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Kill Them with Kindness
The threat of nuclear war is no longer scary. This is much worse. It's invisible. It works quickly. And it's coming.
The scourge has already infected and killed half the population in China and it is heading towards the UK. There is no time to escape. The British government sees no way out other than to distribute 'Dignity Pills' to its citizens – one last night with family or loved ones before going to sleep forever … together.
Dr Haruto Ikeda, a Japanese scientist working at a Chinese research facility, wants to save the world. He has discovered a way to mutate a virus. Instead of making people sick, instead of causing death, it's going to make them ... nice. Instead of attacking the lungs, it will work into the brain and increase the host's ability to feel and show compassion. It will make people kind.
But governments don't want a population in agreement. They want conflict and outrage and fear. Reasonable people are harder to control.
Ikeda's quest is thoughtful and noble, and it just might work. Maybe humanity can be saved. Maybe it doesn't have to be the end.
The scourge has already infected and killed half the population in China and it is heading towards the UK. There is no time to escape. The British government sees no way out other than to distribute 'Dignity Pills' to its citizens – one last night with family or loved ones before going to sleep forever … together.
Dr Haruto Ikeda, a Japanese scientist working at a Chinese research facility, wants to save the world. He has discovered a way to mutate a virus. Instead of making people sick, instead of causing death, it's going to make them ... nice. Instead of attacking the lungs, it will work into the brain and increase the host's ability to feel and show compassion. It will make people kind.
But governments don't want a population in agreement. They want conflict and outrage and fear. Reasonable people are harder to control.
Ikeda's quest is thoughtful and noble, and it just might work. Maybe humanity can be saved. Maybe it doesn't have to be the end.
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Published June 19, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 136 reviews
July 16, 2025
Beautifully twisted!
Carver absolutely nails the speculative fiction genre with this warped, but epic what if. The characters read like caricatures of world leaders, the destruction they can wield and the decline of society so cleverly constructed. If this read doesn’t make you think nothing will…it’s not a 12 sec reel or anything you can quarter read - challenge yourself to consider the social, moral, political, economic and global machinations presented.
The plot has divided readers but I found I could not stop reading. I have an entire day of jobs to do now but it was so worth stopping to contemplate the options presented.
There is no middle ground with this book, but I love a read that makes me think, so 5 out 5 for me.
Carver absolutely nails the speculative fiction genre with this warped, but epic what if. The characters read like caricatures of world leaders, the destruction they can wield and the decline of society so cleverly constructed. If this read doesn’t make you think nothing will…it’s not a 12 sec reel or anything you can quarter read - challenge yourself to consider the social, moral, political, economic and global machinations presented.
The plot has divided readers but I found I could not stop reading. I have an entire day of jobs to do now but it was so worth stopping to contemplate the options presented.
There is no middle ground with this book, but I love a read that makes me think, so 5 out 5 for me.
June 19, 2025
Happy publication day 🎉🥳🎧
3.5🌟
This will be a divisive book I think, while I did really enjoy the writing and the narration I’m jaded with the Covid spin off stories, and I went through the majority of the book thinking the author had just rewritten history, you’ll recognise the political figures, while they’re written with humour and satire and were amusing I think I’m just over it. You’ll also recognise that everyone was suddenly an expert in everything, I’m over that too, but again these people were written with humour. With around 3 hours to the end things took a turn and I began to wonder where we were going, from this point in is really where, for me, the story picked up and gained my interest, I had no idea where things would go and it left me wondering what I would do. It’s possible that I missed it, but I’m unsure which period of time this was set, seemed futuristic but not too far into the future.
I really enjoy will carver’s work, it’s really no fault of his that I expected this to be believable due to Covid 19 I just didn’t expect t to cover so much of the same. If you like dystopian end of the world theories this will be right up your alley.
Huge thanks to Bolinda Audio via NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧
3.5🌟
This will be a divisive book I think, while I did really enjoy the writing and the narration I’m jaded with the Covid spin off stories, and I went through the majority of the book thinking the author had just rewritten history, you’ll recognise the political figures, while they’re written with humour and satire and were amusing I think I’m just over it. You’ll also recognise that everyone was suddenly an expert in everything, I’m over that too, but again these people were written with humour. With around 3 hours to the end things took a turn and I began to wonder where we were going, from this point in is really where, for me, the story picked up and gained my interest, I had no idea where things would go and it left me wondering what I would do. It’s possible that I missed it, but I’m unsure which period of time this was set, seemed futuristic but not too far into the future.
I really enjoy will carver’s work, it’s really no fault of his that I expected this to be believable due to Covid 19 I just didn’t expect t to cover so much of the same. If you like dystopian end of the world theories this will be right up your alley.
Huge thanks to Bolinda Audio via NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧
June 1, 2025
I do enjoy a story that has glimpses of what could have happened. Speculative fiction is a good genre, and if done right, it can make for interesting reading.
This story is one that mirrors and also mentions coronavirus. The author has a great sense of humour, albeit dark, when it comes to portraying some of his characters. As I was reading, I was able to envisage those people, and it did make me chuckle. Kill Them with Kindness is a brilliant title for an obscure, twisted and addictive speculative fiction and thriller.
Dr Haruto Ikeda, a virologist, is tasked with creating a virus; he also creates another one. Both are planned to be released, but one is sanctioned while the other isn't! Conspiracy theorists are going to love this book! As one of the viruses is running rampant, there are noticeable changes. Not everyone dies, not everyone believes it is a natural event and believe it or not, some don't believe in there being a virus at all! Sounds kinda familiar.
The author has a wonderful way of portraying some of the characters and how they interact with others; there is a certain amount of finger-pointing, disbelief and shock. But how has the wrong virus emerged, and what can be done to control it? The author takes the reader through the story alternating between characters, countries, theories and what the great god Google has to reveal. Armchair experts, those in denial, those who think they know better than the expert, again, all very familiar. But with this, there is still death and the threat of death. The unknown and the power play and political opinion from the main players on the global field.
What the author does with this book is take something we have lived through and then twist it superbly. It doesn't focus on covid, but instead on this manmade virus and all the drama and politics that come with it. Some of the characters are quiet and unassuming, getting in with their daily lives, while others are up front and live on TV, making their opinions known.
This book has several twists, the major one completely threw me, and it was not what I had expected. I did have various scenarios in my head, but, as happened before with this author, I was way off the mark.
If you are a fan of speculative thrillers, fiction, sci-fi, dystopian and twisted stories, then this is a book you should really have a look at. It is deceivingly clever and addictive. There are many layers to this story, as it is entertaining but also thought-provoking, with a dark humour and a certain amount of tongue-in-cheek that looks at human nature. Fabulous reading and one I would definitely recommend.
This story is one that mirrors and also mentions coronavirus. The author has a great sense of humour, albeit dark, when it comes to portraying some of his characters. As I was reading, I was able to envisage those people, and it did make me chuckle. Kill Them with Kindness is a brilliant title for an obscure, twisted and addictive speculative fiction and thriller.
Dr Haruto Ikeda, a virologist, is tasked with creating a virus; he also creates another one. Both are planned to be released, but one is sanctioned while the other isn't! Conspiracy theorists are going to love this book! As one of the viruses is running rampant, there are noticeable changes. Not everyone dies, not everyone believes it is a natural event and believe it or not, some don't believe in there being a virus at all! Sounds kinda familiar.
The author has a wonderful way of portraying some of the characters and how they interact with others; there is a certain amount of finger-pointing, disbelief and shock. But how has the wrong virus emerged, and what can be done to control it? The author takes the reader through the story alternating between characters, countries, theories and what the great god Google has to reveal. Armchair experts, those in denial, those who think they know better than the expert, again, all very familiar. But with this, there is still death and the threat of death. The unknown and the power play and political opinion from the main players on the global field.
What the author does with this book is take something we have lived through and then twist it superbly. It doesn't focus on covid, but instead on this manmade virus and all the drama and politics that come with it. Some of the characters are quiet and unassuming, getting in with their daily lives, while others are up front and live on TV, making their opinions known.
This book has several twists, the major one completely threw me, and it was not what I had expected. I did have various scenarios in my head, but, as happened before with this author, I was way off the mark.
If you are a fan of speculative thrillers, fiction, sci-fi, dystopian and twisted stories, then this is a book you should really have a look at. It is deceivingly clever and addictive. There are many layers to this story, as it is entertaining but also thought-provoking, with a dark humour and a certain amount of tongue-in-cheek that looks at human nature. Fabulous reading and one I would definitely recommend.
May 18, 2025
Do not be fooled into thinking this is a torturous story going over the Coronovirus Covid-19 years.
It is an absolute stonker of man's perfidy, hubris, good intentions leading to hell and back and belief in humanity.
I read it in two sittings and my head is still running around full with admiration.
You may think you recognise some of the characters, especially the shady ones. Don't be fooled. They are just like everyone. Each person has it in themselves to be shady, disingenuous and downright selfish.
This book shows it is up to you. You can choose. To live or die, to believe or not to believe.
A masterpiece that I hope is not the writing on the wall.
It is an absolute stonker of man's perfidy, hubris, good intentions leading to hell and back and belief in humanity.
I read it in two sittings and my head is still running around full with admiration.
You may think you recognise some of the characters, especially the shady ones. Don't be fooled. They are just like everyone. Each person has it in themselves to be shady, disingenuous and downright selfish.
This book shows it is up to you. You can choose. To live or die, to believe or not to believe.
A masterpiece that I hope is not the writing on the wall.
August 6, 2025
* This book is an anti-vaxxer dream and plays into *many* conspiracy theories, as well as being weirdly racist towards Chinese people (not the comment made towards the Chinese people, that’s unsavoury character dialogue moving the story, but the way they react)
* The story is completely linear, with absolutely zero character development. The way the main characters act is the same at the end as it was at the start.
* There are two separate stories operating in this book. They basically don’t overlap. It’s lazy story development.
* This leads to the next problem, the name is incorrect. The killing and the kindness are two separate stories.
* Which leads to the next next problem, speculative fiction is interesting when the author plays with their concept. The kindness is irrelevant? It doesn’t move the plot in any substantive way.
* More plot holes than a sieve. The way people act – without even the slightest bit of evidence to support their drastic actions – is wild. But again, it plays nicely into the conspiracy theories.
I wish I had DNF at 20% of the way through the book. If you wonder if there is a payoff on an interesting resolution, there isn’t.
* The story is completely linear, with absolutely zero character development. The way the main characters act is the same at the end as it was at the start.
* There are two separate stories operating in this book. They basically don’t overlap. It’s lazy story development.
* This leads to the next problem, the name is incorrect. The killing and the kindness are two separate stories.
* Which leads to the next next problem, speculative fiction is interesting when the author plays with their concept. The kindness is irrelevant? It doesn’t move the plot in any substantive way.
* More plot holes than a sieve. The way people act – without even the slightest bit of evidence to support their drastic actions – is wild. But again, it plays nicely into the conspiracy theories.
I wish I had DNF at 20% of the way through the book. If you wonder if there is a payoff on an interesting resolution, there isn’t.
June 8, 2025
This book imagines a world where instead of COVID, a scientist catches wind of a planned virus outbreak and replaces it with his one of his own - one that makes people kind instead of killing them off.
