The Final Phase

END OF THE ROAD by C. Dulaney is supposed to be the final book in the Roads Less Traveled series, and I'm sincerely hoping I can convince the author to write one more full-length novel. (There is also the possibility fans may be able to read some short stories set in the RLT world.) There is a form of conclusion in this novel, which amounts to the main characters learning to accept the new world order. However, readers are never offered a POV from Isabel or Sam, both supporting characters with extremely significant roles in the series, who could possibly offer a true completion to this apocalyptic saga.

Compared to the previous four books, many more lives are lost in some of the most devastating battle scenes ever written, while the few survivors left have formed a new family of sorts. The characters have learned to put quality of life over quantity of life span, but Kasey's group are making a living doing some truly dark deeds in exchange for supplies, becoming anti-heroes in the process. Essentially, they get their hands very dirty, so everyone else can pretend they're still "good" people.

Brad's group can barely keep their heads above the blood pooling around them. Wherever they go, people are slaughtered, and they feel responsible for the body count. After suffering an agonizing humiliation at the hands of deviant bandits, the tiny group of PSIs decide to seek out Kasey's group to join forces, but it's too little, far too late.

The story arc is amazing and unlike any other end-of-the-world scenario I've ever read, but the evolution of the characters is what really stands out. So often, I read apocalypse series where the survivors remain basically the same, no matter what they go through, which is BS, even in the horror genre. Dulaney digs into her creations, tears them into pieces and scatters their remains across each novel, much like her "terminators," resulting in an absolute genocide of epic proportions.

I encourage fans of the series to show their support for Roads Less Traveled by leaving reviews. As for those who haven't yet begun this series, I highly recommend you join the rest of us in Dulaney's apocalypse.

As always,
AstraDaemon