Animus Paradox

Digital Extremities #2

by Adam Bassett, Ahmed Elgharabawy (Illustrator)

There's a thief on the loose. The Tigres excel at tipping the scales in their favor, be it through bribes, politics, or blood. They unofficially run Viterbo, Italy—and somebody stole from them.

Private investigators David and Mafalda De Campo have been hired to help find the thief. They're in it for the money, but the Tigres just want to make a statement.

Meanwhile, the Heredes have returned: ruthless idealists and revolutionaries. It’s not clear what they’re up to, but they keep getting in the way.

The De Campos will need to decide how far they're willing to go for this job and the Tigres. Viterbo may soon become a battlefield, and one wrong move could set it aflame.

Genres: Science Fiction, Cyberpunk

Unknown Binding

First published January 27, 2025

About the author

Author of the Copper & Ash series, the Digital Extremities series, and other short fiction. Big fan of storytelling and worldbuilding.

Reviews

[Molly Macabre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Animus Paradox is a continuation of a short story featured in Bassett’s Digital Extremities. The short was one of my favorites, so I was thrilled to follow two characters I fell in love with in the other book, and explore more of their world.

This is a fast-paced sci-fi book. From the beginning, we already know that David and Maf are private investigators who often deal with dangerous groups. Within their realm in Italy, there are multiple gangs, some almost mafia-like, along with the government itself and revolutionary groups. Each has its own stake in the game, and David and Maf find themselves in the middle of all of them.

Bassett’s world, rife with all the must-haves of a cyberpunk tale, is solid. Every detail is on point, never deviating from things described in the past, and this creates such vivid scenes. The characters have mods, ranging from mediocre to luxurious. Dermal plates for armor. Things they can install straight into them to provide memory, night vision, and communication systems. Even weaponry.

Bassett’s characters are rich with differentiations, culture, and personality. Though set in Italy, we have many characters who are from other countries, and Bassett portrays each one in such a unique fashion. David, the main character, is an American and former Army who is getting along in age and probably not suited for such a perilous task as stepping into gang territory. However, his wife Maf has taken on a job, and he is determined to help. And help, he does.

Animus Paradox gives no room to breathe as the action barrels along, which I highly enjoyed. Some stories and genres benefit from slower moments, which we saw Bassett master in Digital Extremities. But this story thrives in the fast-paced environment.

The characters are more in-depth than just gangsters and bad guys versus good guys. Each one has an angle, and each one is understandable. There were times when I almost did not want the good guys to achieve what they were set out to do, yet I couldn’t fathom them losing either. The push and pull of morals is done very well here.

I had the pleasure of listening to this on audio, and I highly enjoyed the narrator. Again, totally no bias. The narrator did a great job with accents and pacing.

If you’re ready for complex characters, action that doesn’t stop, and an immersive, cyberpunk adventure, you’re ready for Animus Paradox.

A FanFi Addict review

[Preacher Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/4 (very good)

Cyberpunk meets Dresden meets John Wick! Had a blast in this quick-paced novella set in a near future Italy.

Was impressed by Bassett's ability to connect me to the characters despite the short length, and most of the story being around or in the action.

My biggest criticism of the book is that I think the overall plot deserved 4-500 pages, and some bits, especially in the first 100 pages, felt like they were on fast-forward.

Highly recommend this read if you want a great time in a cool cyberpunk world that will fly by!

[Isabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Animus Paradox is the continuation of a short story that appeared at the end of Digital Extremeties, Adam Bassett’s short story collection that I read a few months prior to this. [Is this a good place to mention that I love these titles?!] Some of those stories have really stuck around in my brain, which means a lot considering that usually doesn’t happen even with some of my favorite books (my ADHD brain quickly moves on to other things). I was very happy to accept a review copy of this one!

While knowledge of the short story it builds on is not necessarily needed to enjoy this one, I am still glad that I read the short story collection first because I enjoyed the references to several of them, mainly in terms of world-building. That was the one area where I was glad to have prior knowledge since that was something that stood out to me during that first book. It was the reason I wanted more stories from Adam Bassett in the first place and he really delivered with this action-packed adventure.

