Pump: 10th Anniversary Edition

by Gary Denne

In the not-too-distant future, after a catastrophic and world-wide economic collapse, the United States is a broken shell of its former self. But on the island of Manhattan, a comfortable standard of living still exists that only the world’s richest can afford. Sheltered from the chaos and anarchy of the outside world, New York City has become a privately-run sanctuary operated by a mysterious and powerful company named Maddox Corporation. As one of the world’s last remaining and fully functioning cities, Manhattan requires ongoing human resources for its daily operations, and to provide the luxurious services that wealthy clients still demand. To recruit workers for the island, Maddox runs a lottery program, which offers its winners the chance to escape what is now a brutal and desperate existence in the real world, and instead begin a privileged life in the safety and comfort of a city that most will only ever dream about again. But, of course, there is a catch. There is always a catch.

171 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2012

About the author

Gary Denne is an Australian-born writer. In the late 90s, he travelled the world and found himself in Toronto, Canada, where he began an experimental novel inspired by his journal scribbles and road-trip experiences. It was published as 'The Matt Zander Journals' in 2008.

'Pump' became his second novel, first published in 2012. A post-collapse action-thriller, it told the story of the mysterious and powerful Maddox Corporation that ran New York City as a private sanctuary for the rich in a dystopian future. A tenth anniversary edition of 'Pump' was released in 2022, when it became apparent that the real world was beginning to mirror much of the dystopia depicted in the novel.

'L.A. RAGE' is his third novel. Released in 2024, it is a tale of revenge and a fast-paced thriller set in the heart of the Hollywood entertainment industry, where studio executives tell you they love you for as long as it takes to steal your ideas for themselves.

Reviews

[Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Has a promising start, intriguing setup, and crisp writing. Unfortunately, all of this crashes and burns quickly.

Endless chasing around Manhattan trying to kill each other does not create a story. Permanently checking out every female’s t*ts and a** does not account for character development.

[Marcus]

This book is a combination of George Orwell's 1984 and the movie, The Running Man because it embodies characteristics of both. The back story is appropriate to the plot and the author does donate a fair amount of time in introducing his characters. He does, however, leave a few surprises for the reader. Once the introduction and the back story is complete, the story takes off at a fairly good pace. At this point, it tends to suck the reader in because the reader will involuntarily pick a side to prevail. The ending leaves the reader hanging and full of curiosity because the story ends on an undefined note.