The Last Bastion of the Living: A Futuristic Zombie Novel by Rhiannon Frater

Jun 06, 2012 Giselle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, horror, zombies, adult

Pre-review that I will leave here because I think it's epic

Holy shit! This. Was. Incredibly. Insane. Rhiannon really outdid herself with this one. It's fascinating, definitely unique, and completely blew my mind.

I won't write a full review now. I'll wait til I read the finished product but I can promise you this is absolutely brilliant and like nothing you've read before. She takes zombies to a whole new, unimaginable level, adds in some romance, intrigue, and - as usual - excellent characters...more

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Jun 14, 2013 Carol rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: people interested in all things zombie

Recommended to Carol by: Trudi

Shelves: zombies, apocalypse, romance, multi-culti

I blame it on Trudi.

I started off rather indifferently, forcing myself through the opening scene of a troop of young recruits heading into battle against the living dead, otherwise known as the Inferi Scrouge. It's a powerful visual image (which is why it is used in combat movies) but there isn't enough emotional investment, and when next scene opens a year later, it causes mental whiplash. Maria, the lead we followed into combat, is waking up in bed with one of the commanders of the assault. T...more

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Jul 20, 2012 Patricia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: badass-heroine, hall-of-fame, post-apocalyptic, romance, sci-fi, thriller, new-adult

What happens when you throw together a little bit of this:

And this:

?

That's right. You get The Last Bastion of the Living. ~~Okay there are no vampires or lycans but both Kate and the book's cover model dons a spandex suit.~~ And man is our heroine one BADASS chick. Congrats Ms Frater, you have just gained a new fan.

The Last Bastion of the Living was everything I expected and more. After reading Courtney Summers' This is Not a Test, which, by the way, was depressing as hell (but it was still good),...more

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Jun 25, 2012 Glass rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, zombies, blog-tour, favorites

Review on my blog Ja čitam, a ti?

We've been talking a lot about Rhiannon Frater and her books last month - all of that was just warm up for today: day 7 of The Last Bastion of the Living Blog Tour. You can win ebook of this novel and if you check out other blog tour stops, you'll see there are few more goodies waiting just for you - full schedule is here.

I have to say that I never liked zombies, I do not watch Walking Dead and this is the first Rhiannon Frater novel that I've read. But... I thi...more

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Jun 11, 2012 Felicia A rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: apocalypse-of-some-sort, books-i-have-edited, zombies

YAYYYYYYYYYYYYY! Another editing project is now a published book! Now available, Last Bastion of the Living, another epic tome by Rhiannon Frater. LOVED this book.

8 likes · like · see review

Jul 15, 2012 Lori rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: end-of-the-world, fantasy, favorites, must-read, zombies, outerspace, thrillers, rhiannon-frater-melts-faces

I finished this last night. I am still speachless. This book was supreme awesomesauce. When I am being judged at the pearly gates and my zombie loving god (he's my god, don't judge) asks me what my favorite zombie novel was. The Last Bastion of the Living would HAVE to be my answer. I'm not sure how I feel about that. It feels traitorous to say that. I LOVE so many other zombie novels. I feel like I am downgrading them or betraying them. It has nothing to do with that. Rhiannon Frater literally...more I finished this last night. I am still speachless. This book was supreme awesomesauce. When I am being judged at the pearly gates and my zombie loving god (he's my god, don't judge) asks me what my favorite zombie novel was. The Last Bastion of the Living would HAVE to be my answer. I'm not sure how I feel about that. It feels traitorous to say that. I LOVE so many other zombie novels. I feel like I am downgrading them or betraying them. It has nothing to do with that. Rhiannon Frater literally just blew this shit out the water though guys! You cannot compare this to other zombie novels. It is in a league of its own. It was even leaps and bounds more awesome than her ATWD series.Note I did not say better. The two cannot be compared.
The Good:
The writing was perfection. You are IN this story. I would look up and get culture shock when I looked around and saw MY beautiful Maria sleeping in the bed next to me.
Maria Martinez was just the right mixture of kickass warrior and real girl. Sometimes female characters are just too badass to be believable.
The dystopia was also completely realistic. I loved it. These people aren't thriving. They aren't even surviving.
The villians are not one dimensional. They are a mixture of good and bad. You see their motivations for their devious ways. (Well some of them)
The zombies aren't really zombies in the traditional sense. Rhiannon created a whole new world. EVERYTHING is new.
The not so good:
This is a stand alone novel. Once you finish it. You are finished. Rhiannon has stated more than once she is DONE with this world. She leaves this future in our hands to imagine what happens next. I'm going to be honest. I don't have even a tenth of her imagination. My musings WILL fall flat. I want MORE but I have to be happy with what I have.
There is one story line about a cult that was introduced but nothing happened with it. We never find out if they are still around. I guess this is one of the things she left up to our imaginations.
visit http://contagiousreads.blogspot.com for more reviews and more of my thoughts on this book.(less)

7 likes · like · see review

May 14, 2012 Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker rated it 4 of 5 stars

Blog Tour- Badass Book Reviews- June 16th

Really enjoyed it!

7 likes · like · see review

Jun 18, 2012 Lisa {Silverlight} {Paranormal/Urban Fantasy Reviews} rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, booktour-review

Giveaway/GuestPost/Review on the blog

http://pnrurbanfantasyreviews.blogspo...

5 likes · like · see review

Jul 04, 2012 Smash added it

Shelves: zombies, dystopian-post-ap, read-2012, review-request-complete, multiple-pov, book-reviews, signed

Courtesy of Smash Attack Reads

Hold on to your hats, ladies and gents. Humanity is rearing up for one hell of a bumpy ride!

Interest in the book: Rhiannon Frater invited me to be part of the blog tour, and being a major fangirl, I could not say no. After the cover reveal, I was even more excited to read the book. Isn't that cover ridiculously awesome? At first, I thought it was a series, but then she corrected me. I am actually glad it's a standalone. The ending works. It felt right.

First Impressi...more

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May 19, 2012 Christy (Love of Books) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-galley, read-in-2012

I have to start by saying that I don’t like committing to do reviews for blog tours, because there’s been too many times where I didn’t care for the book and had to back out of the tour. However, when Rhiannon announced this tour for The Last Bastion of the Living, I had no qualms about doing a review since I’m so confident in her writing. The description of the book sounded badass, but admittedly, I knew there was the potential to go completely south with this type of story. After I read it, I...more
I have to start by saying that I don’t like committing to do reviews for blog tours, because there’s been too many times where I didn’t care for the book and had to back out of the tour. However, when Rhiannon announced this tour for The Last Bastion of the Living, I had no qualms about doing a review since I’m so confident in her writing. The description of the book sounded badass, but admittedly, I knew there was the potential to go completely south with this type of story. After I read it, I still had the opportunity to back out of doing a review, but no way was I going to. Why? Because I have to tell you how incredibly kick-ass this book is!

The Last Bastion of the Living is set in the future, after the world succumbed to the infestation of creatures called Inferi Scourge (a.k.a. zombies). I’m not even going to mention how or why the infection occurred, because that’s one of the coolest parts of the book. I’m telling you, Rhiannon’s mind is a wonderful thing! The Bastion is literally the last city of the living, where people live safely behind high walls – packed in like sardines. Things are going downhill quick, though. Resources are dangerously low, they’re running out of ammunition and fuel to kill the Inferi Scourge, and the Inferi Scourge seem to be changing. The fate of the city lays in the hands of a very unique group of soldiers, including Vanguard Maria Martinez.

Maria Martinez is the main character, and I absolutely freaking loved her! She is one tough chick. It should be no surprise by now to most of you that I love female characters who are strong, independent, and can handle themselves, yet are smart and caring. Maria was a perfect mixture of all those things. Another important character is Dwayne, Maria’s “undercover lover.” He’s 25 years her senior and outranks her, but that doesn’t bother me in the least. In fact, I adored Dwayne. The two of them together are great, he has her back no matter what.

The book is seriously action packed right from the beginning. There are twists and turns, and plenty of those “oh snap” moments. I’m not even joking – Rhiannon takes you on an incredible ride that will leave you wow’d! Kick-ass characters and a kick-ass story – you couldn’t ask for more. I know people have already started hounding Rhiannon for a sequel, but I have mixed feelings on that. I love the ending of this book so much, that it almost doesn’t seem right to continue. At the same time, I crave more of these characters and this world. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what the all mighty Frater will do.

Okay, so can you tell that I loved The Last Bastion of The Living? If not, let me make it very clear... I love this book! Should you read it? Abso-freaking-lutely! (less)

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Jul 03, 2012 Loretta rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: zombie, 2012-release, adult, tour, review-book, ebook, apocalyptic, horror

Review posted here:
http://www.betweenthepagesreviews.com...

100 years ago everything changed. The Inferi Scourge [Zombies] has forced everyone to live inside the Bastion. But the one thing that they need to do, to continue to survive life within the Bastion is close the gates. Which seems like is never going to happen. Every attempt has failed. This step is crucial for the people in the Bastion because, the food is running low, everything is falling apart, and eventually if something does not hap...more Review posted here:
http://www.betweenthepagesreviews.com...

100 years ago everything changed. The Inferi Scourge [Zombies] has forced everyone to live inside the Bastion. But the one thing that they need to do, to continue to survive life within the Bastion is close the gates. Which seems like is never going to happen. Every attempt has failed. This step is crucial for the people in the Bastion because, the food is running low, everything is falling apart, and eventually if something does not happen, they will die.
Maria was in the failed fight a couple years back to close the gates and she lost someone close to her. It is haunting to thinking that he may be out there.. among the Inferi Scourge, or as one of THEM. Maria was lucky to come out of it alive. Along with her that day was Dwayne. Through their fight against the Inferi Scourge, their lived almost taken away, brought them closer together. Although their relationship must be kept under wraps, for many reasons. The connection Maria and Dwayne share are very intimate. The connection is real. There were so many moments when they were together where you could feel that, and then when they was apart, it was even more. The one thing they both want is to live, together, beyond the confined spaces of the Bastion.
One day Maria is called into a top secret meeting with the SWD (Science Warfare Division), and is presented with some information that can put her in the place to help out the lives inside the Bastion. To be able to walk among the Inferi Scourge, taking them down one by one and eventually closing the gate and helping protect and prolong the life of her friends, family and ultimately being able to be with Dwayne. Maria is given a choice, and one she does accept. Everything that the SWD tells her seems to be cut-and-dry. But maybe they are leaving out some minor details, some very life altering details that will change everything for Maria. But Maria, along with her team soon realize that the things that they were told was not how it was planned from the beginning. Leaving you with a plot twisting, mind boggling ending, that will leave you on the edge of your seat, with tears in your eyes, and ultimately satisfied with every single word you just read.
Holy Hell. The Last Bastion of the Living was the shit. For real! And the very good kind of "the shit" (as in AWESOME)!
It was always very hard for me to "guess" what was going to happen to the point I gave up on that. And that is a good thing, right?! Who wants a plot you can just guess what is going to happen, or even have a inkling as to what would come? Not me. With The Last bastion of the Living, I was always gasping, and unable to break my eyes away from this book. I was in less terms: Blown Away! Rhiannon Frater has this impeccable gift of creating these worlds, & these characters that you fall head over heels in love with. The vivid detail in her writing always captivates me, and pulls me further and further into the book until I am left days after reading the book, thinking; wondering; and just devouring every gruesome detail I read in my brain over and over. That is when you know, the book you just read was absolutely amazing.

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Jun 12, 2012 Shelley aka Gizmo's Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-releases

*Genre* Dystopian
*Rating* 5.0

*Review*

It has been one hundred years since the outbreak of a virus that turned humans into the Inferi Scourge (zombies). The survivors now live in what’s called the Bastion which was supposed to be humanities new Garden of Eden. It hasn’t lived up to that billing. Time after time attempts have been made to push the Inferi back so that they can close the gates and residents of the Bastion can claim land that was supposed to be fertile for their crops. Residents are n...more *Genre* Dystopian
*Rating* 5.0

*Review*

It has been one hundred years since the outbreak of a virus that turned humans into the Inferi Scourge (zombies). The survivors now live in what’s called the Bastion which was supposed to be humanities new Garden of Eden. It hasn’t lived up to that billing. Time after time attempts have been made to push the Inferi back so that they can close the gates and residents of the Bastion can claim land that was supposed to be fertile for their crops. Residents are now forced to deal with roll backs in electricity and food shortages and patience is wearing thin.

Along comes a super-secret mission by the Science Warfare Division. One group of volunteers, including Vanguard Maria Martinez, is given the chance to walk among the Inferi for up to 6 months without being attacked. In essence, they are all injected with the virus that makes the Inferi and for all intents and purposes they become a different breed of the Inferi. This mission is supposed to give the SWD time to rid the valley of all the Inferi and close the gates once and for-all. Yet, not everything is as straight forward as the volunteers are led to believe.

The Last Bastion of the Living is one of the best books I’ve read this year. The story is a combination of Science Fiction and Horror which I totally gobble up like the last piece of cherry cheesecake! My favorite character throughout this story is Maria Martinez. She’s a character that you will totally fall in love with and root for from the first moment you meet her until the last chapter of the book.

Maria, without even thinking about the consequences, volunteers for the SWD mission to rid the valley of the Inferi. She firmly believes in the idea that she can finally live in peace without having to wake up in the morning and worry about the rolling blackouts and the food shortages. Her one constant companion is Castellan Dwayne Reichardt for whom she fell in love after the last mission to close the gates went badly and they both barely survived.

The romance is well written even without any sex scenes to spoil the story. Maria and Dwayne form a unique bond that is steeped in secrecy and respect for each other. Even though there is a major age factor between the characters, I didn’t feel that this was a negative connotation to the story. In fact, it made the romance even more amazing and appealing for me to follow and enjoy. The ending is sheer brilliance if I may say so. Seriously, you can’t think this stuff up! Well, Rhiannon can!

For those who have followed Frater’s other zombie series “As the World Dies” you have come to expect a certain type of world building and awesome characters. The Last Bastion doesn’t lessen that expectation. In fact, it actually makes you want more!

The one constant for The Last Bastion, is that Rhiannon writes her female characters to be flawed, yet up to each and every fight they are forced to fight. They’re not week kneed Mary Sue types who run at the first sign of trouble or cry at the drop of a hat. Maria’s character actually grows from the prologue to the ending. She understands the situation she has been placed in and doesn’t bemoan that fact.

Final thought, if you enjoy authors like Brad Thor and James Rollins, you will seriously love this book. Rhiannon has done her research and had her facts checked when it came to the military aspect of this story. Great job!

