
First Activation
Activation Series, Book 1
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed

Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $20.00
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
James Langton
About this listen
Brothers Harry and Jack leave Manchester for New York City for their annual weekend getaway. But upon arrival, they find a silent, deserted JFK, where the few ground crew they can spot have all been slaughtered.
Harry and Jack are military veterans, but they've never encountered anything like this.
As they witness the carnage and stumble across murderous madmen in a postapocalyptic New York City, it becomes clear that escape is the only option--that is if there is anywhere sane to which to escape....
©2015 Darren Wearmouth and Marcus Wearmouth (P)2014 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Hunger: The Complete Trilogy
- By: Jeremy Robinson
- Narrated by: Jeffrey Kafer
- Length: 25 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The world’s food supply grows aggressively, occupying every inch of earth, no matter how inhospitable. World hunger is averted. Humanity flourishes. RC-714 is digested, absorbed…and passed on. The Change affects small fast-breeding mammals first. They multiply with the same aggressive speed as the ExoGen plants, but an insatiable hunger drives them to violence. A war between species breaks out. When RC-714 reaches humanity, along with every other large creature on the planet, civilization implodes.
-
-
Get ready to get your ESG score doubled
- By JoJo on 08-17-23
By: Jeremy Robinson
-
Brilliance
- The Brilliance Trilogy, Book 1
- By: Marcus Sakey
- Narrated by: Luke Daniels
- Length: 12 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Wyoming, a little girl reads people’s darkest secrets. In New York, a man sensing patterns in the stock market racks up $300 billion. In Chicago, a woman can go invisible. They’re called "brilliants," and since 1980, one percent of people have been born this way. Nick Cooper is among them; a federal agent, Cooper has gifts rendering him exceptional at hunting terrorists. His latest target may be the most dangerous man alive, a brilliant drenched in blood and intent on provoking civil war. But to catch him, Cooper will have to violate everything he believes in.
-
-
Predictable Thriller
- By Benjamin on 03-26-14
By: Marcus Sakey
-
11-22-63
- A Novel
- By: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Craig Wasson
- Length: 30 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On November 22, 1963, three shots rang out in Dallas, President Kennedy died, and the world changed. What if you could change it back? In this brilliantly conceived tour de force, Stephen King - who has absorbed the social, political, and popular culture of his generation more imaginatively and thoroughly than any other writer - takes listeners on an incredible journey into the past and the possibility of altering it.
-
-
I Owe Stephen King An Apology
- By Kelly - Write Well Academy on 04-16-12
By: Stephen King
-
14
- By: Peter Clines
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 12 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There are some odd things about Nate’s new apartment. Of course, he has other things on his mind. He hates his job. He has no money in the bank. No girlfriend. No plans for the future. So while his new home isn’t perfect, it’s livable. The rent is low, the property managers are friendly, and the odd little mysteries don’t nag at him too much. At least, not until he meets Mandy, his neighbor across the hall, and notices something unusual about her apartment. And Xela’s apartment. And Tim’s. And Veek’s.
-
-
Super solid listen!!
- By Magpie on 06-24-12
By: Peter Clines
-
Dark Places
- A Novel
- By: Gillian Flynn
- Narrated by: Rebecca Lowman, Cassandra Campbell, Mark Deakins, and others
- Length: 13 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Libby Day was seven when her mother and two sisters were murdered in "The Satan Sacrifice of Kinnakee, Kansas". As her family lay dying, little Libby fled their tiny farmhouse into the freezing January snow. She lost some fingers and toes, but she survived, and famously testified that her 15-year-old brother, Ben, was the killer. Twenty-five years later, Ben sits in prison, and troubled Libby lives off the dregs of a trust created by well-wishers who've long forgotten her.
-
-
Riveting but brutal
- By Gray on 12-09-12
By: Gillian Flynn
-
Divergent
- By: Veronica Roth
- Narrated by: Emma Galvin
- Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue - Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is - she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
-
-
It's not for me. Loved it anyway.
- By Grant on 05-24-12
By: Veronica Roth
-
Hunger: The Complete Trilogy
- By: Jeremy Robinson
- Narrated by: Jeffrey Kafer
- Length: 25 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The world’s food supply grows aggressively, occupying every inch of earth, no matter how inhospitable. World hunger is averted. Humanity flourishes. RC-714 is digested, absorbed…and passed on. The Change affects small fast-breeding mammals first. They multiply with the same aggressive speed as the ExoGen plants, but an insatiable hunger drives them to violence. A war between species breaks out. When RC-714 reaches humanity, along with every other large creature on the planet, civilization implodes.
-
-
Get ready to get your ESG score doubled
- By JoJo on 08-17-23
By: Jeremy Robinson
-
Brilliance
- The Brilliance Trilogy, Book 1
- By: Marcus Sakey
- Narrated by: Luke Daniels
- Length: 12 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Wyoming, a little girl reads people’s darkest secrets. In New York, a man sensing patterns in the stock market racks up $300 billion. In Chicago, a woman can go invisible. They’re called "brilliants," and since 1980, one percent of people have been born this way. Nick Cooper is among them; a federal agent, Cooper has gifts rendering him exceptional at hunting terrorists. His latest target may be the most dangerous man alive, a brilliant drenched in blood and intent on provoking civil war. But to catch him, Cooper will have to violate everything he believes in.
-
-
Predictable Thriller
- By Benjamin on 03-26-14
By: Marcus Sakey
-
11-22-63
- A Novel
- By: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Craig Wasson
- Length: 30 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On November 22, 1963, three shots rang out in Dallas, President Kennedy died, and the world changed. What if you could change it back? In this brilliantly conceived tour de force, Stephen King - who has absorbed the social, political, and popular culture of his generation more imaginatively and thoroughly than any other writer - takes listeners on an incredible journey into the past and the possibility of altering it.
-
-
I Owe Stephen King An Apology
- By Kelly - Write Well Academy on 04-16-12
By: Stephen King
-
14
- By: Peter Clines
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 12 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There are some odd things about Nate’s new apartment. Of course, he has other things on his mind. He hates his job. He has no money in the bank. No girlfriend. No plans for the future. So while his new home isn’t perfect, it’s livable. The rent is low, the property managers are friendly, and the odd little mysteries don’t nag at him too much. At least, not until he meets Mandy, his neighbor across the hall, and notices something unusual about her apartment. And Xela’s apartment. And Tim’s. And Veek’s.
-
-
Super solid listen!!
- By Magpie on 06-24-12
By: Peter Clines
-
Dark Places
- A Novel
- By: Gillian Flynn
- Narrated by: Rebecca Lowman, Cassandra Campbell, Mark Deakins, and others
- Length: 13 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Libby Day was seven when her mother and two sisters were murdered in "The Satan Sacrifice of Kinnakee, Kansas". As her family lay dying, little Libby fled their tiny farmhouse into the freezing January snow. She lost some fingers and toes, but she survived, and famously testified that her 15-year-old brother, Ben, was the killer. Twenty-five years later, Ben sits in prison, and troubled Libby lives off the dregs of a trust created by well-wishers who've long forgotten her.
-
-
Riveting but brutal
- By Gray on 12-09-12
By: Gillian Flynn
-
Divergent
- By: Veronica Roth
- Narrated by: Emma Galvin
- Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue - Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is - she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
-
-
It's not for me. Loved it anyway.
- By Grant on 05-24-12
By: Veronica Roth
-
The Maze Runner
- Maze Runner, Book 1
- By: James Dashner
- Narrated by: Mark Deakins
- Length: 10 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He's surrounded by strangers - boys whose memories are also gone. Outside the towering stone walls that surround them is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It's the only way out - and no one's ever made it through alive. Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying: Remember. Survive. Run.
-
-
30 hours before the end...
- By Blue on 06-03-12
By: James Dashner
-
Relic
- Pendergast, Book 1
- By: Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child
- Narrated by: David Colacci
- Length: 13 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Just days before a massive exhibition opens at the popular New York Museum of Natural History, visitors are being savagely murdered in the museum's dark hallways and secret rooms. Autopsies indicate that the killer cannot be human.... But the museum's directors plan to go ahead with a big bash to celebrate the new exhibition, in spite of the murders.
-
-
Non-Perishable
- By Snoodely on 05-26-10
By: Douglas Preston, and others
-
Hard Magic
- Book I of the Grimnoir Chronicles
- By: Larry Correia
- Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot
- Length: 16 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jake Sullivan is a licensed private eye with a seriously hardboiled attitude. He also possesses raw magical talent and the ability to make objects in his vicinity light as a feather or as heavy as depleted uranium, all with a magical thought. It's no wonder the G-men turn to Jake when they need someoneto go after a suspected killer who has been knocking off banks in a magic-enhanced crime spree.
-
-
Not what I thought it was going to be.
- By Anonymous User on 08-06-11
By: Larry Correia
-
The Remaining
- By: D. J. Molles
- Narrated by: Christian Rummel
- Length: 8 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In a steel-and-lead-encased bunker 20 feet below the basement level of his house, a soldier waits for his final orders. On the surface, a plague ravages the planet, infecting over 90% of the populace. The bacterium burrows through the brain, destroying all signs of humanity and leaving behind little more than base, prehistoric instincts. The infected turn into hyper-aggressive predators, with an insatiable desire to kill and feed. Someday soon, the soldier will have to open the hatch to his bunker, and step out into this new wasteland, to complete his mission....
-
-
Die Hard Meets 28 Days Later
- By G Wallace on 01-10-14
By: D. J. Molles
-
The 5th Wave
- By: Rick Yancey
- Narrated by: Brandon Espinoza, Phoebe Strole
- Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After the first wave, only darkness remains. After the second, only the lucky escape. And after the third, only the unlucky survive. After the fourth wave, only one rule applies: Trust no one. Now, it's the dawn of the fifth wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth's last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker.
-
-
Not Your Typical YA Dystopian Fare
- By FanB14 on 05-21-13
By: Rick Yancey
-
Departure
- By: A.G. Riddle
- Narrated by: Nicola Barber, Scott Aiello
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
En route to London from New York, Flight 305 suddenly loses power and crash-lands in the English countryside, plunging a group of strangers into a mysterious adventure that will have repercussions for all of humankind. Struggling to stay alive, the survivors soon realize that the world they've crashed in is very different from the one they left. But where are they? Why are they here? And how will they get back home?
-
-
TODAY'S DECISIONS ARE TOMRROWS REALITY
- By Jim "The Impatient" on 02-06-17
By: A.G. Riddle
-
Ex-Heroes
- By: Peter Clines
- Narrated by: Jay Snyder, Khristine Hvam
- Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Stealth. Gorgon. Regenerator. Cerberus. Zzzap. The Mighty Dragon. They were heroes. Vigilantes. Crusaders for justice, using their superhuman abilites to make Los Angeles a better place. Then the plague of living death spread around the globe. Despite the best efforts of the superheroes, the police, and the military, the hungry corpses rose up and overwhelmed the country. The population was decimated, heroes fell, and the city of angels was left a desolate zombie wasteland like so many others.
-
-
Superheroes vs. Zombies? Sure, why not...
- By Aser Tolentino on 10-04-12
By: Peter Clines
-
Day By Day Armageddon
- By: J. L. Bourne
- Narrated by: Jay Snyder
- Length: 6 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In your hands is the handwritten journal depicting one man's struggle for survival. Trapped in the midst of global disaster, he must make decisions; choices that ultimately mean life, or the eternal curse to walk as one of them. Enter, if you will, into the world of the undead.
-
-
Freakin' AWESOME!
- By Brandon on 02-09-11
By: J. L. Bourne
-
Unwind
- Unwind Dystology, Book 1
- By: Neal Shusterman
- Narrated by: Luke Daniels
- Length: 10 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After America’s Second Civil War, the Pro-Choice and Pro-Life armies came to an agreement. According to their Bill of Life, human life may not be terminated from the moment of conception until the age of thirteen. But between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, the child may be gotten rid of by their parent through a process called “unwinding.”
-
-
Chilling, Scary, Difficult to Read
- By Joe on 11-11-20
By: Neal Shusterman
-
Plague of the Dead
- The Morningstar Strain, Book 1
- By: Z. A. Recht
- Narrated by: Oliver Wyman
- Length: 10 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The end begins with a viral outbreak unlike anything mankind has ever encountered before. The infected are subject to delirium, fever, a dramatic increase in violent behavior, and a one-hundred percent mortality rate. Death. But it doesn't end there. The victims return from death to walk the earth. When a massive military operation fails to contain the plague of the living dead it escalates into a global pandemic.
-
-
YOU MIGHT WANT TO PUT DOWN THAT CUP OF COFFEE
- By Jim "The Impatient" on 09-08-16
By: Z. A. Recht
-
Days of Panic
- EMP Survival Series, Book 1
- By: Jack Hunt
- Narrated by: Kevin Pierce
- Length: 6 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After an EMP obliterates the nation's electrical grid on New Year's Eve, it's not long before society unravels and panic ensues. As the lights go out and silence spreads over the city that never sleeps, four ordinary strangers - a bike messenger, a homeless person, a support rep, and an ex-convict - must forge a connection in order to stay alive. When they realize the danger is far greater than they expected, they must embark on a perilous journey out of the city.
-
-
Great story and great characters!
- By Natalie @ ABookLoversLife on 03-14-18
By: Jack Hunt
-
Rise of the Dead
- By: Jeremy Dyson
- Narrated by: John R. Crosthwaite
- Length: 7 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Blake was never one for taking chances. He lived in a world of formulas and equations. A statistician in a controlled society where everything had become predictably mundane. That world disappeared the day the dead got up and began attacking the living. Now, the end is here. Blake finds himself fighting for his life in a world that is rapidly spiraling out of control. He struggles to keep himself alive and must risk everything to find his family.
-
-
Excellent addition to the zombie genre!
- By ANGIE on 06-28-16
By: Jeremy Dyson
Would you consider the audio edition of First Activation to be better than the print version?
Yes, I like to listen rather than turn pages.What was one of the most memorable moments of First Activation?
One of the most memorable moments of First Activation was when Harry and Jack first left the plane in search of help for their fellow passengers.What does James Langton bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
His narration gave a distinct voice to each character and the pace of his reading kept the plot moving forward well.Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
I found myself caring for the characters who were in search of answers and safety. I was horrified by the violence and mayhem.Any additional comments?
Although it would be hard to watch the gore, this story could be made into a movie that many would go see.What If the World Went Mad?
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Distopian thriller at its best!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
If you could sum up First Activation in three words, what would they be?
OriginalSurprising
Driven
What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?
Interesting...the source of the "issue".Least...some of the characters have side issues that are derivative and don't easily move the story forward.
Which scene was your favorite?
The confrontation with the perpetrators was compelling and complicated.Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
I almost did. It came across as a short book, and, obviously, is the first of a series, which definitely left me wanting the sequel right away!Any additional comments?
The performer, James Langton , is outstanding in this effort. His charcterizations are consistent, original and lively. He brings a great deal to this dystopian story, and does so with energy and thoughtfulness. His performance alone makes this a worthwhile credit!You first...then it's my turn!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
First Activation
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This is not going to be a classic. It is a little different. No zombies, but seemingly normal people who kill and than commit suicide. It is hard to tell who the bad guys are until they try and kill you. This makes for a more horrifying situation than zombies who are obviously zombies. The conspiracy behind how these people became monsters is a little unique. I have only read one other book with a similar type of scenario, unless you count the one with the Nazi's.
GOLF USUALLY BORED ME TO TEARS, I LIKE MY ACTION FAST AND SWIFT
The main characters are okay. The plot has some holes you can fly a plane through, but I could not stop listening and I am at lost to as to why. Best I can figure is that it did stay entertaining and I wanted to know who and what was behind the whole thing.
WHEN I START SOMETHING I LIKE TO FINISH IT AS QHICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE.
If the next book goes on sale, I will buy it, but I don't think I am going to spend a whole credit.
MANNERS ARE FREE, BUT
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
short, well paced ..... light for a post-apocaly
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Where does First Activation rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
The story has some shortcomings but Jack and Harry are solid characters that you want to root for. I immediately picked up and started the Second Activation once I finished up the First Activation. It's not my favorite post-apocalyptic novel but it's an interesting story.What other book might you compare First Activation to and why?
The First Activation stops pretty suddenly the Second Activation picks up at the exact moment the first book ends.What about James Langton’s performance did you like?
James' girl voice is a bit strange, the male characters are solid.Any additional comments?
Don't get attached to anyone Jack and Harry meet.A solid post-apocalyptic tale, with a few holes
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
refreshingly different take on a familiar subject
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
A great thriller<br />
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Would you listen to First Activation again? Why?
No. It's memorable enough the first time.Would you recommend First Activation to your friends? Why or why not?
Maybe. It would depend on their particular interest and whether they're agreeable to a thus-far unending and bloody series.Have you listened to any of James Langton’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
Not that I recall, although I'm starting to keep an exhaustive database of such details. But he did a fabulous differentiation of characaters through his amazing ability to change his voice.If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
Blood and gory death everywhere.Any additional comments?
If you're into lots of gory deaths, by all means try this series. But be forewarned, things do not end with book one.Cliffhanger ending
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.