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Network Error
Sixteen. Isolated. Naive. Proto craves freedom from his overbearing parents and AI-controlled life. But when extremists destroy his city's protective storm dome, throwing him into the flooded wasteland, he finds his freedom falls short of expectations. Too many cannibals, for one thing. The Wi-Fi is terrible. Plus, chatting with strangers is terrifying.
Sufi, a streetwise scavenger, becomes Proto's unlikely lifeline in this brutal new world. Together, they must overcome their differences and utilize Proto's tech-implanted mind to save a dying city and bridge the chasm between their warring societies.
But dark secrets lurk beneath the surface. Secrets that challenge Proto’s worldview and force him to confront horrifying truths about his people and upbringing.
Proto and Sufi grow closer than either would imagine as they fight an extremist movement. But to achieve a just and equitable society, Proto must overcome an even more herculean effort—making new friends.
Sufi, a streetwise scavenger, becomes Proto's unlikely lifeline in this brutal new world. Together, they must overcome their differences and utilize Proto's tech-implanted mind to save a dying city and bridge the chasm between their warring societies.
But dark secrets lurk beneath the surface. Secrets that challenge Proto’s worldview and force him to confront horrifying truths about his people and upbringing.
Proto and Sufi grow closer than either would imagine as they fight an extremist movement. But to achieve a just and equitable society, Proto must overcome an even more herculean effort—making new friends.
363 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 20, 2024
6 people are currently reading
63 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 21, 2024
This book was thoroughly engaging, with a richly detailed world that unfolded naturally, avoiding the typical info dump found in sci-fi/fantasy novels. The gradual discovery process made the journey even more enjoyable.
The exploration of a futuristic caste system was particularly thought-provoking, serving as a stark reminder that such social hierarchies are not confined to the past and could potentially re-emerge, a notion that is both unsettling and relevant in today's capitalist society.
The characters were multidimensional and relatable, with flaws that made them more human. Proto's transformation being particularly compelling and remarkable. His struggle to reconcile his upbringing with newfound truths and his efforts to make amends were captivating. Similarly, Sufi's character was instantly endearing, and her struggles to overcome her own biases and learn to trust Proto added depth to the narrative.
So glad I was given an ARC of this book! I highly recommend!
The exploration of a futuristic caste system was particularly thought-provoking, serving as a stark reminder that such social hierarchies are not confined to the past and could potentially re-emerge, a notion that is both unsettling and relevant in today's capitalist society.
The characters were multidimensional and relatable, with flaws that made them more human. Proto's transformation being particularly compelling and remarkable. His struggle to reconcile his upbringing with newfound truths and his efforts to make amends were captivating. Similarly, Sufi's character was instantly endearing, and her struggles to overcome her own biases and learn to trust Proto added depth to the narrative.
So glad I was given an ARC of this book! I highly recommend!
November 3, 2024
Thrilling Dive into a Tech-Driven Dystopia
This book was a wild ride! I felt fully immersed in a world where technology and survival clash in the most intense ways. Following the main character through this flooded, tech-reliant wasteland was captivating, and the unexpected friendships added a lot of depth. The challenges they faced kept me turning the pages, and I loved the gritty, high-stakes atmosphere. If you’re into stories with futuristic settings and a lot of tension, this one’s definitely worth picking up!
This book was a wild ride! I felt fully immersed in a world where technology and survival clash in the most intense ways. Following the main character through this flooded, tech-reliant wasteland was captivating, and the unexpected friendships added a lot of depth. The challenges they faced kept me turning the pages, and I loved the gritty, high-stakes atmosphere. If you’re into stories with futuristic settings and a lot of tension, this one’s definitely worth picking up!
April 2, 2025
The future is here in this book, and it's exciting and scary all at the same time. The world is captured beautifully.
September 10, 2024
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review, and honestly... it's one of the best friggin' books I've read this year!
Dystopia sci-fi isn't my usual go-to genre; I'm more of a mystery/horror fan. But this book hooked me from page one. The best sci-fi (Michael Crichton, Ray Bradbury, Philip K. Dick, and films BLADE RUNNER and the first two Terminators) pose an ethical question and then answer it with the worst possible scenario as a warning. Not only does NETWORK ERROR follow that formula, it stands among those classic titles.
Landing in at a whopping near-600 pages, NETWORK ERROR held my attention with every sentence. And with science fiction, that's a difficult feat because there's a lot of world-building to do. Lombardi doesn't dump exposition of the rules of the world. Instead, he SHOWS us through examples of how Proto's STEM works; how the Strata-Dome works; the warring factions outside the city, etc. He drops little info morsels that don't overwhelm, but kept me reading.
Proto is one of the most interesting and original main characters I've read in a long time. At around four-years-old, he underwent an operation that implanted STEM into his brain (think a faster, more detailed and accurate version of Tony Stark's JARVIS). It allows him to look-up and reference anything in the known universe, past and present. Since the operation, Proto's parents (the top dogs in the city, and designers of STEM) kept him in total isolation. He's never interacted with other living humans outside scheduled STEM fight scenarios with his best friend Tan, who he's never met in person. He longs to be normal, but his parents treat him like a disposable non-entity. Lombardi does such a good job at showing Proto's uniqueness and isolation that I had to keep reminding myself he was a real person, not a robot. It's this isolation that troubles him when a hellacious attack breaks the city's Strata-Dome, the only thing keeping it safe from the unstable climate lashing the rest of the world. Proto's forced out of his comfort zone and thrown into an adventure that puts everything he learned in those STEM practice fights and excursions to use in the real world. Will Proto survive? Will he figure out who attacked his city? Will save the world, or at least his part of it?
The inherent dangers of AI are a big theme in this book. Proto has lived with it his entire life. Hell, it's literally part of his physical being. But to what effect? Every life experience he's had has been through AI. He's not lived anything real. Which could be the author's comment our current way of life: everyone stuck doom-scrolling on iPhones and iPads instead of interacting with one another and living.
Another theme in the book is knowledge, or the wrong kind of it. Along with being isolated his whole life, Proto's been indoctrinated by his parents. It's not until he's out in the world for the first time that he learns everything they fed him was a lie. With help from his new friends, he learns how to adapt and make amends for his parents' sins.
A novel of this scope with such timely lessons and warnings is a daunting undertaking for any author. The fact that Lombardi - IN HIS DEBUT - has crafted such an entertaining, and at times frightening, book shows he's a writer worthy or your time. Read his book now!
Dystopia sci-fi isn't my usual go-to genre; I'm more of a mystery/horror fan. But this book hooked me from page one. The best sci-fi (Michael Crichton, Ray Bradbury, Philip K. Dick, and films BLADE RUNNER and the first two Terminators) pose an ethical question and then answer it with the worst possible scenario as a warning. Not only does NETWORK ERROR follow that formula, it stands among those classic titles.
Landing in at a whopping near-600 pages, NETWORK ERROR held my attention with every sentence. And with science fiction, that's a difficult feat because there's a lot of world-building to do. Lombardi doesn't dump exposition of the rules of the world. Instead, he SHOWS us through examples of how Proto's STEM works; how the Strata-Dome works; the warring factions outside the city, etc. He drops little info morsels that don't overwhelm, but kept me reading.
Proto is one of the most interesting and original main characters I've read in a long time. At around four-years-old, he underwent an operation that implanted STEM into his brain (think a faster, more detailed and accurate version of Tony Stark's JARVIS). It allows him to look-up and reference anything in the known universe, past and present. Since the operation, Proto's parents (the top dogs in the city, and designers of STEM) kept him in total isolation. He's never interacted with other living humans outside scheduled STEM fight scenarios with his best friend Tan, who he's never met in person. He longs to be normal, but his parents treat him like a disposable non-entity. Lombardi does such a good job at showing Proto's uniqueness and isolation that I had to keep reminding myself he was a real person, not a robot. It's this isolation that troubles him when a hellacious attack breaks the city's Strata-Dome, the only thing keeping it safe from the unstable climate lashing the rest of the world. Proto's forced out of his comfort zone and thrown into an adventure that puts everything he learned in those STEM practice fights and excursions to use in the real world. Will Proto survive? Will he figure out who attacked his city? Will save the world, or at least his part of it?
The inherent dangers of AI are a big theme in this book. Proto has lived with it his entire life. Hell, it's literally part of his physical being. But to what effect? Every life experience he's had has been through AI. He's not lived anything real. Which could be the author's comment our current way of life: everyone stuck doom-scrolling on iPhones and iPads instead of interacting with one another and living.
Another theme in the book is knowledge, or the wrong kind of it. Along with being isolated his whole life, Proto's been indoctrinated by his parents. It's not until he's out in the world for the first time that he learns everything they fed him was a lie. With help from his new friends, he learns how to adapt and make amends for his parents' sins.
A novel of this scope with such timely lessons and warnings is a daunting undertaking for any author. The fact that Lombardi - IN HIS DEBUT - has crafted such an entertaining, and at times frightening, book shows he's a writer worthy or your time. Read his book now!
November 5, 2024
A very good story well told
One of the best YA distopia novels I have read. The emotional pain of the young protected protagonist who finds himself thrown into a cruel survival situation is well portrayed and feels very real.
One of the best YA distopia novels I have read. The emotional pain of the young protected protagonist who finds himself thrown into a cruel survival situation is well portrayed and feels very real.
February 5, 2025
Action-packed.
This was a fun read. The technology is cool and believable, the tension is so tight I can feel it, and the stakes are incredibly high.
This was a fun read. The technology is cool and believable, the tension is so tight I can feel it, and the stakes are incredibly high.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews