Two is one and one is none

That wisdom had guided Doug as he prepped the family bunker. If only he had thought more about all that it implied.

When the long-awaited apocalypse finally arrives, billions of people are lost and the world is reduced to a lifeless desert. But Doug celebrates. He and his family have survived. That’s all that matters.

Yet, the bunker he worked so hard to build can no longer protect them. First divided by their choice to leave, an epic storm splits his family even more. On their increasingly fractured odysseys, each of them must navigate around all those who remain: paranoid survivalists, self-annihilation cults, skull-faced militias, and worse.

Doug had been certain the world could only get better once it was destroyed. What he had not prepared for, however, were people just like him.

An ironic twist on post-apocalyptic fiction, Mark Nihlean’s debut novel, ONE IS NONE, refutes the short-sighted obsession with doomsday prepping—a brutal cautionary tale exposing the selfish loneliness at the heart of end-of-the-world fantasies.

  • "Mark Nihlean’s ONE IS NONE paints a hauntingly realistic dystopian landscape where survival hinges on the fragility of human connection. The writing is well done stylistically, immersing readers in a world that feels disturbingly plausible."

    ★★★★★

    Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews

  • "Mark Nihlean offers a refreshingly realistic take on post-apocalyptic fiction, focusing on the psychological and emotional unraveling of a prepper rather than just external threats or paranormal phenomena like most books of this kind...There’s no small amount of dark irony to Nihlean’s intelligent exploration of how prepping can foster isolation and selfishness...[a] sharp critique of the doomsday mindset."

    ★★★★★

    Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews

  • "ONE IS NONE is a haunting and skillfully crafted novel that leaves a lasting impact. Mark Nihlean's storytelling dives deep into the human psyche, exploring the resilience, fears, and darkness that emerge in desperate times. For those who appreciate well-executed thrillers that challenge their emotions and perceptions, this book is a compelling, if harrowing, choice."

    ★★★★★

    Winner: Gold Book Award

    Literary Titan

About the Author

Mark Nihlean is a long-time Arizonan currently living abroad with his wife and two children. He is an MFA graduate whose short fiction and poetry have been published in literary journals throughout the US and UK. ONE IS NONE is his first novel.

You can contact him at marknihlean [at] gmail [dot] com and follow him on most social networks @marknihlean.