As strange, unexplainable events happen in rapid succession, readers are in for one wild ride — and a heck of a road trip.
In Last Job: File 3454 by co-authors Zachary Berue and Buck Bloom, two Hunters of the supernatural embark on what they hope is one final mission. Soon, they are caught in a paranormal plane where they face alien spaceships, haunting tarantulas, un-dead cows, omnipotent bees, massive sandworms, nightmare-inducing entities and countless other Cursed beings and strange phenomena. Are they the only ones trapped here? And can they escape alive, with their sanity, and complete their mission?
“We’re Agents, Hunters, from an organization that prevents, searches for, and kills threats to humanity that are better off left as mysteries or folktales to the masses.”
Hunters Mr. Florida Mann and Mr. Bare Grills are tasked with delivering a top-secret briefcase to Zzyzx Healing Springs in California, and they’re ready to wash their hands clean of this job. It should be easy, but after they open the briefcase to reveal a blindingly bright light coming from within, they know this isn’t going to be an ordinary final job. Mann and Grills hit the road toward California, and it isn’t long before their mission grows difficult. Cops are checking for weapons at the state line, and since they’re decked out in dangerous gear and stocked up on ammo, the duo needs to find another route. They’ll take an alternate path: route 3454, heading west.
The situation on route 3454 quickly turns eerie. The road runs in a straight line always, and strange things appear on the side of the highway and lurk outside their vehicle.
“Something is out there. Something big and fast!”
After peculiar encounters with the unexplainable, Mann and Grills rest for the night, swearing to turn back in the morning to continue their mission. But when they wake, there are changes to the world they thought they knew. There is no longer a road behind them, back the way they came. And the sun isn’t shining from one specific location anymore — instead, there is just an expansive glow across the sky. With unnatural daylight and a clear path through the desert, they persevere.
“We’ve stumbled onto another mission, Mann, and the way is always forward.”
So, into the Eldritch Space they proceed, where they experience mind-bending phenomena, face fears, meet unlikely companions and fight an epic boss fight, all while trying to understand the rules that govern this unfamiliar and constantly shifting plane — if there are any.
As time and human experience take on a different quality in this alternate plane, Mann, Grills and their unexpected ally, a Cursed wolf named Daciana, face dangerous encounters and disappearances. They are pushed to their mental limits as they begin to question their reality, each other, and their purpose for being trapped in the Eldritch Space.
As Hunters, Grills and Mann are great at what they do, and they make for an excellent team — even though they tend to get on each other’s nerves more often than not.
At the start, Grills appears experienced and calculating, and Mann seems like he may be a loose cannon. But in a moment of vulnerability around a campfire, Mann and Grills reveal that they both have deeper secrets from dark pasts. They must do whatever they can to protect each other and Daciana, and destroy the forces keeping them trapped in the Eldritch Space.
Despite Mann and Grills’ living being made off of hunting supernatural creatures, both men possess a heartwarming empathy towards the Cursed. “Humanity is a lot stronger than any curse out there … Someone can fight back against the beast within.” Facing trials and tribulations on their journey, Mann, Grills and Daciana face not only the beasts out on the desert road, but the beasts within themselves, their pasts, and their minds.
Fans of The Twilight Zone and The X-Files, or avid D&D players and readers of eldritch horror will adore Last Job: File 3454. Zachary Berue and Buck Bloom have teamed up to create a gripping and humorous adventure novel chock full of movie references. Last Job: File 3454 can’t be categorized into one genre; it would make for an excellent graphic novel. As strange, unexplainable events happen in rapid succession, readers are in for one wild ride — and a heck of a road trip.
Ever since he was little, Zachary Berue was fascinated by stories. He credits his mother for taking the time to read to him each night, sparking a lasting love of books. In high school, he wrote prose and poetry, and had a poem locally published. College forced his perspective wide open in the different novels and literature venues, and also introduced him to tabletop roleplaying games. It was from those games that his love of Science Fiction and Fantasy gained a new dimension. These stories would eventually result in his first novel, Sem’se: A New Beginning. Last Job: File 3454 is his second work of fiction. Check out zacharyberuebooks.com to learn more.
Buck Bloom is a writer who enjoys sharing stories with interesting characters and engaging worlds. The name “Buck Bloom” shares origins with the author’s favorite band, Blue Oyster Cult. Since reading Bunnicula by Deborah and James Howe, Buck has been looking for inspiration to develop stories spanning across many genres. As of writing this little description, Buck has been looking for a platform to share his hobby and grow as an author. You can visit his site at buckbloombooks.com.
Publish Date: 10/26/2024
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal
Page Count: 225 pages
Publisher: Zachary Berue Books
ISBN: 9798991838917