Reviewed by Viga Boland for Readers' Favorite

The Very Last War, a political thriller bestseller by W.H. Hawthorne, is far from my usual reading genres. However, the superb narration by Nathan Moore drew me into the story with his first words about Jake O’Connor, a 13-year-old boy living in Alaska who would become the unlikely President of the United States. How did this happen? And why was the title of this novel The Very Last War? The combination of excellent writing by W.H. Hawthorne and narration that breathed life into every character and event ensured I would find the answers. Until I did, I couldn’t put the book down.

Given current events, it’s not hard to imagine the world’s major powers like China and Russia joining forces with various European powers and saying, “Enough is enough.” So, is what happens in this novel plausible? Yes. Is it probable or even likely? W.H. Hawthorne offers a plot that is most convincing in its developments as France emerges as the country with a plan and the other superpowers come on board. Together, they believe they have the ultimate weapon. But of course, as you would expect from an American author who believes in his country, so does the US. The US also has a superior air force, army, and navy, and, not to be taken lightly, the largest population raised under the Second Amendment: American citizens have a huge stash of guns, and they know how to use them. Combine that with an ultimate technologically advanced weapon and good old American fervor when it comes to the US, and the winner of this war is guaranteed.

My enjoyment of an audiobook is very much dependent on the narrator. What impressed me the most was the superb performance by Nathan Moore. He delivered exchanges between the characters with feeling, bringing those characters to life. Even when the writing turned into solid narration, there was such passion in his voice that I never lost interest. The audio file was free of blips, crackles or other distortions. As an audiobook, this deserves an A+.