But sadly I don't think I was quite the right reader for it. I like 'plague' books, but this was really more of a fictionalised COVID-retelling with additional conspiracy theories, and it didn't quite work for me.
There are a lot of POV shifts and snappy short chapters (plus a UK prime minister who fakes getting ill), which keep the pace up, but the downside of this is that you never get fully pulled into a single character's story. There was no one I really cared about all that much. Not even our main scientist.
There are some interesting ideas, but there wasn't as much as I expected (from the title) about the consequences of 'kindness'. Also, I didn't fully buy that no one would notice the kindness effect - or that anyone would take the Dignity tablets based on a few videos.
In other words, this book had an interesting premise, but didn't fully capitalise on it. I suspect the marmite effect will be in play here!
But sadly I don't think I was quite the right reader for it. I like 'plague' books, but this was really more of a fictionalised COVID-retelling with additional conspiracy theories, and it didn't quite work for me.
There are a lot of POV shifts and snappy short chapters (plus a UK prime minister who fakes getting ill), which keep the pace up, but the downside of this is that you never get fully pulled into a single character's story. There was no one I really cared about all that much. Not even our main scientist.
There are some interesting ideas, but there wasn't as much as I expected (from the title) about the consequences of 'kindness'. Also, I didn't fully buy that no one would notice the kindness effect - or that anyone would take the Dignity tablets based on a few videos.
In other words, this book had an interesting premise, but didn't fully capitalise on it. I suspect the marmite effect will be in play here!
September 11, 2025
Will Carver is an incredibly underrated author whose talent truly deserves more recognition. His writing is not just fantastic; it is rich and evocative, immersing readers in a vividly crafted atmosphere that stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page.
This book is another remarkable addition to his repertoire. The dystopian twist on the pandemic retelling is not only imaginative but also deeply engaging, creating a captivating narrative that had me hooked from the very first chapter. The way he weaves tension and emotion into the storyline makes it a thrilling read that I couldn't put down.
This book is another remarkable addition to his repertoire. The dystopian twist on the pandemic retelling is not only imaginative but also deeply engaging, creating a captivating narrative that had me hooked from the very first chapter. The way he weaves tension and emotion into the storyline makes it a thrilling read that I couldn't put down.
June 13, 2025
The world is coming to an end thanks to a few megalomaniacs (aka the world leaders, including the British PM, Harris Jackson) who decide to release a deadly virus.
However, their actions are intercepted by Dr Haruto Ikeda, a Japanese virologist working in China, who creates his own virus, which will make people better: kinder and more emphatic. Haruto is a compassionate man himself, and he’s very worried about the lack of empathy in today’s society.
When his virus is released (instead of the deadly one), people are becoming kinder to each other. The news become happy news, but that’s not appreciated by some: they want the doom and gloom that we are subjected to each day.
Then, it appears that a deadly plague descends upon China, and it spreads all over the world. It’s heading for the UK.
Harris Jackson offers ‘dignity pills’ to the British public, telling them to choose their own dignified death surrounded by their loved ones rather than a painful demise. Will the public listen?
I just love Will Carver’s books. They are satirical, with a touch of black comedy. They also show the ugly side of our society. You will be disgusted and annoyed but entertained at the same time.
To me, on some level, this book was almost like a parallel universe of the COVID pandemic. but with the lesser death toll. We have the diabolical PM, who was disregarding the rules he imposed (does that remind you of someone?), the PPE scandal, and the government who didn’t know how to handle things.
Halfway through, the book picks up the pace with the new plague, and for me, it went to the next level.
I loved it, and I definitely recommend it.
However, their actions are intercepted by Dr Haruto Ikeda, a Japanese virologist working in China, who creates his own virus, which will make people better: kinder and more emphatic. Haruto is a compassionate man himself, and he’s very worried about the lack of empathy in today’s society.
When his virus is released (instead of the deadly one), people are becoming kinder to each other. The news become happy news, but that’s not appreciated by some: they want the doom and gloom that we are subjected to each day.
Then, it appears that a deadly plague descends upon China, and it spreads all over the world. It’s heading for the UK.
Harris Jackson offers ‘dignity pills’ to the British public, telling them to choose their own dignified death surrounded by their loved ones rather than a painful demise. Will the public listen?
I just love Will Carver’s books. They are satirical, with a touch of black comedy. They also show the ugly side of our society. You will be disgusted and annoyed but entertained at the same time.
To me, on some level, this book was almost like a parallel universe of the COVID pandemic. but with the lesser death toll. We have the diabolical PM, who was disregarding the rules he imposed (does that remind you of someone?), the PPE scandal, and the government who didn’t know how to handle things.
Halfway through, the book picks up the pace with the new plague, and for me, it went to the next level.
I loved it, and I definitely recommend it.
June 19, 2025
Wow! This book really made you think, I have never read any Will Carver before but will definitely be seeking out more.
Similarities with the Covid pandemic, also a couple of characters I feel had their real counterparts, especially the chef!
Well worth a read thank you for an advance copy.
Description
The threat of nuclear war is no longer scary. This is much worse. It's invisible. It works quickly. And it's coming.
The scourge has already infected and killed half the population in China and it is heading towards the UK. There is no time to escape. The British government sees no way out other than to distribute 'Dignity Pills' to its citizens – one last night with family or loved ones before going to sleep forever … together.
Dr Haruto Ikeda, a Japanese scientist working at a Chinese research facility, wants to save the world. He has discovered a way to mutate a virus. Instead of making people sick, instead of causing death, it's going to make them ... nice. Instead of attacking the lungs, it will work into the brain and increase the host's ability to feel and show compassion. It will make people kind.
But governments don't want a population in agreement. They want conflict and outrage and fear. Reasonable people are harder to control.
Ikeda's quest is thoughtful and noble, and it just might work. Maybe humanity can be saved. Maybe it doesn't have to be the end.
Similarities with the Covid pandemic, also a couple of characters I feel had their real counterparts, especially the chef!
Well worth a read thank you for an advance copy.
Description
The threat of nuclear war is no longer scary. This is much worse. It's invisible. It works quickly. And it's coming.
The scourge has already infected and killed half the population in China and it is heading towards the UK. There is no time to escape. The British government sees no way out other than to distribute 'Dignity Pills' to its citizens – one last night with family or loved ones before going to sleep forever … together.
Dr Haruto Ikeda, a Japanese scientist working at a Chinese research facility, wants to save the world. He has discovered a way to mutate a virus. Instead of making people sick, instead of causing death, it's going to make them ... nice. Instead of attacking the lungs, it will work into the brain and increase the host's ability to feel and show compassion. It will make people kind.
But governments don't want a population in agreement. They want conflict and outrage and fear. Reasonable people are harder to control.
Ikeda's quest is thoughtful and noble, and it just might work. Maybe humanity can be saved. Maybe it doesn't have to be the end.
August 4, 2025
I’m a big fan of Will Carver and usually devour all his novels but I’ve got to admit that this one didn’t really do it for me.
It’s like a reimagining of the COVID pandemic with the main focus being on the origins of the disease and its subsequent consequences. The plot focuses on the two principal characters, the British Prime Minister, a Boris Johnsonesque type character and a Japanese virologist working in a Chinese laboratory. Without giving away too much of the plot the British Government issues each UK citizen with a suicide pill, as this death is considered a lot more kinder than death by the impending virus that is about to consume the country.
I normally get completely engrossed in Carver’s work but this one didn’t really resonate with me. I think it’s because it’s not really character driven and there is a lot of ‘third person’ narrative where the ‘narrator’ relates facts, statistics and anecdotes regarding various aspects of the pandemic. There is still some of Carver’s trademark dark humour present and there is a shocking twist at the end which turns the story on its head but overall I wasn’t really too invested in the characters or the plot.
However I’m still looking forward to his next publication because if nothing else Carver is a highly original storyteller.
It’s like a reimagining of the COVID pandemic with the main focus being on the origins of the disease and its subsequent consequences. The plot focuses on the two principal characters, the British Prime Minister, a Boris Johnsonesque type character and a Japanese virologist working in a Chinese laboratory. Without giving away too much of the plot the British Government issues each UK citizen with a suicide pill, as this death is considered a lot more kinder than death by the impending virus that is about to consume the country.
I normally get completely engrossed in Carver’s work but this one didn’t really resonate with me. I think it’s because it’s not really character driven and there is a lot of ‘third person’ narrative where the ‘narrator’ relates facts, statistics and anecdotes regarding various aspects of the pandemic. There is still some of Carver’s trademark dark humour present and there is a shocking twist at the end which turns the story on its head but overall I wasn’t really too invested in the characters or the plot.
However I’m still looking forward to his next publication because if nothing else Carver is a highly original storyteller.
July 1, 2025
An incredibly clever concept, beautifully executed and pitch perfect. I've enjoyed many of Will Carver's books but he's pulled an absolute blinder with 'Kill Them With Kindness'.
The book provides incredible social commentary disguised as the most compelling fiction. H/t to the wee mention of ‘Nothing Important Happened Today’. I would urge you to listen to the audiobook if you get the chance. Ciaran Saward is a superior narrator and his Prime Minister voice is worth the price of the audio alone! Reads like the best of Black Mirror. If you want to experience Will Carver at his finest, start here.
The book provides incredible social commentary disguised as the most compelling fiction. H/t to the wee mention of ‘Nothing Important Happened Today’. I would urge you to listen to the audiobook if you get the chance. Ciaran Saward is a superior narrator and his Prime Minister voice is worth the price of the audio alone! Reads like the best of Black Mirror. If you want to experience Will Carver at his finest, start here.
December 31, 2025
I don't often re-read passages and highlight sections. I did with this book.
Some books may resonate differently at varying life stages, and this funny/not-funny satirical commentary on where the world is caused more than a few moments of reflection.
In 2025, the world may seem at a turning point for many, and this book will help/add to that reflection.
I recommend it for readers wanting to almost make sense of things.
Some books may resonate differently at varying life stages, and this funny/not-funny satirical commentary on where the world is caused more than a few moments of reflection.
In 2025, the world may seem at a turning point for many, and this book will help/add to that reflection.
I recommend it for readers wanting to almost make sense of things.
August 31, 2025
This one hits close to home after the pandemic (as it's intended to do) and comes with Will Carver's trademark dark humour and dark story set up. It took a little while to click for me but as it built up to the final third I couldn't stop reading.
Bleak, dark, twisted but with hope...very much a Will Carver book and one I overall really enjoyed.
Bleak, dark, twisted but with hope...very much a Will Carver book and one I overall really enjoyed.
September 6, 2025
This is the first book of Will Carver's that I've read, I really enjoyed it. I was fully invested in the characters.
January 11, 2026
I would definitely recommend this book, it really made me think.
May 28, 2025
One of a few authors who wrecks my tbr plans because I have to read their book as soon as I get my grubby hands on it, so I was very happy to get an early copy!
Kill Them with Kindness is a brilliantly twisted, thought-provoking thriller. Filled with the classic Carver razor-sharp writing, dark humour and with a chillingly original narrative that feels eerily familiar and scarily relevant. A must-read, particularly for Carver fans, but also for fans of dark, unconventional thrillers.
Kill Them with Kindness is a brilliantly twisted, thought-provoking thriller. Filled with the classic Carver razor-sharp writing, dark humour and with a chillingly original narrative that feels eerily familiar and scarily relevant. A must-read, particularly for Carver fans, but also for fans of dark, unconventional thrillers.
June 17, 2025
What if you were an esteemed virologist who discovers a secret political plot to release a virus to kill millions of people? What if you decided to alter the virus so that instead of killing people, it makes them kind? That’s one question, among many, that Will Carver asks his readers to consider when they read or listen to Kill Them With Kindness.
I’ve never read this author before and now I am wondering why, because I was absolutely fascinated by this book.
It had so many elements to it; ethical debates, political conspiracies, dark humour, horrifying events and uplifting moments. The combination of all of these aspects worked perfectly to form a tense, thought provoking and moving novel. The author absolutely nailed one character in particular and you’ll certainly recognise who when you encounter them. I loved the vignettes dotted through the plot, providing perspective and impact for the reader. The twist was so clever and devastating and the ending was really satisfying.
All of this is enhanced by a brilliant narrator, providing a range of voices, drawing you into the book immediately.
If you love a political thriller, speculative or dystopian thrillers, dark humour, random acts of kindness and an ethical debate, you need to add this book to the top of the TBR straight away. You won’t regret it.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to review an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve never read this author before and now I am wondering why, because I was absolutely fascinated by this book.
It had so many elements to it; ethical debates, political conspiracies, dark humour, horrifying events and uplifting moments. The combination of all of these aspects worked perfectly to form a tense, thought provoking and moving novel. The author absolutely nailed one character in particular and you’ll certainly recognise who when you encounter them. I loved the vignettes dotted through the plot, providing perspective and impact for the reader. The twist was so clever and devastating and the ending was really satisfying.
All of this is enhanced by a brilliant narrator, providing a range of voices, drawing you into the book immediately.
If you love a political thriller, speculative or dystopian thrillers, dark humour, random acts of kindness and an ethical debate, you need to add this book to the top of the TBR straight away. You won’t regret it.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to review an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
January 19, 2026
The blurb for this book had a good hook. A scientist, working in virology lab, Dr. Haruto Ikeda discovers a secret plan to release a virus around the globe. However, Dr. Ikeda formulates his own secret plan; to mutate the virus’ genome so that it will change a person’s behaviour to be ‘nice.’ A virus that increases human compassion. As the timetable of the conspiracy counts down to release this virus the world is unprepared for, more secret plans are put into action.
This felt like jumble of at least three different books thrown together. And not in a good way. Kinda like taking three different puzzles mixing them together and trying them to make a single picture. There's like three main story threads here, and how they interact with each other varies from somewhat forced to badly forced together.
The way the story is told was, for me, a bit messy. The style of the narrative was a mixed bag. You had parts told like it was a report done after the fact, parts that followed character with multiple perspectives but from a third person omniscient perspective where you see into the characters thoughts. And I don't think this was done particularly well. I listened to the audiobook, I think it wasn't the best way to read this, maybe reading it, the story would have been easier to follow and made more of an impact, but I'm not sure it would have. It was really hard to get invested into it.
So, the plot is this, beware of some spoilers; a secret cabal of western power mongers; only from the ‘bad’ countries, US, UK, and Russia. No French, German or ‘nice’ EU nations, plan to release a COVID-19 style virus for ‘reasons’ that seem both to get rich and as some power play. So that’s one book. The virus is being created in lab in China, in place that sounds like Wuhan but not Wuhan. The lab is not Chinese as it is run by an international staff for this cabal. Dr. Ikeda isn't involved in this plan. In fact, you never meet any of the lab staff that played a part in making this virus. Which feels odd. Anyway Dr. Ikeda discovers this, is shocked but then has an idea for a better world. Along with his philosopher wife, plan to engineer this virus that will increase compassion when it infects someone. His plan to make the world a better place. So that’s book number two. However, as the virus is spreading across the world, with thousands dead and some of those who have been infected starting to do more acts of kindness both small and large, and more nefarious and deadly agent is spreading. A cloud of noxious gas is spreading across parts of China. The cloud kills almost everyone it comes into contact with. Now this cloud is heading for the UK. With no means of escape, the government issues suicide pills for every person in the UK, to save them a painful, agonising death. That’s book number 3.
There is no real main character. Dr. Ikeda would be the closest, but even then, it comes across distant, with his wife and lab assistant both positioned around his periphery and never really fill the story. The next character that could be classed as main character and even as an antagonist is the British prime minister, who is a player in the conspiracy to release this virus. For intents and purposes its Boris Johnson. No like literally. An upper-class tory PM, who cheats on his wife at every opportunity. Add to that, the left-wing attack that he had disdain for anybody on some kind of lower social class than him. Other than that, that’s it a few other characters bob in and out but mostly just random one-shot characters. Without a central protagonist and the type of narrative the story is told in, I found it really hard to get into. With the story told through a mix of accounts of how the infection is working that lack energy and a small collection of characters that feel a bit distant, made the book for me really difficult to get engaged with. Like I said before, maybe an audiobook isn’t the best way to get this book. Maybe reading it makes the story, characters and setting just connect more. But I have a feeling it wouldn’t have made much of a difference.
The story and the way it is told just had some significant issues with it. Firstly, the virus and the outbreak seems way too similar to the covid-19 outbreak with added conspiracy on top. A conspiracy and virus that China has no part in. The reason why a bunch of wealthy, powerful people would want to do this, and never really given a reason other than a vague ‘money and power.’ Not some kind of world takeover-esqe plan. Just something vague about power and money, yet despite controlling this worldwide outbreak plan all of them seem really stupid. The author’s political leanings aren’t as much easy to see, and more like displayed with flashing lights and sirens. OK we get it. You don’t like Boris Johnson or the Conservatives. Or any right-wing government as they are the only ones in this conspiracy (UK, US, Russia, Brazil). Not like the decent Germans, French or the rest of Europe, who are all super efficient when the virus strikes. And some takes that just seem to make sure you know anybody that doesn’t vote Labour is an uncaring, selfish, egotist, misogynist. Like the Fox News anchor who feigns sympathy of victims. Why? Because he’s a horrible Fox News presenter. The military officers who want to drop bombs just to assert their dominance. What? Making out that blaming Chinese wet markets for virus outbreaks is somehow racist, despite repeated outbreaks traced back to them. The conservative minister who gets infected with the ‘compassion virus’ and wants to scrap student loans and bring back grants. Did the Guardian and Green Party help write this? This is added on the fact the big event, that the mysterious gas cloud . That’s it, that’s the reveal. Firstly, this feels very much like the Keira Knightly film released in 2021, which used the very idea of the entire country . So, ripped off? It seems way too similar. And despite this massive loss of life, this seems to galvanise the world to become better, and also no consequences to China. So, like a lefty on Reddit, the world would be better if the UK . Nice. There's like weird tangents as well, like the chapter about the prime minister’s childhood, where a drunk driver hit his father and mother, the mother dies, and the father beats the driver to death with his own arm, goes back home, and shoots himself. OK, but this is never used to go anywhere, not even to give some sort of sympathy or reason to him.
As I read this book more, I got more irritated with. Both for the choices it made but also for the direction it didn’t take. The premise from the book; that someone has engineered a virus to make people more compassionate has a good hook to it. Like what would the consequences of this, how would it play out. People being nice to the point that they place themselves into peril, like someone giving all their money away and their home. A Dr. who kills their brain-dead patients as it would be ‘kinder.’ People with ideas of a ‘nicer’ world think about killing others to ‘save’ others. The whole unintended consequences, the whole ide of road to hell is paved by good intentions and hell is full of good meanings, but heaven is full of good works and a good intention, with a bad approach often leads to a poor result. But nothing like that. You get a few cases of people starting a new charity, or paying for somebody's shopping, a top restaurateur going vegan and leading a global campaign. But you never feel like this is shifting a major worldwide event or changing human behaviour. Just some people being nice. No big political upheaval of countries stopping fighting or anything like that. To be seen to be the main premise of this book, stuck between the virus conspiracy and the lethal gas cloud, if this aspect of the kindness infection had been left out, I think nothing would actually change in any real meaningful way. And as this was the main selling point of this book, I was shocked with how little impact it had.
Some of the author’s other books get some decent reviews but after this I have second thoughts on reading more of his books. If you thought Boris Johnson was the worst prime minister in history, you might get some smug satisfaction here, with a left-wing take on the COVID-19 conspiracy absolving China of any blame and laying it on nasty right-wing capitalists, until China acts in a secret response which is way worse, yet I had the feeling it was framed as the UK getting its just desserts in a way. As I listened to this book, it just didn't work for me. I don’t think the narrative was the issue, a mix of style of narrative and the actual story itself I think was my issue. Maybe reading a physical copy, I wouldn't judge it as harshly, as I think the style didn't fit an audiobook. But the story just didn't work either; with no real protagonist to follow and constant jumps between locations and people feels disconnected to everything and the idea of the story, while an original idea, never reaches it potential, instead relegated to a lowly third plot that barely had any affect on the story, instead its lost in an alternate COVID-19 conspiracy story and a killer gas cloud. Flitting between disappointing and irritating it’s a hard one to recommend, as you don't get what you think you are, and what you do get isn't as good as that idea.
This felt like jumble of at least three different books thrown together. And not in a good way. Kinda like taking three different puzzles mixing them together and trying them to make a single picture. There's like three main story threads here, and how they interact with each other varies from somewhat forced to badly forced together.
The way the story is told was, for me, a bit messy. The style of the narrative was a mixed bag. You had parts told like it was a report done after the fact, parts that followed character with multiple perspectives but from a third person omniscient perspective where you see into the characters thoughts. And I don't think this was done particularly well. I listened to the audiobook, I think it wasn't the best way to read this, maybe reading it, the story would have been easier to follow and made more of an impact, but I'm not sure it would have. It was really hard to get invested into it.
So, the plot is this, beware of some spoilers; a secret cabal of western power mongers; only from the ‘bad’ countries, US, UK, and Russia. No French, German or ‘nice’ EU nations, plan to release a COVID-19 style virus for ‘reasons’ that seem both to get rich and as some power play. So that’s one book. The virus is being created in lab in China, in place that sounds like Wuhan but not Wuhan. The lab is not Chinese as it is run by an international staff for this cabal. Dr. Ikeda isn't involved in this plan. In fact, you never meet any of the lab staff that played a part in making this virus. Which feels odd. Anyway Dr. Ikeda discovers this, is shocked but then has an idea for a better world. Along with his philosopher wife, plan to engineer this virus that will increase compassion when it infects someone. His plan to make the world a better place. So that’s book number two. However, as the virus is spreading across the world, with thousands dead and some of those who have been infected starting to do more acts of kindness both small and large, and more nefarious and deadly agent is spreading. A cloud of noxious gas is spreading across parts of China. The cloud kills almost everyone it comes into contact with. Now this cloud is heading for the UK. With no means of escape, the government issues suicide pills for every person in the UK, to save them a painful, agonising death. That’s book number 3.
There is no real main character. Dr. Ikeda would be the closest, but even then, it comes across distant, with his wife and lab assistant both positioned around his periphery and never really fill the story. The next character that could be classed as main character and even as an antagonist is the British prime minister, who is a player in the conspiracy to release this virus. For intents and purposes its Boris Johnson. No like literally. An upper-class tory PM, who cheats on his wife at every opportunity. Add to that, the left-wing attack that he had disdain for anybody on some kind of lower social class than him. Other than that, that’s it a few other characters bob in and out but mostly just random one-shot characters. Without a central protagonist and the type of narrative the story is told in, I found it really hard to get into. With the story told through a mix of accounts of how the infection is working that lack energy and a small collection of characters that feel a bit distant, made the book for me really difficult to get engaged with. Like I said before, maybe an audiobook isn’t the best way to get this book. Maybe reading it makes the story, characters and setting just connect more. But I have a feeling it wouldn’t have made much of a difference.
The story and the way it is told just had some significant issues with it. Firstly, the virus and the outbreak seems way too similar to the covid-19 outbreak with added conspiracy on top. A conspiracy and virus that China has no part in. The reason why a bunch of wealthy, powerful people would want to do this, and never really given a reason other than a vague ‘money and power.’ Not some kind of world takeover-esqe plan. Just something vague about power and money, yet despite controlling this worldwide outbreak plan all of them seem really stupid. The author’s political leanings aren’t as much easy to see, and more like displayed with flashing lights and sirens. OK we get it. You don’t like Boris Johnson or the Conservatives. Or any right-wing government as they are the only ones in this conspiracy (UK, US, Russia, Brazil). Not like the decent Germans, French or the rest of Europe, who are all super efficient when the virus strikes. And some takes that just seem to make sure you know anybody that doesn’t vote Labour is an uncaring, selfish, egotist, misogynist. Like the Fox News anchor who feigns sympathy of victims. Why? Because he’s a horrible Fox News presenter. The military officers who want to drop bombs just to assert their dominance. What? Making out that blaming Chinese wet markets for virus outbreaks is somehow racist, despite repeated outbreaks traced back to them. The conservative minister who gets infected with the ‘compassion virus’ and wants to scrap student loans and bring back grants. Did the Guardian and Green Party help write this? This is added on the fact the big event, that the mysterious gas cloud . That’s it, that’s the reveal. Firstly, this feels very much like the Keira Knightly film released in 2021, which used the very idea of the entire country . So, ripped off? It seems way too similar. And despite this massive loss of life, this seems to galvanise the world to become better, and also no consequences to China. So, like a lefty on Reddit, the world would be better if the UK . Nice. There's like weird tangents as well, like the chapter about the prime minister’s childhood, where a drunk driver hit his father and mother, the mother dies, and the father beats the driver to death with his own arm, goes back home, and shoots himself. OK, but this is never used to go anywhere, not even to give some sort of sympathy or reason to him.
As I read this book more, I got more irritated with. Both for the choices it made but also for the direction it didn’t take. The premise from the book; that someone has engineered a virus to make people more compassionate has a good hook to it. Like what would the consequences of this, how would it play out. People being nice to the point that they place themselves into peril, like someone giving all their money away and their home. A Dr. who kills their brain-dead patients as it would be ‘kinder.’ People with ideas of a ‘nicer’ world think about killing others to ‘save’ others. The whole unintended consequences, the whole ide of road to hell is paved by good intentions and hell is full of good meanings, but heaven is full of good works and a good intention, with a bad approach often leads to a poor result. But nothing like that. You get a few cases of people starting a new charity, or paying for somebody's shopping, a top restaurateur going vegan and leading a global campaign. But you never feel like this is shifting a major worldwide event or changing human behaviour. Just some people being nice. No big political upheaval of countries stopping fighting or anything like that. To be seen to be the main premise of this book, stuck between the virus conspiracy and the lethal gas cloud, if this aspect of the kindness infection had been left out, I think nothing would actually change in any real meaningful way. And as this was the main selling point of this book, I was shocked with how little impact it had.
Some of the author’s other books get some decent reviews but after this I have second thoughts on reading more of his books. If you thought Boris Johnson was the worst prime minister in history, you might get some smug satisfaction here, with a left-wing take on the COVID-19 conspiracy absolving China of any blame and laying it on nasty right-wing capitalists, until China acts in a secret response which is way worse, yet I had the feeling it was framed as the UK getting its just desserts in a way. As I listened to this book, it just didn't work for me. I don’t think the narrative was the issue, a mix of style of narrative and the actual story itself I think was my issue. Maybe reading a physical copy, I wouldn't judge it as harshly, as I think the style didn't fit an audiobook. But the story just didn't work either; with no real protagonist to follow and constant jumps between locations and people feels disconnected to everything and the idea of the story, while an original idea, never reaches it potential, instead relegated to a lowly third plot that barely had any affect on the story, instead its lost in an alternate COVID-19 conspiracy story and a killer gas cloud. Flitting between disappointing and irritating it’s a hard one to recommend, as you don't get what you think you are, and what you do get isn't as good as that idea.
June 19, 2025
I must admit I was a little sceptical that I would like this book as I’m a bit fatigued with Covid type spin off storylines but I was pleasantly surprised. The premise is original and edgy but with enough factual and familiar material to make the story incredibly believable and in reach of reality. The narrative is edge and tongue in cheek in bucket loads and kept me smiling in recognition even in the darkest points. There is some spot on observation of the human psyche and condition and how we react and interact with others in our species. It is incredibly thought provoking and causes a lot of self judging and scrutiny. On top of all the above it is also suitably entertaining and an overall great read. Recommend.
June 19, 2025
This is a tricky one. I've loved everything I've read by Will Carver... up until this book.
I didn't gel with this book for a few reasons. For a start, I was hoping that as it deals with themes like kindness and pandemics, I wouldn't find this preachy, but it did come across that way.
Much of the story felt like a fictionalised account of the COVID-19 pandemic, and I just didn't care to relive that so closely.
The book is written in quite a factual style, and I found it difficult to connect with or care about the characters. The narration of the audiobook was quite emotionless, which may have contributed to this.
Although there were moments of subtle, dry humour, the writing became repetitive and bored me after a while. I found myself tuning out and having to rewind in case I'd missed something vital (I hadn't). I stuck with it because I'd been offered this as a review copy, so wanted to see it through. The ending did take a turn, pick up and become more interesting, but overall this book wasn't for me.
My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advance review copy.
I didn't gel with this book for a few reasons. For a start, I was hoping that as it deals with themes like kindness and pandemics, I wouldn't find this preachy, but it did come across that way.
Much of the story felt like a fictionalised account of the COVID-19 pandemic, and I just didn't care to relive that so closely.
The book is written in quite a factual style, and I found it difficult to connect with or care about the characters. The narration of the audiobook was quite emotionless, which may have contributed to this.
Although there were moments of subtle, dry humour, the writing became repetitive and bored me after a while. I found myself tuning out and having to rewind in case I'd missed something vital (I hadn't). I stuck with it because I'd been offered this as a review copy, so wanted to see it through. The ending did take a turn, pick up and become more interesting, but overall this book wasn't for me.
My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advance review copy.
May 26, 2025
I’m not sure how I feel about this one even though usually I love Will Carver books. This is the story of a brilliant scientist who wants to change the world. When he finds a file on his computer that gives a date for a virus to be sent out into the world he sets about changing the virus from one that will kill millions of people to one which although may make them feel poorly will ultimately change them to be kinder and more empathetic and benevolent.
The descriptions of the world leaders and their personalities includes one which is very much like one of our previous Prime Ministers and their personalities and the way these leaders behave is probably similar to the behaviour and traits I think a lot of people in power have, all about themselves with very little thought for others.
There are times in the book that take you back to the times of COVID but this is so much more. There are some very humorous parts that did make me chuckle.
I did enjoy reading it although it took me a lot longer to read than it should and I think this will be a marmite book. Some people will love it and some will hate it, I however am very much on the fence, I don’t hate it but it is not one of my standout reads.
The descriptions of the world leaders and their personalities includes one which is very much like one of our previous Prime Ministers and their personalities and the way these leaders behave is probably similar to the behaviour and traits I think a lot of people in power have, all about themselves with very little thought for others.
There are times in the book that take you back to the times of COVID but this is so much more. There are some very humorous parts that did make me chuckle.
I did enjoy reading it although it took me a lot longer to read than it should and I think this will be a marmite book. Some people will love it and some will hate it, I however am very much on the fence, I don’t hate it but it is not one of my standout reads.
July 12, 2025
During and immediately after the Covid lockdowns, I remember there being a lot of discussion in online book groups as to whether people would want to read fiction about the pandemic. The consensus was always a resounding no but as time has moved on, many authors have at least referenced those extraordinary times in their books. However, most have shied away from having a pandemic as their main plot. Will Carver is, of course, not like most writers and while the pandemic he writes about in his new book, Kill Them With Kindness is fictional, much of this challenging, insightfully satirical novel will feel uncomfortably familiar to anyone who endured its real-life equivalent.
Imagine the conspiracy theorists were right for once and the powerful and elite really did plan to release a deadly virus into the world. However, before the small, secret group of global politicians can put their plan into action, a Japanese scientist working in a Chinese research facility accidentally figures out their nefarious intentions. Dr Haruto Ikeda is a genius and he realises he cannot prevent the release of a virus entirely; he can, however, release his own mutated virus early and beat them at their own game. Unlike the politicians, he doesn't want to make people sick, scared and compliant, he dreams of a world where people are kinder to one another. He calls his mutation of the deadly Tau virus, CompX and after testing it on himself, unleashes compassion on the world.
It works but this is a Will Carver book so was never going to be an uplifting but ultimately unbelievable, sanitised story of good overcoming evil. Instead, what follows is an eviscerating exploration of human behaviour and while there are moments of genuine compassion, a fatal combination of greed and apathy quickly threatens everything the well-meaning but naïve scientist hoped for.
The novel is set in a fictional version of our world but it's one that will be horribly familiar to all. The Prime Minister of the UK, Harris Jackson plays the part of an idiot well and his public image is that of a loudmouthed party boy whose wife sticks by him despite the stream of outrageous stories about his infidelities and screw-ups. His party may be tired of his antics but while the public supports him, Jackson appears to have the ability to survive any accusation. Although corrupt, cheating politicians are far from an unusual phenomenon, Jackson bears uncanny similarities to our own former louche, unprincipled leader – I'll leave you to figure out who!
It's not just the great and not-so-good who Will Carver holds a mirror up to and as always, it's discomfiting to recognise many of our own quirks, flaws and failings as the virus spreads and little pockets of kindness begin to be observed. These aren't necessarily grand gestures and for all his biting critique of the world, Will Carver also recognises the power of the small moments of empathy and kindness. Of course, for every selfless act, there are always the self-proclaimed social media experts with an unquestioning audience of slavish followers whose confidence in their message usually belies their actual expertise in that area. Self-absorption, stupidity, indifference and vanity, encouraged by the addictive hits of social media likes and reposts spread fake news and false information more quickly than even a virus can replicate but Ikeda begins to realise his plan is working despite the naysayers and his own mistakes in failing to recognise the inevitable human cost of any virus, even one designed for philanthropic purposes.
The potential benefits of a global pandemic are what drives Harris Jackson but when the expected avenues to make cash for him and his cohorts doesn't materialise thanks to an unexpected breakout of altruism, and when the death toll isn't enough to scare the public into complete submissiveness, he resorts to more manipulative lies and divisive, racist rhetoric to push his agenda (who'd have thought it of a politician?!) However, it's not just an outbreak of kindness or entitled, corrupt leaders which threaten the world. Horrifying images are broadcast of people succumbing to a deadly gas in China and now it's headed for Great Britain. With no means to escape, every citizen is prescribed a suicide pill and Will Carver again prods his readers into considering what they would do in the same situation. Is certain death albeit painless and following a final day with loved ones preferable to taking the risk of hanging on to hope, however improbable?
There are no easy solutions here but while we are goaded into reflecting upon our own complicity in accepting the worst from our politicians, embracing the vacuity and manipulation fed to us through traditional and social media and tolerating cruelty and destruction, Will Carver then blindsides us with those small, quiet moments of self-sacrifice and courage. In spite of everything, maybe there is cause for hope after all?
Dark, funny and moving, Kill Them With Kindness is Will Carver at his perceptive, provocative best – do yourself a kindness and read it! Very highly recommended.
Imagine the conspiracy theorists were right for once and the powerful and elite really did plan to release a deadly virus into the world. However, before the small, secret group of global politicians can put their plan into action, a Japanese scientist working in a Chinese research facility accidentally figures out their nefarious intentions. Dr Haruto Ikeda is a genius and he realises he cannot prevent the release of a virus entirely; he can, however, release his own mutated virus early and beat them at their own game. Unlike the politicians, he doesn't want to make people sick, scared and compliant, he dreams of a world where people are kinder to one another. He calls his mutation of the deadly Tau virus, CompX and after testing it on himself, unleashes compassion on the world.
It works but this is a Will Carver book so was never going to be an uplifting but ultimately unbelievable, sanitised story of good overcoming evil. Instead, what follows is an eviscerating exploration of human behaviour and while there are moments of genuine compassion, a fatal combination of greed and apathy quickly threatens everything the well-meaning but naïve scientist hoped for.
The novel is set in a fictional version of our world but it's one that will be horribly familiar to all. The Prime Minister of the UK, Harris Jackson plays the part of an idiot well and his public image is that of a loudmouthed party boy whose wife sticks by him despite the stream of outrageous stories about his infidelities and screw-ups. His party may be tired of his antics but while the public supports him, Jackson appears to have the ability to survive any accusation. Although corrupt, cheating politicians are far from an unusual phenomenon, Jackson bears uncanny similarities to our own former louche, unprincipled leader – I'll leave you to figure out who!
It's not just the great and not-so-good who Will Carver holds a mirror up to and as always, it's discomfiting to recognise many of our own quirks, flaws and failings as the virus spreads and little pockets of kindness begin to be observed. These aren't necessarily grand gestures and for all his biting critique of the world, Will Carver also recognises the power of the small moments of empathy and kindness. Of course, for every selfless act, there are always the self-proclaimed social media experts with an unquestioning audience of slavish followers whose confidence in their message usually belies their actual expertise in that area. Self-absorption, stupidity, indifference and vanity, encouraged by the addictive hits of social media likes and reposts spread fake news and false information more quickly than even a virus can replicate but Ikeda begins to realise his plan is working despite the naysayers and his own mistakes in failing to recognise the inevitable human cost of any virus, even one designed for philanthropic purposes.
The potential benefits of a global pandemic are what drives Harris Jackson but when the expected avenues to make cash for him and his cohorts doesn't materialise thanks to an unexpected breakout of altruism, and when the death toll isn't enough to scare the public into complete submissiveness, he resorts to more manipulative lies and divisive, racist rhetoric to push his agenda (who'd have thought it of a politician?!) However, it's not just an outbreak of kindness or entitled, corrupt leaders which threaten the world. Horrifying images are broadcast of people succumbing to a deadly gas in China and now it's headed for Great Britain. With no means to escape, every citizen is prescribed a suicide pill and Will Carver again prods his readers into considering what they would do in the same situation. Is certain death albeit painless and following a final day with loved ones preferable to taking the risk of hanging on to hope, however improbable?
There are no easy solutions here but while we are goaded into reflecting upon our own complicity in accepting the worst from our politicians, embracing the vacuity and manipulation fed to us through traditional and social media and tolerating cruelty and destruction, Will Carver then blindsides us with those small, quiet moments of self-sacrifice and courage. In spite of everything, maybe there is cause for hope after all?
Dark, funny and moving, Kill Them With Kindness is Will Carver at his perceptive, provocative best – do yourself a kindness and read it! Very highly recommended.
June 19, 2025
Well, it’s that time again where my brain is stretched to its full capacity, my well-thumbed thesaurus is close at hand, and the need to knuckle down and try and review yet another genius novel from Will Carver is upon me. I love this guy’s writing, but oh boy it’s a challenge to review…
With us all having experienced a pandemic in our recent history, much of this book will resonate with many of us, as many people died and the world slowed, but within the overarching despair small glimmers of compassion began to appear, hinting at humanity’s chance to redeem itself from its propensity for selfishness and self absorption. A global pandemic orchestrated by the most powerful nations in the world, and one still small voice that wants to circumvent its deadly outcomes by striving to make the world a better place, a kinder place, a compassionate place, lies at the heart of Kill Them With Kindness, Carver’s interrogation of global politics and chicanery…
Carver’s unstinting critique of the perpetrators of this fictional pandemic very much fits the adage of art imitating life and vice versa. The Prime Minister Harris Jackson is a floppy haired buffoon of a man, with “no valve that can shut off the poison that drips from his idiotic brain to his blathering mouth“. He is louche, entitled, a predatory fornicator and a man who believes himself to be coming to the country’s rescue to be forgiven of “all his bad decisions and infidelities and broken promises.”
I don’t know why, but he really reminded me of someone. It’ll come to me.
In actuality Jackson is one of the perpetrators of this global conspiracy to unleash a virus purely to assert control and to make a good deal of cash for himself and his chums in the process. As much as this is a fictional representation of the power that is held in the upper echelons of governments across the world, the uncomfortable truths it actually reveals resonate strongly throughout, and our position as disposable pawns in the bigger game is ruthlessly exposed. As they prepare to unleash this killer virus on the plebeian populace, a quiet, unassuming man takes it on himself to plan an entirely different outcome.
Dr Haruto Ikeda is himself a kind, philosophical man, as much a believer in science and spirituality, who sees the world’s troubles and wants to make a difference, “Ikeda is not concerned with turning bad people into good people. It’s about all people. It’s about action. It’s about making kindness real rather than a motivational poster that people quickly forget.” From his seemingly naive solution to the world’s ills, that it can really be made better by simply making people kinder, to his first faltering experiments in the lab, Ikeda is a man of probity and dignity, whose decency would be little appreciated by those who seek to prosper from others’ suffering. Supported by his equally compassionate and stalwart wife, Kimiko (behind every great man…) he goes about his business stealthily and secretly, and begins to see the difference his vaccine is beginning to make in the world, it seems that a form of compassionate nirvana is imminent. Carver uses this change in peoples’ morality and behaviour to include his eviscerating tangential rants at the general ills and stupidity of society. Social media, fake media, vacuous celebrities, immorality, vanity, animal cruelty, environmental destruction and viral conspiracy theories all come under his unstinting gaze, many of which will find the reader nodding sagely in agreement. As the world begins to turn into a more kind and compassionate one, so the naysaying Instacrap keyboard warriors appear to try and undo what Ikeda has worked so hard to achieve. Needless to say, you’ll be rooting for Ikeda throughout, despite the attempts of others to thwart him.
As I emerged blinking into the light from this assault on my intellectual capacity, so much of this book resonated with me, and I finished it with a competing sense of despair and hopefulness. Despair that so much of the bad stuff both globally, war, greed, suppression and locally, in terms of widespread solipsism, bias and self interest shows no signs of a turnaround, but maybe that sometimes the good people, the little people can make some kind of difference if only on a small scale. Well, that’s the dream. Once again Carver holds a mirror up to the world’s ills in his own inimitable style, calling out stupidity and denouncing global conspiracies. It’s a brainteasing, hackle-raising read, but pertinent and darkly funny as always.
Embrace the madness and remember if nothing important happened today, you really should have been reading this book instead.
Highly recommended.
With us all having experienced a pandemic in our recent history, much of this book will resonate with many of us, as many people died and the world slowed, but within the overarching despair small glimmers of compassion began to appear, hinting at humanity’s chance to redeem itself from its propensity for selfishness and self absorption. A global pandemic orchestrated by the most powerful nations in the world, and one still small voice that wants to circumvent its deadly outcomes by striving to make the world a better place, a kinder place, a compassionate place, lies at the heart of Kill Them With Kindness, Carver’s interrogation of global politics and chicanery…
Carver’s unstinting critique of the perpetrators of this fictional pandemic very much fits the adage of art imitating life and vice versa. The Prime Minister Harris Jackson is a floppy haired buffoon of a man, with “no valve that can shut off the poison that drips from his idiotic brain to his blathering mouth“. He is louche, entitled, a predatory fornicator and a man who believes himself to be coming to the country’s rescue to be forgiven of “all his bad decisions and infidelities and broken promises.”
I don’t know why, but he really reminded me of someone. It’ll come to me.
In actuality Jackson is one of the perpetrators of this global conspiracy to unleash a virus purely to assert control and to make a good deal of cash for himself and his chums in the process. As much as this is a fictional representation of the power that is held in the upper echelons of governments across the world, the uncomfortable truths it actually reveals resonate strongly throughout, and our position as disposable pawns in the bigger game is ruthlessly exposed. As they prepare to unleash this killer virus on the plebeian populace, a quiet, unassuming man takes it on himself to plan an entirely different outcome.
Dr Haruto Ikeda is himself a kind, philosophical man, as much a believer in science and spirituality, who sees the world’s troubles and wants to make a difference, “Ikeda is not concerned with turning bad people into good people. It’s about all people. It’s about action. It’s about making kindness real rather than a motivational poster that people quickly forget.” From his seemingly naive solution to the world’s ills, that it can really be made better by simply making people kinder, to his first faltering experiments in the lab, Ikeda is a man of probity and dignity, whose decency would be little appreciated by those who seek to prosper from others’ suffering. Supported by his equally compassionate and stalwart wife, Kimiko (behind every great man…) he goes about his business stealthily and secretly, and begins to see the difference his vaccine is beginning to make in the world, it seems that a form of compassionate nirvana is imminent. Carver uses this change in peoples’ morality and behaviour to include his eviscerating tangential rants at the general ills and stupidity of society. Social media, fake media, vacuous celebrities, immorality, vanity, animal cruelty, environmental destruction and viral conspiracy theories all come under his unstinting gaze, many of which will find the reader nodding sagely in agreement. As the world begins to turn into a more kind and compassionate one, so the naysaying Instacrap keyboard warriors appear to try and undo what Ikeda has worked so hard to achieve. Needless to say, you’ll be rooting for Ikeda throughout, despite the attempts of others to thwart him.
As I emerged blinking into the light from this assault on my intellectual capacity, so much of this book resonated with me, and I finished it with a competing sense of despair and hopefulness. Despair that so much of the bad stuff both globally, war, greed, suppression and locally, in terms of widespread solipsism, bias and self interest shows no signs of a turnaround, but maybe that sometimes the good people, the little people can make some kind of difference if only on a small scale. Well, that’s the dream. Once again Carver holds a mirror up to the world’s ills in his own inimitable style, calling out stupidity and denouncing global conspiracies. It’s a brainteasing, hackle-raising read, but pertinent and darkly funny as always.
Embrace the madness and remember if nothing important happened today, you really should have been reading this book instead.
Highly recommended.
June 19, 2025
Okay, so a warning for those of a nervous disposition (or those who are inherent deniers of the most obvious things) - this is a pandemic novel. It's not the pandemic, of course. Let's face it - none of us need a reminder of that. Actually, it's worse. It's a Will Carver pandemic, and you know full well that is going to mean chaos of the most delightful variety. Much of what you read might sound scarily familiar, and all too plausible, but Mr Carver has, as he is prone to do, taken the terrifying situation and tipped it on its head.
Now, I'm not suggesting that Mr C took his inspiration directly from real life, but a few of the character names and traits might seem strangely familiar, such as British Prime Minister, Harris Jackson, a philanderer who thinks more about his own satisfaction, often at the expense of others, than delivering for his country, or even being faithful to his family ... Then there are the circumstances of the discovery of the virus in question - again eerily similar. But that is where the stories - fact and fiction. start to diverge. Yes - elements of the book the cynical amongst us would argue probably were directly lifted from real life, but there is one element, one factor very key to this book, that shows this is fiction, not a post covid memoir. Dr Haruto Ikeda.
Ikeda was one of the stand out characters of this book for me. As a virologist he has a key part to play in what comes to pass, but in a way that no reader could possibly have been expecting. For Ikeda, in spite of all that he learns and all of he knows, is an optimist. Ikeda believes that if he can just create a new, more potent virus, it can undo the effects of what is highly likely to devastate an entire generation. But, as they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and even the most positive of thoughts from Ikeda may not be enough to counter the dark intent of those in the real positions of power.
I loved the situation that Will Carver creates, that sense of not knowing quite who to trust, even when faced with people who you feel should be on the side of good. The political machinations, the carelessly flippant comments that fly in the face of diplomacy - all are captured in a way that both raises a smile and and brow, some of it having that kind of tragic plausibility that has no doubt been driven by the state of modern political leadership. So many moments where was left thinking more 'sounds about right' than 'yeah right' which is, on the face of it, pretty depressing.
And yet, despite this could on some level be classed as a depressingly accurate reflection of modern life, I was thoroughly entertained. Perhaps it was the characters. I loved Ikeda and his humble attempts to right a wrong that has yet to occur. I mean, it backfires spectacularly for reasons that only become clear as you near the end of the book, but it is not without some success and those moments of hope bring some light to the darkness. The there is Jackson who, as repugnant as his personality might be, brings about moments of laughter too. More at than with the guy, but still. The book is full of Will Carver's trademark sardonic wit. Those pithy observations that can amuse whilst simultaneously get your dander up, even if you're not always sure why or if you should be quite as angry about it as you inevitably feel. And that is the beauty of the book. Love or loathe what happens, you will feel something, if only because it is so close to the knuckle of a life not long led.
Now I both read a bit of the book and listened to the audiobook which is narrated by Ciaran Saward and, I have to say, is highly recommended. He had a brilliant way of bringing the characters and the story to life and I would most definitely listen to another of his narrated books. But as this is part of the Carververse, whether you listen or read the book, it is a fully immersive experience. There is such a cinematic quality to the writing that I felt all the heightened emotions, particularly in some of the more touching, and tragic moments towards the end of the book. So much loss, some many lost chances to say goodbye. It is understatedly moving, and understated is not something you always get from this author. I mean, less so the final scene we spend with Mr Jackson, perhaps, but then that was just plain funny. Gross, but funny. You'll know when you read it.
Much of what happens should perhaps be read with your tongue planted firmly in your cheek, but it does just make you ponder the very essence of human nature and whether humanity may be too far gone to be, or at least to deserve to be, saved. This is darkly humorous dystopian fiction of the highest order. A glimpse of what could have been, perhaps of what partially was. The butterfly effect in action, where the impact of one decision, one action, one comments, has ripples that grow ever stronger until they are felt around the world.
With a strangely poignant and, dare I say hopeful, ending, it's one of those books that I will think about for a while. But, and mostly because the pandemic was so impactful for many, it may well be a marmite book too. I loved it, possibly for all the very wrong reasons that make Mr Carver such a uniquely talented writer, but there you have it. Definitely recommended.
Now, I'm not suggesting that Mr C took his inspiration directly from real life, but a few of the character names and traits might seem strangely familiar, such as British Prime Minister, Harris Jackson, a philanderer who thinks more about his own satisfaction, often at the expense of others, than delivering for his country, or even being faithful to his family ... Then there are the circumstances of the discovery of the virus in question - again eerily similar. But that is where the stories - fact and fiction. start to diverge. Yes - elements of the book the cynical amongst us would argue probably were directly lifted from real life, but there is one element, one factor very key to this book, that shows this is fiction, not a post covid memoir. Dr Haruto Ikeda.
Ikeda was one of the stand out characters of this book for me. As a virologist he has a key part to play in what comes to pass, but in a way that no reader could possibly have been expecting. For Ikeda, in spite of all that he learns and all of he knows, is an optimist. Ikeda believes that if he can just create a new, more potent virus, it can undo the effects of what is highly likely to devastate an entire generation. But, as they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and even the most positive of thoughts from Ikeda may not be enough to counter the dark intent of those in the real positions of power.
I loved the situation that Will Carver creates, that sense of not knowing quite who to trust, even when faced with people who you feel should be on the side of good. The political machinations, the carelessly flippant comments that fly in the face of diplomacy - all are captured in a way that both raises a smile and and brow, some of it having that kind of tragic plausibility that has no doubt been driven by the state of modern political leadership. So many moments where was left thinking more 'sounds about right' than 'yeah right' which is, on the face of it, pretty depressing.
And yet, despite this could on some level be classed as a depressingly accurate reflection of modern life, I was thoroughly entertained. Perhaps it was the characters. I loved Ikeda and his humble attempts to right a wrong that has yet to occur. I mean, it backfires spectacularly for reasons that only become clear as you near the end of the book, but it is not without some success and those moments of hope bring some light to the darkness. The there is Jackson who, as repugnant as his personality might be, brings about moments of laughter too. More at than with the guy, but still. The book is full of Will Carver's trademark sardonic wit. Those pithy observations that can amuse whilst simultaneously get your dander up, even if you're not always sure why or if you should be quite as angry about it as you inevitably feel. And that is the beauty of the book. Love or loathe what happens, you will feel something, if only because it is so close to the knuckle of a life not long led.
Now I both read a bit of the book and listened to the audiobook which is narrated by Ciaran Saward and, I have to say, is highly recommended. He had a brilliant way of bringing the characters and the story to life and I would most definitely listen to another of his narrated books. But as this is part of the Carververse, whether you listen or read the book, it is a fully immersive experience. There is such a cinematic quality to the writing that I felt all the heightened emotions, particularly in some of the more touching, and tragic moments towards the end of the book. So much loss, some many lost chances to say goodbye. It is understatedly moving, and understated is not something you always get from this author. I mean, less so the final scene we spend with Mr Jackson, perhaps, but then that was just plain funny. Gross, but funny. You'll know when you read it.
Much of what happens should perhaps be read with your tongue planted firmly in your cheek, but it does just make you ponder the very essence of human nature and whether humanity may be too far gone to be, or at least to deserve to be, saved. This is darkly humorous dystopian fiction of the highest order. A glimpse of what could have been, perhaps of what partially was. The butterfly effect in action, where the impact of one decision, one action, one comments, has ripples that grow ever stronger until they are felt around the world.
With a strangely poignant and, dare I say hopeful, ending, it's one of those books that I will think about for a while. But, and mostly because the pandemic was so impactful for many, it may well be a marmite book too. I loved it, possibly for all the very wrong reasons that make Mr Carver such a uniquely talented writer, but there you have it. Definitely recommended.
June 26, 2025
Immunologist Dr Haruto Ikeda and his therapist wife, Kimiko – a Japanese couple living in China – are, by all accounts, very nice people. Ikeda’s usual work involves formulating vaccines for newly-discovered viruses, lest they jump to humans someday. His lab therefore houses germs of unusual provenance, so he and his colleagues can figure out how to counter them.
While Ikeda’s mission is to keep people alive and healthy, a secret cabal of world leaders and senior officals – including Britain’s disingenuous, self-absorbed prime minister, Harris Jackson – wants the opposite. They’re planning to leak one of the viruses Ikeda is investigating (blaming him, and China in general, while they’re there), because when there’s a novel, potentially fatal contagion going around, people get scared, and therefore easier to control.
However, Ikeda stumbles across this plan, and decides to pre-empt it by letting loose a virus of his own. The flu-like symptoms are still there, but it’s far less fatal than the scheduled disease, and once sufferers are over the worst, they’re noticeably kinder than they were previously. The cabal thinks their virus must have leaked early, but is disappointed when it doesn’t induce the levels of sickness and death – and therefore malleability – they anticipated.
Other forces are at work, however. Apparently unrelatedly, a video emerges from China showing a toxic yellow cloud moving down a street, gruesomely killing everyone in its path.
When a similar yellow cloud sets course for Europe, the UK government, having no idea how to stop it, supplies everyone with “Dignity Pills”, so they can opt for more peaceful deaths the night before the cloud arrives. And most of them take it up…
Genuinely nice, uncomplicated people who live beyond a scene or two, in a Will Carver book? Don’t worry: as you can surmise from the description, he hasn’t gone soft on us! Kill Them With Kindness has the highest body count of any of his books to date, and the story behind them is so incredibly, deliciously dark, I have to applaud him for going there.
As we’ve come to expect, Carver deploys a ton of imagination, this time to answer the question: ‘what if there was a virus that made people kinder?’, coming up with truly original, wild consequences that aren’t nice in any way, but certainly aren’t lacking in pitch-black humour.
Paired with Carver’s customary jaded musings on the state of humanity and the world, though, the outcome of Ikeda’s tinkering may be extreme, but (worryingly?) it’s not illogical.
The author’s not wrong in his observations that people like to say ‘be kind’ or think of themselves as nice without actually doing anything, that kindness is sometimes met with suspicion and/or cynicism, and that stories of people being good to one another don’t sell newspapers. Furthermore, people vary in their opinions of what the “kind” thing to do is in any given situation, and “nice” and “right” aren’t always the same thing (cf. Granny Weatherwax).
The recognisability of the pandemic situation also makes the catastrophic climax of the novel feel less fantastical than it might have done in, say, 2016, or if we hadn’t had a pandemic, or if someone with competence and humility had been in charge.
Prime Minister Harris Jackson hides a shrewd and ruthless mindset behind a bumbling, disarming persona; gets away with gaffes and rule-breaking time and again with insincere apologies, distractions, and a total absence of shame; and seizes on the pandemic as a money-making opportunity for his cronies.
At one time, having such a character as prime minister in a book might have prompted an editor/reader to think, ‘this isn’t believable, who would have voted for them?’, or ‘this is too ridiculous, there’s no way their party/the media/the electorate would let them get away with that’. And yet, here we are.
Poor old Ikeda, so idealistic and naïve at the beginning of the story, ends up concluding that humanity was already too far gone by the time he intervened. Still, he doesn’t turn bitter, and considering how bad he feels that anyone at all died from his virus, hopefully never finds out about its role in the mass suicide of virtually an entire nation. And there is a suggestion of a spark of hope for the future among the minuscule number of survivors.
Kill Them With Kindness is an imaginative, dark, and knotty novel about human nature and unforeseen consequences.
While Ikeda’s mission is to keep people alive and healthy, a secret cabal of world leaders and senior officals – including Britain’s disingenuous, self-absorbed prime minister, Harris Jackson – wants the opposite. They’re planning to leak one of the viruses Ikeda is investigating (blaming him, and China in general, while they’re there), because when there’s a novel, potentially fatal contagion going around, people get scared, and therefore easier to control.
However, Ikeda stumbles across this plan, and decides to pre-empt it by letting loose a virus of his own. The flu-like symptoms are still there, but it’s far less fatal than the scheduled disease, and once sufferers are over the worst, they’re noticeably kinder than they were previously. The cabal thinks their virus must have leaked early, but is disappointed when it doesn’t induce the levels of sickness and death – and therefore malleability – they anticipated.
Other forces are at work, however. Apparently unrelatedly, a video emerges from China showing a toxic yellow cloud moving down a street, gruesomely killing everyone in its path.
When a similar yellow cloud sets course for Europe, the UK government, having no idea how to stop it, supplies everyone with “Dignity Pills”, so they can opt for more peaceful deaths the night before the cloud arrives. And most of them take it up…
Genuinely nice, uncomplicated people who live beyond a scene or two, in a Will Carver book? Don’t worry: as you can surmise from the description, he hasn’t gone soft on us! Kill Them With Kindness has the highest body count of any of his books to date, and the story behind them is so incredibly, deliciously dark, I have to applaud him for going there.
As we’ve come to expect, Carver deploys a ton of imagination, this time to answer the question: ‘what if there was a virus that made people kinder?’, coming up with truly original, wild consequences that aren’t nice in any way, but certainly aren’t lacking in pitch-black humour.
Paired with Carver’s customary jaded musings on the state of humanity and the world, though, the outcome of Ikeda’s tinkering may be extreme, but (worryingly?) it’s not illogical.
The author’s not wrong in his observations that people like to say ‘be kind’ or think of themselves as nice without actually doing anything, that kindness is sometimes met with suspicion and/or cynicism, and that stories of people being good to one another don’t sell newspapers. Furthermore, people vary in their opinions of what the “kind” thing to do is in any given situation, and “nice” and “right” aren’t always the same thing (cf. Granny Weatherwax).
The recognisability of the pandemic situation also makes the catastrophic climax of the novel feel less fantastical than it might have done in, say, 2016, or if we hadn’t had a pandemic, or if someone with competence and humility had been in charge.
Prime Minister Harris Jackson hides a shrewd and ruthless mindset behind a bumbling, disarming persona; gets away with gaffes and rule-breaking time and again with insincere apologies, distractions, and a total absence of shame; and seizes on the pandemic as a money-making opportunity for his cronies.
At one time, having such a character as prime minister in a book might have prompted an editor/reader to think, ‘this isn’t believable, who would have voted for them?’, or ‘this is too ridiculous, there’s no way their party/the media/the electorate would let them get away with that’. And yet, here we are.
Poor old Ikeda, so idealistic and naïve at the beginning of the story, ends up concluding that humanity was already too far gone by the time he intervened. Still, he doesn’t turn bitter, and considering how bad he feels that anyone at all died from his virus, hopefully never finds out about its role in the mass suicide of virtually an entire nation. And there is a suggestion of a spark of hope for the future among the minuscule number of survivors.
Kill Them With Kindness is an imaginative, dark, and knotty novel about human nature and unforeseen consequences.
June 24, 2025
Dr. Haruto Ikeda, an innately benevolent scientist and a premier figure in the world of virology finds himself more at home sitting at his disorderly and shambolic desk than when digitally rummaging around his laptop. When the Japanese scientist, stumbles, purely by dint of accident upon a deadly document containing stunning details of the intentional ‘release’ date of a deadly virus named Tau and the vaccine upon which he is currently working, he knows he is waging a race against time to save the world from the clutches of a handful of wrathful and remorseless barbarians.
Harris Jackson, debaucher extraordinaire, represents an agglomeration of vices masquerading as homo sapiens. Hardened by the loss of his parents in an unfortunate and untimely incident in his childhood days, Jackson is immune to kindness and inured in the capitalist DNA. These attributes make him the right and ripe choice to head the insidious coalition planning the methodical release of a deadly virus that would make the COVID-19 pandemic look like common cold. Jackson also happens to be the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and his partners in crime the respective ‘likeminded’ heads of a few nations.
This extraordinarily dystopian scenario sets the stage for Will Carver’s ingenious and imaginative novel with a racy plot and a tight narrative. Taking his cue from the COVID-19 pandemic, Carver parses in a compelling manner the conflicting and contradictory nature of human emotions. Selfishness shares space with selflessness as regret keeps uncomfortable company with remorselessness. The altruism of Dr. Haruto Ikeda and his psychologist wife, Kimiko, stands rock solid in the face of rampaging brutality and unabashed greed.
With a view to outwitting the plotters of doom, Dr. Ikeda embarks on an audacious plan the likes of which has never been envisaged before. He pre-emptively releases his own breed of home grown, in this case laboratory grown, virus, ‘Comp X.’ Possessing features if rapid transmissibility, the only effect that Comp X has on its host is a resurging dose of extreme empathy. People afflicted by Dr. Ikeda’s personalised virus find themselves transformed upon recovery. A rude and expletive mouthing MasterChef spontaneously decides to pull meat off the menu (I will let the reader visualise the mercurial and maverick Gordon Ramsey engaging in this move), while billionaire businesspeople are overcome by an urgent sense to devote attention to philanthropy.
Just as Dr. Ikeda begins to relax in the presumed knowledge that the world is now a tad bit better than what it was prior to the first manifestation of CompX, a series of events jolts his belief and puts the very existence of humanity in a tailspin.
Will Planet Earth survive yet another existential crisis? Will Dr. Ikeda and Kimiko’s faith in humanity be repaid? Or Will the likes of the obnoxious Harris Jackson and his shameless coterie get their way in reducing life to statistical denominations of vote banks and voting constituencies?
Kill them with Kindness is an interesting book that makes the reader sit up and evaluate priorities in life.
Harris Jackson, debaucher extraordinaire, represents an agglomeration of vices masquerading as homo sapiens. Hardened by the loss of his parents in an unfortunate and untimely incident in his childhood days, Jackson is immune to kindness and inured in the capitalist DNA. These attributes make him the right and ripe choice to head the insidious coalition planning the methodical release of a deadly virus that would make the COVID-19 pandemic look like common cold. Jackson also happens to be the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and his partners in crime the respective ‘likeminded’ heads of a few nations.
This extraordinarily dystopian scenario sets the stage for Will Carver’s ingenious and imaginative novel with a racy plot and a tight narrative. Taking his cue from the COVID-19 pandemic, Carver parses in a compelling manner the conflicting and contradictory nature of human emotions. Selfishness shares space with selflessness as regret keeps uncomfortable company with remorselessness. The altruism of Dr. Haruto Ikeda and his psychologist wife, Kimiko, stands rock solid in the face of rampaging brutality and unabashed greed.
With a view to outwitting the plotters of doom, Dr. Ikeda embarks on an audacious plan the likes of which has never been envisaged before. He pre-emptively releases his own breed of home grown, in this case laboratory grown, virus, ‘Comp X.’ Possessing features if rapid transmissibility, the only effect that Comp X has on its host is a resurging dose of extreme empathy. People afflicted by Dr. Ikeda’s personalised virus find themselves transformed upon recovery. A rude and expletive mouthing MasterChef spontaneously decides to pull meat off the menu (I will let the reader visualise the mercurial and maverick Gordon Ramsey engaging in this move), while billionaire businesspeople are overcome by an urgent sense to devote attention to philanthropy.
Just as Dr. Ikeda begins to relax in the presumed knowledge that the world is now a tad bit better than what it was prior to the first manifestation of CompX, a series of events jolts his belief and puts the very existence of humanity in a tailspin.
Will Planet Earth survive yet another existential crisis? Will Dr. Ikeda and Kimiko’s faith in humanity be repaid? Or Will the likes of the obnoxious Harris Jackson and his shameless coterie get their way in reducing life to statistical denominations of vote banks and voting constituencies?
Kill them with Kindness is an interesting book that makes the reader sit up and evaluate priorities in life.
June 13, 2025
In the wake of a shocking pandemic, the world faces a threat even more deadly. A poisonous cloud is heading for the UK and there is no way to escape the devastation it brings. In a desperate attempt to ease the passing of its population, the UK government has issued a 'Dignity Pill' to its citizens - better to fall into a sleep from which you will not awake than face the alternative...
In China, Japanese scientist, Dr Haruto Ikeda, has been trying to save the world's suffering in quite a different way - by mutating a deadly virus into one which makes people nicer. However, his noble cause has not gone quite the way he expected... Can humanity be saved by an outbreak of kindness, or will it prove to be the biggest killer of all?
Following his grisly visits to the Beresford, in his excellent last two books, Will Carver is back to his dark and twisted imaginings in the world at large with the intriguing Kill Them With Kindness. Carver, being Carver, this is a difficult book to sum up. However its inspiration clearly lies in the horribly real global pandemic that marked all our lives in recent years, and it is rather difficult to separate out fact from fiction when it comes to many of the events in this story - particularly given hindsight.
The story unfurls mostly via two slow-burn, supremely twisted threads, flipping between dodgy political circles in the UK, and the world of science via to Dr Ikeda in China. It also ranges far and wide to drop in on moments in the lives of a disparate cast of characters, in that way Carver does so well. The premise is brilliant, building on our fears to create a speculative tale about those determined to hold power at the cost of unhinged levels of collateral damage. Themes of control, corruption, and gob-smacking amounts of spin-doctoring run riot through the story - and at no time do they seem unrealistic, given what we now know about the things that can happen, and how some take advantage for their own ends (spot the disgusting prime minister and his cronies).
This is by far the most disturbing book I have read by Will Carver, which is saying a lot. Carver's philosophical social commentary about humanity is powerfully hard hitting, and the real world parallels leave a bitter taste in the mouth. However, this is not a book without hope, as the best intentions of Dr Haruto Ikeda to make the world a nicer place have interesting consequences - even if they are not quite the ones he foresees. There are golden moments of Carver's typical pitch black humour throughout too.
I am not sure I can truthfully say I 'enjoyed' this book, because it touches an unsettling nerve, but I could not look away from it. Will Carver's dark magic does the trick once more...
In China, Japanese scientist, Dr Haruto Ikeda, has been trying to save the world's suffering in quite a different way - by mutating a deadly virus into one which makes people nicer. However, his noble cause has not gone quite the way he expected... Can humanity be saved by an outbreak of kindness, or will it prove to be the biggest killer of all?
Following his grisly visits to the Beresford, in his excellent last two books, Will Carver is back to his dark and twisted imaginings in the world at large with the intriguing Kill Them With Kindness. Carver, being Carver, this is a difficult book to sum up. However its inspiration clearly lies in the horribly real global pandemic that marked all our lives in recent years, and it is rather difficult to separate out fact from fiction when it comes to many of the events in this story - particularly given hindsight.
The story unfurls mostly via two slow-burn, supremely twisted threads, flipping between dodgy political circles in the UK, and the world of science via to Dr Ikeda in China. It also ranges far and wide to drop in on moments in the lives of a disparate cast of characters, in that way Carver does so well. The premise is brilliant, building on our fears to create a speculative tale about those determined to hold power at the cost of unhinged levels of collateral damage. Themes of control, corruption, and gob-smacking amounts of spin-doctoring run riot through the story - and at no time do they seem unrealistic, given what we now know about the things that can happen, and how some take advantage for their own ends (spot the disgusting prime minister and his cronies).
This is by far the most disturbing book I have read by Will Carver, which is saying a lot. Carver's philosophical social commentary about humanity is powerfully hard hitting, and the real world parallels leave a bitter taste in the mouth. However, this is not a book without hope, as the best intentions of Dr Haruto Ikeda to make the world a nicer place have interesting consequences - even if they are not quite the ones he foresees. There are golden moments of Carver's typical pitch black humour throughout too.
I am not sure I can truthfully say I 'enjoyed' this book, because it touches an unsettling nerve, but I could not look away from it. Will Carver's dark magic does the trick once more...
June 13, 2025
This is the first of Will Carver’s novels that I have read, but it certainly won’t be the last. It’s quite unlike anything I have read before and it’s genuinely brilliant.
Kill Them With Kindness is about a plan to release the deadly Tau virus on the world’s population, but discovering this in advance, Japanese Scientist Dr Haruto Ikeda is trying his hardest to finish work on his own virus – one to make people kinder and to show compassion to each other. Working at an advanced laboratory in China, he works to create a state directed vaccination alongside his more ‘independent’ project. Supported only by his wife Kimiko, he has to decide if he can trust anyone else.
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Harris Jackson is juggling the plans of several countries to release the virus alongside his extra-marital liaisons, hoping the former will soon push the latter off the front page of the tabloid newspapers.
There are many characters in this novel and it did take me a while to get my head round who they all were, but it’s worth persevering as it does become clearer. It reads like it would make an excellent film or television series. The fairly short, snappy chapters feel like different scenes, switching to new points of view.
There’s everything in this book – humour, terror, unexpected twists, great characters (Haruto and Kimiko were my favourites – and I was rooting for the lab mice!) and lots of politics, which I particularly enjoyed. You can certainly see comparisons with what happened during Covid-19 with lockdowns and PPE and a race to find a vaccine. It’s an incredibly topical book – you can see this kind of thing happening in the near future and recognise familiar aspects of society and government today.
It’s the kind of book that makes you ask yourself questions. Which side would you be on? Would you be tempted by money and power? Or would you be trying to use your knowledge for the common good, even if you risk your own life? And is planning to infect people with a virus that has positive qualities really a good thing?
It’s a scarily realistic read, a bit like a disaster movie crossed with a political thriller. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect and even reading it, it seemed to jump between genres at times, but it’s a damn good read and one you’ll spend lots of time thinking about!
Kill Them With Kindness is about a plan to release the deadly Tau virus on the world’s population, but discovering this in advance, Japanese Scientist Dr Haruto Ikeda is trying his hardest to finish work on his own virus – one to make people kinder and to show compassion to each other. Working at an advanced laboratory in China, he works to create a state directed vaccination alongside his more ‘independent’ project. Supported only by his wife Kimiko, he has to decide if he can trust anyone else.
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Harris Jackson is juggling the plans of several countries to release the virus alongside his extra-marital liaisons, hoping the former will soon push the latter off the front page of the tabloid newspapers.
There are many characters in this novel and it did take me a while to get my head round who they all were, but it’s worth persevering as it does become clearer. It reads like it would make an excellent film or television series. The fairly short, snappy chapters feel like different scenes, switching to new points of view.
There’s everything in this book – humour, terror, unexpected twists, great characters (Haruto and Kimiko were my favourites – and I was rooting for the lab mice!) and lots of politics, which I particularly enjoyed. You can certainly see comparisons with what happened during Covid-19 with lockdowns and PPE and a race to find a vaccine. It’s an incredibly topical book – you can see this kind of thing happening in the near future and recognise familiar aspects of society and government today.
It’s the kind of book that makes you ask yourself questions. Which side would you be on? Would you be tempted by money and power? Or would you be trying to use your knowledge for the common good, even if you risk your own life? And is planning to infect people with a virus that has positive qualities really a good thing?
It’s a scarily realistic read, a bit like a disaster movie crossed with a political thriller. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect and even reading it, it seemed to jump between genres at times, but it’s a damn good read and one you’ll spend lots of time thinking about!
June 18, 2025
If anyone can write a pandemic thriller and do it well that person is Will Carver. Kill Them With Kindness is a fast-paced, gripping, speculative novel about an unknown virus sweeping the planet, similar to the coronavirus pandemic five years ago. But there are definitely some characters in this book, who are based on real people, I’m thinking of the British prime minister, Harris Jackson. I did find myself smiling at some of the scenes he was in, as they seemed very familiar, even though this is a very dark book. I absolutely loved the countdown clock to doomsday ticking in the background which dramatically increased the tension and made this book such an entertaining read.
The concept of this book was brilliant. A deadly virus that’s set to wipe out a huge number of the world’s population is set to be released by China. There are hints here at some of the conspiracy theories that rose up during the coronavirus pandemic. But a Japanese scientist, Dr Haruto Ikeda wants to save the world and has his own intentions for the virus in a way that you might not expect. He is quite a complex character, but it is clear to see what is driving him to make the decisions he is making. He is willing to risk his own safety by following his own path.
This is truly an international thriller as Will Carver takes us on a trip around the world as countries fight to understand what is happening and how best to protect their people. I loved this and it made Kill Them With Kindness feel fresh and it makes the journey the characters go on feel even bigger. Even Harris Jackson, although he comes across as extremely unlikeable when we get to meet him, does go on his own personal journey.
Whenever I read a Will Carver thriller, his ideas and complex stories that are always, unlike anything else I’ve read, continue to amaze me. I’m now waiting with baited breath to read whatever it is he writes next and I hope he doesn’t leave us waiting too long.
Kill Them With Kindness is an exceptional read, perfect for fans of thrillers, sci-fi, dystopian and speculative fiction. It gets a solid five stars from me and will definitely be in my top ten reads of the year. I highly recommend it.
The concept of this book was brilliant. A deadly virus that’s set to wipe out a huge number of the world’s population is set to be released by China. There are hints here at some of the conspiracy theories that rose up during the coronavirus pandemic. But a Japanese scientist, Dr Haruto Ikeda wants to save the world and has his own intentions for the virus in a way that you might not expect. He is quite a complex character, but it is clear to see what is driving him to make the decisions he is making. He is willing to risk his own safety by following his own path.
This is truly an international thriller as Will Carver takes us on a trip around the world as countries fight to understand what is happening and how best to protect their people. I loved this and it made Kill Them With Kindness feel fresh and it makes the journey the characters go on feel even bigger. Even Harris Jackson, although he comes across as extremely unlikeable when we get to meet him, does go on his own personal journey.
Whenever I read a Will Carver thriller, his ideas and complex stories that are always, unlike anything else I’ve read, continue to amaze me. I’m now waiting with baited breath to read whatever it is he writes next and I hope he doesn’t leave us waiting too long.
Kill Them With Kindness is an exceptional read, perfect for fans of thrillers, sci-fi, dystopian and speculative fiction. It gets a solid five stars from me and will definitely be in my top ten reads of the year. I highly recommend it.
June 27, 2025
We start Kill Them With Kindness as "the scourge" is about to hit the UK. The government has responded to this impending crisis by... producing a Dignity Pill for every single person in the country, young and old. Dignity? It's a suicide pill no matter what anyone is calling it.
Then we scroll back a year, and meet Japanese virologist Dr Haruto Ikeda, who is working in a lab in China. He stumbles across a spreadsheet about a virus and a vaccine, and, horrified, starts working on something to counter the darkness and fear.
Meanwhile, a cabal of senior politicians from seven countries meets to discuss their plans to control their populations via fear and manufactured conflict in the shape of a virus. There's a vaccine being developed in Haruto's lab, but its supply and use will also be controlled by the politicians.
Haruto creates a virus to act as a treatment - a treatment for the selfishness and apathy that is damaging the world. "How can it be unethical to makes people nice?" he mulls. But of course it's not going to be quite that simple...
While there's a melancholy thread in the latter part of this novel, this is leavened by some genuinely touching moments, especially the glimpses of what Haruto had hoped would happen. And in the face of fear, selfishness and stupidity at levels that would beggar belief if we hadn't already lived through them, there is hope. In the wake of devastation, there is hope.
It's acidic in places but there's also Haruto and his wife, Kimiko, who are just lovely people to spend time with. It's their genuine goodness and empathy that make the whole novel work; they are sincere but rounded characters, not tedious two-dimensional paragons.
Carver mixes in so much reality that the reader cannot help but think back to their own lives during the Covid-19 pandemic. It's also a smart and simple way to persuade us that everything else that is being presented to us is absolutely possible.
Carver always confounds, and always makes you think, and he does both here in spades, but I think Kill Them With Kindness with its combination of social comment, satire and sincerity is a genuinely important novel as well as being a fine read. Highly recommended.
Then we scroll back a year, and meet Japanese virologist Dr Haruto Ikeda, who is working in a lab in China. He stumbles across a spreadsheet about a virus and a vaccine, and, horrified, starts working on something to counter the darkness and fear.
Meanwhile, a cabal of senior politicians from seven countries meets to discuss their plans to control their populations via fear and manufactured conflict in the shape of a virus. There's a vaccine being developed in Haruto's lab, but its supply and use will also be controlled by the politicians.
Haruto creates a virus to act as a treatment - a treatment for the selfishness and apathy that is damaging the world. "How can it be unethical to makes people nice?" he mulls. But of course it's not going to be quite that simple...
While there's a melancholy thread in the latter part of this novel, this is leavened by some genuinely touching moments, especially the glimpses of what Haruto had hoped would happen. And in the face of fear, selfishness and stupidity at levels that would beggar belief if we hadn't already lived through them, there is hope. In the wake of devastation, there is hope.
It's acidic in places but there's also Haruto and his wife, Kimiko, who are just lovely people to spend time with. It's their genuine goodness and empathy that make the whole novel work; they are sincere but rounded characters, not tedious two-dimensional paragons.
Carver mixes in so much reality that the reader cannot help but think back to their own lives during the Covid-19 pandemic. It's also a smart and simple way to persuade us that everything else that is being presented to us is absolutely possible.
Carver always confounds, and always makes you think, and he does both here in spades, but I think Kill Them With Kindness with its combination of social comment, satire and sincerity is a genuinely important novel as well as being a fine read. Highly recommended.
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