Some of Gibson’s characters can seem over the top, particularly in light of his well-meaning attempts to diversify his cast. Henry undertakes a vision quest in which the spirit of Crazy Horse warns him about a coming race war; Bur’s children are overly precocious and sometimes a little precious. However, those character choices don’t mar the overall story, which is a fast-paced, immersive, and riveting exploration of the uses of and misuses of surveillance technology and artificial intelligence.
Gibson, whose professional life includes work with machine learning and artificial intelligence, poses tough questions about the role of such technology in civic society, providing enough context for the average reader to understand how it can be used for good or evil. This thriller is an exciting ride from a promising new author, infused with questions about politics, power, and technology.
Takeaway: Fans of technothrillers that comment on current events will love this fast-paced novel and eagerly await the author’s next installment.
Great for fans of Lee Child’s Blue Moon and Mike Maden’s Tom Clancy: Point of Contact.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: -
Editing: B
Marketing copy: C