
In The Last Defender, A Novel, author Travis Pearson takes us to an almost dystopian world where a political ideology has taken over the country for the pursuit of their own individual goals of power and wealth. The Socialist, using the country’s deteriorating situation and high unemployment, lies and tricks the electorate to elect him and his party to power. Once in power they ruthlessly set about their plans to rule the country solely for the purpose of their own self-aggrandisement. Businesses are nationalised and management replaced by those who are part of the regime. Brent Stevens, one such manager, once a proud researcher for the good of humanity is replaced and demoted to a worker on the factory floor. Continuing his research at his home laboratory, Brent discovers a power, utilising electricity that will give him a decided edge when it comes to protecting those he loves. As he watches helplessly the systematic destruction of civilisation he looks for the little opportunities to strike back when he can. When Brent’s beloved Lori is threatened by the new regime, Brent knows he must act and act now, before it is too late.
The Last Defender, A Novel, is an interesting take on a society that has become complacent in its democratic institutions and allows itself to be manipulated by a power-crazy megalomaniac to surrender virtually all, of its freedoms (sound strikingly familiar?) Author Travis Pearson gives us a protagonist who turns from the mild-mannered, scientist/researcher into the avenging angel of all of society’s ills. I balked a little at the chief antagonist, the mysterious and enigmatic Socialist. Although it could be argued the tactics employed to subvert democracy were socialistic in tendency, there was little doubt the Socialist’s actions were those of a megalomaniac Fascist in the mould of Hitler, especially the experiments in re-education. That aside, this is a simply written, fast-paced read that does keep you interested and turning the pages. The stereotypical use of Mexican names for the members of the resistance Cartel was a little gratuitous but nonetheless, since these guys were fighting for the average, oppressed citizen, this can be forgiven. If you like novels that draw parallels from both history and the current times we face, you’ll certainly enjoy this one, which kept me interested till the very end.
