Listen free for 30 days
-
Final Days
- Final Days, Book 1
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Series: Final Days, Book 1
- Length: 8 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Thriller & Suspense
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Listen with a free trial
Buy Now for £18.29
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Final Days: Colony
- Final Days, Book 2
- By: Nathan Hystad, Jasper T. Scott
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Kendra, Andrew, and the other survivors arrive with Lewis Hound’s chosen people at an unfamiliar planet with more questions than answers: how did they get there? Where did all of the advanced technology come from? And is this really Proxima B Centauri? The colony ship breaks into sections and makes an emergency landing amidst a meteor shower, and Lewis Hound, Eden’s enigmatic leader, goes missing.
-
-
A great twist to the story
- By Nat 87 on 24-07-20
-
Lost Contact
- The Bridge Sequence, Book 1
- By: Nathan Hystad
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Rex Walker always wanted to be like his father: a daring, adventurous man, traveling the world in pursuit of mysterious relics. While teaching anthropology at a Boston college, Rex attempts to bury the past, until he discovers a hidden clue he can’t ignore. With the help of a former student, he teams up with an alien-obsessed billionaire, and they search for the fabled Bridge. As an unidentified object nears Pluto, speculation surges. Some hail it as the homecoming of a distant alien race, and this cult is unwavering in their efforts to usher our world into a new era.
-
-
It’s fine, but doesn’t make much sense
- By K. West on 06-06-21
-
The Depth of Darkness
- Mitch Tanner, Book 1
- By: L.T. Ryan
- Narrated by: Sean Patrick Hopkins, Patricia Santomasso
- Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Detective Mitch Tanner's life hangs in the balance. He clings to the daughter in his care. He agonizes over the disappearance of his son and estranged wife. Twelve months has yet to turn up a solid lead. While investigating the apparent accidental death of Dusty Anne Miller, Mitch and his partner Sam Foster find themselves in the middle of a fiendish plan that strikes too close to home. Running out of time, he plummets into the depths of darkness. And from there, he vows to bring the masterminds down, no matter the consequences.
-
Occupation
- Rise, Book 1
- By: Devon C. Ford, Nathan Hystad
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 8 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Alec works in the Detroit Overseer-factories, building a mysterious alien device. When three strangers appear, he's provided an opportunity to escape after years of servitude. Cole, a Freeborn loner, encounters Lina after her village is destroyed by the alien Occupation. Together, they make the arduous journey to a fabled safe-zone, trying to stay one step ahead of the enemy drones on their trail. Dex is a Hunter, working for the Occupation to track down escaped factory slaves, or Roamers, at all costs. But his latest hunt uncovers a massive secret.
-
-
Ford Swaps Zombies for Aliens!
- By Simon on 11-03-20
-
The Event
- By: Nathan Hystad
- Narrated by: Luke Daniels
- Length: 6 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Cities all around the world reported strange alien vessels descending. Some saw them as the heralds of a new age; others fired everything they had at them. All were taken as the beams lashed down and drew them into the sky. Dean was left behind, seemingly the last man on Earth. A trail of clues left by his dead wife guides Dean on a perilous journey across America and beyond to learn the truth behind the mysterious ships and save humanity from its doom.
-
-
Excellent first contact !!!
- By Ostfeld on 18-08-18
-
Reset
- By: Brian Andrews
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 11 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Deep in the Afghan mountains, Sergeant Michael Pitcher discovers an object with powers that defy explanation. After interacting with it, he suffers a traumatic seizure and is flown home for evaluation. Cleared by the doctors, Michael goes home to his relieved wife, Josie. But he’s a changed man. The once-loving husband is now coldly withdrawn. When a team of scientists connected to Sergeant Pitcher vanishes without a trace, CIA agent Dean Ninemeyer comes to him for insight - only to find that the recovering soldier has also disappeared.
-
-
What a twist
- By Jonathan Seifert on 31-01-20
-
Final Days: Colony
- Final Days, Book 2
- By: Nathan Hystad, Jasper T. Scott
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Kendra, Andrew, and the other survivors arrive with Lewis Hound’s chosen people at an unfamiliar planet with more questions than answers: how did they get there? Where did all of the advanced technology come from? And is this really Proxima B Centauri? The colony ship breaks into sections and makes an emergency landing amidst a meteor shower, and Lewis Hound, Eden’s enigmatic leader, goes missing.
-
-
A great twist to the story
- By Nat 87 on 24-07-20
-
Lost Contact
- The Bridge Sequence, Book 1
- By: Nathan Hystad
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Rex Walker always wanted to be like his father: a daring, adventurous man, traveling the world in pursuit of mysterious relics. While teaching anthropology at a Boston college, Rex attempts to bury the past, until he discovers a hidden clue he can’t ignore. With the help of a former student, he teams up with an alien-obsessed billionaire, and they search for the fabled Bridge. As an unidentified object nears Pluto, speculation surges. Some hail it as the homecoming of a distant alien race, and this cult is unwavering in their efforts to usher our world into a new era.
-
-
It’s fine, but doesn’t make much sense
- By K. West on 06-06-21
-
The Depth of Darkness
- Mitch Tanner, Book 1
- By: L.T. Ryan
- Narrated by: Sean Patrick Hopkins, Patricia Santomasso
- Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Detective Mitch Tanner's life hangs in the balance. He clings to the daughter in his care. He agonizes over the disappearance of his son and estranged wife. Twelve months has yet to turn up a solid lead. While investigating the apparent accidental death of Dusty Anne Miller, Mitch and his partner Sam Foster find themselves in the middle of a fiendish plan that strikes too close to home. Running out of time, he plummets into the depths of darkness. And from there, he vows to bring the masterminds down, no matter the consequences.
-
Occupation
- Rise, Book 1
- By: Devon C. Ford, Nathan Hystad
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 8 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Alec works in the Detroit Overseer-factories, building a mysterious alien device. When three strangers appear, he's provided an opportunity to escape after years of servitude. Cole, a Freeborn loner, encounters Lina after her village is destroyed by the alien Occupation. Together, they make the arduous journey to a fabled safe-zone, trying to stay one step ahead of the enemy drones on their trail. Dex is a Hunter, working for the Occupation to track down escaped factory slaves, or Roamers, at all costs. But his latest hunt uncovers a massive secret.
-
-
Ford Swaps Zombies for Aliens!
- By Simon on 11-03-20
-
The Event
- By: Nathan Hystad
- Narrated by: Luke Daniels
- Length: 6 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Cities all around the world reported strange alien vessels descending. Some saw them as the heralds of a new age; others fired everything they had at them. All were taken as the beams lashed down and drew them into the sky. Dean was left behind, seemingly the last man on Earth. A trail of clues left by his dead wife guides Dean on a perilous journey across America and beyond to learn the truth behind the mysterious ships and save humanity from its doom.
-
-
Excellent first contact !!!
- By Ostfeld on 18-08-18
-
Reset
- By: Brian Andrews
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 11 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Deep in the Afghan mountains, Sergeant Michael Pitcher discovers an object with powers that defy explanation. After interacting with it, he suffers a traumatic seizure and is flown home for evaluation. Cleared by the doctors, Michael goes home to his relieved wife, Josie. But he’s a changed man. The once-loving husband is now coldly withdrawn. When a team of scientists connected to Sergeant Pitcher vanishes without a trace, CIA agent Dean Ninemeyer comes to him for insight - only to find that the recovering soldier has also disappeared.
-
-
What a twist
- By Jonathan Seifert on 31-01-20
-
The Order
- By: Jeremy Robinson
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 10 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mysterious gateways are appearing throughout the universe, bridging violent civilizations, leading to war, and sowing chaos. While some species succumb to the pandemonium, the Chut’un forge an unholy symbiotic relationship—The Order—with red Europhids, a vast hive intelligence populating the universe’s far reaches. Desiring structure and fearing the unknown, they cull everything opposed to their plan, including the Europhids’ blue counterparts, carrying out a galactic genocide until only one blue Europhid remains...inside Moses Montgomery, a.k.a. "Dark Horse".
-
-
Another great team Robinson-RC.Bray production
- By M. Lehiste on 05-05-22
-
NPC
- By: Jeremy Robinson
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray, Jeffrey Kafer
- Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
New York Times and number one Audible.com best-selling author Jeremy Robinson takes listeners on a journey that is not only action-packed, but full of scientific and philosophical intrigue. In his most mind-bending story since Infinite and Alter, Robinson blends genres, belief systems, and bold prose into an unputdownable tale exploring the nature of reality.
-
-
I wish I could have enjoyed it..
- By A. Listener on 06-07-20
-
Earthcore
- By: Scott Sigler
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 20 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
EarthCore is the company with the technology, the resources, and the guts to go after the mother lode. Young executive Connell Kirkland is the company's driving force, pushing himself and those around him to uncover the massive treasure. But at three miles below the surface, where the rocks are so hot they burn bare skin, something has been waiting for centuries. Waiting...and guarding. Kirkland and EarthCore are about to find out first-hand why this treasure has never been unearthed.
-
-
Well worth the wait
- By JP on 15-07-17
-
The Broken Room
- By: Peter Clines
- Narrated by: Timothy Andrés Pabon
- Length: 10 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Hector was the best of the best. A government operative who could bring armies to a halt and nations to their knees. But when his own country betrayed him, he dropped off the grid and picked up the first of many bottles. Natalie can’t remember much of her life before her family brought her to the US, but she remembers the cages. And getting taken away to the Project with dozens of other young children to become part of their nightmarish experiments. That’s how she ended up with the ghost of a dead secret agent stuck in her head.
-
-
Disgusting
- By Anne Anela on 20-03-22
-
Invasion
- Forgotten Vengeance, Book 1
- By: M.R. Forbes
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Two hundred years ago, aliens invaded Earth. A violent war followed. The enemy won. Some of us escaped, most of us didn’t. On Proxima they flourished - the invasion forgotten. On Earth we floundered - the horror began. Their world is advanced, peaceful, and secure. Our world is broken, savage, and overrun. A new invasion is coming. A hunger that has swallowed half the universe. They don’t care which planet we live on. They want to end us all. But where there is life, there is hope. And where there is hope, there are heroes. This time, vengeance will be ours.
-
-
M. R. Forbes is a genius!
- By Jonathan M Copley on 12-08-20
-
Invasion
- Alien Invasion, Book 1
- By: Sean Platt, Johnny B. Truant
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
They are coming. The countdown has begun. First visible only as blips on a telescope image, the discovery of objects approaching from Jupiter's orbit immediately sets humanity on edge. NASA doesn't even bother to deny the alien ships' existence. The popular Astral space app (broadcasting from the far side of the moon and accessible by anyone with Internet) has already shown the populace what is coming.
-
-
Not what I expected.
- By C. MacDonald on 19-02-18
-
And Then She Vanished
- Joseph Bridgeman, Book 1
- By: Nick Jones
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Still haunted by the disappearance of his little sister, Amy, over 20 years ago, Joseph Bridgeman’s life has fallen apart. When a friend talks him into seeing hypnotherapist Alexia Finch to help with his insomnia, Joseph accidentally discovers he can time travel. His first trip only takes him back a few minutes, but his new-found ability gives him something he hasn’t felt for the longest time: hope.
-
-
Great book, bad choice of Narrator.
- By Harryworth on 12-10-21
-
The Cure
- A Black Ghost Thriller
- By: Freddie Villacci Jr.
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 8 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On the brink of curing cancer, Gracie Green is eager to advance to human trials and share her findings with the world. But the FDA, special interests in Big Pharma, and a host of other people who stand to lose billions if cancer is cured, have other ideas. They hire Jaco Ivanov, an expert assassin and ex-CIA operative, with one mission - wipe Greentech from the face of the Earth! Hunted by an expert killer and framed for a terrible crime, Gracie finds herself on the run. There's only one thing none of them accounted for - the Black Ghost.
-
-
“I wanted to take a hoe to the whole of humanity”
- By J Smith on 20-06-21
-
CyberSpace
- A CyberStorm Novel
- By: Matthew Mather
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 10 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
China and Russia threaten America not to intervene as simmering tensions between India and Pakistan escalate. One after the other, missiles are launched that destroy satellites in orbit.... After long years apart, Mike Mitchell is reunited with old friends on a fishing trip in New Orleans. He brings his son Luke, now eight years old, while his wife Lauren attends a business meeting in Hong Kong. Suddenly, worldwide GPS signal goes out. Cell phones stop working. Communications go down. Within hours, almost all international borders are closed as conflict spreads around the globe.
-
-
Desparately needing editing
- By Len on 01-06-20
-
The Majestic 311
- By: Keith C. Blackmore
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 13 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the spring of 1903, the 311, known to locals as “The Majestic”, carried more than 100 passengers on board toward a tunnel mouth that would allow the 13-car locomotive to pass safely through the underbelly of the Canadian Rockies. The tunnel swallowed the 311 whole, and the train - and everyone on it - were never seen again.
-
-
. M. M. Mmm
- By Benny butthead on 30-07-20
-
The Dark
- By: Jeremy Robinson
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 10 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Miah Gray is a 27-year-old former army soldier living in rural New Hampshire with his sister, mother, and her boyfriend. He is plagued by PTSD, finding solace, but not redemption, with the aid of prescribed cannabis. All he wants to do is get high, relax with a good sandwich, and watch a meteor shower with his neighborhood crush, Jen. When the sun's light is blotted out the following morning and the world is plunged into darkness, Miah finds himself locked down with his family, covering windows with trash bags, lighting candles, and following the arcane rules of an ancient prophecy.
-
-
Not for me
- By Mike on 31-07-21
-
Exo-Hunter
- By: Jeremy Robinson
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 10 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One thousand years later. Humanity has left Earth behind and is rapidly expanding throughout the galaxy under the banner of The Union, a white supremacist government who racially ‘purified’ the human race hundreds of years in the past. Living on the fringe of this twisted Fourth Reich society, Dark Horse - the only Black man in the Union - commandeers a vessel and scours the galaxy for his missing teammates under the guise of an Exo-Hunter, seeking out exo-planets to satiate the Union’s need for colonization.
-
-
Fantastic
- By Ryan Owens on 19-02-21
Summary
The countdown to the end of the world has begun.
A mysterious convergence of natural disasters threatens to destroy life as we know it, and people across the United States are going missing. With no one left to investigate, Special Agent Kendra Baker takes the case, trying to solve the disappearances before she’s out of time.
Among those abducted is Valeria Miller, the daughter of ex-Marine Corporal Andrew Miller, and he’ll stop at nothing to find her.
With the help of an unstable conspiracy theorist, they find themselves on the trail of a reclusive billionaire who just might have all the answers.
As the natural catastrophes escalate and the evacuations commence, it becomes a race against the clock to find the abductees before it’s too late.
Final Days is a doomsday science fiction thriller, written by Jasper T. Scott and Nathan Hystad.
More from the same
What listeners say about Final Days
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Rockgoby
- 28-07-20
Apocalyptically Cliched
I was hoping for good things from this book – an exciting premise, many positive reviews and read by the inimitable Ray Porter. Unfortunately, it just does not deliver. The plot is paper thin, entirely predictable and without a single twist. Despite the fate of humanity being at stake, there is little genuine sense of tension or jeopardy. It seems that the authors have regurgitated pretty much every eye-rollingly dire cliché from the disaster genre template or James Bond; Billionaire entrepreneur builds sanctuary (called ‘Eden’ of course) to protect the genetic cream of the human race, ex-marine (replete with PTSD and drinking problem) in race to find kidnapped daughter…you get the picture. The characters are so one-dimensional, I found myself caring little for their plight and ended up rooting for the apocalypse. It also did not stack up as a complete book in its own right, and just serves as an introduction to the series. What could have been a potential surprise, is completely given away by the cover of the book! Unfortunately, even Ray Porter cannot elevate this yarn and I won’t be hanging along for the ride…
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- John
- 20-06-20
Good story
Great story that is thought provoking - builds up with the background story and characters coming together. Looking forward to the next instalment. Thanks to Nathan and Jasper for an enjoyable book
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Barry
- 03-10-20
Who Picked the Cover Art?
Spoilers, I guess?
Imagine if Se7en’s poster was Gwyneth Paltrow’s head in a box? Or if The Sixth Sense movie poster was Bruce Willis’ gravestone?
So the start of the story sets out that there are enormous natural disasters which will cumulate in massive destruction. Well. Judging by the cover art, I’m guessing it ends with people escaping into space?
We find out that thousands of people are going missing. Well. Judging by the cover art I’m guess they are being abducted so they are taken on the space ship to avoid the end of the world?
A mysterious billionaire is up to some funny business. Well. Judging by the cover art I’m guessing that he built a spaceship and a launch platform in the middle of the ocean.
The protagonist’s daughter is missing. Well. Judging by the cover art I’m guessing that she has been taken to a launch platform in the middle of the ocean.
And even though the preposterous meeting between Kendra and her sister was completely unrealistic - I still expected that too. In fact - the only thing that did surprise me was that the sister wasn’t PiedPiper19.
The story is fine. The writing is fine. It’s basically a cliff hanger ending with no questions answered. I think this is disrespectful to the reader and I won’t be reading anything else in this series.
Ray Porter is wonderful though.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Steven
- 01-10-20
Paint by numbers
I imagine a few people have fallen into a similar trap with this book by looking at the number of 5 star reviews. Personally i was not so much disappointed but incredibly bored with the story, which is a far worse crime in my opinion. Nothing surprising happens and as my title says ‘it’s a paint by numbers’ all the way through. Ray Porter does a fine job as usual (although I’m still not a fan of his female ‘voice’) See Steven Pacey for how it’s done properly :). Anyway, yeah this wasn’t for me I’m afraid. Generic characters, generic issues and a poor story all told. Best avoided I would say
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 15-08-20
A bit boring
It was ok, but not enough to make me want to listen to the next in the series.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Richard C
- 25-06-20
A good start to a series
The book was easy to follow and well paced. I enjoyed it even if one of the meet-ups between the small cast of protagonists seemed to be more than a little far fetched. Usual fantastic end of the world scenario that sometimes seems a little close to the bone, how they cover the greed and breakup of communities and the breakdown of law and order. I very much enjoyed the Marine character. I just wish the FBI agent had more spine, seemed to be a bit panicky at time. I appreciate that we don't want a cast of terminator like people. But with the training and selection process that the FBI uses and experience that an agent of her years in the field would have - I'd like to think that they would have a little more steel to their attitude.
Ray Porter did his usual fantastic narration. I listened to this probably too soon after listening to all 3 of the rise series back to back that a couple of the voices were rather close, but if that's the only thing I can say I guess that he's done a darn decent job.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Michael
- 18-08-21
Brilliantly entertaining
Brilliantly entertaining, great characters compelling storyline can't wait to read the next chapter of this series.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Shane Scott
- 02-02-21
Mmmmmm
Not sure about this one. I may get the second one if I'm stuck for something.
FYI the cover art gives away a major plot point. Just so ya know.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Craigy Gerrard
- 21-01-21
finished it but...!!!!
the only reason was RAY PORTER...
Just not gripping enough of a story....so cannot possibly purchase the next 2 books..
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anne Anela
- 29-11-20
Now that’s how to build anticipation
A very catastrophic adventure. End of the world action. Good characters. Not a long book, but just the length it needed to be. I highly recommend.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Dr. Geoff
- 28-06-20
Excellent, fast-paced action packed adventure!
I read the book before listening to the Audible version. I'm glad I did, and I wanted to listen to the book because I wanted to hear how Ray Porter, a narrator I am very fond of, brought it to life. Hystad and Scott do not disappoint with the story, and Ray Porter does a masterful job bringing this to life. Ray has some incredible voice intonations and inflections, and you can practically HEAR the characters shrugging, smiling, and etc. with his outstanding narration.
Even though I had recently read the book, I found that the audiobook was just as gripping, exciting, and entertaining as the written version. Maybe more. I listen to books mostly while I am taking my daily hike, which is typically about a three mile stint in the hills of Tennessee, so it is a HIKE. Final Days was so absorbing that I would find myself having climbed Heartbreak Hill and not even been aware of it I was so engrossed in the story. Even knowing the exciting and slightly cliff-hanging conclusion I was still enthralled. I picked up on details I had missed in the written book.
Nathan Hystad's great skill is in bringing characters to life, and painting pictures with words that actually bring you into the story and into the action. You feel what the characters feel, you see what they see, you relate intimately to their thoughts and feelings. Jasper Scott's epic story-telling ability is outstanding, and this mashup definitely works.
Usually, I have 3 tests that dictate whether or not a book will get top marks from me: Did I enjoy it, and did it take me along on the journey and provide lots of entertainment and escape? Next, Would I recommend it to others? Was the book well executed with no or few errors, typos, language, and grammar issues? And third, would I want to read or listen to the next book(s) in the series?
The answer to those questions is a resounding YES for Final Days, this first installment in the Final Days saga. I am also certain that I will listen to more from this outstanding author dynamic duo. They are that good.
I am a very hard man to impress, as those of you who read and follow my critiques and reviews know. I have high, perfectionist standards and a critical ear as an author myself, as a highly educated former English major and editor. So I don't hand out 5-star reviews lightly. If it sucks and should be completely overhauled for the next version (or scrapped), I am not shy about telling an author or readers that. Fortunately, this audiobook ticks all the boxes. Actually I was surprised to hear a few (literally 2 or 3) incorrect pronouns or names of characters in the narration, but they did not prevent any understanding, and I noticed them mostly because I was so startled to hear them. Most people will likely miss them.
If you are a lover of these authors, or narrator Ray Porter, and near future sci-fi stories that are fast-paced and driving, I recommend this audiobook without reservation.
61 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- YL
- 19-09-20
1 Hour Story Made Into 8, Badly
Cliches, tropes, and forgettable characters in a story as original as a knock, knock joke,
16 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Jas P
- 11-08-20
Hystad and Scott are Gifted, Porter is Masterful
Final Days is a Sci-fi mystery thriller, that is action packed and moves at a pace that makes the Fast and the Furious look like they have taken Miss Daisy out for a drive.
It has two main streams, the first follows Kendra Baker, a Detective who is has been on the job for a while and knows her stuff. The type of veteran cop that is willing to listen, but if you push them too far, they have no problem pushing back.
She starts looking into multiple missing cases, at a time when no one else is interested, because there are constant news reports, media hype, and general public unrest about siesmic activity along the San Andreas fault line, and a subsequent massive flow on effect, people evacuating, panicking, the usual things you expect.
With little or no support, Kendra is left to her own devices to follow up on all these missing persons, as even the Police are leaving, and those that remain, are being tasked with things deemed more important than missing persons.
The second main character is Andrew Miller, an ex-Marine, now divorced, who is just trying to get on with things. During his story, his daughter, Valeria, goes missing, and Andrew starts hunting for his Daughter, even though the rest of the coast is leaving and moving inland.
This is a really intriguing and fascinating story, you have no real idea about what is going on, why are people missing? What is this countdown? Are the rumours of a mass siesmic ‘end of the world’ type event true??
And in the middle of all of this, we have Andrew and Kendra, both trying to look for missing people, One a desperate Father looking for his little girl, the other a determined Cop, who, in the face of everyone else abandoning their post, she just won’t give up on these people – basically following the same leads in similar circles, and both of them coming up with increasingly more frightening answers.
The character work in this book is beyond exceptional, it is so realistic, that there is a particular part in which Andrew Miller, the ex-marine, has a flashback PTSD episode. The detail in the scene, the description of his attack and how he feels, what he goes through at that exact moment, it was so realistic, that as someone who actually suffers from a similar form of PTSD, I had to actually stop reading for a bit as the book had a physical effect on me. This is how good the story is.
His Daughter, Valeria helps him through this particular episode, helps him pull back from the pain he is suffering, and this to was exceptionally well written, like they had climbed inside someone who suffers the illnesses head.
This is one of those stories in which when you finish, you are left sitting thinking about the Characters for a good couple of days afterwards, they are incredibly powerful and emotive with real grit.
There are some other really great characters, including Miller’s Wife, and Valeria’s Mum, who again, is portrayed with brilliant accuracy as the emotional Mother, terrified for her Daughter in the face of a country that is falling to pieces around her. Her new husband (Valeria’s parents are separated), is a rich sleaze, and his character is just funny.
There are several others I am not going to mention as I don’t want to give away spoilers, but each character in this book is done with a purpose, has backstory and depth, and has been thought through. The character work is just outstanding and is a real highlight of this book.
Both Authors have also given a lot of attention to simple details as well, such as the type of weapon that the Officer carries, and making sure that they had extra ammunition (they run out of ammo to, no never ending ammo clips).
It’s this attention to detail that creates an additional layer to an already masterful level of character driven story telling, and makes this so much fun, as there is a level of realism to it that makes it so much more enjoyable.
This is a story that is utterly intriguing, from the very first pages, where it starts to build, rumours in the background, we move between the two major streams so that we can see there is something going on, but no one knows what, and to the common person, they are just bits of talk on TV, until suddenly Miller’s Daughter goes missing, and the story ramps up to full speed, and you are flicking through pages to see what happens next…
If you want a really fun, exciting, action-packed thrill ride, with a powerfully emotive, character driven story, Hystad and Scott have got the book for you, and they don’t disappoint!
Ray Porter is one of the best Narrators out there today. The quality of his Narration has no equal. Porter’s voice is so tranquil, so easy to listen to. His character voices are just brilliant, he has a way of creating so many voices, male and female, with so many different characteristics that he can generate this massive ensemble of characters for a story. He flows effortlessly through books, some Narrators are really jilted, you can hear them reach the end of every sentence, but Porter just tells a story, and once you sit down and start listening, you get totally captivated by his dulcite tones, and get lost in the adventure that he creates. When you listen to Porter Narrate, you really feel like you are a part of the story, not just listening to it, but you feel like you are really there, experiencing it with the Main Characters, like you are standing there with them.
The other really wonderful thing about Ray Porter is that no matter how long you listen to him, you just can’t tire of his voice. Some Narrators kind of grate on you, others don’t read well, some are great, but just a bit overwhelming. Porter is like the Goldilocks of Narrators – everything is just right and you can listen to him for hours. He is one of the most gifted Narrators on the market today, and you just have to listen to him.
16 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- W. David Tyler
- 21-06-20
Engrossing plotline, reads like a detective novel!
Even my wife, a non-sci-fi fan, loved the book and the twists. It kept us enthralled through the whole book. We got to the end and are hooked, we need the next one guys! Keep them coming!
12 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Hebo Samsonite
- 26-03-21
Dumb people doing dumb things in a dumb apocalypse
Okay ... sheesh. It took TWO people to write this? Why not make it three and make sure the third writer understands why and what people tend to do in critical incidents.
I love sci-fi so the plot could have been just fine. The critical thing with sci-fi is that you get the PEOPLE right. I see the genre as a sort of laboratory within which you get to see how actual people act in and adapt to circumstances that are impossible (or incredibly improbable) in present day/present circumstances. I know that idea is missing several ancillary features of Sci-fi but I see it as the primary feature and maybe that’s subjective but it’s my PoV.
This story frequently overestimates, underestimated and/or completely miscalculates the most important What Would People Do aspect of a story like this.
It physically hurts me to say this next part about Ray Porter because I he’s definitely a favorite of mine. His villain billionaire voice makes me want to stick a pencil into my brain through my ear canal.
Occasional typos or misvoicing is no big deal to me as long as the story hangs together and the people are doing people stuff and roughly true to character (including when they become so stressed that they break character which can be awesome). I did laugh at one line “... I will not comprise about this, Kendra.”
Well, I’m not willing to comprise my own standards for a credit (and a quite short book for that credit).
3 stars so the A overseers are less likely to bury this review. It’s just my opinion but I imagine that people who have acted as first responders to critical incidents or just understand human nature will get a nails on chalkboard effect from this piece. Oh man I just remembered how annoying nearly all of the minor characters are ... I don’t need to hear the insane Christian lady quoting the entirety of Revelation ffs and I get that the mayor is meant to be Trump-esque but why give so much story time to them?
This book is depressing. And not in a good way. It produces more of a existential ennui than some cathartic deep feels.
10 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- DCGrits
- 18-06-20
Different
The book leads up to the event, reading as a mystery following the disappearance of people. With different natural disasters going on all the while two people are trying to discover the missing. Eventually you figure out why the people are missing, but I must say it is an interesting lead up to the apocalypse. Yet I’m not sure where the ending leads the next in the series and if it’s something I’d be interested in. But all in all it held me into every chapter.
9 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Ginger
- 07-07-20
Really bad character writing and motivations
It seems the author, who must be an end of days prepper type, has a hard time writing characters with any close to realistic motivations or personalities. The story idea is not a bad one which is why I got the book, However the characters are all one dimensional and continuously behave in ways that no person would act. It's horribly frustrating as a reader. They all seem to be acting with no real emotional or even intellectual grasp of what is supposed to be going on around them. The main character is not just flawed but seems to be intellectually challenged as he does thing repeatedly which make no sense in the context of his situation, It leaves you as the reader frustrated at not just his stupidity but the very unrealistic nature of his responses. The FBI agent is written horribly. There seems to be no understanding by the author of how such agents actually operate. Not to mention that a an agent with her background would never be allowed in her position or be operating completly alone. It's a weird dystopian world where at the time of greatest need not even the Army National Guard is on duty helping with evacuations etc. The characters seem to only be marginally aware of what's going on around them and how odd it is. There seems to be no ability to connect context and situation. It is days before the "FBI" agent even makes a connection to the kind of people being taken and what's happening to the world. It's just not believable. They are not just flawed characters they simply seem to be following a script disconnected from reality. Like whole sections of the book are written by two people who are not really on the same page with each other.
Unfortunately it seems that the same personalities that are inclined to be "prepper/end of days types" have trouble understanding human nature and behavior. This may be a result of the same kind of personality who engages in those behaviors. This could have been a good book had it been better research and the author had gotten some decent guidance and editorial supervision along the way. It reads, unfortunately, like a book which is self published and never got any solid review/editing along the way. Whole sections of the book are just written with such poor understanding of human motivation and understanding of police procedure that no amount of suspension of disbelief can get you beyond its failings and allow you to simply become emerged in the story.
The whole world in which it takes place is terribly one deminsional. This seems to lead to the characters blundering their way through an equally one dimensional world. It's a bit like listening to the ideas of some one who supports Trump and his equally one dimensional narcissistic world view. It's a shame. Written well this might have been a fun series of books.
7 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- HappyMom
- 13-08-20
Mystery Wrapped in an Apocalypse
As always, Ray Porter is a phenom. His performance alone can make a book. Fortunately this story is great and the narration is just a bonus.
A mystery/end of the world story, with interesting characters and a plot that moves at a good pace.
I was left wanting more and can't wait to start the next book. I'm an avid sci-fi/fantasy reader and was super surprised and pleased by how much I liked this book.
I'm excited for more story and character development in the next installment!
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Cason Minor
- 20-06-20
Great book
Very entertaining through out the escrow book. The huge suspension over coming impossible odds was not a reoccurring theme like you see a lot recently and that was refreshing. Will certainly get the next two books when released
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Jolene
- 31-10-20
Not great
I found the characters difficult to like, which is a story killer for me, not to mention their actions are unbelievable within the plot line.
I'm making myself finish because I've returned a couple books and don't want to take too much advantage of the audible return policy.
4 people found this helpful