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The Spread #6

Annihilation

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The end of the end has begun...

Aaron Cartwright and his friends have walked through hell and come out of the other end changed in ways they could never have imagined. But they are still human. They are still prepared to fight.

And fight they must as mankind's deadly enemy unleashes a new weapon designed to end humanity once and for all.

In order to stop the extinction of all life on Earth, Aaron must do something next to impossible. Return home and face the enemy one last time. He will just have to hope that home still exists.

Grab the final entry in The Spread series now and experience the biggest twists and turns so far!

"Iain Rob Wright scares the hell out of me!" - J.A. Konrath, award-winning author of the Jack Daniels books

"Iain Rob Wright is sick and twisted." - Matt Shaw, bestselling author of over 100 books

223 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 29, 2022

79 people are currently reading
320 people want to read

About the author

Iain Rob Wright

163 books1,819 followers
One of Horror's most respected authors, Iain Rob Wright is the writer of more than forty books, many of them bestsellers. A previous Kindle All-Star and a mainstay in the horror charts, he is a prolific producer of unique and original stories. From his apocalyptic saga The Gates to his claustrophobic revenge thriller ASBO, Iain writes across a broad spectrum of sub genres, creating both beloved series and standalone titles.

With work available in several languages and in audio, Iain Rob Wright is one of the fastest rising stars in horror, but when not writing he is a dedicated family man. Father to Jack and Molly, and husband to Sally, he is often seen sharing his family memories with his fans on Facebook.

To get 6 of his books for free (no strings), just visit: www.iainrobwright.com

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5 stars
563 (64%)
4 stars
216 (24%)
3 stars
72 (8%)
2 stars
18 (2%)
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3 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
Profile Image for Jon Von.
582 reviews82 followers
February 25, 2025
I’m giving this book an extra star for sticking the landing. It’s been a long an uneven road for Wright’s The Spread. There was a strong start that almost immediately went astray with repetitive situations and whiny characters. But in the last couple books the action ramps up, the stakes become clear, and just generally seems to have a renewed focus. Overall it’s a unique series, a post-apocalyptic alien invasion with football laddies and more green mold than you can shake a stick at. It’s a three-star collection through-and-through, but Wright understands the importance of beginning and ending strong and tries to inject a little wholesomeness where it counts. It might be best to lower your expectations but they’re fast reads and not wholly regrettable as these things go.
Profile Image for Kiera ☠.
339 reviews128 followers
December 30, 2023
Stayed up very late last night to finish this as I could not put it down! I started this series at the end of 2022 and finally I am finished all 6 books. This series is SO well done and Wright ended it very well. The story unfolded in ways I didn’t anticipate which I appreciated. I somehow knew (spoiler alert) that Cameron wouldn’t make it which WRECKED me but I think it was a solid decision by Wright to not make the ending too perfect.

I’m generally not a fan of a happy ending but when I’ve invested so much into a story and its characters, I was glad it ended the way it did. I will genuinely miss these characters as I have become so attached over the last year. I will definitely spend 2024 reading more Iain Rob Wright.
Profile Image for Hazel.
743 reviews12 followers
July 31, 2022
Reading Stuff 'n' Things

Well, we have come to the end of the series and I have to admit, I am a little sad. What a series this has been! You might have thought it would get a little stale by book 6 but let me tell you, this is definitely not the case.

Book 6 continues to follow Aaron and his friends fighting against an alien invader to prevent the destruction of the earth however, aliens are not the only dangers they encounter so be warned! Not everyone or everything is as it seems and, as is usual with Mr Wright's work, no one is safe.

I have become totally and utterly invested in the characters in this series; I have seen them grow and develop, at their best and their worst and I am sad to come to the end but what a perfect ending it is.

This is a gripping series and one I would highly recommend you read from the start. I suppose you could just drop in with this book but why on earth would you?!?! You would be missing out on so, so much.

Once again, my thanks must go to Iain for accepting me into his "street team" and for providing me with an advance copy in return for comments and an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
Profile Image for Anne.
383 reviews20 followers
August 17, 2022
I’ve enjoyed the whole series and this one wrapped it up well. We had to say goodbye to some, while others are reunited. I thought it was a satisfying ending and I’m generally not a fan of series, but this one drew me in and kept me interested.
Profile Image for Cindy Kinney ahlgren.
16 reviews
July 30, 2022
Series worth reading

