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Jacked
Taro “Tar” Hutchins has a problem.
He is a fixer, one of a handful of people who can repair technology just by touching it. That is a dangerous thing to be in the years following the crash of the Worldwide Mind, a super Internet, that left millions dead or nothing more than shells of humanity after plugging their brains wirelessly into the network. In the aftermath what passes for the government hunts down working technology and destroys the machines with religious zeal, killing the repairers who brought them back to life.
And Tar has caught their attention.
Now he is running for his life with his best friend, Toby, as they try to find the other fixers, avoid the men who shut down the Mind, and save the people who were mentally lost. But before Tar can do all that, he needs to grow up and realize his ability is more than just a neat trick placed into his hands.
It's been a busy few days.
He is a fixer, one of a handful of people who can repair technology just by touching it. That is a dangerous thing to be in the years following the crash of the Worldwide Mind, a super Internet, that left millions dead or nothing more than shells of humanity after plugging their brains wirelessly into the network. In the aftermath what passes for the government hunts down working technology and destroys the machines with religious zeal, killing the repairers who brought them back to life.
And Tar has caught their attention.
Now he is running for his life with his best friend, Toby, as they try to find the other fixers, avoid the men who shut down the Mind, and save the people who were mentally lost. But before Tar can do all that, he needs to grow up and realize his ability is more than just a neat trick placed into his hands.
It's been a busy few days.
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Published April 8, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 2, 2016
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Jacked is an instantly engaging story, which takes place a decade or so after The Crash; set in a post-apocalyptic society struggling to rebuild itself in the ruins of California.
Before The Crash people had become more connected than ever. "More and more of the machines were talking to the air and finally some people decided they wanted to talk to the air, too. And not through any machines. So they hooked themselves straight into it. Jacked is what they called it."
Not everybody accepted this way of life. After The Crash, a leader who opposed technology came to power. With the support of a group of loyal supporters, known as the Black Shirts it became, follow their ways...or suffer the consequences.
Tar, lives with a man he calls his uncle, and he is a fixer. He has the uncanny ability to bring many tech items, called apps, back to functionality. Tar sets out on a quest to find others of his kind while the Black Shirts, under the leadership of Father Eli, do their worst to try and stop him and his friends.
YA novels are not everyone's cup of tea, but Jacked is a solid story with a number of very "Chilly" twists. The author has come up with several new slang terms for this futuristic tale. Words like "Chilly," the equivalent of cool, and others. By the way, I'm adding "Chilly" to my personal lexicon immediately.
According to the author, "The inspiration came from the advancement of several technologies in the last few years. Near field communication plays a part in the book and, with four teenagers at home, I have seen the almost religious "constant connectivity" dynamic play out on a daily basis. Also, wearable technology is making big leaps forward and I believe it will not be long before embedded technology becomes much more common. Jacked takes all of those real world advancements and mixes them up in a 'what if' bowl."
A quick kudos to artist Shawn King for his outstanding work on the eye-catching cover for Jacked.
Jacked will be available soon from Ragnarok publications in both paperback and e-book formats.
Recommended.
Kirk Dougal has had fiction works appear in a number of anthologies and saw his debut novel, Dreams of Ivory and Gold, published in May of 2014. His YA dystopian novel, Jacked, leads the launch of Ragnarok Publications' Per Aspera SF imprint. He's also completed a SF/Lit RPG novel, Reset, and is working on a sequel to Dreams of Ivory and Gold. Kirk makes his home in Ohio with his wife and four children.
Jacked is an instantly engaging story, which takes place a decade or so after The Crash; set in a post-apocalyptic society struggling to rebuild itself in the ruins of California.
Before The Crash people had become more connected than ever. "More and more of the machines were talking to the air and finally some people decided they wanted to talk to the air, too. And not through any machines. So they hooked themselves straight into it. Jacked is what they called it."
Not everybody accepted this way of life. After The Crash, a leader who opposed technology came to power. With the support of a group of loyal supporters, known as the Black Shirts it became, follow their ways...or suffer the consequences.
Tar, lives with a man he calls his uncle, and he is a fixer. He has the uncanny ability to bring many tech items, called apps, back to functionality. Tar sets out on a quest to find others of his kind while the Black Shirts, under the leadership of Father Eli, do their worst to try and stop him and his friends.
YA novels are not everyone's cup of tea, but Jacked is a solid story with a number of very "Chilly" twists. The author has come up with several new slang terms for this futuristic tale. Words like "Chilly," the equivalent of cool, and others. By the way, I'm adding "Chilly" to my personal lexicon immediately.
According to the author, "The inspiration came from the advancement of several technologies in the last few years. Near field communication plays a part in the book and, with four teenagers at home, I have seen the almost religious "constant connectivity" dynamic play out on a daily basis. Also, wearable technology is making big leaps forward and I believe it will not be long before embedded technology becomes much more common. Jacked takes all of those real world advancements and mixes them up in a 'what if' bowl."
A quick kudos to artist Shawn King for his outstanding work on the eye-catching cover for Jacked.
Jacked will be available soon from Ragnarok publications in both paperback and e-book formats.
Recommended.
Kirk Dougal has had fiction works appear in a number of anthologies and saw his debut novel, Dreams of Ivory and Gold, published in May of 2014. His YA dystopian novel, Jacked, leads the launch of Ragnarok Publications' Per Aspera SF imprint. He's also completed a SF/Lit RPG novel, Reset, and is working on a sequel to Dreams of Ivory and Gold. Kirk makes his home in Ohio with his wife and four children.
May 24, 2016
Note: I received an eARC of this novel from Ragnarok Publications in return for a fair and honest review
Young Adult (YA) isn’t an area that I’ve ever really had any interest in exploring. Partially this is because I’m nowhere near the reader age that the genre is targeted at, but also because I think that to a certain extent I’ve unconsciously brought into the negative stereotypes that are propagated about the genre: that YA fiction is characterised by poor writing, shallow characterisation and is generally dumbed-down for its intended audience. As such, it was with a feeling of slight trepidation that I started reading Jacked, worried that I would soon be wading through turgid prose and two-dimensional characters.
To my relief, I found that absolutely none of the above complaints apply to Jacked. Instead, I found myself quickly engaging with the story that the author was telling, as well as the characters. In the near-future, science and technology progressed to a point where the majority of humanity could become directly connected to the world-wide web via neural ports, becoming the World-Wide Mind. Humanity is united by the Mind, but its greatest strength becomes the ultimate weakness when a virus is introduced into the Mind, resulting in ‘The Crash’. Anyone connected to the Mind when the virus hits is either killed outright or goes ‘Zom’, becoming little more than lifeless husks aimlessly wandering around. It’s a fairly standard post-apocalyptic setting, then, but one with an intriguing hook in the form of the Mind and The Crash.
Jacked itself begins approximately 10-15 years after the effects of The Crash; it’s set in a post-apocalyptic society struggling to rebuild itself in the ruins of California. The survivors have regressed to a late 19th-Century, agrarian-based economy, with most technology either destroyed or wrecked. The main character, Tar, is a young ‘Fixer’, able to operate and repair ruined or powered-down tech just by touching it. At first Tar is able to keep this a secret, using his poorly-understood power to fix tech units and barter for food and favours, but before long his unique ability attracts the attention of the ‘Black Shirts’, a quasi-religious and anti-technology group that shun the use of any technology that could be linked with The Mind, and who kill anyone who attempts to use it. Going on the run with his best friend, Tar has to seek safety while simultaneously trying to find the true origins of his powers, and whether anyone else like him exists.
I found that Jacked is a good introduction to the post-apocalyptic genre for a YA reader – it’s grounded enough in reality not to alienate a casual or new reader, but features enough advanced tech and core concepts, such as the rise of radical, fascist-style groups, resource scarcity and the difficulties encountered surviving in the aftermath of a disaster, to spark some real interest. The concept may have been done many times before, becoming a stereotype – gifted child protagonist fleeing tyrannical authorities in an attempt to reach uncertain safety – but in Dougal’s hands, the story is executed with flair, drawing the reader into the story and making them engage with Tar and his story. Tar’s ‘Fixer’ ability is particularly well-written, reminiscent of Tron in the way he flies through corridors of glowing lines. And as per all of the stories published by Ragnarok Publishing, Jacked features a brilliant cover by the artist Shawn King, who has produced some of my favourite cover jackets I’ve seen on books. As such, I can highly recommend this novel to all readers, both younger and older, as an excellent read
Young Adult (YA) isn’t an area that I’ve ever really had any interest in exploring. Partially this is because I’m nowhere near the reader age that the genre is targeted at, but also because I think that to a certain extent I’ve unconsciously brought into the negative stereotypes that are propagated about the genre: that YA fiction is characterised by poor writing, shallow characterisation and is generally dumbed-down for its intended audience. As such, it was with a feeling of slight trepidation that I started reading Jacked, worried that I would soon be wading through turgid prose and two-dimensional characters.
To my relief, I found that absolutely none of the above complaints apply to Jacked. Instead, I found myself quickly engaging with the story that the author was telling, as well as the characters. In the near-future, science and technology progressed to a point where the majority of humanity could become directly connected to the world-wide web via neural ports, becoming the World-Wide Mind. Humanity is united by the Mind, but its greatest strength becomes the ultimate weakness when a virus is introduced into the Mind, resulting in ‘The Crash’. Anyone connected to the Mind when the virus hits is either killed outright or goes ‘Zom’, becoming little more than lifeless husks aimlessly wandering around. It’s a fairly standard post-apocalyptic setting, then, but one with an intriguing hook in the form of the Mind and The Crash.
Jacked itself begins approximately 10-15 years after the effects of The Crash; it’s set in a post-apocalyptic society struggling to rebuild itself in the ruins of California. The survivors have regressed to a late 19th-Century, agrarian-based economy, with most technology either destroyed or wrecked. The main character, Tar, is a young ‘Fixer’, able to operate and repair ruined or powered-down tech just by touching it. At first Tar is able to keep this a secret, using his poorly-understood power to fix tech units and barter for food and favours, but before long his unique ability attracts the attention of the ‘Black Shirts’, a quasi-religious and anti-technology group that shun the use of any technology that could be linked with The Mind, and who kill anyone who attempts to use it. Going on the run with his best friend, Tar has to seek safety while simultaneously trying to find the true origins of his powers, and whether anyone else like him exists.
I found that Jacked is a good introduction to the post-apocalyptic genre for a YA reader – it’s grounded enough in reality not to alienate a casual or new reader, but features enough advanced tech and core concepts, such as the rise of radical, fascist-style groups, resource scarcity and the difficulties encountered surviving in the aftermath of a disaster, to spark some real interest. The concept may have been done many times before, becoming a stereotype – gifted child protagonist fleeing tyrannical authorities in an attempt to reach uncertain safety – but in Dougal’s hands, the story is executed with flair, drawing the reader into the story and making them engage with Tar and his story. Tar’s ‘Fixer’ ability is particularly well-written, reminiscent of Tron in the way he flies through corridors of glowing lines. And as per all of the stories published by Ragnarok Publishing, Jacked features a brilliant cover by the artist Shawn King, who has produced some of my favourite cover jackets I’ve seen on books. As such, I can highly recommend this novel to all readers, both younger and older, as an excellent read
June 6, 2016
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Publisher: Ragnarok
Publishing Date: May 2016
ISBN:9781941987896
Genre: SciFi
Rating: 3.3/5
Publishers Description: He can repair technology just by touching it. That’s a dangerous thing to be in a world after The Crash, an event that left millions dead or little more than empty, mindless shells. In the aftermath, a new regime hunts down technology and destroys machines with ruthless zeal, even executing fixers like Tar.
And Tar has caught their attention.
Review: Surprisingly good post-apoc/YA novel with plenty of movement that carries the characters through a well thought out story line. Tar is speshul in that he can fix dead tech and eventually runs into trouble with the Black Shirts that want nothing more than to purge every scrap of tech and the people that harbor it.
While the overall world building was good, there was a heavy reliance on Deus Ex to expedite tense situations. Every escape just happens to have a concealed door or a tech lock that only Tar can operate with his touch sense. The gang that eventually helps them has a moral code and high ethics which works out well for Tar and his friend as, again, it vaults their eventual escape. This might have garnered an easy 4 stars yet was held back by a multitude of miraculous escapes, especially in near death situations. Still, a good short read.
Publisher: Ragnarok
Publishing Date: May 2016
ISBN:9781941987896
Genre: SciFi
Rating: 3.3/5
Publishers Description: He can repair technology just by touching it. That’s a dangerous thing to be in a world after The Crash, an event that left millions dead or little more than empty, mindless shells. In the aftermath, a new regime hunts down technology and destroys machines with ruthless zeal, even executing fixers like Tar.
And Tar has caught their attention.
Review: Surprisingly good post-apoc/YA novel with plenty of movement that carries the characters through a well thought out story line. Tar is speshul in that he can fix dead tech and eventually runs into trouble with the Black Shirts that want nothing more than to purge every scrap of tech and the people that harbor it.
While the overall world building was good, there was a heavy reliance on Deus Ex to expedite tense situations. Every escape just happens to have a concealed door or a tech lock that only Tar can operate with his touch sense. The gang that eventually helps them has a moral code and high ethics which works out well for Tar and his friend as, again, it vaults their eventual escape. This might have garnered an easy 4 stars yet was held back by a multitude of miraculous escapes, especially in near death situations. Still, a good short read.
June 7, 2016
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my review.
This is the story of a young boy whose been hidden away from his Uncle because of his seemingly otherworldly power with high technology objects. 15 years before The Crash happened and ended up killing or immobilizing most of the world's population. Now, a group called The Faithful lead the anti-tech revolution and promise to stomp out anyone who wants to revert to the technology ridden days of the past. Tar is one of the people that this faction most abhors: somehow he can bring tech back to life, sometimes with just a touch of his hand.
A fast-paced and fascinating read, it kept quite a lot to your average dystopian tale. What set it apart from the rest to me was this whole concept of killing technology. I wanted to know more at every corner, and almost always desired the background of the how.
This story was lacking a bit in background and fleshing out other characters, but the constant plot fluctuations kept this from distracting too much. There as just enough original aspects to keep the juices flowing. I hope a second book is in the works, if the ending is any inclination.
This is the story of a young boy whose been hidden away from his Uncle because of his seemingly otherworldly power with high technology objects. 15 years before The Crash happened and ended up killing or immobilizing most of the world's population. Now, a group called The Faithful lead the anti-tech revolution and promise to stomp out anyone who wants to revert to the technology ridden days of the past. Tar is one of the people that this faction most abhors: somehow he can bring tech back to life, sometimes with just a touch of his hand.
A fast-paced and fascinating read, it kept quite a lot to your average dystopian tale. What set it apart from the rest to me was this whole concept of killing technology. I wanted to know more at every corner, and almost always desired the background of the how.
This story was lacking a bit in background and fleshing out other characters, but the constant plot fluctuations kept this from distracting too much. There as just enough original aspects to keep the juices flowing. I hope a second book is in the works, if the ending is any inclination.
June 15, 2016
Jacked by Kirk Dougal is a YA sci-fi thriller with a very interesting concept. The idea is that almost all electronics (or tech) has shut down after the Crash. At the same time, the majority of the population either died or went brain dead. A bunch of religious zealots (Black Shirts) are now in charge and they have pretty much criminalised the use or fixing of any technology. Then along come the Fixers. Individuals who can bring electronics back to life with nothing but a touch. Tar is one of these Fixers and the story is about his struggle against the Black Shirts.
The concept is what is really interesting here. Not the dystopian future or the lack of tech, but the idea that these religious fanatics have taken over and are running something a lot like a dictatorship. The Fixers themselves are the other real interest and (without any spoilers) I liked the way Dougal explains their mysterious powers.
It was clear a lot of work has gone into the world building and the characters use of internet-age related slang was a good way to show it. The characters say 404 instead of lost and fragged instead of the more popular f-word. It was quite fun even if I couldn't quite figure out what book meant as it seemed to have multiple different meanings.
The characters were interesting and none more so than the baddies. In fact I'd have liked a bit more of an exploration into their lives. Our main character of Tar felt a little like every other YA hero. He was strong willed but not very strong, had a mysterious ability that puts him front and center, and he just wants to help everyone. He was a bit bland to be honest, but not enough to be a distraction.
The biggest problem the book faced was its pacing. It feels like nothing is happening for a lot of it as the characters are chased, captured, escape, chased, captured, escape. And the main character doesn't make a decision until the final 20%. Until then the story happens to him rather than him happening to the story. There were a few times I was growling at Tar to take control of his life even for just a moment.
The world feels a little small because everything that is happening is happening in such a small area of it. This Crash was a worldwide event but all the major players appear to be in one city. It seems a little odd. I like to find out what was going on in other areas of the world and how the Crash was affecting them.
In the end, Jacked was a fun take on the YA dystopian thriller. Fans of Hunger Games and Divergent will probably love it, but it wasn't really my cup of tea.