It was awesome how the beginning of the book immediately put me right back into the familiar setting. What originally appeared to be a simple search for a missing thief quickly turned into a much more complicated venture for our private investigator duo. I really enjoyed how solving this case played on both of their strengths and that the ending felt true to their characters as I’ve gotten to know them. While I personally like to have a bit more emotional development on page, I do think that the pace of this story worked well for its length and will be a really fun read for those that gravitate to more action-packed stories than personal introspection.

This book has shown me just how interconnected people’s lives can be, even spread out across the globe (again referencing the short story collection, I’m sorry) and how fun it can be to spot those little details. Bassett has created a story that is really fun on its own but also builds superbly on his prior work. I hate to repeat myself, but I do hope we get even more stories set in this cool future-Earth!

[Esmay Rosalyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know, I never knew I needed a book with the vibes of 'cyberpunk thriller meets Italian mafia meets detective noir' in my life, but here we are. Animus Paradox might sound like a lot, but somehow Adam Bassett just went all in on this unique vision and pulled it off with effortless grace.

Animus Paradox is a follow-up on one of the short stories in Digital Extremities, though I don't think you need to have read that short story collection in order to enjoy this thrilling adventure. See, while I quite enjoyed the short story collection and highly recommend it, I think that Bassett's storytelling skills fully got to shine to their fullest here in Animus Paradox.

Both the near-future cyberpunk setting of Italy anno 2167 and the culturally diverse cast of characters just came to life before my eyes, even more so with the help of the brilliant audiobook performance by Joe James. Every character had such a strong voice/authentic accent, and I loved how the tension just dripped off every scene, be that a deadly action sequence or a simple conversation/negotiation between two people who know they are playing with fire.

It's quite remarkable how much world building, character development, thematic depth, action, and emotion Bassett was able to pack into so few pages, all without it feeling overwhelming; that's the sign of a masterful storyteller right there. Animus Paradox was just an absolutely wicked thrillride from start to finish that packs some real good punches, and I love it all the more for it.

[K.D. Marchesi · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wild ride!

Cyberpunk noir in a near future Italy?!? I was already SO In!

Combining fast action with diverse characters that feel authentic and a world that is unapologetically cyberpunk, Basset shines in this story of P.I.’s and mafia esk machinations.

David and Maf have taken on a job that sits above their pay grade finding themselves caught up in the underbelly of feuding gangs. It was glorious!

I loved the world, the dynamic between our main duo and the fact that every single player had their own agenda making this short story deliciously rich.

Basset is two for two and I can’t wait for more!

[Already Overbooked · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let's go find the cow town

[Will Swardstrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

With Animus Paradox, Adam Bassett has put out a fascinating and intriguing futuristic work. I found myself really enjoying it and was glad I read Digital Extremities before I started on Animus Paradox. 

Recently I was offered a few audiobook codes for Adam Bassett’s two works by the author himself. In exchange for an honest review, I took him up on it.

When I was finished with Digital Extremities, I found myself really invested in the final story in the collection -- and more so with the characters. And Bassett must’ve felt the same way, because the second book I’m reviewing -- Animus Paradox -- takes off immediately following the events in Fireworks Above the Badlands. 

The main character is David De Campo, who along with his wife Mafalda, run a private investigation firm in Italy over 100 years into the future. I found myself vibing with David in the first story as he works to track down a lost child, risking his life in the process. The way Bassett sets up the character as former U.S. Army with all the mods and implants they might need for battle, but with most of them disabled after he left the service, left me wanting more and Bassett sure delivered in Animus Paradox. This story is more of an Italian mob war that David and Mafalda find themselves drawn into with more than a few cyberpunk twists. 

I enjoyed A.P. and its continuation of the cyberpunk themes and tropes, but I struggle to vibe with the futuristic noir detective stories sometimes. But the characters are solid - A+. I think he could keep taking David and Mafalda to America and beyond in future cyberpunk books and I would be in. At the end of the day, I think I liked Digital Extremities a little more than Animus Paradox, but I would definitely recommend both. 

As for the audiobook experience, Adam Bassett got a great narrator - Joe James for the A.P. production. He has a great voice and inflection, especially for the type of stories Bassett is telling. 

But, back to Adam Bassett’s first two works -- check them out, especially if you like a few different looks at a future that looks a lot different than our present. 

[Marlena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received an ARC of this action packed novel! On the shorter side so you can just flyyyy right through it. The setting of a futuristic Italy is very unique for cyberpunk and Bassett does a wonderful job at painting a rich world. The cyberpunk elements are classic (think body mods, fancy inter"net", etc). Mission Impossible + Blade Runner makes for a great ride!

[K.E. Andrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. This is the first of Bassett's works and I was at first worried I wouldn't know what was happening in the story because I only later realized that it was technically the 2nd book in a series. Just saw the cover and wanted to read it. However, this book was easy to read and even though I wasn't familiar with the world, it was easy enough to follow the characters and the plot. The story gave off Cyberpunk 2077, John Wick, and The Man From U.N.C.L.E vibes for me. There was a lot of action and intrigue to keep me entertained. I look forward to reading the first book in this series.

[Steven Raaymakers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Animus Paradox is a fast-moving, action-packed cyberpunk tale set in Italy.

David, Maf, Jun'ichi, and Hachiro are really interesting characters. They each have a unique personality and history. Their backgrounds are introduced with careful subtlety and skill, never bogging the reader down in excessive details. They also have unique skillsets, all of which complement eachother and help when the sh*t inevitably hits the fan. And hit the fan it does.

David and Maf have a ridiculously wholesome relationship as husband and wife, which was a wonderful counterpart to the darker story of espionage, violence, and corruption. It's relatively rare to see happy, fulfilled married couples in fiction, especially since disagreements are an easy way to reveal character dynamics, escalate situations, and build stakes. But this loving couple was sweet to see, and I think absolutely the right choice for the story.

The action is solid and well-written. The violence is not too gory, yet feels gritty and real. The story is tight, a perfect fit with the shorter word-count.

The setting is unique in terms of scifi. It seems that 95% of scifi/cyberpunk stories are set in the USA, UK, or Japan. Italy was a nice surprise, and gave an interesting flavour to the whole narrative. Perhaps one area that could see improvement is more description of the environment, as the scale and style of city was not particularly clear. But at the same time, it kept the action going, and the action is amazing.

I love the pacing, I love the action, and I love the use of tech. Great story, 5/5. I'd love to read more in this world.

[Natasha Vella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for a chance to read and review this eARC!

This was a very enjoyable cyberpunk thriller! My first introduction to the cyberpunk world was Adam’s short story collection, Digital Extremities, and it was so nice to return to this genre (I’ve been pretty heavy on romantasy for 2 years now) and familiar characters! One of my favorite things in the bookish world is a spin off with characters from a previous book, so I was pleasantly surprised to see I’d be spending a few days with David & Maf 😊what I appreciated most about this read was how well the author kept the suspense flowing. It keeps the reader engaged and turning the page so they’re not left wondering how the characters are going to work through their next barrier. Highly recommend if you like action packed stories!

ps. I hope they find their cow town 🫶🏻

[The Reading Ruru (Kerry) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 or 7/10 100% read
Disclaimer: Read as a judge for SPSFC5 (teamSpaceGirls). Opinion and rating are my own and not a reflection of our team. I'm giving this a maybe (it's not a Y or N) to move on, but this may change depending on other team members' thoughts and the quality of the rest of our allocation

I honestly think this book could easily be turned into a great action movie, especially if you’re someone who loves PI's, gangsters, guns, and sword fights, car chases, and tech body armour. (I only hope they film it in Italy where the novel is set)
This was a fun, easy read, which I easily got through in a day.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really great read. Easy to immerse yourself in the world, plenty of action, and an awesome married couple. Animus Paradox imagines a future in which body modifications are commonplace, but weaponized/utilized by criminals, militaries, and rebels alike. I would highly recommend this for science fiction fans or readers who enjoy the questioning of and complexities in technological advancement.

[HorsesDogsAndBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good time! I particularly like Maf. The tech is fab—this author is great with making the body tech references feel organic (the way an author would describe simple actions such as crossing your arms and pushing your glasses up your nose) and natural, instead of very overtly… robo-ish.

This was a small moment, but the way David describes being without a wrap was really touching. It was a good metaphor, but also just felt super (ironically) human, to no longer be limited by your shell. 10/10

This is the second book I’ve read by this author and he didn’t disappoint.

[Marco Landi · Rating 2 out of 5]

delusissimo.. speravo fosse davvero un buon libro cyberpunk ambientato in Italia, vicino a dove vivo.. poteva davvero essere originale.. amo tanto quando il cyberpunk si fonde con una cultura diversa da quella classica.. quindi ero curioso di capire come avesse influito qui..
beh, è evidente che l'autore non conosce la cultura italiana se non per qualche breve vacanza, in cui ha pensato: Figo, posso ambientarlo qui!.. ma non basta buttare dentro un po' di nomi italiani, metterci un paio di cene in ristoranti italiani per farlo sembrare italiano.. era un normale cyberpunk ma di italiano non aveva nulla...
inoltre ho trovato il livello di scrittura davvero basica, con descritte azioni e spiegazioni di tutto, inutile, che rallenta ogni azione..
trama davvero banalotta.. e molta della tecnologia usata era una summa di ogni cliché cyberpunk, senza nulla di originale, anzi, senza avere davvero una spiegazione affascinante, ma semplicemente messa lì per fare scena, ma non aggiungeva nulla a un libro di normali inseguimenti in macchina..
mi spiace davvero, avrei voluto farmelo piacere, ho provato a leggerlo come semplice lettura di intrattenimento tipo film di Steven Segal.. ma non ci sono riuscito, aveva così tanti problemi da avermi ammosciato la voglia..

[Bill Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a noir cyberpunk story to a T. You've got your former military private investigators doing a job well above their pay grade, modded body parts galore, bodies aplenty, warring gangs, computer hacking viruses by someone called the Spider (in Italian no less). You want robotics and blood, you got it!

This is a fun little story Adam has cooked up. A near future Italy where body mods are normal and blood let in the streets is commonplace. David and Maf De Campo (aka the private eyes) team up with a pair of gang members as they search for a missing surgeon. Lies and twists pit them against another gang. Bullets and katanas everywhere.

This is my first taste of Adam's writing and it won't be the last! Certainly enjoyed this story and I hope we get more De Campo cases!

*I received an ARC of this story I'm exchange for an honest review.

[Paul Zareith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fast-paced cyberpunk adventure that hits the ground running from the very first chapter.

It becomes clear early on that the focus of the novel is on guns-blazing John Wick style action, in a dystopic near–future Italian scene. In Adam’s world, violence is the lingua franca - guns, katanas, cyber warfare, augmentation, deception - whatever gets the job done is fair game.

So if you enjoy futuristic action, this is the book for you. If you have loved cyberpunk thrillers before, you will almost certainly enjoy this. If not, this could be a good start.

Full review on SFFInsiders

[indyman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Animus Paradox was a super fun read by all means. Fast-paced, engaging, and filled with action ‘round every corner which made it a thrilling ride throughout. The characters were pretty cool, the plot was very well executed, and the world was nicely depicted. Not to forget the excellent writing. I was hooked from the start, and was fully invested till the end. It was a very enjoyable, quick read which I managed to finish in just a single sitting! A cyberpunk noir story that you don’t wanna miss out on. Loved it, and certainly recommend it.

[Iseult Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked David and Mafalda. Their relationship was well done and I was invested in them.

The world building is great. It was a believable future world. I liked the descriptions of the tech. Being set in Italy was interesting.

The story was what you'd expect from a thriller, with lots of twists and turns, and some great action sequences.

Joe James did a good job with the narration.

I will be sure to check out more of this author's work.