Final Notice

Final Series, Book 1

By: Van Fleisher

Narrated by: Chris Koprowski

Length: 9 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's Summary

What would you do if you knew - for certain - that you had one week to live? Some would get their legal affairs in order. Others would contact family, friends, lovers, ex-lovers. Some might take a trip or make an exceptional donation. Still others might clean the house and do the laundry. And some...might kill.

The year is the very near future. A brilliant young doctor and mathematician, Vijay Patel, has invented a new health/sport watch that monitors blood chemistry so accurately, it can actually predict when someone will die - within 10, 20, or 30 days. The intention of this "Final Notice", as it is called, is to allow people to get their affairs in order and reach out to loved ones before it's too late. But when those notified have easy access to a gun, the result is sometimes lethal for more than just the watch-owner.

These are the stories of several people who receive their Final Notice and their very different reactions...including a desire to get revenge with impunity. They range from an 89-year-old resident in a retirement home to a U.S. Senator...from a benevolent widow to a crass tycoon to a noted climate change scientist. But in this fresh, fast-paced thriller, their stories are all set against the all-too-recognizable backdrop of a guns-gone-wild America, and the relentless push by the NRA and their surrogate politicians to make guns even easier to acquire.

Their stories are also connected by the involvement of several likeable protagonists. These include: The inventor of the watch...the FBI agent charged with stopping the killings...and a recently retired, middle-class couple, Vince and Trudi Fuller, with their brave immigrant friends and Miles, a very endearing Corgi.

Laced with satirical humor and likeable protagonists, Final Notice is both timely and important. And, despite the somewhat "sci-fi" premise of the watch, it provides a very realistic reflection of American society and the many problems we face today.

©2018 Van Fleisher (P)2020 Van Fleisher

impactful and reflective

I found the concept of the VT2 intriguing and thought provoking and very debatable, especially the ethical, moral, and legal aspects. Technology is a curse and a blessing, but the benefits outweigh the costs. imo. I believe it all boils down to one basic thing- a persons morales and beliefs drive their response to a final notice. I personally would appreciate a heads up advance notice. The NRA event made me laugh- my humor is dark! I liked that many situations in this story reflect present day issues and they resonated with me. A great wake up call if people will only pay attention and act accordingly. I look forward to the next book. I voluntarily listened to a free copy of this and am giving an honest review. The narrator did a great job.

Great concept for a story!

I understand the pros and cons of the premise. Very thought-provoking!

Chris Koprowski did a great job narrating.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Interesting Concept, Well Written

The concept will get your attention and the topic is timely.

The characters are well developed and the plot gains momentum as the story progresses. I was sorry to see it end.

Congratulations on selecting an excellent narrator, it made the listening easy to like.

Hope there is sequel coming, would like to see where the storyline and characters go.

Scary technology

WOW. Imagine you can find out your ETD. What would you do. Great storyline and great read.

Filled with wry humor and unpredictable plot twists

I loved this book. The main protagonists—a retired couple and their Corgi—were so likable and relatable, I was immediately drawn into the story. Better still, the entire book was peppered with wry humor, unpredictable plot twists, and a timely social consciousness. And the narrator, Chris Koprowski, did a great job of bringing an international cast of characters to life. He just nailed the accents and made it a lot of fun to listen to.

Excellent Political Thriller

This was my first experience with Van Fleisher's work and I enjoyed it immensely. I was drawn by the descriptive words in the book's blurb of political satire, but I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I found a book that was well researched with many interesting facts presented in a way that engaged and kept my interest. I liked the way the author took so many characters' stories and interweaved them in a way that produced a cohesive story that was both entertaining and thought provoking. Chris Koprowski's narration was awesome adding more enjoyment to the story. I requested this audiobook from Audiobooks Unleashed and have voluntarily left this review.

Final Notice

Wow!This was an excellent book!Something to think about.If we knew when we would die,would we take action to save others?Would we fight injustice for the America we believe in?Some do in this book,especially the over armed by the NRA Senior sector.Every senior citizen needs a gun or three!The free for all scene at the NRA rally was quite telling! Chris Koprowski was a terrific narrator.I enjoyed hearing the authors thoughts on things.I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.' 

I was not sure in the beginning

When I added this book to my library I was looking for something outside my usual genres. When I started listening I was not due I had chosen well but keep going. Pry soon the storyline dragged me in and I found myself slipping off closing my door to get in more "reading" time. This book was good. It really makes you look at today's headlines from a different angle.

In places the book reads like it was ripped from the headlines. I will be keeping an eye out for more by this author.

Don’t mix writing fiction with political opinions!

I have to admit I did not finish this book because it crossed a line I cannot abide. I firmly believe a work of fiction should not act as a vehicle to blatantly express one’s political views. Wether I agree with them or not I believe if you want to express a political opinion then write a political opinion piece. Do not use a work of fiction to couch your views in it. It is NOT part of the storyline so keep it out.

I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator.

could have been great

This novel had such potential. A great premise of "what if?" Sadly it merely became a vehicle for an agenda.
good narration spoiled by heavy handed plot

"More gun sales, more shootings. "

The near future, and the NRA have a new promotion to boost gun sales: a 20℅ discount for Senior Citizens, to ensure they say, that they are not bullied or left unnoticed. The over 60s have also been targeted to trial a new sports watch with a difference: it can so closely monitor the wearer's bloods and other medical markers, it can accurately predict the day of death from between 10 and 30 days before the event. It is believed to have good commercial value, but first it needs to be thoroughly tested. The story covers several of those selected to wear them and covers the unexpected complication that some people, especially those with access to guns, decide to revenge themselves on receiving their final notice, knowing there cannot be any retribution.I

Interesting idea and characters, but, with the exception of the main husband and wife team of Vince and Trudy, most remain fairly two dimensional despite the occasional naturalistic conversation. It does, however, raise major issues in both the political field and, in particular, over the gun lobby.

After a good start, the book does become rather plodding: more an ideas book than a thriller, but nevertheless interesting, and narration by Chris Kaprowski certainly helps it along. Always clear and with good intonation and without any fireworks, his is a nice, steady performance. My thanks to the rights holder of Final Notice, who, at my request freely gifted me with a complimentary copy. There is a second book in this series, Final Act, and an excerpt is included at the end of the book as is also a short song by Jackie Morris which should appeal to folk music fans.