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The Survivalist #3
The Quest
World War III has passed and John Thomas Rourke, ex-CIA Cover Operations Officer, weapons specialist and survival expert has at last reached his home only to find that his wife and two children have fled for their lives. With the knowledge that his family has survived the nuclear holocaust, Rourke, with the aid of young Paul Rubenstein, must find his loved ones.
But the Soviets are consolidating their military hold on the country and both the ruthless KGB and the fledgling post-war U.S. government have begun their own search. First they must learn the purpose behind the massive launch of secret U.S. rockets on the night the war began. Then they have to determine the meaning of the mysterious Eden Project and find the one surviving NASA official who can answer all the questions.
A deadly game of intrigue within the Soviet High Command, the formation of the American "resistance" and a highly placed traitor in the new U.S. government all block Rourke's path.
But nothing can stop him he is The Survivalist
But the Soviets are consolidating their military hold on the country and both the ruthless KGB and the fledgling post-war U.S. government have begun their own search. First they must learn the purpose behind the massive launch of secret U.S. rockets on the night the war began. Then they have to determine the meaning of the mysterious Eden Project and find the one surviving NASA official who can answer all the questions.
A deadly game of intrigue within the Soviet High Command, the formation of the American "resistance" and a highly placed traitor in the new U.S. government all block Rourke's path.
But nothing can stop him he is The Survivalist
239 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1981
About the author
Jerry Ahern
214 books71 followersJerry Ahern (born Jerome Morrell Ahern) was a science fiction and action novel author best known for his post apocalyptic survivalist series The Survivalist. The books in this series are heavy with descriptions of the weapons the protagonists use to survive and prosecute a seemingly never-ending war amongst the remnants of the superpowers from pre-apocalypse times.
Ahern was also a firearms writer, who published numerous articles in magazines such as Guns & Ammo, Handguns and Gun World.
Jerry Ahern passed away on July 24, 2012 after a long struggle with cancer.
Ahern also released books under pseudonym Axel Kilgore.
Ahern was also a firearms writer, who published numerous articles in magazines such as Guns & Ammo, Handguns and Gun World.
Jerry Ahern passed away on July 24, 2012 after a long struggle with cancer.
Ahern also released books under pseudonym Axel Kilgore.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 8, 2022
The Quest (The Survivalist #3) by Jerry Ahern isn't bad, but pacing is off in comparison to its predecessor. All except for the sexual violence that is. What the heck.
January 26, 2018
Jerry Aherns The Survivalist series for me is a very guilty pleasure. The hero John Rourke is a ridiculous, over-the-top every man's, man. Rourke is a doctor, an ex-CIA agent, an arms expert and a world renown survivalist, making his living giving seminars on the subject of survival until WWIII breaks out and America is tossed into chaos by a premeditated nuclear strike from Russia.
Jerry Aherns prose are not quite refined. The writing style is striped down, short, but to the point. The pace at times can be frantic, barely giving the reader time to breathe, but Mr. Ahern somehow manages to pull in the reins when need be and gain control of his bucking Bronco.
My biggest gripe with Mr. Aherns writing approach is his constant need to describe every weapon his main characters put into their hands. This wouldn't be such a bad thing if the author was creatively descriptive and dropped the dictionary approach to describing each weapon, plus once
a weapon is described we do not need to be reminded of it's description every time it is picked up. Repetitive? Holy Crap- YES!
Even with this series short comings I find myself hooked and coming back for more. There is something about a grandiose action series that sucks me in, I find it a bit like eating potato chips “you cant stop at one”. The sheer craziness, ridiculousness, and mind numbing dumb is all part of the intrigue which makes this series so fun. As I stated earlier – A VERY GUILTY PLEASURE.
Jerry Aherns prose are not quite refined. The writing style is striped down, short, but to the point. The pace at times can be frantic, barely giving the reader time to breathe, but Mr. Ahern somehow manages to pull in the reins when need be and gain control of his bucking Bronco.
My biggest gripe with Mr. Aherns writing approach is his constant need to describe every weapon his main characters put into their hands. This wouldn't be such a bad thing if the author was creatively descriptive and dropped the dictionary approach to describing each weapon, plus once
a weapon is described we do not need to be reminded of it's description every time it is picked up. Repetitive? Holy Crap- YES!
Even with this series short comings I find myself hooked and coming back for more. There is something about a grandiose action series that sucks me in, I find it a bit like eating potato chips “you cant stop at one”. The sheer craziness, ridiculousness, and mind numbing dumb is all part of the intrigue which makes this series so fun. As I stated earlier – A VERY GUILTY PLEASURE.
June 8, 2008
This book is a crime against humanity.
At least we get to read one of the most indulgent passages in the history of writing, where Rourke shows Rubenstein his gun collection. Ahern just writes gun names stream of conciousness.
