The Fallen: The Last Days of Mankind

The Steading Trilogy, Book 2

By: Peter Wood

Narrated by: Aubrey Parsons

This tale is set in a world somewhat similar to our own, with various Sami, Nordic, and Celtic influences, at some unspecified ‘post-modern’ point in the future. Society as we know it has long since vanished and the natural world has more-or-less fully reasserted itself, leaving a few isolated pockets of human existence, all teetering on the verge of extinction. Birth rates are very low and infant mortality is very high, the cause unclear, with remaining settlements slowly withering out of existence.

This story is a prequel of sorts to Peter's first novel, The Steading, although much of the story takes place within a similar timeframe, overlapping with it towards the end. You don't need to have listened to The Steading to enjoy this novel, and feel free to listen to them in any order you like, but it is recommended you listen to this story second. This tale in the trilogy primarily sets out to explore the origins of a character who appears in the first book, while also expanding on the circumstances of the apocalypse in the wider world. The first book in the saga, The Steading, provides a somewhat idealised and best-case scenario of a post-apocalyptic world; this book is its counterpart where we finally meet the antagonists: the Fallen.

As with Peter's first novel, this book is part guide to survival, the basics of living off the land, and homesteading. Here though, the settlement is somewhat more ‘primitive’ when compared to the Steading, akin to perhaps a stone-age Sami-type settlement. The story is told almost entirely without spoken dialogue, as if being recounted around the campfire by an old friend. This style of very descriptive storytelling also reflects Peter's preferred means of communication as an autistic person, being direct, detailed, and to the point.

©2025 Peter James Wood (P)2025 Peter James Wood

A more cozy version of the Road

The narrator is great. I could listen to him narrate paint drying and it would be good. One thing I like about this book is there isn’t chapters and chapters of origin story or back story. It says what you need to know about a character or place and moves on. I don’t hear anything extra to fill up listening time. The Battle and The chase chapters were vicious and blunt and at the same time not too gory and graphic. I also liked how this book and the first book tie together. It was a nice job. I recommend this book to anyone who likes easy listening books.

Another excellent adventure

I recently finished The Fallen, and wanted to take a little time to reflect on it and the previous book in the series. Both are excellent examples of novels that translate extremely well to narration. I really enjoyed listening to this book, especially as I had previously realized just how strong the story is even if told in a somewhat different way. The author is up front when he discloses that the book is told as if narrated around a campfire or similar- that is with little to no character dialogue. It works very well for these stories. I really appreciate the attention to detail and thoughtfulness the author puts into his novels. This book parallels the events in The Steading, but with very different characters, events and outcomes. It was very interesting to see how other groups managed the hardships and why the original group in The Steading was so careful about being found. I very much look forward to the third installment and will start it soon.

This is an Excellent Story

This story will give people a very in depth look at how rough living without all the modern items easily available. This story shows how difficult it is to actually live off the land and trying to stay alive. I believe most people have absolutely no idea how difficult it would be. Narration is a storyteller telling the story.

Survival

The Fallen: The Last Days of Mankind by Peter Wood is a great post- apocalyptic survival Science Fiction. Aubrey Parsons did a great job with the narration. The story is entertaining, thrilling, interesting, engaging, exciting, adventurous, and more. Can’t wait for the next book. The Fallen:The Last Days of Manking is the second book in The Steading Trilogy. I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.highly recommended

Before Book One – A Fun, Easy Listen

This prequel fills in the gaps the first book left behind, especially the big question: who exactly are the fallen? It keeps that same cozy-apocalyptic vibe, but with a bit more action—both surviving the elements and surviving the villains. Aubrey Parsons once again delivers a great narration that really carries the story. Overall, a solid 4/5.