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The Last Library: A Novella
After a virus wipes out all life on the planet, Ryan Steward believes he's all that's left. Now, a race of scavengers descends on Earth, ready to consume the remaining resources. Ryan, tasked with preserving humanity's written word, must travel the country in hopes of saving books from their destruction. In his hideaway, beneath West Virginia's secretive Greenbrier, he builds humanity's last library, and hopes that he can protect it from time, and from invaders . . .
151 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 27, 2018
14 people are currently reading
71 people want to read
About the author
Hubert L. Mullins
67 books104 followersHubert L. Mullins writes gripping tales of horror and survival that blend history, folklore, and the supernatural. His novels, including Blood & Salt and Under Bethel, immerse readers in worlds where myth and terror collide. When he isn’t writing, he’s exploring the darker corners of history to unearth the next chilling story.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 21, 2019
Great read
I live only a couple of hours from The Greenbrier and the bunker underneath. The funny thing is, I have always said that's where I would go in case of a zombie apocalypse. I love the fact that some form of that concept was adapted into a book. Hubert Mullins is a very talented writer and everyone should give this novella a shot! I read this until I fell asleep then woke up and finished it!
I live only a couple of hours from The Greenbrier and the bunker underneath. The funny thing is, I have always said that's where I would go in case of a zombie apocalypse. I love the fact that some form of that concept was adapted into a book. Hubert Mullins is a very talented writer and everyone should give this novella a shot! I read this until I fell asleep then woke up and finished it!
January 26, 2024
Well I finished this one from Hubert L. Mullins today and he has yet to disappoint me.
5 out of five stuffed animals for me!
🧸 🧸 🧸 🧸 🧸
Before I dig into the review I'd like to say that I found it awesome that this book partially takes place in my home town! If you are from Knoxville, TN, I'd automatically recommend you pick this up just because I said so. Now then.........
Put yourself in a world where you are the last person alive. Would you be a complete waste of humanity or would you do something for maybe the next wave of humans?
This book follows the story of a broken man who has given up on life it seems, but finds his purpose. His purpose being to build the last library.
This is the 6th( I think?) book that I've had the pleasure of listening to from Hubert.
His writing technique is impeccable. I say this in every post I do about his work but the guy writes like he has been doing it for 150 years. A true wordsmith. His ability to wrap you in a story so quickly is absolutely amazing.
I know a lot of my friends on here indulge in the extreme market but I wouldn't sleep on this guy. He writes a little of everything from horror to sci-fi to fantasy.
I would absolutely recommend this book to anybody capable of reading it.
Hubert just doesn't miss.
5 out of five stuffed animals for me!
🧸 🧸 🧸 🧸 🧸
Before I dig into the review I'd like to say that I found it awesome that this book partially takes place in my home town! If you are from Knoxville, TN, I'd automatically recommend you pick this up just because I said so. Now then.........
Put yourself in a world where you are the last person alive. Would you be a complete waste of humanity or would you do something for maybe the next wave of humans?
This book follows the story of a broken man who has given up on life it seems, but finds his purpose. His purpose being to build the last library.
This is the 6th( I think?) book that I've had the pleasure of listening to from Hubert.
His writing technique is impeccable. I say this in every post I do about his work but the guy writes like he has been doing it for 150 years. A true wordsmith. His ability to wrap you in a story so quickly is absolutely amazing.
I know a lot of my friends on here indulge in the extreme market but I wouldn't sleep on this guy. He writes a little of everything from horror to sci-fi to fantasy.
I would absolutely recommend this book to anybody capable of reading it.
Hubert just doesn't miss.
April 17, 2024
While this book was somewhat entertaining, I just couldn't get past the author's use of portable generators inside the bunker / building. Using a generator inside a building is a huge no-no that would result in death for anyone in the same space due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Later in the book, the author indicates knowledge of carbon monoxide poisoning in an enclosed space housing a vehicle. I find this incredibly weird that the author acknowledges this in one instance, and completely ignores it in another. I acknowledge that the book is pure escapism, and for the most part i enjoyed it, but I just couldn't get past the multiple mentions of using a portable generator in an enclosed space.
June 7, 2020
Came across Hubert Mullins on a facebook bookish group discussion about self publishing. Another kind of book I generally avoided, but I was so far from disappointed. The main character was likeable, and the plot felt real. Currently I have two more of his books sitting in my Amazon wish list.
SN: It's been a few weeks since I finished reading it, so the exactly details are fuzzy, I just remembered really enjoying the book.
SN: It's been a few weeks since I finished reading it, so the exactly details are fuzzy, I just remembered really enjoying the book.
September 24, 2023
This was an exceptionally brilliant novella. In a post-plague apocalyptic world, a lone man and his emotional support stuffed red panda face the world alone. Until visitors arrive. If you enjoy mild horror, gore, sci-fi, tech, libraries, outer space, history, death and destruction, and working through your own trauma, this book is for you. I agree with other reviewers, and wish it was a longer story. I am so excited to have found this author and am looking forward to reading more of his works!
October 7, 2023
Earth has come to an end of days. A deadly virus has killed all living things. Only one man is left and he figures his time is limited. Then aliens show up and are literally burning everything left standing. One alien challenges him to collect a massive library of mankind to be left for whatever comes in the future. He finds a way to live in peace with the coming end. But first, there would be trials and adventures.
November 2, 2019
I read this story of the last man on Earth in a single sitting. Our protagonist knows that the human race has ended, so he sets himself the project of preserving as many books as possible for posterity. His daily work selecting worthy books and storing them in an underground bunker is absorbing. Any book lover will appreciate the story!
May 28, 2024
I read one book by this author and liked it. Picked up two more. This one sounded interesting and it was. And then a Twist -Kara and other things.
Then at the end of the story, it becomes absolute GARBAGE and the ending destroys everything that came before.
Super duper stupid religious bullshit because he couldn’t think of an ending.
Fully grown too. From nothing. 🤮
June 2, 2021
An enjoyable read!
This was such fun to read. Imagination, hard work, the love of all things beautiful. What more could you hope for at the end of humanity? Mutt is the finest of companions and I will make sure I have my own very soon. Read it. Really.
This was such fun to read. Imagination, hard work, the love of all things beautiful. What more could you hope for at the end of humanity? Mutt is the finest of companions and I will make sure I have my own very soon. Read it. Really.
May 20, 2020
It was a goodish read. Designing and development of characters and story were amazing. It was a captivating and gripping read. The author did his job brilliantly…
November 2, 2024
3.5
This book was received from the author for review. All opinions are my own.
Well, this story certainly threw me through a loop. From the synopsis, I got a lot of what I was expecting: post-apocalyptic setting with a single human left to what a devastating virus has left in its wake, but then I failed to look at the second half of the synopsis after reading this first part... and was thrown off guard when a new element came into play, even though I totally should have expected it if I had just thought a little harder about what I was reading beforehand. Not that that's a bad thing — I love not knowing what I'm getting into! It's why I usually don't read anything about a book before going into it. I just thought it was pretty funny how I completely missed that little curve ball.
My genius ass aside, the story itself was an awesome, if a little unconventional. I love the whole idea of someone being left to the world and then tasked with the job of creating a single library from the remains of the bookstores around him. If I were the last human left on Earth, I'd totally do that myself without prompt. Sure, I may also just flat out live in that library and never move again, but that's beside the point. Ryan's love for books was a real key point to the whole idea, because I could definitely relate to aspect if nothing else about the story, considering he believes he's the last left on the planet. I don't envy his predicament, but I still can't say I wouldn't do the same.
My main problem, really, was that I felt like there could have been more. It wasn't rushed, exactly, but I think the idea itself could have lent to a bigger story than a novella, and that could just be the fact I don't take to novellas well in general talking for me. I don't know. I wanted more, especially detail-wise when it came to the... uh, spoiler-free... let's say surprise. (Is it really a spoiler? It's kind of right there in the synopsis... sorta.) I'd love to see an after, because I'm really curious about one of the characters we only saw a little bit of.
If you like dystopian novellas with a side of surprise sci-fi, though (which, again, that surprise most likely was just me being Jared, 19, unable to read), then I have a feeling this will be for you.
Oh, also? Ryan's opinions on crunchy peanut butter are invalid and I refuse to acknowledge them.
Crunchy peanut butter for LIFE.
This book was received from the author for review. All opinions are my own.
Well, this story certainly threw me through a loop. From the synopsis, I got a lot of what I was expecting: post-apocalyptic setting with a single human left to what a devastating virus has left in its wake, but then I failed to look at the second half of the synopsis after reading this first part... and was thrown off guard when a new element came into play, even though I totally should have expected it if I had just thought a little harder about what I was reading beforehand. Not that that's a bad thing — I love not knowing what I'm getting into! It's why I usually don't read anything about a book before going into it. I just thought it was pretty funny how I completely missed that little curve ball.
My genius ass aside, the story itself was an awesome, if a little unconventional. I love the whole idea of someone being left to the world and then tasked with the job of creating a single library from the remains of the bookstores around him. If I were the last human left on Earth, I'd totally do that myself without prompt. Sure, I may also just flat out live in that library and never move again, but that's beside the point. Ryan's love for books was a real key point to the whole idea, because I could definitely relate to aspect if nothing else about the story, considering he believes he's the last left on the planet. I don't envy his predicament, but I still can't say I wouldn't do the same.
My main problem, really, was that I felt like there could have been more. It wasn't rushed, exactly, but I think the idea itself could have lent to a bigger story than a novella, and that could just be the fact I don't take to novellas well in general talking for me. I don't know. I wanted more, especially detail-wise when it came to the... uh, spoiler-free... let's say surprise. (Is it really a spoiler? It's kind of right there in the synopsis... sorta.) I'd love to see an after, because I'm really curious about one of the characters we only saw a little bit of.
If you like dystopian novellas with a side of surprise sci-fi, though (which, again, that surprise most likely was just me being Jared, 19, unable to read), then I have a feeling this will be for you.
Oh, also? Ryan's opinions on crunchy peanut butter are invalid and I refuse to acknowledge them.
Crunchy peanut butter for LIFE.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews