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Ghost in the Machine
GHOST IN THE MACHINE is a steampunk meets cyberpunk fantasy.
Josephine, Bodhi, and Caroline, live in a scientifically advanced
Victorian London as the Industrial Revolution is in full swing.
Infrared goggles, dirigibles, and analog computers exist alongside
bustles, parasols, and high tea. On the grounds of an Old Saxon
church, three strange net-runners arrive from a future where everyone
is assigned a barcode from the moment of birth. What you buy, what you
read, your health care history, your bank accounts, your measured
intelligence, are all captured by this barcode and sent to the feed of
OmniCorp. Human data mining forms the basis of a massive Industrial
Complex, a thinly veiled profit center, based on the control of human
behavior. To interrupt the inception of OmniCorp, the net-runners, a
subversive underground group, enlist the aid of the steampunk
Victorians to thwart a meeting between two men, who hundreds of years
earlier, laid the foundation for OmniCorp. Extraordinary figures race
toward a rendezvous with history, weave in and out of time, fight evil
steampunk automatons, hide in Victorian brothels, fight Indian
mutinies, and take refuge in dystopian cyberpunk pawnshops, to insure
a future where personal privacy is protected over corporate power.
Josephine, Bodhi, and Caroline, live in a scientifically advanced
Victorian London as the Industrial Revolution is in full swing.
Infrared goggles, dirigibles, and analog computers exist alongside
bustles, parasols, and high tea. On the grounds of an Old Saxon
church, three strange net-runners arrive from a future where everyone
is assigned a barcode from the moment of birth. What you buy, what you
read, your health care history, your bank accounts, your measured
intelligence, are all captured by this barcode and sent to the feed of
OmniCorp. Human data mining forms the basis of a massive Industrial
Complex, a thinly veiled profit center, based on the control of human
behavior. To interrupt the inception of OmniCorp, the net-runners, a
subversive underground group, enlist the aid of the steampunk
Victorians to thwart a meeting between two men, who hundreds of years
earlier, laid the foundation for OmniCorp. Extraordinary figures race
toward a rendezvous with history, weave in and out of time, fight evil
steampunk automatons, hide in Victorian brothels, fight Indian
mutinies, and take refuge in dystopian cyberpunk pawnshops, to insure
a future where personal privacy is protected over corporate power.
324 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 21, 2015
4 people are currently reading
88 people want to read
About the author
S.J. Davis
34 books162 followersSJ is a Virginia girl living in the Motor City. She loves Typhoo English Tea, flip flops, capris, and cardigans. When she isn't busy writing and publishing, she is busy being a band/soccer/lax/Wolverine mom. Go Blue!
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 25, 2015
Ghost in the Machine is already my favorite book of 2015 and I can assure you, nothing will be able to beat it. It has everything I look for in a novel. The steampunk masterfully weaves through a riveting plot that had be glued to the pages and up all night. Absolutely phenomenal!
February 24, 2015
I have fallen in love with this book. I've read a few time travle books, but nothing like Ghost In The Machine. This book was something diffrent for me. I felt completely connected to the characters and their storyline. In my opinion, Ghost In The Machine was written in such a way that you feel more like yo are watching a movie rather than as if you are reading a book. I absolutely love all the different elements of this wonderful masterpiece!
March 18, 2015
Ghost in the Machine is an original story in which S J Davis transports the reader between a Victorian England whose citizens are experimenting with steampunk inventions, and a futuristic society, controlled by technology.
Ghost in the Machine works so well for different reasons. The first is that S J Davis’ plot threads are woven tightly together and the story’s layers mean that none of its events can be easily foreseen.
Another one is the boldness of the characters S J Davis has so carefully imagined. Initially we meet 3 characters from the past; two very non-stereotypical Victorian ladies, one of whom is the Prime Minister’s daughter, and Bodhi, who is fascinated with mechanics. Caroline, Josephine and Bodhi are soon joined by their 22nd Century counterparts; the recovering addict, Minnow, Yeshua and Nico. These three are connected by their common goal, to destroy the founding of Omni, the cyber-corporation which governs their society.
This story is mysterious and exciting, with the characters facing a constant danger. S J Davis addresses very real issues which exist in both societies. In London, it is poverty, class and sexual experimentation. In Omni it is drug use and addiction. In doing this the author reminds us that alongside technological advancement, there is always a human cost.
Ghost in the Machine is a story with a complex plot, which asks for our full attention. I had to read it in a series of short bursts because I found that if I was distracted, I would become easily confused!
S J Davis does attempt to cater for fans of romance and though this adds to Ghost in the Machine’s neat ending, I was unconvinced by the relationships formed and thought they were a little unnecessary.
This is a book I can easily recommend, especially to readers who already love the steampunk genre!
Ghost in the Machine works so well for different reasons. The first is that S J Davis’ plot threads are woven tightly together and the story’s layers mean that none of its events can be easily foreseen.
Another one is the boldness of the characters S J Davis has so carefully imagined. Initially we meet 3 characters from the past; two very non-stereotypical Victorian ladies, one of whom is the Prime Minister’s daughter, and Bodhi, who is fascinated with mechanics. Caroline, Josephine and Bodhi are soon joined by their 22nd Century counterparts; the recovering addict, Minnow, Yeshua and Nico. These three are connected by their common goal, to destroy the founding of Omni, the cyber-corporation which governs their society.
This story is mysterious and exciting, with the characters facing a constant danger. S J Davis addresses very real issues which exist in both societies. In London, it is poverty, class and sexual experimentation. In Omni it is drug use and addiction. In doing this the author reminds us that alongside technological advancement, there is always a human cost.
Ghost in the Machine is a story with a complex plot, which asks for our full attention. I had to read it in a series of short bursts because I found that if I was distracted, I would become easily confused!
S J Davis does attempt to cater for fans of romance and though this adds to Ghost in the Machine’s neat ending, I was unconvinced by the relationships formed and thought they were a little unnecessary.
This is a book I can easily recommend, especially to readers who already love the steampunk genre!
May 13, 2015
This is a book that I think had a lot of potential, but just wasn’t quite executed in a way that made it all clear to me. I still enjoyed the book, I just had some moments of confusion. I loved the steam punk aspects and I loved the contrast with the future world of OmniCorp. Both worlds were vivid and intriguing. The confusion came due to the narration because it is told from multiple perspectives and jumps back and forth through time. I didn’t realize this at first and found myself completely confused until I went back and saw the different dates at the beginning of the chapters.
Once I started figuring out the timeline, I began to enjoy the characters a lot more. In some ways reading it is like “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” – the oddities make sense later in the book when you see what actually happened! I’ll still keep an eye out for future books from this author, I think there’s a lot of potential for improvement.
Warning: Contains repeated drug use and some violence.
Who should read it? Steampunk science fiction fans!
See all my reviews and more at www.ReadingToDistraction.com or @Reaad2Distract
Once I started figuring out the timeline, I began to enjoy the characters a lot more. In some ways reading it is like “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” – the oddities make sense later in the book when you see what actually happened! I’ll still keep an eye out for future books from this author, I think there’s a lot of potential for improvement.
Warning: Contains repeated drug use and some violence.
Who should read it? Steampunk science fiction fans!
See all my reviews and more at www.ReadingToDistraction.com or @Reaad2Distract
April 3, 2015
This was so HARD to read! I don't know what happened to editing or formatting but it's not in this book. The worse thing was I read on my Fire which tints my pages green for me since I hate to read words on white on a device and what does this book do they somehow formatted it to show up in white on every page with my green tint around it!
I hate give such a low rating but I simply couldn't even finish the book even for what I hope to be a debut author. If this isn't a debut author then I would seriously worry.
Storyline sounded right up my alley but while trying to get past all the errors I just couldn't bring myself to even enjoying the storyline or the characters. Great idea but poor planning. The cover doesn't even draw me in. Sorry I tried reading this.
I hate give such a low rating but I simply couldn't even finish the book even for what I hope to be a debut author. If this isn't a debut author then I would seriously worry.
Storyline sounded right up my alley but while trying to get past all the errors I just couldn't bring myself to even enjoying the storyline or the characters. Great idea but poor planning. The cover doesn't even draw me in. Sorry I tried reading this.
March 11, 2015
Could have been better
Lots of editing/proofing errors such as wrong words, extra words that didn't get deleted, incorrect spelling and punctuation. This wasn't a huge distraction, but it was another reminder that this is an amateur work.
I didn't feel attached to any of the characters, so the plot surprises dealing with the characters were sort of a yawn for me.
The steampunk elements are always fun, even though they're sort of silly and hokey, and in some cases laughably impossible such as a motorcycle that's steam powered. I liked the Victorian setting better than the futuristic setting, and the time jumping was hard to follow at times.
Bottom line, the book wasn't as entertaining as I expected based on the synopsis, but it had its enjoyable moments.
Lots of editing/proofing errors such as wrong words, extra words that didn't get deleted, incorrect spelling and punctuation. This wasn't a huge distraction, but it was another reminder that this is an amateur work.
I didn't feel attached to any of the characters, so the plot surprises dealing with the characters were sort of a yawn for me.
The steampunk elements are always fun, even though they're sort of silly and hokey, and in some cases laughably impossible such as a motorcycle that's steam powered. I liked the Victorian setting better than the futuristic setting, and the time jumping was hard to follow at times.
Bottom line, the book wasn't as entertaining as I expected based on the synopsis, but it had its enjoyable moments.
March 25, 2015
This book was written so incredibly well. I am a new lover of steampunk and an old lover of time travel. I was sitting on the edge of my seat the whole time. The author has done an amazing job at intertwining two different world into one fabulously written book. The characters and story are so real it was like I was watching a movie as I read. Two societies one experimenting with inventions and the other ruled by technology. This book has everything. I loved the danger and excitement. The plot couldn't be written any better. I am going to have to reread it I loved it that much!
March 16, 2015
Omg I loved this book so much!! It has adult themes in it but this was my first steam punk book ever!! SJ Davis has turned me into a major fan of hers and this genre! I loved the characters and each of their personal struggles and successes! This story is constantly changing and evolving! Keeps you guessing till the end and no spoilers but its ending is crazy amazing!! Anyone who loves steam punk genre should read this most captivating of stories!!
March 4, 2015
This is an amazing book that will take you away to another world from which you will not want to return. It moved along at a great pace, has a story that will WOW you and leave you needing more and characters that you cannot help but fall in love with. This book must be read, you will not be sorry that you did.
March 20, 2015
If you like steampunk stories then you will love this collection of stories. This book will definitely have you turning the pages and staying up all night reading and not realizing you did.
Would definitely recommend this as a must read.
Would definitely recommend this as a must read.
April 28, 2015
Love this book!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews