This was really a 2 1/2 star book. I finished it and there were parts I really liked. That said, there were parts I hated and found ridiculous. Somewhere in here was a good disaster book but it didn't float my boat. I will not read the sequel. ( )

A relative and I read this book together in two different states. We enjoy reading a book that is coming out as a film, to see how are enjoyment of the printed word is reflected by filmmakers. We noticed the Peacock Channel released a five part series from Last Light in October, 2022, so we read this and emailed book reports to one another along the way. We very much enjoyed Last Light as a book. The desperation of far flung family members dealing with societal breakdown as a panic emerges across the globe when the world fuel supplies become unavailable was so well done.
The filmmaker made so many changes that I don't recommend the film. The initial novel, however, did a nice job showing how so many may be unprepared for a widespread end to law and order across nations. I give this four stars. This was the first Alex Scarrow book I have read, but it was a good experience, enough to cause me to also try his book Plague Land. I will issue a separate review of that one. ( )

I’m sure that you, like me, watch end-of-the-world scenarios in films and wonder ’what would I do?’ That’s the thought I had reading ‘Last Light’. Oil consultant Andy Sutherland writes an investigate report for a client about what would happen if the world’s oil suppliers were cut off. Ten years later, the trigger points he identified start to happen.
Within hours, society breaks down. Andy is in Iraq, his wife Jenny has packed her stuff ready to move out of the family home and has gone to Manchester for a job interview. Their daughter Leona is at university in Norwich and son Jacob at private school. They could not be more widely spread. The instinct of the, newly separated, parents, is to get back to their children. The children long for the security of their parents. While in the background, the unknown group causing the chaos has sent Ash to find Leona.
The pages of this turn so rapidly you could read it in one sitting on a long haul flight. Excellent stuff. It’s clear that Scarrow is fascinated by the ‘Peak Oil’ scenario at the centre of the story, and it shows on every page. As each of the Sutherland family learns the hard way not to trust anyone, we wonder if they [and society in general] can possibly survive.
Read more of my book reviews at http://www.sandradanby.com/book-reviews-a-z/ ( )

Started with lots of promise, yet did not continue to develop as hoped for. Last Light is an interesting take on the 'Peak Oil' scenario, yet I think the author needs to do a bit of work on his understanding of the geopolitical situation in the Middle East and Central Asia. True, dependency on fossil fuels is a risky thing, yet the scenario proposed in the work is a tad flimsy. The characters are okay, yet the conflict doesn't rise accordingly. Missing a piece of realism that would have made the book great.

Will probably continue on with the series. ( )

scary and thought-provoking ( )