The Last Dying Light

The Last of the Romans, Book 1

By: William Havelock

Narrated by: Zach Hoffman

Length: 16 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

Rome has fallen into darkness.

Its legacy remains alive in Constantinople, whose leaders struggle to retain control. Yet famine, war, and an encroaching night leave the Eastern Empire towards ruin.

Faint hope arises as a new dynasty ascends the throne of Caesar. Bearing witness to such events is Varus, a young Herulian slave to the aging yet powerful Justin, who unveils a bold plan held by two generations of Romans - to retake the West and reclaim their homeland.

Following Justin’s dream, Varus enlists with the Roman Army and discovers the carnage of 6th Century warfare. As a mysterious horde of black-shielded invaders devastates the Empire’s northern provinces, Varus’ unit is called upon to defend under the leadership of Belisarius, one of Justin’s most promising commanders.

As Varus prepares for the sacrifices to come, however, he begins to question Justin’s secrets, seeking answers regarding his true identity and place as a pivotal figure in the Empire’s survival.

©2020 William Havelock (P)2021 William Havelock

Great Story..

This was a great story overall but the narration had me taking breaks throughout. The overly dramatic delivery was just way too much. Will probably buy the next one.

Incredible story and Audible experience

I recommend this book to anyone looking for a "can't-put-down"-er. This story appeals to everyone, encompassing tinges of horror through ancient Roman history to scenes of heartstrings being tugged on from camaraderie and warmth. Havelock is brilliant in this novel and Hoffman's narration is mesmerizing. You have to read and listen to this, it's simply a must-have.

Outstanding

Vastly interesting, well written, holds yourself interest from start to finish. Historically, well placed a great read.

Simply Amazing

When you combine Havelock’s superb story telling with fantastic narration, you get an audio book you simply cannot stop listening to. This had me hooked from beginning to end and I cant wait for the next!

very entertaining performance

look forward to the next book. good history, story and narration. if you like this Era, then I think you'll enjoy this series.

Compelling and brave, andI’m sad it’s over.

So, here’s the thing: I’m generally not one for audiobooks, having only listened to maybe a dozen in half as many years. So when a friend of mine texted me a and said, “Dude, you’re gonna love this! You have to download it!” I was a bit hesitant. That being said, I’ve listened to The Last Dying Light every morning and afternoon of my commute for the past ten days, and now I see why my friend said he couldn’t stop. It’s been the most amazing break from the daily grind. The novel starts out slow, but it’s because William Havelock is so careful in building the world inside and Zach Hoffman is a master voice actor. Violent. Gruesome. Pure politics. You have to be patient, but in the end the author delivers on his promises. In the writing itself, there’s plenty of heart, and it’s rare that something this well-done comes along (and I read plenty of fiction, believe me.). This book is good. Mostly, I find myself surprised at how sad I am that I’m done with this book. My friend wasn’t wrong. Out of curiosity, I found myself digging into Roman history, and I couldn’t believe that this was based on a real story - much less one I’d never heard before. More than anything, I really The Last Dying Light isn’t a one-off event, and I hope another installment is coming soon...

Great story ! Can't wait for more!

I love historical novels, from Cromwell to Cameron. I think this story is a masterpiece. Excellent characters that are easy to like. The narrator is an artist at this. Can't overstate how good the narration was.

Definitely worth the read

Recommended: a less explored period and region in historical fiction with Everything a fan of historical fiction wants, well drawn characters, detailed settings, and deep descriptions of the strategy and tactics of the battles. I'll definitely be continuing the series. Havelock might have been too free to depart from understood time of events, but in the period of this story it is unimportant. The reader is fairly restrained, the voice acting is, thankfully, minimal but he does get into an odd cadence, at times oddly emphasizing a word or drawing a pause between clauses that seem to violate the grammar as written. Some of the pronunciation of period words and names was probably wrong but minimal.
Definitely in the 80th percentile of historical fiction I have read.

Great Historical fiction!

The author does a great job of intertwining fiction with historical knowledge. I know that I will be listening to all of this series. Narration was pleasant to listen to and not over dramatic.

Amazing story!

Superior story telling of a neglected time period. The narrator deserves praise as he kept me wanting to hear more.