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Avery Cates #3
The Eternal Prison
Avery Cates is a wanted man. After surviving the worst bioengineered disaster in history, Cates finds himself incarcerated - in Chengara Penitentiary. As Chengara has a survival rate of exactly zero, the system's most famous gunner must do some serious plotting. And a betrayal or so later, he achieves his goal. At a price.
All he has to do now is defeat some new personal demons, forge some unlikely alliances, and figure out why the people he's killed lately just won't stay dead.
All he has to do now is defeat some new personal demons, forge some unlikely alliances, and figure out why the people he's killed lately just won't stay dead.
390 pages, Paperback
First published July 25, 2009
28 people are currently reading
565 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Somers
68 books350 followersJeff Somers (www.jeffreysomers.com) began writing by court order as an attempt to steer his creative impulses away from engineering genetic grotesqueries. He has published nine novels, including the Avery Cates Series of noir-science fiction novels from Orbit Books (www.avery-cates.com) and the Ustari Cycle series of urban fantasy novels. His short story “Ringing the Changes” was selected for inclusion in Best American Mystery Stories 2006, his story “Sift, Almost Invisible, Through” appeared in the anthology Crimes by Moonlight edited by Charlaine Harris, and his story “Three Cups of Tea” appeared in the anthology Hanzai Japan. He also writes about books for Barnes and Noble and About.com and about the craft of writing for Writer’s Digest, which will publish his book on the craft of writing Writing Without Rules in 2018. He lives in Hoboken with his wife, The Duchess, and their cats. He considers pants to always be optional.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
September 5, 2010
Wow, what a ride!
In the interest of full disclosure, I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. Secondly, this book is the third book in the Avery Cates series. So, in essence, I was kind of dropped into this world. At first I was confused. I did not understand why this world was the way it was. Another confusing point was the way the story was structured, alternating chapters in Chengara Prison and chapters outside the prison. Once I figured that out, the story came alive for me. I was captivated. I had difficulty putting the book down.
The Eternal Prisontakes place in a bleak world. The world has been devastated by a plague. There are armed skirmishes everywhere. Manhattan is being bombed. Las Vegas is run by the Russians. There doesn’t seem to be any countries. Food is scarce; people rely on n-tabs for nourishment and sometimes they even resort to cannibalism. The yen is the currency used to purchase items. People travel by hover. There are some interesting high tech gadgetry and some very scary weapons.
This is a world where people are augmented, especially the police force. There are vision and auditory augmentations. There are bone strengthening augmentations. Some people are so augmented that they are “more gadget than human.” In fact, most police officers have been made immortal – they are avatars of themselves. "People of interest" are collected and sent to Chengara Prison. Chengara Prison is in the middle of Death Valley. If one should escape, the chances of survival are relatively low because one would die of exposure. At Chengara Prison, peoples’ minds are taken out and stored until they can be put into an avatar or robotic copy of the person.
The story is told from Avery Cates’ point of view. I like his inner dialogue. Avery’s external dialogue is also amusing. I like his perspective of life. Avery is definitely a survivor; he is quick thinking, and he allies himself with some very useful people. The story is told with a sense of humor. It is wry and ironic at times. Avery is a likeable character, and you really are rooting for him as you read.
The story is exciting and each section seems to end in a “No way! I can’t believe it!” cliff hanger. If you like science fiction, dystopian worlds, cyberpunk (a new one for me), you will definitely enjoy this series. I’ve added the rest of the series to my to-read list and I can’t wait to read them all.
In the interest of full disclosure, I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. Secondly, this book is the third book in the Avery Cates series. So, in essence, I was kind of dropped into this world. At first I was confused. I did not understand why this world was the way it was. Another confusing point was the way the story was structured, alternating chapters in Chengara Prison and chapters outside the prison. Once I figured that out, the story came alive for me. I was captivated. I had difficulty putting the book down.
The Eternal Prisontakes place in a bleak world. The world has been devastated by a plague. There are armed skirmishes everywhere. Manhattan is being bombed. Las Vegas is run by the Russians. There doesn’t seem to be any countries. Food is scarce; people rely on n-tabs for nourishment and sometimes they even resort to cannibalism. The yen is the currency used to purchase items. People travel by hover. There are some interesting high tech gadgetry and some very scary weapons.
This is a world where people are augmented, especially the police force. There are vision and auditory augmentations. There are bone strengthening augmentations. Some people are so augmented that they are “more gadget than human.” In fact, most police officers have been made immortal – they are avatars of themselves. "People of interest" are collected and sent to Chengara Prison. Chengara Prison is in the middle of Death Valley. If one should escape, the chances of survival are relatively low because one would die of exposure. At Chengara Prison, peoples’ minds are taken out and stored until they can be put into an avatar or robotic copy of the person.
The story is told from Avery Cates’ point of view. I like his inner dialogue. Avery’s external dialogue is also amusing. I like his perspective of life. Avery is definitely a survivor; he is quick thinking, and he allies himself with some very useful people. The story is told with a sense of humor. It is wry and ironic at times. Avery is a likeable character, and you really are rooting for him as you read.
The story is exciting and each section seems to end in a “No way! I can’t believe it!” cliff hanger. If you like science fiction, dystopian worlds, cyberpunk (a new one for me), you will definitely enjoy this series. I’ve added the rest of the series to my to-read list and I can’t wait to read them all.
November 24, 2011
If you'd told me before I started reading this series that I would actually come to love it a little bit, I don't think I would have believed you. Cyberpunk is so not my thing. And yet, what can I say? I kind of love Avery Cates, and I kind of love Jeff Somers.
The gun battles, of course, remain one of Somers' huge strengths, but I also love his insanely convoluted plotlines that somehow all come together in the end. Sort of. His characters are almost all self-serving, snarky assholes that you somehow develop a certain affection for despite their lack of pretty much any redeeming qualities. And I love that when he bounces you back and forth between times and locations from one chapter to the next, he doesn't pander to those not paying attention by adding little bylines to tell you where you are now. He just works something into the first paragraph or so that, provided that you are in fact paying attention, clues you in to where you are. (He is also considerate enough to consistently alternate between only two such settings so that even without the clues, one should be bright enough to pick up on the pattern after a few chapters, but anyway.)
The upshot is that these books are not deep, and I have nothing insightful to say about them, but as long as he continues to write them, I expect that I will continue to read and thoroughly enjoy them.
The gun battles, of course, remain one of Somers' huge strengths, but I also love his insanely convoluted plotlines that somehow all come together in the end. Sort of. His characters are almost all self-serving, snarky assholes that you somehow develop a certain affection for despite their lack of pretty much any redeeming qualities. And I love that when he bounces you back and forth between times and locations from one chapter to the next, he doesn't pander to those not paying attention by adding little bylines to tell you where you are now. He just works something into the first paragraph or so that, provided that you are in fact paying attention, clues you in to where you are. (He is also considerate enough to consistently alternate between only two such settings so that even without the clues, one should be bright enough to pick up on the pattern after a few chapters, but anyway.)
The upshot is that these books are not deep, and I have nothing insightful to say about them, but as long as he continues to write them, I expect that I will continue to read and thoroughly enjoy them.
November 24, 2022
Did not hook me and keep me engaged quite like the first two. I will have to re-read since it's been a few years and I would like to finish the series.
February 25, 2022
2.5/5
There is a decent Avery Cates story in here but the book throws itself in so many abortive directions that it's ultimately a mess.
There is a decent Avery Cates story in here but the book throws itself in so many abortive directions that it's ultimately a mess.
December 16, 2018
Loved it, never boring, anti hero hero.
Want to read
July 19, 2020elibrary
December 30, 2010
After reading THE ELECTRIC CHURCH and THE DIGITAL PLAGUE I couldn't wait to get stuck into the third book in this series. This is one seriously dark and awesome world. It's very bleak and dangerous, plus Avery isn't exactly a good guy, but you still can't help but like him. lol.
Avery Cates is a gunner. He's also an old man who's been through a lot in his life. Well, okay, he's really not that old, but in his world youth is already considered a long life, so you can understand how someone several decades older would be viewed. He's pretty much reached his limit, and seems ready to just give up and relax for a while. Let someone else take up the fight.
This book was a trippy read that I really enjoyed making way through.
The story starts out simple enough, with Avery on his knees and bound by a System Pig. Then he's in Las Vegas stalking a Russian, before signing himself up for some serious trouble when he agrees to track down and kill Director Dick Marin. That sounds simple enough, doesn't it? But soon, I was taken back to Avery's stint in the worst prison in the world--Chengara. A place where People of Interest are dumped, and eventually processed. Which, ah, means that they disappear.
So, two different stories seem to be going on--one in the present and one in the past, to let you know exactly how Avery got to The Star. Of course, after that happens, everything got spun around and I kept thinking: what the hell is going on? In a good way, of course. I don't want to go into it too deeply because I'll give everything away, and trust me, the twists, turns, and surprises are definitely worth it. And a lot of things get answered about Avery's very peculiar behavior and how he can be in two places at once.
This cyberpunk-noir nightmarish world is so bleak and horrible that you just can't help but cringe at the horrid state of it. Everything's collapsing and a war between the SSF and the army is making everything worse. As if the digital plague didn't wipe out enough of the population. Poor Avery goes through hell, and is pushed to his physical limits so many times that you just can't help but feel bad for him and wish he could have a holiday already. He's also forced to place his trust in a variety of very colorful lowlives--one of whom betrays him severely, and changes the path of his life--as well as cops.
The Eternal Prison is as gritty as it gets. It's another full-throttle, action-packed, violent romp filled with unpredictable situations, the expected attitude, and more explosions. Not to mention a sick and twisted plan--that's much worse than the Monks--by one corrupt individual who wants to take over the world. Or at least, he wants to replace everyone in it.
This is a series that I don't think I'll ever get sick of reading. I love that it's so darn clever and well-planned. I love that little hints were constantly dropped like bread crumbs that don't seem to matter but then turn out to be vital to finding your way out of the labyrinth. And it just doesn't rest until the very end.
Every book makes matters worse than the one before, and I can't help but wonder if Jeff Somers has any clear vision of an end to Avery's series... I hope he doesn't, because I'm hooked. Bring on the next one!
Avery Cates is a gunner. He's also an old man who's been through a lot in his life. Well, okay, he's really not that old, but in his world youth is already considered a long life, so you can understand how someone several decades older would be viewed. He's pretty much reached his limit, and seems ready to just give up and relax for a while. Let someone else take up the fight.
This book was a trippy read that I really enjoyed making way through.
The story starts out simple enough, with Avery on his knees and bound by a System Pig. Then he's in Las Vegas stalking a Russian, before signing himself up for some serious trouble when he agrees to track down and kill Director Dick Marin. That sounds simple enough, doesn't it? But soon, I was taken back to Avery's stint in the worst prison in the world--Chengara. A place where People of Interest are dumped, and eventually processed. Which, ah, means that they disappear.
So, two different stories seem to be going on--one in the present and one in the past, to let you know exactly how Avery got to The Star. Of course, after that happens, everything got spun around and I kept thinking: what the hell is going on? In a good way, of course. I don't want to go into it too deeply because I'll give everything away, and trust me, the twists, turns, and surprises are definitely worth it. And a lot of things get answered about Avery's very peculiar behavior and how he can be in two places at once.
This cyberpunk-noir nightmarish world is so bleak and horrible that you just can't help but cringe at the horrid state of it. Everything's collapsing and a war between the SSF and the army is making everything worse. As if the digital plague didn't wipe out enough of the population. Poor Avery goes through hell, and is pushed to his physical limits so many times that you just can't help but feel bad for him and wish he could have a holiday already. He's also forced to place his trust in a variety of very colorful lowlives--one of whom betrays him severely, and changes the path of his life--as well as cops.
The Eternal Prison is as gritty as it gets. It's another full-throttle, action-packed, violent romp filled with unpredictable situations, the expected attitude, and more explosions. Not to mention a sick and twisted plan--that's much worse than the Monks--by one corrupt individual who wants to take over the world. Or at least, he wants to replace everyone in it.
This is a series that I don't think I'll ever get sick of reading. I love that it's so darn clever and well-planned. I love that little hints were constantly dropped like bread crumbs that don't seem to matter but then turn out to be vital to finding your way out of the labyrinth. And it just doesn't rest until the very end.
Every book makes matters worse than the one before, and I can't help but wonder if Jeff Somers has any clear vision of an end to Avery's series... I hope he doesn't, because I'm hooked. Bring on the next one!
November 12, 2011
This 3rd book in the Avery Cates series is perhaps the best so far. While The Digital Plague felt like it was just a retelling of The Electric Church, Jeff Somers has taken a different direction with this one. I've compared this character before to Robert E. Howard's Conan and I think the comparison holds up. Both are incredibly grim and violent men with a rough sense of honour and justice. They both rampage through their stories with contempt for or trying to destroy their civilization, and while they are more than capable of killing ordinary enemies, it's when they're put up against the supernatural monsters that lay at the heart of their stories that they really shine. Jeff Somers world is a cyberpunk world of high-tech, cyborgs, dystopia, martial law, and artificial intelligence, all in an advanced state of decay. It starts off with Avery Cates as a broken man, completely defeated without even the will to live anymore as he's rounded up by the SSF system cops and sent to a hellish prison to stay in limbo. This is told through flashbacks alongside another narrative of the present day Avery Cates, who is whole again and on a mission, killing his way to his goal. He manages to complicate the plot just enough to make it interesting but not enough to be convoluted and pointless. The whole story is so over-the-top, nihilistic and bloody that it takes the single-minded and humourless Avery to make it believable. "... the walls leaked like a gutshot wound." This kind of exposition is typical and so so SO delicious, I loved every minute of it. Somers's Act 3 takes off in a different direction, and ends in a pyrrhic victory (like The Empire Strikes Back ends in a pyrrhic victory). This is an amazing pulp-story. It's fast-paced, un-sophisticated and direct. It's only science-fiction so far as the science pops its head up like a mole to be smashed into bits. I highly recommend this book to sci-fi fans who aren't bothered by brutal violence and nihilism, and especially to young men who normally don't like books because they're 'boring'. You can read it as a stand-alone story but it's worth starting out the series with The Electric Church which also very good.
December 22, 2015
Picks up where the last book left off, and Avery Cates goes straight to prison. Once again he gets caught up in plot for world domination. In Book 1 it was a madman trying to make the world into mind controlled cyborgs. In Book 2 it was a madman trying to make the world into mind controlled zombies. Now, in Book 3, a madman is trying to make the world into mind controlled androids. And Cates is again hired by his 2nd worst enemy to kill his first worst enemy.
Book starts off with alternating chapters, with Cates in prison and some time later with him out of prison back at work. Two new major characters are introduced and Cates ends up working for both of them separately against each other. I don't think I'm giving away any spoilers revealing that he escapes from prison and that it goes badly. It always does.
The 2nd part of the book drops the alternating chapter thing and it's a little jarring trying to figure out where we are in the timeline. A major plot item which I won't reveal makes this more difficult than normal. The target we've been after for the whole first part of the book is abandoned and a new target is given priority. Lots of killing ensues.
Throughout the book Cates' physical state continues to deteriorate. He's a wreck. Events in the book make his mental state questionable as well, thanks to Dick Marin. His State Police are now at war with a new army raised by the Council. The world is in civil war, whole cities being razed. Cates doesn't much care because he's busy with revenge.
Cates gets some new friends and he's much better with people around him. He also is starting to admit to the lie that he has any real morals. He is realizing that people he meets die, and only some of them die by his decision. Just being near him is bad for your health.
Good book, easy read. Enjoyable violence, with two major plot reveals that I didn't see coming, one in the middle and one in the very last sentence.
Book starts off with alternating chapters, with Cates in prison and some time later with him out of prison back at work. Two new major characters are introduced and Cates ends up working for both of them separately against each other. I don't think I'm giving away any spoilers revealing that he escapes from prison and that it goes badly. It always does.
The 2nd part of the book drops the alternating chapter thing and it's a little jarring trying to figure out where we are in the timeline. A major plot item which I won't reveal makes this more difficult than normal. The target we've been after for the whole first part of the book is abandoned and a new target is given priority. Lots of killing ensues.
Throughout the book Cates' physical state continues to deteriorate. He's a wreck. Events in the book make his mental state questionable as well, thanks to Dick Marin. His State Police are now at war with a new army raised by the Council. The world is in civil war, whole cities being razed. Cates doesn't much care because he's busy with revenge.
Cates gets some new friends and he's much better with people around him. He also is starting to admit to the lie that he has any real morals. He is realizing that people he meets die, and only some of them die by his decision. Just being near him is bad for your health.
Good book, easy read. Enjoyable violence, with two major plot reveals that I didn't see coming, one in the middle and one in the very last sentence.
September 2, 2014
I don't know what happened, but I loved the first two books in this four book series, so I was excited to pick this one up. And then I got bored. And put it down. That was three months ago. Every time I've picked it up to continue, I just would get aggravated with the protagonist, Avery Cates, and put the book back down. Cates is a gunner in a dystopian futuristic nightmare world and, in his forties, he's considered old. In the first two books, he lived through some mind boggling events, so it's hard to imagine topping those. I guess that's part of the author's problem here. The book is divided into Before and Present chapters, which can get terribly confusing at times. He's sent to a super prison where they do mind wipes. That's in the past, so you know he survives it. In the present, he's after the super bad guy, Marin. Here's the thing that really got to me. In each book, ancient Cates always complains about how damn tired he feels. He feels exhausted. He feels so tired. He just wants to give up and let them kill him. Wouldn't it be nice to just die, he's so damn tired? Oh my God! Kill me now! It got so freakin' old to read that, I wanted him to commit suicide just to end my agony. Quit your damn bitching, you whining bitch! Enough! God, you're only 40. Quit behaving like an 80 year old. This ticked me off so much that I just couldn't finish the book. And I bought the fourth and final one when I got this one. Now I'm not sure if I'll read it or not. Maybe I'll give it a try, but the first time I read him whining about being tired, I'm going to burn the damn book!
August 22, 2010
This being the 3rd installment of the Avery Cates series I was a bit worried about not having read any of the other Avery Cates books. "The Eternal Prison" stands on it's own but there are references to characters and events of the past. So reading them in order may be a good idea but not necessary.
Jeff Somers creates a future world where humans are still corrupt and violent and fighting for power, and technology has advanced with scary realism. Where people get their brains digitized and uploaded into avatars and humans get augments to became part machine.
Avery Cates is a gunner (gun for hire), he's great character that you can't help but like and pull for, he's a survivor. In a fight you would want him on your side (and he is usually in a fight).
Jeff Somers is an intelligent and entertaining writer that will keep you flipping pages. I will be reading the rest of the Cates series and I recommend that you do too.
The only note of caution would be language, there is a lot of foul language but the characters would be less real without it.
Jeff Somers creates a future world where humans are still corrupt and violent and fighting for power, and technology has advanced with scary realism. Where people get their brains digitized and uploaded into avatars and humans get augments to became part machine.
Avery Cates is a gunner (gun for hire), he's great character that you can't help but like and pull for, he's a survivor. In a fight you would want him on your side (and he is usually in a fight).
Jeff Somers is an intelligent and entertaining writer that will keep you flipping pages. I will be reading the rest of the Cates series and I recommend that you do too.
The only note of caution would be language, there is a lot of foul language but the characters would be less real without it.
January 22, 2010
The "Eternal Prison" is the third book in a series by author Jeff Somers. I have read Somers previous 2 books and have become a big fan of his. In this third book he keeps doing what i love in the first to books tell a story with lots of action and interesting plot twists. The cyber-punk , apocalyptic world that he writes in, may be a turn for some, but please don't let that be. What we have here is fast pace action book that takes you to many places. Unfortunately it is probably the speed of the book that prevents me from awarding this book 5 stars. There were a couple place where I felt lost and confused. things were happening to fast that I had to reread some pages to to figure out were I was. Luckily these places are few and far between. What makes this boo deserve the full four stars is the plot twists that the author puts in. It makes this an exciting and interesting read.
August 31, 2011
This was a tasty read indeed. I was a little confused in the first 100 pages, because Cates was in two places at the same time, and then it totally became clear and I sort of kicked myself for not seeing it earlier (probably all a ploy by Mr Somers). I have to admit though, I love Avery Cates He is one of the coolest protagonists in modern SF lit and I really like the way he does things throughout the book. I have already picked up the last 2 books from the library and plan on bursting through those ASAP. Being a big SF fan, I have to take my hat off to Jeff Somers. He has really created a world where things are all doom and gloom, and a character who fights through the muck to see some sort of silver lining (even thought that silver lining is pretty muddied). I wouldn't want to live in Somers' world, but I have to give him props for making me think and showing me a Earth that is probably not too far off from coming true, god help us.
January 19, 2016
This book was amazing. Easily one of the best gritty cyberpunk novels I've read. The funny thing is, I don't remember being that impressed with the first two books in the series. Either the author really stepped it up for the finale or I must not have been in the right frame of mind to appreciate the earlier titles. Makes me want to go back and re-read them now.
Avery Cates, the anti-hero, is the perfect balance of aging bad-ass, smart-ass, jack-ass, and secret goody-two-shoes. The supporting characters are all well-rendered and memorable. The dystopian setting, while nothing new, feels very real--at times, even uncomfortably so.
All things considered, the writing is really the star. The dialogue was near-perfect, each voice distinct and believable. The description was never overdone or too vague, with just enough focus on the right kind of detail to set the tone. It was smart, funny, disturbing, and action-packed--just the way I like them. Bravo, Mr. Somers!
Avery Cates, the anti-hero, is the perfect balance of aging bad-ass, smart-ass, jack-ass, and secret goody-two-shoes. The supporting characters are all well-rendered and memorable. The dystopian setting, while nothing new, feels very real--at times, even uncomfortably so.
All things considered, the writing is really the star. The dialogue was near-perfect, each voice distinct and believable. The description was never overdone or too vague, with just enough focus on the right kind of detail to set the tone. It was smart, funny, disturbing, and action-packed--just the way I like them. Bravo, Mr. Somers!
November 15, 2010
This book really took me for a ride, as it was very action packed and mind blowing. Near the middle, it got really interesting with who was telling the story, because it always seems to be two people(which are the same person), and then when those two people met, a huge plot twist unfolds. Every page turn brought another joke/action scene/plot twist. This book also went at just the right pace of time, even if it was slightly confusing who was dead and alive at what times and whatnot. I highly recommend this book to any si-fi fans. It may not be about zombies... or vampires... but it has all the action and suspense as any zombie apocalypse. Another good thing about this book is that it doesn't need you to read the previous stories in the series as it doesn't refer back to them as much, even though I highly recommend reading the whole series!
