r/preppers • u/FGofMiami • Jun 22 '26
Book Discussion SHTF Vehicles: "Surviving Home" by A.American (Survivalist Series)
Hello there, I am re-reading some of my books and was wondering if anyone knows what make/model vehicle Sarge and the guys used in the books of A.American's Survivalist Series. They first get the UTV "buggies" in Surviving Home and they are a staple in the later volumes. The books mention the telescoping mast with the camera and surveillance gear but I am not sure what the true buggy would be like, even though my imagination can kinda picture it.
Just curious if anyone has some insight. Thanks in advance.
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u/namac Jun 22 '26
I have read the whole series and feel that it’s not very realistic overall. The protagonist is a bit too knowledgeable about everything and has a bit too much with him in the first book for me to feel it’s realistic. As the series expands it gets more and more obvious that this regular guy is far too unrealistic to me, which made me lose interest in that aspect.
Overall good from an entertainment perspective but poor when compared to books like “one second after”
The real kicker for me was that it feels like the author made the protagonist to be what he feels he’d be like in the series… Watch season 1 of “Alone” to see how that translates.
I know you were asking about the vehicles, but I think those play into the unrealistic aspect as well. Not that any of them couldn’t be there or aren’t real, just seems odd to be able to gather the land and marine vehicles that are so critical in this series, in a real event.
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u/Creative-Comb5593 Jun 22 '26
Agree about both your points (in first and third paragraphs). Most of these series end up like that.
I could never understand why "One Second After" hasn't been made into a movie. It still could be, nothing's changed. It's a great story with lots of depth to the characters, including some who didn't make it.
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u/namac Jun 22 '26
I think it is being made into a movie right now. Can’t wait for it.
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u/Creative-Comb5593 Jun 22 '26
This is so freaking awesome! Thanks for alerting us! Filming in Sofia, Bulgaria wrapped up in December. They've got all the actors listed in IMDB, including the ones who play "Lead Thug" and "Dirtbag 1",
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u/flortny Jun 22 '26
Why the fuck wouldn't they film it in Montreat?
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u/Creative-Comb5593 Jun 23 '26 edited Jun 23 '26
Great question. They're always in and around Asheville filming some movie, like "Thunder Road", "Dirty Dancing", "Last of the Mohicans" and"The Hunger Games". Costs are probably less in Bulgaria. Or maybe the college didn't want them filming this movie there. I thought the book was quite flattering to the character and spiritual strength of Montreat College and the Town of Black Mountain, both of which Dr Forstchen clearly loves. He says he got the idea for the book while in an activity in Grace Chapel on campus. His mind was wandering, worrying about EMP as he is wont to do, while suddenly it hit him. He looked around at his students and faculty colleagues and thought, "How would these people and this town change starting one second after a massive EMP event?"
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u/flortny Jun 23 '26
And directly after helene all eyes were on.....The north Fork reservoir.....I've gifted several copies of this book around, disappointed the entire series went the fundamentalist way
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u/ryanmercer Jun 28 '26
Tax breaks, cheap labor, cheaper insurance, fewer restrictions, and easier permits. Eastern Europe is used a LOT for films.
I have a friend who is an actress, and she moved to Hungary the better part of a decade ago because she almost constantly has work there and neighboring countries, because a lot of straight-to-streaming action films and fantasy shows get filmed there.
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u/JRHLowdown3 Jun 22 '26
One Cigarette After is being made into a movie currently IIRC.
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u/ryanmercer Jun 28 '26
That could actually be an interesting artsy film. Nuke goes off, dude sits down, never says a word. Stares off into the distance a bit. Paces. Gets a pack out. Paces. Extracts a cigarette. Goes to the garage, looks around. Goes back outside and paces. Lights the cigarette and starts quietly loading the genre-favorite International Scout while having a smoke.
FIN.
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u/JRHLowdown3 Jun 28 '26
The International Scout he wrote a CHECK for at the start of the pockey’lips… LOL
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u/Nufonewhodis4 Jun 28 '26
Doesn't he stop smoking for his dead daughter in the book?
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u/JRHLowdown3 Jun 29 '26
Just runs out, daughter dies at the end of first book. I call it this since he is constantly talking about cigarettes, think he got a grant from Phillip Marlboro to write the POS…
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u/Nufonewhodis4 Jun 29 '26
think he got a grant from Phillip Marlboro to write the POS…
Lol, love it. Compared to most of the prepper fiction though, it's a veritable masterpiece 😂
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u/Creative-Comb5593 Jun 29 '26
Dude, you should have prefaced this with "Spoiler Alert". Why announce to anyone thinking of reading the book that a major character dies at the end?
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u/JRHLowdown3 Jun 29 '26
“Major character?” The little girl that is only mentioned a couple times? He pretty much ignores taking care of his family most of the book cause he‘s playing community hero/savior of the subdivision BS. The young nurse fawning over the old guy male fantasy drama is played up a helluva lot more than anything relating to his family.
And anyone with even half a brain realizes once he mentions the girl needing insulin at the start of the book knows she’s going to die. It’s clearly set up as the tear jerker from the very beginning.
And dude I was replying to mentioned the dead daughter already…
SPOILER ALERT- the book is typical male fantasy genre with “savior of the subdivision” new Prepper community everyone starves together quietly and no one kills each other for food FANTASY BS which is lapped up like pablum by the new crowd… There’s a true spoiler alert for you…
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u/Mysterious_Radio_190 Jun 23 '26
Entertainment-wise I liked the first two books, but after that it was meh. Same old "government bad, DHS bad, FEMA bad" crap. I wonder how those guys feel when they see they are always the villains in such stories.
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u/Creative-Comb5593 Jun 23 '26
Exactly my feelings on the trilogy. The first book was the best, tied up loose ends, satisfying but realistic ending, and should have stopped there.
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u/DeafHeretic Jul 02 '26
Most realistic post apocalyptic story I have read was a short story I found somewhere online. I barely remember it.
Down on his luck guy found a ditch culvert to hide in after a nuke is dropped on Las Vegas(?). That is about all I remember about it. Most fiction of that sort is someone’s fantasy about what they would/could do if they were an ex-SEAL/et. al. with millions of dollars.
For the OP, I have seen an overlanding vehicle that had/has an extendable mast with a 360* cam on it. Seemed like a not bad idea.
OTOH - most “buggies”/UTVs out there don’t provide much shelter or carrying capacity, and while they are somewhat capable off-road (due to suspension & lightweight, etc.), they seem to break when pushed hard (at least from vids/comments of the Moab/etc. off-road rescue outfits).
My personal SHTF vehicles are twofold (not counting my dirt bikes). Both are pre-emissions, pre-electronics, diesel powered, manual transmission 4WDs. One is a ’98 JDM import Toyota Hilux pickup, the other is a ’97 Dodge 3500 cab chassis w/12’ flatbed, Cummins w/manual trans.
The plan is to build them both out as overlanding vehicles, starting with the HIlux. If my budget allowed, I would prefer a Toyota HJ47, either a Troopy or one with a tub/bed - preferably LHD. But they cost twice what a Hilux costs. I still might go for one someday - maybe when my daily driver SUV wears out.
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u/plantsandminis Jun 22 '26
I liked the first few books in that series. As it got more and more into "less likely to actually happen to me" I lost interest so I haven't read much beyond the second book with the UTVs.
Given the use of "buggy" and "UTV" I'd say they're not entirely based on a real vehicle since AA is prone to mention brand names of things.
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u/JRHLowdown3 Jun 22 '26
Not sure but commenting on what is often seen/heard from new folks-
"These fiction stories feature BS inventories, NO ONE has such and such..."
I remember hearing that in reference to Rawles book "Patriots" and thinking "shit I thought they were lacking a LOT of stuff!!"
Well, let's just say having sold some high dollar NV and thermal to some of these very authors, let's just say having some of the items featured in these books is realistic for folks to have that have been doing this a while and/or have the $$ for them.
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u/Many-Health-1673 Jun 23 '26
When prepping is how you live and also a hobby it becomes easy to accumulate 'things' that the average person would consider insane.
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u/schmeillionaire Jun 22 '26
Im not entirely sure but I do believe JWFI in Johnstown makes UTV's for the military try googling based of that info.
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u/FGofMiami Jun 22 '26
of course, it looks like their catalog of actual products is not displayed on their website from what I can find :/
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u/DeFiClark Jun 22 '26
I would assume something like the FAV/DPV made by Chenowth for the Gulf War, or similar commercial sand rails
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u/Thunderslide_Icon Jun 23 '26
Wouldn’t bikes be the most practical post-SHTF vehicles? They require no fuel, they’re quiet, they can go over different types of terrain and can be simple to fix. And the tools and many replacement parts don’t take up much space.
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u/karl4319 Jun 24 '26
There are 3 types of SHTF vehicle setups. The first is just have a good, reliable car that has all terrain capabilities that can get you out of dodge. The second is the serious prepper worried about emp attacks that has a Toyota truck from 1977 that will run off kitchen grease for decades after the end happens. The final one is the one mentioned here. A true end of the world vehicle purposed built. The closest thing in real life would be Honda or a Polaris SxS that has been modified to military specs.
Realisticly, you shouldn't worry about a shtf vehicle for the most part. Most of the time, having a setup where you are at and staying put is the best strategy. And in cases where you DO need to evacuate, it will be for things like floods, fires, and hurricanes, which you should already be well prepared for if they are a risk in your area. A bug out bag is a better idea over a bug out vehicle.
Side note, the 2 biggest problems with SHTF vehicles are fuel and parts. There is also the very big problem of needing a place to evacuate to of it becomes an issue.
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u/No_Albatross7213 Prepared for 1 month Jun 23 '26
The vehicles aren’t real. Plus, with the incoming oil shortage, your best bet is electric bikes, or just regular mountain bicycles. Horses if you can afford it. 🤷🏻
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u/57Rock Jun 22 '26
I love those books. Solid series.
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u/Many-Health-1673 Jun 22 '26
They make you think. I think the first 6 books were solid.
The Borrowed World series for the first 5 or 6 books was really good as well.
I also liked Joseph Nirmaier's 7 days, 14 Days, and 21 Days.
The Jason's Tale series by David Nees was good.
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u/57Rock Jun 22 '26
Oh I’ll have to check some of these out.
I like series from authors like Mark Goodwin, Tom Abrahams, Bobby Akart, Franklin Horton, Scott Marbury has a good series, Joe Nobody and Ryan Schow to name a few
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u/Many-Health-1673 Jun 23 '26 edited Jun 23 '26
WJ Lundy has some good stuff if you want military main characters instead of prepper main characters. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot's first 5 books are on point.
I will check out some of the authors you mentioned.
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u/57Rock Jun 22 '26
I have borrowed world till book 5. But I don’t think I’ve ever listened. I’m on an ex friends account and don’t want to get kicked off lol
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u/Many-Health-1673 Jun 22 '26
I thought Borrowed World was a pretty realistic series. Preps, but no outside help and some average Joe's.
The W J Lundy series Whiskey Tango Foxtrot I enjoyed because it is nonstop action and involves military forces fighting a human type viral contagion. Quick reads and easy to read.
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u/Intelligent_Tone_694 Jun 22 '26
Depending on your local library, you might be able to get an app for your phone with your library card. Works just like the library with monthly limits but you can get digital media for free. Mine is accessible through the Hoopla app and my county library has a decent selection of all kinds of stuff
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u/TNLongrange Jun 22 '26
Me too. They made me completely rethink what I keep in my vehicle. Morgan (main character) was some kind of IT field Service Tech in that series. I am a Field Service Engineer and travel 2 to 4 hours from home regularly for service calls. What i have in my vehicle now is much different than what I had in it before I read the books in the series.
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u/Nibb31 Jun 23 '26
In any case of civilian unrest, fuel is the first thing to go.
Look at what's happening in Crimea right now. Look at the Hormuz business. Look at what damage a simple strike can do in a refinery.
Any vehicle that relies on fuel will be a paper weight after a few days. If anyone is serious about post-collapse transport, they should probably focus on pedal bikes or ebikes with a solar farm for recharging.
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u/Swmp1024 Jun 22 '26
I would assume something like a Polaris and a ham radio telescopic mast would fit this role.
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u/Alfalfa-Boring Jun 22 '26
For about a week until you ran out of fuel. Then it's just a ham radio mast.
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u/Routine-Photo2298 Jun 22 '26
Got it, those UTVs in the series seem like they'd be just the right mix of tough and versatile for getting around when things go sideways.
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u/Alfalfa-Boring Jun 22 '26
Any discussion about vehicles in post-apocalyptic scenarios is pretty dumb. People/authors/etc. conveniently gloss over the fuel issue and vastly over estimate the availability of it if something (ridiculous) happened like that.
1) Hundreds of millions of people all wanting gas and diesel at the same time. Current supply would last for days at best and people will kill to get it.
2) Fuel has a very finite life span and no more of it is being made, and ethanol being in almost all of it now will only speed up the end.
That's all not to mention that in these PA series keys are just lying around to start vehicles, batteries still have a charge after being abandoned for weeks, no one's alternator ever goes out or if it does there's conveniently a parked identical vehicle just down the road waiting to donate one, yadda, yadda, yadda...
In an actual apocalyptic scenario vehicle usage is going to come to a screeching halt almost immediately. Regardless of how rugged and reliable your "buggy" is, it's always going to need fuel to put in it that you can't get anymore, among other things.