Book 10 in Anthony J Melchiorri's The Tide series.Humanity is on the edge of defeat.Soon no one will be free from the nightmarish effects of the virulent bioengineered Oni Agent. The fanatical organization responsible has pushed mankind to the brink of extinction and is on the verge of victory. In one final surge, they prepare to sweep the globe from ground zero in Siberia. Only one man and his team of operatives stand in their way. Captain Dominical Holland and former intelligence officer Meredith Webb launch a final mission to prevent a total world collapse, but the costs will be enormous if they are to save humanity from the Oni Agent.
Anthony J Melchiorri is a scientist with a PhD in bioengineering. Originally from the Midwest, he now lives in Texas. By day, he develops cellular therapies and 3D-printable artificial organs. By night, he writes apocalyptic, medical, and science-fiction thrillers that blend real-world research with other-worldly possibility. When he isn't in the lab or at the keyboard, he spends his time running, reading, hiking, and traveling in search of new story ideas.
This was the final book in the series. It was a little hard for me to finish because it had kinda reached the point where the protagonists always found a way out of the most dangerous situations. If you can put aside this, then the book did not disappoint. There was plenty of death, intrigue, and hard wrenching decisions. Overall, a good series.
I've been devouring these books since the series began, and this final book did not disappoint! There is almost nothing I can say without giving away spoilers...but if you've enjoyed The Tide so far, you'll love how it ends.
I received a free advance copy from the author. My review is voluntary.
5 stars for this amazing series. I only wish this final book - and especially some of the fantastic final battle scenes - could have lasted oh so much longer!
About 16 days or so ago I started Book 1 of "The Tide" - as part of an incredibly affordable first 4-book box set - and haven't taken a break since, most often downloading the next book as the final chapter closed out in the one ahead of it! If there's one thing good that's come out of this on-going REAL LIFE pandemic, it's been that I've had time to read to my heart's content. And I'm glad I made A.J.Melchiorri's signature series a part of that!
As I've said throughout the series, this is about a well-written and -edited* set of books that you'll find in this genre. I truly enjoy these books and just hope folks like Melchiorri, NS.Smith and AJ.Smith et.al. continue bringing us more! The adventure has been off the charts and its been a pleasure and an honor to get to know these incredible characters! But goodness there were times of despair, hopelessness and genuine doubt - particularly in the darkest parts of this book - about whether or not everyone would escape unscathed. But when things wound up turning out okay-ish, I really REALLY felt relieved. My only hope now is that some day we get even more from the Hunters because the world is a long way from being cleaned up. For those of you that haven't started, well, you need to. You'll enjoy the hell out of these books. For those of you that have also made this full journey, well, I only hope you had as much fun as I!
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*I add this footnote only for fun as I was serious about the editing of this series, it was amazing... and that is rare indeed these days! However, I finally FINALLY found a mistake! And I have to laugh because - honestly - who cares? Just my OCD-addled brain I guess: "And with the winds, Shepherd saw the Fog wasn’t going to be as useful as he’d hopped."
Well, Shepherd, keep the place jumpin'! Snortle...
Final Surge, the conclusion to The Tide series by Anthony J. Melchiorri, delivers exactly what a long-running apocalyptic series should deliver at the finish line: momentum, consequences, sacrifice, and closure that actually feels earned.
From the opening chapters, the book moves like a freight train. Every decision feels urgent. Every operation feels like it could spiral into disaster at any moment. Melchiorri has always been good at writing action that’s easy to follow without losing intensity, but here the scale is larger and the emotional weight behind it hits harder because we’ve lived with these characters for so long.
What I appreciated most is that the series never falls into the trap of pretending victory comes cheap. By this point, these people are exhausted, scarred, and carrying years of loss behind them. The final push reflects that. The cost matters. Choices matter. Even moments of success carry the sense that survival alone is no longer enough to qualify as a happy ending.
There are several long-running arcs that finally come full circle here, particularly surrounding the Hunters, the evolving understanding of the outbreak itself, and the lingering question of what kind of future is even possible after everything humanity has endured. The payoff felt satisfying without becoming overly neat or sentimental.
One thing this series consistently did well—and Final Surge reinforces—is maintaining a sense of discovery all the way through. Even ten books in, the world never stopped evolving. New environments, new biological horrors, shifting alliances, changing priorities… the series kept adapting instead of repeating itself.
Finishing this felt a little like saying goodbye to survivors you’ve been traveling with for years. And honestly? That’s probably the best compliment I can give it.
Dom, Meredith and the Hunters battle the FGL and Spitkovsky on the streets of D.C. and the few remaining strong points in the U.S. as they prepare for the final assault in Siberia.
I've grown very attached to the Hunters and I have a huge crush on a certain golden haired beauty named Maggie! It was difficult to say goodbye to the friends I've met in The Tide. Some, of course, I cheered for their deaths to be very painful, long and bloody! Others not so much.
This series has been entertaining, engrossing and most enthralling! Each page was a delight and a terror to turn, not knowing if the next scene would bring a sniffle, a sob, or a scream. Such is the delight of reading the work of a master storyteller. Thank you, Anthony Melchiorri, for entertaining me for so many nights! I hate to see the series come to an end, but I know there's still another great story for the Hunters just waiting to be told and I'll be waiting!
Reading the Tide felt like feeding a bad habit, e.g. biting nails - you know it is bad but you can't stop.
The series in general is frustrating to read - heroes are unreasonably plucky and incompetent and the Big Bad unreasonable competent. This arrangement is the only thing that keeps the story going. If the heroes were more competent and stop doing the same insane thing, e.g. trying to quietly infiltrate an infest city, or if the Big Bad's competency was less supernatural, the whole thing would have been over in a book, maybe two. The only way to get it to ten (!!) books was to make a caricature of everyone.
In the end, it doesn't matter. The good author got my money: I bought and read all ten books! The experience was barely a net positive. At least I am inoculated against more of the same - next time I be more ready to stop reading and mark something DNF.
I gave this book five stars. I don't believe this book actually deserved 5 stars, but I gave that rating for the entire series. The series is very compelling right from the very beginning and keeps the reader hurriedly turning pages. The author employs the technique of having several plots happening at once and each one subplot ends in a cliffhanger that we can't wait to get back to. Book 10 in the series is the finale, and to my mind, it felt like the author just wanted to clean things up. The final confrontation was really drawn out unnecessarily with the Oni agent playing havoc on the hunter's brains. When the big bad guy finally gets done in, it's almost anti-climactic. But, taken all together, a very enjoyable series.
I put off reading this book for as long as I could - it's the 10th, and last, book in The Tide series. It's so bittersweet to know that a story you've followed for so long is coming to an end. As expected, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author certainly has no qualms making his characters suffer ;) It was a great finale and I am thrilled that the author mentioned in the reader note at the end that he might revisit this story. So, whether it's a spin-off series, a novella, a prequel,... - I will be there to read it!!!
Amazing way to end it! I love the characters and how the ordinary people adapt. Can't put the phone down and I love reading them when everyone is asleep and I can concentrate and let my imagination go run free 😏.. I love all the books! You are an awesome author, looking forward to read more of your books.
I waited to review this series. I wanted the whole story! My 3 rating is due to the overwhelming loss of life. The characters and plots were enjoyable, and in today's world the concept is no longer impossible! However, the sheer volume of ugly battles leaves me uneasy! How can the Hunters retain their humanity!
Wow! Intense, thrilling, captivating, nailbiting and utterly human. I read alot of books. Alot. Sometimes up to 5 a week. I've read a lot great books, but also had my share of less than great books. This stands out in the awesome category. Check the authors other work as well. Just as goddamn good!
"Final Surge" by Anthony J. Melchiorri was a captivating read that left me deeply invested in the characters and their stories. The emotional depth of the book was truly remarkable, and I found myself tearing up multiple times throughout the series. It's a testament to Melchiorri's talent that he was able to create such compelling characters and weave their stories together in such a moving way.
Awesome set of bookstore!!! Found my self a little lost with everything that was happening but not lost enough to feel offset. The whole set was great! Definitely recommend for anyone looking for a good read!!! Enjoy
Read it second time. Loved the ride and the action. The good guys and the bad. The corny humour and stupid death defying stunts. Brilliant escapism, what more could you want!
Fantastic end to the series. The Tide is a must read for pos apocalyptic fans. Strong characters, compelling storylines, and the author is a master of upping the stakes.
Really enjoyed this whole series read all 10 books back to back only downside was what happened to 1 character was abit annoying but on the whole good series