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The Last Town by Blake Crouch (Wayward Pines #3)

The Last Town is the third – and most certainly the last book – in the Wayward Pines trilogy by Blake Crouch.

Reading the Blake Crouch books in order includes this trilogy as well. Sadly, this trilogy was one of the worst to review. Spoilers are kept at a minimum – if at all because even the smallest hint of what is going on will give away way too much. And these books are truly best enjoyed reading them blindly, with absolutely no knowledge of what is going on at all.

It is because nothing is as it seems, and the revelations are shocking, to say the least. And how can you write a 600+ word review when you can’t give away anything? Not easy.

The first book, Pines is more of a mind-bending book. You have no clue what is going on and if the word ‘mindfuck’ comes to mind while reading it, it is quite the accurate description.

The second book, Wayward, goes into dystopian terrains. Along with Ethan, the main character in the series (in the TV show played by Matt Dillon) we learn what is going on around us, and why the town is so secluded as it is, and why everything is a mystery, where revealing them has deadly consequences.

The third book is as close to a classic fast-paced horror novel as it gets Blake Crouch definitely knows how to transcend genres with his stories.

The action starts almost from the first page, and it never lets down until the very last. Everything is revealed now. We know. And still, that doesn’t make it any easier – sometimes ‘the truth shall set you free’ is not entirely true.

David Pilcher, the mastermind behind all this trusted Ethan, the new sheriff in Wayward Pines, to keep the secret of the town and keep on doing what the previous sheriff Pope used to do.

However, Ethan can’t keep the secret for long. He feels that the people of Wayward Pines should know and deserve to know the truth about where they are and when they are and why they are there.

So the third book starts with everyone knowing the secret. Ethan has told them when gathering the townspeople in the town center where the reckonings used to take place. So now we follow everyone trying to come to grips with the knowledge that was bestowed onto them.

And trying to come to grips with the fact that David Pilcher, in his anger towards everyone finding out the truth, closed down the electricity at the fence, at the gates and at the town itself. So now whatever the town was protected from is free to enter their sanctuary.

And that’s all the spoilers I will give you here.

Everything is frantic now, lots of running around, killing and being killed, and one last reckoning to take part in. Maybe the biggest one yet.

I wanted to way posting this review of The Last Town until I finished watching the 10 episode series on TV, because I was curious to see how the TV show would end it all compared to the book. I have to be honest here – I didn’t like the ending of the book all that much. I felt it was too abrupt, left us with a ton of questions and left an opening for a new book which it seems now will never come (this is my major pet peeve with the book, hence my 4 rating instead of 5).

The TV series ending was different from the book, but equally confusing and left a major opening for a possible second season (FOX hint hint, please! we need a second season!).

Overall I loved loved loved Wayward Pines. Each book was different from the other in genres, however the next ones had a linear continuation in the story from the previous. If you start with the series you have to read the first book, Pines, else everything will be very confusing and once you learn the spoilers of the later books, all the mystery of the first one will be gone in an instant. Not recommended.

Wayward Pines is the first series of books I’ve read by Blake Crouch, but now this author has grown on me, and I’m looking to read more by him.

In addition to the trilogy, I’m now reading short stories and novellas set in the world of the Wayward Pines. Highly recommended. I will do a follow-up review with the novellas I have read in a future post.

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2 Comments

  1. Loved your review and I completely agree with you that with books like this one, it is so difficult to write a review without giving away too much. I loved the TV series and hope Fox makes another season.
    Am currently reading the second book and they are just so great. 🙂

    1. I’m so hoping there will be a second season (although will be sad that Matt Dillon won’t be playing in it anymore).

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