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Nothing Left to Lose
(John Cleaver #6)
by
New York Times bestselling author Dan Wells continues his acclaimed John Wayne Cleaver series, popular with fans of Dexter
Hi. My name is John Cleaver, and I hunt monsters. I used to do it alone, and then for a while I did it with a team of government specialists, and then the monsters found us and killed almost everyone, and now I hunt them alone again.
This is my story.
In ...more
Hi. My name is John Cleaver, and I hunt monsters. I used to do it alone, and then for a while I did it with a team of government specialists, and then the monsters found us and killed almost everyone, and now I hunt them alone again.
This is my story.
In ...more
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Start your review of Nothing Left to Lose (John Cleaver, #6)
Final installment. I, for one, am quite happy with the direction it took and the way it got resolved.
Full circle. John the normal sociopath has been building his conscious ethics across all these books and has made a virtue out of choice. Doing the right thing is not something that comes naturally, but having self-imposed limits means that he defines his world and himself in a way that the demons have categorically *not* been able to do.
Supernatural sociopaths are the closest thing he has to kin ...more
Full circle. John the normal sociopath has been building his conscious ethics across all these books and has made a virtue out of choice. Doing the right thing is not something that comes naturally, but having self-imposed limits means that he defines his world and himself in a way that the demons have categorically *not* been able to do.
Supernatural sociopaths are the closest thing he has to kin ...more
Just read them all. You won't be disappointed.
...more
Yep. He did it. I know I shouldn't have doubted, but still. When you write a series about a sociopath fighting monsters, and you make the reader care about that sociopath, and actually about some of the monsters, you are painting yourself into a bit of a corner. How to end the series in a way that feels real, but isn't just devastating to the reader?
This. This is how. This is how you end a series that pulls no punches, that gets super dark, in a way that is satisfying and honest, without being s ...more
This. This is how. This is how you end a series that pulls no punches, that gets super dark, in a way that is satisfying and honest, without being s ...more
4.5 stars
I wouldn’t call that ending disappointing per se, but it was a little abrupt and left too many loose ends for my liking… Still, I had so much fun with this series, and I recommend it to all the fans of paranormal thriller/mystery, and intelligent, introspective MCs. John is without a doubt one of the most interesting characters I’ve had the pleasure to ‘meet.’
I wouldn’t call that ending disappointing per se, but it was a little abrupt and left too many loose ends for my liking… Still, I had so much fun with this series, and I recommend it to all the fans of paranormal thriller/mystery, and intelligent, introspective MCs. John is without a doubt one of the most interesting characters I’ve had the pleasure to ‘meet.’
So incredibly, unbelievably disappointed.
The John Cleaver books are one of the few binge-able series I've read. I plowed through the first five books in five days and have been waiting with baited breath to read the sixth - and final - book in the series. I was not disappointed.
Without getting into spoilers, Nothing Left to Lose builds on the previous books and brings John Cleaver's character arc to a satisfying place. Every word in this book kept me hooked to the page. My only complaint is that it's over. ...more
Without getting into spoilers, Nothing Left to Lose builds on the previous books and brings John Cleaver's character arc to a satisfying place. Every word in this book kept me hooked to the page. My only complaint is that it's over. ...more
John John John...we've come to the end....again!
So John Clever is a killer. Except he takes down withers. They are supernatural beast that are amongst us, gods, and they are slowly dwindling thanks to Mr. John Cleaver. A little bit of a mix of Dexter meets Supernatural young John Clever goes into his final mission to stop them all.
The last volume really focuses on John figuring out his purpose. He knows there's only a few withers left and he plans to finish it. He visits a old town, meets a ni ...more
So John Clever is a killer. Except he takes down withers. They are supernatural beast that are amongst us, gods, and they are slowly dwindling thanks to Mr. John Cleaver. A little bit of a mix of Dexter meets Supernatural young John Clever goes into his final mission to stop them all.
The last volume really focuses on John figuring out his purpose. He knows there's only a few withers left and he plans to finish it. He visits a old town, meets a ni ...more
Wow. This series has been...I don't know how to describe it exactly. Nerve racking, exciting, disturbing, heartbreaking, scary, sweet, funny, startling. There are so many ways to describe this series, and the best I can say is, the SERIES is 5 FULL stars. I was drawn in by book 1, I Am Not a Serial Killer; John Wayne Cleaver is a compelling character who I will never forget. I will be re-listening to this series. Yes, I did all 6 books on audio and the narrator stayed the same (which yay) and it
...more
Oh, this hurts. This HURTS. I have adored the John Cleaver books, and I was quite into Nothing Left to Lose up until the end. This is the sixth and final book in this duo of trilogies about a teenage sociopath who hunts demonic monsters. John has finally tracked down the remaining Withered and now he needs to deal with them before the FBI descends on him.
So what went wrong? All throughout the series, John has struggled to make intimate connections with people. He fantasizes about killing others. ...more
So what went wrong? All throughout the series, John has struggled to make intimate connections with people. He fantasizes about killing others. ...more
Oh, the mixed feelings!! First things first: I am sad that John Cleaver's journey has ended. He's a fascinating character and I have enjoyed following him on his (dark, tortured) adventures. In fact, I would go so far as to say John is one of the more unique, compelling fictional characters I have read in recent memory. He's a deeply flawed, difficult character, but one whose self-awareness and determined struggle against himself make the reader cheer for him all the same. I have also enjoyed th
...more
Unfortunately, this was a disappointment. While it was a quick read that kept me engaged, it was missing many of the elements of John's personality that initially got me hooked on the series. In the earlier books it was fascinating to watch John struggle with his serial killer tendencies, but in this installment he was more or less an empty shell. I understand that characters evolve, but it's unfortunate that John evolved to be so.....boring.
...more
It was fun spending time with John Cleaver one last time. I'm sorry to see the series end, but it was the right place for it to end.
...more
May 19, 2017
EmilyViolet
marked it as to-read
I NEED THIS LIKE I NEED AIR
As a whole, Wells' John Cleaver series is one of the best, most original, binge-worthy I've read in a long time. Six books in total, it reads like two separate trilogies with this as a wrap up to them both. With my 4 and 5 star ratings on all the previous books, I wanted to love this one. I expected to love it. My problems with it are entirely plot driven: You can't have a series about a young, sociopath, serial killer who kills "demons" end in a happy hug. It just doesn't work. Or, if you are g
...more
I definitely think this last installment in the series is the best one since the first [another thing this has in common with the Dexter series, at least for me personally]. I think there's a kind of symmetry to the first part of the book because John started this journey alone and now he has separated from his friends and family and the FBI and is working alone again to try to end everything. However, it doesn't stay that way moving into the second part of the book. (view spoiler)
...more
Pretty disappointing conclusion. All in all, this second trilogy wasn't really necessary, it kind of ruined the uniqueness of the first 3 books. What bothered me the most was the writing style. I'm not sure if it got worse over time or if I only just noticed its flaws, but the writing is so descriptive and explanatory, it's down-right annoying and prevents any real storytelling from happening. Everything is explained to me, I'm not allowed to think for myself at all. Also, everything just conven
...more
2.5 stars. Unfortunately, the worst in, and a very weak ending to, the series. Perhaps Wells wrote himself into a corner - but he really seemed to shift gears (and retcon some elements) here that didn't mess well with what had gone before.
...more
Wish there was a way to unread the last couple of pages. I am not happy with the way it ended. Not what I expected.
WHAT A RIDE!!!! The John Cleave series was fantastic! I am so glad that I decided to pick up this series because it was such an unexpected joyride! Nothing Left To Lose was an amazing ride that tied up John's story quite nicely. The ending was like a perfect, actually too perfect close. I wanted more of a BANG but what I got was a bang. I liked how it was wrapped up everything and I think for John it was absolutely needed but after everything that he went through it just seemed to good to be tru
...more
Brilliant. A perfectly satisfying conclusion.
Feb 06, 2018
Joel
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
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My opinion on these books is a bit biased as it's one of my favorite series. To be honest though, the second trilogy was not nearly as strong as the first trilogy. But you know that's okay. I still loved seeing where Mr. Wells took John after the events of the first trilogy.
In regards to this final installment, I enjoyed it very much, but it is my least favorite of the second trilogy. I had certain expectations and hopes for the final installment of what I wanted to see h ...more
My opinion on these books is a bit biased as it's one of my favorite series. To be honest though, the second trilogy was not nearly as strong as the first trilogy. But you know that's okay. I still loved seeing where Mr. Wells took John after the events of the first trilogy.
In regards to this final installment, I enjoyed it very much, but it is my least favorite of the second trilogy. I had certain expectations and hopes for the final installment of what I wanted to see h ...more
Well. It was really good. But...
Let's see. It was well-paced, exciting, well-written and as with all the other books in this series, a fun read. The characters all have depth and the plot was satisfying. Like I said, it was really good.
But...it's not what I'd have chosen for an end to this series. Wells seemed hellbent on completing the circle but I'm just not sure it rang true for me. I'm not sure the closing of the circle for the Withered made sense. I understood what he did, but I didn't fee ...more
Let's see. It was well-paced, exciting, well-written and as with all the other books in this series, a fun read. The characters all have depth and the plot was satisfying. Like I said, it was really good.
But...it's not what I'd have chosen for an end to this series. Wells seemed hellbent on completing the circle but I'm just not sure it rang true for me. I'm not sure the closing of the circle for the Withered made sense. I understood what he did, but I didn't fee ...more
This is a satisfying conclusion to the John Cleaver Series.
I read the the first 3 books back when I am a college student. It was recommended to me by one of my close professors who really wants "dark" stories.
I really love the series because of its uniqueness in story. I am too is fond of "dark" stories. Quite creepy but the series is a hell of a ride.
Then, A Devil's Only Friend and Over Your Dead Body. I never thought that there will be a continuation to the series. I love the succeeding ser ...more
I read the the first 3 books back when I am a college student. It was recommended to me by one of my close professors who really wants "dark" stories.
I really love the series because of its uniqueness in story. I am too is fond of "dark" stories. Quite creepy but the series is a hell of a ride.
Then, A Devil's Only Friend and Over Your Dead Body. I never thought that there will be a continuation to the series. I love the succeeding ser ...more
A fun read, but the ending was so, so implausible. It's understandable what Wells is trying to do here, but it's a bit too sappy for my taste.
...more
I knew when i started this it would be a 5 ⭐️ because lets face it Wells writing is amazing and his story is so detailed and it pulls you in almost instantly.
I dont want this to be the last book i want more of John Cleaver!
I dont want this to be the last book i want more of John Cleaver!
It was not as action packed or as intricate as the others, but it was as solid an ending as could be expected for John Wayne Cleaver. Did I expect this ending? No, but I wasn't unhappy. As crazy as John is, he deserves some happiness in his life.
...more
The John Cleaver series will always be a favorite and Dan Wells will always be a favorite author. He created one of my most loved characters: John Cleaver, the morally right sociopath.
Seeing johns character struggling a bit to survive was heart breaking. He seemed as if he was tired. Which is to be expected given his circumstances at the start of this book. Also, just his life in general.
It's well written and jumps right in to the story while giving you an update on whats happened. It in no w ...more
Seeing johns character struggling a bit to survive was heart breaking. He seemed as if he was tired. Which is to be expected given his circumstances at the start of this book. Also, just his life in general.
It's well written and jumps right in to the story while giving you an update on whats happened. It in no w ...more
This book is a bit of a mixed bag and I really had to fight against the irrational, knee-jerk part of my brain that wanted to rate it two stars. On the one hand, it was far more compelling than the last book, Over Your Dead Body, which was my least favorite. In fact, up until then I had nothing but effusive praise for the series and rated every book five stars. It was just a boring book when you get right down to it. Not the entire time, but for way too many pages in the middle. This had me hook
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'Nothing Left to Lose' is the latest installment in the highly original and thrilling John Cleaver series. One of the great things about this series is the fact that each book is just as fantastic as the last. A lot of series have a tendency to go downhill after a couple of installments, but this is definitely an exception to that. I fell in love with these books after reading the first one and I continue to be happily surprised with each successive novel.
Every aspect of the book is very well d ...more
Every aspect of the book is very well d ...more
Jun 06, 2017
Horsegirl
added it
I'm sad it's over, it is one of my favourite series. Definitely reread material.
...more
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Dan Wells is a thriller and science fiction writer. Born in Utah, he spent his early years reading and writing. He is he author of the Partials series (Partials, Isolation, Fragments, and Ruins), the John Cleaver series (I Am Not a Serial Killer, Mr. Monster, and I Don't Want To Kill You), and a few others (The Hollow City, A Night of Blacker Darkness, etc). He was a Campbell nomine for best new w
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John Cleaver
(6 books)
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“We need guilt the same way we need pain—because it reminds us what happened, and it helps us not to do it again.”
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“I wanted to do it again tonight. When I had Agent Harris unconscious in the bathroom — I wanted to hurt him and crush him and cut him until you couldn't even tell who he was anymore, but I didn't. Because I don't let a broken brain tell me what to do. Because who you're supposed to be has nothing to do with who you actually are.”
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