Last Exit

By: Max Gladstone

Narrated by: Natalie Naudus

Length: 21 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

American Gods meets The Dark Tower in a dark, contemporary fantasy of the open road, alternate realities, and self-discovery, from a Locus-nominated and Hugo and Nebula Award-winning writer.

Ten years ago, Zelda led a band of merry adventurers whose knacks let them travel to alternate realities and battle the black rot that threatened to unmake each world. Zelda was the warrior; Ish could locate people anywhere; Ramon always knew what path to take; Sarah could turn catastrophe aside. Keeping them all connected: Sal, Zelda’s lover and the group's heart.

Until their final, failed mission, when Sal was lost. When they all fell apart.

Ten years on, Ish, Ramon, and Sarah are happy and successful. Zelda is alone, always traveling, destroying rot throughout the US.

When it boils through the crack in the Liberty Bell, the rot gives Zelda proof that Sal is alive, trapped somewhere in the alts. Zelda’s getting the band back together - plus Sal’s young cousin June, who has a knack none of them have ever seen before.

As relationships rekindle, the friends begin to believe they can find Sal and heal all the worlds. It’s not going to be easy, but they’ve faced worse before.

But things have changed, out there in the alts. And in everyone's hearts.

Fresh from winning the Hugo and Nebula Awards, Max Gladstone weaves elements of American myth - the muscle car, the open road, the white-hatted cowboy - into a deeply emotional tale where his characters must find their own truths if they are to survive.

©2022 Max Gladstone (P)2021 Recorded Books

The End of the World is just the beginning

Performance was amazing. Was hoping for an ending more grounded in the mundane to give me hope in the real world but this is a work of fantasy after all.

One of my favorites

This is the book I wanted “American Gods” or “The City We Became” to be. The cosmic horror hits just right.

no words

this is one of the best novels I have ever read, a perfect blend of science fiction and the mythos of the road

Good story, unlistenable

Somewhere in all the angsty poetry is an interesting story; I think. Honestly, the premise of the story is interesting but the characters' inner monologue is a never ending melodramatic word salad.

When I got to the scene where he describes a character whistling in a Walmart parking lot as 'a corpse flower opening' I decided to leave this review.

I haven't decided if I'll finish this yet. I want to know more of the story but it takes 20 mins for a character to express all her feelings about washing her hands in a public restroom. I'm 43; this feels like discussing literature with college sophomores. ugh.

Bit Long

The story went a little longer than I think it needed to. I enjoyed the story and enjoyed the characters. Although there were times when I wanted to give several people a good slap. I'm also not exactly sure what happened, because so much happened and so much didn't happen... It was just a lot. Max Gladstone is known for having a lot going on but this was everything everywhere all at once as a book and it made me tired. I had to stop reading it for a while and then come back but I'm glad I did.

Story: 4 stars
Narration: 5 stars
Total: 4.5 stars

Poverty that is a novel - a novel that explains s poetry

This book is a tour de force of fantasy and psychology of insight and foresight. A joy to read and a joy to hear. Unremittingly dark and extremely hopeful. Give it time, let it unfold, and you’ll be glad you did.

An adults His Dark Trilogy all in one book

I have never been let down by Max Gladstones books and this one is no exception. This is a perfect book to dive into and get lost in, plenty of thrilling plot twists and a satisfying ending. Can’t wait to listen to another of his great stories!

Great book

This book left a strong impression on me and has helped me understand myself a little better. I really loved it. Strongly recommend

The Narrator is Nerve Wracking

Although I am not finished with this book- and I hope I make it through because it's not a bad story- I have to complain about the narrator, who is actually TOO good at acting out some of the characters and their internal emotional states. I don't know how many more near panic anxiety states I can go through or how many more earnest college students screaming at the world their thoughts and theories. I listen while I do things- garden, clean, etc. I don't always have the ability to drop what I'm doing to turn the volume down suddenly because another character is screaming, no matter how positive and happy the characters are. The worst are the character's super anxious states- I feel like I need a Xanax or something just seconds into what can last several minutes. Narrator should get an award for her acting- she really is very good. I just don't need THAT much excitement in my life.

Verbose

First of all I haven't finished this book so read on at your own risk.

This story seems interesting but it's very hard to follow the cloyingly florid delivery. I kept getting lost as it went on, realizing that the author has been droning on and on with the "10th grade AP English" tone for so long I've stopped paying attention, only to then notice that I'm still in the middle of this chapter long description of the thoughts and emotions that surfaced that one time when a character drank coffee or drove a car. I'll try to finish but I promise nothing...