Grinders

by C.S. Boyack

Jimi Cabot made one mistake as a starving college student. When she went to work for the San Francisco Police Department, it nearly cost her the job. The union stepped in and they had to reinstate her. They did so by assigning her to the duty nobody wants, Grinder Squad.

Grinders are people who use back room surgeries to enhance their bodies with computer chips, and various kinds of hardware. Jimi is sure that if she can just bust one grind shop, it will be her ticket back.

Paired with veteran cop, she soon learns that Grinder Squad is a cash-cow for the department. They are nothing more than glorified patrol cops, and generally get the worst assignments.

Matchless is the most wanted grinder of all time. He disappeared years ago, leaving only the evidence of those he enhanced during his career. With these pieces, Jimi picks up the cold trail to try working her way back to more respectable duty.

Grinders is a cyberpunk story set in a world where global warming has eroded coastlines, and society has solved many of our current problems by replacing them with new ones. There are cyber shut-ins, cyber-currency skimming schemes, and more in this futuristic tale.

This book also takes the opportunity to poke a stick at current issues that seem to have lasted into the future. Entitled people, helicopter moms, overzealous homeowner associations, and lack of decent jobs are all present. Never preachy, these issues make up the day to day work of a patrol officer.

291 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 18, 2020

Reviews

[Victoria Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Grinders' is a mindbending, relentlessly surprising sci-fi novel from C. S. Boyack.

It is brilliantly plotted story that is at once strange and profoundly deep, almost on the level of prophecy… - a tale about the future of the Earth, human choices, paths not taken or taken too late. This is a novel about how far we’ll go to create the comfort we dream of, to save people we care about or ourselves.

The author tells us the story of Grinder Seven. It is some kind of police squad from the future. Grinders are people who is trying to enhance their bodies with diff computer chips. Seven is the number of the car, controlled by sergeant Louis Brophy and Jimi Cabot. These two are looking for people who are trafficking rats. The rats connected to the members of Bone Club. Bone Club - to crazy man called Nootropic.

What does he want? And what are rats for? You’ll find out only by reading the book.

Cool details from the future:
- eyedrops for contact lenses that reads and sends information from crime places
- the poncho that could suck tight to the seat any criminal
- Wilson’s disorder
- the guy who lost his jaw over a tongue vibrator…
- and much more.

Head-spinning actions, creative dialogues and realistic characters. Exciting, suspenseful and frightening future is awaiting you on the pages of Grinders.

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve said it before, and I’ll no doubt say it again: No one has a wilder and more fertile imagination than C. S. Boyack. His latest release is so packed full of entertainment, it boggles the mind! And the world-building is beyond creative. Holy Moly! This vision of an all-too-possible future is engrossing, funny, frightening, and compelling, all at the same time. And oh, yeah—about the story. It works to perfection as well. Take some cool characters, an interesting antagonist, and a few fun critters being taught wild and crazy skills, stir well, and what do you get? Grinders! A book that’s an all-around treat to read.

Although this was my first foray into cyberpunk, I must say I thoroughly enjoyed the trip. I felt as though I were doing a “country bumpkin” walk through this futuristic cityscape, my mouth hanging open every step of the way. I highly recommend you take that walk, too. You’ll be glad you did.

[Mae Clair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jimi Cabot, and her partner Lou, are two cops assigned to the “Grinder Squad” in a futuristic San Francisco. Grinders are people who have their bodies altered through illegal surgeries which use computer chips to provide enhanced senses. Despite their department assignment, Jimi and Lou usually find their days eaten up by the drudgery of routine patrol and domestic disturbance calls—until they happen upon a trail that may lead to the most wanted grinder in police databanks.

There is strong parallel storyline involving the grinder they’re after, enabling the reader to see both sides of the situation. Beyond that, however, there is so much more that goes on in this book. I loved the friendship that developed between Jimi and Brandi (a grinder), and I loved Lou’s tie to Sailor, the horse he rode when he was on mounted patrol before the division was disbanded.

