Showing results by author "John O'Brien" in All Categories

Europe believes it can stand apart from the war in Ukraine. It's wrong. Russian forces threaten Kharkiv once more and fear spreads through the European Union. Quiet decisions are made behind closed doors and the war creeps westward without ever being declared. In Brussels, a senior EU official fights to hold a fragile union together, but an unknown adversary lurks in secret, seeking to fracture their unity. In Ukraine, a medic races to save lives as cities shake under bombardment.

Civility Matters is a podcast about workplace civility, incivility, rudeness and the human side of leadership. Hosted by psychologist and speaker John O’Brien, the show features guests from business, healthcare, education, and public life who explore why rudeness happens, how it affects people and organizations, and what we can do to build more respectful workplaces and communities. Each episode offers research-based insight and practical steps for leaders, HR professionals, and anyone working to reduce toxic behavior and strengthen trust. The show provides a regular reminder that how we ...

In this explosive fourth installment of the popular A Shrouded World Series, Jack is seemingly back from the dead. Mike and Trip are in a desperate bid to help their friend before he falls victim to whatever is plaguing the inhabitants of Valhalla. New enemies are exposed along with new found friends, but will it be enough to stop the tides of time? Follow along, as our heroes embark on their most dangerous quest yet.

What would happen if a viral agent was released on American soil? How would local agencies react? How would the military respond? What if it was one of their own? Would they own it or attempt to cover it up? If a major operation was jeopardized because of the release, would that alter any of the decisions? A potent viral agent, created to destabilize a region for forces to move in and clean up, is accidentally spilled in a metropolis. Those infected serve only to afflict others through any means.

Our heroes have gone their separate ways in an effort to save Trip and unify their fight against the Overseers, who have an evil plot to take over not only this world, but all worlds. Mike asks for and receives help, but not in any way he could have prepared for, as Jack finds himself in the uncomfortable position of filling Otter’s shoes. Can Jack and Mike find a way to destroy the evil that has been unwittingly unleashed or will they succumb like every other civilization the enemy has encountered?

In the final chapter of the A Shrouded World saga, Jack, Trip, and Mike have brought the fight to the Whistlers’ terrifying homeworld. With the help of some unexpected allies, the crew must finally find a way to stop the enemy before they can tear through the planes of existence and destroy all life. What they don’t know, what they can’t know, is that there is so much more to the enemy than they previously thought, and defeating them may be an impossible task.

Follow Jack, Trip, and Mike in this next installment to find out what the universe will throw at them next.

Awareness grows... The gathering commences.... The world has changed. Jack Walker and the other survivors must adjust with it if they are to have a chance. They've managed to stay one step ahead so far but the gap is narrowing. The night runners are growing and adapting. The rules are changing. Winter is coming and the survivors must ready themselves for the long season. With Robert and Bri rescued from captivity, Jack focuses on the days ahead.

In the midst of China’s colossal buildup, the undersea battles for control of the South China, East China, and Philippine Seas continues. China and the United States have put a majority of their submarines to sea, both seeking to effect a winning solution. The dangers of China’s missiles persist, effectively keeping America’s mighty carriers away from the conflict. But time is running out, and an answer to the threat must be found if the United States hopes to retain any hope of keeping the South China Sea out of China’s hands.

The Unites States and China vie for supremacy in the international marketplace as China seeks to become the global leader. A pandemic sweeping across the world send the markets spiraling into chaos, increasing the tension between the two superpowers. Armed conflict needs only a spark. Will China’s attempt to expand their territories into the South China Sea be the trigger that plunges the two mighty nations past the rhetoric and into a shooting war?

A cosmic noose tightens around our heroes’ necks as, once again, they are tasked to fight a war not their own. Their every move is watched, their every action thwarted, yet failure here will seal the fate of countless billions to something worse than death. Can Jack, Mike, BT, Trip, and Kalandar find a way to overcome the odds that have been stacked against them, or will it all come crashing down upon their heads?

Collected here for the first time are stories spanning five decades of writing by the "short story master" (Harold Bloom). As John Banville writes in his introduction to The Love Object, Edna O'Brien "is, simply, one of the finest writers of our time." The thirty-one stories collected in this...

Jack Walker and the other survivors continue their search for others. Unbeknownst to them, the night runners have initiated their own gathering and, with Michael's leadership, they are adapting. The survivors learn about some of these adaptations and strive to stay one step ahead. Their continued existence depends on it.

Waneta Hoyt’s first baby died. Then her second. Then her third. Nobody, including her husband, suspected Waneta Hoyt - or stopped her from having more babies. Then her fourth baby died. Then her fifth. And the famed medical expert declared they had died of sudden infant death syndrome and use them to support his theory that SIDS ran in families. One man, however, did not except the diagnosis. District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick set out to expose the truth about a crime hard to imagine. To do so meant convicting a woman who had won the hearts of all.

The sanctuary walls were breached and through them poured screaming hordes of night runners. About to be overrun, the survivors formed a last stand against the thousands that threatened to end their existence. Inexplicably, the night runners, who were on the verge of taking one of the last vestiges of humanity, departed, carrying the limp body of Lynn with them.

Jack, Mike and Trip were ripped from their loved ones and thrown into a dangerous world they know nothing about, relentlessly pursued by Night Runners, Zombies and terrifying new creatures known only as Whistlers.

Like their own worlds, civilization has collapsed and danger lurks around every corner. The trio can do nothing but march forward and attempt to find some answers - some way to escape from the nightmare. Seeking only to return to their families, they must navigate through the unknown.

Jack Walker and Michael Talbot come from two worlds; the same, yet different. They both find themselves transported into an alien one, where things aren’t as they seem. While it appears similar to the ones they come from, there are some terrifying differences. Is it a dream? Or has reality been somehow warped? Jack comes from a world filled with nocturnal creatures that were once human, but now seek to destroy the last vestiges of humanity.

Lynn has been rescued from deep within the heart of a night runner lair. The answer to why she was taken remains a mystery. Sandra lies in a pool of her own blood, ending her desperate measures to draw Jack to her. As Red Team celebrates their joy of Lynn's freedom, they are unaware that a sight is centered on them from afar. A bullet tears through the air, streaking their way.

Greg rescues several survivors from the clutches of a fanatical group only to find a mysterious force behind him. With only a small team accompanying him, he flees into the night with the force following. A deadly game of cat and mouse ensues.

Having survived Atlantis, the town of Indian Hill beckons. As Mike and Trip make their way toward Indian Hill and are in search of some much needed answers, Jack is fast on their heels. It is a dangerous journey fraught with all manner of creatures. Zombies, Night Runners and the Alien Whistlers do their best to prevent the trio from ever going home again. The Whistlers are constantly roaming the wilds in search of food, the zombies gather in large groups, and the night runners own the night.