Audible Book Review: Last Stand: The Complete Box Set by William Weber

This four book box set presents a solid Post-Apocalyptic survival and military story.
Last Stand: The Complete Box Set
By: William Weber
Narrated by: Kevin Stillwell

Series: Last Stand (Weber), Book 1-4
Length: 24 hrs and 50 mins
Release date: 09-20-17
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Dystopia, Military, Post-Apocalyptic, War
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.0.

Publisher's Summary
Last Stand: Surviving America's Collapse: John Mack, a prepper and former soldier, struggles to save his family and community after an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) takes out the country's electrical grid. With most electronics, communications, and transportation destroyed in a matter of seconds, the nation quickly collapses into anarchy.
For John and the other residents of Willow Creek Drive, the breakdown of social order throws them back to the 1800s. As the community tries to come together, a powerful outside force appears that threatens their survival. Will John's years of military and prepping experience be enough to keep them safe?
Mixing tons of useful prepping tips into an action-packed story, Last Stand: Surviving America's Collapse is a must-listen for any fans of survival fiction.
Last Stand: Patriots: Three months after the EMP cripples the United States, John Mack and his family find their peaceful new existence shattered when a tyrant seizes control of the nearby town of Oneida. Soon John encounters a group of patriots who've sworn to stand against the growing despotism. But John will learn that nothing in this new post-EMP America is what it seems - and that the deadliest threats are often the ones you didn't see coming.
Last Stand: Warlords: Tormented by a past he can't forget, John Mack is about to face the toughest fight of his life. The tiny town of Oneida, Tennessee, stands in the crosshairs of Russian and Chinese armies threatening to push across the Mississippi river. With the United States fragmented and on the brink of military collapse, John will need to dig deeper than ever to defend his loved ones from enemies both foreign and domestic.
Last Stand: Turning the Tide: Foreign armies are poised along the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains preparing for the final assault and America's inevitable defeat. For John, turning back the tide will mean going deep behind enemy lines and organizing the very insurgency he fought so hard against in Iraq. But more than that, it'll mean coming to terms with the brutality of war and the realization that sometimes the deepest scars are the ones that can't be seen.
©2017 William Weber (P)2017 Audible, Inc.

Review:
Last Stand: Surviving America's Collapse: John Mack is a retired soldier. His experience has made him cautious enough to be a ‘prepper’, planning for a day of disaster. He has set up a bunker with supplies at home and has arranged a safe location to take his family when things get too rough at home. When the power goes down after an EMP strike, making computers, phones, and modern vehicles obsolete, John and his family hesitate to leave their home. Instead, John steps up to lead his neighbors at Willow Creek Drive, to gather to try to survive the immediate danger. Unfortunately, an outside mass of evil comes to take their supplies. John may be able to provide weapons and lead the community in a battle but at what cost?

Last Stand: Patriots: John and a group of survivors from Willow Creek are working to survive on the outskirts of a larger town, Oneida, Tennessee. John and his scouts are concerned that the nearby town has been taken over by enemies posing as US government who ask the people to turn in their arms on the pretext of safety. John has no choice but to take action when his wife and daughter are kidnapped by the enemy. In the process of gaining more information, a group of dedicated patriots align with John to expose the treachery and save the town… at least from the immediate enemy. They soon learn that the US is battling Russian and Chinese forces threatening along the Mississippi River.

Last Stand: Warlords: The town of Oneida is a point for supply movement and the Chinese don’t want to give it up. Most towns have allowed the enemy to infiltrate and take over from within. John and his patriots in Oneida are one of the few American strong holds, which brings them to the attention of a struggling US military. John is brought back into military service and tasked to take volunteers and conscripted men to the front line while also continuing to protect the town. The task isn’t easy especially when it is clear there is a mole in their midst. John’s job becomes more stressful when his 16 year old son and another young teen run off to fight at the front of the line.

Last Stand: Turning the Tide: John fought insurgents in Iraq. Although his memories are difficult, he has learned military strategies that he thinks will help in the extreme situation the US military finds itself in. John is bucking heads with a superior officer who is threatened by John’s successful plans. Fortunately, some of the higher leadership is willing to listen to John’s strategic suggestions. John and a small team reach out to other communities to set up pockets of resistance. Slowly John and the military begin to experience wins that give them hope.

I did enjoy this series and I think it was good that I listened to all four books during a couple of weeks rather than over months (or years). I mostly liked the main character, John, although he was a bit too much of being right. I didn’t think his flashbacks to Iraq added that much to the story as the impact of his past military service could be added in a quicker way. I do think the family, neighbors, and later, team warriors, added to the action of the story. There was good prepper information mixed in well with the military. The series is entertaining, and I would recommend it to fans of post-apocalyptic stories with military elements.

Audio Notes: Kevin Stillwell does a good job with the narration. He provided distinct character voices and did well with the foreign accents. The narration made this an easier listen.

Source: 11/3/17 Audible Purchase for $1.95. This qualifies for 2022TBR and 2022Audiobook goals.