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Paris Pharrell is the successful playboy CEO of a giant corporation called Styex in the year 2041. He and his best friends and sometimes lovers Cory and Samantha enjoy elaborate meals and flirtatious conversation as they travel around the world until society collapses around them. Global war breaks out and even spreads to the new Mars colony. The three friends realize that the conflict is in danger of destroying the entire Earth. After a brief time of being enlisted in the fighting, Paris begins to suspect rival corporation Rubion instigated this war. Paris, Cory, and Samantha work to uncover Rubion’s plans, and their search requires travel to the moon and Mars. They discover that Rubion’s machinations run deep and involve their own lives, as well as the fate of the entire world.
This slim novella ambitiously packs a lot of action and plot points into a small amount of space. The author’s worldbuilding is fascinating, as are the few hints at what kinds of technology this future holds, such as the mech suits in which Paris and other soldiers wage war. The fast-paced story does not take the time to explain or dwell on these features, however, and the characters’ dialogue often becomes expository instead of conversational to explain what has passed in the more rushed scenes. The writing is almost staccato in style, which gives the narrative a cut-and-dry Hemingway tone in some parts. This story presents an interesting world but with enough mystery about it to leave more questions than answers by the end. The plot’s many twists and turns keep readers guessing.