Rx: A Tale of Electronegativity

Rx: A Tale of Electronegativity #1-3

by Robert Brockway

Red is a chemical beta tester. It's a nice way of saying 'professional drug addict.'

But that’s not a problem: Everybody in the Four Posts is nursing an addiction to something. In fact, the city's entire economy is based on Presence -- a chemical hallucinogen that lets the user peek into history. Red’s talent for mixing new and interesting narcotic concoctions is usually good for a quick buck and a cheap laugh, but this time something's gone wrong, and after huffing a new prototype strain of Presence from Hockner Industries, he's awoken to find himself in violation of a Non-Disclosure Agreement.

A crime punishable by death.

His only hope for salvation lies in a mysterious contact with all the answers and seemingly infinite resources. But to get to him, Red must first navigate the claustrophobic theater of the 'Wells, where nobody is what they seem to be, escape the clutches of a mad, phallus-obsessed ghetto king, and seek protection from the murderous grey boatmen, all while his frightening and increasingly real hallucinations tear him apart from the inside out. With the help of QC, a walking nanotech factory, and Byron, an upper-class slacker literally addicted to the past, Red must discover what the strange experimental drug is doing to his mind. And he better be quick about it, before the pair of sinister, faceless recovery agents, the Alpha Gentlemen, catch up to him…and burn him alive.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Cyberpunk, Humor, Dystopia, Book Club, Horror

340 pages, Trade Paperback

First published August 16, 2012

About the author

I am Robert Brockway. I wrote The Vicious Circuit trilogy from Tor Books. I wrote Rx: A Tale of Electronegativity. I wrote Everything is Going to Kill Everybody. I am but a man.

Reviews

[Sam Darley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Putting the 'Dick' after Philip K.. Philip K. Dick-jokes? I don't know. I came to this book both as a fan of Brockway's writing for Cracked, and of science fiction in general. I really, really enjoyed this book, from the setting and premise, through the characters that make the story, to the style and humour with which it's done. With subjects like nano-technology and drugs that mess with time, it would be all to easy for an author to fall back on cheap deus-ex resolutions for every conflict, but I'm pleased to say that that doesn't really happen here. Everything feels consistent and fair, carried along by a good sense of self-awareness from both the characters within the world, and Brockway himself.
One thing in particular that I'd like to point out is the excellent female characters here. I found both Zippy and QC to be enjoyable, funny, and interesting to read due to their personalities and attitudes. It feels like a silly thing to praise, but I really want to highlight and applaud this.

If you have a Kindle or a pair of reading gloves and are at all interested in the idea of a chaotic adventure through the slums of a nano-built dystopian future with a mixed bag of lovable junkies and psychopaths, I highly recommend that you read this book.

[Jp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recently reread this book, still gets a five star from me but with a better understanding of the book's strengths. Chief among them is the masterful work in establishing the setting: a colossal building nearly alien in its construction yet aggressively human in how people interact with it. No future tech is taken for granted, every aspect is worked through the lens of being a part of everyday life for the public and it makes for a weirder and better setting as a result. The author does a great job working in exposition naturally, which is good because there's a lot of it. If, like me, you love to be told minor details about how a world functions this is to the book's credit and if you don't love that, maybe skip this one.

The characters are also a major strength. I'm a sucker for a character who has a clear want but whose flaws prevent them from attaining those wants and just about everyone fits the bill in some way. Motivations are clear and rational but everyone's worldview comes in clear through their actions. Sci fi books can fall prey to characters acting in service of the plot rather than the plot arising from the characters and this book is firmly in the latter category.

With the world and characters this strong, the rest of the book kind of just falls into place. It's natural, it's comfortable, it's goofy, and something about it is just refreshing. Highly recommend.

[Derek Pennycuff · Rating 3 out of 5]

In my review of This Book is Full of Spiders I mention that David Wong somehow makes absurd things work within the context of the story. Brockway hasn't quite hit Wong's level of talent in this area. And I honestly think it may be the setting of Rx lacks grounding in the mundane world we find in Wong's books. Every element of these characters' lives is bizarre. Perhaps they respond in recognizably human ways (including accepting a lot of the most bizarre stuff as simply part of their lives). But as a reader I struggle to find enough familiar hooks to hang my attention on so that I can identify with the characters and get sucked into the story. By the time the plot gets going I'm not quite ready to accept drug induced time shifted bilocation — pretty much the lynchpin of the premise — offered without explanation. I'm a bit more willing to accept other fantastic elements of the story like nanobots 'cos they have been established in pop culture.

I think this story fell into a sort of uncanny valley. Were it expanded a bit with the time travelling drugs explained and the setting established a bit more deeply then it could have worked really well. Instead the audience is thrown into the action and we've just gotta accept a lot of story elements on faith. This can work well too. For example, this could have been a 30 page story called Abraham Lincoln: Dinosaur Hunter that would have been one of the greatest things ever written.

[Ty Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rx is one of the most in depth science fiction novels that I've read in a while. The author went great lengths to explain how every bit of nano-technology and drug worked in the small world of the Four Posts. Despite it all, I never really grasped the concept about how the gas really worked in transporting people to different time lines. Nevertheless, the beginning and middle of the novel was fantastic despite the occasional area were things started to make no sense at all. What really brought me down was the abrupt ending to the whole story. It left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth even though I do enjoy open endings to stories.
In the end, Brockway tells a great story and I look forward to his next book.

[Bekaadizi Aandeg · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a year since I've read it, and I can't get it out of my head. I'm not a fan of excessive in-world languages and slang, which make stories almost impossible to follow. In this case, we're dealing with a society so different than our own, that the slang made the story doubly hard to follow at first. But it kept drawing me in, and it's such a rich world that I can't seem to forget it.

Because Robert Brockway is a Cracked author, I've seen some reviewers comparing him to David Wong. While 'John Dies at the End' is a fun read, it didn't really stay with me. It doesn't haunt me at all. If I were asked to select which book is destined to be a classic, it would be'RX'. It's that kind of book.

[J Wren · Rating 3 out of 5]

is a runner up for best cursing in a book.

[Alleson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It just...didn't end. I was super into the entire thing (though I had presentiments that I might not be entirely satisfied), and then we get to the climax and!

[Boho Rivera · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite Sci fi books ever. I've must have reread it four times by now and it's probably going be my next read. I find myself coming back to it again and again for a few reasons. Its unique future speculation of a society housed in what I can only assume are continent spanning super structures. Its dark themes of humanity and its relationship with technology/drugs. But I'd say my favorite thing next to the trippy visuals are the characters. Unique to their world as extensions of it while remaining compelling and grippingly human. My favorite being Byron who you'd be hard pressed to find a similar character due to his relation to the unique world building but also manages to struggle his way through it like a stranger. Highly recommend. Though it can be disturbing and gross I'd describe it best as Grotesque Psychedelic Sci Fi.

[Dea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was the book perfect? No. There was the weak ending, the scattering of POVs, the fudging of the facts around Presence, the unanswered questions, etc. But it was still a very entertaining read!

How entertaining was it? Entertaining enough that I found myself slowing down and rereading sections of dialogue just to give myself more time to giggle at this or that ridiculous uttering. I would pause between paragraphs to better imagine this or that ridiculous setting. I wanted to put the book down between chapters so I could focus on the silliness being described, but the temptation of wanting to find out what happened next almost always won.

Was this book perfect? No. Will I pick up other books by Brockway and keep an eye out for new ones? You bet I will!

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Tale of Elective Neurochemistry

Inventive and readable to be sure, ultimately it all felt a little underdeveloped for me as a narrative. The allusions to the place and world were nicely done, not to mention it's dedication to the theme of institutionalised, regulated everyday addiction.

All interesting ideas in a tale not short of them, but the end result just wasn't compelling for this reader. The characters feel only just about sketched out, outlines more than fully realised inhabitants for the most part. The plot makes a few interesting turns then feels like it makes a sudden turn to nowhere.

Ultimately it's a brief stroll with some nice ideas that could have been taken further. As a slice of cyberpunk (chemopunk?) it does stand out but just not enough for me.

[Xavier Hugonet · Rating 5 out of 5]

First published as a series of novellas, then collected in this revised edition, Rx was the first effort of Cracked.com’s contributor Robert Brockway (a very accessible author, by the way)

Much like his colleague Dave Wong (John Dies at the End), Brockway manages to credibly weave (sometimes absurd) humor and a compelling story.

We get reminiscences from Philip K. Dick and William Gibson in this bio-cyberpunk story set in a dystopian future society. It’s with great delight that we follow protagonists hooked on cyber tech and various drugs, some messing with time itself, in a story hard to describe with little words.

However, beware. Brockway can be fun, but he also can be cruel. It’s a dystopia, after all.

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite put, this book requires some thought to keep up, but it's worth it. Brockway does a dazzling job presenting a detailed world so far in the future, the technology truly comes across like magic, and many experiences in day to day life that are known of now are set forth for the reader in this far distant timeline, so advanced and beyond our comfort that I'm not sure we could really even compare the two. The characters are all interesting and most are very likeable and fun to read about. Finally, the plot, as stated earlier, can wind about a bit, but it pays off in the end.

All things considered, I'm looking forward to reading the rest of his catelogue.

[Ron · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit slow to start, muddled at times, and felt a bit rushed towards the end. I found myself really engrossed in the end of the book, and wishing that it had happened sooner. That said, there is no denying that Brockway is a talented writer.

Having first heard of, and read Brockway on CRACKED.com some years ago, I was fan of his already. I wanted to read this book the moment it was first published in its completed form. It took some time to get around to it, but this book is definitely worth picking up.

Brockway has a knack for creating great characters, though I feel like this book suffered

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've reviewed other of Robert Brockway's books, so there's not much more I can say. Like everything else he writes, this book is madcap entertainment in the best possible vein. I've described Brockway's style as pure punk rock, and RX fits the bill. The only thing I can add about RX as opposed to his other work is that the ending shocked the hell out of me. I did NOT see it coming. Shymalan who?

[Angelo Benito · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starts slow, but the familiar world Brockway always builds quickly comes into view. There are a lot of terms that are native to the world in the book, so you have to pay attention. Great world building and very likeable characters.

[Rusty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I tried, but I just couldn't get into this. Unlike The Vicious Circuit series, which I love, this just didn't hold my attention.

No fault of the author; just not my thing. Keep writing, man!

[Wordwinder · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt like some things went over my head because I'm not into the drug scene, but I'm a sucker for a neat plot idea and a fun main character.

[Rav Sav · Rating 3 out of 5]

Frantic. Crass. Fun.

[Dilley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Early brockway, start of a legend

[gilesdavis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little clunky, definitely not as polished as Carrier Wave, but a thoroughly enjoyable cyberpunk affair.

[Tom Cash · Rating 5 out of 5]

RX: A Tale of Electronegativity is easily the best science fiction novel I’ve read in the better part of a decade. While perusing authors recommended to those who enjoy David Wong, Carlton Merrick III, and Robert Jeremy Johnson, I discovered this novel, and downloaded a sample to my Kindle. I got through maybe five pages before I knew I had to buy this book. When introduced to a protagonist who has woken up in the sewers without pants or underwear as a result of being too stoned for pants to be an option, there’s little option - you’ve just got to see how this plays out.

This story takes place in an indeterminate place in the future, in a mega city which is housed entirely in some sort of gigantic tower capable of housing hundreds of thousands of permanent citizens. A vast majority of the population are impoverished and live in tiny, makeshift homes – space is a commodity more valuable than money in this world, and the more power you have wrested from the hands of others, the more space you can claim. People have died over mere feet of space. Meanwhile, thousands of feet up, as the peak of this massive tower, the ultra-rich live in spacious mansions that flaunt their access to open space, not only in their size and sparse décor, but also in their use of reinforced glass floors and walls. Those who were born in the claustrophobic sprawl of the lower city – particularly the levels known as the Blackouts (presumably named because the only light available down there is artificial) find the open sky terrifying of these mansion, not for the height, but rather for the open space.

Most people are addicted to custom drug cocktails mixed by skilled chem artists – such as Redding “Red” Firth, the story’s protagonist – which are then printed onto cards which can be pressed against a panel embedded in the skin, which releases the drugs into their system. One of the most popular drugs – and the principle form of entertainment in the city – is a class of drug known as Gas. Gases come in two flavors – a passive experience, and an interactive one. These gases seem to literally transport the user back in time to experience a period in history. Regardless of the era, nothing anyone does – murder, theft, or worse – seems to have any impact on the course of history, so nobody worries about it. Either it’s all just a hallucination, or time “resets itself”. Either way, it is very common for huge groups of people to attend arena matches in which historical figures are pitted against one another, or massive predatory creatures; a particularly popular strain of gas is Abe Lincoln fighting various powerful woodland creatures, such as bears. It turns out that Lincoln is a viciously aggressive and effective fighter. More often than not, he wins, or the fight ends in a draw when both parties die.

When Red starts having severe and extremely unusual hallucinations from having beta-tested a gas mixture for a massive corporation, he begins making the slow journey upwards from the deadly sewers, which are filled with awful cyborgs created by a deranged janitor who has been banished to the lowermost levels, all the way up through the ‘Wells - massive, seemingly endless stairwells which were once part of a public transit system, generations ago – up into the Industry sector, and finally to the upper levels, where the mansions are located. To make matters worse, due to having violated one of the terms of the NDA he signed when agreeing to beta test the gas, Red is being chased by deadly, faceless assassins known as A-Gents.

This book is fast-paced, exciting, entertaining, and full of dark humor. To assign a genre to this book is difficult, since I don’t think Drugpunk is a thing; if it isn’t, I’m coining it now. While we’re at it, let’s go ahead and call it nanopunk or post-nanopunk, since either shoe fits nicely. Any fan of dark humor, sci-fi, or psychedelic drug fiction will thoroughly enjoy this book from cover to cover.

[Kerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hands down some of the finest world building I have ever read. However, I wish the plot had received as much attention. I spent the entire book wanting to know more about the world and not caring at all about where the plot went.

[Glenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a ride

I loved that there wasn't a lot of over explaining of the tech involved. However I did have some small but irritated beef with a few instances of incorrect use of anatomy terms. Those areas would have benefited better from the same brevity given the tech.

Aside from that it was an exciting and captivating story and Brock has most definitely earned me as a big fan. I look forward to more.

[Dean Lewis · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was originally released as a trilogy. I loved loved loved parts 1 and 2. Intriguing world, good characters, fun writing style. But then came part 3. Most importantly in part 3, the number of narrators explodes, so I really lost my connection to Red, Byron, and QC. They felt like extras by the end of the book. Second, I hated the ending. The author did an excellent job building expectation and suspense, then... nothing.


There's no conspiracy. The characters you've known and loved are completely irrelevant people. They remain completely irrelevant people. There's no coming-of-age for Byron. There's no salvation for QC (maybe she kills everyone, but more likely, given how rich Byron's dad is, defensive nanobots prevent any real damage). There's no twist to "the structure is always sound" (the author does twist "the trips aren't real", but no one cares). There's no explanation of why Red's drug trips were becoming real. The story's villain wasn't even a villain, just a powerful, concerned father willing to do anything to bring his son home. He's even a nice guy, offering to treat Byron's friends to the good life.


All in all, it felt like a waste of time. The story isn't positive, it isn't dystopian, it's just an unimportant story about unimportant people.

[Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

It isn't everyday you find a book like Rx. From the oddly poetic prologue, irreverent characters, all the way to the exhaustive research that can be made very well evident in the amazing annotated version, this story delivers in ways I wish more books could provide. Rx takes place in a futuristic world where nanotech and drugs are a part of everyday life, leading to a complete shift in the nature of commerce, labor, and general human existence. Our protagonist Red is a beta-tester of new drugs - exploring the highs and side effects before the inevitable public release. During what should be a run of the mill test, Red finds himself lost in the underbelly of society, wanted for running with the drugs from his most recent trial. What follows is a sarcastic adventure of chemistry and conspiracy that quite literally goes to all the way to the top. Along the way Red is joined by past loves, addicts, and more as he struggles to save his life. And find pants. I backed this book on the author's kickstarter and could not be more happy with my choice. Robert Brockway's world building is epic in proportion, creating a living breathing society in the "Four Posts" that I hope allows us to read more of the tales hidden within the city.

[Amy Goalen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me just start off by saying that I don't normally read this genre of fiction (sci-fi), but I bought it anyway because I liked this author's column on Cracked.com. This book did not disappoint!

The characters are quirky and completely believable. There is always a slightly humorous undertone in the character dialogue and the incredible attention to fictional details kept making me think "This author either has one hell of an imagination or he's done a lot of drugs..." But either way it made for such a believable sci-fi book. And you can tell he's a gamer from the way he describes people being killed, blown up and generally obliterated in a very painful and disgusting way.

I especially love the dialogue he writes for the character of QC. I can't tell you how many times I laughed, chuckled, and re-read the page because it was just oddly hilarious.
The characters are very well developed and by the end of the book you want it to keep going to find out more.

The last line is fucking BRILLIANT!

[Remy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of the best world building that I've read in a while. Also, I loved the characters. Having severely flawed people as main characters makes me really relate to them, being severely flawed myself. The plot was perhaps a little weak in comparison to the setting and protagonists, but only inconsequentially so. The whole thing reminded me a bit of Transmetropolitan, but the city here is a much more interesting extrapolation of our times. There are slums in the world today that I can almost imagine would look like this, if the level and saturation of technology was higher. This author is two for two with me now, and that's excluding his wonderful articles.

[Dylan Weaver · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love books by funny people. Humor books are usually bad because it's a book written to try and be funny by someone whose job is comedy, usually following a theme. Books by genuinely funny people - guys who know how to tell a story and a joke - are always so much better. Rx is a great read and I'm sorry it took me so long to get to it. The world is imaginative and the characters are engaging. Literally my only complaint is a relatively weak end relative to the overwhelmingly solid pace of the story. Read this book. Seriously.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny and creative sci fi book about a crazy future where everyone lives cramped together in giant 10,000 story buildings scrabbling in makeshift shanty towns between levels and nanotechnology is standard fare and everyone's hooked on this strange drug called "presence". You gradually lean what the hell is going on with a great page-turner story and fabulously lyrical cursing and descriptions of hallucinations and future tech and the violent and unpredictable slumdwellers. Pretty unique book.

[Luke · Rating 5 out of 5]

A kickass kinetic future built on drugs and the characters are still taking them. This is what happens when the urban sprawl doesn't stop, it discovers nanotech and becomes more insane and dense and dangerous than you could imagine. That's why you pay Brockway to imagine it for you and read the hilarious results.