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Glitch #3
Spirits of a Glitch
They never should have created the Manticore... The first Legion Spore was compliant. Friendly, even. A sentient airship willing to accept its lot in life. The second airship, the Manticore, is determined to destroy everyone who had a hand in its horrifying creation, starting with its pilot—Tim. Simple revenge isn't enough. The airship traps Tim within its hull, toying with him like a cat with a mouse. And whenever Tim's not on board the vengeful monstrosity, if he doesn't comply with the Manticore's order of silence about what's really going on, the airship threatens to kill his loving girlfriend. She wouldn't be the ship's first victim. Determined to undermine the ship’s dangerous, telepathic games and protect the young woman he loves, Tim must find a way to destroy the Manticore. But if he fails, the cursed airship will not only murder his girlfriend, it will tear apart the world in its insatiable thirst for vengeance. Don’t miss this page-turning conclusion to the Glitch saga… Read Spirits of a Glitch today! Authors’ To jump right into the action, start with Whispers in the Code. For a transition into this strange and gripping world, uncover its deadly secrets by starting with the primary series, Distant Horizon, or the series prequel, Deceived.
135 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 31, 2018
4 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Flint
41 books56 followersHello, and thanks for visiting my Goodreads page. :-)
Though all my new works should show up on this page, please visit my Stephanie Bibb account if you want to see what I've read or follow my reviews.
Also, I have a Wordpress blog where I talk about writing and book cover design here.
Feel free to ask me questions through Ask the Author, and I'll get to them as I can. :-)
Thanks!
Stephanie Flint
~
Stephanie Flint (formerly Stephanie Bibb) graduated from the University of Central Missouri with a Bachelor of Science in photography and a minor in creative writing. She merged the two interests into book cover design and photographic illustration, but she particularly enjoys writing speculative fiction and plotting her stories in the form of table-top RPGs with her creative partner, Isaac. They cofounded Infinitas Publishing in June 2015.
Though all my new works should show up on this page, please visit my Stephanie Bibb account if you want to see what I've read or follow my reviews.
Also, I have a Wordpress blog where I talk about writing and book cover design here.
Feel free to ask me questions through Ask the Author, and I'll get to them as I can. :-)
Thanks!
Stephanie Flint
~
Stephanie Flint (formerly Stephanie Bibb) graduated from the University of Central Missouri with a Bachelor of Science in photography and a minor in creative writing. She merged the two interests into book cover design and photographic illustration, but she particularly enjoys writing speculative fiction and plotting her stories in the form of table-top RPGs with her creative partner, Isaac. They cofounded Infinitas Publishing in June 2015.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 29, 2018
I have loved this entire series so far but this book steps it up a level. Manticore is......well certainly not like the Legion Spore. This book keeps your attention held til the very last word.
August 17, 2018
The Flints mix telepathy with a tale of an innocent caught up in politics to provide a powerful depiction of post-human paranoia.
This is the third volume in the Glitch trilogy. Spoilers off the port bow!
Following his success at removing glitches from the Legion Spore, Tim Zatsev is tasked with doing the same for the Manticore, the second of the Council’s living fleet. At first, it seems his insight provides a head start on solving problems. However, with the mass of shapeshifters fused into the Manticore significantly greater than that of her sister ship, the struggle for control is an order of magnitude harder. Hard enough that Tim fears losing.
As with the previous volumes, the core of this story is a nineteen-year-old techno-psychic fighting to bring to heel a mass of people who have been fused into a giant airship. And, as before, the reader is not presented with any evidence that the Council are undertaking widespread bioengineering of humans into slaves for other than political reasons. Therefore, while some readers might recall a sufficient justification for the brutalisation from a previous book, others might find it hard to care that the Manticore wishes to break free of its masters or even destroy them.
This unfortunately, undercuts the tension of Tim’s struggle: while readers may well not wish Tim personally to suffer, his angst over how to save a group who are happy to brainwash and mutate humans for their own purposes can be hard to empathise with.
This potential difficulty aside, the Flints skilfully increase the paranoia that was evident in previous volumes. With the Manticore containing both telepaths and suggestives among its fused structure, it is technically capable of knowing what Tim plans, subverting communications, and planting false memories. Thus, Tim cannot be sure that evidence he gathers of problems will be believed or even transmitted.
In parallel with the psychic issues, there are potential issues with the code that controls the mechanical sections of the ship. Tim’s ability to control technology theoretically grants him an edge in resolving this, but interfacing mentally risks opening himself more to the control of the powerful gestalt mind that the Manticore has become.
Although the authors term this the conclusion of the trilogy, and it does end with a resolution, it doesn’t conclude all the arcs so might not utterly stand alone from other series in the same universe.
Tim is a sound protagonist for this plot. While his youth and inexperience result in the emotionalism common to Young Adult protagonists, his naïvety also creates a greater sense that—whether or not the Council as a whole are justified—he is worthy of sympathy.
With the majority of the book focused on Tim’s struggle against the Manticore, the supporting cast have very little direct page time and for much of that there is the possibility of psychic influence. However, such presence as they do have feels consistent with the previous volumes and the tone of this one.
Overall, I found this novella enjoyable. I recommend it to readers seeking bleak young adult science-fiction.
I received a free copy from the authors with a request for a fair review.
This is the third volume in the Glitch trilogy. Spoilers off the port bow!
Following his success at removing glitches from the Legion Spore, Tim Zatsev is tasked with doing the same for the Manticore, the second of the Council’s living fleet. At first, it seems his insight provides a head start on solving problems. However, with the mass of shapeshifters fused into the Manticore significantly greater than that of her sister ship, the struggle for control is an order of magnitude harder. Hard enough that Tim fears losing.
As with the previous volumes, the core of this story is a nineteen-year-old techno-psychic fighting to bring to heel a mass of people who have been fused into a giant airship. And, as before, the reader is not presented with any evidence that the Council are undertaking widespread bioengineering of humans into slaves for other than political reasons. Therefore, while some readers might recall a sufficient justification for the brutalisation from a previous book, others might find it hard to care that the Manticore wishes to break free of its masters or even destroy them.
This unfortunately, undercuts the tension of Tim’s struggle: while readers may well not wish Tim personally to suffer, his angst over how to save a group who are happy to brainwash and mutate humans for their own purposes can be hard to empathise with.
This potential difficulty aside, the Flints skilfully increase the paranoia that was evident in previous volumes. With the Manticore containing both telepaths and suggestives among its fused structure, it is technically capable of knowing what Tim plans, subverting communications, and planting false memories. Thus, Tim cannot be sure that evidence he gathers of problems will be believed or even transmitted.
In parallel with the psychic issues, there are potential issues with the code that controls the mechanical sections of the ship. Tim’s ability to control technology theoretically grants him an edge in resolving this, but interfacing mentally risks opening himself more to the control of the powerful gestalt mind that the Manticore has become.
Although the authors term this the conclusion of the trilogy, and it does end with a resolution, it doesn’t conclude all the arcs so might not utterly stand alone from other series in the same universe.
Tim is a sound protagonist for this plot. While his youth and inexperience result in the emotionalism common to Young Adult protagonists, his naïvety also creates a greater sense that—whether or not the Council as a whole are justified—he is worthy of sympathy.
With the majority of the book focused on Tim’s struggle against the Manticore, the supporting cast have very little direct page time and for much of that there is the possibility of psychic influence. However, such presence as they do have feels consistent with the previous volumes and the tone of this one.
Overall, I found this novella enjoyable. I recommend it to readers seeking bleak young adult science-fiction.
I received a free copy from the authors with a request for a fair review.
November 17, 2019
Fun but too many unanswered questions left behind.
January 5, 2021
A world where magic and technology co-exist.
Once again the reader transitions back into a world of teleportation, telepathy, mental manipulation of technology, mental persuasion, life spirits, beasties, a nice touch of steam punk, rebel army always looking for any kind of advantage, and where the “good guys” refer to themselves as the “Camaradrie of Evil”.
Warships are organic, in the sense that they are composed of living entities, most of which were not given a vote as to whether or not they were going to be co-opted into the structure. The newest ship in the fleet, the CLS Manticore, has evolved an AI with very intimidating capabilities. Tim Zaytsev, nineteen years old and with powerful tech sight, is the only one who knows the truth and the danger it represents. Because the ship’s AI has telepathic capabilities, Tim’s thoughts are an open book to the entity that is now operating the most powerful warship in Earth.
Most of the book involves Tim’s efforts being thwarted, his counter-attacks, and his main vulnerability due to the fact that the ship wants him dead, and will kill his lover and their unborn child if he continues to live.
This is YA. As a 68-year-old reader, I enjoyed this, and the two preceding novels.
Once again the reader transitions back into a world of teleportation, telepathy, mental manipulation of technology, mental persuasion, life spirits, beasties, a nice touch of steam punk, rebel army always looking for any kind of advantage, and where the “good guys” refer to themselves as the “Camaradrie of Evil”.
Warships are organic, in the sense that they are composed of living entities, most of which were not given a vote as to whether or not they were going to be co-opted into the structure. The newest ship in the fleet, the CLS Manticore, has evolved an AI with very intimidating capabilities. Tim Zaytsev, nineteen years old and with powerful tech sight, is the only one who knows the truth and the danger it represents. Because the ship’s AI has telepathic capabilities, Tim’s thoughts are an open book to the entity that is now operating the most powerful warship in Earth.
Most of the book involves Tim’s efforts being thwarted, his counter-attacks, and his main vulnerability due to the fact that the ship wants him dead, and will kill his lover and their unborn child if he continues to live.
This is YA. As a 68-year-old reader, I enjoyed this, and the two preceding novels.
July 24, 2020
This story ~ a continuation of Books #1 & #2 ~ it's one of those stories that you think you know what's coming, but then it veers off into a totally different direction! I'm glad I have it as I recommend Ms Flint ~ the trilogy is complete, but will there be more in the universe?
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews