Official Review: Last Entry by Rick Will

[MarisaRose]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Last Entry" by Rick Will.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Last Entry by Rick Will is an intellectual, Arctic adventure with a slight sci-fi twist. The novel follows Mike Borden, a graduate professor of archaeology, and his students as they embark on an adventure of a lifetime. At first, the expedition to Banks Island, located in the Arctic, appears to be an archaeologists dream; the team finds more artifacts and historical sites than they could have fathomed. Unfortunately, not everything goes as planned and Mike and his students find themselves in a grave predicament. Filled with engrossing details about the Arctic, Last Entry entwines past and present stories of risk taking expeditions into one chilling tale.

Will’s writing is thorough, yet imaginative. Last Entry is chock-full of factual information about Arctic exploration. Meticulous details about wildlife, climate and past inhabitants are provided throughout the novel; even descriptions of how to fend off a polar bear attack and the exact amounts of food needed to survive an extended time in the Arctic are provided. Though there is a ton of information contained in the pages of this novel, the author manages to inform the reader in an interesting manner without taking away from the overall story.

Unfortunately, the book could have used another editorial review as there were quite a few grammatical mistakes throughout. Although the errors were not entirely distracting, they were apparent and sloppy. Noticeable errors included incorrect wording and sentence structure.

Though I liked a great deal about Last Entry, there was one major flaw. It isn’t until about 75% of the way into the novel that the story becomes exciting! The first three quarters of the book are nice; the dialogue is good, the informational sections are long yet interesting, and the character development is adequate. However, nothing substantive actually happens. The first half of the book entails the lead up to the expedition, focusing on what the students will be studying during the expedition as well as the physical preparation for the mission (e.g. gathering of food and supplies). Once the team arrives on Banks Island, a good portion of the book is spent explaining their day to day activities, which really aren’t that exciting; the scientists find a couple of cool archaeological sites to study and see some wildlife. It isn’t until the very end of the novel that the pacing revs up and critical events and conflict start to emerge. The last fourth of the book was by far the most enjoyable, although it felt rushed.

From the beginning, Last Entry has the appearance of an exciting tale of perilous adventure. Unfortunately, the absence of any climactic events or conflict until the last segment of the story was a disappointment. Though the plot structure was lacking, there were enjoyable aspects of Last Entry, namely the well communicated factual information about the Arctic and the events the characters face at the books conclusion. For those reasons, I rate Last Entry 3 out of 4 stars. Fans of adventure stories and those interested in Arctic exploration may find this book interesting.

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Last Entry
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Like MarisaRose's review? Post a comment saying so!

[Joy Boudreau]

Sounds like an interesting book for people who are passionate about exploring, but probably not a favorite for me. It also sounds as though it has some really good potential, if the author tightens up the first part and expands the exciting parts Thanks for the review!

[MarisaRose]

Sounds like an interesting book for people who are passionate about exploring, but probably not a favorite for me. It also sounds as though it has some really good potential, if the author tightens up the first part and expands the exciting parts Thanks for the review!

Definitely a ton of potential! I really enjoyed the author's writing style and the ending of the story. Thanks for taking the time to read my review

[Annelore Trujillo]

It's too bad that there were errors in the book. Other than that, it sounds like a pretty good book. Great job on the review!

[MarisaRose]

It's too bad that there were errors in the book. Other than that, it sounds like a pretty good book. Great job on the review!

Thank you! And yes, the overall story is quite good!

[Insightsintobooks]

I love archeology and exploration. This book sounds like one I might be interested in. Thank you for the review.

[MarisaRose]

I love archeology and exploration. This book sounds like one I might be interested in. Thank you for the review.

Hope you enjoy it if you give it a try!

[Marika Tabone]

Thanks for the review. I have never been to the Arctic and would like to now more about life their. I am also passionate about history so your review enticed me to add this book to my bookshelf!

[kandscreeley]

Well, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't read this book since it doesn't become exciting until 75% of the way through. Sounds like an interesting concept, but it's just not for me. Thanks for the review though!

[godreaujea]

Sounds like an intriguing concept, but due to the number of errors and lack of plot structure, I think I will pass. Thanks for the honest review!