William Bellow is an experienced bug hunter who comes as close as any human to the anticipated Transformation that links man to machine. As he digs into the problems surrounding New London's most advanced programming, the nature of his own memories and the events of his past are called into question. Desperate manipulations and complex deceptions take him from the corporate towers to the underground resistance as Bellow's work quickly escalates into a fight for his life in both the physical and virtual worlds.
Nate Kenyon's latest novel is the techno-thriller Day One (Thomas Dunne/St. Martins Press). Booklist gave it a starred review, calling it "exciting and inventive." Library Journal called it a "must" and Kenyon's "scariest to date."
Kenyon grew up in a small town in Maine. His first novel, Bloodstone, received raves from places as varied as Library Journal, Fangoria, Publishers Weekly, about.com, Cemetery Dance and The Romance Studio, and praise from authors such as Brian Keene, Tim Lebbon, Douglas Clegg, Mort Castle and Rick Hautala. Bloodstone was a Bram Stoker Award finalist and and P&E Novel of the Year Award winner. It was released in paperback from Leisure Books.
Nate's second novel, The Reach, received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, which called it "superb." The Reach is in development as a major motion picture. His third novel, The Bone Factory, and his science fiction novella, Prime, were released in 2009. The Bone Factory was called "masterful" by Booklist, and Shroud Magazine called Prime "a blistering, fast-paced tale."
Nate's fourth novel SPARROW ROCK was also optioned for film. He has written the novel StarCraft Ghost: Spectres, based on the bestselling videogame by Blizzard and published by Pocket Books, and Diablo: The Order, also based on a Blizzard game and published by Gallery Books.
Nate is one of four authors featured in the Dark Arts Books anthology When the Night Comes Down, March 2010.
Nate's dark fiction stories have appeared in various magazines such as Shroud and The Belletrist Review, and in the horror anthologies Terminal Frights, Northern Haunts, Legends of the Mountain State, and Monstrous, among others. Kenyon has worked at the Brookline Public Library in Brookline, Mass. and the Boston College Law School as their Director of Marketing & Communications. He is a member of the Horror Writers Association and International Thriller Writers.
This thin book is "thin" in most respects. Interesting ideas, but nothing truly explored. As mystery, Scooby-Doo exposition never wins my affection. As science fiction, I enjoy these ideas, but "half-baked"(SFSignal.com)is a review I agree with. The prose, which shows brief flashes, feels that way as well.
A character as a clone is interesting, but it does not create an interesting character. Likewise, a novel as clone can be interesting, but only if it can fool you into believing it is unique.
Kenyon has award nominations for Stokers, so I'm inclined to believe he was trying to step out of a comfort zone with this idea. I don't really know.
I think it's a tough task to deliver trans/post human science fiction along with the deeper implications the subject demands. Threading those ideas within an entertaining narrative is a difficult trick.
Gorgeous cover by Katja Faith. katjafaith.deviantart.com
Nate Kenyon’s short futuristic novel is a quick read and a perfect book to read while you are on the road. The slightly larger than normal print makes reading the book very easy on the eyes. The tale takes place in the not too distant future and it focuses on the problems and benefits of the mixing of man and machine. I found the book to be at times predictable but at other times the plot turned and made me rethink my first guess. I like this, because I felt like I was moving through the story with the characters, at times knowing what was happening and then being surprised…which is what happens very often in real life. I look forward to more science fiction books from Mr. Kenyon as he improves his craft.
Four -- maybe 4 1/2. Not my usual genre (futuristic), but still an enjoyable, well-written piece. I would recommend it. It was definitely "different," but I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.
Very well written but the subject matter just wasn't for me. Reminded me of an updated Blade Runner but I struggled with the technical details and tech talk.
This was strangely disturbing reading, though a little too complex to grasp in a single sitting, despite its length. Certainly an author to take note of.