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Juan McCormack is an alcoholic who lost his family and job because of his drinking. He is also the only person who realizes a prolific serial killer has been operational for decades and somehow uses others to commit the crimes. Both the victim and the “killer” die due to the crime. After being fired, McCormack’s ex-wife and daughter are killed in an accident. He suspects the serial killer but is too drunk and afraid to follow up. However, when a woman named Dee is arrested for murder, he sees the pattern and is amazed that she has survived. McCormack breaks her out of jail with the assistance of a tech-savvy friend. They realize the serial killer is using the web and people’s personal implants to control others. The heroes are outmatched. Their only hope lies in an imprisoned rogue AI.
McBee is an inventive author fans of science fiction and post-cyberpunk genres should follow. His writing is descriptive, enthralling, and offers a vision of the future both frightening and believable. There are hints here of Philip K. Dick, Neal Stephenson, and William Gibson. This work is sure to delight and entertain fans of the genre. The few grammatical errors aren’t really that noticeable, and the only possible narrative issues are an antagonist who falls victim to the same clichés as most overconfident villains and protagonists who need a bit more depth. Overall, though, the author’s command over the subject matter and his ability to effectively explain and help the reader visualize complex technologies set him apart from the crowd. McBee’s novel is easy to recommend to fans of the genre and will likely also appeal to those with only a passing interest in science fiction.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review