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The Last Bastion #1
The Last Bastion of the Living
As long as the undead hordes of the Inferi Scourge howl outside the dying city, the last remaining humans struggle to survive inside The Bastion. Vanguard Maria Martinez has lived her entire life within the towering walls. Her only refuge from the overcrowded streets, rolling blackouts, and food shortages is in the arms of Officer Dwayne Reichardt. Then Maria is summoned to meet with a mysterious representative from the Science Warfare Division and is offered the opportunity to finally destroy the Inferi Scourge and reclaim the land and resources in the valley beyond the wall. If she succeeds, the city may be saved.
But if she fails, humanity faces extinction…
But if she fails, humanity faces extinction…
375 pages, Paperback
First published June 8, 2012
99 people are currently reading
3334 people want to read
About the author
Rhiannon Frater
68 books1,657 followersRhiannon Frater is the award-winning author of the As the World Dies zombie trilogy (Tor) as well as independent works such as The Last Bastion of the Living (declared the #1 Zombie Release of 2012 by Explorations Fantasy Blog and the #1 Zombie Novel of the Decade by B&N Book Blog).
She was born and raised in Texas where she currently resides with her husband and furry children (a.k.a pets).
She loves scary movies, sci-fi and horror shows, playing video games, cooking, dyeing her hair weird colors, and shopping for Betsey Johnson purses and shoes.
She was born and raised in Texas where she currently resides with her husband and furry children (a.k.a pets).
She loves scary movies, sci-fi and horror shows, playing video games, cooking, dyeing her hair weird colors, and shopping for Betsey Johnson purses and shoes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 230 reviews
June 7, 2012
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! GAH. My god I can't even begin to tell you how much I LOVED it. Do you hear me? THIS IS FUCKING AMAZING.
This... THIS is why I love to read. I breathe for books like this.
__
Actual review
Rhiannon and me, it was love at first sight. Those tiny fingers. It was terrifying, it was heartbreaking, there were zombies - I was hers. I was told of an upcoming zombie novel she was writing: In my glass case of emotion, I was ecstatic, squealing with joy; my worship was born. Yes I know, the world I've come to know in As the World Dies has come to a close, but it's ok, because this completely new futuristic world, where zombies have evolved to fantastically creative proportions, is absolutely mind-blowing.
In all seriousness, I've come to not only expect, but to look forward to the exceptional characters who consistently breathe life, soul, and heart into Rhiannon's novels. The Last Bastion of the Living introduces us to Maria: a fierce, capable, transcendent protagonist who is perfectly flawed with fears and uncertainties that make her genuine. She's incredibly easy to root for and basically becomes a friend, someone you grow to care about throughout the story. Maria's not alone at the core of this book, either, we also have Dwayne; sweet, caring Dwayne is Maria's rock, as she is his. Their romance, kept secret because of their rank, is the perpetual undertone of the story. The relationship between them is established from the start and you can easily feel their connection. They complete each other.
Combining romance and terror is a great feat that is done impeccably in this novel. While Dwayne's perspective has me heartbroken and distressed, Maria's is filled with trepidation and horror. It's very interesting to get both sides of the story. Especially when we've got so much skepticism towards the whole project. It's hard to trust anybody in this game. You imagine everything to take a certain direction, when suddenly, you're staggering sideways trying to grasp what is happening. It's such a creative take on zombies that it becomes incredibly fascinating and almost impossible to predict what's in store for Maria. It boggled my mind a few times, leaving me flabbergasted. For this reason I can't say very much else about the plot. But I will mention that the ending is outstanding. It's brimming with endless possibilities that had me sitting there contemplating it for hours. Really, just perfect.
For a zombie novel, I was surprised at how much the setting blew me away. The desolate, overpopulated city; the unstoppable, innumerable zombies beyond the gate; but what really took my breath away, was the immense potential of the valley that they once had, and what has become their only hope. I literally got shivers during a certain monumental scene near the middle, where you know something life changing is happening. Honestly, this is why I've become such a big fan of Rhiannon's writing. The emotions from elation to despair are so powerful, they resonates through these pages and they reach you. And you know what? This reminds me of why I love to read. I do admit to being a picky reader; I often find myself going through what seems to be an endless supply of mediocre books, but it is completely worth it when I find a diamond in the rough like this. A book that makes me feel, that makes me think, and wonder, and ponder, and hope, and smile, and cry. Did I ever expect this from a zombie novel? No freaking way! Well… there you have it!
Unique, potent, unnerving, and full of action, The Last Bastion of the Living will leave readers in a daze. It's so hard! When you love a book this much, it's so hard to put it into words. And almost impossible to do it justice. So I will leave it at this.
--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
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! GAH. My god I can't even begin to tell you how much I LOVED it. Do you hear me? THIS IS FUCKING AMAZING.
This... THIS is why I love to read. I breathe for books like this.
__
Actual review
Rhiannon and me, it was love at first sight. Those tiny fingers. It was terrifying, it was heartbreaking, there were zombies - I was hers. I was told of an upcoming zombie novel she was writing: In my glass case of emotion, I was ecstatic, squealing with joy; my worship was born. Yes I know, the world I've come to know in As the World Dies has come to a close, but it's ok, because this completely new futuristic world, where zombies have evolved to fantastically creative proportions, is absolutely mind-blowing.
In all seriousness, I've come to not only expect, but to look forward to the exceptional characters who consistently breathe life, soul, and heart into Rhiannon's novels. The Last Bastion of the Living introduces us to Maria: a fierce, capable, transcendent protagonist who is perfectly flawed with fears and uncertainties that make her genuine. She's incredibly easy to root for and basically becomes a friend, someone you grow to care about throughout the story. Maria's not alone at the core of this book, either, we also have Dwayne; sweet, caring Dwayne is Maria's rock, as she is his. Their romance, kept secret because of their rank, is the perpetual undertone of the story. The relationship between them is established from the start and you can easily feel their connection. They complete each other.
