Cyberia

by Tim Rowe, Sue Howis (Cover Design), Andrada P (Photographer)

Malachi Smith regains consciousness on the floor of a hospital ward, beside the body of a murdered girl. With a head wound impeding his memory, he tries to evade the authorities, but soon finds himself also hunted by drones and local militia. Set in 2097 - following the effects of population expansion, climate change and accelerated resource consumption - Cyberia depicts a world controlled by a single government dictatorship, where humanity exists in a lattice of tunnels beneath the Earth's crust, and every activity is controlled, monitored and analysed to identify deviant behaviour. The few individuals who escape join communities in the ruined remains of what used to be cities, but without law enforcement, these societies degenerate and are run by criminal organisations dealing in arms, narcotics and prostitution. While government forces struggle to regain control of the surface, a pandemic (an amalgamation between influenza and the Ebola virus) is rapidly spreading. As Malachi uncovers more of the puzzle pieces surrounding his situation, the picture they portray is disturbing and strange.... www.tim-rowe.co.uk

324 pages, Paperback

First published September 5, 2014