Jerry Ahern (1946–2012)

A great fun adventure, and should be read in that manner. This is pulp sci-fi/
Post apocalyptic fiction, and it pulls no punches (pun intended). There’s not a lot of characterisation, and some of the 1980’s Cold War terminology seems antiquated and awkward, but the premise and it’s execution are surprisingly good. Like all modern pulp fiction, this doesn’t really stand up to technological or literary or realistic scrutiny, but when you’re having this much fun, does it matter?

When Jack Naille is sent a photograph of a namesake and his family in front of a general store, there was a degree of humour in the situation until he and his family realised that the man was the spitting image of his good self and the photo was from almost a hundred years ago. It seemed that the impossible was going happen, sending Jack and his family a hundred years into the past. Although not really believing the possibility, every bit of research that Jack and Ellen uncovered just added show more to the liklihood of the strangest trip they could ever make.

Jerry Ahern is familiar with facing his protagonists with unyielding odds - he's the author of The Survivalist series and while the Wild West must be a better place than a nuclear weapon scarred US, the Nailles must deal with a meglomanic company boss who sees dealing weapons to an empire Hell-bent on world domination in her past shows the risks of travelling through time. show less

It's escapism, pure and simple. It's cheap pulp fiction. He doesn't get too concerned with details (unless they involve gun models or ammunition types). This series is obviously either the inspiration for the Mad Max movies or among the top few.

The whole series is only good if you've overdosed on an author like Umberto Eco and really aren't worried about some annoyances.

I read this back around junior high or thereabouts, enjoyable enough action/adventure fare for a not-particularly-discriminating kid who devoured "men's adventure" series like Mack Bolan and Able Team like candy. On the cover it says, "Compelling action in the spirit of Raiders of the Lost Ark," and I guess that says it all. I remember at the end there was some silly business about an ancient alien spaceship; so, full circle, huh?