The Last Overseer

The Overseer #1

by Anton Troia

In 2033, a sudden change in the Earth’s axial tilt compromised the magnetosphere forever; and the result was devastating. With only a compromised magnetosphere for protection, people were no longer protected from the hyperactive sun. Temperatures soared, ice caps melted, and natural disasters were as common as rain. To make matters worse, solar flares bombarded every facet of the globe, and in just two years, over two-thirds of the planet’s population perished due to radiation-induced cancer. Those who managed to survive did so with horrible physical mutations and mental degradation.

Alarmed by the crisis on Earth, several owners of an extra-terrestrial mining company decided to step out from the shadows and disclose their existence to whatever remained of Earth's disbanded governments. With their arrival came bold claims, announcing themselves as being the Overseers of planet Earth for a very long time. At first, no one appreciated such a surreptitious delegation, especially after the Overseers announced that they would only take Earth's most prominent citizens with them on their ships, leaving many less fortunate survivors to rot on an irradiated Earth. However, the hard feelings subsided rather quickly after Earth's new benefactors introduced advanced molecular medicine to the public--medicine that would cure radiation sickness for good and become the key to humanity's preservation on Earth.

Ten years later, humanity's population began to rebound and all seemed well. Until one day, several citizens began rejecting the Overseer's mandatory medical care, including a keen observer by the name of Charlie Beasley, who along with his new girlfriend Elena, claimed that the Overseers' mandatory inoculations did a lot more than just cure people of radiation sickness--and that a much more sinister agenda was at play.

Genres: Science Fiction, Post Apocalyptic, Zombies, Amazon

361 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 3, 2013

About the author

Anton Troia was a former Emergency Medical Technician, and studied electronic engineering at DeVry University. He was born and raised in New York City, where he still lives with his two audacious dogs. Anton always found NYC to be a strange place, but he hopes that will change someday.

Anton's stories warn about the potential dangers of technological progress, with themes centered around the ongoing tug of war between science and ethics. Anton's futuristic settings are usually dominated by monopolistic corporations, authoritarian governments, and scientific dictatorships.

Anton's themes veer into the paranormal elements as well and he has a knack for seamlessly weaving historical fact and mythology. His thematic focus strongly reflects his personal interest in the paranormal, metaphysics, parapsychology, and most of all, theology. Anton’s prose, with his lingering use of adjectives, has a very pleasing ‘pulp’ style that is evocative of classical golden-age Sci-Fi mixed with Victorian horror literature.

Reviews

[Anton]

I'm not going to review my own novel, but I'll write a brief essay on what inspired me to write it.

I've always asked myself questions regarding the state of our civilization on Earth and its technological stagnancy. Sure, we're living in a world connected- plugged in by social media, confused by the blurs between CGI and reality, and of course, we're all linked by our handhelds. Nowadays we can listen to the radio, use a computer and watch a movie all on one device. So why are we still using a 100 year old gas operated combustion engine? It's as if most of our technological advancement is in the weapon and toy department!

And so I asked myself. What are the dangers of technological progress? And is clean free energy technology being suppressed by a secret cabal of Earth Overseers? If so, then why? Are we headed towards something Orwellian? Or something that Gene Roddenberry envisioned with Star Trek over 50 years ago? Will humanity evolve via technology or devolve? Will tech be used to save our planet or destroy it? And is it happening now in our real world ? The answers to these questions can be speculated upon in my very first novel, "The Last Overseer" Expect a good blend of science fiction, paranormal horror, dysfunctional romance and the ever ongoing tug of war between science and ethics.

Of course, the novel was written to entertain and revolves around a central character named Charlie, who is beginning to transcend. This is a story of ascension, an ascension into higher planes of consciousness, and the confusion it brings to this particular man who shows all the signs and symptoms of vampirism. He is alone, and he is alone because he is alive--alive in a world full of unconscious people. His quest to determine why people have been stripped of their free will and emotions will put him at odds with Earth's last Overseer. The man behind the curtain, pulling all strings, and controlling the Earth's entire economical and political infrastructure. I hope you do enjoy this book, as it will make you think about a lot of subjects, ranging from theology to mythology and how it pertains to historical fact. And its all wrapped around a high octane chase story!

Happy reading !

[Kevis Hendrickson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I purchased this book a few months back due to a blogger's review. Without a doubt, this book has its share of fans. I was hoping to count myself among them. Unfortunately, the horrendous editing and unorthodox use of language did me in, and after numerous attempts to read it, I didn't get very far. Incorrect use of punctuation, misspelled words, weird prose, etc. I can usually overlook mistakes, but there were just too many in this book for me to ignore. From the very beginning of the book, I encountered error-filled paragraphs like the following one:

“The planet is still plagued by radiation, but the people have been cured for a while now, just like us. My implants will keep my DNA from mutating (missing comma)” “It’s not the radiation I’m concerned about (missing comma)” Elena began, groping for words. “I know we’re all engineered to withstand it. All space travelers are. It’s just... it’s just that I wanted us to be done with that planet (another missing comma)” “I know my sweets, me too (and yet another missing comma)” Brennan said with a dejected

Then there were sentences like this one:

“You don’t owe them you know(missing comma again)” She ("She" should be spelled with a lower case 's') said evenly, before raising her voice above the normal conversational tone— (incorrect use of em-dash) “You’re a former Army Major and they treat you like some kid out of boot camp!

and this one:

You and I;(incorrect use of semi-colon) we don’t owe these people anything, even though they plucked us from the filth”! (exclamation marks go inside of quotation marks)

Again, I can overlook mistakes in a book, and yes, the story is ultimately what counts. But in the case of The Last Overseer, the mistakes were many and unrelenting. I only posted a few examples in this review, but sadly they were taken just from the first chapter alone. Not a good way to make a first impression with a reader.

Like I said, in spite of the many errors, this book has good reviews. Maybe I'll dust this one off and try again in the future when I'm in a more forgiving mood. But for right now, I have no interest in slogging through a poorly edited book. Too bad. It sounded like a good read.

[Gertie]

The plot for this book sounded intriguing, and what I read was interesting, but I decided not to continue due to the incomplete editing. [Edit: If you are considering this book, read a sample first and decide for yourself.]

The punctuation is problematic, with no periods at the end of sentences inside quotes, and I have to say "That drives me nuts" to see. Also, when punctuation is used after quotes, it is "outside the quotes"! To be honest I am surprised at the high ratings; I can't be the only one who finds the errors distracting.

It is a shame, because I didn't mind the author's writing style, and was curious about the story, but I just can't read an entire book with so much unedited text pulling me out of the story.

Hopefully the author will get this professionally proofread, or even proofed by family and friends or a few intelligent fans, and put out an update on the book. I just don't see it meeting its potential without repairs.

:::::::: update ::::::::

Apparently the punctuation was a deliberate use of British styling. I have read thousands of books in my life, but seemingly not enough British ones to not have picked up on that, so my fault there. Surprisingly I don't recall noticing it in books written by actual British authors, perhaps because I am busy noticing curious words and the whole thing feels British, rather than something with an American feel written in British style. I dunno. All I know is that it didn't work for me, didn't feel old, just felt awkward. Silly American, yeah yeah. Despite knowing now that the styling is intentional (and technically acceptable) I have no desire to continue with the book after being berated for my "inappropriate" comments. Oh well. Goodreads happens. :-P

:::::::: update #2, a year and a half later ::::::

I was too nice before, now that this has been set before my eyes again. From my perspective, this book was a mess in need of editing, and the author shouldn't have criticized me for my honesty, regardless of disagreeing with my conclusion.

Some samples of text. It's your call as a reader whether this is "good" to you, but I didn't care for it. In fact, I think it was definitely not good, if I'm to stop being so damned polite for a moment. Let me say, I did not have to look hard for these bits; I just found random pages and looked for anything wonky.

...............

“Where are they sending you dad”!
“Earth”! Brennan deplored.
(Where's the question mark?)

--

“Yes- sir” Brennan stammered, trying to grope for more words- “What...what about in other parts of the globe”? Brennan asked.
(What's with the dashes/hypens and spacing?)

--

“Going back home huh pal, looking forward to the clear blue skies and colorful sunrises”! Graham said, with sardonic tones. Brennan just sighed at him.
"You seem excited as usual”
“Of course, why...we’re going back to Earth”! Graham began with a scoff. “Right...right...” Graham ended mordantly. The two men simultaneously tapped their fingers on the long table, waiting for the audio feed to finish downloading.

--

After a good pause, Clarkson’s calm and never-hurried voice began to sound more concerned than usual -
(Ending a paragraph not with a period, but a hyphen. This was pretty common in the book.)

There. I should have included exampled the first time.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hadn't read any sci-fi in a while, and I enjoyed this one. I don't like hard sci-fi, and this author did a great job of taking things right to the line of hard sci-fi, but not crossing it.

This is basically post-apocalyptic science fiction. I don't want to get too deep into the plot, but an alien race has "saved" a dying Earth. But just how altruistic were they really?

It has a little bit of everything: action, sci-fi, horror, suspense. Very well written.

If I had any complaints, maybe there were parts that could have been edited to keep the book shorter and more concise, but that's minor. The book never really drags. Also, there were some things that got a little confusing, but honestly, considering how complicated the subject matter in parts, he did a good job of not losing the reader.

Overall, I'd recommend this one for any science fiction fan.

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was asked for an honest review, which is the only kind I can give, so here it goes.

In my opinion, The Last Overseer is another great idea which was just not well executed. I only finished it due to my stubbornness and because I kept hoping it would improve. I had some good surprises and in no way felt obligated to finish it (the author was kind enough to make that very clear) but the fact is it was a long process. I honestly cannot remember taking this long to read a book. Anyway, let’s move on.


Positives:

- I enjoyed the hard sci-fi. The Star Trek references were cute, but I mostly enjoyed the new stuff (at least new to me).

- I enjoyed how the author revisited the vampire and zombie concepts, making them his own, and how the romance part was not too obvious.

- Some concepts were quite ingenious and even refreshing, particularly the mutations of human beings after a natural disaster. I especially liked the descriptions of Charlie’s dreams of a future society, the thought of the government being infiltrated with people who have their own agenda (very current) and the whole being forced to do something against your will thing present in dystopian literature.

- The book succeeds in making you wonder about the planet’s current state. Although it is very futuristic, I couldn’t help but think what would become of it if our natural resources were drained or if a totalitarian government took over.

- It is, in general, a thought provoking book, especially the last chapter, particularly due to the fact that there wasn’t an obvious right or wrong outcome to such a situation.


Negatives:

- The main characters are military and I didn’t get the military feeling at all. I can understand that major Brennan and lieutenant Graham should feel more at ease with each other due to their background together, but I just don’t get the familiarity with the superiors, the way Brennan spoke to them and why he was even allowed to ask certain questions, for instance, especially before he was put on Earth. There should have been more formality in the speech. For the same reason, I don’t understand why military people would refer to someone by their first name, that is, why they would refer to Charlie as Charlie instead of Beasley, his surname. It was all just too casual for my taste.

- The writing is simply not good. I don’t know if it’s a lack of vocabulary issue (though there are plenty of ‘fancy’ words throughout the book), of writing technique, of attention or a combination of all, but these are the things which bothered me the most:

1) A lot of typos, syntax errors, punctuation being off, etc, etc. For instance, wrong verb tenses (I’d frequently see ‘have’ written instead of ‘had’), at times words were missing while at others they were repeated (ex.: Elena still could still not locate Charlie) or stuff like unaware of whether or not he was dead or alive.. Even the characters descriptions contradicted themselves at times. There were many many more, too many to remember, but these are the ones that come to mind right now.

2) A *lot* of repetitions. I remember counting the same word 6 times in a total of 7 lines, or 3 times in one line All he needed was what he needed for his weapon, but there were no signs of any of the supplies he needed in aisle #5.) It was particularly impossible with names. I wonder if the author has something against pronouns.

3) Lack of anticipation; we are immediately fed what there is to know so when it comes later there is no surprise, or certainly a huge decrease in it. A very small example that comes to mind, which obviously didn’t have much effect in the overall experience, but hopefully will give an idea of what I mean: After climbing a steep spiral staircase that led to a catwalk, Brennan felt a sharp pain coming from his left hip joint again. He ascended more steps then he cared to climb, and for a war-scarred major with a replaced hip, the climb was an ordeal. After a minute of climbing, he found himself on a catwalk where large spiders dominated the spaces between the metal. Besides the fact that the then should have been a than, why say in the first place that the staircase led to a catwalk? Why not just let the reader find that out as the narrative flows?

4) This sort of thing often escalated to the point where we would read about something and then a few lines below that something was explained in more detail and very often with the exact same words! As you can imagine, such a narration kills the suspense, cuts the pace, making the book feel like it drags on and on and making it difficult to keep track of the main storyline and what exactly is trying to be told there, leading to an overall lack of cohesion; you are simply reading the same stuff over and over and there isn’t that sense of fluidity that I so enjoy in a good book and leaves me wanting more and see what comes next. On the other hand, some things were not explained at all. I still don’t know how one minute Charlie was receiving a flyer to participate in a rally and the next he was speaking as if he had organized it, or at least there was no mention at all of other people wanting to talk before him. He was basically presented as the leader of it all.. So, in a nutshell, the way each part of the story is presented to the reader is very unappealing and unengaging. Things are not explained in a clear manner. Either there is a lot of repetition or the concept just comes out of the blue, with no explanation whatsoever. This also caused me not to feel connected to any of the characters. They just felt… off.


All in all, there just seemed to be a lack of attention when writing and editing. Actually, I often wondered if the book was edited at all, because it wasn’t one or two examples, it was all over the book. It usually takes me 3 to 4 days to read a book. This one took me 13. Even when the storyline picked up the pace and was pretty engaging, I would come across some of the things I mentioned and my brain just hiccupped; I kept having to go back and forth trying to make sense of things and not succeeding most of the times, which completely ruined the memento. After a while, I was so frustrated that I just stopped trying and trudged on.

I think that if the book was properly edited it would be about 3/4 or at least 4/5 of its current size and would have a tremendous impact. If it is possible to do so much work to it, I think it could be a great read. If that happened, I would be happy to read the new edition. I would most likely give it 4, maybe even 5 stars, because the concepts really are intriguing. As it is, even though some aspects kept me interested, at the end of the day it was just not a positive experience. I am giving it 3 stars instead of 2 mostly because of the last chapter. Even though it was just as heavy, I enjoyed it more than the entire book.


Disclaimer: I have received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Norma Mills · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off please know this book was given to me, by the author, for an honest review. Here is my review:

First off, thank you for the oppurtunity to read this book. It is a very long book, with a lot of very large words in it. I loved the Star Trek references (Phasers, DIsruptors, etc,...) and I understood most of what was in the book, but I feel the book was too detailed (OMG, is it possible?!).

Let me explain my 3 star rating. The book took a lot longer than it should have to read, which was 10 days for me. The reason for this was because I kept zoning out. There is a lot of knowledge, wording, and hypothetical scenarios in this book which I found quite daunting. Don't get me wrong! The plot idea is amazing, and the Brennan/Jasso storyline, and Elane/Charlie subplot were quite good and I did enjoy them, but I feel there was far too much filler in the middle. Please see my pros/cons section.

Here is my pro/con section, where I tell you what was good, what may have been bad, and what is ugly (nothing is ever ugly, so no panic.. Unless you read my review for my ONLY 1 star book. THAT is ugly!)

Pro: Just as promised, Anton Troia has written a book that makes you think about Earth's current state. You wonder if something like that could happen to the planet, and if you would even survive. Also makes you think about the fact that there are aliens.. running Earth! (Hey.. could be worse... Oh wait, our Gov't already is.) I loved the Star Trek references (Type 1 Phaser.. So TOS/Season 1 TNG; Disruptors, my FAVORITE Romulan weapon, traporters, I hate the transporter as much as the next. Shuttle, it's the only way to travel!) and some of the chapters has my thumbing on because I needed to know what happened. Took place in my area of NYC!!! (Thank you for mentioning McDonald Avenue, that was my old stomping ground when I was 17/18!)

Con: There are some mis-spellings, missing punctuation, and words that are either not supposed to be there, or were mis used/doubled (as as, the then). The book seems to explain, in a bit too much detail, about scenarios in the book that do not need to be explained. I feel like the book is trying to impress me, but it actually just made my eyes hurt.

In my personal opinion, this book could have been closer to 400 pages (holding strong at about 575) and would have been just as good, just a freakishly psychic about our future, and would have flowed a bit better. Mind you this is just my opinion and I am no writing major (medicine here, hunny!) so I am NOT one to go criticizing someones writing ability.

Over all this book is quite good, just too long for ME (not you.. ME). Would be a great book for Science Professors/Hippie Dippies who want to show what is wrong with society and this is what will happen if not fixed.

[megHan · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read the description of this book on Amazon, I sat there with mouth open, jaw on floor. This is the kind of book that's right up my ally, the kind of stuff I love and won't want to put down.

I began the book and was amazed - up til about 20% I just wanted to hug the author. This is what science fiction is SUPPOSED to be. From about the 20% point until 41% (exactly - I marked it on my Kindle haha), I wanted to hurt him, was ready to throw my Kindle, went on long tangents to my mom and even wanted to call him up a couple of times at 3:30 in the morning to yell at him.

That 19% seemed like it drug on for thousands of pages and, in my opinion, was SO boring. It was like trudging through molasses in wellies that are five times too big for you. (After having a conversation with the author where I was completely honest about my opinion of the book and then going back to re-read the first 41%, I have come to the conclusion that it might be because it was a lot of "back information," which was very necessary, and well-written, but I wanted action. A quote from Anton in our conversation: "I am aware of the filler, there is some, but I designed the book to be a relaxing read, and so if you're the type that likes a story with gusto, then know this - slow dramatic buildup will usually comes with a reward.)

Once we get to 41% it goes big time amazing and STAYS amazing until the very end. It flows so well that you sit down and say you're only going to read one chapter and then end up reading five or more. It has action and unexpected moments and those moments that you question and then totally understand later ... an overseer that you know is bad but not quite to what extent, and when you're introduced to Baal you hear angels singing (especially after he explains everything - and the way he explains things :O and the explanation :O) because he's so maniacal and super-villain that it's just ... beautiful.

There are some characters that I really like: Brennan, Charlie, Clarkson, Elena (who is Brennan's daughter - I actually quoted some parts of the book on a blog post about her, right before she heads to Earth - I totally relate to her - I mean, there are parts of the book where I just want to slap her, but then there are times I think someone should slap me so...) - Baal and Jasso are pricks, but well-written pricks. In fact, I don't think I've liked a bad guy as much as I liked Jasso in a long time.

The storyline/story idea is wicked cool.

I will warn you that there are some editing issues and I pointed this out to the author.

I can't wait to read the sequel (and now that the author has given me a bit of information on that, I am even more excited.)

Definitely worth reading.

(Note: I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an HONEST review.)

[Toniann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Believable fiction !!

Charlie Beasley is a man in his late twenties who suddenly begins to develop all the symptoms of Vampirism, although it's never clear whether he was becoming a vampire or not. The word "Vampire" is never even mentioned in the book either and it's odd to read a science fiction story that gets so close to being rooted in logic. The line between fantasy and reality in this novel is thin! Along his journey, Charlie experiences all of the psychological and physical torment that vampires go through during the transformation process and Anton Troia puts you in the mind of a character that is scared of himself, scared of his new powers, scared of his new weaknesses, and scared of the newly formed extra-terrestrial controlled governments; that are hell-bent on hunting down anybody that shows signs of so-called "Bestial Regression" Some people want to be cured, and some do not and I didn't realize why until the the shocking ending. I felt like the middle of the book was the toughest to read, not because it was bad, but it dragged a bit because of all the questions that came up, and the dramatic buildup was very slow, but it paid off!. The climax was absolutely satisfying and it's nice to read a good story with a slow dramatic buildup, only to get hit with an awesome ending!

What I really liked about this story is that there is no clear-cut hero or villain until the very end, and depending on the reader of course. The vampires are never glorified, nor are they demonized either. Anton Troia seemingly presents the story from a 3rd party perspective and leaves it up to the reader to decide what is wrong and what is right...and that is rare in literature today. As I read the book, I found myself changing my views on the protagonist from chapter to chapter, and just when I found myself hating a character, I get hit with information that made me think otherwise. By the time I got to the end, I had to put the book down for a while so I could take the time to dissect all the information and debate it all.

All in all, this is story that stays with you after reading it. It's very well written, the writing is crisp and flows well and this story caused me to ask myself a whole load of questions. Very thought provoking stuff, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys good, theosophical fiction.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book in exchange for my honest review and it's taken me a few days to put my thoughts in order on "The Last Overseer". The first thing I will say is that Anton Troia has a sharp mind and a keen skill. His grasp of sci-fi is stunning and he's used it to illustrate an earth decimated by radiation and under the heel of an unscrupulous Overseer. Add mutated people into the mix and you have a winner!

So why not a 5 star rating?

The Last Overseer is written in a peculiar (to me) way, in that there are no periods to end sentences of dialogue, and exclamation points and question marks are on the outside of the quotations. There were also commas and semi colons that sometimes showed up in places I wouldn't expect them to and a few contradictions, such as Charlie's description. He was described as lean twice on one page, but then called portly on the next page. Another instance of this was "decrepit; so bony the ribs were protruding" and then also described as "a hulking mountain of muscle". I also noticed some tense changes and some repetitive word usage, like "bright" used three times in one paragraph, as well as missing words and words that were overlooked.

Wow, ok. So why not a lower rating?

Because the issues I had were almost all things that could be easily fixed with a good, strong edit. If the author agrees and puts out a second edition, I definitely want to re-read The Last Overseer. As it is, I still give this book a high rating because the science and the story telling are there, I just feel it could be a whole lot more powerful with a little cleaning up.

And did I mention the gorgeous cover art? No? Well. It's gorgeous! And there are a couple of scenes I have to mention. One is when Major Brennan is making breakfast at the beginning of the book and the other is when Charlie is diving in a putrid sea to get into a hardware store! I read it like I was watching it on a big screen and that was simply awesome.

[Mariangela Frazzetto · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last Overseer is probably one of the freshest takes on the zombie horror genre because the zombie mythology is tied in with historical fact and even religious figures. As I read The Last Overseer, I sometimes asked myself whether or not this was fiction, because at its heart, The Last Overseer is a theosophical body of work.

Highly recommend this book, it's a clever story that left me thinking long after I finished reading it!

[Mollydee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an amazing Sci-fi book.

I loved the title and the cover. Always a draw. But it started out so well.

I do not like Zombies (sorry everyone!) but this was not particularly about zombies and that is what I liked. A post-apocalyptic book with no zombies.

As the book opens, Brennan and his daughter Elena are getting ready for breakfast. They are former Earth dwellers that now live on another planet and have been for 10 years. They were lucky to be chosen to go into space, away from Earth when all of the forces of Mother Nature were unleashed and caused mass destruction and death.

During these past 10 years, Elena has grown bored with life on another planet and her father, who was in the Government on Earth, is also a Commander on their new home planet. Neither father or daughter have been back to Earth in 10 years.

They are not allowed access to Earth news whether on television or the internet. There is no one back on Earth that survived from their family so as long as they are together it is ok.

Brennan works for Orion Corp. which is the major corporation and the stock people put all of their money in. Orion has the ability to provide food, medication, technology, you name it. As far as Brennan knows, Orion is trustworthy and has has The Overseer (Jasso) working for Earth and cleaning it up for the past 10 years.

All of the sudden, during breakfast, Brennan gets orders to go to Earth. He knew something horrible must be going on because he travels everywhere but never to Earth. Plus he lost his wife there, so he does not want to go back. But with his faithful friend and fellow officer, he goes because he knows it must be of terrible importance.

What he finds is a disaster.

If you have see "Soylent Green", then picture that because I sure did. There are red and green zones, people get rations, people have radiation sickness which they are not supposed to have because Orion Corp. had put a chip in every person to allow them not to become ill by radiation sickness. Of course it is much worse to be out in the day because of the ozone layer or mostly lack thereof.

Brennan cannot believe what is going on. He has to meet with some of the Draconians (people that work for Orion Corp), and The Overseer of Earth to be briefed.

Elena was so tired of doing nothing she snuck out on an elevator of sorts going to a vehicle headed for Earth.

And it all happens from there and it comes at you non stop.

Why is Earth in such bad shape? What is really going on? Why has Orion Corp. let this happen? And what of The Overseer?

Elena notices all the problems with Earth. But first she notices Charlie. Not bad looking, but dressed like a bum, unshaven. He is telling everyone on a bullhorn about the evils of Orion Corp and encouraging people to stop working for them. He says there is another way. People think he is crazy. He also knows the implants originally given to help with radiation sickness have stopped working and mutated. Giving people different kinds of powers.

A turn of events changes some things and you will have to read the book because I do not do spoilers.

Is The Overseer to blame for all that is going on? What does Brennan find out in his meeting?

Elena decides to track down Charlie (after his little speech, it incited some people and they all blamed Charlie for causing the hysteria that broke out, so Charlie ran, and fast). She needed to know if what he was saying over the bullhorn was true.

Charlie was working with John, a confidant and friend,who they arrested. John, after being tortured, told the authorities where to find Charlie.

Charlie was preparing for this. And Elena, after first thinking him a crazy bum, listened to all of the technology that he is working on and how it will change Earth and she believes in him. It may not all make sense to her but he seems to know what he is doing.

So does Charlie find a way to overcome the Draconians (the rulers and enforcers of the Orion Corp, under Jasso) and the Police that are sent for him? Does Elena find her father on Earth? Is Charlies invention a weapon of mass destruction or a beginning of new and helpful technology on Earth that will help regrow, repopulate, rebuild...or is it all a hallucination by a mentally unbalanced man?

Trust me there is a TON of words and descriptions that go with reading this and you just have to pay attention. I do not like when people write in a review it was too much for them. USE YOUR IMAGINATION! Read it carefully! You may not know what a particular device is but read about the description. The author is very good at giving a great description. Especially in Science Fiction. I was lucky enough to talk to the author and he did a lot of research. So just read it and enjoy it. Picture it all. It is a great Science Fiction book.

I already mentioned "Solyent Green", way ahead of its time. I see Anton Troia of being in that same category. His ideas are not so out there that it will take thousands of years for this to happen, but maybe a few decades. And maybe not in exactly the same way, but close. That is how I see it.

I really enjoyed it and I cannot wait for the sequel!!

[Melaslithos · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

The Last Overseer is an interesting science-fiction story that tackles a large range of interesting questions. Here is what I think of the several aspects of this book.

Concept
As mentioned, it broaches a lot of subjects and themes. Basically, it makes a mix of all available themes in science-fiction, fantasy and paranormal novels, such as vampires, zombies, post-apocalyptic world, secret conspiracies, aliens, superpowers, etc. And I was admiring of how well it all fits together. But unfortunately, when we make a mix of so many subjects like this, the author takes the risk of writing about unwanted subject. And he did manage to write about one of my pet peeves, i.e. “free energy”. Let’s be frank, I hate this expression of “free energy”, and I just spent hours arguing about it with my brother a couple of weeks ago.
Here follows a long rant on free energy and why I hate this expression. You can just skip what is behind the spoiler tag in order to avoid it. The scientific expression of free energy refers to the thermodynamic potential measuring the useful work obtainable from a closed thermodynamic system. Usually, when lay persons talk about free energy, they refer to the economic approach, i.e. energy that costs nothing to produce (usually, you only have to pay for the equipment and not the source of the energy). Unfortunately, it leads a lot of persons to think that free energy is some mystic energy made of nothing, which is completely false. Energy can’t be created from thin air; you can only transform one type of energy into another. I also feel that this expression leads people to believe that it doesn’t exist still and that it is a kind of Grail. But free energy does exist. There is solar energy, wind turbines, geothermal energy, just to mention a few possibilities. And the author especially has a good scientific explanation for his free energy, his free energy generator are using electromagnetic energy. Why not just use this expression rather than the confusing one of “free energy”, which kinds of mix everything and is not as precise?
But I realize that this is a personal grief I have against the terms “free energy”, and that these words probably won’t annoy others as much as they annoy me. Unfortunately, because of this, I tended for the rest of the book to be much more dubious about the scientific concepts. Sometime, I felt that there was a lot of name throwing and not enough details and explanations, even though, as I first mentioned it, I have to recognize that everything fell rather well together.

Storyline
Globally, the storyline holds, although there were a few points that I found a little bit exaggerated. The main thing I couldn’t understand was how Charlie goes from just hearing about the rallies one day to lead it the next day. If I were the organizer of the rally, I wouldn’t have let an unknown person be the main speaker and center of my event. If I organized it, I certainly would have things to tell myself or at least already have organized other speakers. So where are they? Why only have Charlie? Where are the others? He might have a lot of charisma and weave his way to the top of the protestors group, but one day seems awfully short for that..

Characters
They were rather interesting, although I wasn’t very fond of Elena, but this is only a personal preference. One thing that was a little disappointing though is that all the characters felt kind of the same to me. They had the same “voice” and they didn’t really stand out from one another.

Style
This book is rather well written, but there are still a few typos or extra / missing words. It might be a bit too pompous and stilted at time.

[Nioka · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Last Overseer has a great story, but it is lost in some of the word choices and the constant repetition of the same phrases over and over again. If the repetition only happened a couple of times it would not have been so bad, but it actually hindered the reading process, especially with an ebook. With the word choices I found that Vampire and Nephilim were used to represent the same thing, when one is a descendant of power that shows powers themselves, while a vampyre is usually a soul or blood sucker. These two insanely different things should not be looked at as the same thing. Also, I was hoping to hear more from Elena and Charlie at the end, but did not receive the information. That being said I love the overall story and did want more. The issues I have are easily fixed with a bit of an edit and re-release (if that is possible) I know that I am a bit picky with the Vampyre vs Nephilim aspect, but that is just with my background of actually studying the history and evolution of the Vampyre as well as the knowledge and different aspects of the Nephilim I just get picky when there are such extreme differences.

As for the story, that I loved, and was left wanting more. I enjoyed the back story and the reasoning for the end of Earth as we knew it. I also liked that there were extremists and normal 'aliens' that were represented. I also like how we are shown that we as humans will always find a way to persevere through everything that we are given.

I am giving this a 3 out of 5 because of the editing needs, but if those were done I would give this a 4.

[Patrick Bunker · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best science fiction novel I have read this year

This book takes a look into the future to find a world that is very different from today’s world. In the future planet earth has been damaged by numerous natural catastrophes. A space traveling captain is deployed on a mission to planet earth. He is not excited about visiting earth as it will cause him to relive unpleasant past events.

This book takes a look at life in a post-apocalyptic future where the sun’s rays have become so damaging that humans must avoid going outside in the daytime. You will experience daily life from the perspective of a survivor named Charlie. This daily survival routine will blow your mind

The earth faces the possibility of complete destruction. One ordinary man has the ability to save the planet. This is a spiritual journey of good versus evil that has metaphorical connections to biblical times.

The futuristic battle scenes are exciting and action packed. The author does a great job of explaining characters and events in a detailed way. The weapons of the future sound really interesting.

“The Last Overseer” is Anton Troia’s first book. This author has the ability to inspire his readers to think about the future in a different manner. It appears that Troia is working on another science fiction book that is expected to be released in 2014. This is great news as I can’t wait to read more from this exceptional science fiction author.

[Ginny McMath · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Sci-Fi books and was looking for a new author. I came across this book and even though the author is new it sounded really interesting. I absolutely was engrossed from the beginning. The concept of unknown overseers to humanity is a scary thought and combined with disasters that have effected earth seem to connect with me. I live in a very green way and this story seemed a sad possible future for us. From a Sci-Fi perspective all of those aspects seemed possible too. Not giving anything away, but it is a book about humanity wanting to be free and able to make their own choices for their lives. It is also about the resilience of humanity. It has characters that you root for and a great plot driven book as well. There were some classic Sci-Fi elements in the book for the Sci-fi purists, but also some unique elements I think they will appreciate too. There is also a murder investigation that will appeal to that reading crowd as well.
I love the idea of going through a change to become something new.
"The providence of destiny is always resolute."
You won't be disappointed! I look forward to my new favorite Sci-Fi author bringing us his next book!

[Lcdk · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last Overseer is by far one of the best books that I have read all year. I am a huge fan of the science fiction genre and especially books that incorporate dystopian themes into them, so I was quite excited to jump in and see what this author had to offer. Needless to say, the story went way above and beyond my initial expectations and has left me with an author to keep an eye on. I must admit that I can be quite critical when it comes to sci-fi related books but there's nothing that I would change about this book if I had the power to do so, it's definitely a top quality read.

The plot of this book is unique with a very fresh and original storyline, making the best of some classic science fictional elements with the author's own unique twists that kept the read entertaining and intriguing for me from start to finish. It's evident to me that the author has wrote this book with not just time and effort, but also with passion and lots of thought due to the how well-refined each chapter is and how smooth the book flows. I will definitely be looking out for future releases by Anton Troia.

[Mika Buell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unless you've had your head under a rock for the past 50 years you know scientist are discovering not only more about our planet but the effect humans are having to its precious system. Anton Troia bases his first sci-fi novel "The Last Overseer" on such a cataclysmic event. From the beginning I found myself engrossed in this epic tale of technology, humanity and truth. The author hurls you into a very realistic near future; in which Earth is the one place you never wish to return to. With every civilization comes corruption but this was corruption on an unimaginable magnitude! The characters are well developed and the scenes are deeply descriptive.

Those who shy away from sci-fi will appreciate the context of this novel. Anton Troia raises many questions while making us take a closer look at ourselves. I highly recommend this book to everyone! Simply a lot to learn from this first-time novelist!

[Jane Geddis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been looking for a good novel that has the inversion of magnetic field as its premise. (The Revolution tv show had promise but devolved into stupidity). The Last Overseer makes good use of changes in the magnetic field in its back story. Miners who have been working off world have been unaffected by the shift in the Earths magnetic. They return to a devastated and sick Earth with a cure for the radiation sickness that is rampant.

Author Anton Trioa's strong point lies in writing about politics, power and sociology as well as crafting a well planned science fiction story. The main thrust of the plot is about the ambitions of the miners (who are the Overseers) and the real purpose behind their cure.

The Last Overseer is a superbly written novel with an involved political / sci-fi plot.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last Overseer has a great premise which had me excited to read the book. I was even more pleased by how well written and interesting this novel turned out to be! In the future, after the world population has been ravished by many changes, the Overseers step in to help humanity heal itself. But then questions arise about their true intent. What did they do to the people they took away? And what other effects does this healing drugs have on the population? Anyone who is a scifi fan would enjoy this book for its compelling plot and has interesting characters. This novel has a good blend of mystery, technology, and scifi to keep everyone interested.

[Ann Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.
This book is not only really well written with an original plot, but it also dips into the realm of "totally possible".

I will be the first to admit that I have an open mind when it comes to the affect that us humans are having on the environment, and this book just so happened to hit the proverbial nail on the head in a way that will have me racking up the sleepless nights.

The writing was fast paced and the plot was very believable.
I tend to have a love/hate relationship with sci-fi. I really love some of them while not being able to finish others. This is definitely one of the sci-fi books that I will recommending to all of my friends.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this! It is out of this world...it will blow your mind! I loved this book. I am always questioning the true intentions of everything. This book certainly covers it all...future, past, technology, religion, politics, disease, the end of the world, and more. If you have read books like 1984, you will love this. If you love paranormal, science fiction, thrillers, and or mysteries...well, here it is! If not for a busy schedule,I would have finished this book much more quickly. This is a book that will leave you thinking about long after you have finished.

[Bookreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm still not finished with the book, it's so good that I had to review prior to me completing. All I can say is, this book is pure genious! The author delivers an outstanding storyline and characters that I connected with right away. If you appreciate scifi then you're in for a real treat! I couldn't put this book down for a second. Thank you Anton, for entertaining us with your smart, captivating story telling mind. I can't wait to finish and see what the ending has to offer. This might be my best read yet!

[Maege · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though I am not much of a sci-fi fan, I really enjoyed this book. It is set in a dystopian future that is not terribly far off. The climate has made life on earth like something out of nightmares, and mysterious aliens have offered rescue, with some apparently ulterior motives.

I enjoyed that the characters in the book experience growing unease, as the reader feels this as well. Simply put no one really knows the score, and paranoia creeps in all around the peripheral. I could certainly see this being adapted into a screenplay.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a frequent reader of the science fiction genre, plotlines can be run into the ground, highly exaggerated, and easily become repetitive from author to author. The Last Overseer by Anton Troia brings a fresh and unique perspective to post-apocalyptic Earth. Troia explains the devastating effects of an axial tilt of the Earth such as the struggle of the remaining environment, inhabitants, and other catastrophic events occurring in a dark and dystopian future.

This book is action packed and will have you reading long into the night!

[Maciek · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book has a slower middle part but mostly is fast paced. We have post-apocalypse Earth and some humans traveling the stars. Story line evolves from sci-fi to some supernatural and look at humanity history and possibilities. There are also some references to conspiracy theories - usual ones and some new interesting ones. Overall it's an interesting look at apocalypse scenario with an overseer watching rebuilding planet.

[Helga Jacobs · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an excellent book. I find Anton Troia's writings style very interesting, combining Sci-Fi with a bit of fear and a different twist to romance. I loved his characters and his ability in getting you to relate with them. This book is so well written that you will find yourself at a certain stage thinking what he is saying is true even today. I enjoyed this book thoroughly and I promise you you would love it too. If you enjoy Science Fiction with a twist, this book is a must.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anton did wonderful with the writing of this book. I love most sci-fi and this book didn't disappoint. The middle of the book was a little slow for me but it picks up. It leaves you asking yourself a lot of questions and reconsidering the way you think about things in the end. I recommend it for sci-fi lovers and those who don't like this genre.

[Kelly Rickard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very detailed sci fi story

The author has a keen mind for sci-fi but there wasn't a lot of action at some points due to the need to give us the back story.

Unfortunately there wasn't a lot of zombies (this is a read for review from a zombie group) and they were merely a back story till the end but as a sci-fi a great read on the dangers of humans and our destruction of the planet.

[Jay Charming · Rating 4 out of 5]

The great thing about science fiction is that it can explore any point in the time spectrum. You could learn about rebel fighters from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. Or, you could travel in a 19th century time machine to an extremely distant and disappointing future where some humanoids are “cattle” for other humanoids. Newly published author Anton Troia explores somewhere in the middle in his book The Last Overseer.

In the mid-21st century, Earth suffers from a number of catastrophes. Billions are killed. The remaining population can barely survive with dwindling food sources and a radioactive atmosphere. Then, the aliens show up. These saviors provide an immunization to cure the radiation sickness most humans have developed. Among those inoculated is Major Brennen, an ex-military member. He and his daughter are taken by the aliens to a spaceship, and hired to work for the extraterrestrial corporation called Orion.

Those fortunate enough to leave Earth enjoy a pleasant life with tasty food, comfy shelter, and good wages. So, it’s no surprise that Brennan isn’t thrilled when he’s chosen to return to his home planet and help solve a problem. Humans who were immunized are starting to mutate. The cure, which contained little nano-bots, offered more than just protection from radiation. They also allowed a way for the aliens to monitor each and every person on Earth. The mutants are not only changing mentally and physically, but are also completely off the grid.

After arriving back on Earth, Brennan slowly begins to realize that there might be more than disconnected mutants at stake. The quirky Colonel Jasso, Chief Overseer, is the man who could hold the answers.

The Last Overseer was a little difficult to get into at first. But during chapter 5, the action really picked up. The author is a lover of the sci-fi genre, and I could tell he’d done his homework. Some of the technical details were a bit overwhelming, but I mostly found that I could follow along with the descriptions and explanations. The inventions sounded fascinating. It would be cool if this technology is actually being developed by scientist for a more sustainable planet. My only complaint is with the grammar issues, which can be easily corrected by a good editor. If you’re a fan of science fiction, The Last Overseer is a must read from a budding new author. A sequel is scheduled for a 2014 release.

[Sara Janer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last Overseer ended up being a surprisingly good book with its dystopian storyline wrapped in a science fiction setting. The book focuses on three main characters. It begins with Major Brennen receiving orders to go back to Earth, the NYPD section, to investigate the first murder in ten years.. There he is also charged with rounding up those who left the populated areas controlled b Orion. Many choose to come back willingly, as they are sick from the radiation and need nanobots injections that only the Orion company offers. Then there is Elena, Brennan’s daughter who is grown. She remembers Earth a bit, but has spent most of her life on an Orion space station. Having grown tired of living in space, she packs her bags and leaves the station going to the planet Gilese. She is a very spirited character and I connected with her immediately. Finally, there is Charlie. He lives in the wasteland and has spent his life roaming it, living the independent life he loves, having never liked the FEMA districts and their constrictions. I like that you get three different types of people in this book. You have Elena who has lived in a regulated life and wants to break free; Charlie who wishes to be left alone to his independent ways; and Brennan, who works for the Orion corp. and does what they want, even if he is unsure of it.

The setting is also perfect. Earth has suffered a cataclysmic event, the Great Polar Shift of 2033, which devastated the land forcing many off planet to live in space stations, created by the Orion corporation, who showed up just in the nick of time to save everyone. They even prvide nanobots to help those suffering from radiation sickness. Of course, they have to adhere to the Orion corporation’s rules to receive them.

The science in this book is very believable. A polar shift disrupting life on earth could happen considering scientists have proven that such things have happened in the past. Also, I liked how the author wove the power and might of the Orion corporation into the story. It brings a modern day element to it, to which readers can relate. Think Monsanto and Big Pharma, both of whom have immense political power and influence allowing them to control elements of our society and economy. I commend the author on a well written story that I’m sure many will enjoy.