The Long Oblivion

Rafael Ward, Book 2

By: Michael Pogach

Narrated by: Terry F. Self

Length: 11 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

In tomorrow’s America, The Tower Terrorist is the new enemy…

It's two years since Rafael Ward walked into the Tower with a backpack full of explosives. Two years since he destroyed REC headquarters and became the most hated man in the Republic. He's a fugitive, haunted by the lives he's taken, trying to find anonymity in the remote towns of the Western Districts. He’s content to drink himself into oblivion.

Everything changes when a teenage girl named Sam recognizes him outside a liquor store. Now everyone is after Sam. The police want to arrest her. The REC want to black bag her. Even MacKenzie and her new allies will do anything to find out what she knows. Unwilling to have any more innocent blood on his hands, Ward tries to help Sam escape the country. To get her to safety, however, he may have to sacrifice MacKenzie’s rebellion. He may even have to sacrifice his soul.

©2018 Michael Pogach (P)2019 Michael Pogach

Critic reviews

"Another masterful dystopian thriller by Michael Pogach." (C.T. Phipps, author of Lucifer's Star)

“Michael’s writing evokes the horror of an all too realistic future, drawing you in and leaving you shuddering in the corner, fearful of what’s to come.” (Tim Marquitz author of the Demon Squad)

"Dazzling authenticity of settings, breakneck pace, and unpredictable twists and turns.” (Amara Royce, author of Never Too Late, Always a Stranger, and Once Beloved)

Fantastic sequel

THE LONG OBLIVION is the sequel to THE SPIDER IN THE LAUREL, one of the best dystopian conspiracy novels I've read in a long time. The premise of the novels is the world has been all but conquered by a reactionary anti-religious fascist government. While questionable such a thing would happen in the United States, the premise is interesting because it is not mindlessly based in pro (or anti) religious attitudes but presents the protagonist as someone caught between the civil war of Believers vs. the regime.

Rafael Ward is presently the world's most wanted terrorist for daring to fight back against the regime but also suffering from PTSD due to the discovery the supernatural was real (and possibly not as benevolent as the Christian-themed resistance believes). He soon befriends a young woman and she is forced to deal with the fact he's not the cold blooded Osama Bin Ladin type she's been led to believe while simultaneously offput by the more ruthless members of the Resistance. The regime also becomes more racist, reactionary, and corrupt as time goes on-mirroring some real world developments.

I strongly recommend this book if you aren't put off by the premise as I very much love the author's handling of characterization, world-building, and interactions. Rafael Ward is a fascinating protagonist to put in a war of ideologies as he can't quite bring himself to commit to anything but his friends--which is hard when they're all radicals in their own way.

Terry F. Self does a magnificent job capturing the book's essence.

9/10

Fantastic!

This series just keeps getting better. The action is paced just right. The story keeps you wanting for more. The characters are very believable and the suspense is palpable. I can't wait for the next book

At my request, I received this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Incredible

Pogach's use of super vivid imagery and easy to relate to descriptions make it easy to see exactly what he wants you to in your head, and yet it was difficult for me to foresee exactly where he was going to go with this book. He seamlessly brings together the mythology of various belief systems and new age technology to create a whole new dystopian world that doesn't seem that far off. There are no exact comparisons for what this series brings to mind; a little of everything from Mad Max to Brave New World with a deep historical leaning towards archaeology and mysticism. This book had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end, mind racing, attempting to anticipate the next move.