What do you think?
Last Day
The last day of the world starts out like any ordinary day. Everything seems normal. Then news breaks of an imminent killer asteroid strike and everything changes forever. With the human race facing sudden extinction, the world descends into chaos. Now that no one has anything to lose, hidden horrors are unearthed and brought to the light. Serial killers and other predators no longer have to hide, indulging their dark appetites without fear of reprisal. The seemingly meek reveal inner monsters and go on killing sprees. The world is engulfed in carnage and blood flows freely in the streets. A few seek to rise above the madness and find a way to do the impossible--survive the end of the world.
349 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 29, 2018
About the author
Bryan Smith
126 books801 followersBryan Smith is the Splatterpunk Award-winning author of more than forty horror and crime books, including 68 Kill, the cult classic Depraved and its sequels, as well as The Killing Kind, Slowly We Rot, The Freakshow, and many more. Bestselling horror author Brian Keene called Slowly We Rot, "The best zombie novel I've ever read."
68 Kill was adapted into a motion picture directed by Trent Haaga and starring Matthew Gray Gubler of the long-running CBS series Criminal Minds. 68 Kill won the Midnighters Award at the SXSW film festival in 2017 and was released to wide acclaim, including positive reviews in The New York Times and Bloody Disgusting.
Bryan also co-scripted an original Harley Quinn story for the House of Horrors anthology from DC Comics. He has worked with renowned horror publishers in both the mass market and small press spheres, including Leisure Books, Samhain Publishing, Grindhouse Press, Death’s Head Press, and more. His works are available wherever books are sold, with select titles also available in German and Italian.
68 Kill was adapted into a motion picture directed by Trent Haaga and starring Matthew Gray Gubler of the long-running CBS series Criminal Minds. 68 Kill won the Midnighters Award at the SXSW film festival in 2017 and was released to wide acclaim, including positive reviews in The New York Times and Bloody Disgusting.
Bryan also co-scripted an original Harley Quinn story for the House of Horrors anthology from DC Comics. He has worked with renowned horror publishers in both the mass market and small press spheres, including Leisure Books, Samhain Publishing, Grindhouse Press, Death’s Head Press, and more. His works are available wherever books are sold, with select titles also available in German and Italian.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
May 23, 2018
“Last Day” by Bryan Smith felt like an overt attempt to be made the victim of a ‘bait and switch’. Or as defined by Webster “the ploy of offering a person something desirable to gain favor then thwarting expectations with something less desirable”
The book purports to be about the “Last Day” in the existence of the earth. A meteor is heading on a collision course with our planet, and all of life is expected to be eradicated. The setup for the plot is just fine. Then, for the remainder of the three hundred fifty pages there is only a fine, thin, veneer of this plot device.
What we are presented with, is chapter after chapter of the characters deciding to become homicidal maniacs or rapists just because they have no one to stop them and that is what they always wanted to be. Mr. Smith puts forth the supposition that this is the secret desire of a large majority of the population, at least those he wishes to write about here. We follow characters, both male, female, children and families who want nothing more than to brutalize, rape, stab, shoot, kill, dismember, enslave, whip, hammer, and sodomize the nearest human in their proximity, be it child or adult.
Having read most of Mr. Smith’s oeuvre I am aware of his proclivities and also that at times, he will inject a bit of humor here and there in the plot to lighten the experience, or write with tongue in cheek. Not so in this book. It is in fact the “Last Day” for most of the characters in the story. And that is not a spoiler given the book’s title
The whole book left me kind of depressed (who needs that these days). Reading about the ongoing repeated cruelty and pain that the characters constantly inflict on each other is relentless. The reading became more and more difficult for me to return to as the book progressed.
To be fair, there is a warning applied “WARNING: EXTREME HORROR CONTENT “ to the book, and the cruelty does not relent. To quote some of the lyrics from the Doors song “The End” from 1967,
“This is the end
Beautiful friend
This is the end
The killer awoke before dawn
And he came to a door...and he looked inside
Father, yes son, I want to kill you
Mother...I want to...fuck you
Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill
This is the end”
Note: The song was ranked at 26 in “Blender” magazine’s list of the "50 Worst Songs Ever".
The book purports to be about the “Last Day” in the existence of the earth. A meteor is heading on a collision course with our planet, and all of life is expected to be eradicated. The setup for the plot is just fine. Then, for the remainder of the three hundred fifty pages there is only a fine, thin, veneer of this plot device.
What we are presented with, is chapter after chapter of the characters deciding to become homicidal maniacs or rapists just because they have no one to stop them and that is what they always wanted to be. Mr. Smith puts forth the supposition that this is the secret desire of a large majority of the population, at least those he wishes to write about here. We follow characters, both male, female, children and families who want nothing more than to brutalize, rape, stab, shoot, kill, dismember, enslave, whip, hammer, and sodomize the nearest human in their proximity, be it child or adult.
Having read most of Mr. Smith’s oeuvre I am aware of his proclivities and also that at times, he will inject a bit of humor here and there in the plot to lighten the experience, or write with tongue in cheek. Not so in this book. It is in fact the “Last Day” for most of the characters in the story. And that is not a spoiler given the book’s title
The whole book left me kind of depressed (who needs that these days). Reading about the ongoing repeated cruelty and pain that the characters constantly inflict on each other is relentless. The reading became more and more difficult for me to return to as the book progressed.
To be fair, there is a warning applied “WARNING: EXTREME HORROR CONTENT “ to the book, and the cruelty does not relent. To quote some of the lyrics from the Doors song “The End” from 1967,
“This is the end
Beautiful friend
This is the end
The killer awoke before dawn
And he came to a door...and he looked inside
Father, yes son, I want to kill you
Mother...I want to...fuck you
Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill
This is the end”
Note: The song was ranked at 26 in “Blender” magazine’s list of the "50 Worst Songs Ever".
Want to Read
October 19, 2018This hardcover is numbered 14 of 60 copies produced and is signed by Bryan Smith.
January 17, 2022
This book had an interesting premise, but I feel that the author choosing to have us follow 3 different groups/storylines was a bit of a mistake.
Only one of these groups had any real substance to them and the book would've been infinitely better if we were just following that one group and no one else. The other 2 storylines provided nothing except for the typical mindless splatterpunk gore that always seems to become bland after a while.
Only one of these groups had any real substance to them and the book would've been infinitely better if we were just following that one group and no one else. The other 2 storylines provided nothing except for the typical mindless splatterpunk gore that always seems to become bland after a while.
June 13, 2018
Vote: 3,5
After the President of the United States announces on tv that an asteroid is going to annihilate mankind in next 18 hours, people all around the worls start living at their best the last day of the world: some celebrate, some pray, some spend their time with their families and some fall to mass hysteria.
Almost all the despicable characters in this novel start rampaging turning (or revealing they already were...) into psychopaths, rapists, serial killers, torturers and so on.
Not bad at all if you are into (very) extreme horror/splatterpunk novels, but some moments were just excessively ridiculous just for the shock see... just wait and see what happens when Shawna goes looking for a wheelchair.
And an asteroid killing earth in next 18 hours, without any scientist or astronomist noticing and warning about it, requires to the reader a great suspension of disbelief, but is still a thrilling ride if you are a fan of apocalypses, extreme horror and serial killers Laymon-style.
own-tbr
May 25, 2018TBR in early June for the HA Group Discussion
May 20, 2020
Over the years, author Bryan Smith has been hit or miss with me, but with the inspired epic, Last Day, he has written my favorite novel of his career. This truly hit a sweet spot with me and I had a total blast reading this apocalyptic serial killer saga. Writing with a fantastically violent and perverse blend of the late, great Richard Laymon, author Smith has finally come into his own. Blazing forward with characters that jump off the page, Smith plants shocking twists and turns in every chapter, forcing the reader to plunge themselves into a world where the survival of each character is never taken for granted. If I had a criticism, it was finding the occasional typo, which was frustrating but never got in the way of Smith’s dark vision.
Set during a single day on the eve of planetary destruction, we follow three groups of characters trying to decide how to handle their imminent demise. Nothing is as it appears, and just when things seem like they cannot get any worse, Smith takes characters out of the frying pan and tosses them into a pit of molten lava with their hands tied behind their back. Last Day is for veteran hardcore horror readers only, and contains a multitude of grisly torture, rape, graphic mutilation, and overwhelming brutality. While I enjoy reading subtle horror masters like T.M. Wright, Charles Grant, and Ramsey Campbell, I do appreciate the more hardcore horror when done right. And Last Day was not just done right, it was damn near perfect for my taste. Bravo, Bryan Smith!
Set during a single day on the eve of planetary destruction, we follow three groups of characters trying to decide how to handle their imminent demise. Nothing is as it appears, and just when things seem like they cannot get any worse, Smith takes characters out of the frying pan and tosses them into a pit of molten lava with their hands tied behind their back. Last Day is for veteran hardcore horror readers only, and contains a multitude of grisly torture, rape, graphic mutilation, and overwhelming brutality. While I enjoy reading subtle horror masters like T.M. Wright, Charles Grant, and Ramsey Campbell, I do appreciate the more hardcore horror when done right. And Last Day was not just done right, it was damn near perfect for my taste. Bravo, Bryan Smith!
June 8, 2018
Not for the faint of heart.
June 5, 2018
Bryan Smith, age 12, sat in his seat which was attached to his desk in his classroom at St. Joseph Elementary School, the Catholic grade school which he attended. He wasn't listening to the lecture by Sister Vulgaria, the nun who was his teacher, because he was too focused on writing a story about Mary Jane Bucksom, the girl in the desk next to his, and her enormous breasts, which were so large for a 12-year-old girl of her age. On and on her wrote about what he would like to do with Mary Jane's beautiful boobies, touching them with his hands, licking them with his tongue, imagining the way they would feel to his fingers and taste to his mouth. Bryan's small but fervent penis tented the crotch of the corduroy pants which he wore until he felt a cold, bony hand on his shoulder through his white cotton shirt which he wore on his bony body.
"Writing a story, I see, Mr. Smith?" asked Sister Vulgaria, the Catholic nun whom he had been ignoring, the habit which was a sign of her holy order sticking out from either side of her malevolent, evil face. "Let me read it."
With hands shaking so hard that the paper which his hands were holding was shaking as well, Bryan handed his story, which he had written with a ball-point pen in blue ink on the back of what was supposed to be his math worksheet which was full of arithmetic problems, to Sister Vulgaria. The nun blinked her eyes, then trained them on the story in front of her. Seconds of dread passed. Some of Bryan's fellow students in the classroom sucked in a sharp intake of air that was mostly nitrogen but also part oxygen. Bryan could also hear a few titters behind hands held to tiny mouths as some of his fellow students, most likely the ones who didn't like him, prepared to enjoy the agony which Sister Vulgaria was no doubt about to inflict upon him with the steel-edged 12-inch-ruler, sometimes used for measurement but more often used for punishment, she held in the hand which did not hold the piece of paper on which Bryan had written the story she was now reading.
"You're bad, Bryan," Sister Vulgaria hissed in a low, hissing voice. "Very, very bad."
"B-b-b-but," stuttered Bryan, repeating consonants, "I'm sorry, Sister Vulgaria! I know it's dirty, but please, I'm a prepubescent boy with normal sexual curiosities --"
"I don't care about that!" barked Sister Vulgaria, her face contorting into a fierce expression that conveyed anger. "You're just another arrested development case who writes pornography because you're impotent! You probably write extreme horror novels to compensate for the fact that you run home crying to your Mommy every time you scrape your knee!"
Bryan's lower lip started trembling. It was because he was frightened, which meant he was scared.
"But Bryan . . . you are a LOUSY WRITER! Look at all these excess words! How stupid do you think your readers are, Bryan? If you drop your pants, any idiot knows they're going to fall to the floor before you STEP OUT OF THEM with BOTH FEET!"
"B-b-b-but . . ." Bryan stuttered in a way that made him repeat consonants, "y-y-you taught us that the details m-m-make the story!"
"These aren't DETAILS," exploded Sister Vulgaria, loudly, "this is MORONIC PEDANTRY! You trust nothing to the reader's imagination, it's like you're torturing them by making them wait through gratuitous clauses, sentences and asides -- oh, good heavens, the asides! -- before finally delivering the depravity which is the only reason anyone would read your worthless drivel anyway!"
Bryan, shocked into silence, didn't say a word.
"And the dialogue!" continued Sister Vulgaria, resuming her speech. "It's unrealistic to the point of being comic! People simply don't speak in such stilted, awkward sentences, nor do they express themselves with canned pulp-fiction dialogue like 'oh please please make me your bitch,' especially in moments of extreme stress or passion! Why, the entire idea is, candidly, absurd! It's as if you've never heard an actual human conversation and believed people talk like they do in porn or slasher flicks!"
Bryan quivered in anticipation of the next moment, which would be in the future.
"Hold out your wrist," commanded Sister Vulgaria.
Bryan acquiesced meekly, holding out one tender hand which shook unsteadily. Sister Vulgaria wielded the ruler aloft above her head. This is not going to be pleasant, Bryan mused, but something inside of him wondered if he might almost enjoy it.
"This is for your cardboard characters!"
The thwack of the ruler on Bryan's wrist echoed through the school classroom like a gunshot. hot tendrils of pain shot through Bryan's body. He willed them to stop, but not too intensely . . . maybe, thought Bryan with a clarity that never occurs in the real world, he enjoyed the pain.
"This is for your redundancy!"
Another thwack. Bryan grimaced, but around the corners of his grimace peeked the beginnings of a grin.
"This is for not having enough imagination to give your locations a name!"
Another thwack, the hardest one yet. He savored his agony and wondered, again with an entirely unrealistic sense of detachment, if being a lousy writer would guarantee more punishment. Maybe when he grew up he would become a bad novelist. He smiled to himself, privately, pondering the future, which would occur after the present.
"Writing a story, I see, Mr. Smith?" asked Sister Vulgaria, the Catholic nun whom he had been ignoring, the habit which was a sign of her holy order sticking out from either side of her malevolent, evil face. "Let me read it."
With hands shaking so hard that the paper which his hands were holding was shaking as well, Bryan handed his story, which he had written with a ball-point pen in blue ink on the back of what was supposed to be his math worksheet which was full of arithmetic problems, to Sister Vulgaria. The nun blinked her eyes, then trained them on the story in front of her. Seconds of dread passed. Some of Bryan's fellow students in the classroom sucked in a sharp intake of air that was mostly nitrogen but also part oxygen. Bryan could also hear a few titters behind hands held to tiny mouths as some of his fellow students, most likely the ones who didn't like him, prepared to enjoy the agony which Sister Vulgaria was no doubt about to inflict upon him with the steel-edged 12-inch-ruler, sometimes used for measurement but more often used for punishment, she held in the hand which did not hold the piece of paper on which Bryan had written the story she was now reading.
"You're bad, Bryan," Sister Vulgaria hissed in a low, hissing voice. "Very, very bad."
"B-b-b-but," stuttered Bryan, repeating consonants, "I'm sorry, Sister Vulgaria! I know it's dirty, but please, I'm a prepubescent boy with normal sexual curiosities --"
"I don't care about that!" barked Sister Vulgaria, her face contorting into a fierce expression that conveyed anger. "You're just another arrested development case who writes pornography because you're impotent! You probably write extreme horror novels to compensate for the fact that you run home crying to your Mommy every time you scrape your knee!"
Bryan's lower lip started trembling. It was because he was frightened, which meant he was scared.
"But Bryan . . . you are a LOUSY WRITER! Look at all these excess words! How stupid do you think your readers are, Bryan? If you drop your pants, any idiot knows they're going to fall to the floor before you STEP OUT OF THEM with BOTH FEET!"
"B-b-b-but . . ." Bryan stuttered in a way that made him repeat consonants, "y-y-you taught us that the details m-m-make the story!"
"These aren't DETAILS," exploded Sister Vulgaria, loudly, "this is MORONIC PEDANTRY! You trust nothing to the reader's imagination, it's like you're torturing them by making them wait through gratuitous clauses, sentences and asides -- oh, good heavens, the asides! -- before finally delivering the depravity which is the only reason anyone would read your worthless drivel anyway!"
Bryan, shocked into silence, didn't say a word.
"And the dialogue!" continued Sister Vulgaria, resuming her speech. "It's unrealistic to the point of being comic! People simply don't speak in such stilted, awkward sentences, nor do they express themselves with canned pulp-fiction dialogue like 'oh please please make me your bitch,' especially in moments of extreme stress or passion! Why, the entire idea is, candidly, absurd! It's as if you've never heard an actual human conversation and believed people talk like they do in porn or slasher flicks!"
Bryan quivered in anticipation of the next moment, which would be in the future.
"Hold out your wrist," commanded Sister Vulgaria.
Bryan acquiesced meekly, holding out one tender hand which shook unsteadily. Sister Vulgaria wielded the ruler aloft above her head. This is not going to be pleasant, Bryan mused, but something inside of him wondered if he might almost enjoy it.
"This is for your cardboard characters!"
The thwack of the ruler on Bryan's wrist echoed through the school classroom like a gunshot. hot tendrils of pain shot through Bryan's body. He willed them to stop, but not too intensely . . . maybe, thought Bryan with a clarity that never occurs in the real world, he enjoyed the pain.
"This is for your redundancy!"
Another thwack. Bryan grimaced, but around the corners of his grimace peeked the beginnings of a grin.
"This is for not having enough imagination to give your locations a name!"
Another thwack, the hardest one yet. He savored his agony and wondered, again with an entirely unrealistic sense of detachment, if being a lousy writer would guarantee more punishment. Maybe when he grew up he would become a bad novelist. He smiled to himself, privately, pondering the future, which would occur after the present.
May 20, 2018
Bryan Smith establishes a storyline throwing the reader into a forthcoming apocalyptic adventure into pure madness. Earth is propelled into a non stoppable destructive force, which in turn surfaces mankind’s true evil tendencies, that are unusually subdued by enforced laws. Living in a lawless land, Bryan Smith weaves three storylines of terror, madness and mayhem that will undoubtedly settle into the brain of the reader for many days to come. Strongly recommended for that someone who is looking for a delightful dive into a book of decadence.
May 1, 2018
18 Hours Left What Would You Do?
Bryan Smith brings the last day to us as no other writer has. Forced to deal with the idea of only 18 hours left what would humanity become?
Bryan Smith brings the last day to us as no other writer has. Forced to deal with the idea of only 18 hours left what would humanity become?
December 13, 2020
I always enjoy these end of the world stories. I wasn’t sure how I’d feel reading it in 2020 but hey I did! I also love that this is a story based all in one day, as well as before shit hits the fan.... to a point.
Story is broken up into several characters and how they handle the world in its last day. So we get to experience the fall of civilization which I feel is typically done very quickly in most media. So I always enjoy a bit more depth.
Reese, our main male character(I guess we do tech have Adam as well but he clearly isn’t the lead of his story) driving to work and his day going to hell before he even clocks into work. From not being able to call his friends and family, to watching his cute co worker crush dying and taking a piss and having someone’s head explode next to him, all while being escorted around by a badass bitch... his day didn’t seem nearly as bad as some others.
Adam’s slow torturous death was pretty god damn brutal. From waking up and finding out his girl friend fucking hates him. To her making him eat his ear and destroying his knee cap and before his end, having his ball pieced and brutalized, I felt happy for him to finally be done.
I’m blanking on Adam’s crazy girl friends name but Jesus Christ I think her story hit me the hardest. She tortured Adam almost the whole book because she felt trapped in a. Relationship... think she miiiiiight have taken things too far. But she also face fucked a teenage girl, who’s dad she fucked as she blew his head off.... oh and biting a dudes dick off. Jesus Christ this storyline was almost too much to handle.
Then the story of Luna being tortured by a husband and wife who have kids, this storyline felt a little rushed at times but I’m not sure why? Maybe just cause it feels more like a retread than the others? But the start with breakfast and finding out about the end of the world was very solid and a great hook imo. The president shooting himself along with Reese and the business woman both made me stick with the book quickly.
I tend to always enjoy smiths work, but this one hit pretty damn well. Over the top violence, sexual tense and end of the world vibes are always a solid read from him. But this one just hit nearly perfect for me this go around.
Sad that this fucked up story brought me joy but that’s 2020 right?!
Story is broken up into several characters and how they handle the world in its last day. So we get to experience the fall of civilization which I feel is typically done very quickly in most media. So I always enjoy a bit more depth.
Reese, our main male character(I guess we do tech have Adam as well but he clearly isn’t the lead of his story) driving to work and his day going to hell before he even clocks into work. From not being able to call his friends and family, to watching his cute co worker crush dying and taking a piss and having someone’s head explode next to him, all while being escorted around by a badass bitch... his day didn’t seem nearly as bad as some others.
Adam’s slow torturous death was pretty god damn brutal. From waking up and finding out his girl friend fucking hates him. To her making him eat his ear and destroying his knee cap and before his end, having his ball pieced and brutalized, I felt happy for him to finally be done.
I’m blanking on Adam’s crazy girl friends name but Jesus Christ I think her story hit me the hardest. She tortured Adam almost the whole book because she felt trapped in a. Relationship... think she miiiiiight have taken things too far. But she also face fucked a teenage girl, who’s dad she fucked as she blew his head off.... oh and biting a dudes dick off. Jesus Christ this storyline was almost too much to handle.
Then the story of Luna being tortured by a husband and wife who have kids, this storyline felt a little rushed at times but I’m not sure why? Maybe just cause it feels more like a retread than the others? But the start with breakfast and finding out about the end of the world was very solid and a great hook imo. The president shooting himself along with Reese and the business woman both made me stick with the book quickly.
I tend to always enjoy smiths work, but this one hit pretty damn well. Over the top violence, sexual tense and end of the world vibes are always a solid read from him. But this one just hit nearly perfect for me this go around.
Sad that this fucked up story brought me joy but that’s 2020 right?!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2018
Well that was a crazy read, darkness as a addictive drug murder and mayhem as a power high. Really extreme dark fiction but oddly compelling. Mr. Smith is not no Somerset Maugham, but he can get a narrative action plot going and keeps it moving with devilishly twisted plot points still this is not a book for most readers it’s bloody torturous with the POTUS blowing his own head off on live TV in the first chapter and it only gets weirder and more violent from there. So be warn here be blood and gore buckets of it in fact still it does causes one to consider if everyone were to learn tomorrow was going to be humanity’s last day how would people react?
October 6, 2018
Super Fun Read
Beyond the gore and gruesomeness in this finely honed tale, is some harsh reality of what just might occur if society was faced with this circumstance.
Beyond the gore and gruesomeness in this finely honed tale, is some harsh reality of what just might occur if society was faced with this circumstance.
Read
March 23, 2020Warning: this is an extremely brutal book. An asteroid will strike the earth within 24 hours, ending life as we know it. Not everyone loses their minds and commits horrendous acts, but the ones we're following do. There's torture, revenge, and needless acts of cruelty.
If this type of apocalypse appeals to you, then I give it four stars. But seriously read at your own discretion.
If this type of apocalypse appeals to you, then I give it four stars. But seriously read at your own discretion.
June 25, 2018
Demented ride
Interesting story and liked the way the different threads came together. I would be glad to read a possible sequel.
Interesting story and liked the way the different threads came together. I would be glad to read a possible sequel.
July 21, 2018
On an otherwise typical morning, the President of the United States appears on national television and tells the world there is a meteor on a collision course with the Earth. At the end of the broadcast, the President commits suicide. Soon after, the world plummets into chaos and madness. Countries unleash their nuclear arsenals, governments collapse, and civil order goes out the window. This happens only in the first hour of the last eighteen left before the Earth is to be devastated. This is the set up for what follows in Bryan Smith's "Last Day."
If you've read other Bryan Smith novels, you should know what to expect from the extreme horror novelist, and unfortunately, this is the novel's central issue. Following a small sample size of otherwise ordinary people thrust into enduring the breakdown of society, the central plot revolves around three different groups: the typical nuclear family hiding an extraordinarily dark and horrifying secret, a young couple dissatisfied with their relationship, and a young working professional stuck on a bridge on his way to work.
We follow each group of characters through the novel and in typical Bryan Smith manner, they must confront antagonists who are deplorable, deranged, and depraved. With the end of the world upon them, free of consequences and a police force to stop them, these psychos will go on an all-out campaign of murder, rape, and destruction. No one is safe. Nothing is off the table.
Unfortunately, as mentioned before, this is where the problem lays. If you've read Bryan Smith novels before, you'll notice a lot of the same ticks. A beautiful, psychotic woman. A generally well-to-do young man becomes submissive to the previously mentioned beautiful, psychotic woman. The antagonists have no nuance to them and no redeeming qualities. It feels as if I've already read this before in his other books. I understand authors have their bread and butter, their own styles and different ticks, but aside from a few differences, it feels like it is all recycled material from other Smith novels and functions as a crutch.
"Last Day" is another extreme horror novel under Smith's belt. If you are a fan of Bryan Smith, this should satisfy the desire for the brutal, unapologetic horror he provides. For this reader, the formula is getting a bit monotonous. Considering Smith can write novels like "Slowly We Rot," I know Smith can evolve his narrative and characters beyond the level of "Last Day."
If you've read other Bryan Smith novels, you should know what to expect from the extreme horror novelist, and unfortunately, this is the novel's central issue. Following a small sample size of otherwise ordinary people thrust into enduring the breakdown of society, the central plot revolves around three different groups: the typical nuclear family hiding an extraordinarily dark and horrifying secret, a young couple dissatisfied with their relationship, and a young working professional stuck on a bridge on his way to work.
We follow each group of characters through the novel and in typical Bryan Smith manner, they must confront antagonists who are deplorable, deranged, and depraved. With the end of the world upon them, free of consequences and a police force to stop them, these psychos will go on an all-out campaign of murder, rape, and destruction. No one is safe. Nothing is off the table.
Unfortunately, as mentioned before, this is where the problem lays. If you've read Bryan Smith novels before, you'll notice a lot of the same ticks. A beautiful, psychotic woman. A generally well-to-do young man becomes submissive to the previously mentioned beautiful, psychotic woman. The antagonists have no nuance to them and no redeeming qualities. It feels as if I've already read this before in his other books. I understand authors have their bread and butter, their own styles and different ticks, but aside from a few differences, it feels like it is all recycled material from other Smith novels and functions as a crutch.
"Last Day" is another extreme horror novel under Smith's belt. If you are a fan of Bryan Smith, this should satisfy the desire for the brutal, unapologetic horror he provides. For this reader, the formula is getting a bit monotonous. Considering Smith can write novels like "Slowly We Rot," I know Smith can evolve his narrative and characters beyond the level of "Last Day."
August 10, 2019
I might go to 3.5 out of 5 with a round down. The good news about Bryan Smith's Last Day, is it is wondrously readable. The narrative flows like butter on hot toast. The characters are well developed and Smith gives us a neat little cliff hanger at the end of most chapters to keep our interest. Also, he does turn the tables often and nicely.
The bad news is Bryan just loves his torture porn. There are basically three plot lines going on in the book. With the world crumbling around them, the real crisis yet to hit; we stick with Frank Walker, husband to Olivia and father to Caleb and Ella. Frank is a level headed guy until he sees the President commit suicide on national TV and abruptly hits his wife across the face with a glass. He announces that he is a serial killer who has killed for years and never been caught. He and Olivia have a sound proof torture chamber and a waiting victim.
Then we have Adam and Shawna. When disaster is eminent; Adam wakes up secured to the bed and Shawna begins to torture him, smashing his knee with a hammer. Guns and scissors and pliers oh my!
Then we have about the only nice guy in the city, Reece, on his way to work, abandons his car in traffic and hooks up with a tough hot chick named Daisy.
We have isolated rooms of torture and depravity. This could have been done in any novel, we didn't need an end of world scenario for this lame ass usual cutting and smashing and screaming. The rest of the world is way in the background and not part of the story at all. At the end there is only hate and sadism.
Hasn't Bryan covered this ground before in his Depraved trilogy? I haven't and probably won't read those.
The bad news is Bryan just loves his torture porn. There are basically three plot lines going on in the book. With the world crumbling around them, the real crisis yet to hit; we stick with Frank Walker, husband to Olivia and father to Caleb and Ella. Frank is a level headed guy until he sees the President commit suicide on national TV and abruptly hits his wife across the face with a glass. He announces that he is a serial killer who has killed for years and never been caught. He and Olivia have a sound proof torture chamber and a waiting victim.
Then we have Adam and Shawna. When disaster is eminent; Adam wakes up secured to the bed and Shawna begins to torture him, smashing his knee with a hammer. Guns and scissors and pliers oh my!
Then we have about the only nice guy in the city, Reece, on his way to work, abandons his car in traffic and hooks up with a tough hot chick named Daisy.
We have isolated rooms of torture and depravity. This could have been done in any novel, we didn't need an end of world scenario for this lame ass usual cutting and smashing and screaming. The rest of the world is way in the background and not part of the story at all. At the end there is only hate and sadism.
Hasn't Bryan covered this ground before in his Depraved trilogy? I haven't and probably won't read those.
Read
April 15, 2021When mankind abruptly learns that there will be an extinction-level event the next day, everyone feels free to indulge in their worst depravities.
This is the first book that I've ever given zero stars in my life.
This is merely an excuse for torture porn. Warnings for rape, torture, violence, all manners of sexual depravity, sexual depravity with corpses, etc. There is no attempt at 'realism' within the confines of the story. Each section exists only to lead into the next round of sadism. I could give details and examples, but I don't want to give this more 'airtime' than it deserve. Why did I finish it? Honestly, because halfway through I realized it was so awful that it would clearly fit into my "You read what?!?" prompt at the ATY Goodreads challenge. I beg of you never to pick this up.
This is the first book that I've ever given zero stars in my life.
This is merely an excuse for torture porn. Warnings for rape, torture, violence, all manners of sexual depravity, sexual depravity with corpses, etc. There is no attempt at 'realism' within the confines of the story. Each section exists only to lead into the next round of sadism. I could give details and examples, but I don't want to give this more 'airtime' than it deserve. Why did I finish it? Honestly, because halfway through I realized it was so awful that it would clearly fit into my "You read what?!?" prompt at the ATY Goodreads challenge. I beg of you never to pick this up.
June 18, 2025
This book is not for the casual horror reader that’s for sure. However I thought this book was very good and did a good job at depicting the violence in an end of the world scenario. I almost gave this book a 5 ⭐️ but decided on a 4 rounded up to 4.5 only reason being because a few of the deaths didn’t really make sense and they were killed off just for the purpose of having someone get killed. I was glad though that at the end of the book the most likable characters to me were the ones who made it to end and possibly survived depending on how you interpreted the ending. I’d like to think they survived and would love to see a second book about the aftermath. Overall I’d recommend this book if you’re okay with splatter punk style book and enjoy an action packed end of the world type of book, 4.5 ⭐️ for me
June 1, 2018
Massive fan of Bryan Smith, I’ve read almost everything he’s written. I was a bit hesitant picking this up as I’m not overly keen on (post) apocalyptic horror but thought hey it’s Bryan Smith! So glad I did, for me this is a massive return to form! His last few efforts slightly missing the mark for me. Definitely not the case for this. Jam packed with brutality, the book follows a handful of characters hearing the news the world is going to end and their journeys as a result of this news. So in short; brilliant short novella packed to the brim with blood and guts! 5 stars, easily!
December 4, 2019
Another gory rollercoaster ride!
This story has everything I've come to expect from a Bryan Smith novel. It is gory to the point of obscenity and leaves no depraved stone unturned.
But, the scariest thing about this novel is the depth of the insight that Mr. Smith has into the darker side of the human condition and the frailty of societal structures and norms.
Bryan Smith never disappoints.
This story has everything I've come to expect from a Bryan Smith novel. It is gory to the point of obscenity and leaves no depraved stone unturned.
But, the scariest thing about this novel is the depth of the insight that Mr. Smith has into the darker side of the human condition and the frailty of societal structures and norms.
Bryan Smith never disappoints.
January 9, 2023
Love how he merged the storylines together near the end, however the end itself was very abrupt, which I guess makes sense if a meteorite is coming to end your life.
I personally just felt like the end was sped up to make sure all loose ends were covered and then just ended.
However, Smith is up there with one of my all time favorite authors, Richard Laymon, and I highly suggest giving him a shot.
I personally just felt like the end was sped up to make sure all loose ends were covered and then just ended.
However, Smith is up there with one of my all time favorite authors, Richard Laymon, and I highly suggest giving him a shot.
July 30, 2018
Bryan Smith with the exception of that vampire girl he writes - is like a weak edward Lee - if you want to go full on depraved - you better make it depraved - otherwise its boring
Great idea and premise - I love end of the world tales and the crumbling of society - however, Bryan Smith turns it into torture porn - fairly soft torture porn - and its boring.
Boring, boring and more boring.
Great idea and premise - I love end of the world tales and the crumbling of society - however, Bryan Smith turns it into torture porn - fairly soft torture porn - and its boring.
Boring, boring and more boring.
March 20, 2023
I must say this was an absolutely "Depraved" story, pun intended. If you don't get it, look up the author. It wasn't what I expected, but at the same time, it was an interesting surprise. I have a friend, who would love this book. I enjoyed it myself. I plan to check out another particular book by this author.
March 18, 2020
I went into this thinking it was an apocalyptic story. It kind of wasn’t. It was rather unsettling. I really didn’t like it. Wanted to puke a lot during it.
There were no characters I truly liked. Nothing redeeming in the story.
I’m glad I got through it but not sure I can recommend this book.
There were no characters I truly liked. Nothing redeeming in the story.
I’m glad I got through it but not sure I can recommend this book.
January 25, 2021
Quickly written typical piece from Bryan. You have met these characters countless times. I gave it one extra star cause I was surprised by a few things at the end. Still he leaves this book open to another. I am sure the next book will be more of the same. I am done with this author.
June 11, 2018
Not my typical read, and an overreliance on the word malefic annoyed me some. Of course the whole work is quite heavy on the violence and sexual depravity, which kinda goes without saying.
January 20, 2019
Last day on Earth because an asteroid is coming. A little unbelievable that people will go to such extremes.
December 5, 2021
Richard Laymon on speed
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