Was truly a worthy ending for our survivors. Would’ve liked to seen a certain big man make it but I get what you did. Really liked how Iain wrapped everything up. Definitely worth the time!
Profile Image for Pamela.
Author 2 books7 followers
July 29, 2022
The Spread series has been a wild ride from a bachelor's party weekend to the near destruction of the world. It goes without saying that in this last episode more people die as we race toward a final stand with the invaders. We continue to learn just how awful and how hopeful people can be when faced with overwhelming odds. The ending is of course bittersweet, but full of hope which was just what I needed it to be.
Profile Image for Pam Baddeley.
Author 2 books64 followers
July 24, 2025
In the finale to the series, Sophie is travelling south again, having had to leave the ailing Nancy in Edinburgh. She is still seeking Ryan. Miraculously back from the dead - I don't really buy someone being shot in the stomach surviving long enough, even with a kindly Scot's ministrations until one of the blue friendly aliens happened along to cure him - Ryan is also seeking his fiancée and mother, not realising that they were in Scotland. And Aaron's group are travelling to Manchester as Aaron's telepathic link with the Takers reveals that they are planning to use a drastic superweapon to knock out all life in one blow. Along the way they must deal with violent human beings taking advantage of the breakdown of society. Masses of action, a high body count and loads of gore, and an overall 3 star rating.
Profile Image for Jesse Roeszler.
49 reviews2 followers
December 7, 2023
Sadly my time with this amazing series has come to an end. I’ve said numerous times that these books were out of my comfort zone and yet I felt the need to start them. I was so pleasantly surprised when I instantly became attached to these crazy bunch of characters. They felt real, alive. I stressed over their survival, grew teary when they faced losses, felt scared when their enemies emerged and happy when love blossomed. I loved my time between these pages.

These books are quick, yet I feel I’ve spent years in the chapters. The action never stopped and it constantly increased. There were so many layers to the enemy, at the beginning it seemed it was only a virus but it just got deeper and deeper. I’ll be thinking of these novels for years to come.

I loved Cameron. A true hero.

And to the Cartwright brothers, live on!

Feckin’ English!
Profile Image for Dee (readaholic_dee).
327 reviews17 followers
May 18, 2024
I’ve shocked myself with how much I loved this series, it really is a belter. Iain Rob Wright is a brilliant writer; these books just dragged me in and would not let me go!

I thought his characters are sooo good and I really do like the way he can integrate a new character in the story, and it feels like you have known them forever.

The story moves along at a brilliant pace, and I like how we follow different characters and different parts. I read the whole series one after another and I am so happy I was able to do that as I would have been right mardy having to wait for the next book to come out! lol

What a treat this series is, I highly recommend it.

Happy Reading.
Profile Image for Mylene.
314 reviews1 follower
March 18, 2023
The final chapter of The Spread was worth it!

So Iain does it again! Roped me right in…

I don’t even like apocalyptic stories, but he is just so good at creating engaging characters (good and bad) and building an elaborate plot around them. One thing I typically hate about ongoing stories is that I will forget what happened in the last book if too much time has passed. I’ll forget all the characters and require some type of legend. Iain manages to tell his stories with such colour that I did not have this issue.

The ending of this series was terrific with some great plot twists.

I can’t help but read all his books.
Profile Image for Jessica.
413 reviews12 followers
April 22, 2025
This was the perfect ending for the series!
I was very happy with everyone’s endings, even the sad ones surprisingly.
Everything felt right at the end, like it was meant to be!
The reunions were so needed and great to read about.
This author really knows how to wrap up his stories nicely.
I’m excited to read more by him!
Profile Image for D.S. Mac.
Author 1 book38 followers
August 23, 2022
'Reality had finally caught up with him.'

What an end! The unlikely heroes fought with everything they had. They lost friends, family and pieces of themselves.

Brilliant ending, with some great reunions and some painful loss.

I highly recommend this entire series
Especially of you're a fan of The Last Of Us and even Falling Skies.
Profile Image for Tina.
1,298 reviews9 followers
January 19, 2024
😲

Was so excited to read this installment. It was good and really hit the feels several times.
I felt like the ending was rushed but that could just be cos I didn't want it to end. Is there any chance of any follow up with Aaron at least? Feeling hopeful 😆.
96 reviews1 follower
July 26, 2022
Book 6 continues the saga of Aaron and his crew fighting a never-ending war for humanity. It is a roller coaster of mayhem and interpersonal relationships, mixed with the best and worst of our species. It brought out many emotions, or 'feels'. I couldn't put it down. It is a really great read. (I was partially through book 2 when I read this. I was fearful that I'd put the other books in the series down. Book 6 did nothing of the sort. I now want to read the rest of 2 through 5 to learn all the craziness that occurred so I understand what the characters experienced to bring them to the book 6 start.)
Profile Image for Caz Freeman.
135 reviews2 followers
June 20, 2023
Just had to finish the series .....had to know the ending
Profile Image for Ami.
2,404 reviews14 followers
July 29, 2022
The Spread’s (book 6) is an awesome weaving of all threads to an excellent conclusion. I’ve become invested in the lives of all of the main characters and am extremely happy with Author Iain Rob Wright’s masterful finale of this exciting, fast paced apocalyptic series! I highly recommend it.

Disclaimer: I received this ARC from the author and this is my honest and freely given opinion.
521 reviews4 followers
July 28, 2022
This one was more than fitting for an ending to a series. There was always something going on from start to finish. A finish I have to say I did not see coming. This is one hell of a writer. Highly recommended.
1 review
July 26, 2022
All I can say is wow. Once again Iain does not disappoint. This book finished off the series nicely for me, lots of twists and turns along the way. You know it’s a great read when you are sad it’s all over.
Profile Image for Marmalade .
501 reviews
July 27, 2022
ARC: Absolutely loved the ending of this final book apart from 1 of my favourite characters getting killed but can see why it had to happen
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Dane Bovee.
71 reviews1 follower
January 25, 2025
4.75 stars... Let me compose myself for a minute after the ending of this series... Wow, this is the first series I have read all the way through and it did not disappoint in the slightest. The way he wraps everything up fits perfectly with how the entire story went. Nonstop suspense and a great ending, even after being utterly devastated by the loss at the end (fighting off something in my eye even writing this 😅). An all around very cool concept for an end of times apocalypse story and I highly recommend to anyone who likes quick fast paced reads packed with action! More of Iain's books will definitely be on my list in the future!!
533 reviews2 followers
January 24, 2024
WOW The Spread: Book 6 (Annihilation) by Iain Rob Wright is the last book in the series of 6 which blew me away.

It was now five months since the world had ended, five months since Aaron and Ryan had found a corkscrew on a hill and sadly five months since they lost Brett, Loobey, Sean and Ryan.

In Aaron's group the monsters are known as takers, others named them slugs. The army at Cannon Hill delivered messages and supplies via hot air baloons to survivors in Bristol and finally a vaccine was in force to repel their enemy.

Takers/Slugs were seven foot tall with a dozen black eyes and used pulses to send invisible blasts to kill humans they were terrifying and lethal.

Humans had the helpers on their side and they acted like medical field doctors, always at the ready to heal humans and destroy the fungus but they were outnumbered by the Takers.

Aaron and his group had some new members, Morgan, Liam and Gavin who helped Aaron and his group stand up to the Natives who were bandits who attacked silently and left no survivors. Everybody wants to rule the world including some groups of humans and also the aliens.

Aaron and his group finally reached Manchester which was no easy feat as they faced confrontation on all fronts and Manchester was infected. The spread is from the dead bodies of the infected who were riddled with alien bugs, unlike other parts which were infected by the green fungus and green men caused by the corkscrew.

Aaron gleaned from his alien part of his brain that a weapon far greater than the takers was coming to eradicate them all.

The aliens knew that Aaron knew about their secret weapon of mass destruction and were hunting him down in order that he would not share this information to the army.

Aaron and his group were on a quest to deactivate their secret weapon at all cost in order to save the world from extinction. Aaron is a survivior, warrior and zombie all rolled into one now.

Sadly Boon, Brett, Sean, Tom, Coben, Loobey, John, Liam, Gavin and Miles were all lost to Aaron who were like a close knit family,to him.

The battle begins but how will it end for these brave warriors, especially when there is a traitor in their midst. Morgan and Aaron have grown close to each other and Morgan says to Aaron "My very own one-armed Prince in shiny armour." So romantic and touching.

There is an amazing reunion at the end of the book for Aaron and the group but also sadness alongside jubilation as my favourite character has been killed in the battle. I had a lump in my throat and felt like I had lost a family member. I was so sad to reach the end of The Spread because I had followed Aaron and his group from start to finish.
Profile Image for Yvonne.
1,750 reviews137 followers
November 20, 2024
This is the series' final book, and my goodness, does it finish with a bang!

Aaron has gradually made his way through huge disasters and losses. He has changed, not just in his perspective but also physically. He has lost friends and family, but he still carries on towards his final goal: destroying the invaders.

He is not alone, he still has some of the original group he left Scotland with, some have joined, some have died. But life has changed and it is now vital that he get back home.

This has been a fabulous journey with Aaron, Cameron, Helper and various others. As with any series, but especially one that has a lot of destruction, death and invasion, there are going to be characters that you lose along the way. The author, in my opinion, chose the right way to end the book, albeit very sad, but it did seem fitting.

This final journey for the group sees a lot of emotion, and as a reader, I was pleased to see this in this book. It would not have been right to just finish and not feel some sort of loss as the characters did. I think the author got the balance of this just right.

Overall this has been a fabulous series and I will miss it. I have had recommendations from other readers about some of their personal favourites from this author and they are already sitting on my Kindle waiting for me to read.

If you are a fan of dystopian, sci-fi, alien apocalypse and thrillers then this is a series you should look at. I read it via Kindle Unlimited and I am so glad I came across this author as I will be reading more. I would definitely recommend this book and the series.
Profile Image for Molly-Jane Eley.
124 reviews1 follower
May 9, 2024
Wow, what a finish!!!

I absolutely loved this series, there were a few low points where I thought I was going to DNF, but boy they were quickly tossed aside.

I loved the reunion, however this was over shadowed by the killing off of my favourite character throughout the entire series, my dear Cameron! I do however, understand the authors reasons for doing so. Cameron came into his own in a past apocalyptic world, and losing the reason to fight, to push onto another day, I fear would have broken him.

This author has me in a chokehold with all of his books and is BY FAR, my favourite horror series author. He has no qualms about killing off beloved characters, children, or pets. But he has a knack for making you feel things for characters you’ve merely met pages ago.

This series was a solid 4.5🌟 overall for me.

Favourite quote: “Fear does not control me. Anger does not distract me. I am a righteous man with the strength to do what’s necessary. I dare to win, and death itself cannot defeat me.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
658 reviews4 followers
July 29, 2022
Iain Rob Wright has taken the characters of The Spread series on quite the journey. Annihilation is no exception as they once again do battle with the alien invaders that are trying to exterminate mankind. The story, which I will try not to spoil for future readers, has all the Iain Rob Wright hallmarks: great characters, horror, action, humour and heart. Aaron and his friends are once more on the front line but a shocking discovery takes them all right to the edge of what they can endure. This author always delivers a top quality read in terms of pacing and structure and never fails to entertain. This book is one of those that you don’t want to put down because you know something, anything, could happen at any moment. This series has been a rollercoaster for both his characters and his readers and Annihilation is as fitting a finale as he could give them.
Profile Image for Megan.
142 reviews1 follower
August 14, 2022
Hard to Say Goodbye…

Book six, the last dance, final hurrah, bye bye sorry that kept me reading straight through all six books.
Annihilation was truly a grand ending to our group of misfit heroes. Each of them, regardless of their status at the end, created a panorama of fascinating characters that I shall miss.
That being the sign of a great story… when all is done, a little bit of yourself is now with the tale.

To new readers, always read in order… and then read everything else Iain Rob Wright has written. Best to join his fan base officially… hee had some wonderful gifts that are worth several nights of fantastic reading, plus he is a author who truly cares for his fans.
May you enjoy The Spread series even half as much as I did! (“Man United!”)
Profile Image for FeedMyReads.
374 reviews21 followers
April 25, 2023
4.5 stars

The Earth has been under attack and mankind has lost many battles along the way but they are now at the point of reckoning and have to overcome huge odds to win the war. The final stand is here but can the humans overcome everything against them despite their fatigue and injuries?

The series which has previously delivered five excellent books is now finally at the end and the author once again delivers a brilliant read and a perfect ending to the series. This is a horror series that has delivered each and every time and the final book has not let me down.

This is a series I highly recommend and an author who is very much at the top of their game.

Small markdown? Just slight editing.
Profile Image for Nick Fragosa.
18 reviews2 followers
March 31, 2024
This was a long and enjoyable series. It is not at all what I expected it to be but it became something even more interesting.There were some more dull moments, but the action was solid. Lots of enemies to deal with and definitely a lot of progression.

The characters were mostly enjoyable. I did feel a lot of heartache and triumph while the characters developed. Characters go in and out of this story like a restaurant, which can be a good and bad thing. Some people were taken out prematurely in my opinion, others left around a little too long.

Overall this was a solid series and I’m a fan of Wright from here on. If you’re looking for something like The Ruins (which I was expecting) this is not it. It’s different in a good way.
83 reviews1 follower
August 1, 2022
Very enjoyable series

The Author just keeps getting better with each book and series. What I loved especially about this series was the how the characters were so well defined. I cared about the people in this series on a deep level and it kept me turning the pages. The plot was also very well thought out and kept me entertained though what probably over a thousand pages. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys this genre. I wish they allowed you to give 4 /12 stars I would have. I just have a hard time giving any book or Movie 5 stars What about the classics, Dickens Mark Twain, Sinclair Lewis
Profile Image for Dorothy Rushforth.
30 reviews
August 8, 2022
This was an amazing series of books. Iain draws you right in so you feel like you are part of the story and the characters are your friends. You get to know them so we’ll. Book 6 of The Spread took a little longer to read as I didn’t want it to end, and I was extremely sad when it did. I became a big fan of Iain when I read some of his other books first, but reading the Spread series was a whole new level with surprises around every corner.
My proudest moment was Iain dedicating book 6 to me for which I will be forever grateful, and of course, Cameron was genuinely my favourite character. Iain had him spot on!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews

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