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Point B
From the author of The Postmortal and The Hike comes his most deliriously entertaining novel yet. Point B is the story of one clever and occasionally determined young woman seeking both love and vengeance, but hardly ready for those two missions to intersect. It takes you to Vietnam, Hollywood, Singapore, Tokyo, inland Mexico, Oxford, the Maldives, Cuba, the coast of Northeast Australia, and ALL points beyond. You will find yourself plunged into a borderless, chaotic, oddly miraculous world that is ruled by a single bloodless corporation, and by a family determined to keep it that way. But PortSys never expected Anna Huff, and Anna Huff never expected love to make her this daring.
404 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 22, 2020
200 people are currently reading
1690 people want to read
About the author
Drew Magary
9 books1,162 followersDrew Magary is a correspondent for GQ Magazine, a columnist for Deadspin, and a Chopped Champion. He’s also the author of four books: The Hike, The Postmortal, Someone Could Get Hurt, and Men With Balls. He lives in Maryland with his wife and three children, and enjoys taking long walks.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
May 4, 2020
I am a huge advocate for Magary's previous novel, THE HIKE, so I was excited to see this one. THE HIKE had great ideas and a totally bananas structure and broke most of the rules of how novels work. It was better for it. POINT B also has good ideas, but operates in normal novel world with normal novel rules and doesn't manage to deliver the same satisfaction. It is at its best when it's most unexpected and unusual, but much of it is pretty standard.
The ideas here are the strength, though, and if you're coming for something come for those. Magary fully imagines a world where teleportation is possible... through one specific corporation's product. It is a critique of capitalism and science-fiction all at once, which is often true of our best science-fiction. Magary can see all the weird little ripples that go through the world when something like this exists, its effects on the workforce, real estate, tourism, etc etc. Each time you think you have a full view of the world, it gets expanded even more to be even weirder. I loved these parts of the book so much, they were so smart and revealed so perfectly, that the world is clear but also keeps opening up. And with each new reveal you think, "Oh right, that's absolutely what would happen." This is not a utopia or a dystopia, but it has what really good near-future stuff has: it feels an awful lot like the present, just with one big twist.
The plot and characters didn't work as well for me. Content warning, the book starts with and pivots around a suicide, and even as a person who doesn't have that as a particular issue in books, in this one I was not a fan of how it was handled. I also just wasn't a fan of the "I must avenge my sister's suicide" plot line generally. It was one of many elements that felt clunky (especially given that our protagonists are all teenagers yet never once behave like teenagers) and held back the book from being what I wanted it to be. Same goes for the Love at first sight plotline, though this is one I almost never like so could be more of a me problem. The characters never really felt real to me, more like stock figures. I liked them and wanted to spend more time with them but we never really did, everything always felt so rushed. And the bad guy was so bad it somehow didn't raise the stakes but lowered them.
I still read this really quickly, and I suspect readers who aren't as sensitive to plots based in tropes will enjoy it quite a lot, especially since the worldbuilding is so strong. If I hadn't read THE HIKE already I probably would have been a lot more generous to this book, but knowing how good he can be, I selfishly want more.
The ideas here are the strength, though, and if you're coming for something come for those. Magary fully imagines a world where teleportation is possible... through one specific corporation's product. It is a critique of capitalism and science-fiction all at once, which is often true of our best science-fiction. Magary can see all the weird little ripples that go through the world when something like this exists, its effects on the workforce, real estate, tourism, etc etc. Each time you think you have a full view of the world, it gets expanded even more to be even weirder. I loved these parts of the book so much, they were so smart and revealed so perfectly, that the world is clear but also keeps opening up. And with each new reveal you think, "Oh right, that's absolutely what would happen." This is not a utopia or a dystopia, but it has what really good near-future stuff has: it feels an awful lot like the present, just with one big twist.
The plot and characters didn't work as well for me. Content warning, the book starts with and pivots around a suicide, and even as a person who doesn't have that as a particular issue in books, in this one I was not a fan of how it was handled. I also just wasn't a fan of the "I must avenge my sister's suicide" plot line generally. It was one of many elements that felt clunky (especially given that our protagonists are all teenagers yet never once behave like teenagers) and held back the book from being what I wanted it to be. Same goes for the Love at first sight plotline, though this is one I almost never like so could be more of a me problem. The characters never really felt real to me, more like stock figures. I liked them and wanted to spend more time with them but we never really did, everything always felt so rushed. And the bad guy was so bad it somehow didn't raise the stakes but lowered them.
I still read this really quickly, and I suspect readers who aren't as sensitive to plots based in tropes will enjoy it quite a lot, especially since the worldbuilding is so strong. If I hadn't read THE HIKE already I probably would have been a lot more generous to this book, but knowing how good he can be, I selfishly want more.
September 22, 2020
Drew Magary does it again. There hasn't been a novel of his that I've read that I haven't fallen over dead after having finished reading.
No, no, this isn't the Post-Mortal, and I didn't over-exert myself on a Hike. Indeed, the idea of traveling at all has become absurdly easy... just like reading this novel.
Cell-phones in ten years now allow us to teleport. Like Jaunting, ya? But these are tied to nasty cell phone plans with nastier reams of unread legal-sleaze. But who cares, right, so long as we can take a trip to Spain, Brazil, Newfoundland (just kidding), and back to school in New Jersey during your lunch break.
This SOUNDS like a pretty good YA, no? And it is. But it has some really dark points that are quite as dark as Post-Mortal (and with as huge a range of ramifications, evil, and annihilation) and *almost* as weird as the Hike. But let's just swap the weird with an epic tale of revenge and you'll have a better idea about what this novel is about.
It just goes to show, dehumanization and power and racism is STILL going to be a massively huge problem when anyone can go wherever they want. After all, if there are no restrictions, and just about anyone can hop into your room as you sleep, it may not be a *NICE* future. Take along your war, your hate, and your insanity, and suddenly no place is safe.
So how do we get to Point B? Dial it up! It's very worth the Jaunt, and lordy.... that last 1/3 of the novel was absolutely un-putdownable. Brilliant. I lost sleep over it.
No, no, this isn't the Post-Mortal, and I didn't over-exert myself on a Hike. Indeed, the idea of traveling at all has become absurdly easy... just like reading this novel.
Cell-phones in ten years now allow us to teleport. Like Jaunting, ya? But these are tied to nasty cell phone plans with nastier reams of unread legal-sleaze. But who cares, right, so long as we can take a trip to Spain, Brazil, Newfoundland (just kidding), and back to school in New Jersey during your lunch break.
This SOUNDS like a pretty good YA, no? And it is. But it has some really dark points that are quite as dark as Post-Mortal (and with as huge a range of ramifications, evil, and annihilation) and *almost* as weird as the Hike. But let's just swap the weird with an epic tale of revenge and you'll have a better idea about what this novel is about.
It just goes to show, dehumanization and power and racism is STILL going to be a massively huge problem when anyone can go wherever they want. After all, if there are no restrictions, and just about anyone can hop into your room as you sleep, it may not be a *NICE* future. Take along your war, your hate, and your insanity, and suddenly no place is safe.
So how do we get to Point B? Dial it up! It's very worth the Jaunt, and lordy.... that last 1/3 of the novel was absolutely un-putdownable. Brilliant. I lost sleep over it.
May 30, 2020
I thought I would like this book going in, and found it to be even better than I expected. It does a great job at telling both a gripping action/adventure sci-fi story and a thoughtful, ideas driven sci-fi story. I've never seen another piece that includes teleportation engage so thoroughly with the social ramifications of such a technology, and it comments insightfully on current issues without devolving into heavy-handed metaphor.
It's also very funny. If you're a fan of Drew Magary's columns, you'll be pleased to see his trademark voice is not abandoned when he writes fiction. Many of the characters you meet are delightful, especially Bamert.
The main piece of constructive criticism I have is about formatting: in the print edition the chapter titles are in bold at the very top of the page, with the text following immediately on the next line. I found that it made the chapter titles blend in with the text too much, which is a shame since some of them are impactful and would look great with more room to breathe.
It's also very funny. If you're a fan of Drew Magary's columns, you'll be pleased to see his trademark voice is not abandoned when he writes fiction. Many of the characters you meet are delightful, especially Bamert.
The main piece of constructive criticism I have is about formatting: in the print edition the chapter titles are in bold at the very top of the page, with the text following immediately on the next line. I found that it made the chapter titles blend in with the text too much, which is a shame since some of them are impactful and would look great with more room to breathe.
May 4, 2020
This is probably the most I've ever liked 3 star book :) It had a lot of little sprinkles of ideas I've loved from elsewhere, but Magary puts it all together with his own special tone and humor to make this a really pleasant book!
Of course there is JAUNTING (from Alfred Bester's The Stars My Destination) aka teleportation aka porting aka the major breakthrough that shifts the whole structure of global society, forces us to redefine "community" and gives the story a sci-fi boost while still feeling relevent in 2020.
Then we have some playful satire on (post?)CAPITALISM (akin to Max Barry's Jennifer Government) which will probably be my biggest takeaway from the book. It gives it a dystopian twist while still being near future enough to scare you like a really creepy neighbor might. I'm coming over tonight.......
And finally we have the often wild yet undeniably endearing, supremely goofy yet somehow extremely relatable CHARACTERS (which really reminded me of Tim Dorsey's crew). Each character is bold, driven, and bursting with personality.
But for me, Point B fell a little too "YA" for my taste and wasn't quite engaging enough to warrant its 400 page length. Maybe I am a stone cold bitch but I just never end up loving the light teen love stories. But I would recommend this book (or even better, Magary's The Hike) to anyone who wants a little adventure with emotion, laughs, and a thoughtful look at the effects technology will have on our future.
Of course there is JAUNTING (from Alfred Bester's The Stars My Destination) aka teleportation aka porting aka the major breakthrough that shifts the whole structure of global society, forces us to redefine "community" and gives the story a sci-fi boost while still feeling relevent in 2020.
Then we have some playful satire on (post?)CAPITALISM (akin to Max Barry's Jennifer Government) which will probably be my biggest takeaway from the book. It gives it a dystopian twist while still being near future enough to scare you like a really creepy neighbor might. I'm coming over tonight.......
And finally we have the often wild yet undeniably endearing, supremely goofy yet somehow extremely relatable CHARACTERS (which really reminded me of Tim Dorsey's crew). Each character is bold, driven, and bursting with personality.
But for me, Point B fell a little too "YA" for my taste and wasn't quite engaging enough to warrant its 400 page length. Maybe I am a stone cold bitch but I just never end up loving the light teen love stories. But I would recommend this book (or even better, Magary's The Hike) to anyone who wants a little adventure with emotion, laughs, and a thoughtful look at the effects technology will have on our future.
September 20, 2020
Another Magary novel, another world that is so much like our own while also being so incredibly different. In this case, teleportation is the difference whereas the power-hungry, awfulness exists in so many. Enjoyed it a lot, especially the first half or so the most. Loved the characters, especially the friends that added a lot of laughs. I think that’s what the second half lost a bit, though understandably so with the way the plot had to go.
The world though. The little details in articles that sometimes don’t really move the plot but just flesh out things more. Big fan.
This will be interesting to see how it ages. Because so much of our world right now is so fresh in this book. Nazis. Rich people doing terrible things. Etc. A re-read if 15-20 years will be fascinating. And I mean that in the best possible way. (I hope.) 8/10
The world though. The little details in articles that sometimes don’t really move the plot but just flesh out things more. Big fan.
This will be interesting to see how it ages. Because so much of our world right now is so fresh in this book. Nazis. Rich people doing terrible things. Etc. A re-read if 15-20 years will be fascinating. And I mean that in the best possible way. (I hope.) 8/10
September 19, 2020
Fun and enjoyable read, fairly creative and well-written. On the negative side, semi-absurdly stock evil characters, and utterly unrealistic teleportation concept and 17-year-old save the world heroes.
May 28, 2020
After reading The Hike (which I loved), I really, really wanted to like this book...but I just couldn't get into it. I thought the idea was good and unique, but the execution of it was poor.
October 7, 2020
Did anyone try to edit this book before it was published?
June 25, 2020
I am a huge fan of Drew Magary's The Hike. It was a taut, surrealist page turner. Point B is... not that. Which is fine, but I can't help but think it would have been greatly improved by some judicious developmental and copy editing.
Let's start with the good, though. The concept behind the novel is great. A world five-minutes into the future where teleportation through mobile devices has become the norm is a great setting for a story and Magary develops it well. Though it doesn't go into the details of the science behind teleporting (not that it ever should have), the effect this technology has on the world in terms of society, geopolitics, and economics is well-thought out and really very interesting. How does the world function when doors, walls, and borders are instantaneously wiped out? How do people live? How does this affect class and social strata? Magary provides great pieces of world-building in short asides from the main story, and these are the book's strength. They craft a complex interesting world that I want to see more of and investigate every nook and cranny of the implications of teleporting.
Where the book falls flat for me, though, is... everything else. The lens Magary has chosen to view this brave new world through is that of a YA coming of age novel. Now, that isn't particularly bad, per se, and I could see it being done to great effect, but Magary's execution of the concept leaves something to be desired.
The characters, including our sullen, angry protagonist Anna Huff, feel flat and unfeatured and at no point do I feel like I really know any of them. Their interactions seem bland at best, and driven by plot necessity at worst. Nowhere is this more clear than Anna's instantaneous infatuation with love-interest Lara Kirsch. We barely have time to know anything about her before we're told she's the greatest girl in the world, and she disappears a few pages later. I understand the random rush of teenage love, but it makes the whole thing feel very forced. Furthermore, the antagonists are cartoonishly cruel corporatists that dampen the effectiveness of the story and serve more to keep Lara and Anna apart. I feel less in tune with the characters, who are supposed to be my gateway for this world.
Setting the main story in a boarding school (a YA staple) where porting is not allowed further makes it very difficult to interact with the greater tapestry of society. Despite the fact that I never felt like I got a sense of the school (aside from a few minor class asides), I felt trapped in the least interesting place when I was itching to see everything else which, I suppose, is exactly how the characters feel, so I guess that's a plus?
In terms of plot, things do hang together but there are several random bits and bobs that jut out and back in at odd times in the book, just lengthening its runtime and deadening its impact. For a nearly 450 page book, there are large swaths of details, characters, and events that could have been trimmed, excised entirely, or better yet folded into existing events. Everything goes on too long and is far too much when a much tighter focus would do.
Now, I've had a lot of negative things to say about this book, so you're probably wondering why I finished it at all, spent a bunch of effort writing this review, and gave it three stars. Well, the answer is because Point B is interesting and despite all of the above issues, I wanted to keep reading till the end (even though the last chapter could have been shortened into a single paragraph). Just like anyone living in this book, I wanted to see the world. I wanted to experience the inner workings and detailed minutia of everything going on, even though it was through the eyes of an irascible, hormone-fueled teenager.
At the end of the day, there's a really good book somewhere in Magary's Point B. It's the execution that keeps it from coming out.
Let's start with the good, though. The concept behind the novel is great. A world five-minutes into the future where teleportation through mobile devices has become the norm is a great setting for a story and Magary develops it well. Though it doesn't go into the details of the science behind teleporting (not that it ever should have), the effect this technology has on the world in terms of society, geopolitics, and economics is well-thought out and really very interesting. How does the world function when doors, walls, and borders are instantaneously wiped out? How do people live? How does this affect class and social strata? Magary provides great pieces of world-building in short asides from the main story, and these are the book's strength. They craft a complex interesting world that I want to see more of and investigate every nook and cranny of the implications of teleporting.
Where the book falls flat for me, though, is... everything else. The lens Magary has chosen to view this brave new world through is that of a YA coming of age novel. Now, that isn't particularly bad, per se, and I could see it being done to great effect, but Magary's execution of the concept leaves something to be desired.
The characters, including our sullen, angry protagonist Anna Huff, feel flat and unfeatured and at no point do I feel like I really know any of them. Their interactions seem bland at best, and driven by plot necessity at worst. Nowhere is this more clear than Anna's instantaneous infatuation with love-interest Lara Kirsch. We barely have time to know anything about her before we're told she's the greatest girl in the world, and she disappears a few pages later. I understand the random rush of teenage love, but it makes the whole thing feel very forced. Furthermore, the antagonists are cartoonishly cruel corporatists that dampen the effectiveness of the story and serve more to keep Lara and Anna apart. I feel less in tune with the characters, who are supposed to be my gateway for this world.
Setting the main story in a boarding school (a YA staple) where porting is not allowed further makes it very difficult to interact with the greater tapestry of society. Despite the fact that I never felt like I got a sense of the school (aside from a few minor class asides), I felt trapped in the least interesting place when I was itching to see everything else which, I suppose, is exactly how the characters feel, so I guess that's a plus?
In terms of plot, things do hang together but there are several random bits and bobs that jut out and back in at odd times in the book, just lengthening its runtime and deadening its impact. For a nearly 450 page book, there are large swaths of details, characters, and events that could have been trimmed, excised entirely, or better yet folded into existing events. Everything goes on too long and is far too much when a much tighter focus would do.
Now, I've had a lot of negative things to say about this book, so you're probably wondering why I finished it at all, spent a bunch of effort writing this review, and gave it three stars. Well, the answer is because Point B is interesting and despite all of the above issues, I wanted to keep reading till the end (even though the last chapter could have been shortened into a single paragraph). Just like anyone living in this book, I wanted to see the world. I wanted to experience the inner workings and detailed minutia of everything going on, even though it was through the eyes of an irascible, hormone-fueled teenager.
At the end of the day, there's a really good book somewhere in Magary's Point B. It's the execution that keeps it from coming out.
March 26, 2025
Okay well. Here’s the thing. I liked the plot. I liked Bamert. I liked the different modes of world building and the implications of major technological advances. But this book felt like it was trying to be too edgy. I’ve never read this author before so I don’t know about his writing style but as a woman who has been a 17 year old and knows British people intimately…this author doesn’t know how to write 17 year olds, women, or British people. I couldn’t quite tell the tone of the book - sometimes it was serious, silly…books can and should have moments of both but I just had a hard time with this. None of the twists or plot beats got my heart racing though many parts were fun and fast paced in theory. I’m confused why this book needed to be 445 pages long.
That being said, I loved the newspaper and text portions that gave the world flavor. Bamert stole the show - Go Clemson Tigers.
That being said, I loved the newspaper and text portions that gave the world flavor. Bamert stole the show - Go Clemson Tigers.
May 23, 2020
This is a fun third book from Magary--it doesn't have the emotional resonance of the ending of his previous work, The Hike, but like his debut, The Postmortal, Point B adds up the costs and benefits of a world-changing technology that reflects his abiding interest in genuine human values.
Magary cut his teeth for dialogue writing scathing caricatures, but he's grown as a writer--gaining control and even subtlety--and this is well worth seeking out.
Magary cut his teeth for dialogue writing scathing caricatures, but he's grown as a writer--gaining control and even subtlety--and this is well worth seeking out.
November 10, 2020
An interesting and lively story marred by technical errors/issues. I almost gave up on this book in the first two chapters, which would have been unfortunate considering how unique and entertaining the story turned out to be. But the edition I read was riddled with missing words and errors that should have been caught during editing. At first I thought it had to do with the plot, that it was intentional and would have some impact on the story down the line. However as I continued to read, it became clear that they were just errors and omissions. It's a shame because it happens enough to be highly visible and serves to pull you out of the story with annoying frequency. Otherwise, I found the world the author created to be a fascinating examination of a continuation of 'instant gratification' culture drawn to an extreme through technological advancement. The characters were humanly flawed, though some were more well developed than others. The effect on society was the most captivating reason to stick with this book, wrapped in the crowd-pleasing genre of an underdog love story.
October 17, 2020
Let me start by saying, I love Drew Magary’s writing. Ever since I read The Postmortal, he quickly became one of my favorite authors. I would literally search “Drew Magary” on Amazon every couple of months just to see if he had a new book up for pre-order. Needless to say, I snagged a copy of this book as soon as I heard it was available. He still does a great job of over all world / character building, but unfortunately the characters stories were just kind of boring. The concept was very thoughtful and rich, but I just found myself trudging through to the next chapter hoping that something exciting would happen. Here I am at page 400 and I’m still waiting for that excitement. I can’t really say that I would recommend this book, but I still recommend Mr. Magary’s other titles. Very excited to see what’s next, hopefully a true return to form.
July 17, 2024
I liked the dystopian vision of social networks, with the added soon of teleportation. Very well found. But the main story line wasn't very strong. Seventeen year olds saving (?) the world, and puppy love isn't really for me.
September 20, 2025
This book is kind of a mess! I’m a Magary cultist and The Hike is one of my five favorite books ever but this one is... kind of a mess! For a bunch of reasons. Still a lot of fun. Read The Hike.
June 11, 2020
I have been reading Drew Magary's writing for so long in so many different forms that I feel like I know him. I didn't love this. But I love Drew so what are you going to do.
April 3, 2023
Not Magary's most compelling by far. The Hike is fantastically written. The Postmortal is closer to this one but with a lot more depth. Point B doesn't actually take the concept of a world with teleportation and put it under the microscope. We get told at the beginning that poor people would be poorer, that rich people would abuse the system, and that white nationalism would get worse. And all that tracks, but that's it. It's not really part of the story. The story is about a 17-year-old girl who falls in love at first sight with a rich girl she's known for all of three minutes and then spends the rest of the book in a ridiculously convenient plot to avenge her dead sister and get together with her one true love, this random girl she doesn't know. Dystopian adult themes with a 17-year-old protagonist can work, but the cringey romance plot cheapened everything.
It's extremely cliched, the characters have little depth and I found it very predictable. Moreover, conveniently, one of Anna's only friends is a teenage "physicist" who can understand how teleportation works by looking at the formula on paper. I thought maybe this was Magary's fictional debut, but it was published after the other two books, so I'm at a loss.
It's extremely cliched, the characters have little depth and I found it very predictable. Moreover, conveniently, one of Anna's only friends is a teenage "physicist" who can understand how teleportation works by looking at the formula on paper. I thought maybe this was Magary's fictional debut, but it was published after the other two books, so I'm at a loss.
March 25, 2022
This book was fairly interesting! It took me quite a while to get into but I was hooked for just about the entire second half of the book. Magary's writing and plot DEFINITELY develops and improves as the book goes on. The villains were beautifully written and just pure evul which is something you don't see that often, so I really enjoyed that part. Such an interesting book and a plot you would never expect, but there were some parts that I was sort of iffy on, mostly in the beginning since it took so long to get into. Magary has a very... different writing style that I thought was kind of dorky and a little cringe worthy. All in all, this was a good book despite it's few flaws. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves some modern scifi, but I don't think that this book is worth a second read from me.
December 11, 2020
I like you, Drew Magary. You're alright.
I don't remember the last time I was so swept up into a teenage protag's emotions - anger and outrage and angsty love, the anxiousness that comes from being way too self-aware. Anna's love for Lara (who is imho just shy of being a manic pixie dream girl) is unrelenting and overwhelming and I was on board for the giant mess of it all.
The bones are familiar - our protag is motivated by a) the death of her sister, and b) the love she has for an unattainable woman c) she gains allies at school. But the way Magary takes the idea of teleporting and really just apply it to how people already behave... That was a unique take. I haven't seen this take on teleporting before. It got a visceral reaction out of me, lemme tell ya.
Also, Bamert was so enjoyable. What a character. Ditto Asmi. Burton? Ehhhh not as much.
Death to Vick.
I don't remember the last time I was so swept up into a teenage protag's emotions - anger and outrage and angsty love, the anxiousness that comes from being way too self-aware. Anna's love for Lara (who is imho just shy of being a manic pixie dream girl) is unrelenting and overwhelming and I was on board for the giant mess of it all.
The bones are familiar - our protag is motivated by a) the death of her sister, and b) the love she has for an unattainable woman c) she gains allies at school. But the way Magary takes the idea of teleporting and really just apply it to how people already behave... That was a unique take. I haven't seen this take on teleporting before. It got a visceral reaction out of me, lemme tell ya.
Also, Bamert was so enjoyable. What a character. Ditto Asmi. Burton? Ehhhh not as much.
Death to Vick.
November 9, 2020
Overall, this was an enjoyable book. Some of the Characters fast dialog and one liners really kept the story moving and gave good character depth to what could have been a very cut and paste story.
As with other scifi style titles, there are plot holes and contradicting events, but these were spaced out and didn't detract terribly from the overall storyline.
Most main and direct supporting characters were given depth and a reason to root for them. Villains, on the otherhand, were very one dimensional, colored with an almost caricature type of drop-in mad-scientist vibe. This took me off the story a bit at times.
In a nutshell, a good escapism piece of scifi that would pair well with YA Fantasy/Adventure sensibilities
As with other scifi style titles, there are plot holes and contradicting events, but these were spaced out and didn't detract terribly from the overall storyline.
Most main and direct supporting characters were given depth and a reason to root for them. Villains, on the otherhand, were very one dimensional, colored with an almost caricature type of drop-in mad-scientist vibe. This took me off the story a bit at times.
In a nutshell, a good escapism piece of scifi that would pair well with YA Fantasy/Adventure sensibilities
January 20, 2021
Just as interesting and thought-provoking (and frightening as it pertains to what the future could look like) as The Postmortal. Didn't totally buy the love-at-first-sight romance -- would have preferred if Lara and Anna had known each other for even a few days longer and if maybe Anna evolved from infatuation to love instead of instalove -- but it grew on me towards the end. Lots of great quotes about love ("Love comes from people *wanting* to understand you"). Also not sure if the narrative style worked for me but didn't affect my reading experience too much. Overall, super enjoyable! Long-time reader and fan of Drew and I really loved how every sentence felt like it was bursting with emotion.
March 12, 2021
Messy, meandering, and slightly ham-fisted in its allegory - I truly didn’t care. Point B gripped me from the start and refused to let me go all the way through its Acknowledgments (pro tip - be sure to read Magary’s gratitude paragraph dedicated to his wife. It’s really lovely). Magary is a gem of a writer and Anna Huff is an exceptional heroine. I plan to start reading The Postmortal immediately.
May 17, 2020
Not as absurd or quite as riveting as The Hike (and could have used one last round of editing for the occasional typo) but still creative and worthy of my time.
July 4, 2024
drew magary ily
May 24, 2025
Great story, just not the drew I was expecting.
November 25, 2024
I never knew I needed the cliche Netflix drama mixed with cool Sci-fi elements. The romance doesn't overshadow the rest of the mystery and cool action. However the ending scenes are boring and shouldn't have been that long. To much set dressing when Drew should've been wrapping up the story
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 26, 2020
What would happen if everyone could teleport anywhere they wanted anytime? The author has given this a lot of thought.
September 12, 2021
I forget the Magary books often take a turn for brutally violent somewhere in the middle - but still, great story, unexpected twists, and fun sci fi.
July 15, 2023
This one took me a moment to get into, but once I did I was hooked. A fun group of characters. Good hero story and a great sci-fi world that mirrors the evil big tech of today. A fun read.
April 11, 2023
A good novel about the technological surveillance state
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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