The Last Outpost is a 2018 dystopian science fiction novel by Hannah Ross. It is the first entry in the Frozen Worlds series. It was independently published by the author and was released in January 2018.
Scott "Buck" Buckley, an environmental scientist, accepts the position of general overseer at the McMurdo Antarctic research station. After signing a secrecy declaration, Scott becomes privy to the existence of Geyser Valley, an area with a unique warm microclimate, which is home to the mysterious indigenous Anai people. In an outrageous conspiracy, the world governments are keeping the existence of these people a secret, to avoid limitations on the division of land for natural resources. Scott is fascinated by the unique culture of the Anai, visiting them and learning from them as much as he can. In the meantime, the world becomes more and more unstable as global war is about to break out. Just before darkness sets over Antarctica, warfare tears the world apart, and the research station finds itself completely isolated for the long and sunless winter. In the loneliness of the winter, Scott remains facing difficult questions all alone: who are the Anai, and how did they come to Antarctica? How much truth is there in their legends about giant ancient reptiles frozen in ice, waiting to come back to life? How is McMurdo going to hold on until the communications and supply lines are restored? And where are the limits one is not allowed to cross, not even in the name of survival?
The premise of the novel sets up a compelling story and a lot of interesting questions. The idea of an unknown culture existing free from the rest of the world is compelling and allows the story to dwell on questions about the nature of humanity and how detrimental or beneficial certain parts of society are. The premise also sets the stage for a end-of-the-world scenario due to global tensions and warfare. The plot regarding the Anai get undercut by the impact of the global collapse, and vice versa. Because the narrative is exploring both Buck encountering the Anai and his desire to learn about them, and the impact of being cut-off from the larger world during an unstable point in time, neither plot is able to be fully explored. It feels at time like Buck is experiencing with two separate stories, rather than one fully cohesive narrative. It isn't until the end of the story that the two plotlines, the Anai's secrecy and the desperation that comes with McMurdo Station's isolation, intersect and the way they intersect made for an exciting climax, but not a rewarding resolution. The plot of Buck learning more about the Anai society unfolds in a pretty predictable manner, as does the plot regarding how McMurdo's isolation and lack of supplies leads to conflict among the residents. Both plots are engaging in the moment, but have little room for surprise.
The characters fulfilled their roles very well in this novel. Scott Buckley was a relatable character who was incredibly easy for the reader to root for. He wasn't perfect by any means, and his desire to do what's right, not what's easy, serves as both a strength and a weakness in equal measure as the story unfolds. He wasn't a shallow character, but he wasn't incredibly complex either. He's the right protagonist for this story, but isn't elevated to being a standout for stories like this. The rest of the cast operates in the same way. Scott's allies challenge his ideas and how he handles things, but have little impact on how events unfold. The antagonists work well as antagonists, but little about them stand out. No character's actions are surprising over the course of the story, with their role being easily telegraphed from their introduction. In the end, the characters work in the story, but don't elevate it or make the story memorable.
The writing in this novel is good. The prose is descriptive and allows the reader to easily be drawn into the story. This novel is an easy read and it's written in a digestible way. The story has a bit of a pacing problem, as a result of the book trying to balance several elements at once. For sections of the book, the story moves slowly and for other parts, several events happen, one after another, without a chance for a "cooldown" or for the weight of those moments to be felt.
The Last Outpost is a book I thought was good, but not great. It had an interesting plot, and the blurb introduced a compelling idea, but didn't quite live up to its promise. The plot feels torn in two, attempting to balance the mystery of an unknown culture and the conflict occurring in the wider world. It had characters worth rooting for, but they weren't stand-outs. The writing was good and it was an easy read. It was a fun story overall, but I'm not sure how memorable it is.
Rating: 2.5 Stars
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