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Tracer
From bestselling and award-winning author Brendan Deneen comes Tracer, a fast-paced sci-fi romance adventure that sends one mercenary on a dangerous mission across a postapocalyptic landscape. Perfect for fans of Mad Max and Blade Runner.
In the near future--after a virus has swept the globe and the oil has run dry--what's left of humanity has created a new technology, one that turns plastic back into oil. A mad scramble for resources ensues, with new cities being built on the seven largest landfills in the world. Plastic is the new gold.
Tracer is the adopted daughter and hired gun for the president of PH City--built outside of what used to be Los Angeles, atop the Puente Hills Landfill. When a distress call comes from the landfill city outside of Las Vegas, the president of PH sends Tracer to answer it.
In the near future--after a virus has swept the globe and the oil has run dry--what's left of humanity has created a new technology, one that turns plastic back into oil. A mad scramble for resources ensues, with new cities being built on the seven largest landfills in the world. Plastic is the new gold.
Tracer is the adopted daughter and hired gun for the president of PH City--built outside of what used to be Los Angeles, atop the Puente Hills Landfill. When a distress call comes from the landfill city outside of Las Vegas, the president of PH sends Tracer to answer it.
- GenresScience FictionDystopia
272 pages, Hardcover
Published September 2, 2025
2 people are currently reading
3090 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
July 20, 2025
This is a fun scifi action thriller. 3.5 stars. While it does say romance in the description that is more of a sub plot. I was intrigued by the concept of plastic as currency in the dystopian future. I also thought the characters were well fleshed out which can sometimes be an after thought in these kinds of thrillers.
If you like scifi thrillers you will enjoy this book. The vibes:
- tough as nails female main character
- dystopian future featuring garbage heap towns
- plastic melted down for fuel
- wild fight scenes
- found family
- vigilante justice
- and a side of romance (no on page scenes, if you are averse to that kind of thing)
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy, I enjoyed this one. All opinions are very much my own.
If you like scifi thrillers you will enjoy this book. The vibes:
- tough as nails female main character
- dystopian future featuring garbage heap towns
- plastic melted down for fuel
- wild fight scenes
- found family
- vigilante justice
- and a side of romance (no on page scenes, if you are averse to that kind of thing)
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy, I enjoyed this one. All opinions are very much my own.
July 13, 2025
I loved this book! First off, it’s a dystopian story which is one of my favorite genres and the worldbuilding was so unique. The idea of needing plastic to power things and having cities built around dump sites? Absolutely fascinating. The author created a gritty, harsh world that pulled me in right away.
But the best part of this book? Tracer. She is the kind of FMC I’ve been waiting for. She’s fierce, capable, and totally badass. I loved that she was the one doing the saving in this story it’s such a refreshing change to see the female lead rescuing the male, who’s actually the more vulnerable one here. I just wanted to hang out with her the whole time. She was that cool.
The flashbacks to Tracer’s childhood added so much depth to her character. Her relationship with her brother was also interesting, but I wish there had been more development between them it felt a little rushed. The romance, too, was sweet but underdeveloped. I liked what we got, but I wanted just a bit more buildup and connection.
What I especially loved was seeing Tracer’s worldview shift as her childhood brainwashing began to unravel through her experiences outside the city. Watching her form new relationships and grow emotionally was such a strong part of the story.
All in all, I had a great time with this book. I devoured it in one day and really enjoyed every minute. I highly recommend it, especially if you love dystopian stories with fierce heroines and immersive worldbuilding.
Thanks to Blackstone Publishing for the gifted ARC!
But the best part of this book? Tracer. She is the kind of FMC I’ve been waiting for. She’s fierce, capable, and totally badass. I loved that she was the one doing the saving in this story it’s such a refreshing change to see the female lead rescuing the male, who’s actually the more vulnerable one here. I just wanted to hang out with her the whole time. She was that cool.
The flashbacks to Tracer’s childhood added so much depth to her character. Her relationship with her brother was also interesting, but I wish there had been more development between them it felt a little rushed. The romance, too, was sweet but underdeveloped. I liked what we got, but I wanted just a bit more buildup and connection.
What I especially loved was seeing Tracer’s worldview shift as her childhood brainwashing began to unravel through her experiences outside the city. Watching her form new relationships and grow emotionally was such a strong part of the story.
All in all, I had a great time with this book. I devoured it in one day and really enjoyed every minute. I highly recommend it, especially if you love dystopian stories with fierce heroines and immersive worldbuilding.
Thanks to Blackstone Publishing for the gifted ARC!
September 23, 2025
This review was originally published at FanFiAddict
Set in an indeterminate future where humanity has been decimated by a killer flu strain and fossil fuels have gone extinct, Brendan Deneen’s Tracer is a rote post-apocalyptic sci-fier more content to tread the usual, well-worn genre trails rather than carve its own path forward.
Only a handful of cities have survived – urban areas built quite literally off the garbage of the old world, and plastic reigns supreme as the currency of this new world. A technology has been developed to turn plastic back into the oil it came from in order to keep these cities running, but it’s really little more than a MacGuffin to get these characters moving from Point A to Point B. Puente Hills City, built atop the landfills of what used to be Los Angeles, is run by President Bell, but she’s more violent mob boss caricature than politician. Her lead enforcer is her adopted daughter, the titular Tracer, who is tasked with killing anybody who gets on Bell’s bad side, which isn’t exactly a difficult thing to do. When Apex City’s converter goes kaput, Tracer is tasked with delivering them a repair man. What she doesn’t expect is that she’ll be bringing back another passenger, one of Apex’s best roguish thieves, Ezra, as part of a secret trade deal nutso Ma Bell negotiated. Even less expected is the quickly brewing romance she develops with Ezra and all the ways love can change a person.
Tracer’s never known real, honest to god, unconditional love before. She never knew her parents, and the adoptive couple that took her in didn’t have any qualms about selling her to Bell for some cheap plastic. Bell isn’t exactly the lovey-dovey type, either, and her affection for others is measured by whatever they’ve done for her lately. Tracer was trained in combat, and whatever feelings her gangster mom has for her is based only on her abilities and her ruthlessness as the president’s enforcer.
Tracer is built in the typical Sci-Fi Tough Gal™ mold – hard drinking, full of scorn for herself and others, scarily proficient at killing, and nigh unstoppable. Getting shot, choked, stabbed, beaten, etc. does nothing to slow her down, although she occasionally pauses long enough to pour whiskey on her wounds and get stitched up before going right back to getting shot, choked, stabbed, beaten, etc. She’s a comic book character, and taking a gunshot to the shoulder doesn’t stop her from scaling city walls in the pouring rain, or brawling with a barroom full of men twice her size. None of the characters in Tracer feel or act like real people. Instead, they act and feel exactly like characters in a not especially good book. They’re here to check off roles and tropes and to do the expected things their characters have been defined by through a long line of other books in this fashion.
Deneen’s story is phony and superficial, and Tracer plays out in the expected checkmark fashion. Bell is capital-E Evil and Tracer will eventually grow wise to it and do what’s right, all in the name of love! Check. Tracer and her adopted brother hate each other, but rather than come to blows he’ll eventually help her to make up for past sins! Check. Tracer will return to Apex City to rescue the man left behind and show the ruthless masterminds behind it what justice really is! Check.
The only real surprise, storywise, to be found in Tracer is why Bell wants Ezra, and I won’t spoil that because it is kind of a neat reveal. The rest is all pro forma been there, done that. Each story beat and their resolution aren’t just familiar, they’re foregone conclusions long before you ever reach them. The romance between Tracer and Ezra, the supposed beating heart at the core of this story, is a half-baked instalove riff that fails to deliver any authentic emotions between either the characters or the reader. A romance for the ages theirs is not. The biggest shocker in Tracer, though, comes in the author’s afterword, where Deneen confesses it took him over ten years, in between writing for various other intellectual properties, to write a novel this generic.
There’s no heart, no soul, no spice behind any of it, and Tracer’s romance never rises beyond an unconvincing one-dimensional, plot-mandated artifice. Her being forced to contend with the mortal and moral consequences of her life’s work after getting some D in the dessert doesn’t arise as a natural consequence of the story and these characters or the depth of their relationships (there isn’t any), but because it’s what’s expected from these types of stories. Tracer has the strict feel of a book that has been outlined to death and Deneen doesn’t allow any room at all for improv, let alone originality. The characters don’t dictate the story so much as the plot and genre conventions dictate them. The problem is, it’s a plot we’ve seen a thousand times before and done better plenty of times elsewhere, and with more compelling, three-dimensional characters to boot. Maybe if Deneen had taken another ten years to write this thing, he might have been able to come up with something worthwhile.
Set in an indeterminate future where humanity has been decimated by a killer flu strain and fossil fuels have gone extinct, Brendan Deneen’s Tracer is a rote post-apocalyptic sci-fier more content to tread the usual, well-worn genre trails rather than carve its own path forward.
Only a handful of cities have survived – urban areas built quite literally off the garbage of the old world, and plastic reigns supreme as the currency of this new world. A technology has been developed to turn plastic back into the oil it came from in order to keep these cities running, but it’s really little more than a MacGuffin to get these characters moving from Point A to Point B. Puente Hills City, built atop the landfills of what used to be Los Angeles, is run by President Bell, but she’s more violent mob boss caricature than politician. Her lead enforcer is her adopted daughter, the titular Tracer, who is tasked with killing anybody who gets on Bell’s bad side, which isn’t exactly a difficult thing to do. When Apex City’s converter goes kaput, Tracer is tasked with delivering them a repair man. What she doesn’t expect is that she’ll be bringing back another passenger, one of Apex’s best roguish thieves, Ezra, as part of a secret trade deal nutso Ma Bell negotiated. Even less expected is the quickly brewing romance she develops with Ezra and all the ways love can change a person.
Tracer’s never known real, honest to god, unconditional love before. She never knew her parents, and the adoptive couple that took her in didn’t have any qualms about selling her to Bell for some cheap plastic. Bell isn’t exactly the lovey-dovey type, either, and her affection for others is measured by whatever they’ve done for her lately. Tracer was trained in combat, and whatever feelings her gangster mom has for her is based only on her abilities and her ruthlessness as the president’s enforcer.
Tracer is built in the typical Sci-Fi Tough Gal™ mold – hard drinking, full of scorn for herself and others, scarily proficient at killing, and nigh unstoppable. Getting shot, choked, stabbed, beaten, etc. does nothing to slow her down, although she occasionally pauses long enough to pour whiskey on her wounds and get stitched up before going right back to getting shot, choked, stabbed, beaten, etc. She’s a comic book character, and taking a gunshot to the shoulder doesn’t stop her from scaling city walls in the pouring rain, or brawling with a barroom full of men twice her size. None of the characters in Tracer feel or act like real people. Instead, they act and feel exactly like characters in a not especially good book. They’re here to check off roles and tropes and to do the expected things their characters have been defined by through a long line of other books in this fashion.
Deneen’s story is phony and superficial, and Tracer plays out in the expected checkmark fashion. Bell is capital-E Evil and Tracer will eventually grow wise to it and do what’s right, all in the name of love! Check. Tracer and her adopted brother hate each other, but rather than come to blows he’ll eventually help her to make up for past sins! Check. Tracer will return to Apex City to rescue the man left behind and show the ruthless masterminds behind it what justice really is! Check.
The only real surprise, storywise, to be found in Tracer is why Bell wants Ezra, and I won’t spoil that because it is kind of a neat reveal. The rest is all pro forma been there, done that. Each story beat and their resolution aren’t just familiar, they’re foregone conclusions long before you ever reach them. The romance between Tracer and Ezra, the supposed beating heart at the core of this story, is a half-baked instalove riff that fails to deliver any authentic emotions between either the characters or the reader. A romance for the ages theirs is not. The biggest shocker in Tracer, though, comes in the author’s afterword, where Deneen confesses it took him over ten years, in between writing for various other intellectual properties, to write a novel this generic.
There’s no heart, no soul, no spice behind any of it, and Tracer’s romance never rises beyond an unconvincing one-dimensional, plot-mandated artifice. Her being forced to contend with the mortal and moral consequences of her life’s work after getting some D in the dessert doesn’t arise as a natural consequence of the story and these characters or the depth of their relationships (there isn’t any), but because it’s what’s expected from these types of stories. Tracer has the strict feel of a book that has been outlined to death and Deneen doesn’t allow any room at all for improv, let alone originality. The characters don’t dictate the story so much as the plot and genre conventions dictate them. The problem is, it’s a plot we’ve seen a thousand times before and done better plenty of times elsewhere, and with more compelling, three-dimensional characters to boot. Maybe if Deneen had taken another ten years to write this thing, he might have been able to come up with something worthwhile.
September 16, 2025
4.5*
This was fabulous! Kind of brought me back to the days where a solid post-apoc or dystopian was easier to find, and I am here for it! In the world of Tracer, plastic is a hot commodity, used to power pretty much everything. Look, I don't know the science behind it, but the author described it in a way that seemed plausible, so it's good enough for me! Tracer was a fabulous main character, very well developed. The world itself was cool- pockets of little cities remain where folks scavenge for plastic remnants, and those in charge live far better than those doing the actual work (sound familiar?), and the cities are basically powered on their labor.
Tracer finds herself in the role of enforcer for the leader, who basically bought her from her adoptive parents. The leader is kind of cartoon-villain-ish at times, which maybe in the past would have turned me off but honestly look at the world around us. It tracks. When Trace finds herself being sent to another city, she finally gets the chance to see other parts of the world. It is pretty eye-opening, both in terms of the world around her and her current city, and I really loved that part of the story. Frankly, my only minor complaint is that there was so much left to explore in this world, and I really wanted to! A sequel, mayhaps? Or a companion? I'd certainly be here for it!
Bottom Line: Exciting and fast paced with fabulous characters and a very intriguing world, my only complaint is that I want more of it!
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
This was fabulous! Kind of brought me back to the days where a solid post-apoc or dystopian was easier to find, and I am here for it! In the world of Tracer, plastic is a hot commodity, used to power pretty much everything. Look, I don't know the science behind it, but the author described it in a way that seemed plausible, so it's good enough for me! Tracer was a fabulous main character, very well developed. The world itself was cool- pockets of little cities remain where folks scavenge for plastic remnants, and those in charge live far better than those doing the actual work (sound familiar?), and the cities are basically powered on their labor.
Tracer finds herself in the role of enforcer for the leader, who basically bought her from her adoptive parents. The leader is kind of cartoon-villain-ish at times, which maybe in the past would have turned me off but honestly look at the world around us. It tracks. When Trace finds herself being sent to another city, she finally gets the chance to see other parts of the world. It is pretty eye-opening, both in terms of the world around her and her current city, and I really loved that part of the story. Frankly, my only minor complaint is that there was so much left to explore in this world, and I really wanted to! A sequel, mayhaps? Or a companion? I'd certainly be here for it!
Bottom Line: Exciting and fast paced with fabulous characters and a very intriguing world, my only complaint is that I want more of it!
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
May 26, 2025
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest evaluation of its merits.
I have some mixed feelings about this book and my review will include some spoilers.
On the plus side, the idea of trash powering the cities of the future and the quest to get more "fuel" at the expense of those forced to collect the plastic is interesting.
There also is some well-paced action in the story and a love sub-plot that is light on the actual romance (it is definitely low on the spicy scale).
The challenges, I felt, were twofold: 1) the location of the capital is Puente Hills, California. Personally, I have spent my entire life a short drive from this location and it beggars belief that this would be the capital of the United States. Yes, a Wikipedia search will tell you it was the site of the largest landfill in the United States, but the details of the location's "history" seem practically nonexistent as if the only research for the site location was the aforementioned Wiki entry. Apex seems a little better, but maybe that's only because I don't leave nearby the Las Vegas suburb.
2) President Bell talks like Joe Pesci in Goodfellas, with an F-bomb every other sentence. It was, for my taste, overdone to the point it lost its efficacy. The reveal that she actually hates the protagonist and is using her may be surprising to Tracer, but not really the rest of us.
In short, the story is OK, but not as strong as I had hoped it would be.
I have some mixed feelings about this book and my review will include some spoilers.
On the plus side, the idea of trash powering the cities of the future and the quest to get more "fuel" at the expense of those forced to collect the plastic is interesting.
There also is some well-paced action in the story and a love sub-plot that is light on the actual romance (it is definitely low on the spicy scale).
The challenges, I felt, were twofold: 1) the location of the capital is Puente Hills, California. Personally, I have spent my entire life a short drive from this location and it beggars belief that this would be the capital of the United States. Yes, a Wikipedia search will tell you it was the site of the largest landfill in the United States, but the details of the location's "history" seem practically nonexistent as if the only research for the site location was the aforementioned Wiki entry. Apex seems a little better, but maybe that's only because I don't leave nearby the Las Vegas suburb.
2) President Bell talks like Joe Pesci in Goodfellas, with an F-bomb every other sentence. It was, for my taste, overdone to the point it lost its efficacy. The reveal that she actually hates the protagonist and is using her may be surprising to Tracer, but not really the rest of us.
In short, the story is OK, but not as strong as I had hoped it would be.
September 1, 2025
“Tracer” Brendan Deneen is a fast-paced sci-fi set in a post-apocalyptic world where the remainder of humanity is fighting for survival.
After a flu has wiped out most of the world’s population, what’s left of humankind has rebuilt cities on top of the largest landfills, and with good reason. Natural oil resources have dried up, but a new technology can turn plastic back into oil. With everyone scrambling for resources, plastic has become the new currency.
Tracer is the hired hitman for the president of one of the largest landfills located outside of what used to be Los Angeles. She was adopted at a young age, trained to fight and kill, and to answer to the president’s every beck and call. When help is requested from the landfall city outside of Las Vegas, Tracer is sent to deal with it. It’s not long before Tracer realizes there is more going on than she’s privy to, and that this mission may be more dangerous and complex than she was led to believe. But if she hopes to return home, she’ll have to choose her loyalties and embark on a dangerous journey that might put many lives (not just her own) at risk.
This was a fun read despite the very grim circumstances that humanity has found itself in after most of the world’s population has been wiped out. Mostly, the fun comes from following Tracer, who is an absolute badass character. She’s tough, intelligent, and can absolutely kick butt when the time calls for it (there is a reason she’s one of the president’s best). But it’s also fascinating to watch her change when she enters a new city and sees a life outside what she’s used to, and how that begins to have an effect on how she understands her childhood living with the president. I love that Tracer is also the heroine of this story, flipping the typical gender roles. It’s neat to read a story where the FMC is capable and doesn’t need rescuing. In fact, it turns out that those who need rescuing are two of the main male characters. Though they have their strengths, they require the help only Tracer can offer.
There were moments where some of the characters did fall a bit flat. I did find the president to be a very stereotypical "villain." I would've liked to know more about the president, something that would make her seem more complex and terrifying. Tracer's relationship with her brother was also quite interesting, one that I enjoyed reading about but ultimately fell flat, too. Near the end, their dynamic began to change, and it felt quick when it could've been explored in more detail. While it wasn't integral to the story, it was something that needed more attention, since the first half of the book spent time driving home the kind of relationship the two had and how that impacted their behaviour and their relationship with the president.
Deneen does a fantastic job of setting up a gritty, violent, and merciless world full of desperate people who are willing to do whatever it takes to survive. This sets a scene for the desolate and broken landscape in which the last of humanity stands. Digging through a wasteland for scraps of plastic in hopes of earning enough for another meal while those with wealth live comfortably, or as comfortably as one can in a world that is barely scraping by. Readers also see a contrast between the two cities and how their leaders have handled the dwindling population and the wasteland the earth has become. Every leader has their own approach in grappling with the scarce oil supplies and how their people should live, something that can surely be connected to the current reality.
Overall, this was an amazing read and one that readers will love if they enjoy sci-fi and a post-apocalyptic landscape. As far as futuristic/post-apocalyptic thrillers go, this one is quite enjoyable and feels realistic. “Tracer” is expected to be published on September 2nd, 2025.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing me with an e-arc of this story and for the opportunity to share my honest opinion in this review.
After a flu has wiped out most of the world’s population, what’s left of humankind has rebuilt cities on top of the largest landfills, and with good reason. Natural oil resources have dried up, but a new technology can turn plastic back into oil. With everyone scrambling for resources, plastic has become the new currency.
Tracer is the hired hitman for the president of one of the largest landfills located outside of what used to be Los Angeles. She was adopted at a young age, trained to fight and kill, and to answer to the president’s every beck and call. When help is requested from the landfall city outside of Las Vegas, Tracer is sent to deal with it. It’s not long before Tracer realizes there is more going on than she’s privy to, and that this mission may be more dangerous and complex than she was led to believe. But if she hopes to return home, she’ll have to choose her loyalties and embark on a dangerous journey that might put many lives (not just her own) at risk.
This was a fun read despite the very grim circumstances that humanity has found itself in after most of the world’s population has been wiped out. Mostly, the fun comes from following Tracer, who is an absolute badass character. She’s tough, intelligent, and can absolutely kick butt when the time calls for it (there is a reason she’s one of the president’s best). But it’s also fascinating to watch her change when she enters a new city and sees a life outside what she’s used to, and how that begins to have an effect on how she understands her childhood living with the president. I love that Tracer is also the heroine of this story, flipping the typical gender roles. It’s neat to read a story where the FMC is capable and doesn’t need rescuing. In fact, it turns out that those who need rescuing are two of the main male characters. Though they have their strengths, they require the help only Tracer can offer.
There were moments where some of the characters did fall a bit flat. I did find the president to be a very stereotypical "villain." I would've liked to know more about the president, something that would make her seem more complex and terrifying. Tracer's relationship with her brother was also quite interesting, one that I enjoyed reading about but ultimately fell flat, too. Near the end, their dynamic began to change, and it felt quick when it could've been explored in more detail. While it wasn't integral to the story, it was something that needed more attention, since the first half of the book spent time driving home the kind of relationship the two had and how that impacted their behaviour and their relationship with the president.
Deneen does a fantastic job of setting up a gritty, violent, and merciless world full of desperate people who are willing to do whatever it takes to survive. This sets a scene for the desolate and broken landscape in which the last of humanity stands. Digging through a wasteland for scraps of plastic in hopes of earning enough for another meal while those with wealth live comfortably, or as comfortably as one can in a world that is barely scraping by. Readers also see a contrast between the two cities and how their leaders have handled the dwindling population and the wasteland the earth has become. Every leader has their own approach in grappling with the scarce oil supplies and how their people should live, something that can surely be connected to the current reality.
Overall, this was an amazing read and one that readers will love if they enjoy sci-fi and a post-apocalyptic landscape. As far as futuristic/post-apocalyptic thrillers go, this one is quite enjoyable and feels realistic. “Tracer” is expected to be published on September 2nd, 2025.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing me with an e-arc of this story and for the opportunity to share my honest opinion in this review.
November 12, 2025
SPOILERS AHEAD. I really wanted to like this more than I did! The concept of the world is so original, and I found the beginning chapters pretty interesting, but it all sort of fell apart as it went on. Much of the story relies heavily on tropes and cliches at the expense of character development that would make those twists/choices feel authentic and logical. Tracer falls in love with Ezra instantly because we need a romance subplot (which I actually think we could've done without). Gunnar turns into a good guy in a twist because that's the only way out of the pickle the characters have gotten themselves into. We spend a bunch of time with the wasteland Nomads, learning They're Not So Different From Us, only to have them sacrifice themselves as cannon fodder to help Tracer (why?), then quickly be forgotten by the MCs as they drive merrily into the sunset (rude). My biggest issue was with the entire idea of Ezra being chosen to be sent to PH City to marry President Bell, which incites Tracer's transformation. None of that made sense to me. Why did President Bell want to remarry, since she apparently killed her first husband and there was NO political pressure for her to remarry/have an heir? Why did she want to marry a random low-status stranger from Apex City when she could definitely have bargained for someone with better status? Why was Ezra the one chosen for this, aside from convenience to the plot? Even the epilogue felt lackluster and basically reads as a tee-up for a sequel. There was also a LOT of overuse of the word "literally" which was irritating as I listened to the audiobook version.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2025
Many thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing me with an eARC of Tracer in exchange for my honest review!
This sci-fi dystopian thriller gives off the right kind of gritty atmosphere that keeps me compelled over the course of the narrative. If it had been raining outside a ton while I was going through this book, then that would have been very fitting. I can see why this has been marketed as appropriate for fans of Mad Max and Blade Runner, because those tales had definitely popped into my head while I was following Tracer on her journey. There's a steely edge to her soul that turns her into an endearing protagonist, and I appreciate her childhood flashbacks, too, as they further flesh out her character and the incredibly merciless upbringing she's had to endure under President Bell's care. Sure, the tropey material in this sci-fi story is the sort of thing I've seen many, many times by now, but it remains entertaining to watch how it all unfolds in a collapsing landscape where plastic has become so damn valuable. I don't think I'd even been aware of pyrolysis before, so it's intriguing to see the book's deployment of this process.
Overall, I'm officially rating Tracer 3.75 out of 5 stars, which I'm rounding up to 4 stars. Even if it's not a groundbreaking tale, it continues to be a gripping ride that I'm glad to have gone on.
This sci-fi dystopian thriller gives off the right kind of gritty atmosphere that keeps me compelled over the course of the narrative. If it had been raining outside a ton while I was going through this book, then that would have been very fitting. I can see why this has been marketed as appropriate for fans of Mad Max and Blade Runner, because those tales had definitely popped into my head while I was following Tracer on her journey. There's a steely edge to her soul that turns her into an endearing protagonist, and I appreciate her childhood flashbacks, too, as they further flesh out her character and the incredibly merciless upbringing she's had to endure under President Bell's care. Sure, the tropey material in this sci-fi story is the sort of thing I've seen many, many times by now, but it remains entertaining to watch how it all unfolds in a collapsing landscape where plastic has become so damn valuable. I don't think I'd even been aware of pyrolysis before, so it's intriguing to see the book's deployment of this process.
Overall, I'm officially rating Tracer 3.75 out of 5 stars, which I'm rounding up to 4 stars. Even if it's not a groundbreaking tale, it continues to be a gripping ride that I'm glad to have gone on.
October 29, 2025
Sometime in the future there was the Jar Flu (which is never explained) that wiped out 99% of the world's population (go figure).
For the purposes of this book we deal with only two cities in the western U.S. PH City (Los Angeles) and Apex City (Las Vegas). Nothing other cities seems to have seemed survived (Maybe in the next book, I smell a sequel here.
Wealth seems to have boiled down to anything plastic, that can be melted down for it's oil, which is the real wealth of both cities.
Into this mix is Tracer, the enforcement officer of PH City's President Bell, both are rough customers. President Bell has a plan to form an alliance with Apex City to exchange credits. Tracer is sent out to Apex City by way of an old car named Goldie. On the way she and her companion (who is part of the exchange) run into the Nomads the out right poor who scape by collecting small amounts of plastic.
PH City is run by a bully President, but is nothing compared to the President of Apex, who is a military dictator, which Tracer only discovers when she gets there.
Interesting book, Tracer begins to grow up a bit to see both these cities as not what they seems to be.
As I said before, a sequel or sequels in the future. I'd still like to know the history behind this Jar Flu thing.
For the purposes of this book we deal with only two cities in the western U.S. PH City (Los Angeles) and Apex City (Las Vegas). Nothing other cities seems to have seemed survived (Maybe in the next book, I smell a sequel here.
Wealth seems to have boiled down to anything plastic, that can be melted down for it's oil, which is the real wealth of both cities.
Into this mix is Tracer, the enforcement officer of PH City's President Bell, both are rough customers. President Bell has a plan to form an alliance with Apex City to exchange credits. Tracer is sent out to Apex City by way of an old car named Goldie. On the way she and her companion (who is part of the exchange) run into the Nomads the out right poor who scape by collecting small amounts of plastic.
PH City is run by a bully President, but is nothing compared to the President of Apex, who is a military dictator, which Tracer only discovers when she gets there.
Interesting book, Tracer begins to grow up a bit to see both these cities as not what they seems to be.
As I said before, a sequel or sequels in the future. I'd still like to know the history behind this Jar Flu thing.
September 3, 2025
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC and opportunity to read this story.
Imagine a world where the flu destabilizes the economy and resources around the world. Plastic can be turned back into oil and becomes the number one currency. The world is barren and dangerous. Now you’ve entered the world of Tracer.
This was an awesome read. It’s fast paced, action packed, and filled with heart. Our main protagonist Tracer is easy to root for and the secondary cast of characters are all likable sans the ones you’re not supposed to like.
Deneen does a great job of bringing you along on the journey and keeps the pages turning. My only real nitpicks would be that the love story part of this feels a little fast and at times uneven. The ending also wraps up very quickly. I was shocked when I got there how little of the book was left. All that said, it is still a satisfying conclusion.
This is one I will absolutely recommend to people in the future. I had a blast! Hope to see Tracer in a future story someday. 4/5.
Imagine a world where the flu destabilizes the economy and resources around the world. Plastic can be turned back into oil and becomes the number one currency. The world is barren and dangerous. Now you’ve entered the world of Tracer.
This was an awesome read. It’s fast paced, action packed, and filled with heart. Our main protagonist Tracer is easy to root for and the secondary cast of characters are all likable sans the ones you’re not supposed to like.
Deneen does a great job of bringing you along on the journey and keeps the pages turning. My only real nitpicks would be that the love story part of this feels a little fast and at times uneven. The ending also wraps up very quickly. I was shocked when I got there how little of the book was left. All that said, it is still a satisfying conclusion.
This is one I will absolutely recommend to people in the future. I had a blast! Hope to see Tracer in a future story someday. 4/5.
November 5, 2025
I received this book as a Libro.FM ALC title. Candace Fitzgerald narrated it bringing Tracer to life. The idea of turning plastic into oil, pyrolysis, is factual. While I found the book fast-paced and being under nine hours, quickly finished, I did think that the title character Tracer read more like an action figure from the pages of a popular comic book. She seemed to always bounce back from any fight she was in with a little whiskey splashed on the wound and a quick stitching. I thought the romance with Ezra seemed a bit rushed and wonder if we'll see a sequel. It might be interesting to learn how Tracer and Ezra turn out and if they find a new city in which to live. Perhaps, we'll meet Gunner again? He was Tracer's rival for the affections of the sociopathic city ruler Bell. They seem to put aside their long-simmering antagonism by novel's end. I did think the use of F-bombs was a bit overdone.
September 1, 2025
Tracer was never meant to be free. Sold into service and forged into a weapon, she’s spent her life chasing targets—not truths. But when her latest mission spirals into chaos, Trace is forced to confront the lies that shaped her, the pain she buried, and the flicker of hope she thought long extinguished. In a world where plastic fuels survival and emotions are liabilities, can one woman reclaim her power and rewrite her fate?
I received a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy(ARC) of the book for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own and reflect my genuine reading experience. Receiving the ARC did not influence my evaluation, and I was not compensated for this review.
I received a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy(ARC) of the book for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own and reflect my genuine reading experience. Receiving the ARC did not influence my evaluation, and I was not compensated for this review.
November 13, 2025
It has its flaws, but it entertained me. More, the world it inhabited intrigued me. Suddenly, our biggest source of waste has become the most valuable asset.
There *was* character growth, and while the rapidity of the arch pushed the bounds of believability, I have found that a common thread to many new books in the last decade or two - the timing seems rushed to me, but maybe the change in pacing is a result of (or symptom of) shorter attention spans accustomed to constant input.
It's open to more story, but I think not leaving this as a standalone would do it a disservice. Right now the future of our hero is wide open to the imagination.
But really, just how far can this car go on one tank of gas? That was an over 500 mile round trip...
There *was* character growth, and while the rapidity of the arch pushed the bounds of believability, I have found that a common thread to many new books in the last decade or two - the timing seems rushed to me, but maybe the change in pacing is a result of (or symptom of) shorter attention spans accustomed to constant input.
It's open to more story, but I think not leaving this as a standalone would do it a disservice. Right now the future of our hero is wide open to the imagination.
But really, just how far can this car go on one tank of gas? That was an over 500 mile round trip...
September 7, 2025
In a world where fossil fuels have run out, the "jar flue" has wiped out 99% of the human population, only seven cities exist in all of the world, each one run like their own country. The land around those cities is covered in garbage, a never ending landfill, with everyone living up away from the smell and the sick, in apartment buildings. However, not everyone can afford to live in the city, and they're forced to live in the garbage, endlessly sorting through it to find enough scrap to recycle to survive.
Check out my full review here! Posted 9/8/2025
https://mutatedlibrary.wordpress.com/...
Check out my full review here! Posted 9/8/2025
https://mutatedlibrary.wordpress.com/...
October 14, 2025
Thanks to Blackstone Publishing for this Goodreads giveaway.
The good news is the writing in Tracer keeps you moving, and the concept is intriguing. However, the prose was stale and full of cliches. I liked the characters, but didn't find them fully believable. The romance also happened too quickly to be fully believable, and I didn't think someone like Tracer would let down her walls so easily. I had high hopes for this one; unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped.
The good news is the writing in Tracer keeps you moving, and the concept is intriguing. However, the prose was stale and full of cliches. I liked the characters, but didn't find them fully believable. The romance also happened too quickly to be fully believable, and I didn't think someone like Tracer would let down her walls so easily. I had high hopes for this one; unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped.
December 17, 2025
Picked this book up at comiccon this year because it looked kinda scifi noir, and marketed itself as a sort of Post apocalyptic thriller and love story.
But the characters just never felt real, and the love story had no emotion to it. I kept hoping the story would get better, but by the time I realized it wouldn't I was too close to finishing to give up.
But the characters just never felt real, and the love story had no emotion to it. I kept hoping the story would get better, but by the time I realized it wouldn't I was too close to finishing to give up.
September 21, 2025
Tracer was a really solid read. The story moved quickly, the action kept me interested, and the concept was fun. A few parts could have been fleshed out more, but overall it was engaging and worth picking up.
Read
October 8, 2025Reading List 2025 #131
August 22, 2025
A dystopian adventure with interesting world building, the use of plastic for currency is what drew me into this story by Brendan Deneen. Tracer is a young woman in the future who is tasked with protecting a local ruler and is constantly having to search for plastic in order to move up in the world. She is a tough cookie yet her bravery and job are dwarfed by the responsibilities she feels. During an attempt to help another city, Tracer gets embroiled in an adventure when her friend is kidnapped. We see the desert world imagined years from now and the different groups that rule it. Tracer was an interesting look at a future that is violent and its remaining people are barely getting by. However, this novel was more reliant on action than character development. So much could happen for Tracer and this story could be a nice set up for several sequels.
September 4, 2025
Ok before I write this, I want to just acknowledge that I am very bad at critiquing things I like. Because of that, this review might be a bit abrupt, all over the place, and less detailed than something I maybe didn’t like as much.
Anyway, suffice it to say, I thought this was a bomb ass book and I loved every minute of it. What a ride, what excitement, and what satisfaction! Oh to be so spoiled in my waking life - we got strong female lead, #girlboss, we got post apocalyptic scifi, check, we got full-on dystopian immersion, check check, we got an emotionally supportive male character, werk… I mean this author gave us a female protagonist who was completely unrelatable yet still very likable from the getgo with a main story line that just moved forward so naturally. And she was just so over the top badass, it was amazing. You knew the big picture of what was going to happen but what a treat consuming every word that it took to get me there. And the thing is, the author also created a layered character who was just oozing with mystery and intrigue. I desperately wanted to know more about Tracer as much as I wanted to know more about the history of this new bleak futuristic world. So, yes, it was all great, wonderful. Now, on to what could have been better.
First, for anyone who is not a fan of violence, there’s quite a bit of it in the book, and implications of torture that perhaps warranted to a trigger warning, even though personally I won’t fault any book for that. Second, the development of Tracer and Ezra’s relationship did not feel natural at all and the whole time I was waiting for the other shoe to drop and it never did. In fact, there was quite a lot of unrealistic positivity in the story overall, what with it being very feelgood towards the end and everything being packaged very neatly. It felt a little too safe when you started to see the pattern that nothing too horrible really happened to the characters that mattered and it kind of undermined the overall suspense. It’s hard to hold your breath as the characters are taking risks if the risks never actually materialize. Once you know they’re all getting out of there alive, the story gets considerably less dark, which is not a bad thing but it did take away some of the edge that made the story so exciting. So a lot of what made the end great for me was just how nicely it all came together and less so that the story was super compelling, because it kind of wasn’t.
That said, I LOVED what happened with her brother and I thought the author made a very poignant observation about childhood trauma, adult manipulation, the human need for being nurtured and accepted, etc. We all thought it was going to go one way because that’s how any other book would have set it up and then something else happened. Wild.
But yeah, as for what else I would have asked for… more backstory, how did the President get to where she is? How did everything really fall apart? How did they get back up and running? How many other towns are in this world?? I’m not sure if that’s really a flaw, but it did feel like some unfinished ideas and I wanted that filled in a bit more. I would not have complained if the book was a little bit longer and I would have liked to see more of the brother.
So, while I loved this book, I can recognize its flaws and say that they just didn’t bother me all that much
Confidently, 3.5 ⭐️ rounded up.
Thanks to NetGalley and @BlackstonePublishing for letting me read a copy in advance.
Anyway, suffice it to say, I thought this was a bomb ass book and I loved every minute of it. What a ride, what excitement, and what satisfaction! Oh to be so spoiled in my waking life - we got strong female lead, #girlboss, we got post apocalyptic scifi, check, we got full-on dystopian immersion, check check, we got an emotionally supportive male character, werk… I mean this author gave us a female protagonist who was completely unrelatable yet still very likable from the getgo with a main story line that just moved forward so naturally. And she was just so over the top badass, it was amazing. You knew the big picture of what was going to happen but what a treat consuming every word that it took to get me there. And the thing is, the author also created a layered character who was just oozing with mystery and intrigue. I desperately wanted to know more about Tracer as much as I wanted to know more about the history of this new bleak futuristic world. So, yes, it was all great, wonderful. Now, on to what could have been better.
First, for anyone who is not a fan of violence, there’s quite a bit of it in the book, and implications of torture that perhaps warranted to a trigger warning, even though personally I won’t fault any book for that. Second, the development of Tracer and Ezra’s relationship did not feel natural at all and the whole time I was waiting for the other shoe to drop and it never did. In fact, there was quite a lot of unrealistic positivity in the story overall, what with it being very feelgood towards the end and everything being packaged very neatly. It felt a little too safe when you started to see the pattern that nothing too horrible really happened to the characters that mattered and it kind of undermined the overall suspense. It’s hard to hold your breath as the characters are taking risks if the risks never actually materialize. Once you know they’re all getting out of there alive, the story gets considerably less dark, which is not a bad thing but it did take away some of the edge that made the story so exciting. So a lot of what made the end great for me was just how nicely it all came together and less so that the story was super compelling, because it kind of wasn’t.
That said, I LOVED what happened with her brother and I thought the author made a very poignant observation about childhood trauma, adult manipulation, the human need for being nurtured and accepted, etc. We all thought it was going to go one way because that’s how any other book would have set it up and then something else happened. Wild.
But yeah, as for what else I would have asked for… more backstory, how did the President get to where she is? How did everything really fall apart? How did they get back up and running? How many other towns are in this world?? I’m not sure if that’s really a flaw, but it did feel like some unfinished ideas and I wanted that filled in a bit more. I would not have complained if the book was a little bit longer and I would have liked to see more of the brother.
So, while I loved this book, I can recognize its flaws and say that they just didn’t bother me all that much
Confidently, 3.5 ⭐️ rounded up.
Thanks to NetGalley and @BlackstonePublishing for letting me read a copy in advance.
June 11, 2025
I obtained a copy of this ARC from Barnes and Nobles book fest. I was excited to see a sci-fi dystopia novel available and grabbed it.
Overall the story is fun and an easy read. The world of the future struggles for oil and plastic is where it's at. Scavengers comb through garbage dumps for any pieces they can find. Can't say I've come across a story before where plastic was treated this way.
In this novel a flu wiped out a large amount of the population and now major cities are centered around large garbage dumps. Tracer who is the FMC works for PH Cities President Bell as one of her two main enforcers.
President Bell is a pain point for me because she is supposed to be a feared leader.. but her way of speaking just doesn't do it. It's as if someone's shady cousin got elected President of a whole city. Except she wasn't really elected, so I guess there's that. I do kind of get that she and the entire city are a foil for the other city that Tracer ventures to. I just think her dialog leaves something to be desired.
The romance is not explicit at all and sweet in a way. I really feel the novel could have been a smidgen longer to give the two time to bloom more.
Overall I had no trouble cruising along reading this. I didn't get bored or lose interest. Finished it relatively quickly.
I have, unrelated to the story itself, major beef with the cover. The cover features the wrong year vehicle. The novel's vehicle is a 72 Dart, the cover looks to be a 66? I would hope that gets amended for the official release. Either in the book or on the cover.
Overall the story is fun and an easy read. The world of the future struggles for oil and plastic is where it's at. Scavengers comb through garbage dumps for any pieces they can find. Can't say I've come across a story before where plastic was treated this way.
In this novel a flu wiped out a large amount of the population and now major cities are centered around large garbage dumps. Tracer who is the FMC works for PH Cities President Bell as one of her two main enforcers.
President Bell is a pain point for me because she is supposed to be a feared leader.. but her way of speaking just doesn't do it. It's as if someone's shady cousin got elected President of a whole city. Except she wasn't really elected, so I guess there's that. I do kind of get that she and the entire city are a foil for the other city that Tracer ventures to. I just think her dialog leaves something to be desired.
The romance is not explicit at all and sweet in a way. I really feel the novel could have been a smidgen longer to give the two time to bloom more.
Overall I had no trouble cruising along reading this. I didn't get bored or lose interest. Finished it relatively quickly.
I have, unrelated to the story itself, major beef with the cover. The cover features the wrong year vehicle. The novel's vehicle is a 72 Dart, the cover looks to be a 66? I would hope that gets amended for the official release. Either in the book or on the cover.
June 5, 2025
3.5 stars.
This book had some really cool ideas that I wanted to explore - a future world where humanity is concentrated in cities built on garbage dumps, where plastic is highly sought after and the dregs of humanity scrounge for all they can find. Tracer is the enforcer, bodyguard, and right hand man of "President" Bell, leader of PH City. Sent to Apex city with pyrotech Brisby to help repair the city's power source, Tracer finds more adventure than she's bargained for.
Unfortunately, the villain falls a little flat.
Additionally, the leaders of both PH City and Apex City are almost cartoonish in their portrayal of power and corruption. Gunner's "character growth" was basically just a switch being flipped. What could have been an exciting journey through a futuristic world felt a little like a let down. It just felt like it could have been more.
I did really enjoy the read - thanks to netgalley, publisher, and author for the opportunity. If Tracer ever gets out there again, hit me up.
Edited to add: I think my main issue is that I didn't care so much about the plot as I wanted to just hang around with Tracer while she figures out the world.
This book had some really cool ideas that I wanted to explore - a future world where humanity is concentrated in cities built on garbage dumps, where plastic is highly sought after and the dregs of humanity scrounge for all they can find. Tracer is the enforcer, bodyguard, and right hand man of "President" Bell, leader of PH City. Sent to Apex city with pyrotech Brisby to help repair the city's power source, Tracer finds more adventure than she's bargained for.
Unfortunately, the villain falls a little flat.
Additionally, the leaders of both PH City and Apex City are almost cartoonish in their portrayal of power and corruption. Gunner's "character growth" was basically just a switch being flipped. What could have been an exciting journey through a futuristic world felt a little like a let down. It just felt like it could have been more.
I did really enjoy the read - thanks to netgalley, publisher, and author for the opportunity. If Tracer ever gets out there again, hit me up.
Edited to add: I think my main issue is that I didn't care so much about the plot as I wanted to just hang around with Tracer while she figures out the world.
April 26, 2025
Given the other books this author has written, I read an ARC of Brendan Deneen’s book, Tracer, with high expectations, and was not disappointed. It’s a futuristic dystopian coming of age and love story where the heroine, Tracer, learns to think for herself and sets aside misplaced loyalties to rescue those she holds dear. Tracer has a clear character arc, and I found myself rooting for her as she came into her own. The book’s futuristic world is one within the realm of possibility, which makes the plot line both realistic and a richer reading experience. I constantly found myself thinking, huh, this could happen, and then, Geesh, what if this does happen? Note for the fainter of heart, Tracer is a BA, and there’s quite a bit of physical violence, but it’s not gratuitous. The author has done an excellent job of creating a very realistic world where the violence is necessary for existence. In more than one instance, the characters set aside their mistrust and violent ways of solving conflicts to work together, and the book thus carries with it and ends on a hopeful note, where Tracer and her world seem to be moving towards a rosier future. Highly recommend for its originality and unusual and likeable heroine. The book leaves open room for a possible sequel, and I’m crossing my fingers that we get one.
November 21, 2025
Tracer had an incredibly promising premise, a post-collapse world where society runs on scavenged plastic and high-stakes missions determine survival. Unfortunately, the execution didn’t live up to the concept.
The worldbuilding was where this book could’ve shined, but instead it felt shallow. There were fascinating ideas introduced, like pyrolysis machines and power dynamics between crumbling cities, but they were never explored in satisfying depth. I found myself constantly wishing for more backstory, more explanation, and more immersion in how this world came to be.
The pacing dragged for much of the story, and emotional connections between characters felt rushed and underdeveloped. There are moments of strong female empowerment and glimpses of a wider, complex world, but they’re brief and not fully realized.
While the book sets up an exciting framework, it never delivers the weight or momentum the concept deserved. If you’re a reader who needs deep world building and well earned character arcs, this might leave you wanting more.
The worldbuilding was where this book could’ve shined, but instead it felt shallow. There were fascinating ideas introduced, like pyrolysis machines and power dynamics between crumbling cities, but they were never explored in satisfying depth. I found myself constantly wishing for more backstory, more explanation, and more immersion in how this world came to be.
The pacing dragged for much of the story, and emotional connections between characters felt rushed and underdeveloped. There are moments of strong female empowerment and glimpses of a wider, complex world, but they’re brief and not fully realized.
While the book sets up an exciting framework, it never delivers the weight or momentum the concept deserved. If you’re a reader who needs deep world building and well earned character arcs, this might leave you wanting more.
July 9, 2025
Thank you to Brendan Deneen and NetGalley for an advanced copy!!! I wanted a bit more from this. I don't know why I thought a John Wick rampage through a city ravished by time and apocalyptic circumstances, but it would have really fit Tracer. But everything I did get was amazing and really made the setting come to life. The romance felt a little rushed, until you remember the background of the character and I would recommend really thinking through it because it is bleak, sad, and a reality that could happen. I'm a huge fan of apocalypses and this was really quite something I wanted.
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