549 books
—
126 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “The Last Conversation” as Want to Read:
The Last Conversation
(Forward Collection #5)
by
What’s more frightening: Not knowing who you are? Or finding out? A Bram Stoker Award–winning author explores the answer in a chilling story about identity and human consciousness.
Imagine you’ve woken up in an unfamiliar room with no memory of who you are, how you got there, or where you were before. All you have is the disconnected voice of an attentive caretaker. Dr. Kuh ...more
Imagine you’ve woken up in an unfamiliar room with no memory of who you are, how you got there, or where you were before. All you have is the disconnected voice of an attentive caretaker. Dr. Kuh ...more
Kindle Edition, 56 pages
Published
September 17th 2019
by Amazon Original Stories
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
The Last Conversation,
please sign up.
Popular Answered Questions
This question contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)
Jennifer
This answer contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30
Start your review of The Last Conversation
The Last Conversation was the most "horror" of the Forward collection stories, which I guess is not surprising when you look at who the author is. It's an eerie tale that keeps us in the dark for most of the book, wondering what is going on, but knowing that something is definitely not right.
The second person narration somehow makes it even creepier and more unsettling. I want to liken this story to a well-known movie, but that would give away a major spoiler. So let me just say: what goes on in ...more
The second person narration somehow makes it even creepier and more unsettling. I want to liken this story to a well-known movie, but that would give away a major spoiler. So let me just say: what goes on in ...more
This is the spookiest, eeriest, most haunted, horrifying, chilling story of the Forward series. I know my husband is gonna get crazy when he realizes the increasing zeros at our electric bill because I will turn on the lights again as soon as he sleeps tonight. (Actually I plan to turn on entire lights of the house just in case not screaming after seeing something shapeless, spooky –like my sister in law who visits only for one week, stays in the guest room, don’t tell I called her shapeless, sh
...more
This might be my favorite work of Tremblay so far.
The beginning had some potential but the ending didn't do it for me.
...more
3.5 stars. Review first posted on Fantasy Literature:
A person — whose name and gender are never specified, because that person is “you” — wakes up, alone in a room. You’re blind and in intense pain, and at first you remember nothing at all of your past. You only hear one person, Dr. Anne Kuhn, who instructs you through a speaker: testing you mentally, badgering you to exercise, and, little by little, giving you bits of information about your past life and about why you are where you are now. Gra ...more
A person — whose name and gender are never specified, because that person is “you” — wakes up, alone in a room. You’re blind and in intense pain, and at first you remember nothing at all of your past. You only hear one person, Dr. Anne Kuhn, who instructs you through a speaker: testing you mentally, badgering you to exercise, and, little by little, giving you bits of information about your past life and about why you are where you are now. Gra ...more
BEWARE OF SPOILERS!
And, obviously, the DNA sequences drawn on the cover are not a spoiler for most of readers, as I just found out. For me, it was and I sort of felt I was aware from the start what would happen later on. Well, anyway, if you are scared of spoilers just stay away from this review :) And from the book cover :)
This wasn't too innovative or striking or anything.
So, this gal's a scientist and the guy's a part of a long chain of something. Striking? No.
They have this plague and she ...more
And, obviously, the DNA sequences drawn on the cover are not a spoiler for most of readers, as I just found out. For me, it was and I sort of felt I was aware from the start what would happen later on. Well, anyway, if you are scared of spoilers just stay away from this review :) And from the book cover :)
This wasn't too innovative or striking or anything.
So, this gal's a scientist and the guy's a part of a long chain of something. Striking? No.
They have this plague and she ...more
What a bizarre and frightening novella! Who is this man obviously having come back from a coma and taught living again? Who is Anne Kuhn? What about this pandemic that killed so many people? What about cloning? Many crucial subjects are mentioned directly or indirectly in this fantastic and weird story. It was a bit confusing but the atmosphere was very dark. Sometimes it reminded me on Matheson and I am Legend, I also had to think about the novel Birdbox. The characters in Tremblay's novella se
...more
3 to 3.5 stars
I have to be honest and say that approached this short story with trepidation. My open-mindedness to review this was tainted. I have read two Paul Tremblay novels and didn't like either of them - REALLY didn't like either of them (1 and 2 star reviews). Of all the Forward stories, this is the only one I really didn't want to listen to.
So, today I decided to just rip off the band-aid and jump in feet first. At least it was only an hour and forty five minutes on audio so I knew if I ...more
I have to be honest and say that approached this short story with trepidation. My open-mindedness to review this was tainted. I have read two Paul Tremblay novels and didn't like either of them - REALLY didn't like either of them (1 and 2 star reviews). Of all the Forward stories, this is the only one I really didn't want to listen to.
So, today I decided to just rip off the band-aid and jump in feet first. At least it was only an hour and forty five minutes on audio so I knew if I ...more
Brilliant play on real versus replica and the authenticity of memory and identity
To forget is to lose something that was once yours, that was once of yourself.
An eerie and well build up story, centered around the the experience of someone waking up in a dark room, without memories, only being talked to by a mysterious doctor through an intercom.
The start point is more often seen (it made me think of More Than This, Slated, The Raw Shark Texts and a Haruki Murakami novel I don't quite remember th ...more
To forget is to lose something that was once yours, that was once of yourself.
An eerie and well build up story, centered around the the experience of someone waking up in a dark room, without memories, only being talked to by a mysterious doctor through an intercom.
The start point is more often seen (it made me think of More Than This, Slated, The Raw Shark Texts and a Haruki Murakami novel I don't quite remember th ...more
THE LAST CONVERSATION is my second read in the Forward series from Amazon, curated by Blake Crouch.
I'm familiar with the works of Paul Tremblay and just read his latest collection GROWING THINGS a few months back. I felt that this story was a bit of a departure from his horror works and it was a change that I enjoyed. Being more of a mystery/science fiction tale, I found the end to be an unexpected surprise- and I love to be surprised!
Thanks to Amazon/Audible for the free reads and the original ...more
I'm familiar with the works of Paul Tremblay and just read his latest collection GROWING THINGS a few months back. I felt that this story was a bit of a departure from his horror works and it was a change that I enjoyed. Being more of a mystery/science fiction tale, I found the end to be an unexpected surprise- and I love to be surprised!
Thanks to Amazon/Audible for the free reads and the original ...more
This story is part of the FORWARD collection and a great addition to the series. The first book I read from this author was THE CABIN AT THE END OF THE WORLD which was an intense horror novel.
This short story is different but as deeply scary and creepy as the novel I mentioned. Imagine you wake up in a dark room, very dark. You can't see anything at all and you don't know if it's because the room is dark or if it's because you're blind. But worst of all is realizing you don't know who you are or ...more
This short story is different but as deeply scary and creepy as the novel I mentioned. Imagine you wake up in a dark room, very dark. You can't see anything at all and you don't know if it's because the room is dark or if it's because you're blind. But worst of all is realizing you don't know who you are or ...more
“To forget is to lose something that was once yours, that was once of yourself. But how could one lose something as expansive as an ocean in a dusty corner of one’s mind? What if, instead, to forget is to open a door to a void; the memory is not retrievable because it is not there, was never there.”The loss of memory and identity is a terrifying concept. What makes you - *you*? Suddenly not having that you-ness and knowing that someone else has the keys to it, to your very self - but chooses ...more
"Dear" Paul Tremblay,
I've just finished THE LAST CONVERSATION. I loathe second-person narration...so chest-pokey, so accusatory...but this story made me leak tears and gasp for breath and I do not ever want to be that lonely and how did you do that in spite of thumping my nose for 60 pages?
Five stars. Bastard.
Cheers
RMD
expendablemudge.blogspot.com ...more
I've just finished THE LAST CONVERSATION. I loathe second-person narration...so chest-pokey, so accusatory...but this story made me leak tears and gasp for breath and I do not ever want to be that lonely and how did you do that in spite of thumping my nose for 60 pages?
Five stars. Bastard.
Cheers
RMD
expendablemudge.blogspot.com ...more
Creepy, chilling, unsettling and bleak....
This 54 page short story is part of the Forward Collection which was curated by Blake Crouch which at time of posting is available on Kindle Unlimited.
Our protagonist is nameless and wakes up in a dark room and has to relearn their past. It took me a while to figure out what was going on here and I thought this one was fine. I didn't enjoy it as much as I have the others in this collection. ...more
Our protagonist is nameless and wakes up in a dark room and has to relearn their past. It took me a while to figure out what was going on here and I thought this one was fine. I didn't enjoy it as much as I have the others in this collection. ...more
Rating: 3.5/5.0
Genre:
Science Fiction
If you love Paul Tremblay's writing style you will like this book. He has his writing style all over it. It is creepy, mysterious and has a strange feeling to it! Even the narration itself where the main character is being addressed as "You" to the reader makes everything spooky. So when you wake up, you are blind and isolated alone in a room, completely unaware of everything else!
Usually, this kind of narration style can be a hit or a miss. In this case, I wo ...more
No spoilers, but this one is easily the creepiest of the Forward collection.
It's definitely a White Room mystery. :)
Well worth the read and very possibly the best Paul Tremblay I've read. ...more
It's definitely a White Room mystery. :)
Well worth the read and very possibly the best Paul Tremblay I've read. ...more
This is not only the first Trembles story I've liked, but the first second-person narrative I've enjoyed. A night of firsts.
...more
This Review ✍️ Blog 📖 Twitter 🐦 Instagram 📷
Actual Rating: 2.5 stars
★ I am on the fence about this one! I did not know the author prior to reading this one, I am not a fan of horror so I probably would have never have been exposed to his works.
★ That of course, does not mean that I wanted to dislike this or skip it, I wanted to like it but the author kept it very vague and the scientist kept saying maybe and you will understand later and I can't tell much. And since this is written in 2nd person ...more
Actual Rating: 2.5 stars
★ I am on the fence about this one! I did not know the author prior to reading this one, I am not a fan of horror so I probably would have never have been exposed to his works.
★ That of course, does not mean that I wanted to dislike this or skip it, I wanted to like it but the author kept it very vague and the scientist kept saying maybe and you will understand later and I can't tell much. And since this is written in 2nd person ...more
You’re awash in the sun’s fusion-powered glare and you close your eyes, cover your face with shaking hands. You listen to the wind echoing in the bowls of your ears. The smell of the air and how it feels on your skin, on your lips, and inside your lungs are beyond your abilities of description.
I’ve been a Paul Tremblay fan after having read A Head Full of Ghosts, which is one of my favorite books ever! After reading this novella, I will definitely need to start on his other books soon.
This novella reminds me of an episode of Westworld that I saw -the one where William has those repeated visits with his father-in-law. For those of you who are fans of that series, you know which I mean. For those who aren’t, I won’t spoil it for you. But go get started. There are 3 seasons already, and ...more
This novella reminds me of an episode of Westworld that I saw -the one where William has those repeated visits with his father-in-law. For those of you who are fans of that series, you know which I mean. For those who aren’t, I won’t spoil it for you. But go get started. There are 3 seasons already, and ...more
4 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Well, this short story in the Forward series was rather uncomfortable and bleak!
I enjoyed The Last Conversation as much as can be expected.
It’s a rather twisty, dark and fascinating plot once you get an idea of what’s happening with our patient. This lightbulb moment doesn’t happen until the end and the ending is a nice bit of horror and unease. It made me feel super uncomfortable!
Well done Paul Tremblay on writing something that I hope never happens to me!!
Well, this short story in the Forward series was rather uncomfortable and bleak!
I enjoyed The Last Conversation as much as can be expected.
It’s a rather twisty, dark and fascinating plot once you get an idea of what’s happening with our patient. This lightbulb moment doesn’t happen until the end and the ending is a nice bit of horror and unease. It made me feel super uncomfortable!
Well done Paul Tremblay on writing something that I hope never happens to me!!
This was one delightfully creepy story. I'm still feeling the chill of this slow buildup and utterly fitting use of second person POV.
...more
This Amazon Forward Collection was definitely great!! I liked/loved all of the stories. This one was a sort of end of mankind story. Poignant, sad, excellent.
4 Stars
Listened to the audiobook. Excellent performance.
4 Stars
Listened to the audiobook. Excellent performance.
“To forget is to lose something that was once yours, that was once of yourself.”
The Last Conversation is the fifth book in the Forward Collection series I have read, and I completely loved it.
♥ THE TESTS CONTINUE…
As someone who absolutely loves the exploration of a twisted mind, I have to say that this story was exactly the type of tale that I seek out. It had a slow build, revealing parts of the story little by little, but leaving the reader in utter confusion until the last moments. It al ...more
The Last Conversation is the fifth book in the Forward Collection series I have read, and I completely loved it.
♥ THE TESTS CONTINUE…
As someone who absolutely loves the exploration of a twisted mind, I have to say that this story was exactly the type of tale that I seek out. It had a slow build, revealing parts of the story little by little, but leaving the reader in utter confusion until the last moments. It al ...more
Wow. This was a bang up short story in the collection. I loved it. It had a lot of horror elements I thought working for it too. The ending gave my goosebumps.
"The Last Conversation" follows an unnamed person (we never find out if they are male or female which I liked) who wakes up slowly and cannot see. We don't know what has happened, except a person named Doctor Kuhn is the only person that the unnamed person can talk to via an intercom. The unnamed person is run through daily tests and told ...more
"The Last Conversation" follows an unnamed person (we never find out if they are male or female which I liked) who wakes up slowly and cannot see. We don't know what has happened, except a person named Doctor Kuhn is the only person that the unnamed person can talk to via an intercom. The unnamed person is run through daily tests and told ...more
Funny how the short story I liked the best of this collection was by the author whose book The Cabin and the End of the World I absolutely hated. Guess I may have to give him a second chance.
You can sense sinister as soon as you start reading. A page turner for me, and what an ending.
Feb 09, 2020
Tan Markovic
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
short-stories-2020
3rd book I've read in the Forward series and definitely my favourite story so far.
...more
Book Blog | Bookstagram
I actually really liked this, despite its more subdued tone which would usually put my right to fucking sleep. But there was an eerie tension to the vibe that made the minimalist quality of the plot elements engaging and mysterious in an oddball kind of way.
Definitely not the kind of story I might expect from Tremblay, but that's not a bad thing.
The plot was certainly prescient considering these pandemic times we are living in and Dr. Kuhn's motivations really struck an em ...more
I actually really liked this, despite its more subdued tone which would usually put my right to fucking sleep. But there was an eerie tension to the vibe that made the minimalist quality of the plot elements engaging and mysterious in an oddball kind of way.
Definitely not the kind of story I might expect from Tremblay, but that's not a bad thing.
The plot was certainly prescient considering these pandemic times we are living in and Dr. Kuhn's motivations really struck an em ...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YA Buddy Readers'...: The Last Conversation (Forward Short Story Collection) by Paul Tremblay - Starting September 27th 2019 | 18 | 28 | Oct 10, 2019 08:54AM |
Readers also enjoyed
Paul Tremblay has won the Bram Stoker, British Fantasy, and Massachusetts Book awards and is the author of Survivor Song, Growing Things, The Cabin at the End of the World, Disappearance at Devil’s Rock, A Head Full of Ghosts, and the crime novels The Little Sleep and No Sleep Till Wonderland. His essays and short fiction have appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Entertainment Weekly
...more
Other books in the series
Forward Collection
(6 books)
Related Articles
Need another excuse to treat yourself to a new book this week? We've got you covered with the buzziest new releases of the day.
To create our...
58 likes · 17 comments
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“To forget is to lose something that was once yours, that was once of yourself. But how could one lose something as expansive as an ocean in a dusty corner of one’s mind? What if, instead, to forget is to open a door to a void; the memory is not retrievable because it is not there, was never there.”
—
4 likes
“To forget is to lose something that was once yours, that was once of yourself. But how could one lose something as expansive as an ocean in a dusty corner of one’s mind?”
—
3 likes
More quotes…
