I received an ARC copy for free from Quirk Books in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Science has evolved enough to find thanatons or death particles. The rich pay millions to find out when they'll die. Sapere Aude is formed and big bucks are to be had and our protagonist Willy is at the top of his game...well, until he isn't. Pretty soon the middle class can afford to know they'll die and eventually does anyone really, I mean really wanna know?
The algorithm to predict one's death involves a lot of training at first but soon even Willy's job is doable by the grunts. He's soon out of a job. He's still in love with his long ago ex-girlfriend. And his marriage is over and his two boys want nothing to do with him. He's not supposed to predict his own death...that is until a freak accident convinces him to do it. What ensues forces Willy to rethink everything he's ever known and he's running out of time to save himself and quite possibly the world.
I absolutely love the premise of this sci-fi thriller. Big philosophical questions explored through science fiction. I feel like he was trying to be Blake Crouch and unfortunately, he is not. His characters and world-building really fall flat. I honestly had a hard time caring about Willy and the two-dimensional humans he interacted with. It felt like a short story that was bloated for a full-length novel. It had some serious promise but it just wasn't executed well in the end.
I hope his next book has a little more girth to his characters and world. I love his ideas and I loved how he used philosophy and physics to build his story. I'll keep my eye out.
That's too bad, but the premise does sound good.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I was hoping! They made it sound like he was the next Blake Crouch...not he is not.
DeleteNot everyone can be Blake Crouch, it seems. His book Recursion blew me out of my seat, ha. Nonstop action at the end.
ReplyDeleteRight? I've loved everything by Crouch. He knows how to write tight sci-fi thrillers with heart.
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