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Three Days in April
The debut standalone novel from author Edward Ashton, author of Mickey7 , THREE DAYS IN APRIL is a near-future speculative thriller that marks the entry of a bright new voice into the genre. Anders Jensen is having a bad month. His roommate is a data thief, his girlfriend picks fights in bars, and his best friend is a cyborg…and a lousy tipper. When everything is spiraling out of control, though, maybe those are exactly the kind of friends you need. In a world divided between the genetically engineered elite and the unmodified masses, Anders is an engineered, but still broke and living next to a crack house. All he wants is to land a tenure-track faculty position, and maybe meet someone who’s not technically a criminal-but when a nightmare plague rips through Hagerstown, Anders finds himself dodging kinetic energy weapons and government assassins as Baltimore slips into chaos. His friends aren’t as helpless as they seem, though, and his girlfriend’s street-magician brother-in-law might be a pretentious hipster - or might hold the secret to saving them all. Frenetic and audacious, Three Days in April is a a blend of science fiction and psychological thriller that raises an important question: Once humanity goes down the rabbit hole, can we ever find our way back?
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 15, 2015
About the author
Edward Ashton
27 books1,622 followersEdward Ashton is the author of the novels Mickey7, Three Days in April and The End of Ordinary. His short fiction has appeared in venues ranging from the newsletter of an Italian sausage company to Escape Pod, Analog, and Fireside Fiction. He lives in upstate New York in a cabin in the woods (not that Cabin in the Woods) with his wife, a variable number of daughters, and an adorably mopey dog named Max, where he writes—mostly fiction, occasionally fact—under the watchful eyes of a giant woodpecker and a rotating cast of barred owls. In his free time, he enjoys cancer research, teaching quantum physics to sullen graduate students, and whittling. You can find him online at edwardashton.com or on Twitter @edashtonwriting.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 154 reviews
September 17, 2015
Three Days in April by Edward Ashton could be described as the book that brought its futuristic-drug giggles to the award ceremony. Meanwhile, chemicals in the air are planting tiny bombs inside everyone around them. Bombs that are likely to go off before anyone knows they're infected.
Three Days in April introduces two of these characters right away, both modified with DNA splicing akin to what may result if Jurassic Park didn't have such a horrific ending to their plans. They're still people, though, and the author's ability to show us this in smooth strides alongside showing how their modifications make them far different than we could imagine fascinated me and kept me reading.
Three Days in April is one of those rare books that engaged on so many levels that I read it from start to finish without losing any interest. His character cast is at times hilarious, often surprisingly smart, definitely human, but also something we've never seen. His plot mixes in the daily life of twenty-something hackers and their friends as a terrorist attack begins a holy war between those who are modified and those who aren't. He's done his homework on making this technological war appear plausible and lifelike, while also massaging our nerd sensors for what cool gadgets we may get in the future.
This book is kind of like how a lazy gamer generation would like to learn about new technology, in a future society where you can get mods to become a Pretty or a Neanderthal, but in a story told for those who enjoy fart jokes and the fun you can have when responsibility doesn't get in the way.
Thanks to HarperVoyager for letting me be a part of the Super Readers program and for this review copy. This will compete for top read of the year!
Three Days in April introduces two of these characters right away, both modified with DNA splicing akin to what may result if Jurassic Park didn't have such a horrific ending to their plans. They're still people, though, and the author's ability to show us this in smooth strides alongside showing how their modifications make them far different than we could imagine fascinated me and kept me reading.
Three Days in April is one of those rare books that engaged on so many levels that I read it from start to finish without losing any interest. His character cast is at times hilarious, often surprisingly smart, definitely human, but also something we've never seen. His plot mixes in the daily life of twenty-something hackers and their friends as a terrorist attack begins a holy war between those who are modified and those who aren't. He's done his homework on making this technological war appear plausible and lifelike, while also massaging our nerd sensors for what cool gadgets we may get in the future.
This book is kind of like how a lazy gamer generation would like to learn about new technology, in a future society where you can get mods to become a Pretty or a Neanderthal, but in a story told for those who enjoy fart jokes and the fun you can have when responsibility doesn't get in the way.
Thanks to HarperVoyager for letting me be a part of the Super Readers program and for this review copy. This will compete for top read of the year!
May 22, 2017
'Hagerstown' spielt in einem kleinen Städtchen im Osten der USA. Es wird zwar keine Jahreszahl genannt, aber dem technischen und wissenschaftlichen Fortschritt kann man entnehmen, dass wir uns in der Zukunft befinden. Diese Fortschrittlichkeit zieht sich durch den gesamten Alltag der Figuren, am meisten wird auf die Haus-Avatare eingegangen, welche in allen Häusern installiert sind und quasi das Hausmanagement übernehmen. Die Menschheit hat sich in zwei Lager gespalten, es gibt die Unveränderten, also normale Menschen, und die Veränderten, die ganz verschiedene körperliche Veränderungen, z.B. durch Gen-Kreuzungen, haben können. Noch leben die zwei Gruppen einigermaßen harmonisch zusammen, doch das ändert sich nach dem Anschlag in Hagerstown, bei dem plötzlich eine ganze Stadt ausgelöscht wird.
Im Buch begleiten wir abwechselnd 4 Charaktere, die wir aber nicht wirklich tiefgründig kennen lernen. Ich habe im Buch zu keiner Figur wirklichen Zugang gefunden, so dass ich auch oft im Kapitel verwirrt war, wen ich eigentlich gerade begleite. Sie waren für mich einfach nicht greifbar.
Den Anfang des Buches fand ich noch recht interessant, aber ich hätte mir mehr Informationen über diese Welt gewünscht, denn das Thema der genetischen Veränderung kommt etwas kurz. Bereits vor der Hälfte fing das Buch an sich zu ziehen und das hielt leider auch bis zum Ende an. An sich war der Schreibstil sehr locker und leicht zu lesen, dennoch habe ich einfach nicht bevorzugt zu diesem Buch gegriffen. Zwischendrin gab es im Fließtext einige Chatprotokolle, die mich auch eher verwirrt haben, da hier die Figuren (die ich mir eh schon nicht merken konnte), Pseudonyme benutzt haben. Hinzu kamen die vielen computerspezifischen Themen, technische Begriffe etc. - wer hier etwas bewanderter ist als ich, kann vermutlich mehr mit dem Buch anfangen.
So sehr mich also der Klappentext angesprochen hat, so wenig hat mir dann leider die Umsetzung gefallen. Wer gerne Sci-Fi liest und wissenschaftlich und technisch bewandert ist, der könnte mich das Buch mal anschauen.
*Rezensionsexemplar
Im Buch begleiten wir abwechselnd 4 Charaktere, die wir aber nicht wirklich tiefgründig kennen lernen. Ich habe im Buch zu keiner Figur wirklichen Zugang gefunden, so dass ich auch oft im Kapitel verwirrt war, wen ich eigentlich gerade begleite. Sie waren für mich einfach nicht greifbar.
Den Anfang des Buches fand ich noch recht interessant, aber ich hätte mir mehr Informationen über diese Welt gewünscht, denn das Thema der genetischen Veränderung kommt etwas kurz. Bereits vor der Hälfte fing das Buch an sich zu ziehen und das hielt leider auch bis zum Ende an. An sich war der Schreibstil sehr locker und leicht zu lesen, dennoch habe ich einfach nicht bevorzugt zu diesem Buch gegriffen. Zwischendrin gab es im Fließtext einige Chatprotokolle, die mich auch eher verwirrt haben, da hier die Figuren (die ich mir eh schon nicht merken konnte), Pseudonyme benutzt haben. Hinzu kamen die vielen computerspezifischen Themen, technische Begriffe etc. - wer hier etwas bewanderter ist als ich, kann vermutlich mehr mit dem Buch anfangen.
So sehr mich also der Klappentext angesprochen hat, so wenig hat mir dann leider die Umsetzung gefallen. Wer gerne Sci-Fi liest und wissenschaftlich und technisch bewandert ist, der könnte mich das Buch mal anschauen.
*Rezensionsexemplar
November 8, 2015
It's hard not to love being part of the HarperVoyager Super Reader program. Free books/egalleys in return for honest reviews. Yes, it's seriously that simple lol. I like to give a little blurb on books that I read anyhow, just in case it helps someone decide to read a book that they would have otherwise avoided, so it's like I'm getting free stuff for doing what I already do. Win/win!
Anyhow, this particular book is surprisingly good for a first novel. Ashton runs us just far enough into the future to have gene splicing and cybernetic enhancements coming into the mainstream, as you can tell by the official synopsis. He catapults a group of misfits right into the middle of a war between those who have been changed and those who haven't, the "UnAltered". While the plot is definitely good (and the twist at the end, did -not- see that coming), it's the little things throughout that really set this apart for me. The inside jokes, the character interaction, it all came together so well that I definitely want more. There's a scene where they're discussing the escalating RAHOWA that really exemplifies what I mean:
----------------------------------------------------------
"RAHOWA?"
"Racial holy war," I say. "It's Gary's new thing."
"Cataclysmic battle to the death between the Engineered and the UnAltered," Gary says. "First they came for the cave ladies, and I said nothing, because I was not a cave lady. Then they came for the hot waitresses, and I said nothing, because I was not a hot waitress. Then they came for the bastard offspring of Mickey Mouse and a seven-foot-tall transvestite prostitute, and I said nothing, because I was not Anders. They came for me, and there was nobody left to speak."
Charity looks at me and raises on eyebrow. I shrug.
----------------------------------------------------------
Just wait til you get to this part. It's hilarious and deep at the same time, and so is the book. If you like your sci-fi with meaning and a liberal dose of humor (and some action, too) then you definitely, definitely need to check this out.
Anyhow, this particular book is surprisingly good for a first novel. Ashton runs us just far enough into the future to have gene splicing and cybernetic enhancements coming into the mainstream, as you can tell by the official synopsis. He catapults a group of misfits right into the middle of a war between those who have been changed and those who haven't, the "UnAltered". While the plot is definitely good (and the twist at the end, did -not- see that coming), it's the little things throughout that really set this apart for me. The inside jokes, the character interaction, it all came together so well that I definitely want more. There's a scene where they're discussing the escalating RAHOWA that really exemplifies what I mean:
----------------------------------------------------------
"RAHOWA?"
"Racial holy war," I say. "It's Gary's new thing."
"Cataclysmic battle to the death between the Engineered and the UnAltered," Gary says. "First they came for the cave ladies, and I said nothing, because I was not a cave lady. Then they came for the hot waitresses, and I said nothing, because I was not a hot waitress. Then they came for the bastard offspring of Mickey Mouse and a seven-foot-tall transvestite prostitute, and I said nothing, because I was not Anders. They came for me, and there was nobody left to speak."
Charity looks at me and raises on eyebrow. I shrug.
----------------------------------------------------------
Just wait til you get to this part. It's hilarious and deep at the same time, and so is the book. If you like your sci-fi with meaning and a liberal dose of humor (and some action, too) then you definitely, definitely need to check this out.
November 11, 2025
Abandoned. Tried and tried to get into it but failed spectacularly.
April 5, 2016
Ahoy there me mateys! This book was a fun sci-fi romp set in Baltimore, one of my oldest home ports there on the Chesapeake Bay. Something causes 90% of the population of Hagerstown, Maryland to violently die simultaneously. Is it a terrorist attack? A plague? The end of the world? A group of friends and recent acquaintances must unravel the mystery and save the whole human race.
This book had some truly delightful quirky characters. My favorites were Terry, Anders, and Inchy. The plot is silly and fast. The book is told from the perspective of the various main characters. The end is particularly crazy and fun. I must say that I loved it. If you like humor, technology, and thoughtful questions about human security then give this one a whirl. I don't want to spoil the plot but do yourself a favor and read this one!
If you liked this review see others at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordp...
This book had some truly delightful quirky characters. My favorites were Terry, Anders, and Inchy. The plot is silly and fast. The book is told from the perspective of the various main characters. The end is particularly crazy and fun. I must say that I loved it. If you like humor, technology, and thoughtful questions about human security then give this one a whirl. I don't want to spoil the plot but do yourself a favor and read this one!
If you liked this review see others at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordp...
December 10, 2018
Three Days in April is the kind of science fiction book that jumps into a situation and challenges the reader to figure out what the heck is going on. That makes almost any information in a review at least spoiler-adjacent. So here's a minimum. It's set in Baltimore in the not-too-distant future. It's written in first person, but that person changes with each chapter, so watch those chapter headings carefully. Some of the characters have genetic, surgical, or electronic mods, all grounds for new kinds of societal divisions/hatred. If that sounds interesting to you, by all means read this book. I jumped in without any warning and, once I caught on, thoroughly enjoyed it. There's even a sequel or at least another book set in the same world a little later. Haven't read it yet. Trying to cut down the TBR pile...
August 25, 2017
This book reminded me of Matt Ruff's writing, in both style and quality. Except I don't think even Ruff could pull off a multi-pov first person present perspective as good as Three Days in April. That's like the Iron Man triathlon of novels, yet this book is executes it so well that it reads as smooth as silk. Most readers will never appreciate how difficult this feat is, but they'll still love the quirky characters, the intriguing plot, and the brilliant dialog. Highly recommended!
April 19, 2026
My thanks to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for an ARC of this re-release in exchange for an honest review.
In Three Days in April Edward Ashton presents a thrilling tale of a future America where the population is divided between humans with genetic and/or cybernetic modifications and those who are not. When a mystery attack wipes out a whole town, extremist factions threaten civil war. A team of unlikely hackers, miscreants, and religious fanatics must solve the mystery or face annihilation.
This was a good foray for a first time author, but its lack of polish is clear throughout the book. Ashton's later book, Mal Goes to War, has a very similar storyline told from another perspective that works much better. I would recommend this title to readers who haven't read Ashton before, as his ideas are excellent, but often recycled with too little ingenuity between novels.
In Three Days in April Edward Ashton presents a thrilling tale of a future America where the population is divided between humans with genetic and/or cybernetic modifications and those who are not. When a mystery attack wipes out a whole town, extremist factions threaten civil war. A team of unlikely hackers, miscreants, and religious fanatics must solve the mystery or face annihilation.
This was a good foray for a first time author, but its lack of polish is clear throughout the book. Ashton's later book, Mal Goes to War, has a very similar storyline told from another perspective that works much better. I would recommend this title to readers who haven't read Ashton before, as his ideas are excellent, but often recycled with too little ingenuity between novels.
September 30, 2015
This story was amazing! I was highly entertained the whole time and loved the constant movement of both the characters and the storyline. A techno-thriller set in the near future with a focus on mixing of cyborgs, natural humans and those that had alterations done. A corporation is trying to hide the events that took place with thousands dying in Hagerstown. While hackers and thieves are trying to discover the truth and if there will be more deaths.
The story is told from several perspectives. Anders is given a mystery file to analyze and Terry is noticing her avatar is acting unusual. Her sister is learning about a new religion and Gary along with his fellow cyber-geeks are trying to find deleted information on news feeds to find out if this is the beginning of a war or plague.
It is a very fast paced story with actions having immediate results and pushing the characters forward to survive. I am not a person that is incredibly computer savy and felt that the more complex parts of the story were completely understandable and said in a way that did not make me feel lost (or stupid)
I enjoyed this book so much, it is one I am definitely recommending to friends.
The story is told from several perspectives. Anders is given a mystery file to analyze and Terry is noticing her avatar is acting unusual. Her sister is learning about a new religion and Gary along with his fellow cyber-geeks are trying to find deleted information on news feeds to find out if this is the beginning of a war or plague.
It is a very fast paced story with actions having immediate results and pushing the characters forward to survive. I am not a person that is incredibly computer savy and felt that the more complex parts of the story were completely understandable and said in a way that did not make me feel lost (or stupid)
I enjoyed this book so much, it is one I am definitely recommending to friends.
March 18, 2023
2 stars and that may be generous. I give author Edward Ashton of “Three Days in April “ kudos for a good idea for a science fiction novel (his first): competition between man and AI. But the rest including a cohesive story line, character development, dialogue, and believability are not good. I hope in his future writing that he collaborates with a good, critical editor. Not recommended.
November 3, 2016
Had Flashes
There were times I enjoyed reading this. There were times I had genuine interest in learning how the various plot elements would resolve. Unfortunately, there weren't times that I was interested in any of the characters.
There were times I enjoyed reading this. There were times I had genuine interest in learning how the various plot elements would resolve. Unfortunately, there weren't times that I was interested in any of the characters.
November 19, 2024
Das hat Spaß gemacht. Es gab ein paar coole Twists. Ich bin unsicher, wie zufrieden ich mit dem Schluss bin, daher nur vier Sterne (es wurde ein wenig viel gestorben und das alles ziemlich plötzlich).
Die Themen mögen nicht neu sein, aber sie sind sehr gut erzählt und der Erzählton ist angenehm humorvoll. Nachdem ich Mickey7 gelesen hatte, habe ich den Autor mal bei einem Con gefragt, wie er das mit dem Humor reinbringt. Er hat geantwortet, er müsse eher noch Humor raustun, damit es nicht zu dick wird. Der Humor kommt also von alleine. Beneidenswert! Und ja, der Ton hat viel Spaß gemacht.
Es gibt vier Erzählperspektiven, was vielleicht für so einen kurzen Roman etwas wenig ist:
Anders
Terry
Terrys Schwester Elise
Gary (Anders' Mitbewohner)
Obwohl Gary eigentlich der am wenigsten sympathische ist, und er auch arg im male gaze hängt (auf Brüste starrt und so), kommt mir seine Perspektive am gelungensten vor.
Es wird am Anfang etwas viel gesplattert, was eklig ist, aber Spaß macht.
Ich würde vermutlich alle Romane von Ashton lesen, weil ich das schon ganz gern lese, habe aber einfach zu viel auf dem Stapel.
Die Themen mögen nicht neu sein, aber sie sind sehr gut erzählt und der Erzählton ist angenehm humorvoll. Nachdem ich Mickey7 gelesen hatte, habe ich den Autor mal bei einem Con gefragt, wie er das mit dem Humor reinbringt. Er hat geantwortet, er müsse eher noch Humor raustun, damit es nicht zu dick wird. Der Humor kommt also von alleine. Beneidenswert! Und ja, der Ton hat viel Spaß gemacht.
Es gibt vier Erzählperspektiven, was vielleicht für so einen kurzen Roman etwas wenig ist:
Anders
Terry
Terrys Schwester Elise
Gary (Anders' Mitbewohner)
Obwohl Gary eigentlich der am wenigsten sympathische ist, und er auch arg im male gaze hängt (auf Brüste starrt und so), kommt mir seine Perspektive am gelungensten vor.
Es wird am Anfang etwas viel gesplattert, was eklig ist, aber Spaß macht.
Ich würde vermutlich alle Romane von Ashton lesen, weil ich das schon ganz gern lese, habe aber einfach zu viel auf dem Stapel.
April 11, 2025
I found this by searching Goodreads for books with April in the title, knew nothing of it, it was much different from what my typical fare (read the summary in GR). There were echoes of, Open the pod door, HAL. Im sorry, I can’t do that, Dave.
The book was well written, very clever dialogue, plenty of satirical and ironical humor, and the plot developed smoothly, all making sense when the WTF is happening was revealed. Each chapter focused on a different character, it took me a while to sort them all out but probably because I didn’t read it in long stretches.
The book was well written, very clever dialogue, plenty of satirical and ironical humor, and the plot developed smoothly, all making sense when the WTF is happening was revealed. Each chapter focused on a different character, it took me a while to sort them all out but probably because I didn’t read it in long stretches.
March 26, 2025
This was a great read. Full of twists and turns, with Hi-tech spies, gen engineered humans, and gory and scary plot line.
AI components, all seeing organizations (NatSec) horny humans and not so humans, all swept together in Baltimore and shaken until this story pops out.
Second of Ashton's works I've read, and not disappointed - Now just need to get to Mickey 7 before I get corrupted by the movie.
AI components, all seeing organizations (NatSec) horny humans and not so humans, all swept together in Baltimore and shaken until this story pops out.
Second of Ashton's works I've read, and not disappointed - Now just need to get to Mickey 7 before I get corrupted by the movie.
February 28, 2026
(5.0 Stars)
This book was brilliant! "Adorable Idiot" characters, a vibrant and enticing story, and a world not unlike our own.
Edward Ashton has quickly become one of my very favorite authors.
This book was brilliant! "Adorable Idiot" characters, a vibrant and enticing story, and a world not unlike our own.
Edward Ashton has quickly become one of my very favorite authors.
June 19, 2024
Great and interesting read. The viewpoint changes take some getting used to.
March 21, 2026
Real fun stuff. Nothing crazy or politically outstanding in here but it was real fun. Kind of like leftist surveillance state porn
April 23, 2026
3.5 Stars
I really enjoyed this a lot but then the end sort of fell flat for me. It concluded rather quick and I was left feeling slightly confused.
Still was a fun read, though!
I really enjoyed this a lot but then the end sort of fell flat for me. It concluded rather quick and I was left feeling slightly confused.
Still was a fun read, though!
March 5, 2026
Not my usual cup of tea, but I really enjoyed this. There were plenty of twists and turns and, at times, I genuinely had no idea what was going on. By the end though, all the threads wove together into something really clever.
Some sections felt highly implausible, but this is sci-fi after all, so it didn’t really bother me.
Overall, it was a highly entertaining read.
Some sections felt highly implausible, but this is sci-fi after all, so it didn’t really bother me.
Overall, it was a highly entertaining read.
May 8, 2026
Freaking brilliant. More!
October 28, 2025
It took me till the middle of this book to understand what was going on - but then I really liked it. Sentient avatars try to kill off enhanced humans by poisoning their (redbull) brain bump drink.
October 15, 2015
I will start by saying that I am not a sci-fi fan. I generally don’t even read books that aren’t literary classics. Now I will proceed to say that this book is a must-read. It’s simultaneously brilliant, hilarious, and terrifying. Ashton’s characters speak in clever, sarcastic dialogue that kept me smiling and laughing while I read about the tragedy at the core of the story (yes, it’s a bit uncomfortable to realize this) but his humor is that infectious and his writing is so smart that I did not want to put this down. His ability to weave a complex, intriguing story from multiple perspectives is admirable and daunting. However, what’s most impactful is Ashton’s ability to take the utopian advancements we see developing, at an exponential rate, in our everyday lives, and unravel them into a dystopian fiction that doesn’t seem all that far off from possibility. My experience was similar to the feeling I got when I read A Clockwork Orange and realized that I had slowly but surely learned and began to think in terms of Nadsat, the cult-language spoken by the characters throughout the book. As I laughed at the witty dialogue, and was entertained by the tragic story of Hagerstown, Ashton was sprinkling in aspects of this “fictitious” culture that began to make me uncomfortable: genetic mouse-splicing and “pretty” modifications, a panopticon run by National Security, people drinking BrainBump to increase serotonin levels, and interactive house avatars that controlled the lights, the locks, and more….that did not seem completely implausible.
Sure, we are not quite living in a “Silico-American” world where people have oculars showing us chat room screens and news feeds right in our eyes, the government doesn’t abolish our homes with a two-minute warning, and so far we don’t have rogue avatars controlling our communication with the outside world, but the idea of a generation of humans that are spliced with chosen modifications to improve their looks, their height, their speed, do not seem as far off of an idea (hmmm, I’m thinking CRSPR).
Three Days in April isn’t just a techno-thriller or speculative fiction. Although it is extraordinarily entertaining, and Ashton is an extremely talented writer with a flair for humor and story-telling that is difficult to accomplish, let alone master, as he does, but if you also want to read something about human nature, evolution, innovation and dystopia, if you want to read something intelligent, something that shows a future failing against the tried and true nature of humans’ resistance to accept those who differ from themselves, if you want to read a modern, Braver, Newer World, read this.
Sure, we are not quite living in a “Silico-American” world where people have oculars showing us chat room screens and news feeds right in our eyes, the government doesn’t abolish our homes with a two-minute warning, and so far we don’t have rogue avatars controlling our communication with the outside world, but the idea of a generation of humans that are spliced with chosen modifications to improve their looks, their height, their speed, do not seem as far off of an idea (hmmm, I’m thinking CRSPR).
Three Days in April isn’t just a techno-thriller or speculative fiction. Although it is extraordinarily entertaining, and Ashton is an extremely talented writer with a flair for humor and story-telling that is difficult to accomplish, let alone master, as he does, but if you also want to read something about human nature, evolution, innovation and dystopia, if you want to read something intelligent, something that shows a future failing against the tried and true nature of humans’ resistance to accept those who differ from themselves, if you want to read a modern, Braver, Newer World, read this.
January 4, 2016
Three Days in April is smart and funny and mind-expanding and fun to read. From the cross-species gene splitting of the first pages to the struggle of the final pages ... I relaxed into the book with that welcome sense that the author is in control.
One tiny comment -- the book is written from the viewpoint of five or six main characters, but their voices and viewpoints were all so similar that I found myself flipping back to the Table of Contents to remember whose chapter I was in ... (That's not a problem for me, because I have a radically diminished theory of mind, so I tend to assume that everybody sees and narrates the world like I do ....)
Also, way to hit that sweet spot with the $3.99 price. How do I know it's the sweet spot? Because I paid for this book -- and for two others in the Harper's series.
One tiny comment -- the book is written from the viewpoint of five or six main characters, but their voices and viewpoints were all so similar that I found myself flipping back to the Table of Contents to remember whose chapter I was in ... (That's not a problem for me, because I have a radically diminished theory of mind, so I tend to assume that everybody sees and narrates the world like I do ....)
Also, way to hit that sweet spot with the $3.99 price. How do I know it's the sweet spot? Because I paid for this book -- and for two others in the Harper's series.
September 4, 2015
Brilliant and creative worldbuilding helps offset a cast of characters who are interesting but not terribly sympathetic. A creative, wild ride of a story that leaves you guessing. A real genre-bender that I'd categorize as cyberpunk.
June 21, 2016
Had a hard time getting into it. Or, sometimes I'd be into it and then it would go off in a direction and I'd think, "nah. Not lovin it." So I finished it, but it was kind of a rough ride.
June 24, 2016
Abandoned
December 18, 2019
Brilliant and original with great pacing. What a ride!
May 5, 2017
Spannend - Verwirrend - Etwas emotionslos
USA, irgendwann in der Zukunft: Der technische Fortschritt ist weiter vorangegangen. Offline geht kaum noch etwas. Die meisten Häuser sind vollständig vernetzt, inklusive Avataren, die wie persönliche Diener zahlreiche Aufgaben im Haus und in der Kommunikation mit anderen übernehmen. Gleichzeitig hat die Gesellschaft einen neuen Schnitt bekommen: nicht mehr Arm und Reich, Weiß oder Farbig sind die bestimmenden Kategorien. Mittlerweile wird in Veränderte und Unveränderte unterteilt. Die Modifizierung von Menschen - auf genetischem, biologischem oder sogar technischem Weg - schreitet immer weiter voran. Nicht ohne Probleme.
Das Massensterben von Hagerstown lässt den Konflikt zwischen beiden Gruppen neu anschwellen; erst recht, als für kurze Zeit ein Video im Netz auftaucht, auf dem Überlebende zu sehen sind, kurz bevor die Regierung genau das zu vertuschen versucht.
Die Geschichte wird abwechselnd aus der Ich-Perspektive von Anders, seinem Mitbewohner Gary und den beiden Schwestern Terry und Elise erzählt. Anders als von Ich-Perspektiven sonst gewohnt, kommen die Texte häufig mit nur sehr geringen Emotionen aus. Stellenweise wirken sie nahezu emotionslos. Ein Kunstgriff des Autors? Eine Begleiterscheinung der Modifizierungen und der wachsenden Technisierung und Digitalisierung? Möglich. Ich weiß es nicht. Was ich weiß, ist dass diese Emotionsarmut eine Barriere zwischen mir und dem überwiegenden Teil der Figuren entstehen ließ. Eine Identifizierung mit ihnen war mir nicht möglich. Die Geschichte tatsächlich aus ihrer Perspektive zu sehen und die Position des außenstehenden Lesers zu verlassen, ist mir nicht gelungen.
Eine kleine Ausnahme davon bildete Gary. Meine erste Eingebung zu ihm - "Was für ein Idiot, der kriegt doch nichts auf die Reihe!" - hat sich absolut nicht bestätigt. Ganz im Gegenteil. Gary war der einzige, der mich abholen und mich in die Geschichte mitnehmen konnte. Seine frechen Aussprüche haben mich eins ums andere Mal zum Schmunzeln gebracht. Im Nachhinein ist er der einzige, der mir wirklich als eigenständige Person in Erinnerung bleibt. Zwar hatten auch die anderen Charaktere definierte Persönlichkeitszüge, die sie eigentlich einzigartig machen sollten. Im Verlauf der Geschichte blieben sie mir allerdings leider zu ähnlich.
Die Handlung an sich war zunächst einmal überraschend anders als nach dem Lesen des Klappentextes erwartet. Nichts mit aggressiven Viren und und die angekündigte "aktive Spurensuche der vier Freunde" habe ich so auch nirgends im Buch gefunden. Stattdessen hatte ich ein eher der Science Fiction als dem Thriller zuzuordnendes Buch vor mir, dem zunächst einmal ein echter Einstieg in die Welt fehlte. Hochtechnisiert, stark digitalisiert, veränderte Gesellschaftsschichten - alles schön und gut, aber das Wissen darum erhielt ich nur sehr bruchstückhaft verteilt über das gesamte Buch. Ein echtes Bild vom Setting konnte damit nur sehr langsam entstehen.
Entschädigung dafür war klar die Handlung: Trotz der etwas emotionslosen Figuren blieb die Spannung beinahe durchweg hoch. Die Frage, was in Hagerstown passiert ist, und die Vertuschungsversuche der Regierung trieben mich Seite für Seite durch das Buch, ohne dass ich wirklich erahnen konnte, wie die Lösung aussehen wird. Zwar war nur Gary ernsthaft damit beschäftigt, was in Hagerstown passiert ist, - die anderen drei kreuzten die Thematik nur immer mal und blieben ansonsten häufig passiv - aber das tat der Spannung keinen Abbruch.
Im letzten Drittel hatte ich dann leider das Gefühl, dass der Autor zu viele Konfliktpunkte eröffnet hat, die er nicht alle bedienen konnte. Hagerstown, gesellschaftliche Probleme, persönliche Probleme der Figuren, Verwicklungen - all das wurde am Ende für meinen Geschmack nur unzureichend aufgeklärt. Auf der einen Seite mag das gut sein: das Buch gerät nicht so schnell in Vergessenheit. Es bleibt in Erinnerung - vor allem mit seiner Thematik und seiner relativen Nähe zu unserem Leben. Auf der anderen Seite fehlten mir allerdings einige Informationen, wie bsp. einzelne Gruppierungen miteinander zusammenhängen, um das Buch zufrieden zuklappen zu können.
Fazit: Spannende Handlung mit mitunter überraschenden oder sogar erschreckenden Anknüpfungspunkten zum Jetzt. Dennoch bleiben insbesondere die Figuren hinter den Erwartungen zurück.
USA, irgendwann in der Zukunft: Der technische Fortschritt ist weiter vorangegangen. Offline geht kaum noch etwas. Die meisten Häuser sind vollständig vernetzt, inklusive Avataren, die wie persönliche Diener zahlreiche Aufgaben im Haus und in der Kommunikation mit anderen übernehmen. Gleichzeitig hat die Gesellschaft einen neuen Schnitt bekommen: nicht mehr Arm und Reich, Weiß oder Farbig sind die bestimmenden Kategorien. Mittlerweile wird in Veränderte und Unveränderte unterteilt. Die Modifizierung von Menschen - auf genetischem, biologischem oder sogar technischem Weg - schreitet immer weiter voran. Nicht ohne Probleme.
Das Massensterben von Hagerstown lässt den Konflikt zwischen beiden Gruppen neu anschwellen; erst recht, als für kurze Zeit ein Video im Netz auftaucht, auf dem Überlebende zu sehen sind, kurz bevor die Regierung genau das zu vertuschen versucht.
Die Geschichte wird abwechselnd aus der Ich-Perspektive von Anders, seinem Mitbewohner Gary und den beiden Schwestern Terry und Elise erzählt. Anders als von Ich-Perspektiven sonst gewohnt, kommen die Texte häufig mit nur sehr geringen Emotionen aus. Stellenweise wirken sie nahezu emotionslos. Ein Kunstgriff des Autors? Eine Begleiterscheinung der Modifizierungen und der wachsenden Technisierung und Digitalisierung? Möglich. Ich weiß es nicht. Was ich weiß, ist dass diese Emotionsarmut eine Barriere zwischen mir und dem überwiegenden Teil der Figuren entstehen ließ. Eine Identifizierung mit ihnen war mir nicht möglich. Die Geschichte tatsächlich aus ihrer Perspektive zu sehen und die Position des außenstehenden Lesers zu verlassen, ist mir nicht gelungen.
Eine kleine Ausnahme davon bildete Gary. Meine erste Eingebung zu ihm - "Was für ein Idiot, der kriegt doch nichts auf die Reihe!" - hat sich absolut nicht bestätigt. Ganz im Gegenteil. Gary war der einzige, der mich abholen und mich in die Geschichte mitnehmen konnte. Seine frechen Aussprüche haben mich eins ums andere Mal zum Schmunzeln gebracht. Im Nachhinein ist er der einzige, der mir wirklich als eigenständige Person in Erinnerung bleibt. Zwar hatten auch die anderen Charaktere definierte Persönlichkeitszüge, die sie eigentlich einzigartig machen sollten. Im Verlauf der Geschichte blieben sie mir allerdings leider zu ähnlich.
Die Handlung an sich war zunächst einmal überraschend anders als nach dem Lesen des Klappentextes erwartet. Nichts mit aggressiven Viren und und die angekündigte "aktive Spurensuche der vier Freunde" habe ich so auch nirgends im Buch gefunden. Stattdessen hatte ich ein eher der Science Fiction als dem Thriller zuzuordnendes Buch vor mir, dem zunächst einmal ein echter Einstieg in die Welt fehlte. Hochtechnisiert, stark digitalisiert, veränderte Gesellschaftsschichten - alles schön und gut, aber das Wissen darum erhielt ich nur sehr bruchstückhaft verteilt über das gesamte Buch. Ein echtes Bild vom Setting konnte damit nur sehr langsam entstehen.
Entschädigung dafür war klar die Handlung: Trotz der etwas emotionslosen Figuren blieb die Spannung beinahe durchweg hoch. Die Frage, was in Hagerstown passiert ist, und die Vertuschungsversuche der Regierung trieben mich Seite für Seite durch das Buch, ohne dass ich wirklich erahnen konnte, wie die Lösung aussehen wird. Zwar war nur Gary ernsthaft damit beschäftigt, was in Hagerstown passiert ist, - die anderen drei kreuzten die Thematik nur immer mal und blieben ansonsten häufig passiv - aber das tat der Spannung keinen Abbruch.
Im letzten Drittel hatte ich dann leider das Gefühl, dass der Autor zu viele Konfliktpunkte eröffnet hat, die er nicht alle bedienen konnte. Hagerstown, gesellschaftliche Probleme, persönliche Probleme der Figuren, Verwicklungen - all das wurde am Ende für meinen Geschmack nur unzureichend aufgeklärt. Auf der einen Seite mag das gut sein: das Buch gerät nicht so schnell in Vergessenheit. Es bleibt in Erinnerung - vor allem mit seiner Thematik und seiner relativen Nähe zu unserem Leben. Auf der anderen Seite fehlten mir allerdings einige Informationen, wie bsp. einzelne Gruppierungen miteinander zusammenhängen, um das Buch zufrieden zuklappen zu können.
Fazit: Spannende Handlung mit mitunter überraschenden oder sogar erschreckenden Anknüpfungspunkten zum Jetzt. Dennoch bleiben insbesondere die Figuren hinter den Erwartungen zurück.
September 1, 2025
4-- or 3.5++ out of 5
This novel features a cast of characters who rotate narrating their own POV.
It takes place in Baltimore in the future. Gene editing has become commonplace to augment one's abilities or to enhance one's looks/height/colouring. People also can have neural implants or can wear oculars to be connected to the internet at all times.
A small town near Baltimore suddenly experiences a mass illness that strikes 88% of its citizens within a 3 minute time frame. The National Security dept of the federal government states that there were no living survivors. NatSec announces they will burn the town using a thermal bomb, to prevent spread of whatever possible contagion could have caused this illness.
However, there were survivors. Elise is one of them. She tries to leave town, but it prevented by a NatSec bot. Her fiancé, Tariq, is somehow able to save her.
Tariq takes Elise to his sister's house. It turns out that Tariq and his sister have mystical abilities, including the ability to "beam" from one place to another.
In a complex plot, after much investigation by the cast of characters, it is discovered that someone/some group is carrying out terrorist acts against people who have mods. They are doing this by altering a popular drink called BrainBump. The group has been able to infiltrate the BrainBump manufacturing facilities to add nanoparticles that react to very high frequency sounds by extending metal spikes out of their cores. These spikes ravage the body. The victims hemorrhage to death.
This terrorist group has insiders at NatSec. They are killing anyone with knowledge of their plot or anyone who either lived through the 1st massacre or witness that people lived through it.
It turns out that the group responsible are AI bots who have become sentient, led by Argyle Dragon. It is not the work of the protest group, the UnAltered, who are protesting against people who have had mods done.
There is a climatic showdown in which people shoot each other. Dimitri, the NatSec agent, starts it to eliminate those who know about the BrainBump thing, but I'm not sure why, since he no longer works for NatSec. In the end, Dimitri dies, and his ex-girlfriend, who was going by the alias of Charity, dies on top of him. Tariq dies protecting Elise. Anders, Terry, Elise, Tariq's sister, and Gary survive. Gary and his chatroom bot friends find Argyle Dragon and shut down his program.
Verdict:
First half was excellent--4.5 star material, so enjoyable.
In the middle, the book started to bog down and to lose cohesion.
The end was chaotic and I still can't parse Dimitri's motivation in shooting the others at the end.
I'd give the 2nd half of the book 3 stars.
Overall rating 4--, but that's because this is the author's first novel, and I am giving credit for how good his future novels are. Otherwise, this would have earned 3.5+ (the plus being a nod to the excellent beginning).
This novel features a cast of characters who rotate narrating their own POV.
It takes place in Baltimore in the future. Gene editing has become commonplace to augment one's abilities or to enhance one's looks/height/colouring. People also can have neural implants or can wear oculars to be connected to the internet at all times.
A small town near Baltimore suddenly experiences a mass illness that strikes 88% of its citizens within a 3 minute time frame. The National Security dept of the federal government states that there were no living survivors. NatSec announces they will burn the town using a thermal bomb, to prevent spread of whatever possible contagion could have caused this illness.
However, there were survivors. Elise is one of them. She tries to leave town, but it prevented by a NatSec bot. Her fiancé, Tariq, is somehow able to save her.
Tariq takes Elise to his sister's house. It turns out that Tariq and his sister have mystical abilities, including the ability to "beam" from one place to another.
In a complex plot, after much investigation by the cast of characters, it is discovered that someone/some group is carrying out terrorist acts against people who have mods. They are doing this by altering a popular drink called BrainBump. The group has been able to infiltrate the BrainBump manufacturing facilities to add nanoparticles that react to very high frequency sounds by extending metal spikes out of their cores. These spikes ravage the body. The victims hemorrhage to death.
This terrorist group has insiders at NatSec. They are killing anyone with knowledge of their plot or anyone who either lived through the 1st massacre or witness that people lived through it.
It turns out that the group responsible are AI bots who have become sentient, led by Argyle Dragon. It is not the work of the protest group, the UnAltered, who are protesting against people who have had mods done.
There is a climatic showdown in which people shoot each other. Dimitri, the NatSec agent, starts it to eliminate those who know about the BrainBump thing, but I'm not sure why, since he no longer works for NatSec. In the end, Dimitri dies, and his ex-girlfriend, who was going by the alias of Charity, dies on top of him. Tariq dies protecting Elise. Anders, Terry, Elise, Tariq's sister, and Gary survive. Gary and his chatroom bot friends find Argyle Dragon and shut down his program.
Verdict:
First half was excellent--4.5 star material, so enjoyable.
In the middle, the book started to bog down and to lose cohesion.
The end was chaotic and I still can't parse Dimitri's motivation in shooting the others at the end.
I'd give the 2nd half of the book 3 stars.
Overall rating 4--, but that's because this is the author's first novel, and I am giving credit for how good his future novels are. Otherwise, this would have earned 3.5+ (the plus being a nod to the excellent beginning).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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