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Last Days

3.85 of 5 stars 3.85 · rating details · 262 ratings · 92 reviews

When indie filmmaker, Kyle Freeman is offered a deal to make a documentary about a notorious cult, an opportunity to avoid both bankruptcy and obscurity is finally on the Table.

Led by the infamous sister katherine, the Temple of The Last Days reached it's bloody endgame in the Arizona desert in 1975. Ever since, rumour and speculation about the group's mystical secrets and...more

Paperback, 531 pages

Published 2012 by Macmillan

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Jun 12, 2013 Ginger Nuts rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Not content with scaring me witless with his last novel, Ritual, a novel that still has me look over my shoulder, and jumping at every sudden noise, when I go for a walk in the woods.

Adam Nevill, has now decided to pile on the scares, chills and horror with his latest stunning masterpiece. And I don't say that lightly, Nevill, really is a master of the genre, he effortlessly combines bone chill scares, and atmospheric settings, with realistic dialogue, and above all characters, that aren't you...more
Not content with scaring me witless with his last novel, Ritual, a novel that still has me look over my shoulder, and jumping at every sudden noise, when I go for a walk in the woods.

Adam Nevill, has now decided to pile on the scares, chills and horror with his latest stunning masterpiece. And I don't say that lightly, Nevill, really is a master of the genre, he effortlessly combines bone chill scares, and atmospheric settings, with realistic dialogue, and above all characters, that aren't your typical cookie cutter protagonist. If you are looking for a book populated with handsome heroes and dazzling heroines, then you should look elsewhere. However, if you are looking for novels where the characters act real, characters that when faced with unnatural situations don't automatically turn into the muscled super hero beloved by many books, but actually act much like you and I would. The moan, bitch, argue amongst themselves and generally stumble there way to the books conclusion. It's these characteristics that makes his books special, well that and Nevill's ability to chill me to the very core of my being.
Last Days tells the story of struggling indie film maker Kyle Freeman, who is given an opportunity of a lifetime, one that would pay off all his debts and set him up for life. Tasked with filming the story of the a cult called The Church Of The Last Days, Kyle will soon discover that the Cult is far from dead, and there are things from beyond the veil desperate to find there way back to this plane.

This is an expansive and ambitious novel, that sets new standards in terror. The rich and detailed back story that intertwines itself around the main narrative adds a fascinating depth to an already exceptional novel. I loved how this novel also gave a knowing wink to the earlier works of Nevill, those of you who have read his other stuff will raise a wry smile at them, and those of you who haven't go and get Adam's other novels, read them first then read this, trust me it's an experience that you will love.

Last Days is one of the best modern Occult horror stories that I have read in recent memory, it's one of those novels that I would give to those who don't do horror. Yes the writing is that good.

My only gripe, is thanks to this book I have to keep checking that odd stain on the wall of my walk in wardrobe, I swear I can see a face there.(less)

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May 08, 2013 Craig DiLouie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In LAST DAYS by Adam Nevill, Kyle, a documentary filmmaker, is contracted by a mysterious figure to shoot a film on a notorious ’70s cult known as the Temple of the Last Days, headed by its infamous leader, Sister Katherine. Kyle’s exploration plunges him into the cruel history of the cult, which ended in a bloody massacre in the American desert. As he delves deeper, however, a greater mystery reveals itself, and Kyle finds himself haunted by strange events, ghastly artifacts, dangerous night vi...more

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Apr 14, 2013 Patti rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a legitimately scary book. It takes a lot for a book to really scare me. The first was The Shining, which I read in junior high and had to physically remove from my room before I'd go to bed.
This wasn't quite as scary as that but it was still an excellent read.

The main character is Kyle, a documentary filmmaker who has fallen on some hard times. He is kinda desperate for work and so he takes on a project about a notorious cult that started in the late 60s and imploded in spectacular fas...more

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Mar 09, 2013 Maxine McLister rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Kyle Freeman is a down-on-his-luck freelance documentarian with no prospects or rent payment for the foreseeable future. So when Max Solomon offers him the opportunity to make a documentary about the infamous Temple of the Last Days cult of the 1970s, Kyle jumps at the chance. It's not just the boatload of money that's being offered or the real possibility of actual future respect in his craft although these are certainly a big part of his motivation for taking the job; it is also curiosity abou...more

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Feb 18, 2013 Suspense Magazine added it · review of another edition

I pounced upon this book when I first saw it. I knew I held something different, something unique. This is not some typical plot about a nutty religious group. Forget all preconceptions. I didn’t realize how deep this went, how vivid the descriptions were, how the memorable and haunted characters would come alive on the pages. Nevill knows how to write a book and if you can say that about an author, you know you’re in for a special experience.

Kyle Freeman is a documentary filmmaker down on his l...more

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Feb 14, 2013 Ionia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I would have given this book 3 and a half if I had the option. I liked this book, but it took me a long time to get to the part I liked. The beginning is interesting during the prologue, but then at chapter one it feels procedural, technical and began to lose my interest. It took quite a while for me to get to the point in the book where I was really impressed with the story.

It does get there, and once it does this book is very frightening and terrifying just as one would expect from the cover....more

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Dec 29, 2012 Nenia Campbell rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of Scott Sigler

Shelves: x-2012s, netgalley, did-not-finish-or-skimmed

You can read my reviews at my blog, The Armchair Librarian!

I was suckered in from the start by the comparison to Stephen King, who just so happens to be one of my all-time favorite horror writers. The creepy-gorgeous cover didn't hurt, either.

Unfortunately, Stephen King seems to be the fallback description people use when they can't think of another person with whom they can compare to horror writers. Kind of like how E.L. James is now used for ANYONE who writes romantica novels.

Adam Nevill is m...more

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Oct 22, 2012 Dickydavis rated it 3 of 5 stars

Three stars is perhaps a bit harsh, but when a book is let down so badly by it's ending I don't feel like I have much of a choice. (3.5 ideally.)

Before that, I would have happily given it four; it scared me more in parts than any other book has for some time, and has genuinely terrifying sequences (it passed the scary book acid test: it made me put of getting up in the night to go to the toilet in the dark, to the point of nearly wetting the bed at times...) and some of the imagery is excellentl...more

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Jul 28, 2012 Barry rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror

Adam Nevill is becoming one of the most celebrated thriller/horror authors of recent times. And, on the whole I would agree with the plaudits.

Last Days tells the story of Kyle, a freelance documentary maker who is recruited to make a film about a cult called The Temple of the Last Days who self-destructed during the mid-seventies. Kyle, who it should be noticed, makes a few references to a film he made about the events that occurred in Nevill's previous novel: The Ritual - takes up the offer and...more Adam Nevill is becoming one of the most celebrated thriller/horror authors of recent times. And, on the whole I would agree with the plaudits.

Last Days tells the story of Kyle, a freelance documentary maker who is recruited to make a film about a cult called The Temple of the Last Days who self-destructed during the mid-seventies. Kyle, who it should be noticed, makes a few references to a film he made about the events that occurred in Nevill's previous novel: The Ritual - takes up the offer and with his friend (Dan) sets about interviewing the cult's members - or rather, those that have survived into the present day.

Fairly quickly it transpires that all is not as it should be and matters supernatural start to intrude.

So far so good. Nevill fleshes out his characters well, he is adept at creating an aura of suspense. The author's description of cults that seemed to have been ten-a-penny in the late sixties and early-seventies certainly rings true (think of the Manson family and you are in the right area).

What I enjoy about Nevill is that his style of writing allows the reader's brain to create the imagery which can be far more unnerving than having things described in minute detail (reminds me of Stephen King - particularly some of the 'slower' parts of The Stand).

Then there is the final denouement. As the main characters and protagonists come face-to-face with the supernatural entities my enjoyment levels drop. This is not a problem limited to Nevill - other authors have the same issue. I struggle with their description of the bad guys, as the final reveal never seems to equal the dread that the reader feels at earlier stages. Perhaps this is just me. Let me be clear, the ending is not 'bad' (although markedly similar to The Ritual). It is well written but - perhaps - a bit samey? Before the final stages are reached I had pretty much anticipated what would occur. This is a shame as the build up through the preceding chapters allowed layers upon layers of mystery and suspense to accumulate.

A good book. I still think that Nevill has yet to write his masterpiece something I am really looking forward to.(less)

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Jun 02, 2012 Colin Leslie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have a special section in my bookshelf for Adam Nevill and it's not just because of the quality of his writing. The publication of Banquet For The Damned in 2008 marked a transitional point in the evolution of the current crop of British horror writers, the start of the current golden age in my opinion. Adam Nevill was, of course, the editor of the short-lived, but much admired, Virgin Books horror line which saw the horror section in bookshelves expand overnight. My copies of those books are...more I have a special section in my bookshelf for Adam Nevill and it's not just because of the quality of his writing. The publication of Banquet For The Damned in 2008 marked a transitional point in the evolution of the current crop of British horror writers, the start of the current golden age in my opinion. Adam Nevill was, of course, the editor of the short-lived, but much admired, Virgin Books horror line which saw the horror section in bookshelves expand overnight. My copies of those books are treasured possessions but times move on and Nevill's follow ups have been just as influential in re-introducing supernatural horror to the masses. From the ghosts of Barrington House in Apartment 16 to the pagan Scandinavian wilderness of The Ritual, Nevill has consistently delivered quality horror fiction.

Last Days tells the story of Kyle Freeman, an independent film maker, struggling to make end meet, who is made an offer he can't refuse. Wealthy media tycoon Max Solomon wants Kyle and cameraman Dan to investigate the mysterious cult, The Temple Of Last Days which ended in bloody tragedy in the Arizona Desert in 1975. Initially the offer seems too good to be true but given his precarious financial position it's not long before Dan and Kyle are off to interview the few people left who were involved in the tragedy.

Of course, it turns out things were too good to be true and our unlikely heroes soon find themselves embroiled in a much deeper, much more dangerous tale of supernatural happenings which stretches back for centuries and is still very real.

Last Days for me was a book of three parts. The initial sections were perhaps the most engaging as Dan and Kyle begin to feel the influence of the supernatural in more and more lurid encounters. The drama escalates quite quickly as the boys' film-making becomes a fight for survival. The pace changes somewhat as the depths of the threat are explained through some protracted exposition in the middle section which is all fascinating and well constructed but just appears a bit slow after that thunderous start. The final few chapters bring us back to full speed though and the ending is suitably tense and fulfilling.

As always, it is the threat that engages most in Adam Nevill's work. Drawing on the ghost story traditions of the likes of M.R. James and Arthur Machen, Nevill creates a realistic occult storyline on which he hangs his grotesque monsters. And what monsters they are, working beautifully as they slowly emerge from vague threat to full-blown horror and our protagonists realise the full extent of the crisis they find themselves in.

I don't think this is Adam Nevill's best book but then he has set such high standards for himself. The main characters are interesting but some of the lesser characters seemed a bit weak and stereotypical (I'm looking at you Jed) this coupled with that tendency to exposition in the middle section knocked half a point off the total score but don't be mistaken, this is still a very good horror novel and one which fans of the supernatural should purchase without hesitation.(less)

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Jun 18, 2013 Jennifer Hendzlik rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: horror

'This is not some ghost story for the masses, my boy. Some haunted house you can film and then speculate about on cable television. Some paranormal fantasy you can go and film with your friends. For the festivals and fans. The freaks.' Max smirked. 'It's more, much more. This is real. It always has been. Which is why you couldn't walk away from it.'

100,000 pounds is a lot of money and is the catalyst that Kyle Freeman, guerrilla filmmaker, needs to get himself out of debt and his life back on tr...more

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Jun 03, 2013 Leslee rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, the-horror-the-horror, spooky-ghosts-and-stuff

3.5 stars. I've had a love/hate relationship with Nevill, whose earlier novels I thought were very uneven, though the last 2 I think have really picked up in quality. My main issue with Nevill has always been that he has fantastic ideas but is never quite sure how to finish his books. I think that he's done a lot better with Last Days. Though I'm not quite sure about the ending, it still was leagues more satisfying than the ending of his past novels.

Last Days follows a documentary film-maker th...more 3.5 stars. I've had a love/hate relationship with Nevill, whose earlier novels I thought were very uneven, though the last 2 I think have really picked up in quality. My main issue with Nevill has always been that he has fantastic ideas but is never quite sure how to finish his books. I think that he's done a lot better with Last Days. Though I'm not quite sure about the ending, it still was leagues more satisfying than the ending of his past novels.

Last Days follows a documentary film-maker that's been hired by a mysterious benefactor to tell the story of a Charles Manson-esque cult called 'Sister Katherine and the Temple of Last Days'. What starts out as a fairly interesting noir tale takes a sharp turn into the supernatural when he finds out that something is stalking the survivors of the cult, and eventually, the film-maker himself.

There's a slow build up in this book, as in all of Nevill's other books, so anyone who is looking to jump directly into the action will be disappointed. For me, this works because I think Nevill really ratchets up the tension and the big reveals come at the times to keep my interest doing. There's been a lot of talk of how Adam Nevill is the 'British Stephen King', and I wouldn't say that was really apt. People are paying too much attention to the 'Stephen King' part of that note and not enough on the 'British'. I'd say beyond his penchance for writing spooky supernatural tales, Nevill doesn't really have much in common with King, because his books to me are so quintessentially Old World rather than King's 'New World' take on things. Nevill's choice of material often centers around Lovecraft-esque horrors, and Ancient Covens, rather than the more modern choices that I think King likes to use as the center of his works.

I'd say this was the most successful 'full' work of Nevill's. I still felt that his last novel, The Ritual, was scarier in subject matter but the strange turn 2/3rds of the way through the book means that this one wins out.
(less)

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Apr 01, 2013 Susanhayeshotmail.com rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Grim, scary horror story. I like a good scary story once in awhile. Not a lot of books actually pull off scary for me but this one did. And fast paced? I think I read the first 200 pages in one sitting, and I actually stayed up until 1:30 AM to finish it. Which was where it lost a star, somewhere in the last fifty pages or so. Crap ending, and I'm not just talking about the final page. After an excellent creepy build up on the doings of a cult which included awakening something dark and ancient...more

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Mar 26, 2013 B.P. Gregory rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: a-law-of-awesome-unto-itself

Give me the short version: For desperate indie filmmaker Kyle, the cultic documentary was too good to be true. But the Temple of the Last Days never gives up secrets without taking in return.

Hooray, more Adam Nevill!

By happy accident, Mr Nevill is one of several authors I've had the pleasure of reading in sequence, thus enjoying his novels' progression from really good to awesome. His raison d'etre being terrible ancient forces and the people who give their souls over to them, Last Days was the...more

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Mar 05, 2013 Nancy Oakes rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: horror

When I read horror, I tend to be happiest with short stories or novellas, but after reading Adam Nevill's Banquet For the Damned, I know he is a writer I can trust to keep that fear factor going, no matter how many pages he needs to tell his story. Here, he's integrated seriously creepy, sustained hair-raising horror with a story about a particularly bizarre apocalyptic cult, and the result is one very intense tale that kept me on the edge throughout.

Kyle Freeman is an independent guerrilla film...more When I read horror, I tend to be happiest with short stories or novellas, but after reading Adam Nevill's Banquet For the Damned, I know he is a writer I can trust to keep that fear factor going, no matter how many pages he needs to tell his story. Here, he's integrated seriously creepy, sustained hair-raising horror with a story about a particularly bizarre apocalyptic cult, and the result is one very intense tale that kept me on the edge throughout.

Kyle Freeman is an independent guerrilla film-maker (think Paranormal Activity) who has sold a few projects but still has yet to hit the big time. He's behind in his rent, owes money here and there, and as the story begins, he's been contacted by Max Solomon, CEO of Revelation Productions to film a documentary. The subject Max proposes is the strange apocalyptic cult known as The Temple of Last Days, which got its start in London but met its end in a horrific bloodbath in an abandoned copper mine in the Arizona desert. As Max explains, the cult was

"A well-intentioned concept quickly usurped by a female sociopath and criminal elements. In London it was known as The Last Gathering. It became The Temple of the Last Days in France, during a schism in 1969. At a farm in Normandy where they nearly starved to death. The remnants migrated to America, under the same management. Where they self-destructed in Arizona. 1975."

While the Temple of the Last Days has already been the subject of four documentaries and three feature films, Max wants something different. He wants Kyle to go beyond the work of mainstream film-makers. His interests lie in trying to discover whether Last Days' leader, Sister Katherine, was able to "achieve something extraordinary" in the group's "mystical and occult interests," and wants to explore the "paranormal aspects of the organization." Max has already made arrangements for Kyle to speak to a handful of survivors of the cult, everything is paid for, strings have been pulled, and Kyle will receive enough money to keep him afloat. He is also going to have complete creative control, a film-maker's dream. Enlisting the help of his friend Dan, the two start their project in the original cult headquarters in London and soon come to realize that they've taken on much more than they bargained for.

Nevill is a master of atmosphere, edge and full-on dread in this story, leaving me with a case of the willies the entire way through. Centering his book around this disturbing cult was genius, and he paced his story perfectly. The way he depicts the inner workings of this group is grim enough to begin with, but he unleashes the terror of it all piece by piece, steadily ratcheting up the shock so that as you're reading, you start to wonder how things could get any worse -- but they do. And all along, he contemplates the question of why people would be compelled to not only join this group, but even more, why they would stay in the face of such unspeakable horrors. It's also obvious that he's put in a lot of time researching his subject -- this is no fly-by-night re-imagining. The only thing I disliked in this otherwise deliciously-eerie novel is his choice to include a gun-happy character at the end who came across as caricaturish, ruining the spell that held me throughout the novel, but thankfully his appearance is rather brief.

There's much more I could say but my advice is to go get a copy, curl up under your covers and read it in the dark of night. Super book -- recommended to readers who like their horror on a more cerebral level. (less)

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Feb 22, 2013 Angie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Nevill certainly knows how to see a white-knuckle pace, and is deft at building tension to a snapping point. The "old friends" are plenty terrifying, and the horror lies in a variety of things that absolutely unnerve me: demonic possession, body horror, the warping of the fabric of reality. There were several moments when I had to pause and turn on more lights. And the premise/playing out of the central mystery and paranormal horrors calls to mind the likes of Stephen King, Jonathan Maberry, and...more

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Mar 17, 2013 Tom rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Probably one of the wackiest (word to your mother I said wackiest) endings I've come across in a long long time. This book took quite a while to get me hooked. The protagonist is a pretty whiny dude, the first few chapters are Nevill showing off his documentary making research, and the scary stuff felt in league with some R L Stein. Then things picked up. All of a sudden we're referencing Manson murders, researching insane mid-evil cults, and the spooky things get scary. Nevill's got a knack for...more

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Nov 11, 2012 Nicola Thorne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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

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Feb 22, 2013 Caitlin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

More reviews like this available on my blog.

My review copy was an eARC provided for free by St Martins Press through NetGalley

Sorry for the dark horror two in one, readers! I tend to read in phases (even with review copies from publishers) so I review in phases too. But I'll try to make the next review something different.

Ooof. I'm - I'm not sure. I find Adam Neville's work difficult - I don't like or even really enjoy the books, but I can't put them down. I found this particular book similar to...more More reviews like this available on my blog.

My review copy was an eARC provided for free by St Martins Press through NetGalley

Sorry for the dark horror two in one, readers! I tend to read in phases (even with review copies from publishers) so I review in phases too. But I'll try to make the next review something different.

Ooof. I'm - I'm not sure. I find Adam Neville's work difficult - I don't like or even really enjoy the books, but I can't put them down. I found this particular book similar to his previous work in that it relied over-much on ultra-grim. So why do I keep reading the things? Because Adam Neville know how to tell a properly horrifying story. He knows how to not just creep me out, but how to disgust me and make me afraid.

I'm going to take a moment to expound on a theory I have about horror novels. I think they need spots of light amidst the dark. This is for a couple of reasons - first it gives the reader a bit of a break. Secondly, it makes the horror stand out more, makes it more effective.

Last Days has no bright spots. From the moment they experience the first, horrific thing to the last moment the only thing that could even be called a bright spot is still bloody horrible. The effect of this isn't to drive the horror in more deeply, but to tire the reader out. It is exhausting to read something where it is never-ending awfulness from beginning to end, and it means you become more critical. You spot things - little contextual details - that would be less damning in a work that was less tiring. I would never have noticed, for example, the reference towards 'predatory bisexual' (do you know how annoying it is to have 'bisexual' constantly associated with negative things in fiction? Pretty tiring) and 'effeminate' used as a descriptor of awful unnaturalness (wow, I wasn't aware that being female or looking female is so awful that terrible, unnatural monsters should have it as a descriptor, thanks). These are minor things, petty things! Irritating, but not a big deal (to me, normally). But because the book had exhausted my ability to care, I spotted them, and they bothered me.

Ooof. That attacking of minor issues done, lets talk about writing!

Neville knows how to build tension and fear effectively with his writing, and while I normally prefer a slower-burning horror, I appreciate his desire to get right down in the nitty-gritty so early on. One problem I do have is that Neville overwrites, especially at the start of the book. His sentences can be overlong and confusing. I remember reading an early description of Sister Katherine two or three times before I could properly parse what he was saying.

Still, I stayed up till 1 am to get to only 50 pages to the end, and sat down and finished it over breakfast the morning after, so it does its job. Last Days is an addictive read, difficult to put down. Part of that is the tight plotting, part is the characterisation. Kyle Freeman inhabits the rare company of 'horror protagonists who I can understand not just running away to a cave in Madagascar'. I don't like how he learns everything from several-page-long speeches from other characters though. It works along with the conceit of Kyle being a filmmaker and taping interviews but still. I like my characters to have some mental initiative and not just be stubborn question-askers.

Ultimately I'd say go for it, but with caveats. If you don't like ultra-grim horror, you simply will not enjoy this at all.(less)

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Jun 29, 2012 Nicci B rated it 4 of 5 stars

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

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Jun 05, 2012 Martin Belcher rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

If I was able to give half stars then I would be giving this book four and a half, because in places i felt it was a bit too long winded and could have benefited from some editing, but I will give it the full five stars as I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it gave me enough chills to keep me going. The book is about a mysterious and infamous cult, The Temple of the Last Days, which seemed to have ended in a terrible night of horror, death and violence in the Arizona desert in 1975......but did...more

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May 03, 2013 Kate rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm not finished (which is remarkable considering the trouble I have had putting it down to pee) but so far I cannot say enough good things about it. Like The Ritual, Nevill's writing is impeccable. It is impossibly scary too. I can't believe it. I was too dumb last night. I started reading after ten, thinking it would be introduction and character set up, but it just dove right in around page fifty. I couldn't put it down, no matter how much I wanted to on account of how scared I was! And I am...more

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Jan 26, 2013 Jason rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2013

5 Stars

Adam Nevill is one of my favorite horror authors today. Last Days is a gem of an atmospheric piece of horror that is the literary tale in the vein of the Blair Witch Project or more relevant to today, Paranormal Activity. This is a story of a bankrupt indie film maker being offered up the perfect movie to shoot, incredible pay, all the leg work already completed, and all the areas and people already vetted. If it sounds too good to be true, than know that Dan and Kyle also knew that it f...more

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Feb 14, 2013 Gef rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, e-books, first-reads, ghosts, horror, literary

I have a real aversion to "found footage" films, and as this novel begins I worried it might devolve into that kind of storytelling. Thankfully, Adam Nevill spares us that pastiche and keeps things keenly focused on one character's viewpoint without delving too much into after-the-fact storytelling.

Kyle Freeman is a desperate and damn near destitute filmmaker until he's hired to make a documentary about a famed cult of the 70s. The Temple of the Last Days, led by a woman then known as Sister Kat...more I have a real aversion to "found footage" films, and as this novel begins I worried it might devolve into that kind of storytelling. Thankfully, Adam Nevill spares us that pastiche and keeps things keenly focused on one character's viewpoint without delving too much into after-the-fact storytelling.

Kyle Freeman is a desperate and damn near destitute filmmaker until he's hired to make a documentary about a famed cult of the 70s. The Temple of the Last Days, led by a woman then known as Sister Katherine, kept to themselves mostly and seemed ultimately harmless until the whole thing ended in bloodshed and death somewhere in an Arizona desert. The producer funding the documentary, Max Solomon, wants Kyle to retrace the cult's existence from beginning to gory end, interviewing the few surviving ex-pats, and learning all he can about the gruesome demise of Sister Katherine and her followers. The hitch is that it's a rush job, with a very tight shooting schedule, and only days to prepare before they must meet the first cult member.

Last Days feels like a bit of a throwback actually, with a slow build approach in tension and intrigue surrounding the occult. Kyle and his cameraman extraordinaire, Dan, visit storied sites that the cult called home, as well as interview the surviving members. And while the whole thing feels a bit sketchy, Kyle is racked with desperation and debt with a waning career as a filmmaker. The Last Days project is his turnaround point he feels, but it doesn't take long before strange phenomena send him and those around him to wonder just what Sister Katherine was trying to achieve with her cult, and what remains in the cult's absence for Kyle to find.

Adam Nevill's research and imagination are remarkable in crafting this story, with the cult's history and the manner with which Kyle documents it, but there were times when the jargon and procedure of the documentary bogged down the scenes. Still, aside from a healthy dose of film-making lingo and mundane drama therein, the on-site scenes were palpable with dread. From the moment shooting begins within the derelict house in England and strange occurrences turn from curious to cringe-inducing, I was hooked.

As a guy who enjoys a good haunted house story, this book provides more than its fair share. Some of the scenes feel tedious during the downtime moments, and Kyle's motivations late in the book feel a bit strained, but the dread escalates to such levels through the course of the novel that my few misgivings evaporated by the midway point. Last Days will not be my last Nevill novel, not by a long shot.(less)

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Apr 30, 2013 Kevin Moriarity rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book started out very good. The premise is interesting: a documentary filmmaker is hired to do a piece on a cult from the 1970s with an emphasis on paranormal events. The cult has called forth creatures from another world that threaten everyone involved in the film. There are some truly scary scenes and the beginning of the book flows nicely. There are some problems, especially in the final 1/3 of the book:

1. The main character turns into a whiny, incompetent dolt. It is very hard to like t...more

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Jan 15, 2013 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really wanted to give this four stars, because for about 400 pages I couldn't put it down. I've never been genuinely freaked out by a book before in my life but found parts of this extremely creepy - definitely felt like checking under the bed sometimes! But then something seemed to change in the tone and pace, like the author had been running with a brilliant idea but had no idea how to end it. The plot became just a little too complex and I felt like the author was working really, really har...more

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May 21, 2013 Emma Beckett rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've just spent the past week re-reading Last Days, I'd been in such a greedy rush to finish it the first time around that I hadn't really paid attention to all of the detail and historical back story.
This time around I found myself leaving post-its so I could easily skim back and locate important passages.
That's the thing with Adam Nevill's writing; there's always more going on than you first realise. There are real historical figures sprinkled in there to give his story that extra spark of re...more

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Mar 23, 2013 Kathleen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wow! I think this is now the scariest book I've ever read (which is a good thing). I read horror constantly and can't believe I've let Adam Nevill escape me until now. I won this book on the early review program on librarything.com and am so glad I did. Most horror fiction doesn't really scare me anymore. This book, however, gave me chills by pg. 57 and made me a little afraid to read it in bed with my book light. It was too dark for comfort. Adam Nevill is the author I've been searching for, fo...more

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Jan 08, 2013 Swiftsea rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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

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May 18, 2013 Michelle rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I want the last three days of my life back? Can I do that? On a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the most likely would feed to the goats I give this a 10. 531 pages of mostly rubbish (keeping with British theme here in the book). Last Days had the potential for a kick ass scary story, but that sadly did not happen. I've had paper plates getting caught in the wind scare me more than this story did. The Guardian claimed that the author was Brittan's equivalent of Stephen King. I want to know by whose sta...more

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About Adam Nevill

Adam L.G. Nevill was born in Birmingham, England, in 1969, and grew up in England and New Zealand. He is the author of novels: Banquet for the Damned, Apartment 16, The Ritual and Last Days. He lives in London and can be contacted through wwww.adamlgnevill.com

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Der letzte Tag: Roman: Gott wird dich finden

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“What I am I wished to be, and what I wished to be I am.” — 1 person liked it

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