***
Rourke: "Smith and Wesson Model 29 six-inch, Metalifed and Mag-Na-Ported; Smith and Wesson Model 60 two-inch stainless Chiefs .38 Special; Colt Mk IV, Series '70 Government Model; Metalifed with a Detonics Competition Recoil system installed and Pachmayr Colt Medallion grips. That little thing is an FIE .38 Special chrome Derringer, and the little tubes on the shelf down here are .22 Long Rifle and .25 ACP barrel inserts made by Harry Owens of Sport Specialties. Makes the little gun able to fire .38 Special, .22 rimfire, or .25 ACP. I've got more of those insert barrels for my Detonics, for my shotguns, et cetera. That gun is a Colt Official Police .38 Special five-inch—Metalifed with Pachmayr grips. Same frame essentially as a Python, so I had it reamed out to .357 to increase its versatility. That's a standard AR-15, no scope. That's a Mossberg 500ATP6P Parkerized riot shotgun. Safariland sling on it. That's an original Armalite AR-7 .22 Long Rifle. Take it apart and it stows in the buttstock, even floats. Had enough?"
***
Yes John Rourke. I had enough on page one of the first book of this series of twenty six books.
At least we get to read one of the most indulgent passages in the history of writing, where Rourke shows Rubenstein his gun collection. Ahern just writes gun names stream of conciousness.
***
Rourke: "Smith and Wesson Model 29 six-inch, Metalifed and Mag-Na-Ported; Smith and Wesson Model 60 two-inch stainless Chiefs .38 Special; Colt Mk IV, Series '70 Government Model; Metalifed with a Detonics Competition Recoil system installed and Pachmayr Colt Medallion grips. That little thing is an FIE .38 Special chrome Derringer, and the little tubes on the shelf down here are .22 Long Rifle and .25 ACP barrel inserts made by Harry Owens of Sport Specialties. Makes the little gun able to fire .38 Special, .22 rimfire, or .25 ACP. I've got more of those insert barrels for my Detonics, for my shotguns, et cetera. That gun is a Colt Official Police .38 Special five-inch—Metalifed with Pachmayr grips. Same frame essentially as a Python, so I had it reamed out to .357 to increase its versatility. That's a standard AR-15, no scope. That's a Mossberg 500ATP6P Parkerized riot shotgun. Safariland sling on it. That's an original Armalite AR-7 .22 Long Rifle. Take it apart and it stows in the buttstock, even floats. Had enough?"
***
Yes John Rourke. I had enough on page one of the first book of this series of twenty six books.
July 28, 2010
See my review under "Total War," Survivalist Book 1.
January 6, 2015
Was fun easy reading in my teens. Would actually like to pick one up again and see what I think now. :D
November 7, 2022
3 3/4 stars. Solidly written, although not quite as good as an early Mack Bolan. Plenty of action. The use of product names Colt, Smith & Wesson and Cold Steel gives it an additional level of realism.
July 3, 2024
Dear god is this series a product of its kind. I'm pretty sure that Alex Jones fans would love this, which is kinda scary.
That out of the way, god this series is fun to listen to!
Love the cliffhanger too!
That out of the way, god this series is fun to listen to!
Love the cliffhanger too!
December 6, 2019
A little short
Another great instalment - lots of action and good details - would be nice if each book were a bit longer though (value for money wise.)
Another great instalment - lots of action and good details - would be nice if each book were a bit longer though (value for money wise.)
February 14, 2020
The series continues. Lots of books, lots of action. The Eden Project has come forefront, whatever that is.
February 17, 2024
Old school pulp fiction at it's best. Bad dialog, over the top characters and plot holes you could drive a truck through. Very enjoyable!
November 14, 2024
I appreciate I'm only three books in, but there is a distinct possibility that each one of these books has virtually the same plot.
February 24, 2024
I find myself surprised by just how enjoyable Ahern's Survivalist series continues to be, despite its shortcomings. Another thing that becomes more noticeable is every gun a character touches is described in full. The Quest ups the ante but also jumps the shark a bit with some of its subplots (as much pulp fiction often does eventually). As I noticed in other reviews; The Quest represents a point where some will keep on with the Survivalist while others drop the series due to it leaning harder into Gary Stu territory with John and many "soap opera"-esque elements that are a staple of 70s/80s pulp ficiton.
Ahern's writing style becomes more inconsistent with its pacing in this entry; at times approaching breakneck speed. Thankfully it never got to the point where I felt like I was missing story. I still appreciate how descriptive if not simple his prose is regarding environments and characters; but there was a long winded passage describing guns in excruciating detail. Another thing that becomes more noticeable is every gun a character touches is described in full. Something that didn't bother me as a gun owner but also didn't do much for me as I am not a gun nut. It wasn't a dealbreaker for me on the enjoyment front; as The Quest has story to offer aplenty.
Rourke is sidelined during his search for his family by a remnant of the US government. In exchange for help finding John's family he must help with an operation. A common but nonetheless fun enough trope. On the Russian side of things we have more drama with Natalia and her husband Vladimir, where the "soap opera" elements come in. We're also introduced to Natalia's uncle, General Ishmael Varakov. John's wife and kids also get caught up in some antics but it isn't really that engaging this time around. Nor as consequential to the overarching story.
