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The House of the Last Man on Earth
Convinced that his bizarre neighbor might be a part of a hostile alien agenda, college student Richard Johnson, along with his set theory teacher and her brother, embark upon a soaring and treacherous journey through space and time to discover a terrible truth — mankind is being slowly and systematically exterminated.
- GenresScience Fiction
334 pages, Paperback
Published May 10, 2015
1 person is currently reading
515 people want to read
About the author
Robert B. Marcus Jr.
14 books35 followersRobert B. Marcus Jr. is a practicing radiation oncology physician. He has been a Professor at two major medical schools, and is listed in U.S. News and World Reports Best Doctors in America, as well as Castle Connolly's Top Cancer Doctors and Castle Connolly's Top Doctors in America. He has been president of FLASCO, the society of all the oncologists in Florida, and has authored or co-authored almost 200 medical journal articles and chapters. He has been selling fiction since he was in college, when he made a sale to Analog Science Fiction/Fact. Since then he has published a number of other stories and five novels, including his most recent, The Hauntings of Scott Remington. He is a lifetime active member of Science Fiction Writers of America and recently became a member of the International Thriller Writers, Inc.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
May 7, 2015
I was slightly apprehensive when undertaking this read, simply because ‘The House of the Last Man on Earth’ looked completely foreign to anything I had ever read before. My hunch turned out to be right, but in the best way possible – I loved this book! It gave me much more than I bargained for, I wasn’t anticipating such a vast storyline – the concept of time travel initially intrigued me, but it encompasses so much more than that. It really is a credit to the author’s imagination that reading his book has an almost dizzying effect, like there is no limit to what could happen next.
Our protagonist, Richard Johnson, is like his name suggests – an average guy with a very average life. When he begins to suspect his neighbour (nicknamed the Ghoul because of his formidable exterior) of suspicious behaviour, his curiosity leads him to places he couldn’t even imagine were possible. Richard’s mundane life of college tests and limited money is transformed irreversibly by what he finds, and by what effect it will have on the entirety of the human race. There isn’t too much more I can say about the plot, from here it spirals into a wild and energetic adventure which is fraught with peril and excitement, and I am certainly not willing to spoil that for anyone.
One thing to mention is that the text is littered with scientific jargon and despite being a self-confessed sci-fi geek (ahem, I mean fan), I don’t possess a huge amount of technical knowledge on such matters. This means I cannot honestly comment on how accurate/plausible the concept of this book is. However, if you are the laid back type who just goes with the flow and doesn’t feel the need to question every little thing, I have no doubt you will find this novel as enjoyable as I did.
This book is not without its flaws, but I personally feel that the story was so unpredictable and innovative that it outweighed any negatives I may have noticed. I also found the ending pretty satisfactory, and the epilogue gave me a good chuckle. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves sci-fi and is searching for a unique and creative novel; ‘The House of the Last Man on Earth’ is sure to fulfil this desire.
I received this book from Netgalley in return for an honest review.
Our protagonist, Richard Johnson, is like his name suggests – an average guy with a very average life. When he begins to suspect his neighbour (nicknamed the Ghoul because of his formidable exterior) of suspicious behaviour, his curiosity leads him to places he couldn’t even imagine were possible. Richard’s mundane life of college tests and limited money is transformed irreversibly by what he finds, and by what effect it will have on the entirety of the human race. There isn’t too much more I can say about the plot, from here it spirals into a wild and energetic adventure which is fraught with peril and excitement, and I am certainly not willing to spoil that for anyone.
One thing to mention is that the text is littered with scientific jargon and despite being a self-confessed sci-fi geek (ahem, I mean fan), I don’t possess a huge amount of technical knowledge on such matters. This means I cannot honestly comment on how accurate/plausible the concept of this book is. However, if you are the laid back type who just goes with the flow and doesn’t feel the need to question every little thing, I have no doubt you will find this novel as enjoyable as I did.
This book is not without its flaws, but I personally feel that the story was so unpredictable and innovative that it outweighed any negatives I may have noticed. I also found the ending pretty satisfactory, and the epilogue gave me a good chuckle. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves sci-fi and is searching for a unique and creative novel; ‘The House of the Last Man on Earth’ is sure to fulfil this desire.
I received this book from Netgalley in return for an honest review.
May 24, 2015
House of the Last Man on Earth is quite a fun ride. Richard Johnson is having possibly the worst Wednesday of his life. He wakes up late, misses a pop quiz in Set Theory, loses his piece-of-junk bicycle to a thief with low standards, gets dumped by his rich girlfriend, and falls through a shimmering portal in his creepy neighbor’s bathroom. And that’s just on Wednesday.
Alright, let’s start with what I loved about this book. First off, I love how actual, real science is built into the story without going into lecture mode. I watch a lot of shows on the Science channel, paid attention in Science classes in highschool, and watch the Big Bang Theory. That was enough for me to recognize most of the theories being put into play. Theories the authors skillfully weave into a rather exciting and mind-blowing adventure through time and space. Add to those the fictional science, plausibly executed and well-thought out, and you have yourself a solid and interesting sci-fi.
Now, sci-fi isn’t all about the science (fiction or otherwise). It’s also about the people and the struggle. Readers of sci-fi aren’t in it to read textbook accounts of genetic manipulations, wormholes, and space travel. There has to be something that connects on a personal level. I think this book nails it. We have the main character, Richard Johnson, ex-marine (stuck on the band because he was more of a danger to himself than the enemy), taking college classes perpetually to get out of choosing a path for himself, crushing on his set theory teacher, and enduring an uneasy alliance with his landlady’s ancient dog, Khan. He’s a mess, but he’s relatable. I loved Richard in this story. His personality really comes through in the writing. He’s the unlikely hero facing insurmountable odds in a game where the stakes affect all of humanity, and it works.
The humor is also fantastic. The dog’s my favorite, but also the awkwardness of Richard. And, I won’t give details, but I love how the story wraps up. It left me with a smile and a laugh. But it’s not all funny, this story is scary, too. If you’ve ever watched the Langoliers, you’ll likely be able to imagine one of the creatures quite vividly. It’s not a copy, but it’s close enough. It almost made me jump. The authors are really good and giving just enough foreshadowing to let you know something’s going to happen, if you’re paying attention. The creature in the shadows, the sound in the night. Are they there? Are they imagination? Yikes, it had me on edge.
As for the romance, there was a little bit, but it was clean and sweet. Richard’s crush is not the main focus of the book, but it is integral to the characterizations of both him and his companions. I liked how he worries about catching the attention of the girl, while being faced with aliens bent on the destruction of mankind. It’s very human.
So, overall, I loved this book. In fact, although I just finished it, I’m reading it again. I don’t do that often. I highly recommend this book to fans of sci-fi with elements of real and fictional science presented in a plausible manner. I also think folks who like an adventure with a bit of romance, time travel and aliens will dig this story. There are elements of humor, thrills, excitement and terror. It’s quite a package.
I received the review copy of this book from NetGalley. This review was written for the Puretextuality.com blog.
Alright, let’s start with what I loved about this book. First off, I love how actual, real science is built into the story without going into lecture mode. I watch a lot of shows on the Science channel, paid attention in Science classes in highschool, and watch the Big Bang Theory. That was enough for me to recognize most of the theories being put into play. Theories the authors skillfully weave into a rather exciting and mind-blowing adventure through time and space. Add to those the fictional science, plausibly executed and well-thought out, and you have yourself a solid and interesting sci-fi.
Now, sci-fi isn’t all about the science (fiction or otherwise). It’s also about the people and the struggle. Readers of sci-fi aren’t in it to read textbook accounts of genetic manipulations, wormholes, and space travel. There has to be something that connects on a personal level. I think this book nails it. We have the main character, Richard Johnson, ex-marine (stuck on the band because he was more of a danger to himself than the enemy), taking college classes perpetually to get out of choosing a path for himself, crushing on his set theory teacher, and enduring an uneasy alliance with his landlady’s ancient dog, Khan. He’s a mess, but he’s relatable. I loved Richard in this story. His personality really comes through in the writing. He’s the unlikely hero facing insurmountable odds in a game where the stakes affect all of humanity, and it works.
The humor is also fantastic. The dog’s my favorite, but also the awkwardness of Richard. And, I won’t give details, but I love how the story wraps up. It left me with a smile and a laugh. But it’s not all funny, this story is scary, too. If you’ve ever watched the Langoliers, you’ll likely be able to imagine one of the creatures quite vividly. It’s not a copy, but it’s close enough. It almost made me jump. The authors are really good and giving just enough foreshadowing to let you know something’s going to happen, if you’re paying attention. The creature in the shadows, the sound in the night. Are they there? Are they imagination? Yikes, it had me on edge.
As for the romance, there was a little bit, but it was clean and sweet. Richard’s crush is not the main focus of the book, but it is integral to the characterizations of both him and his companions. I liked how he worries about catching the attention of the girl, while being faced with aliens bent on the destruction of mankind. It’s very human.
So, overall, I loved this book. In fact, although I just finished it, I’m reading it again. I don’t do that often. I highly recommend this book to fans of sci-fi with elements of real and fictional science presented in a plausible manner. I also think folks who like an adventure with a bit of romance, time travel and aliens will dig this story. There are elements of humor, thrills, excitement and terror. It’s quite a package.
I received the review copy of this book from NetGalley. This review was written for the Puretextuality.com blog.
November 15, 2015
It has been a long time since I have dipped my toe into the pool of science fiction so I was excited to get started. I had just signed up for NetGalley and basically requested to read one of the first books that I found in the science fiction category. I was immediately given access. Uh oh...did I just choose a loser book that I was now required to review so that I could read better books?!? I began a search for reviews of his books to see what I had gotten myself into.
What I discovered is that he has written several books, a few of which had zero reviews or ratings, with the remainder of the books having very few. The book with the largest number of ratings and reviews was The Far Side of Silence which was reviewed or rated by less than 40 people. Those people seemed to like it though as it had a 4.29 average on Goodreads and 4.5 on Amazon.
Why aren't his books being read? Do people think that an oncologist can't write good fiction?
WAKE UP PEOPLE! This book is worth reading. No piece of junk here lurking for unknowing bibliophiles. This was a book that rapidly gained my attention and kept it. I found it to be a quick read, as in I finished it in a day because I didn't want to stop reading it. It had some great action and some twists and turns. Best of all, it lives in a unique space and time that is not crowded by everyone else's already done to death ideas.
The characters were engaging. My absolute favorite was Genghis Kahn, described as "a fat, ugly registered purebred bulldog who was over seventeen years old." Why was a dog my favorite? Probably because he is brave and completely stubborn. Read the book and I bet he will be your fav too.
FYI - I love science fiction but am completely and totally clueless about the science part. So I must leave it to you to determine whether any of it is accurate or not. I did mention that the author is an oncologist right? I bet he knows a bit about science. While I did recognize one or two of the terms floating around (I got DNA!) there is no doubt that the science involved is WAY over my head, so it should definitely mean something to those of you that love the science over the fiction part. I love that I don't understand all of the science. It just shows how much smarter the characters are than me so they have to be heroes, and they are. My only semi-spoiler...they save the world folks!
Now just a friendly warning. Begin this book after a restful sleep and a full stomach. You will be reminded, maybe more than necessary, that the protagonist doesn't get much of either.
To recap, this is a book that is definitely worth reading. I'm signing off now in order to seek out another of his books and curl up for a good read.
For all of my reviews visit Blessed and Bewildered
What I discovered is that he has written several books, a few of which had zero reviews or ratings, with the remainder of the books having very few. The book with the largest number of ratings and reviews was The Far Side of Silence which was reviewed or rated by less than 40 people. Those people seemed to like it though as it had a 4.29 average on Goodreads and 4.5 on Amazon.
Why aren't his books being read? Do people think that an oncologist can't write good fiction?
WAKE UP PEOPLE! This book is worth reading. No piece of junk here lurking for unknowing bibliophiles. This was a book that rapidly gained my attention and kept it. I found it to be a quick read, as in I finished it in a day because I didn't want to stop reading it. It had some great action and some twists and turns. Best of all, it lives in a unique space and time that is not crowded by everyone else's already done to death ideas.
The characters were engaging. My absolute favorite was Genghis Kahn, described as "a fat, ugly registered purebred bulldog who was over seventeen years old." Why was a dog my favorite? Probably because he is brave and completely stubborn. Read the book and I bet he will be your fav too.
FYI - I love science fiction but am completely and totally clueless about the science part. So I must leave it to you to determine whether any of it is accurate or not. I did mention that the author is an oncologist right? I bet he knows a bit about science. While I did recognize one or two of the terms floating around (I got DNA!) there is no doubt that the science involved is WAY over my head, so it should definitely mean something to those of you that love the science over the fiction part. I love that I don't understand all of the science. It just shows how much smarter the characters are than me so they have to be heroes, and they are. My only semi-spoiler...they save the world folks!
Now just a friendly warning. Begin this book after a restful sleep and a full stomach. You will be reminded, maybe more than necessary, that the protagonist doesn't get much of either.
To recap, this is a book that is definitely worth reading. I'm signing off now in order to seek out another of his books and curl up for a good read.
For all of my reviews visit Blessed and Bewildered
May 4, 2015
Book Description
The End of Mankind is near!
Convinced that his bizarre neighbour might be a part of a hostile alien agenda, college student Richard Johnson, along with his mathematics teacher and her brother, embark upon a soaring and treacherous journey through light-years of space and thousands of years of time to discover a terrible truth — mankind is being slowly and systematically exterminated.
My Review
I was given this book to review by NetGalley.com This is the first book that I have read by Robert B Marcus Jr and I am looking forward to reading more of his work
I found the book a little slow to start with at the beginning it quickly became a book that I was unable to put down a very enjoyable read it is a book that I wouuld be happy to read more than once.
The End of Mankind is near!
Convinced that his bizarre neighbour might be a part of a hostile alien agenda, college student Richard Johnson, along with his mathematics teacher and her brother, embark upon a soaring and treacherous journey through light-years of space and thousands of years of time to discover a terrible truth — mankind is being slowly and systematically exterminated.
My Review
I was given this book to review by NetGalley.com This is the first book that I have read by Robert B Marcus Jr and I am looking forward to reading more of his work
I found the book a little slow to start with at the beginning it quickly became a book that I was unable to put down a very enjoyable read it is a book that I wouuld be happy to read more than once.
May 18, 2015
I received the eARC from Netgalley for an honest review. I loved this book. Action, romance, sci-fi adventure, with a touch of horror. I almost didn't want this book to end, mostly because I just couldn't begin to imagine how it could end. But end it does, in a very satisfying way.
June 27, 2015
brilliant read,loved it very suck you in type of book. I obtained this book via first read good reads,
May 22, 2015
https://koeur.wordpress.com/2015/05/2...
Publisher: Mockingbird
Publishing Date: May 2015
ISBN: 9781634158299
Genre: SciFi
Rating: 1.4/5
Publisher Description: Convinced that his bizarre neighbor might be a part of a hostile alien agenda, college student Richard Johnson, along with his mathematics teacher and her brother, embark upon a soaring and treacherous journey through light-years of space and thousands of years of time to discover a terrible truth — mankind is being slowly and systematically exterminated.
Review: This novel had promise. Initially there was good movement, interesting characters and a good SciFi storyline ready to transport your imagination. Then the pace really drops off with Richard going back and forth through time in a befuddled state of wonder. Meanwhile his alien neighbor is trying to kill him with flying piranhas (or is he?), as he contrives to mess with human genetics.
To make it semi-interesting, a hottie PhD candidate named Mrs. Summer Jacklyn is inserted into the story line as a feisty love interest to counter Richards cloying and insufferable demeanor. Why Summer would ever consider Richard a partner is laughable. He is at once lacking in moral regard as evidenced by the slut shaming of his ex in order to take her Porsche. He wobbles in and out of inner turmoil and lassitude with this constant over-riding fixation on hooking up with Summer. His self-esteem scrapes the pavement yet he will turn on a dime to further his own interests. Psychologists might develop a new term to describe his malady. Something like “inferior egocentric priapism”.
I really wished this novel would have taken a shit or gotten off the pot. Instead it exists in this narrative limbo, ping ponging back and forth through time without any real meaty events to garner interest. It attempts to be serious but really never reaches the core of what SciFi is about as it wanders in and out of glibness in tense situations. In the end you will not give a shjt about the characters or their “dire” circumstances as they are not developed along with the movement. Just the clenching of teeth, flashing of eyes and the ever redundant phrasing of he or she: “speaking/said/whispered/asked/replied/growled/repeated, softly”.
The foray into the future for an extended period does not exemplify cogent processes. When attacked by galactic invaders they all of a sudden find themselves stranded on a methane moon trying to fix their anti-matter drive. They are subsequently attacked by shadow beings and Mrs. Hottie loses consciousness. Yay. During this attack she plays the femme fatale with “Oh save me, I don’t want to die!!”. Then she becomes a martial arts expert AND just so happens to be an expert marksman with EVERY gun. She coincidentally has an apartment stuffed with enough firepower to outfit a SWAT team as well. Huh? So Ricardo Douche-Man gets a Glock 22 and leaves the safety on as he was a Marine and all. Only Glocks don’t have an external safety. Just pull the trigger and it fires.
Read this while trapping raccoons in your backyard.
Publisher: Mockingbird
Publishing Date: May 2015
ISBN: 9781634158299
Genre: SciFi
Rating: 1.4/5
Publisher Description: Convinced that his bizarre neighbor might be a part of a hostile alien agenda, college student Richard Johnson, along with his mathematics teacher and her brother, embark upon a soaring and treacherous journey through light-years of space and thousands of years of time to discover a terrible truth — mankind is being slowly and systematically exterminated.
Review: This novel had promise. Initially there was good movement, interesting characters and a good SciFi storyline ready to transport your imagination. Then the pace really drops off with Richard going back and forth through time in a befuddled state of wonder. Meanwhile his alien neighbor is trying to kill him with flying piranhas (or is he?), as he contrives to mess with human genetics.
To make it semi-interesting, a hottie PhD candidate named Mrs. Summer Jacklyn is inserted into the story line as a feisty love interest to counter Richards cloying and insufferable demeanor. Why Summer would ever consider Richard a partner is laughable. He is at once lacking in moral regard as evidenced by the slut shaming of his ex in order to take her Porsche. He wobbles in and out of inner turmoil and lassitude with this constant over-riding fixation on hooking up with Summer. His self-esteem scrapes the pavement yet he will turn on a dime to further his own interests. Psychologists might develop a new term to describe his malady. Something like “inferior egocentric priapism”.
I really wished this novel would have taken a shit or gotten off the pot. Instead it exists in this narrative limbo, ping ponging back and forth through time without any real meaty events to garner interest. It attempts to be serious but really never reaches the core of what SciFi is about as it wanders in and out of glibness in tense situations. In the end you will not give a shjt about the characters or their “dire” circumstances as they are not developed along with the movement. Just the clenching of teeth, flashing of eyes and the ever redundant phrasing of he or she: “speaking/said/whispered/asked/replied/growled/repeated, softly”.
The foray into the future for an extended period does not exemplify cogent processes. When attacked by galactic invaders they all of a sudden find themselves stranded on a methane moon trying to fix their anti-matter drive. They are subsequently attacked by shadow beings and Mrs. Hottie loses consciousness. Yay. During this attack she plays the femme fatale with “Oh save me, I don’t want to die!!”. Then she becomes a martial arts expert AND just so happens to be an expert marksman with EVERY gun. She coincidentally has an apartment stuffed with enough firepower to outfit a SWAT team as well. Huh? So Ricardo Douche-Man gets a Glock 22 and leaves the safety on as he was a Marine and all. Only Glocks don’t have an external safety. Just pull the trigger and it fires.
Read this while trapping raccoons in your backyard.
August 13, 2015
Rating: 6 out of 5 stars (Yes, I loved it that much)
ISBN-10: 1634158296
Published by Mocking Bird Lane Press 2015
Note: I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I've had better Wednesdays.
On Wednesdays, I'm supposed to awaken with the blaring of my alarm clock at seven. I get up, dress quickly, dash to campus, stare at Mrs. Jacklyn in set theory class, fall asleep in Mechanics 1, eat lunch and study in the afternoon before ending the day at band practice. For me, that was enough excitement for Wednesdays. (House of the Last Man on Earth)
These are the kind of Wednesdays that Richard Johnson aspires to, but the seventh Wednesday of the fall term goes nothing like normal. He is late for class, his bicycle is stolen, his girlfriend dumps him, he has no money for food; and to top it all off his landlady's ancient bulldog Ghengis Khan has just disappeared into the creepy neighbor's shower. Disappeared, gone. Without thinking he goes after the repulsive beast and so begins the adventure of a lifetime.
I can tell you I haven't had this much fun reading a book in years. The characters are fully developed and engaging and the story is imaginative, well-paced and kept me reading until the last satisfying page. This is a brilliant book that crosses the genre from science fiction into mystery and suspense. The writing is superb and the book is meticulously edited. This book is so good that I'm going to buy a copy for myself as I want it on my bookshelf for years to come.
These authors have a winning combination of imagination , intelligence and writing talent that is rare and I look forward to reading all of their books in the future.
Well done!
ISBN-10: 1634158296
Published by Mocking Bird Lane Press 2015
Note: I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I've had better Wednesdays.
On Wednesdays, I'm supposed to awaken with the blaring of my alarm clock at seven. I get up, dress quickly, dash to campus, stare at Mrs. Jacklyn in set theory class, fall asleep in Mechanics 1, eat lunch and study in the afternoon before ending the day at band practice. For me, that was enough excitement for Wednesdays. (House of the Last Man on Earth)
These are the kind of Wednesdays that Richard Johnson aspires to, but the seventh Wednesday of the fall term goes nothing like normal. He is late for class, his bicycle is stolen, his girlfriend dumps him, he has no money for food; and to top it all off his landlady's ancient bulldog Ghengis Khan has just disappeared into the creepy neighbor's shower. Disappeared, gone. Without thinking he goes after the repulsive beast and so begins the adventure of a lifetime.
I can tell you I haven't had this much fun reading a book in years. The characters are fully developed and engaging and the story is imaginative, well-paced and kept me reading until the last satisfying page. This is a brilliant book that crosses the genre from science fiction into mystery and suspense. The writing is superb and the book is meticulously edited. This book is so good that I'm going to buy a copy for myself as I want it on my bookshelf for years to come.
These authors have a winning combination of imagination , intelligence and writing talent that is rare and I look forward to reading all of their books in the future.
Well done!
August 6, 2015
I won a copy of this book through the Goodreads Giveaway Contest.
This book is the story of a kid who goes through a timegate to different eras of earth’s life, discovers an evil plot to eradicate humankind, survive a series of life threatening events and comes back through the timegate a man. The hero is the definition of an underdog and he attracts bad luck like you would not believe. Nobody expect anything good from him ***SPOILER ALERT*** but he finally gets the girl and saves humankind in the end…
It is a Sci-Fi novel with intergalactic travels, alien encounters, coming of age story with a little bit of ‘romance’ thrown into it. The ‘romance’ part is non-existent but love is the driving force of the hero throughout the book. “House of the last man on earth” offers a reflection of what it means to be human. What would differentiate us, our behavior from those of other life forms? How far humans are ready to go to save their skin and the fate of humankind? Food for thought. The book is a little slow to get going but is full of humour and very well written. I also liked the quotes at the beginning of each chapters.
I am not much of a science geek, but the scientific lingo (about genetics and the evolution of the universe) in this book is not overwhelming. It actually gave me the intention to read books by Stephen Hawking to know more about our universe and how it began. This also is a good thing in my opinion.
Have I not won the book, I would not have regretted paying for it. Give it a try.
This book is the story of a kid who goes through a timegate to different eras of earth’s life, discovers an evil plot to eradicate humankind, survive a series of life threatening events and comes back through the timegate a man. The hero is the definition of an underdog and he attracts bad luck like you would not believe. Nobody expect anything good from him ***SPOILER ALERT*** but he finally gets the girl and saves humankind in the end…
It is a Sci-Fi novel with intergalactic travels, alien encounters, coming of age story with a little bit of ‘romance’ thrown into it. The ‘romance’ part is non-existent but love is the driving force of the hero throughout the book. “House of the last man on earth” offers a reflection of what it means to be human. What would differentiate us, our behavior from those of other life forms? How far humans are ready to go to save their skin and the fate of humankind? Food for thought. The book is a little slow to get going but is full of humour and very well written. I also liked the quotes at the beginning of each chapters.
I am not much of a science geek, but the scientific lingo (about genetics and the evolution of the universe) in this book is not overwhelming. It actually gave me the intention to read books by Stephen Hawking to know more about our universe and how it began. This also is a good thing in my opinion.
Have I not won the book, I would not have regretted paying for it. Give it a try.
April 12, 2017
Robert B. Marcus Jr. is an inspiring writer with a gift for storytelling. House, as I like to call this book reads easy with exciting twists and turns. I especially liked the Ghoul, but so as not to give away the whole story, I'll keep any spoiler info out of this review. Let me just say that Marcus mixes eerie with exciting extremely well. I loved the plot and the ending. Very satisfying read. I highly recommend it. Invite your reading club to tackle this one. Since I had an opportunity to read this book as a non-biased advance reader, I can't wait for it to be formally published. I WILL have my copy.
August 19, 2015
I have to say that I am not a big Sci-fi fan, but this cover and description had me intrigued. I read this book through Netgalley (lovely website), and it was very interesting. Focuses on an average guy, who discovers adventure through a wormhole, in the bathroom!!! There were parts, that were very scientific and a little over my head, but I followed along well. I love Khan and actually wished there was more of him! Thank you for a delightful read!
The characters had go dynamic and you felt something for every one of them, even the bad guys. I would recommend this to sci-fi fans and readers who love a little adventure. I would read more by this author.
The characters had go dynamic and you felt something for every one of them, even the bad guys. I would recommend this to sci-fi fans and readers who love a little adventure. I would read more by this author.
June 1, 2015
This is a fast paced novel. Richard Johnson is a college student down on his luck. He doesn’t have money for his next meal, his girlfriend dumps him and his set theory teacher thinks he is a loser. He follows his landlady’s dog into an apartment rented by a neighbor he refers to as the ghoul. The dog jumps through a time portal and Richard follows him into the future. There the adventure begins with the end of humanity. There are many twists and turns and I enjoyed each and every one of them. This is a must read.
April 17, 2017
Serendipity is a wonderful thing!
I received a free reading copy from Net Galley and little did I know that this book's setting was CU Boulder and Surroundings - but maybe not all in the current time.
This book is plain fun. I loved the characters, the strange aliens and Ghoul, and especially Khan the world's ugliest dog. The ideas were sophisticated and smart. It reminded me a little bit of Larry Niven's books and a little bit of a Tex Murphy adventure, both favorites of mine.
Highly recommend to sci-fi fans.
I received a free reading copy from Net Galley and little did I know that this book's setting was CU Boulder and Surroundings - but maybe not all in the current time.
This book is plain fun. I loved the characters, the strange aliens and Ghoul, and especially Khan the world's ugliest dog. The ideas were sophisticated and smart. It reminded me a little bit of Larry Niven's books and a little bit of a Tex Murphy adventure, both favorites of mine.
Highly recommend to sci-fi fans.
May 30, 2015
Pleasantly surprised by this one. Started a little slow but ended with a bang.
NetGalley ARC
NetGalley ARC
May 28, 2015
Fun, fast-moving science fiction thriller. Ride through time and space to save mandkind and the Earth. Enjoyable read.
August 19, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. The characters were developed well. The story very different. I don't think I can even describe it without giving something away. Read it.
November 8, 2017
Intriguing SyFy Story!
Different. In a good way........
Great character development.......
Interesting and engaging storyline......
Hope there's more from the author's......
Well done!
Different. In a good way........
Great character development.......
Interesting and engaging storyline......
Hope there's more from the author's......
Well done!
October 30, 2015
“House of the Last Man on Earth” eBook was published 2015 and was written by Robert B. Marcus Jr. (http://rbmarcusjr.com) and Ryan B. Marcus. Robert B. Marcus Jr. authored or co-authored 6 novels, while this is Ryan B. Marcus’ first.
I obtained a galley of this novel for review through https://www.netgalley.com. I would categorize this novel as ‘PG’ as there are a few instances of Violence and Mature Language. This Science Fiction novel is set in contemporary Boulder, Colorado.
The primary character is Richard Johnson. Johnson is a former marine who is now aimlessly going to college. He seems to be drifting and is at a low point in his life due to being broke, his bike being stolen and being dumped by his girlfriend.
He is infatuated with his Set Theory instructor, Summer Jacklyn, but can hardly make himself speak to her coherently. At the boarding house where he lives he stumbles upon a mysterious gateway in another tenant’s rooms. This gateway takes Johnson to different future Earths, both of which show the demise of humanity.
Johnson begins to investigate the other tenant and finds that he might be behind the decline of humanity experienced on the other side of the gateway. Before long Johnson finds himself not only in the company of Jacklyn and her brother Sam, but faced with beings from other worlds. The survival of Earth is of no concern to these two civilizations bent on war with one another. The three are taken thousands of years into the future where the aliens face off in battle.
Johnson and his companions struggle to escape from the battle, find their way back to their own time and change the future they have seen. I enjoyed the 5.5 hours I spent with the book, though it wasn’t the best writing. I did like the plot, but the story felt a little ‘off’ to me. I give this novel a 3.7 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at http://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
I obtained a galley of this novel for review through https://www.netgalley.com. I would categorize this novel as ‘PG’ as there are a few instances of Violence and Mature Language. This Science Fiction novel is set in contemporary Boulder, Colorado.
The primary character is Richard Johnson. Johnson is a former marine who is now aimlessly going to college. He seems to be drifting and is at a low point in his life due to being broke, his bike being stolen and being dumped by his girlfriend.
He is infatuated with his Set Theory instructor, Summer Jacklyn, but can hardly make himself speak to her coherently. At the boarding house where he lives he stumbles upon a mysterious gateway in another tenant’s rooms. This gateway takes Johnson to different future Earths, both of which show the demise of humanity.
Johnson begins to investigate the other tenant and finds that he might be behind the decline of humanity experienced on the other side of the gateway. Before long Johnson finds himself not only in the company of Jacklyn and her brother Sam, but faced with beings from other worlds. The survival of Earth is of no concern to these two civilizations bent on war with one another. The three are taken thousands of years into the future where the aliens face off in battle.
Johnson and his companions struggle to escape from the battle, find their way back to their own time and change the future they have seen. I enjoyed the 5.5 hours I spent with the book, though it wasn’t the best writing. I did like the plot, but the story felt a little ‘off’ to me. I give this novel a 3.7 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at http://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
June 4, 2015
I received this book through Net Galley to provide my unbiased feedback in a review.
The title, “House of the Last Man on Earth” sounded intriguing but ultimately had no real significance to the outcome of the story. Richard is a struggling college student whose life begins to unravel when he discovers a gate to another dimension in his neighbor’s bathroom and enters it. There he discovers a lone house on a hill. He realizes the location is the same area where he currently lives, Boulder, CO, but sometime in the distant future. He begins to investigate more about his neighbor, Thaddeus Rumpkin or the Ghoul as he refers to him, and finds that he has been doing genetic experimentations. He convinces a colleague of the Ghoul, Sam, to travel through the gate with him; after one unsuccessful attempt and much convincing they try again and find themselves in the future. On this journey they are also accompanied by Summer, Sam’s sister and also Richard’s math theory professor whom he is infatuated with. They meet a man, Tao Benrobi, in the house that convinces them the Ghoul needs to be stopped because his genetic testing is what ultimately causes the destruction of mankind. Together they try to stop him but eventually discover that Benrobi not the Ghoul is the one they should be trying to stop. They end up going through a wormhole to save their lives but find themselves in a battle in space where they run again into the Ghoul. Here, they realize their mistake in trusting Benrobi and together with the Ghoul they begin to fight their way back to present Earth in hopes that they can save mankind. The book jumped all over from present to future from space to Earth, it’s almost as if every idea the author had he was trying to fit it all into one book.
The title, “House of the Last Man on Earth” sounded intriguing but ultimately had no real significance to the outcome of the story. Richard is a struggling college student whose life begins to unravel when he discovers a gate to another dimension in his neighbor’s bathroom and enters it. There he discovers a lone house on a hill. He realizes the location is the same area where he currently lives, Boulder, CO, but sometime in the distant future. He begins to investigate more about his neighbor, Thaddeus Rumpkin or the Ghoul as he refers to him, and finds that he has been doing genetic experimentations. He convinces a colleague of the Ghoul, Sam, to travel through the gate with him; after one unsuccessful attempt and much convincing they try again and find themselves in the future. On this journey they are also accompanied by Summer, Sam’s sister and also Richard’s math theory professor whom he is infatuated with. They meet a man, Tao Benrobi, in the house that convinces them the Ghoul needs to be stopped because his genetic testing is what ultimately causes the destruction of mankind. Together they try to stop him but eventually discover that Benrobi not the Ghoul is the one they should be trying to stop. They end up going through a wormhole to save their lives but find themselves in a battle in space where they run again into the Ghoul. Here, they realize their mistake in trusting Benrobi and together with the Ghoul they begin to fight their way back to present Earth in hopes that they can save mankind. The book jumped all over from present to future from space to Earth, it’s almost as if every idea the author had he was trying to fit it all into one book.
October 24, 2015
The book starts out with a man named Richard who is the guy who does everything wrong, the one who is seem like a slacker. Always stuck in college and never excelling at his career. Someone who spends his time dreaming of his teacher and sticking around to be in the school’s band. Throughout the story along with the help of his friends he becomes a more gutsy smart guy who can overcome the challenges. Richard is easy to relate to anyone who is stuck in their life and not sure where to go. He also can be anyone who longs to prove themselves and the world that they can do anything as long as they believe in themselves and try. Sometimes you must bite the bullet to reach the other edge.
At first the story made me feel unsure on how the story is going to go. At first I thought the character was going to be a wuss that complains a lot and everyone is going to do the work. But I was wrong, Richard started out as a underachiever who had horrible day but then over the story overcome his fears, fought the evil villain and then got the girl of his dreams.
One of my favorite things of the books is the humor part of it. Instead a serious science fiction with fears of the end of the world. But no, its fun and goofy with interesting characters but combines the special essence of time travel and aliens. To be honest what got me to pick up the book was the interesting and fresh plot and synopsis of the book. Usually it’s a love at first sight with the cover(which didn’t) but this time was different. If you haven’t heard of The House of the Last Man on Earth than I would definitely give it a try.
At first the story made me feel unsure on how the story is going to go. At first I thought the character was going to be a wuss that complains a lot and everyone is going to do the work. But I was wrong, Richard started out as a underachiever who had horrible day but then over the story overcome his fears, fought the evil villain and then got the girl of his dreams.
One of my favorite things of the books is the humor part of it. Instead a serious science fiction with fears of the end of the world. But no, its fun and goofy with interesting characters but combines the special essence of time travel and aliens. To be honest what got me to pick up the book was the interesting and fresh plot and synopsis of the book. Usually it’s a love at first sight with the cover(which didn’t) but this time was different. If you haven’t heard of The House of the Last Man on Earth than I would definitely give it a try.
July 19, 2015
I liked this book! And then it ended, and I liked it less.
How does that work you ask? Well, the character was believable, very down-to-earth and relatable. His crush on his teacher and his advances with her were endearingly awkward, and his money troubles while in school were believable. Eating is a legit concern on a college budget! As odd things happened in the house and with the Ghoul, I understood Richard's responses, and became invested in the plot, which was progressing at a decent rate.
Then...
Well, as all scifi books do, things came to a head, there was come confrontation and realizations. The end is where things went astray for me.
I just felt kind of let down and deflated at the ending after what was a pretty solid read. Unfortunately, the taste in your mouth at the end influences your overall perceptions of the novel, so that is why this book gets 3 stars instead of 4. Still recommended to anyone who likes scifi with a more traditional feel.
How does that work you ask? Well, the character was believable, very down-to-earth and relatable. His crush on his teacher and his advances with her were endearingly awkward, and his money troubles while in school were believable. Eating is a legit concern on a college budget! As odd things happened in the house and with the Ghoul, I understood Richard's responses, and became invested in the plot, which was progressing at a decent rate.
Then...
Well, as all scifi books do, things came to a head, there was come confrontation and realizations. The end is where things went astray for me.
I just felt kind of let down and deflated at the ending after what was a pretty solid read. Unfortunately, the taste in your mouth at the end influences your overall perceptions of the novel, so that is why this book gets 3 stars instead of 4. Still recommended to anyone who likes scifi with a more traditional feel.
July 27, 2015
Disclaimer: ARC copy from Netgalley.
The House of the Last Man on Earth, by Robert B. Marcus Jr, is an... interesting book. In it, a man discovers that his neighbor in the house he boards at is an alien from another planet as well as being a time traveler... yeah... it's a strange book. Once you get past the total awfulness of the main character whining about his life, it gets pretty interesting. The book details an interstellar war that happens long in the future between two sets of alien races who use Earth as a staging ground for their battle in that sector of space. The book ends with him deciding that he will aid the "good" aliens in their fight against the "bad" aliens by preparing the Earth over the centuries for intergalactic travel.
The settings in space are some of the best I've read, technically speaking. The descriptions of the technology used are very precise and advanced for their time. The aliens involved are described so well that, at times, I can see them in my mind's eye solely from the descriptions given by the author. The evil aliens are so sinister, they can give you nightmares.
I would recommend this book only if you are a hardcore Sci-Fi fan, though. Most people would feel lost reading this book, if this was their introduction to science fiction. For that, and the whining of the main character, it only gets two stars.
The House of the Last Man on Earth, by Robert B. Marcus Jr, is an... interesting book. In it, a man discovers that his neighbor in the house he boards at is an alien from another planet as well as being a time traveler... yeah... it's a strange book. Once you get past the total awfulness of the main character whining about his life, it gets pretty interesting. The book details an interstellar war that happens long in the future between two sets of alien races who use Earth as a staging ground for their battle in that sector of space. The book ends with him deciding that he will aid the "good" aliens in their fight against the "bad" aliens by preparing the Earth over the centuries for intergalactic travel.
The settings in space are some of the best I've read, technically speaking. The descriptions of the technology used are very precise and advanced for their time. The aliens involved are described so well that, at times, I can see them in my mind's eye solely from the descriptions given by the author. The evil aliens are so sinister, they can give you nightmares.
I would recommend this book only if you are a hardcore Sci-Fi fan, though. Most people would feel lost reading this book, if this was their introduction to science fiction. For that, and the whining of the main character, it only gets two stars.
March 9, 2016
From Earth to space and back, from the present to the future and back, for which purpose other than saving humanity from nasty aliens? And if, in all this, you conquer the love of your life and become ultra billionaires, what to complain? Book sometimes funny, especially in the first part, in which the protagonist is a credible university student a bit loser, sometimes obvious and in other parts a bit boring, mainly because of the alien bad guys, entirely predictable.
Thank Mockingbird Lane Press and Netgalley for giving me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Dalla Terra allo spazio e ritorno, dal presente al futuro e ritorno, per quale altro scopo se non salvare l'umanità dai cattivissimi alieni? E se poi, in tutto questo, si conquista l'amore della propria vita e si diventa ultramiliardari, di che cosa lamentarsi? Libro a tratti divertente, soprattutto nella prima parte, nella quale il protagonista è un credibili studente universitario un po' sfigato, a tratti scontato e in altre parti un po' noioso, soprattutto a causa degli alieni cattivi, del tutto prevedibili.
Ringrazio Mockingbird Lane Press e Netgalley per avermi fornito una copia gratuita in cambio di una recensione onesta.
Thank Mockingbird Lane Press and Netgalley for giving me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Dalla Terra allo spazio e ritorno, dal presente al futuro e ritorno, per quale altro scopo se non salvare l'umanità dai cattivissimi alieni? E se poi, in tutto questo, si conquista l'amore della propria vita e si diventa ultramiliardari, di che cosa lamentarsi? Libro a tratti divertente, soprattutto nella prima parte, nella quale il protagonista è un credibili studente universitario un po' sfigato, a tratti scontato e in altre parti un po' noioso, soprattutto a causa degli alieni cattivi, del tutto prevedibili.
Ringrazio Mockingbird Lane Press e Netgalley per avermi fornito una copia gratuita in cambio di una recensione onesta.
November 29, 2015
Three stars
I was gifted this book by the author.
I enjoyed some aspects of this book, and while it was interesting, in parts, it struggled to keep me with the plot. It was too much teen romance to hit my sci fi buttons. The horror I missed completely! However, the mystery of who exactly is the mysterious neighbour, where does he go etc, just held the plot together.
I did like the time gate that appeared and disappeared in of all places the bathroom. There really didn't seem to be enough plot to hold the story together. I would have liked the characters better explained, as well as the story itself.
I am a little disappointed as I was really looking forward to reading this but it didn't live up to its hype.
http://www.amazon.com/House-Last-Eart...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/House-Last-Ma...
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/house...
I was gifted this book by the author.
I enjoyed some aspects of this book, and while it was interesting, in parts, it struggled to keep me with the plot. It was too much teen romance to hit my sci fi buttons. The horror I missed completely! However, the mystery of who exactly is the mysterious neighbour, where does he go etc, just held the plot together.
I did like the time gate that appeared and disappeared in of all places the bathroom. There really didn't seem to be enough plot to hold the story together. I would have liked the characters better explained, as well as the story itself.
I am a little disappointed as I was really looking forward to reading this but it didn't live up to its hype.
http://www.amazon.com/House-Last-Eart...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/House-Last-Ma...
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/house...
February 20, 2016
In House of the Last Man on Earth, Robert finds his whole life falling apart. He has been drifting in life and finds himself having issues at college but one bad day finds him missing a quiz, getting dumped by his girlfriend, and after chasing his neighbor’s dog, ultimately falling through what appears to be a portal in time. What starts out as a typical bad day becomes quite absurd as Robert tries to make sense of his surroundings all the while trying to keep up with the run away dog. Soon Robert is dealing with problems ranging from attacks from strange monsters to his crush on his set theory teacher, all the while trying to solve the mystery of the time portal.
I really liked the oddness that was part of the story, it added a lot of character and intrigue to the premise. Robert’s dealing with Khan, the dog who first gets him in trouble with the portal, was always really entertaining and helped give a lot of life to the story.
I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
I really liked the oddness that was part of the story, it added a lot of character and intrigue to the premise. Robert’s dealing with Khan, the dog who first gets him in trouble with the portal, was always really entertaining and helped give a lot of life to the story.
I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
May 28, 2015
Robert B Marcus, Jr and Ryan B Marcus tell a tale of Richard Johnson, a college student, ex-marine who’s drifting. He’s taken set theory because he really likes the teacher, but won’t try to talk to her. He’s got a strange neighbor, frequently away, that turns out to have a time portal in his living room. It goes to two locations. In one human population has massively dropped, and the other, about sixteen thousand years ahead, there is the House of the Last Man on Earth (paper from Mockingbird Lane Press). Dr. Rumpkin, the neighbor, is a genealogist, and in his lab he meets Sam Robinson who can explain how mankind might have been wiped out. His sister turns out to be Richard’s math teacher. They end up in the far future and are picked up by a star ship to go to the final battle between invaders of our Galaxy and it’s defenders. Yes, there’s a touch of Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, but this tale stays a bit more serious. A lot of fun.Review printed by Philadelphia Weekly Press
June 9, 2015
I really wanted to like this book, but it is terrible. If I hadn't received a copy in exchange for a review I would not have read beyond the first couple chapters. There was almost nothing I liked about this book. The characters were lacking any kind of depth that made the reader want to care about them. The main character (Richard) was infatuated with one of the other characters, but we were never given a reason why beyond the fact that he thought she was hot. If her brother hadn't told Richard that she liked him, I would never have realized as she never gave any kind of indication. Additionally, and far more irritatingly, this book is severely lacking any kind of fact checking. There were numerous times when someone would be mentioned that I knew for a fact was 100% wrong.
Those were just a few things that caused me to feel so strongly about this book but there are numerous other reasons. I am just very thankful that I finally finished it and can move on to something GOOD!
Those were just a few things that caused me to feel so strongly about this book but there are numerous other reasons. I am just very thankful that I finally finished it and can move on to something GOOD!
February 14, 2016
I was hooked when we got to Ghoul. This was a very exciting Sci-Fi mystery. A lot of twists and turns and unbelievable detail on ideas that have never been thought of yet. There was a good connection between different scenarios that kept the story moving at a fast clip. Richard can be commended for overcoming his fears and turn that into a creative thinking individual that ultimately saved all of their lives and got them back to earth. I liked the description of the space ships and their weapons as well as the humanoids. I liked the concept of the space shuttle where the control room was designed for small people and the warriors were too large to get down the hallway to the control room. Yeah, the guy got the girl in the end but the love angle was insignificant to the story. I would recommend this book to all avid Science Fiction readers.
February 20, 2016
House of The Last Man on Earth centers around a man named Robert who aside from being an ex-marine, really has no redeeming qualities. Robert comes across a weird portal in his room, and upon further exploration decides to enter it and see what awaits him. I would have liked to read a little more mystery and I felt like I knew what was going to happen each time he entered the portal. There are a few parts of the story that I liked, but it went a bit slowly for me at times. This story is listed as sci-fi and that aspect rings true, as the characters dip and dodge around flying space crafts and aliens in their midst of adventure. Though I received this book for testing purposes, this review is written based on my unbiased opinion.
January 2, 2017
House of the Last Man on Earth by by Robert B Marcus I received a free kindle copy of House of the Last Man on Earth by by Robert B Marcus, published by Mockingbird Press from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.
I gave this futuristic science fiction novel almost four stars. Up until the twenty second chapter it kept my attention. After that it was too 'far out' for my tastes.
I really enjoyed the characters interactions & the discussion of what makes humanity 'human'. I also enjoyed the genetic research.
Link to purchase: http://www.amazon.com/House-Last-Eart...
I gave this futuristic science fiction novel almost four stars. Up until the twenty second chapter it kept my attention. After that it was too 'far out' for my tastes.
I really enjoyed the characters interactions & the discussion of what makes humanity 'human'. I also enjoyed the genetic research.
Link to purchase: http://www.amazon.com/House-Last-Eart...
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