Most intriguing of all is the world Boyack has created. One that includes a “grid” for travelling, bots in all shapes and sizes, and a constant bombardment of advertising. “Holobarkers”¬—floating globes broadcasting advertisements—roam the streets, swarming around people with their messages. Cars and buses flash moving advertisements and 3D holographic images are found everywhere. There is an “electric forest” (one of my favorite elements), in the process of being torn down because it is already considered old technology. Holographic spiders and jack-o-lanterns bob around on Halloween, and a 3D King Kong climbs a building to promote a movie. The creativity of this world is off the charts. Every page brings some new wonder or futuristic element that is vividly portrayed. Between the story and inventions, I was mesmerized. A highly original work!

[Pete Springer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jimi Cabot and Lou Brophy become partners on the "Grinders Squad" for the San Francisco police force. Lou, an old school cop nearing retirement, used to patrol the city on horseback. About the last thing he wants is a new partner, particularly one as young and inexperienced as Jimi. Relegated to Grinders Squad is one of the least desirable positions on the police force, and Jimi has no intention of remaining there. The best way to get off is by busting a grinder—someone who uses computer chips to alter or enhance bodies illegally. Unfortunately, most of their assigned patrol work involves the routine police work of domestic violence, prostitutes, and crowd control instead of opportunities to catch a grinder.

While readers may be familiar with the authentic geography of San Francisco throughout, Boyack creates a glimpse into the future with this cyberpunk masterpiece. There are self-driving cars, holographic billboards with everchanging advertisements, and bots in many life forms that serve their human owners' desires. The advancements of technology are scattered throughout, but the author includes a playful commentary on society as the bots enjoy their purchases of new skin and clothing. Present and future human characteristics merge as the characters are irritated by the bombardment of advertisements and the annoyance of watching their captain take credit for their excellent police work.

The antagonist, Nootropic, is a despicable guy who fuels himself with the consumption of energy drinks while running experiments on rats instead of being a father to his young son. It is a classic race against time as Jimi and Lou try to stop him. I have not read much in this genre before, but this gem is a winner.

[Harmony Kent · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Jimi Cabot rolled over in bed, but the black cat pawed her face once more.'

From this opening line, the author takes his readers into a futuristic world of robotic and/or holographic house companions, constant advertising, body alterations via various weird and wonderful implants/modifications, a grid that manages traffic, and a police Grinder squad, which is viewed as the police dumping place for officers they don't want or who are past their prime. Jimi has other ideas after getting dumped into the Grinder squad, and when she pairs with veteran cop, Lou, things get interesting fast. Here are some lines which stood out for me:

(Lou talking to his 'companion') 'You're still cheaper than both my ex-wives, and you take no for an answer.' This had me chuckling away ... oh, the benefits of a non-human live-in!

and

'Parenting advice from a hologram?' I loved the indignation and humour in this whole exchange.

There's a lot of information to take in, and lots of conversation in this novel, but it works. I enjoyed this read and soon got through the book. The writer brings us a satisfying ending with all the threads nicely tied up. Grinders gets a solid 4 stars from me.


***

NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.

5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.

[Judith Post · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cyber punk is new to me. I usually avoid it, but I'm a C.S. Boyack fan, so decided to give his book a try. And I enjoyed it. The view of a future world made me glad I live now before tech becomes in your face and advertising is everywhere. Boyack chose to depict a future San Francisco where the oceans have risen and some people live underwater. Instead of watching birdfeeders, they watch an octopus make a home in the clay pot on their front stoop. Politics hasn't changed, and two hard-working cops find themselves demoted to the Grinders squad, the last place most cops want to be.
Grinders implant tech in humans, whether they're trained to do it or not. The two cops who are the story's protagonists are after one grinder in particular whose work is topnotch. That leads us to the second plot of the story. Matchless, the grinder they're after, has implanted too much copper in her own system and will die if she doesn't get a new liver. Her husband, another grinder, is working feverishly to find a way to grow that new liver for her. Nootropic is the story's antagonist, but I have to admit that I really felt for the guy. And the longer the story went, the more I worried that he'd get caught and imprisoned, that his wife--whom he's put in a large test tube to keep her alive long enough for him to save her--would die, and his son would end up in foster care. I even got attached to the rat and muskrat Nootropic used in his lab.
I was invested in the cops and the grinders. I won't give away the book's ending, but I have to say, I enjoyed this story. Not sure I'll ever try another cyberpunk, but I will be glad to read another C.S. Boyack novel.

[D.L. Finn · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Grinders” is set in the future in my favorite city, San Francisco. The waters have risen to change the landscape of the city, but people are still the same in the essential ways. Jimi is a cop who, after a mistake, was put on the grinders squad. They partnered her with the veteran, Lou, who used to patrol his beat on a horse. The grinders squad is the job no one wants, and Jimi is determined to move on by finding a wanted grinder. The relationship between Jimi and Lou felt real to me, but my favorite relationships were with the AIs, especially Cole, the cat. His comments had me laughing. I fell in love with the forest that generated energy and wanted to save it. There was a lot of detail that made this world easy to picture. I loved Jimi’s underwater apartment with an octopus living outside her window on her “porch.” I felt a lot of sympathy for the grinder’s family and situation. All the advertising that surrounded them even through their AIs irritated me as much as current commercials do on TV. This was a fantastic, imaginative story that I loved. I highly recommend it.

[Staci Troilo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Futuristic, Fun, and Fascinating

Boyack’s done it again. I have no clue where he gets his ideas, but his well certainly hasn’t run dry.

GRINDERS introduces us to people who illegally modify their bodies with technological upgrades and the police squad tasked with stopping them. Sort of. Really, the grinder squad is a punishment for cops and no one really seems to care that people are paying for enhancements. Lou is a vet, marking time until his retirement. He’s partnered with Jimi, a young cop with a mistake in her past and a desire to make her way out of the grinder squad—by making a huge grinder bust.

The interplay between Jimi and Lou is stellar. She makes the grizzled cop care a little more, and he teaches her patience and wisdom. Typical mentor/mentee relationship, right? Wrong. This is so much more. There’s humor, there’s poignancy. There’s a real emotional connection, both between the two of them and between them and the readers. Throw in an exceptional cast (both real and virtual), and you’ve got a full and diverse pool of characters. The villain is driven and a tad demented. I loved viewing the world from his perspective. And the POV at the end (which I won’t spoil) was a HUGE payoff for me. It really brought everything together in a clever and satisfying way.

In addition to phenomenal character development, Boyack created a futuristic (yet not unbelievable) world where people have made many costly mistakes and paid dearly for them. They also have made many useful advancements. This was a fun and fascinating world, exciting to visit and entirely enthralling. This was clever and creative and really stuck with me. It foreshadows social and environment issues without being preachy. I both laughed at the situations and feared the repercussions.

GRINDERS is classic Boyack—wildly imaginative and fast-paced. If you’re looking for a quick and engaging read, you can’t go wrong with this one. Highly recommended.

[Teri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've mentioned this in reviews of Boyack's books before, but his imagination is astounding.  Grinders is full of wildly creative world-building and yet, some of the creations aren't so far-fetched and are entirely plausible in the not-too-distant future (although I could live just fine without the holobarkers - I'm not a fan of commercials/advertisements). 

The rotating POVs helped me see this story from all angles, and despite Nootropic's illegal activities, I felt for the guy.  His heart's in the right place, but it took me a while to figure out the deal with his rats.  I enjoyed the cast of diverse characters, but my favorite had to be Lou, Jimi's gruff veteran partner.  I loved their working relationship and how they learned certain 'lessons' from each other.  Shout out to AI cat Cole who gave me several laughs.  

Grinders is vividly colorful and full of futuristic elements and technology sure to thrill sci-fi/cyberpunk fans.  

[Joan Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Without a doubt, C. S. Boyack has the most vivid imagination of any author I’ve read of late. His characters, settings, and other “creatures” in his other books amaze me. And he’s done it again with Grinders.

I usually avoid cyberpunk, but I gave this one a go. Set in futuristic San Francisco, Grinders are people who’ve had their bodies altered by illegal surgeries that use computer chips to enhance their senses. Jimi Cabot and her veteran partner Lou are cops who have been assigned to the Grinder Squad—a job no one wants.

From the interaction between Jimi and Lou, the crazy (yet believable) situations, to the diverse characters all combined to make this an enjoyable read. I don’t want to give away the ending, but it was a big plus. Boyack wrapped it up in a refreshing manner.

[Victoria Zigler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another amazing book by this author. The characters are relatable and believable people, the plot is fantastic, and the worldbuilding is incredible. It has an extremely satisfying ending too. Not to mention, it's an interesting glimpse in to possible future technological and scientific advances, as well as being a subtle but powerful reminder of where we might be heading if we don't start making wiser choices and taking care of our planet. All those elements, combined with the author's wonderful writing, make for an excellent read, which I have no hesitation at all in recommending.

[Don Massenzio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great tale by C.S. Boyack

This whimsical glimpse into the future by C.S. Boyack highlights his seemingly endless imagination along with a well thought out possibility of where technology might take us. The tech is fun and thought-provoking, but the rich characters are the key that drew me in to this tale.

[Nicholas Rossis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surely, Boyack must be a time-traveler. That is the only explanation I can find for how convincing his future is. Not a utopia, nor a dystopia: real people dealing with real problems, some of them old, some new. But there are also opportunities, new toys and gadgets, and some pretty intriguing bioengineering.

In fact, the only misgiving I had about Grinders is the sheer amount of information I had to absorb from page 1. This must be what a Medieval peasant must feel if he landed in the middle of New York: overwhelmed until he made sense of things.

But it all adds up to a great story, complete with an excellent antihero and a wonderfully sympathetic set of heroes. If you're tired of unrealistic futures, this is the book for you. Grinders reads like something straight out of Philip K. Dick's works - only more belieavable!

[Dave Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, what’s a grinder? It’s a person who modifies someone with technology to “upgrade” them. It’s an illegal practice, so police departments in this book have grinder squads to track down these criminals.

However, we learn from veteran officer Lou Brophy that the grinder squad pretty much has its name and mission statement to get government grants. Mostly, cops on the grinder squad respond to calls that regular patrol cops would. At least that’s the case in the San Francisco PD.

Lou Brophy used to patrol on horseback, but that unit was phased out, and now he’s floating on the current of routine calls until he retires.

Enter younger cop Jimi Cabot, who is placed in the grinder squad because the bosses discovered a mistake that she made years earlier, when she was in college.

But Jimi doesn’t want to copy Lou’s goal of merely getting by in the job. She wants to fulfill the grinder squad’s mission by catching grinders, which she hopes will get her transferred to a more exciting department.

The relationship of Lou and Jimi is well done. Lou passes down wisdom, and Jimi ups the energy — to actually care about investigating grinders.

The chapters flip from Lou and Jimi’s activities to Nootropic, a scientist who’s trying to save his comatose wife. I'll leave out the details of his plan, but I will say it's quite clever.

As for world-building: this future is full of ads and imagery in public spaces. Holiday-themed holograms are on buildings. Lou and Jimi’s cop car has ads on the side of it. “Holobarkers” are drones that fly to pedestrians and jabber ads at them. Craig has crafted a vibrant San Francisco of the future. Besides the many ads, a traffic grid controls the flow of vehicles.

I became immersed in this colorful world and in the plot, and I’d recommend Grinders as an engaging read.

[Gwendolyn Plano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boyack’s books never fail to surprise with their originality and certainly, that is the case with Grinders. The story unfolds in a futuristic world of imbedded computer chips and ever-present advertisements hammering people in all aspects of their lives. I read amazed by the creativity and stunned by glimmers of the world we live in now. Boyack wrote this in 2019. His imagination guided him to create a cyberpunk world that’s beginning to emerge now. Well done!

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a simple read and I enjoyed aspects of the future world it describes. The author says he hopes the characters were at the fire of the story, which I didn't really think was achieved, but enjoyable anyway