The Last Season

By: Eric Blehm

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis

Destined to become a classic of adventure literature, The Last Season examines the extraordinary life of legendary backcountry ranger Randy Morgenson and his mysterious disappearance in California's unforgiving Sierra Nevada - mountains as perilous as they are beautiful. Eric Blehm's masterful work is a gripping detective story interwoven with the riveting biography of a complicated, original, and wholly fascinating man.

©2006 Richard Leversee (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

changes the way you'll view the world

my definition of a good book is one that impacts you in such a way that you are a different person after you finish it... or you "see" things in a different light. This book does that absolutely. It changes the way I will view nature from this point forward in my life

OK, but not great.

Would you try another book from Eric Blehm and/or Jonathan Davis?

Jonathan Davis is fine as a narrator. But I doubt I'll listen to any more books by the author. I recently tried another of his audio books, Fearless, quit listening 1/3 of the way through and returned it. Fearless is supposed to be about a brave Navy Seal, but at the point where I gave up, it became a "born again" Christian story--nothing wrong with that, except that is not how the story was described when I bought it. The Last Season is a somewhat better effort on Mr. Blehm's part. I did manage to listen till the end, but only because I wanted to learn Randy's fate. The author has a bad habit of redundancy--hammering the same point home, over and over and over. In the case of this book, the author wrote page after page and chapter after chapter about Randy as the perfect ranger, guardian of the wilderness, hero of lost or injured hikers. Then Mr. Blehm went on at length about Randy as the disgruntled ranger, stewing over his job's lack of benefits, having an affair, losing his wife, acting out in various ways, and sometimes seemingly depressed enough to appear potentially suicidal. The author kept hopping back and forth between these two sides of Randy--super ranger and midlife crisis man. I found the dichotomy confusing, but it was repetition that killed my enjoyment of this book. Less is more! Where are the editors?

If you’ve listened to books by Eric Blehm before, how does this one compare?

See the above comments.

What about Jonathan Davis’s performance did you like?

Good tone and pacing.

What else would you have wanted to know about Eric Blehm’s life?

Excuse me? Is this a typo? Eric Blehm's life was not the topic.

Any additional comments?

In spite of not caring for Mr. Blehm's writing, I was moved by Randy's personal accomplishments and problems, and I'm very sorry about his disappearance and the grief suffered by those who knew him. Clearly this ranger cherished the wilderness, and in this he sets a fine example for us all. Life isn't necessarily about finding a happy ending. Randy's life was devoted to nature and to keeping other people safe in the wild. He wasn't perfect, but he gave everything he had. His life had more meaning than most.

Mesmerizing, Beautifully Written True Story

I was fascinated by this story from its first words to its last. Having spent time in the high Sierras for many years, the descriptions of the incredible beauty and timeless draw of the area were profoundly moving. The story itself served to weave a human element into the natural recollections of the area. I found I could not put it down. The author, Eric Blehm, did an amazing job of writing the story, bringing the reader with him as the story unfolded, a reflection of meticulous research. The narrator, Jonathan Davis, is also to be commended. His calming voice a trusted travel companion, as he presented the true story of Randy Morgenson's life and the events surrounding his disappearance. This is a book I highly recommend. Listening to it was such a uniquely moving experience.

A MUST READ ENTIRELY FASCINATING......

What made the experience of listening to The Last Season the most enjoyable?

Probably the descriptive detail and the human element involved.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Last Season?

When they ultimately found his body and pieced together what they thought may have happened.

What does Jonathan Davis bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He was new for me and I was iffy about his cadence, voice inflection etc.... but I warmed to it. Mr. Davis made me a believer by the end. Well done and easy to listen too.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yes, when you had his midlife adulterous affair. I didn't picture this happening at all from start to finish. Felt so sad for his wife and him as well

Any additional comments?

This book had great reviews, I was motivated by that alone. I should note that backcountry hiking, kayaking etc... is in my wheelhouse. I'm always interested in these types of stories.

Engaging but repetitive

This story was compelling but could have been more concise. Many facts were repeated but in any case I applaud the diligence in research.

Amazing narrative!

This was the best book I've listened to on Audible. The narrator and story were both captivating and I found myself unable to turn it off. The story is very inspiring and makes you feel connected to the people involved.

Fairly long winded but worth while

thourough character development but somewhat slow at times. If you like edward Abbey and Everett Ruess chances are you will find enjoyment in this as well.

Well-Written, Sad But Good

This book kept me knitting! NOT boring! And it contains all the details a wife would want to know when her man just didn't come home. Fascinating detective work to finally learn how Randy died. And on the way, his interesting life, why he loved it out there. Certain details sensitively handled. Hearing about Edward Abbey took me to his book. Full of rich insights that city people and drive-by tourists would never get!

one that will stay with me forever

Randy thank you.



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Some of the very best narration I’ve heard.

There’s a lot to absorb here. Beautifully written and extremely well delivered. The pace, inflection and pitch is some of, if not the, very best I’ve heard.