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Glitch In The Machine by Edgar Swamp
It’s 2025. The United States is in the shadow of a puppet government run by giant corporations, and the 99 percent live without rights or the protection of government regulations, fully at the mercy of the 1 percent. Among the most powerful entities are the pharmaceutical suppliers, the weapons manufacturers, and insurance companies, which rake in massive fortunes because of the mandatory insurance requirements, but never pay out. But if you think this status quo seems unhinged, just wait until Floyd’s drug use explodes and he has an illicit affair with a coworker. Floyd’s world continues to unravel when, suddenly, he realizes that someone is trying to kill him. A fast-paced, in-your-face, rollicking roller-coaster ride to hell and back, Glitch In The Machine immerses readers in a world that’s so off balance, you won’t know whom to root for. It’s over-the-top political satire at its most fearsome.
Paperback
First published April 20, 2015
204 people want to read
About the author
Edgar Swamp
4 books143 followersEdgar Swamp's stories have appeared in Death Head Grin, Alienskin, Macabre Cadaver, and Urban Reinventors. He currently resides in San Diego, California. He is the author of The Gyre Mission: Journey to the *sshole of the World, a horror/environmental tale, and Glitch in the Machine, a dystopian political thriller. Read the Kirkus review here: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...
Swamp's latest novel is Amber Hollow, an unconventional horror story that reads like a whodunit. It has already garnered praise from advance copies. You can read an excerpt on my website, www.edgarswamp.com.
Hi last novel was a crime/satire/thriller called Blackout: The Life and Sordid Times of Bobby Travis. When a Mexican drug cartel abducts drug addict Bobby Travis' daughter, he has to slay his many chemical demons to try and save her. More info at his Amazon Author central Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/edgarswamp
Past news: Check out his page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Edgaraaronsw... and Like it. Also, preview an audio sample of the author reading a chapter from The Gyre Mission. Or click on this link:
http://bookmkr.audioacrobat.com/downl... Let him know if you like it!
Check out this link: http://www.fascinatingauthors.com/fea... to read an interview with Edgar Swamp. Also, see what Kirkus reviews had to say at https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...
If they liked it, you might too! Kat at www.bibliobabes.ca wrote an awesome review. Check it out!
Swamp's latest novel is Amber Hollow, an unconventional horror story that reads like a whodunit. It has already garnered praise from advance copies. You can read an excerpt on my website, www.edgarswamp.com.
Hi last novel was a crime/satire/thriller called Blackout: The Life and Sordid Times of Bobby Travis. When a Mexican drug cartel abducts drug addict Bobby Travis' daughter, he has to slay his many chemical demons to try and save her. More info at his Amazon Author central Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/edgarswamp
Past news: Check out his page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Edgaraaronsw... and Like it. Also, preview an audio sample of the author reading a chapter from The Gyre Mission. Or click on this link:
http://bookmkr.audioacrobat.com/downl... Let him know if you like it!
Check out this link: http://www.fascinatingauthors.com/fea... to read an interview with Edgar Swamp. Also, see what Kirkus reviews had to say at https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...
If they liked it, you might too! Kat at www.bibliobabes.ca wrote an awesome review. Check it out!
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 22, 2016
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
There is lots to love about Glitch in the Machine by Edgar Swamp. I've always enjoyed satire, even if I'm not able to fully grasp the extent to which the author is speaking.
Floyd is both likable and detestable as he tries to navigate the world that he's just had his eyes opened to. I enjoyed watching him struggle to understand and make sense of all that was happening around him.
The present day application can easily be seen, but honestly, if you want to close your eyes to it and just enjoy the action packed ride that Edgar Swamp takes you on, it's a fun and exciting dystopian adventure in and of itself.
Excellent writing, thorough plot, and an ending that left me surprised and content all at the same time.
There is lots to love about Glitch in the Machine by Edgar Swamp. I've always enjoyed satire, even if I'm not able to fully grasp the extent to which the author is speaking.
Floyd is both likable and detestable as he tries to navigate the world that he's just had his eyes opened to. I enjoyed watching him struggle to understand and make sense of all that was happening around him.
The present day application can easily be seen, but honestly, if you want to close your eyes to it and just enjoy the action packed ride that Edgar Swamp takes you on, it's a fun and exciting dystopian adventure in and of itself.
Excellent writing, thorough plot, and an ending that left me surprised and content all at the same time.
May 23, 2015
Glitch in the Machine
Edgar Swamp
As an avid reader of science fiction books I do tend to get myself more involved in the post apocalyptic and dystopian subsets of the genre – there is something fascinating about near future science fiction, like an excitement before a presentation or nerves before an interview. A feeling that this could actually happen accompanied with a sense of imminence. So as I read that “Glitch in the machine” was a dystopian novel set in the near future I got goose bumps and looked forward to reading it immensely.
The story is set in the near future where corporations run everything and the 1%, the wealthy elite, prosper. This, of course, leaves the 99% to not prosper and our main protagonist is trying to eke a living.
By the time I got to Chapter Ten I was seriously questioning my own sanity. Why was I continuing to read this diatribe? The author, Edgar Swamp, had seemingly combined all conspiracy theories from the Internet and combined them into the background of the novel and inserted the worst of humanity into the character build of the main protagonist, an incredibly dislikeable character, Floyd.
Some of the sequences had me literally gagging as the protagonist was definitely not being set up to be anyone you feel sorry for which is a skill of the author, by the time you reach the end of the book you do have some sympathy for Floyd which is quite a feat.
At one stage you end up facing passages written by someone clearly reaching, possessing a scant and inaccurate view of transvestism and homosexuality which I found to stretch the credibility somewhat.
On the plus side, the pace of the book started to increase and clearly the strength of the author lies in writing action sequences. These were great and a real joy to read, those chapters held real page turners and I was genuinely curious to see what happened next. The book was starting to get some real rhythm and pace now so my initial disappointment was abated.
The ending, that I will not belabour, started to become as obvious as an oncoming train and I was powerless to do anything, predicting a wreck and silently screaming, “No, please, no”.
Overall, the first few chapters could do with some serious thought from an editor, in my opinion it is possible to achieve the same goal quicker, adding some of Floyd’s happier times would retain reader interest and lessen the overpowering feeling of negativity. The section in the gay bar didn’t really have to be there and it added nothing to the story other than an apparently exotic setting, if it was to be there have some accuracy. As for the ending, there are a couple of ways that could be improved, making it more straightforward wouldn't necessarily detract from the books aim and might lessen the feeling I had of being cheated.
Would I recommend this? I wouldn't recommend it as a must read book. If you were a friend of mine and were at a loss of something to read I may suggest it. If you are curious, give it a go.
Edgar Swamp
As an avid reader of science fiction books I do tend to get myself more involved in the post apocalyptic and dystopian subsets of the genre – there is something fascinating about near future science fiction, like an excitement before a presentation or nerves before an interview. A feeling that this could actually happen accompanied with a sense of imminence. So as I read that “Glitch in the machine” was a dystopian novel set in the near future I got goose bumps and looked forward to reading it immensely.
The story is set in the near future where corporations run everything and the 1%, the wealthy elite, prosper. This, of course, leaves the 99% to not prosper and our main protagonist is trying to eke a living.
By the time I got to Chapter Ten I was seriously questioning my own sanity. Why was I continuing to read this diatribe? The author, Edgar Swamp, had seemingly combined all conspiracy theories from the Internet and combined them into the background of the novel and inserted the worst of humanity into the character build of the main protagonist, an incredibly dislikeable character, Floyd.
Some of the sequences had me literally gagging as the protagonist was definitely not being set up to be anyone you feel sorry for which is a skill of the author, by the time you reach the end of the book you do have some sympathy for Floyd which is quite a feat.
At one stage you end up facing passages written by someone clearly reaching, possessing a scant and inaccurate view of transvestism and homosexuality which I found to stretch the credibility somewhat.
On the plus side, the pace of the book started to increase and clearly the strength of the author lies in writing action sequences. These were great and a real joy to read, those chapters held real page turners and I was genuinely curious to see what happened next. The book was starting to get some real rhythm and pace now so my initial disappointment was abated.
The ending, that I will not belabour, started to become as obvious as an oncoming train and I was powerless to do anything, predicting a wreck and silently screaming, “No, please, no”.
Overall, the first few chapters could do with some serious thought from an editor, in my opinion it is possible to achieve the same goal quicker, adding some of Floyd’s happier times would retain reader interest and lessen the overpowering feeling of negativity. The section in the gay bar didn’t really have to be there and it added nothing to the story other than an apparently exotic setting, if it was to be there have some accuracy. As for the ending, there are a couple of ways that could be improved, making it more straightforward wouldn't necessarily detract from the books aim and might lessen the feeling I had of being cheated.
Would I recommend this? I wouldn't recommend it as a must read book. If you were a friend of mine and were at a loss of something to read I may suggest it. If you are curious, give it a go.
May 23, 2015
Swamp proves once again that he is a highly skilled writer. He has the ability to draw you in and keep you engaged, making it hard to put the book down.
I was excited to see the premise for this book, as I closely follow current politics. Living in Wisconsin under Gov. Scott Walker's rule, what's written in this book doesn't seem that far fetched, sadly. It's easy to see how this could be a reality should we let someone like Walker run the country.
As much as I enjoyed the book, I think Swamp could have shortened the first few chapters. Instead of listing all of the ways in which society is different than what we know today, he could have been integrated that into the story more. A couple chapters of background would have been sufficient.
Once you get past the background, the story, which is action packed, picks up momentum and doesn't stop.
If you like political satire and action, I highly recommend reading Glitch!
I was excited to see the premise for this book, as I closely follow current politics. Living in Wisconsin under Gov. Scott Walker's rule, what's written in this book doesn't seem that far fetched, sadly. It's easy to see how this could be a reality should we let someone like Walker run the country.
As much as I enjoyed the book, I think Swamp could have shortened the first few chapters. Instead of listing all of the ways in which society is different than what we know today, he could have been integrated that into the story more. A couple chapters of background would have been sufficient.
Once you get past the background, the story, which is action packed, picks up momentum and doesn't stop.
If you like political satire and action, I highly recommend reading Glitch!
June 1, 2015
I absolutely adored this book. Swamp has created a believable dystopia of political and corporate greed run amok, and the simple fact is that it's not an entirely far-fetched future (which makes it all the more disturbing). Our protagonist, while being an entirely reprehensible fiend, somehow manages to garner our sympathy; your find yourself rooting for the SOB, and ultimately caring deeply for him. it takes serious writing chops to do something like that. The story was fast-paced, there was action a-plenty, and tons of surprise twists and turns. I can't recommend Glitch In The Machine enough, and if you like your books edgy, excting, and incredibly smart, pick it up!
June 19, 2015
I took back my own four-star review and gave it five because it deserves it. Watch the video of my interview with World Finance; even though they ask if it is 'fear based scare-mongering" I admire them for their interest! Thanks Jenny! Also, take a look at the Kirkus review; apparently they understood what direction I was going in with this book and thought it was an intelligent, obscene, and astonishing read. Check it out here: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...
August 2, 2015
Very well written. Very imaginative, very descriptive. Kept me turning pages. Exciting. A dire commentary on the current/future state of the health care/economic system. Sometimes shocking; makes you think and analyze. Pretty graphic at times - the writer does not hold back. I would give it 5 stars, but there are some typos and I didn't totally like the ending. But I liked it very much, and enjoyed reading it.
May 9, 2015
very good read
January 9, 2020
A particularly nasty dystopia, but it was sufficiently over the top to be amusing for the first half of the book. The plot became increasingly unrealistic after that, and as a result I enjoyed the last half considerably less.
August 2, 2015
This book is graphic (violence) but oh so creative and chilling and very well written. A page turner that is full of plenty of twists and well developed characters. Just when you think you have it figured out, the road takes a big turn and off you go. Its ideas on society, human nature and the battle between good and evil bring up many deep and thought provoking points. The character development is what makes this book come alive. There are many layers to the story to contemplate, even after you put the book down. This book, literally, has it all suspense, terror, horror, romance, redemption, and more. Good versus evil in an imaginative yet almost too futuristic scenario. The characters are well thought out and come together to create a gripping saga. The thought of something so horrible happening in our own future is horrifying, but could this be in the realm of possibility? And that makes it even scarier. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a well-crafted story and the ending will take many by surprise.
June 21, 2015
Review: GLITCH IN THE MACHINE by Edgar Swamp
There exists Dystopia, and then there is DYSTOPIA.
The genre has always been a particular interest of mine, but generally although lives are miserable and society is seriously skewed, somehow, somewhere, hope remains, no matter how small. But a few Dystopian writers have looked deeply in the Abyss: Shirley Jackson's THE LOTTERY; Orwell's 1984; Goldman's LORD OF THE FLIES. Edgar Swamp's GLITCH IN THE MACHINE makes 1984 seem like a stroll in a sunny park, and LORD OF THE FLIES like an outdoor picnic for friends. It doesn't get more Dystopian than this. Enough said.
There exists Dystopia, and then there is DYSTOPIA.
The genre has always been a particular interest of mine, but generally although lives are miserable and society is seriously skewed, somehow, somewhere, hope remains, no matter how small. But a few Dystopian writers have looked deeply in the Abyss: Shirley Jackson's THE LOTTERY; Orwell's 1984; Goldman's LORD OF THE FLIES. Edgar Swamp's GLITCH IN THE MACHINE makes 1984 seem like a stroll in a sunny park, and LORD OF THE FLIES like an outdoor picnic for friends. It doesn't get more Dystopian than this. Enough said.
Want to read
September 14, 2015I won this book from Goodreads First Reads. Review coming soon.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews