus: interesting facts (for example, go on all fours if your lungs have gotten polluted). I rooted for Jack to make his journey back to his (semi-estranged) family. I wanted him to defeat all his adversaries, especially the biggest one of all—the one in his own mind. Book two, when are you coming out?
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Dr. Robert
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wow, hold on to your hat, you're going for a ride.
    Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    The Pulse, Book One, by Owen Garratt, published by Runding Pelham, 2022.
    Can you like an overweight alcoholic borderline maniac hero? Well, yes. If his name is Jack Broderick, he is motivated by his love and sense of responsibility to his children, and he is a truly righteous man and truly competent man with a conscience.
    That said, from the first line to the last in this fast-paced action disaster/thriller of a book, you will be caught up in a whirlwind of social disorganization and raging emotions, as Jack, attempts to reunite with his family by walking across the country. (Well, in book one, he is on a bike most of the time, after his plane crashes.) And you will learn more about how to take care of yourself in extreme situations than you thought possible. Jack is in ‘Health and Safety’ and expert in all matters pertaining thereto. Need to know how to staunch a hemorrhage, prevent muscle fatigue, or pack for a trip? These and innumerable other such need-to-know, not so fun facts, will be reviewed by Jack as he deals with the end of civilization as we know it.
    The only problem with this book is that I didn’t have Book Two at hand when I finished it.
    Five stars for smart, fast-paced action and well-written prose.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • PDS
    5.0 out of 5 stars Action packed!
    Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I could not put this book down! This is one of the most well written books I have read. It is a heavy action packed book that keeps you captivated. It might be a bit much for some people but I do believe it is pretty close to what would happen in real life in this situation. I read a lot of technical books but very little fiction since I lose interest in chapter 1 or 2. It was a page turner with no fluff. Looking forward to the next book in the series!
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Rich Mansfield
    4.0 out of 5 stars A page-turner with a hero you can count on
    Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    It's a helluva ride, like a roller coaster atop a burning skyscraper! The hero starts out seriously flawed, but in a good way - some untold tragedy eating away at him, destroying his life and family and requiring a trek across a devastated country from Florida to Oregon and Washington. I liked that the devastation was not a failure of man-made institutions, like so many dystopian novels. I'm tired of hearing that we're doomed by our very natures and appreciated a novel approach, with a hero using his skills and coping.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Anne B. Hutt
    5.0 out of 5 stars An Exciting Read
    Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This book was exciting from the first page to the last with a few pages in between, so you could catch your breath. It is filled with information, but I never got bogged down with it. I’m a little bit in love with the main character, Jack, despite his size, and because of his ability. He can’t seem to stop himself from helping other people.
    Helpful
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  • Carol
    5.0 out of 5 stars A new take on CME
    Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    New effects of CME, interesting characters well developed and realistic scenes combine to make this a great read. Don't miss this
    Helpful
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  • Mike Austin
    5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't put it down!
    Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Great action, great premise, and an empathetic protagonist. I know it's a cliche, but I seriously could not put the book down. It's very unusual to find such a well-written book from a first-time published author but this is exactly that. I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding
    Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    This is definitely one of the best post-apocalyptic stories that I have read. Owen Garrett did an outstanding job in bringing the main character Jack to life and he is both relateable and likeable with a complexity that makes for a character you will be pulling for. The book starts out with literally a sucker punch and the action throughout will have you on the edge of your seat. From the time I started this book I could not put it down until I had finished and now I am left anxiously waiting for the second book of the series.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • FL
    4.0 out of 5 stars Emotional and Impossible to Put Down
    Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2025
    Loved the raw emotion and intense action—Jack’s journey is brutal, honest, and full of heart. A gripping start to what looks like an unforgettable post-apocalyptic series.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Andy
    5.0 out of 5 stars Hurry Up with Book 2
    Reviewed in Canada on December 7, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    This book was a fun read. I hope it’s okay to laugh while reading an Apocalyptic Action novel, because it made me chuckle in more than a few spots. The protagonist is saved from being a stereotypical hard drinking, deeply flawed but still lovable cliché by the witty internal monologues and some brilliant insights. There is lots of action, great characters and completely plausible scenarios. I couldn’t put it down. I even learned some helpful things, like don’t take off your shoes on a plane trip, marching is more efficient than walking, the difference between revolvers and automatics and how each southern states make barbeque sauce. How many dystopian novels can do that? I can’t wait to find out what happens in the next part of Jack’s journey.
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  • Julie C.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Can't wait for book number 2!!!
    Reviewed in Canada on April 8, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    This book caught me right from the very start. The writer makes you feel like you are right ther, inside the story. Feeling what the characters feel. We've all wonder or worried about the future. So many things that could change our world in minutes. This book explores one of those possibilities and leaves you asking yourself, what you would do in that situation? And as you look forward to the next book, Cheering for Jack to make the journey to find and save his family. I can't wait for it!
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  • Karen Sinclair
    5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating read!
    Reviewed in Canada on September 9, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I was in a quandary where I didn’t want to put it down, but yet I didn’t want it to end!
    The author weaves words together in such a refreshingly clever and descriptive way that pulls you in to experience every step that Jack takes in this realistic thriller.
    I am anxiously awaiting for Book 2 to arrive!
    Report
  • kristineduff
    5.0 out of 5 stars More please!
    Reviewed in Canada on November 27, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Good thing I had nothing else to do yesterday! I couldn't put it down but also didn't want it to end and I can't wait for book 2!!
    Report
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Looking forward to Book 2!
    Reviewed in Canada on February 5, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Well written!
    Very articulate and descriptive!
    Report

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