Year: 2083. Established empires are fading and altered realities embrace a sinister future. Earth’s major remaining governments are now completely powerless in the face of the recently emerged voracious megafirms that now have near virtual reign over every aspect of life. Any who oppose the corporate state are crushed in its ever-expanding shadow.
Beneath the sprawling cities of the wealthy elites, super gangs are pitted against one another in what has become a hyper-kinetic struggle for territorial power in the ravaged urban areas in which just day-to-day survival is a major accomplishment for the less fortunate.
However, small pockets of resistance form, such as the one led by ex-black ops warrior Leonard Kilbane. The grizzled leader struggles to keep his newly banded, motley crew of mercenaries together. But are the formidable forces arrayed against his team and others in revolt, too much to withstand?
Meanwhile, resistance from within the power structure itself emerges in the form of John Hughes and his partner Frank Coletti, both members of the overly oppressive police forces. Their intrepid investigations start to uncover shadowy forces and networks running under the cover of law. What secrets will they uncover and will friend become foe?
Twilight of the Colossus is the first book in the Fading Empires universe, an epic, multi-part tech noir saga.
The fear and determination of Kane’s beleaguered characters jump off the page. Despite the government's near-total control of the masses, some dare to fight against this oppressive society. Los Angeles City Defense Force troopers John Hughes and his partner Frank Coletti open up an investigation into the shady conglomerate Apeaze Entertainment, which is planning the Street Wars gladiatorial games featuring gang members, while ultra forces assassin Blood Wolf leaves his post after killing an executive who was about to publicly criticize her company–and now finds himself hunted by mutants roaming outside the zones. In a parallel storyline, secret agent Leonard Kilbane botches a mission in Istanbul because he cares about collateral damage, launching himself directly onto a crash course with destruction.
As a diverse cast faces down the powers that be, often in raucous and inventive action scenes inspired by video-games, Kane excels in describing a chaotic and toxic society tormented by police brutality, dangerous electrical storms, and black ops assassination squads. At times the plotting gets busy, diminishing some events’ impact, but the urgent storyline of scheming conglomerates whose tentacles reach into every facet of people’s lives remains urgent and compelling throughout.. Readers who like action-packed street-punk anime-touched adventure that never stops will enjoy this vivid, unflattering look at what humanity’s capable of.
Takeaway: Fans of dystopian tech thrillers will enjoy this complex world’s heroes and action.
Great for fans of: Naomi Alderman’s The Power, Matthew .A Goodwin’s Into Neon.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B
Marketing copy: A
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