Every story has its end, regardless of how long and how many books it takes for the curtains to close. The end of a tale, particularly a series, always has a way of evoking intense emotions from readers. Even if it is not the climax of the whole series, it still has its unique little method of shocking the readers with its revelations and extreme action scenes. And that, my friend, is how The Final Day by Greg Van Arsdale finishes The Genesis Project series: with a bang.
The story is set in the virtual world, 10 years after the End Game — which is the part that preceded this story. The book centers on love, survival, and vengeance. These three themes are the primary reasons why the book is a must-read and a total package. Who would have thought that affection, determination, and revenge can propel a story and make it into something remarkable?
How the protagonist, John Neumann, waited for the perfect moment to counter the vengeful act of Lucia Lokitus is the best way of showing his love for his son and the virtual world that he created. He didn’t act impulsively, because being reckless can lead to undesirable results. As John continues to survive, the additional antagonist in the form of Lucia also perseveres to free his brother and kill Neumann and LeGuerre. Both acts show that love can truly make a person motivated, determined, and vengeful.
Additionally, there have been many new characters that were involved in this story. Lucia Lokitus was already mentioned in the last paragraph. But the most notable newly-born character is David because he is playing a great role in the story in such a short span of time. Imagine having one of a kind power and intuition, and (spoiler alert) being connected to the Genesis Machine in a special way. That is a good way for a freshly added character to move the story forward and evoke a sense of curiosity and excitement from the readers.
The thirst for murder that is being executed by Jack Lokitus creates a thrill in the story. Also, the transitioning of the villain from being Jack Lokitus to being Jack Logan was well-done. It just shows that antagonists really find their way to hinder that path of the main characters. This act is beneficial to the story because it tells the readers that the virtual world is not perfectly peaceful and orderly. Thus, the character of Lokitus and Logan exhibit the balance of evil of the tale’s “real” and “virtual” worlds.
Furthermore, the plot thickens when the plotted revenge by the antagonists became a success. They triumphantly sent John Neumann to the hospital and got his soul. They also got LeGurre. Hence, the virtual world is in complete danger because the two protectors are down. This is where David has to step up. He needs to protect what his father built and developed. Although he is still young, the special abilities within him can greatly help him in the dangerous quest.
The plot is well-polished. If you look only at the plot of the book, you can see that it is comprised of the whole elements. But if you adjust your view and look at the plot of the entire series, you can see how the transitioning from the climax — which is the third book, to the falling action and dénouement was flawlessly done. Moreover, there are no problems with the narrative, dialogue, and point of view because they are consistent and well-versed.
For readers who enjoy thrillers and science fiction all at the same time, this book is the right one for you! It has a complete balance of suspense, action, and surprises. The book also comes with a list of characters and their characteristics, which help you in remembering the past characters and meet the new ones. But, you should read the first three books to entirely understand the story. To wrap it up, The Final Day is a must-read for all types of readers.