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The Survivalist: The Salvation Series, Book III
The Salvation series continues with The Survivalist - a twisty and compelling sci-fi crime thriller.
Detective Salvi Brentt is learning to live with the neural implants forced upon her, in a world where they're deemed illegal. Eager to return to the Hub 9 Homicide Division, she convinces her superiors to put her back to work.
When a well-known figure from her past suddenly winds up murdered, she becomes obsessed with hunting the killer, sure there must be links to a sinister and secretive organization known as The Ghost Network.
But when the murder soon becomes a string of murders, and high-profile targets continue to fall, all lines of investigation hauntingly point to a major global event.
With outside help, and a narrowed down field of suspects, Salvi is forced to go undercover, drawn once more to the tech-free communities, where she must weed out the killers before more innocent people die.
File Under: Science Fiction [ Neural Network | Conspiracy | Back To Nature | Deep Cover]
Detective Salvi Brentt is learning to live with the neural implants forced upon her, in a world where they're deemed illegal. Eager to return to the Hub 9 Homicide Division, she convinces her superiors to put her back to work.
When a well-known figure from her past suddenly winds up murdered, she becomes obsessed with hunting the killer, sure there must be links to a sinister and secretive organization known as The Ghost Network.
But when the murder soon becomes a string of murders, and high-profile targets continue to fall, all lines of investigation hauntingly point to a major global event.
With outside help, and a narrowed down field of suspects, Salvi is forced to go undercover, drawn once more to the tech-free communities, where she must weed out the killers before more innocent people die.
File Under: Science Fiction [ Neural Network | Conspiracy | Back To Nature | Deep Cover]
366 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 18, 2026
About the author
Amanda Bridgeman
27 books107 followersAmanda is an award-winning writer of both original and media tie-in fiction.
Her original fiction includes the near-future crime thriller The Subjugate, which is being developed for TV. Her original works also include the best-selling Aurora series, novella trilogy the Spud Compton series, and dystopian The Time of the Stripes.
With regard to her media tie-in fiction, she has written for the Marvel X-Men universe, the Warhammer 40k universe, and the Pandemic board game universe.
Amanda is also a screenwriter, currently developing several films and TV series.
Her original fiction includes the near-future crime thriller The Subjugate, which is being developed for TV. Her original works also include the best-selling Aurora series, novella trilogy the Spud Compton series, and dystopian The Time of the Stripes.
With regard to her media tie-in fiction, she has written for the Marvel X-Men universe, the Warhammer 40k universe, and the Pandemic board game universe.
Amanda is also a screenwriter, currently developing several films and TV series.
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Review of advance copy received from Author
Written by Australian author Amanda Bridgeman, The Salvation Series is a set of science-fiction crime thrillers set in a near-future San Francisco where technology is equal parts worshipped and reviled. Those in the city make use of cutting-edge technologies to aid in law enforcement through AI and neural implants that regulate criminals, whilst others use them to enhance pleasure and make people into their slaves. Those who reject this form of technology have moved outside of the city limits, creating tech-free settlements that adhere to religious or survivalist principles; turning their backs on those who remain plugged in. The protagonist for these novels is Salvi Brentt, a SFPD homicide detective with a troubled past who finds herself investigating murders linked to the hi-tech world.
The first novel, The Subjugate, focused on the religious community of Bountiful and the neighbourhood Solme Complex which housed rapists and murderers who’ve been neurally-muzzled and “rehabilitated” by implants in their cerebral cortexes. The second novel, The Sensation, returned the focus to the busy city and black-market neural implants used by the wealthy elite to enhance their drug experiences – with Salvi herself going undercover to infiltrate the organisation, before becoming forever altered herself. I reviewed both books on this blog and enjoyed every second of them; Amanda Bridgeman’s writing is incredibly evocative and well-paced, setting up mysteries and creating tension with the end of each chapter. So, I was extremely excited when she announced a third book in the series, The Survivalist, and completely honoured when she used a pull quote from my previous reviews on the front cover!
The Survivalist picks up after the shocking events of The Sensation, with Salvi adjusting to the neural implants that were forcibly attached to her head by The Ghost Network. A permanent reminder of the trauma she experienced, these implants now make her an outsider – even within her own homicide department – and what’s worse, the people who did this to her are still out there. Bridgeman’s writing immediately helps the reader identify with Salvi’s situation and her understandable sense of anger and paranoia. Salvi is a character haunted by her past – her religious upbringing, her sister’s death and now, the Ghost Network – and Bridgeman allows us to experience these ongoing intrusive thoughts throughout the novel, especially once she goes undercover once again, stirring up old memories. Salvi feels even more fully formed and three-dimensional in this novel than she did in the previous two, and throughout the book, I felt like I really got to know her. This connection to the character is heightened once she enters Garner Town, the Survivalist community, because she is alone and isolated – leaving the reader to be her only confidant and companion as we bear witness to the thoughts and feelings she must keep hidden.
The first half of the novel re-establishes the series’ overarching mythology and the leftover plot threads from the previous two books; my favourite of which, is Subjugate-52, who is the “Hannibal Lecter” to Salvi’s “Clarice”. Bridgeman continues to tease the palpable obsession between the two; clearly planning to resolve this long-running plot point in the fourth and final book. There is also the secondary focus of The Ghost Network and a serial killer nicknamed “The Surgeon”, which is again seeded throughout this book to presumably bloom in the final novel. The second half of the novel provides readers with a more self-contained narrative arc as Salvi once again goes undercover, this time amongst the survivalists in Garner Town. Cut off from civilisation and surrounded by woodland, Salvi must ingratiate herself in with the tight-knit community to discover whether there is a killer within. Bridgeman does a terrific job at bringing this little town of survivalists to life, with similarities to real-world examples such as the Jonestown settlement, or even the Westboro Baptist Church. I remember watching a Louis Theroux documentary about these survivalist settlements, and Bridgeman’s characterisation of the leadership and the hierarchy of men and women within the organisation seems extremely accurate.
As enjoyable as the more procedural elements of the first half of the novel was, the novel definitely picks up the pace in the second half. Bridgeman’s prose sparkles when it comes to building suspense, especially with Salvi’s attempts to eavesdrop and survey the area whilst undercover. She also excels in creating interesting character dynamics – whether it is in the offices of the SFPD or the community of Garner Town. Each of her supporting character feels real and contributes to the overarching tapestry of the story, especially in the latter parts of the novel where Salvi must uncover the truth behind Garner Town. I also enjoyed the sexual chemistry between Salvi and the leader of the survivalists, Pat Garner – especially since their relationship was fraught with suspicion and tension. It speaks to how effective Bridgeman’s descriptions are that I actually felt uneasy as I read how terrible Salvi’s attempts to ingratiate herself within Garner Town were, it felt like everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. Still, this was a far more realistic take on a stranger trying to join one of these communities and it would have felt inauthentic if she’d been readily accepted and trusted straight away.
While it is the third book in a series of four, The Survivalist is still pretty accessible read; it had been almost six years since I’d read the first two books and I was worried that I would be lost in the plot, but the novel is written in a way that keeps readers informed of the most important plot threads. Obviously, it flows much better if you’ve read the previous books, but it can still be a worthy entry point – especially if the prepper/survivalist angle appeals. One thing that I did notice as I read this installment of the series, was how much AI use has advanced in the real world since I first read The Subjugate in 2018 – where the SFPD’s AI Riverton felt like a science-fiction invention back then, it doesn’t feel too far removed from the likes of ChatGPT, Gemini and Grok nowadays. This just shows how prescient Amanda Bridgeman’s writing really is, and should really be a warning of how advances in technology threaten to overwhelm us.
Extremely cinematic throughout, it comes as no surprise to discover that the series is currently being developed for TV as it feels like it would suit an episodic miniseries; something with 6-8 episodes per season akin to Vince Gilligan’s recent series Pluribus. It would be a perfect fit for a streaming service such as Apple TV, and I sincerely hope it gets adapted for the small screen soon!
The Survivalist is another brilliant chapter of The Salvation Series, showcasing a brand-new piece of the puzzle that makes up the tech-free communities outside of San Francisco. Rich in atmosphere, the novel juxtaposes the modern and the traditional with its two main settings of San Francisco and Garner Town; effectively underpinning the entire series’ concept in one book. With a compelling lead character and a fascinating view on the impact of future technologies such as AI and neural implants, The Survivalist is proof of how good sci-fi can spark conversations about where humanity is headed, and the potential pitfalls that await us there.
Well worth the six-year wait between books, The Survivalist reinforces just how skilled an author Amanda Bridgeman is, as she blends together character, technology and ideology into something that is immensely entertaining. One of the best novels I’ve read in years, I now eagerly await the final book to see how all of those dangling plot threads come together.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The first novel, The Subjugate, focused on the religious community of Bountiful and the neighbourhood Solme Complex which housed rapists and murderers who’ve been neurally-muzzled and “rehabilitated” by implants in their cerebral cortexes. The second novel, The Sensation, returned the focus to the busy city and black-market neural implants used by the wealthy elite to enhance their drug experiences – with Salvi herself going undercover to infiltrate the organisation, before becoming forever altered herself. I reviewed both books on this blog and enjoyed every second of them; Amanda Bridgeman’s writing is incredibly evocative and well-paced, setting up mysteries and creating tension with the end of each chapter. So, I was extremely excited when she announced a third book in the series, The Survivalist, and completely honoured when she used a pull quote from my previous reviews on the front cover!
The Survivalist picks up after the shocking events of The Sensation, with Salvi adjusting to the neural implants that were forcibly attached to her head by The Ghost Network. A permanent reminder of the trauma she experienced, these implants now make her an outsider – even within her own homicide department – and what’s worse, the people who did this to her are still out there. Bridgeman’s writing immediately helps the reader identify with Salvi’s situation and her understandable sense of anger and paranoia. Salvi is a character haunted by her past – her religious upbringing, her sister’s death and now, the Ghost Network – and Bridgeman allows us to experience these ongoing intrusive thoughts throughout the novel, especially once she goes undercover once again, stirring up old memories. Salvi feels even more fully formed and three-dimensional in this novel than she did in the previous two, and throughout the book, I felt like I really got to know her. This connection to the character is heightened once she enters Garner Town, the Survivalist community, because she is alone and isolated – leaving the reader to be her only confidant and companion as we bear witness to the thoughts and feelings she must keep hidden.
The first half of the novel re-establishes the series’ overarching mythology and the leftover plot threads from the previous two books; my favourite of which, is Subjugate-52, who is the “Hannibal Lecter” to Salvi’s “Clarice”. Bridgeman continues to tease the palpable obsession between the two; clearly planning to resolve this long-running plot point in the fourth and final book. There is also the secondary focus of The Ghost Network and a serial killer nicknamed “The Surgeon”, which is again seeded throughout this book to presumably bloom in the final novel. The second half of the novel provides readers with a more self-contained narrative arc as Salvi once again goes undercover, this time amongst the survivalists in Garner Town. Cut off from civilisation and surrounded by woodland, Salvi must ingratiate herself in with the tight-knit community to discover whether there is a killer within. Bridgeman does a terrific job at bringing this little town of survivalists to life, with similarities to real-world examples such as the Jonestown settlement, or even the Westboro Baptist Church. I remember watching a Louis Theroux documentary about these survivalist settlements, and Bridgeman’s characterisation of the leadership and the hierarchy of men and women within the organisation seems extremely accurate.
As enjoyable as the more procedural elements of the first half of the novel was, the novel definitely picks up the pace in the second half. Bridgeman’s prose sparkles when it comes to building suspense, especially with Salvi’s attempts to eavesdrop and survey the area whilst undercover. She also excels in creating interesting character dynamics – whether it is in the offices of the SFPD or the community of Garner Town. Each of her supporting character feels real and contributes to the overarching tapestry of the story, especially in the latter parts of the novel where Salvi must uncover the truth behind Garner Town. I also enjoyed the sexual chemistry between Salvi and the leader of the survivalists, Pat Garner – especially since their relationship was fraught with suspicion and tension. It speaks to how effective Bridgeman’s descriptions are that I actually felt uneasy as I read how terrible Salvi’s attempts to ingratiate herself within Garner Town were, it felt like everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. Still, this was a far more realistic take on a stranger trying to join one of these communities and it would have felt inauthentic if she’d been readily accepted and trusted straight away.
While it is the third book in a series of four, The Survivalist is still pretty accessible read; it had been almost six years since I’d read the first two books and I was worried that I would be lost in the plot, but the novel is written in a way that keeps readers informed of the most important plot threads. Obviously, it flows much better if you’ve read the previous books, but it can still be a worthy entry point – especially if the prepper/survivalist angle appeals. One thing that I did notice as I read this installment of the series, was how much AI use has advanced in the real world since I first read The Subjugate in 2018 – where the SFPD’s AI Riverton felt like a science-fiction invention back then, it doesn’t feel too far removed from the likes of ChatGPT, Gemini and Grok nowadays. This just shows how prescient Amanda Bridgeman’s writing really is, and should really be a warning of how advances in technology threaten to overwhelm us.
Extremely cinematic throughout, it comes as no surprise to discover that the series is currently being developed for TV as it feels like it would suit an episodic miniseries; something with 6-8 episodes per season akin to Vince Gilligan’s recent series Pluribus. It would be a perfect fit for a streaming service such as Apple TV, and I sincerely hope it gets adapted for the small screen soon!
The Survivalist is another brilliant chapter of The Salvation Series, showcasing a brand-new piece of the puzzle that makes up the tech-free communities outside of San Francisco. Rich in atmosphere, the novel juxtaposes the modern and the traditional with its two main settings of San Francisco and Garner Town; effectively underpinning the entire series’ concept in one book. With a compelling lead character and a fascinating view on the impact of future technologies such as AI and neural implants, The Survivalist is proof of how good sci-fi can spark conversations about where humanity is headed, and the potential pitfalls that await us there.
Well worth the six-year wait between books, The Survivalist reinforces just how skilled an author Amanda Bridgeman is, as she blends together character, technology and ideology into something that is immensely entertaining. One of the best novels I’ve read in years, I now eagerly await the final book to see how all of those dangling plot threads come together.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Displaying 1 of 1 review