27850339Captain Lincoln’s last day is the hardest day of his life.

An old, onetime Captain of the interstellar spaceship USNAS Hope Eternal, Lincoln always knew that this day would come. For just as birthdays are carefully planned, so are deaths. And although he must reckon with his fate, this is not a somber story. It is a tale of love and sacrifice, told in the context of the most advanced civilization ever to exist—a society that has taken to the stars in an effort to save all that is best in humanity.

Follow Lincoln through his internal struggles, his joy in having lived, and his journey to peace.

The End is just the beginning.

*I received a copy of this book directly from the author in exchange for an honest review.*

What a wonderful-wonderful read this was! The concept of a society described was something that made me think, think, think…. Sure, the grass is always greener on the other side and what is described in The Last Day of Captain Lincoln- well, wow. To live up to 80 with no illnesses, look young and be fully able for the ‘horizontal tango’ 4 times a day- where is the dotted line I can drop my signature on?

That idea, that we are the best, the blessed, the chosen ones so lucky to be alive, is all too common across time and history. It is not an answer to anything! Ours is a random moment in eternity—a tiny thread of precious time among uncountable moments, across an incomprehensible large Galaxy.

Even though it’s a quick read at a 100-something pages, I found out everything there was to know about everything. The small and big details of the society on the Ship. I found out everything about the Ship. The older, the younger, the workings of an every day ‘normal’ (space) life. Every aspect of the life on the Ship was uncovered and it gave a true meaning to the essence of the space life reality.

It is this rule of the society whereby the old die at 80 to give way to new lives on the Ship which has been hurtling through space towards Earth 2.0 for generations… When you live in an Utopia without illnesses then dying can hardly feel like a welcome relief even at the age of 80.

In order to have peace of mind you need to relinquish the critical facilities of your mind . . . or never have had a chance at a free, thinking mind in the first place! Bury your head deep enough in the sand and it doesn’t matter what’s coming. You can’t see it. You don’t care.

For best part of the story, my heart literally felt heavy. As heavy as Lincoln felt. How would you feel if you knew it was your last day alive? That you’ll leave behind everything and everyone you’ve called home for 80 years… The carefree, organized, comfortable life…

The very organized “circulation” of humans seems like a good idea at a glance… a kind of “sow and harvest” every 5 years. Yet, like Lincoln, living in that scenario and looking “out”, the grass still seems greener on the other side… It’s that one moment, the impending last breath, that seems to discount how good a life was really lived. Fear and denial can undo many good memories and happiness in 2 second flat.

It was a seriously well delivered story and I could feel Lincoln’s stubbornness and unwillingness to ‘leave the party’, the struggle with reality and acceptance. Really-really well described by the author!

“It’s natural to fear death, as a conscious, thinking being – it’s the literal end of you. I’m not even afraid of death itself. It’s more of a profound… not wanting to leave the party”

So yes, for me it was a heavy read. So heavy, in fact, I had to make use of Kleenex. The heartbreaking moment on Lincoln’s and Helen’s last dance. I sobbed like a bitch. And you know where the beauty of this book really comes in?

It’s in the 8 people of the same generation- how each of them in their own way accept their fate. It’s their time to go and make room for new. The heartbreaking moment of Helen’s goodbye was lessened by the goodbye in between brothers and sister through a different kind of love. And the death? Death on the Ship is definitely not a bad way to go.

Was I who I set out to be? was the very last thing he thought.

My rating: 5 stars! Simple as that… Get this book, read this book!

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