Down the Road: On the Last Day [Paperback]

Bowie Ibarra (Author), Travis Adkins (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2006

The walking dead. A global crisis. The remnants of America. Around the globe, the dead are rising to devour the living. Hospitals are overrun, and martial law has been declared. The streets are in chaos. Society is disintegrating. In a small south Texas town, the mayor has rallied his citizens against the living dead and secured their borders. Isolated in the countryside, the community holds their own. But when two strangers from San Antonio stumble into town, they bring news of a global peacekeeping force sweeping toward the city. Led by a ruthless commander, the force is determined to secure the republic of Texas on its own terms, and establish a new, harsh government for the plague-ravaged nation. Will the independently fortified Texas town hold out against the flesh-eating zombies and the tyrannical foreign army traveling down the road?

Product Details

• Paperback: 238 pages
• Publisher: Permuted Press (February 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0978970721
• ISBN-13: 978-0978970727
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #844,934 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Bowie V. Ibarra (1975- present) was born and raised in Uvalde, Texas, to a school principal and a book keeper. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting and a Master of Arts in Theatre History.

For nearly thirty years, Bowie has been active in theatre arts as a performer, director, and house manager of a theatre. In that time, Bowie has also pursued writing. His first book, "Down the Road: A Zombie Horror Story" was initially self-published, but subsequently picked up by Permuted Press. The story has made moved to a joint venture with Permuted and Pocket Books and debuts yet again January 4th, 2011.

His most recent book, "Big Cat", is the story of a savage beast roaming the south Texas countryside, and the strong bond between friends who are thrust into a hunt for the animal.

Bowie hopes readers enjoy all his written works.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Are you ready to go back Down the Road?, February 27, 2007

By 

Dennis Duncan (Greenfield, Tennessee United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Down the Road: On the Last Day (Paperback)

A Plaque is sweeping the country. The Dead are rising and they are attacking and devouring the living. The Government is trying to contain it but with no success. Civilians are taking up arms and banding together in hopes of surviving the Zombie Apocalypse. Civilians in a small south Texas town has banded together and fought off the Zombie Hordes. They have successfully quarantined their town from the the chaos that has consumed the outside world. Everything seems to be going good and they believe that they will be able to survive the zombie plague. Two strangers from San Antonio soon arrive with news that will threaten the towns very existence. They learn that it isn't only the undead they have to fear. A global peacekeeping force lead by a brutal and ruthless commander is heading towards their town. He mission is to round up all civilians and send them to refugee camps. Anyone who will not give up their arms and comply with his orders are mercilessly executed.

A showdown to about to happen in this small Texas town. The residents will have to not only fight the endless hordes of the bloodthirsty dead, but a madman and his army of thugs that wants to destroy all remnants of American life. The town will have to unite and fight for not only their way of life, but their very existence. It is time to go back Down the Road.

I loved Mr. Ibarra's first story so when got my copy of On The Last Day I was expecting nothing but great things, but I must say that my expectations were actually exceeded. I enjoyed On The Last Day more than I did his first installment. I was completely consumed in the world Mr. Ibarra created. Zombie fans will be completely satisfied with this story. It has loads and loads of blood and guts, and action from beginning to end. On The Last Day is also a very deep story with great pacing and deep characters. Mr. Ibarra is starting to perfect a writing style all his own. He is becoming one of the premiere names of Zombie fiction and he will be a force to be reckoned for a long time. Permuted Press is producing some of the best Horror Fiction available today and On The Last Day has to be one of the best releases to date. I cant wait to see what they give us next.

I highly recommend On The Last Day to all Zombie Fiction fans. It is one of the best Zombie stories ever written in my opinion. Go grab a copy for yourself and see what I mean.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another good zombie read, October 1, 2008

By 

Kenny Waryn "Kenny" (North Arlington, NJ United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Down the Road: On the Last Day (Paperback)

Much like the first Down the Road book, I really enjoyed The Last Day. It sticks to the simple, but effective zombie format, with a little bit of Tin Foil Hat paranoia thrown in to help move the story along.

The book is a fast read and the action is good. The gore is described well, and it turns out to be a very fun read.

The sex scenes, like in the first book, seem a little awkward and uneccessary, as if they were thrown in mostly for the author's enjoyment, but it's not enough of a negative to impact the story. Also, the story could've done with a few less characters, but that's just me nitpicking.

Both books are heavy on the NWO\Illuminati\Global Elite conspiracy theory, with the U.N. attempting to take control of the country. I don't neccessarily subscribe to those consipiracy theories, (I do know people who do), but I do find them wildly entertaining, so it only added to the story for me.

All in all, it's a fun read. If you enjoy Zombie fiction, than by all means, buy not just this book, but the first Down the Road book as well. You'll be glad you did.

14 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars The road is getting bumpier, February 25, 2007

By 

Patrick S. Dorazio "Author of The Dark Trilogy" (Cincinnati, Ohio) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Down the Road: On the Last Day (Paperback)

This book is a sequel to the author's first novel, Down the Road. In that book we are introduced to George Zaragosa, a school teacher who is coming to grips with a worldwide epidemic that has brought the dead back to life. He heads down the road to try and get to his family in another part of south Texas. This story is essentially a spin off, as it is attached to the first story by two characters, Red and Alex, who knew George but have since parted ways with him. As they are trying to make their way through this new and horrific world they discover that UN troops have essentially "invaded" Texas in a government authorized effort to suppress the zombie threat and to round up and cordon off the living human survivors in FEMA camps. The two escape the nefarious UN soldiers and head to Beeville, a small town that has thus far held its own against the encroaching doom of the undead. They warn the town folk of this new menace and our story takes us up to and including the conflict between the town that refuses to surrender and the UN Troops sent to either wipe them out or force them into their concentration camps. The story focuses mainly on the citizens of Beeville, telling their individual stories and tying them all together as they fight to survive.

It was my hope that the author would continue to improve in his story telling technique with this new novel and that this sequel would be a compelling follow up to his first book, which was not spectacular but had great promise. Unfortunately, I have to say that I was sadly disappointed with this effort. Regrettably, I feel that the author has regressed with this book and the story lacks any compelling feel to it. The characters, though quite human, feel somewhat wooden. We are given both their warts and positive side but I did not find myself rooting for any of them. Perhaps other readers found a way to latch on to these people but I found myself not really caring one way or another for the majority of them.

We are greeted with the same hardened viewpoint from the first book for virtually everyone with any sort of authority. Even the local police in Beeville, who are doing their best to keep their town safe, are quite willing to mow down survivors from other towns who are pleading with them to be allowed entry into the safe confines of their town. While we are given the sense that what they are doing is necessary, there is a feeling of emotional detachment as the police eliminate both the infected and uninfected with equal zeal. Even so, these folks are practically angels compared to even more powerful groups. We are reminded again and again that FEMA, Homeland Security, and the military are all just vicious and brutal thugs in their efforts to suppress both the undead and the living. Add to the mix in this book the UN Peacekeeping forces who have been dispatched to Texas to get rid of everyone who stands in their way. We are treated to a sociopath of a leader, Captain Phillip Carson, and his gleefully malignant foreign troops who rape and execute a bloody swath across south Texas, all under the guise of regaining control of our nation. The comparisons to Nazi Germany and the suppression of the Jews are agonizingly obvious here-people are loaded onto cattle cars, anyone who resists is dealt with swiftly and violently, and they all end up in concentration camps.

Of course the politicians we are made aware of in this book are all sanctioning these efforts. President Herbert M. Walker (huh?), who presided over the nation during the attacks of 9/11 has agreed to allow the UN Peacekeepers on our soil. Former President and now UN Secretary General Jefferson Williams (who?) is also there to speak up in favor of this move, along with Massachusetts Senator Ted Kinney (uh...) and New York Senator Carl Shumer (ohhh kay). The thinly veiled fake names was a bit off putting, especially since the author mentions at one point that one of the characters started becoming mistrustful of the government during the Clinton administration. Would that be Jefferson Williams or William Jefferson Clinton that this person is referring to? Sorry, I know this is nitpicky but again it was rather distracting to me.

I guess I found it really hard to believe that the U.S. Government, run by Herbert M. Walker or George Walker Bush, whichever, would authorize the United Nations to dispatch troops on U.S. soil when this is a global epidemic and I am guessing those troops would be better placed elsewhere. Instead it would be my guess that U.S. troops from around the globe would all be recalled to the home front instead. It's not like this administration is all buddy buddy with the U.N. these days.

Please understand that I am not saying that all of this is totally unfeasible or am I bashing political views. Certainly a crisis of this magnitude would bring out the ugliest inclinations in many people. But I also have to believe that somehow, in some way, that not every soldier (American or foreign), every person in a leadership role at the federal level, and basically much of the police force would be willing to discard every last bit of their ethics and humanity in a mad dash for power and utter and complete domination of everyone. Perhaps I am a bit naive in hoping for something different than what the author proposes here.

Beyond all of that, the story itself is simply not all that intriguing. There are no big shockers or surprises here. The zombies in this book are almost a completely secondary element and are rather dull. They do end up eating their fair share of the living but they seem to be more of a nuisance than anything else. The author tries to liven things up by putting a few small dream sequences in as well as some gratuitous sex but essentially we are just waiting for the final scene to unfold. Sadly, our town folks do nothing creative or interesting in an attempt to save themselves and the story ends with very little that shocks or surprises the reader.

Even with all the above said I am willing to admit that Mr. Ibarra has a strong voice and hopefully will continue to write and sharpen his skills. Although I did not necessarily enjoy this story he certainly can craft a tale and I am sure his efforts will continue to improve.