Skip to Main Content

RPL Author Series: Home

Ross Pendergraft Library is proud to present...

 

Janet Ake, author of The Last Protector

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24TH, 6:00 PM

RPL Author Series

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

RPL Room 300B

Janet Ake will discuss her newly published book, a post-apocalyptic novel titled The Last Protector. After the presentation, she would be honored to personally autograph any copies of her books. For more information, email lheffley@atu.edu or call 479-964-0546.

JANET AKE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Janet Ake has always loved words and the stories they create. That's why reading and books have always been two of her favorite things. It's no surprise that she grew up to become a librarian. Retired now, she has the time to pursue her other favorites like hiking, snorkeling, and writing. 

Born in southern California and raised in southern Oregon, Janet and her family moved to Havana, Arkansas, where she completed high school. She furthered her education with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. 

She taught school in Arkansas, Texas, and Oklahoma before finding her true calling as a librarian. Later, after raising two sons with her husband, Jim, and moving to Dallas, Janet returned to school and earned a Master's of Library Science from the University of North Texas in Denton.

Specializing as a Youth Services Librarian, Janet found employment in the public library in Farmers Branch, where she initiated a number of innovative programs for teens. Her efforts won her the Young Adult Library Services Association conference grant from the American Library Association. 

After they retired, Jim and Janet returned to Yell County, where they promptly went back to work; Jim at the Chamberlyne Country Club and Janet as a librarian and classroom teacher with the Western Yell School District. In 2007, she was named Walmart Teacher of the Year for Yell County.

Permanently retired now, they have backpacked sections of the Appalachian and the Pacific Crest Trails, traveled as often as possible, and enjoyed golfing and fishing. 

Janet teaches water aerobics, gardens, and tries to keep up with all the stories in her head. She thanks you for supporting her writing efforts.

 

 

About the book

REVIEWED BY Bekah Malik, Reedsy Discovery

Loved it!
"A gripping post-apocalyptic tale of survival, loyalty, and forbidden truth, this story is as heart-wrenching as it is unforgettable."
SYNOPSIS
A dying world. A treacherous mission. A shattering revelation. Protectors are the last defense between survival and extinction, trained from birth to serve without question. But when Ezander is sent into the deadly Thaay-inhabited Wastelands, he faces more than blinding sandstorms, vicious yippers, and venomous fangers. He uncovers a secret too dangerous to know, and the woman he loves has been branded a traitor. In a world built on lies, trusting the wrong person could be the last thing he ever does. Can he save Mylia and himself before time runs out?

"In The Last Protector, Janet Ake crafts a gripping post-apocalyptic narrative steeped in danger, devotion, and quiet defiance. Centered on Ezander, a young cadet on the cusp of being sworn in as a Protector, the story delves deep into the heart of a crumbling world—one ravaged by mutation, secrecy, and betrayal. But beneath the harshness of the Wastelands and the unrelenting drills of Protector training lies something far more compelling: the fragile, human yearning for connection, truth, and hope.

Told in immersive first-person, Ezander's voice is intimate and deeply emotive. Ake masterfully balances internal monologue and world detail, maintaining a fast pace while grounding readers in the emotional stakes. The worldbuilding is seamless, revealing the intricacies of Protector society—its rigid expectations, its brutal discipline, and its fear of anything "abnormal"—without overwhelming exposition.

What elevates The Last Protector is its emotional complexity. The sibling bond between Ezander and his twin brother Elek provides a powerful backbone to the story, their closeness a rare and tender constant amid violence and uncertainty. Equally poignant is Ezander's longing for Mylia, the girl whose presence haunts his dreams and whose fate becomes a focal point of tension and dread. Ake doesn't shy away from emotional depth; Ezander's anguish, loyalty, and guilt are palpable, and these vulnerabilities make his bravery feel hard-won.

Though the novel is filled with action—vicious yipper attacks, survival in unforgiving terrain, and threats that push characters to their limits—it also offers quiet moments of reflection and internal struggle. Themes of identity, suppression, and the cost of conformity are woven into the fabric of Ezander's journey. In a world that punishes those who feel too deeply, his hidden abilities and moral clarity are acts of resistance in themselves.

The Last Protector is as much about enduring love and loyalty as it is about rebellion. Readers looking for a richly written, emotionally charged post-apocalyptic tale will find much to admire. It's a story of pain and perseverance, where survival depends not only on strength but also on the courage to face the truth—no matter how dangerous it may be."