John continues to be an adept jack-of-all-trades and one-man army; very typical for post-apocalyptic heroes. Thing unfold how you'd expect but there was one unexpected development towards the end I quite liked. If it wasn't for that, I probably would've rated this lower. The Quest is skates by with a solid 2 1/2 out of 5 stars. Or on the pulp fan scale 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.
Note: This review was edited in 2024 upon a re-read for clarity and expanded perspective.
Ahern's writing style becomes more inconsistent with its pacing in this entry; at times approaching breakneck speed. Thankfully it never got to the point where I felt like I was missing story. I still appreciate how descriptive if not simple his prose is regarding environments and characters; but there was a long winded passage describing guns in excruciating detail. Another thing that becomes more noticeable is every gun a character touches is described in full. Something that didn't bother me as a gun owner but also didn't do much for me as I am not a gun nut. It wasn't a dealbreaker for me on the enjoyment front; as The Quest has story to offer aplenty.
Rourke is sidelined during his search for his family by a remnant of the US government. In exchange for help finding John's family he must help with an operation. A common but nonetheless fun enough trope. On the Russian side of things we have more drama with Natalia and her husband Vladimir, where the "soap opera" elements come in. We're also introduced to Natalia's uncle, General Ishmael Varakov. John's wife and kids also get caught up in some antics but it isn't really that engaging this time around. Nor as consequential to the overarching story.
John continues to be an adept jack-of-all-trades and one-man army; very typical for post-apocalyptic heroes. Thing unfold how you'd expect but there was one unexpected development towards the end I quite liked. If it wasn't for that, I probably would've rated this lower. The Quest is skates by with a solid 2 1/2 out of 5 stars. Or on the pulp fan scale 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.
Note: This review was edited in 2024 upon a re-read for clarity and expanded perspective.
July 28, 2014
I got a couple of the books in this series at Goodwill, $1 each. Not too much money invested and the premise is always good for some light entertainment. Holy shit was I in for some ridiculous nonsense. John Rourke must be the most badass person in the history of literature. With expert level skills in everything from guns, to survival, to engineering, military tactics and apparently he's a medical doctor as well. He's never wrong, everyone wants to be him (every character compliments him or is in constant awe of his abilities) This series really stretches believability. The writing style in short and choppy. Very low on details (unless it's dealing with guns, in which case be prepared to read about them ad nausium) and everything happens really fast with little or no consequences. He's like Rambo, MacGyver, Jason Bourne and James Bond all rolled into one with absolutely no reasoning behind all these skills. I could see how some people could get really into this series and even hope to be a man like Rourke, but that is wholly unrealistic. If you're a fan of the genre and can deal with the awkward writing style you'll probably enjoy this one man war on communism. On a final note, if you couldn't tell this was written prior to the end of the cold war you probably shouldn't read it anyway...talk about propaganda.
April 21, 2020
Quite disappointing. If you've come this far then you know this book series is rather cheesy and the protagonist is a Gary Stu who is perfect at everything, still, I loved the first book because it had a good balance of cheesy and somewhat gritty action.
By this book the gritty action is replaced by ridiculous soap opera-ish plot threads where (almost) everything goes perfect for the protagonist in an incredibly silly fashion.
If you haven't started this series and you're a fan of nuclear post apocalyptic fiction then I can only recommend the first book.
By this book the gritty action is replaced by ridiculous soap opera-ish plot threads where (almost) everything goes perfect for the protagonist in an incredibly silly fashion.
If you haven't started this series and you're a fan of nuclear post apocalyptic fiction then I can only recommend the first book.
July 9, 2015
Venäläiset on pahoja, paitsi ne joilla on tissit. Mutta kaikista pahimpia ovat venäläiset, jotka ovat kommunisteja.
Amerikkalaisissakin on pahoja, mutta jos niitä uhkaa aseella, niin ne näkevät valon ja tulevat hyviksi.
Olihan tämä.... muistanutkaan, että tämä oli tälläinen. Viihdyttävän nopea lukea ja varmasti amerikkalaisilla seisoi, kun tätä lukivat. Mulla ei.
Amerikkalaisissakin on pahoja, mutta jos niitä uhkaa aseella, niin ne näkevät valon ja tulevat hyviksi.
Olihan tämä.... muistanutkaan, että tämä oli tälläinen. Viihdyttävän nopea lukea ja varmasti amerikkalaisilla seisoi, kun tätä lukivat. Mulla ei.
February 13, 2016
This is my favorite adventure series. Dr John Thomas Rourke leads his family and friends through a post apocalyptic world fighting ever step if the way. Fantastic characters and plots. Very detailed weapon descriptions. Excellent series. My highest recommendation
October 20, 2008
Post-apocalyptic pulp goodness.
June 13, 2013
see book 1
January 8, 2014
Good read.
June 22, 2015
Guns! Blah blah blah! Russians! Blah blah blah! Missing family! Blah blah blah! More Guns!
Yep.
Yep.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews