Review of The Final Day

Shrabastee Chakraborty · Post by **Shrabastee Chakraborty** » 17 Jun 2021, 12:27

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Final Day" by John Wiseman.]

2 out of 4 stars

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The Final Day by John Wiseman transports us to the year 2079. After many political upheavals and devastating riots, an enigmatic person deemed the Prophet has restored peace in England. Both the Government and the ordinary people revere him, even worshipping him as a god. However, a mysterious serial killer called the Artist targets random teenagers and leaves their bodies in front of the Prophet’s posters. Is this an act of rebellion? The enraged Prophet unleashes the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse but allows them to take a mortal form. He then appoints Inspector Andrew Prescott to hunt them down as the only way to save humanity. With the future of the world depending on his success, can Prescott complete his assignment in time?

An amalgamation of science fiction and political thriller, the novel boasted a futuristic storyline despite having its roots in the current time. Wiseman based his story on two principal themes, a deceptive ploy by the ruling government and conspiracy theories. He blended them in a twisted way, making it impossible to distinguish between the two. Prescott’s task initially seemed too easy, making me skeptical. However, the ending took me completely by surprise and changed my view of the novel.

It was amazing to find such a complex storyline unfolding within so short a span. The brevity of the novel belied the depth of the plot. The mind-boggling twists and the convoluted storyline defied my senses, rendering me paranoid at times. Each new development made me question everything the novel previously stated. When Wiseman finally chose to divulge the facts, I still had a hard time believing them. While Prescott’s past trauma made him vulnerable to the mind games, I did not expect the events to have such intense effects on the readers.

I had several complaints about the book, however. First of all, it was full of grammatical and editing errors. The formatting was inconsistent as well. The novel needed a thorough round of proofreading. Secondly, the descriptions were flat and couldn’t adequately portray the thrill associated with Prescott’s deadly missions. Wiseman chose to tell us how the inspector felt rather than showing his reactions. Also, the ultimate explanation of the events sounded too scrambled and unsatisfactory. Although the ending added considerable shock value, some reasonings seemed absurd and could not clarify the mysteries.

Based on my reading experiences, I rate the novel 2 out of 4 stars. I deducted one star for the technical issues and another for the other complaints. I would recommend this book to readers who appreciate dystopian fiction. The violent incidents detailed in the book would require a mature audience.

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The Final Day
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Asma Aisha Ansari · Post by **Asma Aisha Ansari** » 25 Jun 2021, 15:08

The summary of this book is quite impressive. If I hadn't read the review past the first paragraph, I would have picked up the book without hesitation. The plot sounds intriguing. But it's regrettable how the book failed when it came to editing, plot reveals and believability.
Thanks for this amazing review.
I loved reading it.

NetMassimo · Post by **NetMassimo** » 28 Jun 2021, 10:15

This seems like a novel with good potential burdened by the lack of proofreading and forced twists and explanations for some parts of the plot. Maybe a professional editor might help the author in revising his novel. Thank you for your honest review!