Sinthetica

by Scott Medbury

"The bastard child of an unholy marriage between Westworld and The Godfather... bloody brilliant!" - Christopher Cartwright, The Sam Reilly Series Dimitri Molenski is a psychopath. A stone cold killer. He also happens to be the most powerful man in Chicago. Ivan, his bodyguard, owes him everything. Molenski plucked him from the mean streets of Moscow and brought him to America twenty years before. Fed him. Clothed him. Paid him well. Gave him opportunities that he'd never have had back in Russia. But Ivan has reached a crisis point. His soul burns with the terrible things he's seen Molenski do... the terrible things Ivan himself has done in his name. It's time to get out and make a new start before he loses himself completely. Unfortunately, the only way out of the Russian's grasp is usually via the morgue. He decides to bide his time. Everything changes when the 'delivery' arrives. Ivan has never seen his emotionless, controlled boss so excited. He doesn't know it then, but as he helps Molenski open the mysterious delivery, he's opening a Pandora's box that will unleash murder, mayhem and a pretty robot...

206 pages, Paperback

First published August 25, 2016

Reviews

[Dre Mosley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story has a twist at the end(that I won't spoil) that has "The Twilight Zone" written all over it.

The book is set in the near future(late 2020's) and it starts with a sadistic Russian mob boss. Early on, there's a torture scene that lets you know just what kind of monster the guy is.

Anyway, he receives this delivery that he's been waiting eagerly for and the writer intentionally keeps it vague(but not for long). You find out that the delivery is an android. One so life-like that it's pretty much impossible to tell that it's not real. She's beautiful and pretty much flawless. You find out that she is a carbon copy of a girl from his past and that he wants this android for one thing: to inflict pain and misery on it(he even ordered her with special programming so that she can feel pain); he was denied doing so to the real girl years ago.

The mob boss's main bodyguard takes a strange liking to her even though he knows that "she" is just a machine he keeps feeling this overwhelming need to protect her.

Through some violent circumstances, the body guard and the android are on the run and they have the final showdown with the mob boss and that is when the twist occurs. I should have seen it coming and after it was revealed, I was like, "This is something right out of "The Twilight Zone."

If you like, mobsters, sci-fi, and violence all in one package, this is your book.

Oh, and it reads really fast. I was kind of shocked by how quickly I finished it. I knew it was sort of a short book, but it's very fast paced and you'll be done before you even realize it.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book comes off as a guy putting a really in-depth plot around his fetish erotica and then keeping the dirty scenes to himself. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but the story needed more research into the tech in my opinion. The future technology malfunctioning leads me to a lot of troubleshooting questions that can't be answered because I don't think the author understands it fully. No way can the Asimovian Laws be overridden that easily. Why would you program your sexbot to know how to fire a gun, fight, and kill? The action is good, the story is pretty basic, and the universe is underdeveloped. It's a quick read so you aren't wasting your life if you decide to check it out, but it'll be pretty easily forgotten. (One of my book club members finished a week ago and couldn't even discuss it because she's forgotten most of it already)

[AJ Wilcox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Isaac Asimov's robot this is not.

An evil Russian, a beautiful female android, and a resolved hero. A look into the corruption an excess of money and a lack of compassion can be. One of the best treatments of the sex android genre I've read. (There are many in this sub genre of Science Fiction, "Machines of Easy Virtue" by Jack Price comes to mind.)

[Ian Yarington · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a good time with this book. Its not the "Asimovish" carbon copy and maybe that's a turn off for some folks but I can enjoy a book for what it is versus comparing it to the more famous examples. Don't get me wrong, if it was more like Asimov that would be fine too but the fact that Medbury is attempting to take his own road and write something on his own terms really comes through in the plot and world building. I enjoyed it and it was a fairly quick read so I would recommend it.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only thing I can find fault with this marvelous book is, it's just to damn short. If you want a fantastic read, look no further than this imaginative, at times gory, but delightfully so, futuristic read by Scott Medbury. Imagine AI perfected, and toss in some unsavory characters, and you have a hit. I hope he writes a continuation on this theme. Trust me, just get it and read it.

[Luisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I wasn't sure I was going to like this book, it was a pleasant surprise. I found the story quick moving with a good flow. The twist at the end was great. I would recommend this book to others, a great read.

[Marbea Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHAT A THRILLING RIDE! I CAN'T BELIEVE THE ENDING, IT WAS SPECTACULAR!

[Adrian Marc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant. Stole my breath from start to finish. A great genetic cyberpunk thriller with a twist.

[GiGi · Rating 4 out of 5]

See? Robots taking over wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing... Human can be just as, if not even more monstrous than the robotics apocalypse we envision.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sinthetica is a really good book with a different twist. I thought that it was well worth the read. The one thing that did make me crazy were all the grammatical errors. They really need a better editor.

[Brentic Westray · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book on goodreads. I am not a huge sci-fight fan but this book was a good fast read. It kept me guessing til the very end. Not your typical scifi, has some thriller and crime fiction flare to it. I would recommend it if you like fast paced and gritty novels. 3 stars out of 5

[David Lyons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good read

Great story well written.
Great characters with a good plot. Lots of action and very fast moving. I look forward to reading more of Scott's work.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book.

I really liked this book. If you're currently watching or interested in "Westworld", this is the book for you. Very cool story and a quick read.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got this as a Goodreads Giveaway. Read it in one sitting and wondered where the time had gone. Loved the end. Will read more Scott Medbury.