The concept is what is really interesting here. Not the dystopian future or the lack of tech, but the idea that these religious fanatics have taken over and are running something a lot like a dictatorship. The Fixers themselves are the other real interest and (without any spoilers) I liked the way Dougal explains their mysterious powers.
It was clear a lot of work has gone into the world building and the characters use of internet-age related slang was a good way to show it. The characters say 404 instead of lost and fragged instead of the more popular f-word. It was quite fun even if I couldn't quite figure out what book meant as it seemed to have multiple different meanings.
The characters were interesting and none more so than the baddies. In fact I'd have liked a bit more of an exploration into their lives. Our main character of Tar felt a little like every other YA hero. He was strong willed but not very strong, had a mysterious ability that puts him front and center, and he just wants to help everyone. He was a bit bland to be honest, but not enough to be a distraction.
The biggest problem the book faced was its pacing. It feels like nothing is happening for a lot of it as the characters are chased, captured, escape, chased, captured, escape. And the main character doesn't make a decision until the final 20%. Until then the story happens to him rather than him happening to the story. There were a few times I was growling at Tar to take control of his life even for just a moment.
The world feels a little small because everything that is happening is happening in such a small area of it. This Crash was a worldwide event but all the major players appear to be in one city. It seems a little odd. I like to find out what was going on in other areas of the world and how the Crash was affecting them.
In the end, Jacked was a fun take on the YA dystopian thriller. Fans of Hunger Games and Divergent will probably love it, but it wasn't really my cup of tea.
June 4, 2016
I was torn on how many stars to give this title. In the end, I gave the benefit of the doubt to the writer and for other reasons following, I rated Jacked a 3.5, rounding up to 4-stars.
Pros:
I liked the world building. I think the language fit the story very well with the world that was created. "App, hard boot, etc." fit much better than other dystopias I've read. Other dystopias have random words thrown in for slang. This story’s slang fit and I could imagine the changing of language over time where it would be used. Secondly, I liked the idea of a world wide mind. Interesting idea. The premise of fixers and being able to go around problems caused by the dead air piqued my interest.
Cons:
My biggest issue was the villain. He was underdeveloped and I almost felt like he was a caricature of all evil villains. He wants to kill everyone who uses tech for "REASONS." His reasoning was mentioned but never fully explored. It was a shallow way to approach his mindset. I felt the villain needed to be more human in order for me to be afraid of him. Instead, he was so resoundingly evil, that I knew he would be defeated no matter what. That one fact took away any driving force for wanting to finish the story.
General:
Also, I feel YA is an incorrect age-grouping for this title. It read as an older middle grade. My kids would enjoy the story (older middle-grade readers) and not have the criticisms I would. They would overlook issues I had with the novel and most likely enjoy the story for a quick read. Because of that face, I gave Jacked 4-stars. YA would have much more romance. Older MG has hint of a love interest, which is what I felt this story had.
I appreciate the publisher giving me a chance to read and review this book. I received an ARC from NetGalley.
Pros:
I liked the world building. I think the language fit the story very well with the world that was created. "App, hard boot, etc." fit much better than other dystopias I've read. Other dystopias have random words thrown in for slang. This story’s slang fit and I could imagine the changing of language over time where it would be used. Secondly, I liked the idea of a world wide mind. Interesting idea. The premise of fixers and being able to go around problems caused by the dead air piqued my interest.
Cons:
My biggest issue was the villain. He was underdeveloped and I almost felt like he was a caricature of all evil villains. He wants to kill everyone who uses tech for "REASONS." His reasoning was mentioned but never fully explored. It was a shallow way to approach his mindset. I felt the villain needed to be more human in order for me to be afraid of him. Instead, he was so resoundingly evil, that I knew he would be defeated no matter what. That one fact took away any driving force for wanting to finish the story.
General:
Also, I feel YA is an incorrect age-grouping for this title. It read as an older middle grade. My kids would enjoy the story (older middle-grade readers) and not have the criticisms I would. They would overlook issues I had with the novel and most likely enjoy the story for a quick read. Because of that face, I gave Jacked 4-stars. YA would have much more romance. Older MG has hint of a love interest, which is what I felt this story had.
I appreciate the publisher giving me a chance to read and review this book. I received an ARC from NetGalley.
June 6, 2016
Holy Crap! This is amazeballs!
I'm not sure I can write this without any spoilers but I'll try. Okay, how to describe Jacked…awesome, well written, fast paced, edge of your seat, unrelenting… Should I keep going?
First, the technical stuff. Jacked is the launch of Per Aspera Press, a Ragnarok Publications imprint. If you have read any of my other reviews, you should know I LOVE Ragnarok's very talented authors. If Dougal's novel is any indication, we will all love Per Aspera Press and all the SF yumminess they will bring us. Jacked is about a teenage boy with a talent for fixing technology in a world that has lost technical capabilities. He faces a lot of fears and dangers and grows up in a hurry. This is so hard without any spoilers! I want to tell you everything! Let me say that I read it through a second time and noticed some interesting correlations to Rowling's Potter series. I missed them the first time because I was too engrossed in the story.
Now, the goodies. Dougal delivers with Jacked. I read it in one sitting. I just couldn't stop. It's like a roller coaster you want to ride over and over so it doesn't end. It's fast paced and keeps you racing through each page. Even when you think you know what is going to happen next, you have to devour every single word. It has gangs, fights, seriously evil bad guys, chases, escapes, even some angsty teenage romance. There are surprises and they are delightful. And the ending is very exciting. I'm trying not to give too much away. It's a very good book. You need to read it.
Do it.
Now.
What are you waiting for?!
I'm not sure I can write this without any spoilers but I'll try. Okay, how to describe Jacked…awesome, well written, fast paced, edge of your seat, unrelenting… Should I keep going?
First, the technical stuff. Jacked is the launch of Per Aspera Press, a Ragnarok Publications imprint. If you have read any of my other reviews, you should know I LOVE Ragnarok's very talented authors. If Dougal's novel is any indication, we will all love Per Aspera Press and all the SF yumminess they will bring us. Jacked is about a teenage boy with a talent for fixing technology in a world that has lost technical capabilities. He faces a lot of fears and dangers and grows up in a hurry. This is so hard without any spoilers! I want to tell you everything! Let me say that I read it through a second time and noticed some interesting correlations to Rowling's Potter series. I missed them the first time because I was too engrossed in the story.
Now, the goodies. Dougal delivers with Jacked. I read it in one sitting. I just couldn't stop. It's like a roller coaster you want to ride over and over so it doesn't end. It's fast paced and keeps you racing through each page. Even when you think you know what is going to happen next, you have to devour every single word. It has gangs, fights, seriously evil bad guys, chases, escapes, even some angsty teenage romance. There are surprises and they are delightful. And the ending is very exciting. I'm trying not to give too much away. It's a very good book. You need to read it.
Do it.
Now.
What are you waiting for?!
July 10, 2016
'Jacked' , by Kirk Dougal is a fast-paced read, set in a disturbing dystopian future. The main character, Taro, is special among the wreck of humans still lving, he is a fixer. Fixers have the ability to fix technology, which was fried during ''The Crash''. During The Crash, millions died who were linked-in to The Mind, best described as an instant connection to the internet through a brain implant. Since then, technology has been outlawed by religious zealots called Black Shirts. Taro has to hide his secret so the Black Shirts don't hunt him down.
The world Dougal has created is a frightening one, with the Black Shirts truly fear=inspiring villains. Dourgal has even created his own slang for his dystopian world, which I must admit did become irritating on occasion.. This is a novel about a society which has paid the ultimate price for its reliance on technology but with fixers, there is hope for the future. I thoroughly enjoyed entering this world. *This book was reviewed for NetGalley.
The world Dougal has created is a frightening one, with the Black Shirts truly fear=inspiring villains. Dourgal has even created his own slang for his dystopian world, which I must admit did become irritating on occasion.. This is a novel about a society which has paid the ultimate price for its reliance on technology but with fixers, there is hope for the future. I thoroughly enjoyed entering this world. *This book was reviewed for NetGalley.
June 10, 2016
Like many YA novels of recent history, Jacked is set in a dystopian future where teens are the hope for their future. After The Crash, in which most of the people integral for keeping civilization moving smoothly (teachers, law enforcement, fire, military and government employees), as well as the best and brightest minds are either killed outright, or turned into "zoms," most technology beyond what was available in the 70's has been outlawed.
Tar Hutchins is a young teenage boy with an extraordinary gift--he can fix any technology, so long as the device isn't physically damaged, and can still access a power source. His kind are hunted down by the Black Shirts and "purified." The story follows what happens when he's brought to the attention of this quasi-religious group.
I enjoyed this novel. It was a bit of a departure from the usual Dystopian YA that I've been reading. I hope that the story will continue!
Tar Hutchins is a young teenage boy with an extraordinary gift--he can fix any technology, so long as the device isn't physically damaged, and can still access a power source. His kind are hunted down by the Black Shirts and "purified." The story follows what happens when he's brought to the attention of this quasi-religious group.
I enjoyed this novel. It was a bit of a departure from the usual Dystopian YA that I've been reading. I hope that the story will continue!
May 31, 2016
An entire government against his skill of repairing old tech equipment with just a single touch. Tar the gifted teenager battles his way in a future where tech equipment becomes scarce and causes the world to crash after relying on it's power on everyday use.
This book has page gripping chase scenes, a science fiction sting of a worlds end and a government keeping further use of technology from ever expanding again. Dougal has created a powerful teenage character that had discovered his gift has more to it than just a single touch of repair over tech equipment. The next installment will be even more than "Jacked" with Sci-Fi goodness.
This book has page gripping chase scenes, a science fiction sting of a worlds end and a government keeping further use of technology from ever expanding again. Dougal has created a powerful teenage character that had discovered his gift has more to it than just a single touch of repair over tech equipment. The next installment will be even more than "Jacked" with Sci-Fi goodness.
June 3, 2016
Great read! Very well written with some interesting ideas - so refreshing to find in a YA novel. The technology was believable, the plot was intriguing, and the characters were well developed. I especially like the language; it effectively conveyed the near-future time but used words that the reader could apply to their current understanding. "Bricks' and 'apps' and '404' - wonderfully done! The only complaint I would have is that the ending was a bit rough. It did stretch credulity that the masses would turn on their leader so easily, but overall I rather enjoyed this novel.
*free copy from NetGalley*
*free copy from NetGalley*
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2016
*Review Copy*
Dougal's "Jacked" has the feel of Cyberpunk-Meets-The-Postman -- a YA Dystopian Thriller set against a grimy, post-technological-collapse society ruled by anti-tech zealots.
To be fair, I don't normally *do* YA --- I like my post-apocalyptic fiction all grown up, as a general rule. That being said, while "Jacked" might not have been the best fit for my personal tastes, I think it would be a great addition to my teenagers' bookshelf, so I'll be ordering them a copy. Without reservation, I think they'll dig it.
Dougal's "Jacked" has the feel of Cyberpunk-Meets-The-Postman -- a YA Dystopian Thriller set against a grimy, post-technological-collapse society ruled by anti-tech zealots.
To be fair, I don't normally *do* YA --- I like my post-apocalyptic fiction all grown up, as a general rule. That being said, while "Jacked" might not have been the best fit for my personal tastes, I think it would be a great addition to my teenagers' bookshelf, so I'll be ordering them a copy. Without reservation, I think they'll dig it.
November 3, 2016
Really enjoyed this one.
I found myself imagining it as a film, whether it was due to the trend of every YA book being made into a movie or because I just connected with it easily I can't say, but I can say it would make a great one amidst all the sameness of YA book-movies out there.
Only thing that didn't sit 100% well with me was a couple of the slang terms used throughout -- some take a second to realize what they mean, and therefore throw off the flow. But other than that, great story, and a nice set-up for future installments.
I found myself imagining it as a film, whether it was due to the trend of every YA book being made into a movie or because I just connected with it easily I can't say, but I can say it would make a great one amidst all the sameness of YA book-movies out there.
Only thing that didn't sit 100% well with me was a couple of the slang terms used throughout -- some take a second to realize what they mean, and therefore throw off the flow. But other than that, great story, and a nice set-up for future installments.
June 16, 2016
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Well-written and imaginative! Post-Apocalyptic fiction at its best. Has enough twists in it to make it original and intriguing to any reader, not only YA. Tar's ability to "fix" electronic equipment with only a touch is only the tip of the iceberg! Fast-paced, bet you will read it in one sitting! Recommended.
Well-written and imaginative! Post-Apocalyptic fiction at its best. Has enough twists in it to make it original and intriguing to any reader, not only YA. Tar's ability to "fix" electronic equipment with only a touch is only the tip of the iceberg! Fast-paced, bet you will read it in one sitting! Recommended.
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