Combining romance and terror is a great feat that is done impeccably in this novel. While Dwayne's perspective has me heartbroken and distressed, Maria's is filled with trepidation and horror. It's very interesting to get both sides of the story. Especially when we've got so much skepticism towards the whole project. It's hard to trust anybody in this game. You imagine everything to take a certain direction, when suddenly, you're staggering sideways trying to grasp what is happening. It's such a creative take on zombies that it becomes incredibly fascinating and almost impossible to predict what's in store for Maria. It boggled my mind a few times, leaving me flabbergasted. For this reason I can't say very much else about the plot. But I will mention that the ending is outstanding. It's brimming with endless possibilities that had me sitting there contemplating it for hours. Really, just perfect.
For a zombie novel, I was surprised at how much the setting blew me away. The desolate, overpopulated city; the unstoppable, innumerable zombies beyond the gate; but what really took my breath away, was the immense potential of the valley that they once had, and what has become their only hope. I literally got shivers during a certain monumental scene near the middle, where you know something life changing is happening. Honestly, this is why I've become such a big fan of Rhiannon's writing. The emotions from elation to despair are so powerful, they resonates through these pages and they reach you. And you know what? This reminds me of why I love to read. I do admit to being a picky reader; I often find myself going through what seems to be an endless supply of mediocre books, but it is completely worth it when I find a diamond in the rough like this. A book that makes me feel, that makes me think, and wonder, and ponder, and hope, and smile, and cry. Did I ever expect this from a zombie novel? No freaking way! Well… there you have it!
Unique, potent, unnerving, and full of action, The Last Bastion of the Living will leave readers in a daze. It's so hard! When you love a book this much, it's so hard to put it into words. And almost impossible to do it justice. So I will leave it at this.
--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
Read
September 17, 2014This is my second favorite book I have ever written. Love it!
June 15, 2013
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. The cheerful domesticity is no doubt meant to contrast with the earlier bloody battle, as well as a set point for 'happy' against the troubles to come (standard in the disaster genre). As an aside, Maria comes from a Dominican/Puerto Rican heritage which seems to not matter at all for the plot. Kudos, Frater.
As the story progressed, I was thankful someone seems to have hired a fabulous editor, as the glaring immaturity of the writing in her "As the World Dies" series was a serious barrier to enjoyment. However, while her writing has greatly improved, some Fraterisms still snuck through:
--"The large, long rectangular guns perched on the city wall were boxy in appearance due to the many barrels packed on top of each other."
--"Blood, bone and viscera poured onto the dry soil."
--"Blackness surged up to claim her, and she fought not to drown in it. Pulling herself onto her elbows, her body felt numb and her helmet was gone."
--"A smile flitted across his lips."
--"Glancing back, she saw Dwayne heading in the opposite direction."
I kind of liked it, though--my eyes haven't gotten enough exercise lately and needed some rolling action. Frater's still on a mission to avoid the word 'said' during dialogue, no matter how convoluted the result. In chapter one, for instance, Maria and the Commander muttered, yawned, answered, teased, promised, vowed, sighed, reminded, exhaled, protested, decided, and whispered. It feels forced enough that I find myself longing Charlie Huston's style in Joe Pitt, notable for a lack of dialogue markers.
Chapter one didn't pull me in either; it mostly provided personal events in the past year while building a romance worthy twu luv. Elements of a bossy family, infertility issues, and keeping the relationship secret all began to sound a lot more like modern chick-lit than I hope for with my zombie books, but Trudi suggested perseverance. Of course, she was right.
The story changed again, becoming a transformative, soldier-team-against-all-odds with a zombie twist I absolutely did not see coming. Frater deserves applause just for that idea. The story had me interested until halfway through (literally, per Kindle) where it transformed again, turning into a conspiracy story. While the conspiracy was mildly interesting, the feeling that Frater might have over-reached herself started to nag. It solidified as the conspiracy became more complicated: . Too much, too much. Frater isn't China Mieville and she brought in more concepts than she could adequately deal with.
In regards to world building, I remained annoyed with the advanced technology civilization encountering the zombie apocalypse. There's some things I'm able to overlook, but when Frater drew attention to the technology or societal problems like electrical shortages, I was drawn out of the story and into the logistical puzzle of the society Ultimately, the society just didn't make sense to me and it started to feel like it was created strictly as a backdrop for plot points. Still, damn if Frater didn't grab me with her zombie plot twist and leave my technological and societal issues in the dust, at least for a little while.
However, one remarkable idea and interest in half a book with noticeable world and language issues isn't enough to push that third star to shine. Two and a half stars.
Spoilery thoughts:
Cross posted at http://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2013/0...
June 22, 2013
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.
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.
June 25, 2012
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 think I'm getting there. The Last Bastion of the Living is the best indie novel I've had in my hands so far. It's mix of everything - science fiction, dystopia, urban fantasy. You won't be overvelmed with too much scientifical explenations or military terms. Rhiannon used everything with measure, just enought to suck you into that world and make it look believable.
This is book for grown ups. What does that mean and why didn't I use term "adult"? Well, it seems that adult novel lot of people equals with erotica nowdays. The Last Bastion of the Living most definitely is not erotica and, thank you God, it is not pathetic romance with creatures form the dark for horny teens. There are emotions, zombies, fighting, bad and good guys, but Rhiannon Frater didn't write this book thinking: "Hey, let's put out there something with tortured hero and damsel indistress and bunch of bad guys who want to destroy the world because main characters are in luv!" No! We have world that handgs by its threads and forty people who are tricked into saving it although they'd do that even if they knew all the facts. This would'be great movie!
What I liked the best? Girl power! Maria Martinez is kick-ass heroine with hers ups and downs, stong character and mind of her own. I was so hyped after reading this - my own inner bad girl wanted to kick some butt. I knew from first descrpition that author probably used Michelle Rodrigues as inspiration and I've read here that I was right!
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 think I'm getting there. The Last Bastion of the Living is the best indie novel I've had in my hands so far. It's mix of everything - science fiction, dystopia, urban fantasy. You won't be overvelmed with too much scientifical explenations or military terms. Rhiannon used everything with measure, just enought to suck you into that world and make it look believable.
This is book for grown ups. What does that mean and why didn't I use term "adult"? Well, it seems that adult novel lot of people equals with erotica nowdays. The Last Bastion of the Living most definitely is not erotica and, thank you God, it is not pathetic romance with creatures form the dark for horny teens. There are emotions, zombies, fighting, bad and good guys, but Rhiannon Frater didn't write this book thinking: "Hey, let's put out there something with tortured hero and damsel indistress and bunch of bad guys who want to destroy the world because main characters are in luv!" No! We have world that handgs by its threads and forty people who are tricked into saving it although they'd do that even if they knew all the facts. This would'be great movie!
What I liked the best? Girl power! Maria Martinez is kick-ass heroine with hers ups and downs, stong character and mind of her own. I was so hyped after reading this - my own inner bad girl wanted to kick some butt. I knew from first descrpition that author probably used Michelle Rodrigues as inspiration and I've read here that I was right!
February 10, 2017
My rating: 4.5 of 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 park 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 likable 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.
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 park 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 likable 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.
June 12, 2012
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.
December 29, 2013
3.5 stars, bitches! Lets do this.
I finished this book somewhere around 2 am last night, and as always I had brilliant points that I planned on mentioning in my review mulling around in my mind. Typically, I would then get up and maybe jot a few notes but instead I obnoxiously tossed and turned and sighed heavily. I did this to casually wake my husband so I could get some snuggles cause I was freaked the fuck out. I don't remember any of my brilliant ideas.
I went into this book entirely blind, and struggled in the beginning with a touch of disconnect, I felt a little like I was dropped in the middle of something that I should already understand but was bumbling behind the MC Maria trying to keep up. Lucky for me, I enjoy that style of writing. I'm openly not a fan of the information dump that all too many authors are fond of and rather enjoy the learn as you go model of introducing a new world. However I probably should have read at least the description.
We find ourselves being dropped on the battle field in the valley outside of a walled city, entirely infused with creatures dubbed the Inferi Scourge.
Wait, hold up the what? Scrooge? Ebenezer? No no, brain, no. Skerj. SKERJ. Say it with me, ssskkeeeeeerj.
Perhaps I can address my biggest gripe with this otherwise fantastic read: the language! It's so outside the vernacular that I was constantly pulled out of the story with a "what" moment. Almost always this is a wonderful aspect of any read, it's one of the reasons that book enthusiasts have such a diverse and interesting vocabulary. As a fast reader it felt a tad jarring to consistently pause to reread sentences that didn't seem to fit. It almost gave the feeling of being lost in translation. There was also a lot of back and forth with the character names and their military titles, at some points it was their first or last name, others was their title, and yet others was some combination of the two and I found a bit frustrating.
We are then given an opportunity to see the inner workings of the city and what life looks like 100 years in the future after the apocalypse. There seemed to be a number of contradictory elements between resources vs. technology, at some point early on I decided not to over analyze this and simply take the world we were in at face value. Had I lingered too long on those contrasting elements I feel I would have disconnected from the plot entirely, and in retrospect I'm glad I chose to plow forward. Somewhere near the halfway point the author propelled the reader from a place confusion and a bit of distrust into complete emotional turmoil and I did not see it coming. The second half of this book is fantastic, enthralling and heart pounding, I was completely won over.
There are some exceptions to this,
Overall, I actually really loved this book but I did find some issues along the way hard to overlook. Even the times I had a bit of WTF going on, I still couldn't stop reading. Maria is a badass, your heart will pound and you will even be able to like Dwayne despite his horrendous name.
July 15, 2012
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.
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.
May 14, 2012
Blog Tour- Badass Book Reviews- June 16th
Really enjoyed it!
Really enjoyed it!
June 13, 2012
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 love shows like Battlestar, Space: Above and Beyond, etc, shows that have the military and the fighting, but those shows also have the personal stories to draw me in. While there were personal struggles in this, it didn't affect me, as easily as a TV show would. But I did enjoy it, and I am still a Rhiannon Frater fan.
I did like the gadgets and the setting and, in theory, I should like this type of dystopia. I love shows like Battlestar, Space: Above and Beyond, etc, shows that have the military and the fighting, but those shows also have the personal stories to draw me in. While there were personal struggles in this, it didn't affect me, as easily as a TV show would. But I did enjoy it, and I am still a Rhiannon Frater fan.
June 18, 2012
Win an ebook copy of this book here: http://badassbookreviews.com/last-bas...
I am reluctant to say anything about this book lest I spoil it for future readers. Ms. Frater has written an amazing story here and the building blocks of the story are so important, I just don't want to ruin it for anyone. Each little place slides in place as a new piece of knowledge for the reader -- you gotta learn it as you go. The Last Bastion is a zombie story and a dystopia story unlike any I have read. Because it is set in the future, 100 years after the fall of civilization the feel of the book is very different than say the Walking Dead or As the World Dies. Humanity is in a routine, they believe they know what to expect and they are trying to preserve the last hope of surviving. There are futuristic gadgets throughout the story the are just fun (wristlets anyone?); these gadgets add to the context and feel. But not forgotten are the dirty realities of a dying society -- lack of food, inconsistent infrastructure and loss of hope.
I love Ms. Frater's books for her original concepts and unique characters and Last Bastion is no exception. The heroine, Maria, is not perfect. None of Ms. Frater's characters ever are but they are realistic. I can imagine Maria existing in some sort of alternate fictional reality with all of her scars and lost dreams. Going in to this book, despite having read the blurb and Ms. Frater's warnings or promises that this was not in the same world as As the World Dies, I have to admit that I did expect the zombies to be like, well every other zombie I have met in the fictional world. Well, I was wrong. How these zombies came to be, how they act, what they need and how society fell is unique. I love postapocalyptic fiction, but I never truly buy into the why and how of the societal collapse. It makes sense in The Last Bastion. Society doesn't collapse immediately, but over time and some structure still remains.
I can't say anymore! Just know that if you read this book you get some dystopia fun, a tiny bit of romance (not explicit), action scenes and a new concept of zombies. It is not a short book, it is a meaty book with a gradual build. And it is fun. The book reads like a stand alone, but if another book ever was written in this world I would definitely be back for more.
To read this review and more like it check out: www.badassbookreviews.com
I am reluctant to say anything about this book lest I spoil it for future readers. Ms. Frater has written an amazing story here and the building blocks of the story are so important, I just don't want to ruin it for anyone. Each little place slides in place as a new piece of knowledge for the reader -- you gotta learn it as you go. The Last Bastion is a zombie story and a dystopia story unlike any I have read. Because it is set in the future, 100 years after the fall of civilization the feel of the book is very different than say the Walking Dead or As the World Dies. Humanity is in a routine, they believe they know what to expect and they are trying to preserve the last hope of surviving. There are futuristic gadgets throughout the story the are just fun (wristlets anyone?); these gadgets add to the context and feel. But not forgotten are the dirty realities of a dying society -- lack of food, inconsistent infrastructure and loss of hope.
I love Ms. Frater's books for her original concepts and unique characters and Last Bastion is no exception. The heroine, Maria, is not perfect. None of Ms. Frater's characters ever are but they are realistic. I can imagine Maria existing in some sort of alternate fictional reality with all of her scars and lost dreams. Going in to this book, despite having read the blurb and Ms. Frater's warnings or promises that this was not in the same world as As the World Dies, I have to admit that I did expect the zombies to be like, well every other zombie I have met in the fictional world. Well, I was wrong. How these zombies came to be, how they act, what they need and how society fell is unique. I love postapocalyptic fiction, but I never truly buy into the why and how of the societal collapse. It makes sense in The Last Bastion. Society doesn't collapse immediately, but over time and some structure still remains.
I can't say anymore! Just know that if you read this book you get some dystopia fun, a tiny bit of romance (not explicit), action scenes and a new concept of zombies. It is not a short book, it is a meaty book with a gradual build. And it is fun. The book reads like a stand alone, but if another book ever was written in this world I would definitely be back for more.
To read this review and more like it check out: www.badassbookreviews.com
July 21, 2015
2 stars. BR with the lovely MacHalo Ladies
The premise of this book is really interesting but the execution was lacking. There was so much setup that I almost DNFd this at about 50%. This was a BR and I think almost everyone else did just that. I probably should have as well but there was so much hinting about a betrayal that I just had to know what was going to happen. Once you got to the action it picked up a bit but then the plot got really twisty and I just didn't care anymore.
Then the ending was a little bit all over the place. I've read this author's other zombie series and really enjoyed it so I'm a little surprised that this turned out to be a dud for me.
The premise of this book is really interesting but the execution was lacking. There was so much setup that I almost DNFd this at about 50%. This was a BR and I think almost everyone else did just that. I probably should have as well but there was so much hinting about a betrayal that I just had to know what was going to happen. Once you got to the action it picked up a bit but then the plot got really twisty and I just didn't care anymore.
Then the ending was a little bit all over the place. I've read this author's other zombie series and really enjoyed it so I'm a little surprised that this turned out to be a dud for me.
June 18, 2012
Giveaway/GuestPost/Review on the blog
http://pnrurbanfantasyreviews.blogspo...
Read
July 5, 2012Courtesy 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 Impressions: In true Frater fashion, the prologue sets the scene and grips you tightly by the throat. Humanity is dangling by a thread because the last Bastion has been cut off from its food sources due to the Inferi Scourge breaking through a pretty impenetrable gate. The Bastion sets out on its final mission to save humanity, and as with any zombie book, they don't make it easy on you!
Characters: Vanguard Maria Martinez is a bad. ass. mama. jama. She is fierce, protective, loyal, inquisitive and compassionate. She is also broken, physically and mentally, but is not afraid to lay her ass on the line to save the last of mankind. Maria is in love with officer Dwayne Reichardt and their secret love affair is her only form of happiness. Maria was part of the last mission to rid the valley of Inferi Scourge, a mission that ends on a serious sour note. When she is contacted to be part of a secret mission as the final attempt to rid the world of the infected, Maria jumps at the chance to save humanity, even though it may cost her everything. She is such an admirable, courageous woman! She faces fears pretty damn personal throughout the mission but she always keeps her eye on the prize.
Dwayne surprised me with his dedication to Maria. He is left back home while Maria is in the field, but with the assistance of Maria's dear friend and tech geek, Lindsay, he is able assist Maria behind the scenes. You see, not all is what it seems in this game. Discovering the truth about everything, along with the characters, is incredible. You feel the intense feelings right along with them, and the deception and surprises will make you gasp!
World-Building: Ohhh. The world-building was rich in this book. It's set in the future, and a virus has infected most of the human population, turning them into mindless Inferi Scourge whose sole purpose is to spread the virus by biting their victims. In other words, they do not eat flesh. They merely bite your ass and welcome you to the family. These zombie-like creatures do not decompose, so their human-like appearance plays psychological havoc with the military personnel sent to destroy them.
The Last Bastion is the final safe place for humanity, and it is surrounded by millions of Inferi Scourge. The Bastion is slowly dying because the Inferi Scourge has cut them off from all renewable resources and food. The future is bleak, the current living conditions are poor, the ammunition is running low, but the government officials have something up their sleeve. The government's super secret mission is their last hurrah before humanity dies out, and it is full of devious, treacherous, scandalous twists and turns. But as is typical with zombies and viruses, in general, they deliver a set of surprises all their own. Booyah!
Lasting Impressions: The ending worked. I was expecting something different, as I am sure others will, but I'm glad Frater decided to surprise us. I finished the book with hope and a smile on my face. And trust me, there is no time for smiles with the Inferi Scourge breathing down your neck! Frater lights up the plot with conspiracies, treachery, coups and a bucket load of political fucktards to last through a nuclear explosion (since, you know, they are like roaches). She also delivers a touching love story that stands strong through a milieu of WTFckery!
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 Impressions: In true Frater fashion, the prologue sets the scene and grips you tightly by the throat. Humanity is dangling by a thread because the last Bastion has been cut off from its food sources due to the Inferi Scourge breaking through a pretty impenetrable gate. The Bastion sets out on its final mission to save humanity, and as with any zombie book, they don't make it easy on you!
Characters: Vanguard Maria Martinez is a bad. ass. mama. jama. She is fierce, protective, loyal, inquisitive and compassionate. She is also broken, physically and mentally, but is not afraid to lay her ass on the line to save the last of mankind. Maria is in love with officer Dwayne Reichardt and their secret love affair is her only form of happiness. Maria was part of the last mission to rid the valley of Inferi Scourge, a mission that ends on a serious sour note. When she is contacted to be part of a secret mission as the final attempt to rid the world of the infected, Maria jumps at the chance to save humanity, even though it may cost her everything. She is such an admirable, courageous woman! She faces fears pretty damn personal throughout the mission but she always keeps her eye on the prize.
Dwayne surprised me with his dedication to Maria. He is left back home while Maria is in the field, but with the assistance of Maria's dear friend and tech geek, Lindsay, he is able assist Maria behind the scenes. You see, not all is what it seems in this game. Discovering the truth about everything, along with the characters, is incredible. You feel the intense feelings right along with them, and the deception and surprises will make you gasp!
World-Building: Ohhh. The world-building was rich in this book. It's set in the future, and a virus has infected most of the human population, turning them into mindless Inferi Scourge whose sole purpose is to spread the virus by biting their victims. In other words, they do not eat flesh. They merely bite your ass and welcome you to the family. These zombie-like creatures do not decompose, so their human-like appearance plays psychological havoc with the military personnel sent to destroy them.
The Last Bastion is the final safe place for humanity, and it is surrounded by millions of Inferi Scourge. The Bastion is slowly dying because the Inferi Scourge has cut them off from all renewable resources and food. The future is bleak, the current living conditions are poor, the ammunition is running low, but the government officials have something up their sleeve. The government's super secret mission is their last hurrah before humanity dies out, and it is full of devious, treacherous, scandalous twists and turns. But as is typical with zombies and viruses, in general, they deliver a set of surprises all their own. Booyah!
Speaking of world-building, read Rhiannon's guest post on how she created this world.
Lasting Impressions: The ending worked. I was expecting something different, as I am sure others will, but I'm glad Frater decided to surprise us. I finished the book with hope and a smile on my face. And trust me, there is no time for smiles with the Inferi Scourge breathing down your neck! Frater lights up the plot with conspiracies, treachery, coups and a bucket load of political fucktards to last through a nuclear explosion (since, you know, they are like roaches). She also delivers a touching love story that stands strong through a milieu of WTFckery!
June 12, 2012
*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!
*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!
June 15, 2012
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.
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.
November 26, 2025
I have to admit, I was drawn to this book by its cover and decided to pass because it was “zombies”. Although I don't mind zombies once in a while, I'm not a big zombie fan...I was asked to read and review this book for a book tour. Deciding to give it a shot, I'm so glad I did!!!
I flat out loved The Last Bastion of the Living: A Futuristic Zombie Novel! It is a nail-biting, fresh, futuristic roller coaster that will have you riveted to the pages.
Vanguard Maria Martinez is a guard for the Bastion, the last living stronghold of humans. A virus has converted most of humanity into zombie-like creatures that only crave to spread their virus by a bite. She is tired of her life behind the walls, all except for the time she spends with Dwayne Reichardt, an officer in the Bastion Constabulary (city guard). But they are keeping their relationship a secret because Dwayne is going through a divorce, and he is a commanding officer over Maria.
Things are not going well for the Bastion; they are experiencing power failures, shortages, and they need to expand the stronghold to include the farming areas they lost by a gate failure.
Maria is offered a chance to work with the Science Warfare Division to finally get a chance to destroy the Inferi Scourge (Zombies) that have taken the valley and close the gate. She jumps at the chance but might loose everything she holds dear.
Maria and Dwayne have an amazing love story. Although they are apart for most of the book, they share a bond that can not be broken. Dwayne gives Maria the backing, love and support she needs to be the amazing soldier and heroine she is while fighting to protect her the only way he can.
The plot twists and turns are accented by brilliantly bloody action and amazing deceptions that will blow you away. The political mechanisation will astound you.
I know Rhiannon Frater wrote The Last Bastion of the Living: A Futuristic Zombie Novel as a standalone, but I would love for more!!!
The Last Bastion of the Living is a shocking, fresh, post-apocalyptic master piece.
I received this copy of The Last Bastion of the Living: A Futuristic Zombie Novel from Rhiannon Frater - Indie Inked in exchange for an honest review.
I flat out loved The Last Bastion of the Living: A Futuristic Zombie Novel! It is a nail-biting, fresh, futuristic roller coaster that will have you riveted to the pages.
Vanguard Maria Martinez is a guard for the Bastion, the last living stronghold of humans. A virus has converted most of humanity into zombie-like creatures that only crave to spread their virus by a bite. She is tired of her life behind the walls, all except for the time she spends with Dwayne Reichardt, an officer in the Bastion Constabulary (city guard). But they are keeping their relationship a secret because Dwayne is going through a divorce, and he is a commanding officer over Maria.
Things are not going well for the Bastion; they are experiencing power failures, shortages, and they need to expand the stronghold to include the farming areas they lost by a gate failure.
Maria is offered a chance to work with the Science Warfare Division to finally get a chance to destroy the Inferi Scourge (Zombies) that have taken the valley and close the gate. She jumps at the chance but might loose everything she holds dear.
Maria and Dwayne have an amazing love story. Although they are apart for most of the book, they share a bond that can not be broken. Dwayne gives Maria the backing, love and support she needs to be the amazing soldier and heroine she is while fighting to protect her the only way he can.
The plot twists and turns are accented by brilliantly bloody action and amazing deceptions that will blow you away. The political mechanisation will astound you.
I know Rhiannon Frater wrote The Last Bastion of the Living: A Futuristic Zombie Novel as a standalone, but I would love for more!!!
The Last Bastion of the Living is a shocking, fresh, post-apocalyptic master piece.
I received this copy of The Last Bastion of the Living: A Futuristic Zombie Novel from Rhiannon Frater - Indie Inked in exchange for an honest review.
May 9, 2012
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 of you Rhia. Once more you have outdone yourself and again you have set the bar. BRAVO!!!
Zo
Zo
November 4, 2013
Heavy handed plot devices thrown in for the sake of directing the story in manners which should have been best left untried. This story of a "futuristic" world torn by zombies is a struggle at best. The action scenes are so devoid of any real emotion & descriptive tone that it sets a bland and boring environment. The true purpose shows through with the relationship of the main character and her boyfriend. Sad to say this is simply a zombie theme hammered into what is an attempt at a romance novel.
Avoid.
Avoid.
May 15, 2012
There will be a full review to come later, but I just finished this book and it was so freaking amazing! I was totally caught up in this story! It was so creative and packed full of action. The characters are awesome and the love story is to die for!! Read this book!!
June 15, 2012
The best zombie novel I have ever read
Want to read
November 26, 2015
June 23, 2012
I'm going to start this review by saying I have some major friggin love for Rhiannon!! She is seriously awesome. So you all know that I totally love the As The World Dies series so I was super excited to read yet another zombie novel written by her. This book was incredibly amazing!! I was instantly hooked. By the end of the Prologue I knew I was going to devour it and love it!! I loved the characters, I loved the setting, and I loved how invested I became. This book is full of action, surprises, and emotion. It is told from Maria and Dwayne's POV's and it couldn't have been done better. I could feel their every emotion. I was so caught up in them and everything else they were going through.
Maria is one bad ass chick!! She has seen a lot of death, she has fought the Inferi Scourge. When she is sent on a special top secret mission, she is scared, but is totally invested on getting rid of the Inferi Scourge for the good of everyone. She is highly trained, very healthy, and as far as the Science Warfare Division knows, unattached. She takes on the mission, but things aren't really as they seem. I can't really go into it without ruining anything so I won't, but I will tell you that she is much tougher than I could ever be and accepts what is happening because she wants to get rid of the Inferi Scourge for good. Through all of this she still has a means of communication with Dwayne and every time they talk, I feel for her. Even if they only have a minute, you can feel how much she loves him and it was breaking my heart for her to be away from him in this situation.
Dwayne is much older than Maria. She actually had saved his life in the last push against the Inferi Scourge. At that time he was married so there was nothing between them. They grew closer while they were both in rehab after that battle, and eventually got together. Dwayne is still going through his divorce so they are keeping their relationship secret, but he is absolutely the sweetest person. I love how much you can tell he loves her. Dwayne is so worried about Maria and he has inside contacts that are working to try to get him information about the mission. He finds out that there has been a lot of lying going on, and besides the Inferi Scourge things are getting really bad. I love what he is willing to do and sacrifice for Maria. He is the total package. The perfect guy for her. I just loved him.
I really don't know what else I can say without saying too much. I am just about bouncing in my seat wanting to tell you about this book, but I don't want to give anything away. I will tell you that these Inferi Scourge are not like your typical zombie, in fact they are not really considered zombies at all. The virus that makes them Inferi Scourge actually preserves them, so they aren't rotting and they don't eat people. They bite to infect and that's it. Yes they are walking dead people, but at least they won't eat your brains. The other thing I loved that is lacking in a lot of books, is the information on how things got the way they are. I am picky, I like to know the how's and why's and this book does just that. Beyond that it's just an amazing book. There is some awesome action scenes, a lot of tense moments, and yes, things that totally took me by surprise!!! That is not an easy task. I totally didn't see some things coming which had a pretty big shock factor.
I think more than anything, I loved the connections to the characters. Whether it was a character I loved, or one that I didn't, I still really felt like I was part of this story. There are a few characters that we get to know really well, and it's emotional reading them going through some things. Other characters I wanted to jump into the pages and drop kick them in the face. This is a pretty intense book too. Even when things are slower paced, there is still that tension lingering. It was fantastic in every way. I didn't think it was lacking anything. When I finished it and put it down I was still thinking about it for days. Oh, and the ending...I think it was perfect. Yup, that's right. PERFECT!!!
Maria is one bad ass chick!! She has seen a lot of death, she has fought the Inferi Scourge. When she is sent on a special top secret mission, she is scared, but is totally invested on getting rid of the Inferi Scourge for the good of everyone. She is highly trained, very healthy, and as far as the Science Warfare Division knows, unattached. She takes on the mission, but things aren't really as they seem. I can't really go into it without ruining anything so I won't, but I will tell you that she is much tougher than I could ever be and accepts what is happening because she wants to get rid of the Inferi Scourge for good. Through all of this she still has a means of communication with Dwayne and every time they talk, I feel for her. Even if they only have a minute, you can feel how much she loves him and it was breaking my heart for her to be away from him in this situation.
Dwayne is much older than Maria. She actually had saved his life in the last push against the Inferi Scourge. At that time he was married so there was nothing between them. They grew closer while they were both in rehab after that battle, and eventually got together. Dwayne is still going through his divorce so they are keeping their relationship secret, but he is absolutely the sweetest person. I love how much you can tell he loves her. Dwayne is so worried about Maria and he has inside contacts that are working to try to get him information about the mission. He finds out that there has been a lot of lying going on, and besides the Inferi Scourge things are getting really bad. I love what he is willing to do and sacrifice for Maria. He is the total package. The perfect guy for her. I just loved him.
I really don't know what else I can say without saying too much. I am just about bouncing in my seat wanting to tell you about this book, but I don't want to give anything away. I will tell you that these Inferi Scourge are not like your typical zombie, in fact they are not really considered zombies at all. The virus that makes them Inferi Scourge actually preserves them, so they aren't rotting and they don't eat people. They bite to infect and that's it. Yes they are walking dead people, but at least they won't eat your brains. The other thing I loved that is lacking in a lot of books, is the information on how things got the way they are. I am picky, I like to know the how's and why's and this book does just that. Beyond that it's just an amazing book. There is some awesome action scenes, a lot of tense moments, and yes, things that totally took me by surprise!!! That is not an easy task. I totally didn't see some things coming which had a pretty big shock factor.
I think more than anything, I loved the connections to the characters. Whether it was a character I loved, or one that I didn't, I still really felt like I was part of this story. There are a few characters that we get to know really well, and it's emotional reading them going through some things. Other characters I wanted to jump into the pages and drop kick them in the face. This is a pretty intense book too. Even when things are slower paced, there is still that tension lingering. It was fantastic in every way. I didn't think it was lacking anything. When I finished it and put it down I was still thinking about it for days. Oh, and the ending...I think it was perfect. Yup, that's right. PERFECT!!!
July 3, 2012
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.
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.
January 10, 2013
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, intentional misleading’s, and malicious sabotage, my jaw stayed on the floor the majority of the book. There were times I found myself shouting at the radio. None of this ever seemed over the top. It all played well with where readers are taken.
I enjoyed how readers begin their journey with Maria well after the Inferi have wrecked complete havoc and chaos on society. The futuristic feel to the book partly came from that. Judging by some of the technological advancements and devices that are used I would guess that this book is probably set several hundred years into the future. I like futuristic novels and I love zombie books, so this was a double win for me.
There is a little love story behind everything else that is going on in this book. This is not a romance book though. Maria has a lover, Dewayne. Due to something that is going on in his life they are forced to keep their relationship a secret.
My only disappointment in this audio book was the narrator. Some of the voicing seemed mechanical, and completely devoid of emotion. There are times in The Last Bastion of the Living where that is appropriate. I found that there were points when the characters were elated and the narrator sounded bored. Some of the narration seemed choppy as well. I enjoyed the content of the book enough that this was ignored for the most part.
I will be reading/listening to more of Rhiannon’s books and soon.
I was shocked at all the revelations made. There were so many lies, cover ups, intentional misleading’s, and malicious sabotage, my jaw stayed on the floor the majority of the book. There were times I found myself shouting at the radio. None of this ever seemed over the top. It all played well with where readers are taken.
I enjoyed how readers begin their journey with Maria well after the Inferi have wrecked complete havoc and chaos on society. The futuristic feel to the book partly came from that. Judging by some of the technological advancements and devices that are used I would guess that this book is probably set several hundred years into the future. I like futuristic novels and I love zombie books, so this was a double win for me.
There is a little love story behind everything else that is going on in this book. This is not a romance book though. Maria has a lover, Dewayne. Due to something that is going on in his life they are forced to keep their relationship a secret.
My only disappointment in this audio book was the narrator. Some of the voicing seemed mechanical, and completely devoid of emotion. There are times in The Last Bastion of the Living where that is appropriate. I found that there were points when the characters were elated and the narrator sounded bored. Some of the narration seemed choppy as well. I enjoyed the content of the book enough that this was ignored for the most part.
I will be reading/listening to more of Rhiannon’s books and soon.
February 4, 2016
4 1/2 stars rounded to 5
The last of humanity shelters behind the great city walls of the Bastion, but they are slowly dying, as the Infected have broken through the outer gates and into the valley that once grew the crops and held the farm animals that would sustain them. Vanguard Maria Martinez of the Constabulary volunteers for a secret mission (and experiment) that would allow her to walk among the Infected undetected, in order to clear them out and eradicate them. As an Inferi Boon, Martinez leads a squad of soldiers to close the giant gates at the neck of the valley and clear out the infected. As she risks her life, what's left of it, her lover Dwayne Reichardt of the Constabulary investigates the secretive ondoings of the SWD and tries to send Martinez enough information that will keep her alive.
The book is rich in detail for world building, character development, undead viscera. I felt like I could jump off the pages and enter the story, which really held my interest throughout its entirety. I was a tad frustrated, however, in the naiveté of some of the main characters, particularly Martinez. That passed quickly, however, as the story progressed and the kill count grew higher.
For readers of post-zpoc action, this is an awesome read.
The last of humanity shelters behind the great city walls of the Bastion, but they are slowly dying, as the Infected have broken through the outer gates and into the valley that once grew the crops and held the farm animals that would sustain them. Vanguard Maria Martinez of the Constabulary volunteers for a secret mission (and experiment) that would allow her to walk among the Infected undetected, in order to clear them out and eradicate them. As an Inferi Boon, Martinez leads a squad of soldiers to close the giant gates at the neck of the valley and clear out the infected. As she risks her life, what's left of it, her lover Dwayne Reichardt of the Constabulary investigates the secretive ondoings of the SWD and tries to send Martinez enough information that will keep her alive.
The book is rich in detail for world building, character development, undead viscera. I felt like I could jump off the pages and enter the story, which really held my interest throughout its entirety. I was a tad frustrated, however, in the naiveté of some of the main characters, particularly Martinez. That passed quickly, however, as the story progressed and the kill count grew higher.
For readers of post-zpoc action, this is an awesome read.
June 15, 2012
A little bit predictable but overall I really enjoyed the book. A very creative approach to a zombie book. I was impressed with the imaginative concept to dealing with a zombie problem so much so that I am more than willing to overlook the minor flaws in the story.
Nice character development too. I could really start picturing faces of actors that I thought would really bring the story to life on the screen.
This is my first read of a Rhiannon Frater book and it definately makes me want to check out what else she has written.
Nice character development too. I could really start picturing faces of actors that I thought would really bring the story to life on the screen.
This is my first read of a Rhiannon Frater book and it definately makes me want to check out what else she has written.
July 1, 2012
Rhiannon Rhiannon Rhiannon!!! That was awesome! I so wish that Maria and Dwayne's story could go on and on! And for those of you who haven't read it, it is definitely the one of the best zombie stories I have read. This has made me want to read all of Rhianna's zombie books.
Please keep writing and I'll keep reading!!! :)
February 13, 2014
I saw a review of this book on a friends book blog site and it looked really good so I thought I'd give it a try and wow The Last Bastion of the Living was literally a perfect futuristic zombie book. This was my first book by Rhiannon Frater but it will definitely not be my last.
I really don't want to even talk about the story because I just can"t think of any way to do it without ruining something and I really don't want to do that. The Last Bastion has so many surprises and turns in it and it's just one of those books that's best to experience it for the first time without any spoilers so instead of talking about the story I'll just let you'll know what I thought about it. I thought it rocked!!! What really impressed me the most about this book, other than the great storyline, the rich characters, the well thought out world or even the incredible twists and turns was the fact that it just gets better and better the further you read. It starts out really good but as you keep going the characters which you're already very drawn to become even closer, you find yourself more than just a little attached to them and the story just continues to grow in depth. The action becomes more heated and the lines between good and evil or at least good and not so good become less blurred and pretty much every time you think you have all the answers and there's just not enough room for any more surprises another one pops up. It was just astonishing to me how after every few chapters the book would just sort of double in depth, the story would grow more intense, the plot would grow thicker and what started out as a simple kind of soldier vs. zombie's turns into something so much more. The author kind of eases you into it then just kind of increases the pressure of the plot little by little until you're wound up, on the edge of your seat and it's 4:30am in the morning and you have to be up a 7:00am to work.
This was just one of those books that was impossible to put down. I stayed up way too late reading it that first night and only forced myself to go to bed because I had work to do in the morning. The author did such a stunning job creating her characters and their world. The technology wasn't too advanced even though it was in the future, after all the Bastion is pretty much on it's last legs. There was some clever plot devices concerning the scourge or the zombies that I thought were very unique and original but at the heart of this novel is a love story and I enjoyed seeing the depths that the main character as well as the man she loved would go to for each other and for the last remaining members of their race. The ending was PERFECT! Really, it couldn't have ended any better. I'm really glad I saw that review and had a chance to read this one. I can't wait to read other books from this author. I don't think you have to be a fan of zombie novels to enjoy The Last Bastion of the Living. There's just so much going on under the hood of this book and think it will appeal to a very broad base of readers. Give it a try, grab the sample but I have to warn you, once you start you won't be able to put it down and don't try to read this one late at night unless you want very little sleep. Trust me on that one. I wish I could go back and do it all over again though, it was so worth not getting much sleep : )
I really don't want to even talk about the story because I just can"t think of any way to do it without ruining something and I really don't want to do that. The Last Bastion has so many surprises and turns in it and it's just one of those books that's best to experience it for the first time without any spoilers so instead of talking about the story I'll just let you'll know what I thought about it. I thought it rocked!!! What really impressed me the most about this book, other than the great storyline, the rich characters, the well thought out world or even the incredible twists and turns was the fact that it just gets better and better the further you read. It starts out really good but as you keep going the characters which you're already very drawn to become even closer, you find yourself more than just a little attached to them and the story just continues to grow in depth. The action becomes more heated and the lines between good and evil or at least good and not so good become less blurred and pretty much every time you think you have all the answers and there's just not enough room for any more surprises another one pops up. It was just astonishing to me how after every few chapters the book would just sort of double in depth, the story would grow more intense, the plot would grow thicker and what started out as a simple kind of soldier vs. zombie's turns into something so much more. The author kind of eases you into it then just kind of increases the pressure of the plot little by little until you're wound up, on the edge of your seat and it's 4:30am in the morning and you have to be up a 7:00am to work.
This was just one of those books that was impossible to put down. I stayed up way too late reading it that first night and only forced myself to go to bed because I had work to do in the morning. The author did such a stunning job creating her characters and their world. The technology wasn't too advanced even though it was in the future, after all the Bastion is pretty much on it's last legs. There was some clever plot devices concerning the scourge or the zombies that I thought were very unique and original but at the heart of this novel is a love story and I enjoyed seeing the depths that the main character as well as the man she loved would go to for each other and for the last remaining members of their race. The ending was PERFECT! Really, it couldn't have ended any better. I'm really glad I saw that review and had a chance to read this one. I can't wait to read other books from this author. I don't think you have to be a fan of zombie novels to enjoy The Last Bastion of the Living. There's just so much going on under the hood of this book and think it will appeal to a very broad base of readers. Give it a try, grab the sample but I have to warn you, once you start you won't be able to put it down and don't try to read this one late at night unless you want very little sleep. Trust me on that one. I wish I could go back and do it all over again though, it was so worth not getting much sleep : )
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