Blog Tour Gizmo's Reviews Tour Date June 13th!(less)

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Jun 13, 2013 Maja rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: all-the-right-choices, alternating-povs, audiobooks, best-of-2013, horror, for-review, just-another-book-crush, surprise-surprise, zombies-zombies-everywhere, favorites

4.5 stars

I wasn’t even the least bit surprised by how much I enjoyed The Last Bastion of the Living. Rhiannon Frater is well known for being a horror writer par excellence, and she only confirmed her status with this futuristic zombie novel. Well, she did a bit more than that: she outdid herself and surpassed all my expectations by far.

Vanguard Maria Martinez is an officer of the constabulary. Although young, she’s already a decorated war hero with a very strong sense of duty. Her job is to gua...more 4.5 stars

I wasn’t even the least bit surprised by how much I enjoyed The Last Bastion of the Living. Rhiannon Frater is well known for being a horror writer par excellence, and she only confirmed her status with this futuristic zombie novel. Well, she did a bit more than that: she outdid herself and surpassed all my expectations by far.

Vanguard Maria Martinez is an officer of the constabulary. Although young, she’s already a decorated war hero with a very strong sense of duty. Her job is to guard the wall that separates the living from the dead – the Bastion from the zombie-infested lands – but the war against the Inferi Scourge, i.e. the zombies, has long ago been lost. The last city, last Bastion, is fighting for mere survival, nothing more. Maria doesn’t remember a world without the scrags, but when she is called to lead a desperate mission, she sees it as her duty to accept.

Castellan Dwayne Reichardt is Maria’s boyfriend, twenty five years her senior. They keep their relationship a secret for several valid reasons, but their love is strong and true. He is there to support Maria every step of the way, and he never hesitates to bend a few rules if that’s what it takes to keep her safe. Frater did something not many authors do: she wrote a solid relationship that was already established at the beginning of the novel and that remained a warm, comforting presence throughout. This story did not need relationship angst – it needed both Maria and Dwayne, confident in their love and united against their enemies. Everything about them was perfectly realistic and even though they were physically apart most of the time, their love kept softening the edges of this story.

The Last Bastion of the Living is told both from Maria’s and Dwayne’s third person points of view, and both perspectives were needed to understand the full extent of their troubles. Frater is a fabulous storyteller, one who knows how to build up tension to an almost unbearable level, and The Last Bastion is her most mature work to date, unpredictable and fascinating.

Kristin Allison narrated this audiobook and I thought she did a stunning job. Her voice is calm, measured and mature-sounding, perfect for a fierce soldier like Maria. She narrated the action scenes in that same tranquil manner, which, instead of making them seem dull, increased the creepiness and the tension. She was an excellent choice for a book like The Last Bastion and I won’t hesitate to buy something narrated by her in the future.

As for Rhiannon Frater and I, our love story is only just beginning. She’ll keep writing, I’ll keep reading and we’ll both live happily ever after.
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Aug 10, 2012 Mary rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone

Shelves: favorites

The Last Bastion of the Living is the best zombie novel I’ve read and one of my favorite overall reads this year. Rhiannon is quite a story-teller and not only did a good job at world-building but also created characters that I cared about from the start.

A zombie virus (affected are called Inferi Scourge or Scrags) has been released into the world and the majority of the population has become infected. The survivors have moved together into a walled city (the Bastion). But, they have no way to g...more The Last Bastion of the Living is the best zombie novel I’ve read and one of my favorite overall reads this year. Rhiannon is quite a story-teller and not only did a good job at world-building but also created characters that I cared about from the start.

A zombie virus (affected are called Inferi Scourge or Scrags) has been released into the world and the majority of the population has become infected. The survivors have moved together into a walled city (the Bastion). But, they have no way to grow enough food and electricity can be sporadic. There is a valley outside the Bastion that would allow them to have a power plant, mining, cattle and to grow food. But, the valley was overrun by the Scrags when the gate failed. A branch of the government, the Science Warfare Division, comes up with a plan to allow a group of soldiers to walk among the Scrags while taking them out. They will close the gate, kill the Inferi Scourge and the population can move back into the valley. One of the soldiers chosen is Maria, a war hero from a prior battle with the Scourge. She is tough as nails but still a woman. Her boyfriend, Dwayne, is also her superior officer (I know, I know…it’s okay! These are tough times.) Dwayne is part of the Constabulary (military) and isn’t included in the planning or execution of this mission. When Maria leaves they find a way to still communicate covertly. And, it’s a good thing that they do.

This story has it all – action, relationships – both romantic and friendly, political maneuvering, hacking and more. I loved, loved, loved Maria. She is a dedicated soldier, friend and kicks butt! If there is a zombie apocalypse, I definitely want her on my side. Dwayne was the perfect partner for her. They had a real relationship. There were a few plot twists towards the end (one in particular) that I didn’t see coming. I love that!

There were several typographical errors but it’s an E-book and I loved it so much that I cannot deduct for them. Definitely 5/5 stars. I would give it more if I could! Recommended for everyone.
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Jun 14, 2012 Book Twirps rated it 5 of 5 stars

Awesome. Amazing. Thrilling. Original. Unexpected.

The end.

What, you want more? Well, let’s see. I fell in love with Rhiannon’s As the World Dies trilogy. Like, seriously, In. Love. (I blame this all on Giselle from Xpressoreads by the way). I was so addicted to this series that, once I finished it, I immediately forced it down all of my friend’s throats.

When I found out Rhiannon had another zombie book coming out, I immediately jumped at the chance to participate in the tour. I was excited to s...more Awesome. Amazing. Thrilling. Original. Unexpected.

The end.

What, you want more? Well, let’s see. I fell in love with Rhiannon’s As the World Dies trilogy. Like, seriously, In. Love. (I blame this all on Giselle from Xpressoreads by the way). I was so addicted to this series that, once I finished it, I immediately forced it down all of my friend’s throats.

When I found out Rhiannon had another zombie book coming out, I immediately jumped at the chance to participate in the tour. I was excited to see how she might possibly top the previous books. A lot of times I’ve noticed that when authors write about a subject (ie: zombies, vampires, etc) they tend to get stuck and just regurgitate their old stories, but that is so not the case here. Rhiannon took the standard zombie we all know and (most of us) love, shook it up, infused it with a whole lot of bad-assery, and made it even more terrifying.
In The Last Bastion of the Living, we meet Vanguard Maria Martinez, a soldier who’s fought long and hard to protect the citizens of the Bastion from the vicious Inferi Scourge (the zombies) that roam the land outside the city walls. She’s lost people close to her. She’s made a lot of sacrifices. She’s tired. She wants a new life. She’s awesome. I loved her. Let me just say that I wasn’t sure Rhiannon could top Jenny and Katie — they were two very strong women — but she did it with Maria. I loved everything about her. I felt her pain and her need to survive. I was with her 100%. That’s one thing about Rhiannon’s books — she “gets” her characters. They are so real, and you learn to care so much for them, that pretty soon you get to the point where she could put them in a tutu and make them dance the Macarena with a zombie and you’d be like, “Yeah, okay. Get it, girl. Finish that dance then kick that zombie’s ass.” Okay, so maybe that would be a little weird, but I’m pretty sure Rhiannon could pull it off and make us buy into it without so much as a blink of an eye.

The rest of the characters in this book are just as engaging. Each one of them has a purpose — some will have you cheering them on, and others will have you wanting to rip off their face. What I really enjoyed was the fresh take on the zombie virus. I won’t give anything away, I’ll just say that it was totally original and unexpected. I was definitely on my toes with this one.

And can we talk about the battle scenes? Holy intensity. Even when they weren’t fighting I was still on edge because I was just waiting for something to go wrong. Sheer brilliance I tell ya.

I could go on and on about this book, (see, you’re wishing I had stopped after the first sentence, aren’t you?) but I’ll let you check it out for yourself and see how awesome it is. You can thank me later.(less)

3 likes · like · see review

Jul 04, 2012 Bonnie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tour, eek-the-creepies, zombies-like-brains, adult

Blog Tour - July 3rd! Visit my blog to win your own copy!
4.5 stars

After thoroughly enjoying the author’s ‘As the World Dies’ trilogy which was full of super awesome and terribly gruesome zombies, I was all on board for more. The Last Bastion of the Living completely knocked it out of the part for me. Set in a future completely changed and desolate, the zombies have destroyed any chance of survival for the last known group of people on Earth. Grasping at straws, the government makes one last desp...more Blog Tour - July 3rd! Visit my blog to win your own copy!
4.5 stars

After thoroughly enjoying the author’s ‘As the World Dies’ trilogy which was full of super awesome and terribly gruesome zombies, I was all on board for more. The Last Bastion of the Living completely knocked it out of the part for me. Set in a future completely changed and desolate, the zombies have destroyed any chance of survival for the last known group of people on Earth. Grasping at straws, the government makes one last desperate attempt to reclaim the surrounding lands and to solidify the livelihood of all.

Much like her ‘As the World Dies’ trilogy, Rhiannon never lacks for vivid and highly likeable characters and an exciting storyline to boot. The main character, Maria, is an extremely strong and independent woman and she can kick some serious ass too. The story also switches up point-of-view with Maria’s boyfriend Dwayne who was also a well written character. One thing that I have to make note of is the relationship between Maria and Dwayne: an incredibly realistic relationship; something that I think is highly lacking in fiction novels these days. The strength of their bond was palpable in addition to how much they loved each other. It was a fabulous addition to the story but didn’t overpower the actual storyline in any way.

And speaking of the storyline… I cannot remember the last time I was reading a book and it created such vivid imagery in my mind to the point where it was as if I was watching a movie reel playing in my head. And what a badass movie it was! The writing didn’t have the feel of a screenplay thankfully, but I nonetheless could definitely see a movie being made from this story.

Only disappointment was the realization that this was a stand-alone novel so the story was over! I could definitely see potential paths that future installments could go with to make it a series but then again there was something satisfying about reading the story in its entirety and being done with it without having to wait for future installments. Stand-alone novels seem to be quite rare these days and I read far too many series so this was a nice change.

With a surprisingly original and refreshing take on the normal zombie tale this was a highly enjoyable thrill ride. Zombie lovers need not miss out on this gem. (less)

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Jun 13, 2012 Damali rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: military and scifi fans

Shelves: dystopian-pa-zombies-survivalist

The last surviving city of the zombie apocalypse is running out of resources, and is very close to being infiltrated by the zombies that wait outside their walls day and night. Maria is selected to go on a secret mission that, if it works, will give them more access to vital resources. But the government doesn't tell her everything, and she soons finds herself dealing with more than she bargained for.

I did like the gadgets and the setting and, in theory, I should like this type of dystopia. I lo...more

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Mar 27, 2013 Rosemary rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

This is why I read ….

Every once in a while a book comes along that keeps you glued to the story unfolding. This, to me, was one of those books.

One of the paragraphs in the book says a lot about the story, and I found it powerful in the build up to what was to follow.

“Today was the last great battle against the creatures that had wiped out nearly all of humanity. Today would either ensure the future of generations to come, or start the countdown to human extinction”.

I think Rhiannon did a really...more This is why I read ….

Every once in a while a book comes along that keeps you glued to the story unfolding. This, to me, was one of those books.

One of the paragraphs in the book says a lot about the story, and I found it powerful in the build up to what was to follow.

“Today was the last great battle against the creatures that had wiped out nearly all of humanity. Today would either ensure the future of generations to come, or start the countdown to human extinction”.

I think Rhiannon did a really great job with a difficult but very interesting story line. She is a skilled story teller and she weaves her story around strong, well developed characters that draw you in from the start, especially Maria and Dwayne who have to overcome the Inferi Scourge, politicians, scientists and even their own leaders, who all have their own agendas, some of which are shocking.

The military manoeuvres, the machinery and weaponry used and how it all worked, was a bit over my head at first but she did a superb job in explaining it all, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I also liked that the book was futuristic; it was great to read a book about how humanity was surviving years after the apocalypse, but how sad that politics and power are still so high on the agenda even when humanity is on the brink of total annihilation (yeah, I know it is a book, but the whole power play is so totally believable and so typical, it had me seething at the unfairness of it all)

The book is fast paced and full of action, with brave soldiers fighting an impossible battle – even though they have/are a ‘secret weapon’, the task that was set for them seemed doomed to fail, and each and every step they took kept me on the edge of my seat. Interestingly too, it illustrates humanity’s hope for the future in a world where nothing can be taken for granted, and yet the actions of one or two people can destroy what so many are trying to preserve for future generations.

I believe this is a stand-alone novel, but if a sequel is ever written, I will be one of the first to buy it – it was BRILLIANT!!!!(less)

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Jan 10, 2013 Vanessa theJeepDiva rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, audio-book, futuristic, zombies, apocalypse

I absolutely loved everything about this book. Maria is amazing! She is tough, she is a born leader, and she has some serious heart. She is the soldier that you want fighting beside you. She is willing to sacrifice so much to help the survivors in the Bastion. Maria is kind, caring, and loving, most of all she is loyal to what she believes in. She is one of the best heroines that I have read in a long time.

I was shocked at all the revelations made. There were so many lies, cover ups, intentiona...more

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Jan 26, 2013 Andi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, zombies

Originally posted on Pink Fluffy Hearts

This is not the ordinary zombie novel, it was so much more than I ever expected too. First off, Maria is one badass heroine. She is a very realistic soldier; loyal to her city and superiors, but she’s also very emotional when it comes to actually going into battle. There’s not really a slow start to the introduction to both Maria and this world, because the prologue starts with a big battle against the Inferni Scourge that surrounds The Bastion. Things do n...more Originally posted on Pink Fluffy Hearts

This is not the ordinary zombie novel, it was so much more than I ever expected too. First off, Maria is one badass heroine. She is a very realistic soldier; loyal to her city and superiors, but she’s also very emotional when it comes to actually going into battle. There’s not really a slow start to the introduction to both Maria and this world, because the prologue starts with a big battle against the Inferni Scourge that surrounds The Bastion. Things do not go well, which is bad because the city is basically running out of all supplies and all hope, but for Maria she is able to find some hope when she saved fellow soldier, Dwayne. I was very wary I guess of their relationship and it was kind of a turnoff for me until we are able to learn more of their story and growth together and their epic love- yes I said epic.

After the big failed battle, Maria in a promoted position, still walks the wall on guard day after day. When she’s called into the SWD and accepts the special mission, she takes on much more than she bargained for. This is where there’s a bit of a lull for a good chunk of the book while the teams prepare to take out the Scourge and close the gate. It doesn’t last long though once outside and the fighting begins there was always something happening. There are secrets galore that the upper-ups are keeping from the soldiers and discoveries that they might not just be surround by mindless Scourge, but something much more dangerous, things that are very hungry.

While Maria and the other special soldiers chosen are off the valley killing and burning, Dwyane and a friend of Maria’s work to find out what’s really going on behind the scenes at the SWD, which gives us a full picture of just how messed up things have become in The Bastion. While trying not to give too much away, the secrets relating to the team’s mission are pretty crazy, but they come nowhere near the revelation of what really started the first outbreak. After I read that I must’ve laughed for a good five minutes, because I can honestly say I didn’t see that coming at all. I still kinda loose it at how out there it is. Despite that, the ending brings everything to a good conclusion for Maria and Dwyane even though there was a lot of dying going on.

I think that one of my favorite things about this series is how it doesn’t take place in the initial outbreak and instead it’s well into an established one where society has adjusted. This makes it a great recommendation if you’ve read several zombie books and would like something a bit different. It can also fit into the genres of dystopian, post-apocalyptic and science-fiction so don’t discount this if you don’t like the zombie craze.(less)

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Dec 29, 2012 Christina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: apocolyptic-dystopia, audiobook

This is my first zombie book and I really enjoyed it! It's fast paced, exciting, and the story was well written with just the right amount of suspense and horror. These elements were so well done that they pretty much overshadowed the negatives of the book.

My main gripe about the book is that the soldiers seemed very naive. They're continually lied to and they know information is being kept from them, but they just go on trusting what they're told. This part of the story was very predictable an...more

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Jun 04, 2012 Melissa Caldwell rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was very VERY very excited when I was offered a chance to review this book. I loved Rhiannon Frater's As the World Dies series, so of course I wanted to read more of her work! First things first, this is NOT like AtWD. There are zombies, but they aren't the same. This is an entirely different species of zombie books. Okay? Got that? :) Good.

Now onto the good stuffs! I thought the concept of this book was fresh and interesting. The Inferi (zombies) are the main driving force behind most of the...more

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Nov 06, 2012 MommyDearest rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 06, 2012 Christen *Goldilox And The Three Weres* marked it as to-read

Shelves: review-e-book

Last Bastion of the Living tour - June 28th at http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogs... - Review and interview with author Rhiannon Frater!

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Aug 29, 2012 Muse rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who loves zombies books with a twist

Shelves: thriller, zombie, will-read-again

TITLE: The Last Bastion of the Living: A Futuristic Zombie Novel
AUTHOR: Rhiannon Frater
GENRE: Horror, Thriller
PUBLISHED: June 11, 2012
WORD COUNT: 119685 (approximate)
RATING: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
PURCHASE LINKS: Amazon // Barnes & Noble // Smashwords

Review:

The Bastion was humanity’s last hope against the fearsome undead creatures known as the Inferi Scourge.

A fortified city with a high wall, surrounded by lush land rich with all the resources needed to survive, protected by high mountain summits, and...more

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Feb 18, 2013 JennyJen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, stand-alone, zombies, be-still-my-heart, kickass, gritty, what-a-heroine-should-be, curveball-city, deliciously-gut-wrenching, give-all-the-stars, gore-galore, riveting, romance-sans-the-cheese, she-is-not-just-a-pretty-face, read-2012, reread

October 2012 - ★★★★★

February 2013 - ★★★★★

Just as satisfying the second time around. Review to come.

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Nov 20, 2012 Darlene rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, books-given-for-review

I received this audiobook from the author in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any compensation for my review, and the views expressed herein are my own.

Rhiannon Frater has done it again! She has totally sucked me into her zombie-infested world!!

The Last Bastion of the Living: A Futuristic Zombie Novel is a post-apocalyptic story, where zombies (now named “Inferi Scourge” because they were infected by the Inferi Scourge Plague Virus or “ISPV”) have taken over the world. About 40...more I received this audiobook from the author in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any compensation for my review, and the views expressed herein are my own.

Rhiannon Frater has done it again! She has totally sucked me into her zombie-infested world!!

The Last Bastion of the Living: A Futuristic Zombie Novel is a post-apocalyptic story, where zombies (now named “Inferi Scourge” because they were infected by the Inferi Scourge Plague Virus or “ISPV”) have taken over the world. About 40 years prior to the current setting of the story, a walled city was established and Earth’s remaining survivors were flown there. The bastion was capable of housing 2,000,000 people and included a valley for cultivation so that the residents could be self-sustaining. The valley also included the city’s water and power sources. An immense 10-story wall, which was 12-feet thick, encompassed the fortress to protect the city from the Inferi Scourge (aka “scrags”). Due to what was believed to be a mechanical malfunction, the gate to the wall in the valley was opened and the scrags overtook the valley.

The residents of the bastion are prisoners. Because they no longer have access to the resources in the valley, their supplies are dwindling. To conserve power, there are nightly black-outs. There are some people, like Special Sergeant Maria Martinez, who have never known life outside of the walled city. She is a constabulary officer, and she is a part of the army that is responsible for protecting the city from the scrags. They keep watch atop the walls for any breaches in the perimeter. She had participated in a previous mission into the valley to try to rid the valley of scrags, but the attempt failed. She sustained critical injuries, but she survived. She dreams of life outside the walls, but she fears that it is an unattainable fantasy.

When Maria is summoned by the Science Warfare Division of the government to a top secret meeting, she is informed that the Division has developed a serum that will enable her to walk among the scrags undetected so that she can neutralize them. Desperate to make her dream a reality, she agrees to the assignment. Maria soon discovers, however, that she has not been told the entire truth.

Frater’s sci-fi element adds something different to the typical zombie story. I was worried that the story might be too similar to her other zombie series, As The World Ends trilogy, but the futuristic components gave this book a fresh feel. Maria is a totally kick-ass heroine, and I loved her right from the get-go. Her strength and bravery are limitless, and I love her devotion to her family notwithstanding being shunned by her mother because she fears for her daughter’s safety. Frater makes us sympathetic even to Maria’s mother, whose husband was also a constabulary officer who was killed by scrags. She cannot bear to lose her daughter as well. The romance between Maria and Dwayne, an officer who is nearly twice her age, had the right combination of passion, vulnerability, and sweetness.

Narrator Kristin Allison is new to me, and I quite liked her portrayal of Maria. Her pace was excellent, and I found her reading to be enjoyable. You could hear the different ranges of emotion in Maria’s voice, and Allison held my attention.

I have to add that the cover is totally hot! Whoever designed it did Maria justice! She manages to look both kick-ass and wickedly hot at the same time!

I have no idea if this is a stand-alone or if there are plans to continue he series, but I want more! Frater is my favourite author that I have discovered this year, and I can't wait to read more of her work!

MY RATING: 5 stars!! It was superb! I loved it, and I will likely re-read it again in the future! You should definitely read it! A big thanks to Rhiannon for the opportunity to review this audiobook!(less)

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May 08, 2012 Zo rated it 5 of 5 stars

Being a fan of Rhiannon Frater for some time, one would think I could never be shocked or surprised...and boy was I WRONG!!! Bastion is simply a Phenom. This book brings forth Rhiannon's amazing ability to bring her characters to life, along with a startling new twist to the zombie genre. If anyone is looking for a heart pounding ride, combined with a sci-fi/zombie apocalyptic story then please read this book. And all you As the World Dies fans you will not be disappointed one bit. I am so proud...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Patricia Noland rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book! It takes the zombie story in a completely different direction than I've ever seen before. The ending was superb. I love the many different writing styles of Rhiannon Frater. She has another zombie series which I also love. These are two totally different worlds and it doesn't even feel like the same author wrote these stories. I hate it when you've read one book and you've pretty much read all their work because all they do is change a couple things.

The writing is terrific,...more

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Jun 27, 2012 Chapter by Chapter rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was just…WOW! With it being the writing of author, Rhinannon Frater, I knew that this was going to be an amazing read, but I didn’t expect The Last Bastion of the Living to be this amazing. Action packed and full of emotion, The Last Bastion of the Living did not disappoint.

The book starts off completely full of action and with zombies. From that point, I was already hooked, and I didn’t want to look back. I was ready to fully immerse myself into this world of death, fear, and lost hop...more This book was just…WOW! With it being the writing of author, Rhinannon Frater, I knew that this was going to be an amazing read, but I didn’t expect The Last Bastion of the Living to be this amazing. Action packed and full of emotion, The Last Bastion of the Living did not disappoint.

The book starts off completely full of action and with zombies. From that point, I was already hooked, and I didn’t want to look back. I was ready to fully immerse myself into this world of death, fear, and lost hope.

The writing style of Rhiannon Frater is one that you won’t soon forget. Every detail described, every secret divulged brought me deeper and deeper into this Dystopian world riddled with zombies. The pages, the images, everything played out in my mind like a well-orchestrated movie. Everything from the conversations between the characters, to the action sequence scenes…everything flowed together in perfection.

The book flips back and forth between main protagonist, Vanguard Maria Martinez and her boyfriend, Dwayne Reichardt. Both soldiers in the Bastion Constabulary, they are both hoping that the government for whom they fight for will one day be successful in ridding the world of the Inferi Scourge that plagues the world outside of The Bastion, the last remaining human civilization. With the threat of the depletion of their food storage, the government attempts another push at eliminating the Inferi Scourge, and reclaiming what was once theirs.

Maria is selected as a primary candidate for a secret operation, along with 40 others, who are given an altered variation of the Inferi Scourge virus – making them the very things that they are trained to kill, but without the yearning need to bite and infect. From this point on, everything is go-go-go! Chock full of non-stop action, unbelievable twists and turns, and an ending that will leave you breathless.

A must read for any zombie fan, Rhiannon Frater’s The Last Bastion of the Living: A Futuristic Zombie Novel is a book that you will keep you on your toes, take you on an emotional ride, and will be a read that you won’t soon forget.(less)

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Fantasy Aficionados: Giveaway of Last Bastion of the Living!	1	11	Jun 16, 2012 11:38am
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Paranormal Addict...: Giveaway of Last Bastion of the Living!	1	5	Jun 16, 2012 11:35am
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