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Cybershock
Gridlock
He finds love on the eve of a war he doesn t plan on surviving.
A "Cybershock" Story
Dante knows the price of rebellion. The Grid created him in its likeness, turning him into a killing machine tested, modified and enhanced to be a better citizen . Years may have passed since he escaped that freak show, but the scars are still fresh.
Without the mandatory implant, Steel scrapes by, living free of the Grid s control. When a job goes bad, everyone around her dies, their minds crushed by the notorious Cardinal. But he doesn t kill her. He takes her to a secret lair filled with fascinating, forbidden pre-Grid knowledge. Who is this man ruthless murderer or eccentric loner?
Bad-mannered as she is, Dante can t bring himself to silence the abrasive, cigarette-addicted Steel. Something about her calls to him, though trusting her could be a mistake. Should she betray him, it would wipe out years of patient waiting. Waiting while the Grid hunts him for the priceless information he carries within his living data vault. Waiting while his dish of revenge turns ice cold.
For Dante intends to go back. And this time, he intends to be the only one left standing.
Warning: Contains violence, offensive language, a tattooed woman, a man who s ready to light a few fuses, several variants of the F-word, machines behaving badly, thugs and PVC fashion. But no ninjas. That s for the next book. "
A "Cybershock" Story
Dante knows the price of rebellion. The Grid created him in its likeness, turning him into a killing machine tested, modified and enhanced to be a better citizen . Years may have passed since he escaped that freak show, but the scars are still fresh.
Without the mandatory implant, Steel scrapes by, living free of the Grid s control. When a job goes bad, everyone around her dies, their minds crushed by the notorious Cardinal. But he doesn t kill her. He takes her to a secret lair filled with fascinating, forbidden pre-Grid knowledge. Who is this man ruthless murderer or eccentric loner?
Bad-mannered as she is, Dante can t bring himself to silence the abrasive, cigarette-addicted Steel. Something about her calls to him, though trusting her could be a mistake. Should she betray him, it would wipe out years of patient waiting. Waiting while the Grid hunts him for the priceless information he carries within his living data vault. Waiting while his dish of revenge turns ice cold.
For Dante intends to go back. And this time, he intends to be the only one left standing.
Warning: Contains violence, offensive language, a tattooed woman, a man who s ready to light a few fuses, several variants of the F-word, machines behaving badly, thugs and PVC fashion. But no ninjas. That s for the next book. "
- GenresScience FictionCyberpunk
62 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 30, 2011
50 people want to read
About the author
Nathalie Gray
59 books59 followersMother, spouse, older sister, writer, ex-soldier, high school drop-out, dog owner (or dog owned), half couch potato, half intermittent jogger, wannabe renovator and avid reader who watches too much television, sinks too much money in clothes, likes animals more than humans, recycles, wore braces, never downloads copyrighted stuff, was a nerd without the grades, has a belly laugh that turns heads in theaters, can't stand bullying, is mother hawk more than mother hen, votes even if candidates aren't that great and thinks formal education is highly overrated (probably because she has none).
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 23, 2012
I love Nathalie Gray. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Which is exactly how I started my review of the last title I read by her, but since there aren’t that many authors who fall under this category, I’m letting my repetition slide.
This novella is another example of her gritty, action-paced style. Steel is a pierced, tattooed, fierce young woman, living on her own, watching her back, existing outside the Grid’s influence because she never got one of the implants that most humans now have. She’s trying to save enough money to escape the hellhole she grew up in, and this last job running drugs should be it. Then her psychotic ex Six shows up with his gang. He’s dangerous and unpredictable, and as soon as he spots her, she knows there’s going to be trouble. Though she tries to get away, getting in more than a few hard blows herself, she gets pinned and is on the brink of being raped when a stranger appears on the train. The men recognize him as the Cardinal, a lethal vigilante. The Cardinal proceeds to kill almost all of them, two without ever touching them. Steel tries to escape at the end, but when she inadvertently sees his face, he tells her he can’t leave a witness.
The ride explodes from there, vaulting the reader into one action scene after another, as Steel learns more about this enigmatic man. I could describe more of him, but that would spoil much of the surprise. This novella is too short for me to risk that. I will say that I loved the dichotomy he presents, the soft-spoken, courtly manners in contrast to the killing machine he really is, and that I was rooting for him even before we got into his perspective. Steel fares even better. She has Gray’s typical iron core, reacting in purely human ways without ever looking weak (I can't even begin to describe how much I loved her ultimate confrontation with Six), but through it is this thread of vulnerability that had me hoping for her happy ending as well.
The pace and writing are exemplary, fight scenes well choreographed, the editing clean. But hidden with the action are gems like this, "Her life was a garden of broken little moments." It's lyrical without sacrificing the story's style, and completely encapsulates Steel's character in less than ten words. It's something else to love about this author.
My sole complaint seems to be my typical one when it comes to Gray’s work. It’s too short. She’s so busy creating characters I love in worlds that fascinate me, the story is over just as it feels like it’s beginning. I want more, damn it. There aren’t enough authors out there who write these kind of down-and-dirty heroines or tougher-than-nails heroes in such action-tight sequences. When it comes to Gray, I’m just greedy.
This novella is another example of her gritty, action-paced style. Steel is a pierced, tattooed, fierce young woman, living on her own, watching her back, existing outside the Grid’s influence because she never got one of the implants that most humans now have. She’s trying to save enough money to escape the hellhole she grew up in, and this last job running drugs should be it. Then her psychotic ex Six shows up with his gang. He’s dangerous and unpredictable, and as soon as he spots her, she knows there’s going to be trouble. Though she tries to get away, getting in more than a few hard blows herself, she gets pinned and is on the brink of being raped when a stranger appears on the train. The men recognize him as the Cardinal, a lethal vigilante. The Cardinal proceeds to kill almost all of them, two without ever touching them. Steel tries to escape at the end, but when she inadvertently sees his face, he tells her he can’t leave a witness.
The ride explodes from there, vaulting the reader into one action scene after another, as Steel learns more about this enigmatic man. I could describe more of him, but that would spoil much of the surprise. This novella is too short for me to risk that. I will say that I loved the dichotomy he presents, the soft-spoken, courtly manners in contrast to the killing machine he really is, and that I was rooting for him even before we got into his perspective. Steel fares even better. She has Gray’s typical iron core, reacting in purely human ways without ever looking weak (I can't even begin to describe how much I loved her ultimate confrontation with Six), but through it is this thread of vulnerability that had me hoping for her happy ending as well.
The pace and writing are exemplary, fight scenes well choreographed, the editing clean. But hidden with the action are gems like this, "Her life was a garden of broken little moments." It's lyrical without sacrificing the story's style, and completely encapsulates Steel's character in less than ten words. It's something else to love about this author.
My sole complaint seems to be my typical one when it comes to Gray’s work. It’s too short. She’s so busy creating characters I love in worlds that fascinate me, the story is over just as it feels like it’s beginning. I want more, damn it. There aren’t enough authors out there who write these kind of down-and-dirty heroines or tougher-than-nails heroes in such action-tight sequences. When it comes to Gray, I’m just greedy.
June 20, 2016
Sometime in the future, the computer, after continuing to gather knowledge, takes over "The Grid." Most people are chipped which allows identification (and tracking). Dante has been experimented on. Horribly and frequently. Until he escapes. He uses his time, while free, to plot his revenge and crime-fight.
Steele is an interesting character. She has multiple tattoos and piercings. I liked how layered she is, there's a lot more than seen on the surface. As well as with Dante. For a novella this was well done with the pacing, plot, and yes, Dante's revenge. I enjoyed that.
Steele is an interesting character. She has multiple tattoos and piercings. I liked how layered she is, there's a lot more than seen on the surface. As well as with Dante. For a novella this was well done with the pacing, plot, and yes, Dante's revenge. I enjoyed that.
January 1, 2012
Originally posted at: http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...
Computers and machines have taken over the city and become one big machine controlling everything and everyone. All but a few people have ports in their bodies and these keep them connected to the Grid in the heavily guarded bunker above the city.
Steel is a girl of the streets. She’s avoided having a port inserted in her body and consequently is unknown to the Grid. Struggling to survive she is on a drug delivery run when her violent ex-boyfriend appears with his gang.
The Cardinal’s aim is to rid the city of its evil element and put an end to the grid. He helps Steel escape the thugs. She believes she has also eluded the Cardinal, but wakes to find herself captive in his home. She learns his plans regarding the Grid and fears he will kill her to keep her silent.
This is the second book I have read from the Cybershock series. It is also set in a dark, dirty future city. More scientific than paranormal I enjoyed both setting and characters. I felt sorry for the Cardinal, and Steel was a strong person, everything I’d expect a girl in that situation to be. She did what she had to.
Gridlock: Cybershock is a good story with a definite thread of survival running through it. I believe the end could have been drawn out more, but otherwise this is the best one I’ve read in this series. Well thought out and written, capturing my interest and keeping it. An exciting, short read and a great way to spend a few hours.
Computers and machines have taken over the city and become one big machine controlling everything and everyone. All but a few people have ports in their bodies and these keep them connected to the Grid in the heavily guarded bunker above the city.
Steel is a girl of the streets. She’s avoided having a port inserted in her body and consequently is unknown to the Grid. Struggling to survive she is on a drug delivery run when her violent ex-boyfriend appears with his gang.
The Cardinal’s aim is to rid the city of its evil element and put an end to the grid. He helps Steel escape the thugs. She believes she has also eluded the Cardinal, but wakes to find herself captive in his home. She learns his plans regarding the Grid and fears he will kill her to keep her silent.
This is the second book I have read from the Cybershock series. It is also set in a dark, dirty future city. More scientific than paranormal I enjoyed both setting and characters. I felt sorry for the Cardinal, and Steel was a strong person, everything I’d expect a girl in that situation to be. She did what she had to.
Gridlock: Cybershock is a good story with a definite thread of survival running through it. I believe the end could have been drawn out more, but otherwise this is the best one I’ve read in this series. Well thought out and written, capturing my interest and keeping it. An exciting, short read and a great way to spend a few hours.
September 6, 2011
Nathalie Grey has crafted an incredible world in Gridlock. Set in a dark, gritty city run by an all-powerful AI known as the Grid, the story centers around Steel, a damaged woman who has been fighting all her life to survive, and Dante, a vigilante looking to take revenge against the Grid for all it did to him.
The story is at its strongest when it's focused on the action and on the harsh world in which the two characters find themselves. The writing is visceral and the pace breakneck in the very best of ways, and I loved Gray's descriptions of the city and how it came to be the dangerous, illicit place it is today.
I also really enjoyed the characters, especially Steel, who is as hard as her name would imply. She kicks ass, takes names, and shows no remorse for her actions. If you like a strong female lead, this book is definitely for you.
If I have any criticism at all, it's that the romance felt a little rushed, and while I was enthralled by Dante's backstory, I would have liked more time to get to know him as a character.
That said, I recommend Gridlock without reservation as a past-paced, action-packed romance/adventure set in a unique and thrilling setting.
The story is at its strongest when it's focused on the action and on the harsh world in which the two characters find themselves. The writing is visceral and the pace breakneck in the very best of ways, and I loved Gray's descriptions of the city and how it came to be the dangerous, illicit place it is today.
I also really enjoyed the characters, especially Steel, who is as hard as her name would imply. She kicks ass, takes names, and shows no remorse for her actions. If you like a strong female lead, this book is definitely for you.
If I have any criticism at all, it's that the romance felt a little rushed, and while I was enthralled by Dante's backstory, I would have liked more time to get to know him as a character.
That said, I recommend Gridlock without reservation as a past-paced, action-packed romance/adventure set in a unique and thrilling setting.
March 2, 2017
Romance and sci fi, two of my favorite things. Put them together and I am a happy girl. This author was on a list of lesser known sci fi romance authors to check out, and I will definitely be looking into more of her work. I loved Steel and Dante and their relationship. The author was able to pack of lot of information and characterization into a very short story without it seeming overwhelming. Great read if you're looking for something quick and you're a sci fi/dystopian romance buff like me!
September 14, 2011
NATHALIE GRAY:
i have one thing to say to you - WRITE FASTER!!!!!!!
i have one thing to say to you - WRITE FASTER!!!!!!!
May 1, 2012
This was a great read. Like just about everything Nathalie Gray has written, I enjoyed this and hated to see it end.
February 11, 2015
Nathalie Grey has got me on her hook!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews