You wonder why war? But what if you are the war! What will you choose? What will you do for the sake of this world? In the future, after decades of surviving devastating viral pandemics, the world has become very different from what we know. Energy sources no longer exist like before. The world has become like a compass where its parts are looking for nuclear influence. A smart child named Mousa was born. He had difficulty understanding the world around him. Why is he treated differently in school? Why doesn't he feel social justice? What happened to corrupt the world like this? What is happening between the parties of the world? What is the role of influence and money? The questions were getting more complex at every point in his life. But he didn't know that the path of answers was destined to ask him for choices that could determine the fate of the last future nuclear war.
When I see a title like The Last Nuclear War, I expect to read an account of death and destruction on a massive scale. However, that is not the case for this tale by Hazem Abdelmowla. Instead, this book is written to be a lifetime collection of entries in the principal character's diary. For me, it was a little difficult to get into at the beginning, but once I figured out that this one must be read slowly, as the author suggests. So, as one reads, one must forgive the grammar and punctuation. Those "errors" are not there by accident. For me, I accepted the writing style to illustrate the cultural background of Mousa, the principal character, and also considering he is writing in a diary chronicling his thoughts and experiences over a long period of time.
My overall experience reading The Last Nuclear War was that it is a good story that deals with some painful realities, including bigotry, injustice, inequality, and cruelty. But there is also the pursuit of knowledge, empathy and understanding, hope for positive change, and work toward improving conditions for all humanity.
The story opens in the year 2110 in a world that has been ravaged by pandemics and severe resource depletion. The geopolitical landscape finds the planet divided into four quadrants. Each quadrant has its own characteristics. The North is the most powerful region. Mousa, the point of view character, is from the Eastern region.
Mousa is an intelligent young man who loves to learn. He also has a dream of preventing war, investigating how to produce abundant energy, and improving life for everyone on a global scale. As he grows and learns, Mousa attends a university where he meets other intelligent people and learns physics. He creates and obtains funding for his projects to achieve his goals.
Unfortunately, the lust for wealth and power is as alive as ever, and Mousa, who would rather work toward his goals, also has to navigate an often hostile political landscape.
Mousa is a great character who questions everything. He is a driven humanitarian who devotes his life to making the world a better, safer place for everyone. He doesn't understand the prejudices he encounters in his younger life because he believes all people are equal. Mousa doesn't care about wealth or accolades unless they advance his pursuits. Despite discouraging situations, he never quits and endures numerous hardships along the way. Mousa befriends Zed, a Northerner who has overcome the prejudices of Northern societal norms. He is very supportive of Mousa and encourages him often. Mousa's mother is the most influential to him, and thanks to her encouragement, Mousa can achieve at the highest levels of his science.
One of my favorite plot points in The Last Nuclear War is the emphasis on the importance of education in a person's growth. Mousa's education includes pure science that is not influenced by dogma; however, his experiences in life outside of academic pursuits teach him how to recognize those things that differentiate belief from fact.
Another plot point I appreciate is the handling of science in the story. While it is not the central focus of the book, it is an element that is presented very well, and in a way that makes it easy to understand. While some of the newly discovered elements go beyond the periodic table, the author assures the reader that he has done his research and apologizes in advance for any blatant inaccuracies.
The theme that stands out to me the most is how needed change can happen when people come together for a common cause. In the world Hazem created, if humankind is to survive, change is necessary. Mousa is the person who can bring people together to help make a better world. In the case of this story, there are leaders who are afraid of losing the reins of power, and that is a difficult thing to overcome.
My takeaway from The Last Nuclear War: one person can be the spark of change and inspire others to follow.
The Last Nuclear War is not a military sci-fi novel. If you're seeking an apocalyptic story, this is not the book you are looking for. It is a thoughtful look into the human condition with an emphasis on social interactions of people with varied backgrounds. This one will make the reader think and perhaps cause some to look inside themselves and re-evaluate one's own intrinsic biases. I would recommend this story for those readers who don't mind a slower-paced book. I enjoyed the book because of the message I took from it, and because of the characters we get to know as the story unfolds. In a word, I would say this book is challenging.
The Last Nuclear War By Hazem Abdelmowla Publisher: Independently Published Published: August 29, 2024 ASIN: B0D6BM58QS Page Count: 268 Triggers: War themes, bullying, social injustice, nuclear apocalypse-level dread Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What Did I Just Walk Into? Imagine if George Orwell, Carl Sagan, and a doomsday prepper sat down for coffee in the year 2110 and decided to co-parent a dystopian fever dream. That’s the vibe here. We meet Mousa, a kid born in a fractured, post-pandemic world carved into compass-shaped regions where everyone hates everyone else. Naturally, he’s bullied, misunderstood, and destined to have “main character energy” because, surprise, his life choices are about to decide whether humanity eats itself in the last nuclear war. No pressure, kid.
But don’t expect this book to just throw nukes around from page one. Mr. Abdelmowla takes the scenic route: childhood trauma, prejudice, friendship across enemy lines, deep dives into social corruption, and a big ol’ helping of nuclear physics. Think of it as philosophy class meets apocalypse fanfiction except you’ll need to keep up, because this one actually respects science enough to make your high school chemistry teacher proud.
Here’s What Slapped: The worldbuilding: a compass-divided Earth dripping with political and social allegory. Symbolism lovers, eat your heart out.
Mousa: an unexpectedly relatable protagonist. From bullied child to world-decider and he’s the poster boy for “started from the bottom, now the fate of humanity rests on me.”
The science: it doesn’t handwave nuclear talk. It dives into real physics, weaving it into the plot so seamlessly you’ll question if you accidentally signed up for a TED Talk.
The message: corruption doesn’t start with governments or wars. It starts with the small, ugly choices we excuse every day. Ouch.
What Could’ve Been Better: It’s a slow starter. If you’re expecting explosions on page five, you’ll be disappointed. But give it time every thread ties together by the end, and the patience pays off.
Perfect for Readers Who Love: Dystopias that think as much as they blow stuff up Friendship that defies prejudice (and might save the world) Science fiction that actually respects science Stories that slap you with “what if you are the problem?” energy
Vibe Check: It’s 1984 meets Oppenheimer with a dash of Ender’s Game. Not your typical war drama but this one dares you to ask if the bomb is really the problem… or if it’s us.
Book Series Order: The Viruses Enigma (Future Novels by HAZEM ABDELMOWLA) Book 1 of 2: Future Novels by HAZEM ABDELMOWLA The Last Nuclear War (Future Novels by HAZEM ABDELMOWLA Book 2) Book 2 of 2: Future Novels by HAZEM ABDELMOWLA
"The Last Nuclear War" by Hazem Abdelmowla presents a fictional narrative set in a dystopian future, specifically the year 2110. The protagonist, Mousa, reflects on his life experiences that have shaped his understanding of a war that may determine the fate of humanity. The story begins with Mousa's realisation that the traumatic events of his life have led him to become a pivotal player in this catastrophic conflict.
The novel explores themes of identity, segregation, and acceptance, as Mousa is born in the Eastern region of a world divided into four compass-like territories. From an early age, he faces discrimination and bullying by peers identifying with the Northern region, creating a backdrop of fear and oppression in his childhood. These experiences lead to hatred and a struggle to understand societal divisions defined by geography and perceived superiority.
Mousa's life changes when he befriends Zed, a Northern child who defends him against bullies. Their friendship blossoms despite societal norms, but Mousa's parents remain cautious due to their ingrained beliefs about Northerners. Throughout the story, Mousa grapples with the contradictions between his father's warnings about Northerners and his own experiences with Zed, contending with the complexities of belonging and prejudice.
The story also highlights Mousa's internal conflicts about family expectations and the pressure to conform to the roles assigned by society. Fueled by both his bond with Zed and the nurturing influence of his mother, who encourages him to seek knowledge and resist despair, Mousa's journey represents a budding hope for unity amid division.
In his reflections, Mousa questions the origins of societal hatred and struggles to break free from its cycle. The narrative serves as a commentary on the devastating effects of war and discrimination while emphasizing the importance of empathy and understanding across divides.
Ultimately, "The Last Nuclear War" depicts a world characterized by conflict and the quest for acceptance, underscoring the potential for change through kindness and courage in the face of adversity. The author encourages readers to contemplate the ramifications of societal divisions and the enduring human spirit in navigating life’s challenges.
I am going to try as much as possible to review the book without spoiling it. At first, the story was good, but it didn’t jump right away into war. The story at the beginning follows Mousa's life, who lives in a corrupt future fictional world and didn’t know that his social choices and things he faced were going to shape his character, which will make him a key player in a future nuclear war. So the story begins with a few people and follows their timeline. My advice to you is that you may have to forget about the title for a while to feel events. Throughout the book, I felt that the author followed some rules that made him write the book this way. He was trying to deliver messages to us. One of the messages that the book was trying to deliver at first is that the corruption of society may start with small choices that we may neglect every day that may reshape our future without us knowing.
Another interesting thing in the book is that it respects science. Although it is a work of fiction, it tried to reshape the future based on actual science and nuclear physics. Even the new ideas do so. Some sections require some degree of nuclear knowledge to understand this book, as you won’t see a visible line between the actual science and the author's new ideas.
For me, this isn’t a typical book. It’s not just another war drama. The author was trying to hardly deliver warnings, messages and solutions to avoid a dark future and change might begin with us.
A visionary book. Pros: What I really liked about this novel, which makes it very different in my opinion, are two things:
First: how much it got deep inside social science. It tried to describe what regular people do in their lives that affect society and how this may determine our future regarding war and conflict. The author clearly believes in the role of the individual as the building block of society.
Second: Aw man, how deeply scientific this novel is. It imagines a future nuclear world. It has its own unique nuclear theories that make you imagine a new future that you may never hear about elsewhere. The author tried as much as possible to rely on actual science, not just imagination without scientific boundaries. I really want to hear people discuss this part, as I believe that the author did a terrific job regarding this part.
Cons: The novel may feel a little bit slow at first, and some events may seem unrelated, but everything was related and clear at the end for me.
The Last Nuclear War By Hazem Abdelmowla Publisher: Independently Published Published: August 29, 2024 ASIN: B0D6BM58QS Page Count: 268 Triggers: War themes, bullying, social injustice, nuclear apocalypse-level dread Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What Did I Just Walk Into? Imagine if George Orwell, Carl Sagan, and a doomsday prepper sat down for coffee in the year 2110 and decided to co-parent a dystopian fever dream. That’s the vibe here. We meet Mousa, a kid born in a fractured, post-pandemic world carved into compass-shaped regions where everyone hates everyone else. Naturally, he’s bullied, misunderstood, and destined to have “main character energy” because, surprise, his life choices are about to decide whether humanity eats itself in the last nuclear war. No pressure, kid.
But don’t expect this book to just throw nukes around from page one. Mr. Abdelmowla takes the scenic route: childhood trauma, prejudice, friendship across enemy lines, deep dives into social corruption, and a big ol’ helping of nuclear physics. Think of it as philosophy class meets apocalypse fanfiction except you’ll need to keep up, because this one actually respects science enough to make your high school chemistry teacher proud.
Here’s What Slapped: The worldbuilding: a compass-divided Earth dripping with political and social allegory. Symbolism lovers, eat your heart out.
Mousa: an unexpectedly relatable protagonist. From bullied child to world-decider and he’s the poster boy for “started from the bottom, now the fate of humanity rests on me.”
The science: it doesn’t handwave nuclear talk. It dives into real physics, weaving it into the plot so seamlessly you’ll question if you accidentally signed up for a TED Talk.
The message: corruption doesn’t start with governments or wars. It starts with the small, ugly choices we excuse every day. Ouch.
What Could’ve Been Better: It’s a slow starter. If you’re expecting explosions on page five, you’ll be disappointed. But give it time every thread ties together by the end, and the patience pays off.
Perfect for Readers Who Love: Dystopias that think as much as they blow stuff up Friendship that defies prejudice (and might save the world) Science fiction that actually respects science Stories that slap you with “what if you are the problem?” energy
Vibe Check: It’s 1984 meets Oppenheimer with a dash of Ender’s Game. Not your typical war drama but this one dares you to ask if the bomb is really the problem… or if it’s us.
Book Series Order: The Viruses Enigma (Future Novels by HAZEM ABDELMOWLA) Book 1 of 2: Future Novels by HAZEM ABDELMOWLA The Last Nuclear War (Future Novels by HAZEM ABDELMOWLA Book 2) Book 2 of 2: Future Novels by HAZEM ABDELMOWLA
The Last Nuclear War delivers a timely and thought-provoking take on humanity’s darkest scenario. The concept is powerful, the atmosphere tense, and the questions it raises about survival and politics are compelling. While the writing shows unevenness in pacing and dialogue, the story’s urgency and thematic weight keep the reader engaged. With stronger editing, this could have reached its full potential, but even as it stands it is an impactful and memorable read.
I stopped reading novels for a while, but "The Last Nuclear War" novel brought me back to reading. It has a mixture of love, war, and solutions to current world problems. definitely, one of it's kind.