May 31, 2015
The third in @jeffereysomers Avery Cates series, some of the reviews I'd read said that this was one of the slower books and that it had suffered as a result. I disagree. I found myself being tricked into a number of presumptions which were later proved to be incorrect, and some of the twists were brilliant - foreshadowed early on, immediately debunked with an entirely plausible reason, then later coming to completion in a way which impressed me to the point where I couldn't help but smile with the ingenuity of it all.
There is a level of completion at this stage, which makes me feel like I've come to a reasonably satisfying end of a trilogy - however, having the last two books on my shelves at home already, and with the scope of the world Somers has built over the past three books - I will absolutely be continuing with this series.
There is a level of completion at this stage, which makes me feel like I've come to a reasonably satisfying end of a trilogy - however, having the last two books on my shelves at home already, and with the scope of the world Somers has built over the past three books - I will absolutely be continuing with this series.
August 23, 2010
Disclaimer: This is the first Avery Cates book I have ever read and I just happened to pick up a book right smack dab in the middle of the series. This being the case, I was utterly confused for the first 150 pages of the novel... I had no idea what was going on, who the characters were, what the author was talking about, but as I read on, I realized this was more my fault than the author's fault. I'm sure if I had read the other novels (which I will definitely read now), it wouldn't have taken me so long to figure things out. That being said, once I kinda figured out who was who and what was going on, this book was great... lots of action and adventure, lots of drama. Needless to say, I will be picking up the other Avery Cates novels in the not so distant future.
June 29, 2015
Before I say anything, I want people to know that "The Electric Church" (the first book) was a pretty decent book. Read that.
Jesus Christ. I mean I'm OK with lowbrow reading but seriously this might be the worse book I've ever read. I barely managed to finish it only because I wanted to finish up the trilogy.
The whole thing was over-the-top. Stupid. Predictable. Uncreative. It took all the flaws of the first book, that could be overlooked because of the cool story, because of the novelty of the ideas, and expanded them until the words on each page became a very long organized vomit stain.
While reading in school, I sometimes would have to hide the name of the chapters because of how idiotic they were.
Jesus Christ. I mean I'm OK with lowbrow reading but seriously this might be the worse book I've ever read. I barely managed to finish it only because I wanted to finish up the trilogy.
The whole thing was over-the-top. Stupid. Predictable. Uncreative. It took all the flaws of the first book, that could be overlooked because of the cool story, because of the novelty of the ideas, and expanded them until the words on each page became a very long organized vomit stain.
While reading in school, I sometimes would have to hide the name of the chapters because of how idiotic they were.
February 8, 2017
Despite having problems with Printing errors and having to reorder the book this book was really good. Somers keeps getting better and better as this series goes on. He has a style that pulls all the best from Cyberpunk genre and the noir detective. It makes for great action and a story that demands that you keep turning pages.
April 10, 2012
OMG!!!!! It finally came out! This is my FAVORITE unheard of new series.
OK, so half way through I was like "I'm sick of Avery Cates, he's starting to suck." Then about 3/4 through I was like "HOLY OMFG! Jeff Somers is an EF-ing Genius!" I had to read it twice in a row just to make sure I understood all the gnarly twists and turns; Nice!
Yes, he pulls some epic mind-fucks in this one and if I'm not mistaken Somers is truely getting better and better with each book. A few ideas from Gibson's books seep into this one, but you can't blame Somers and he does it with style.
Can't wait for the next volume:The Terminal State
OK, so half way through I was like "I'm sick of Avery Cates, he's starting to suck." Then about 3/4 through I was like "HOLY OMFG! Jeff Somers is an EF-ing Genius!" I had to read it twice in a row just to make sure I understood all the gnarly twists and turns; Nice!
Yes, he pulls some epic mind-fucks in this one and if I'm not mistaken Somers is truely getting better and better with each book. A few ideas from Gibson's books seep into this one, but you can't blame Somers and he does it with style.
Can't wait for the next volume:The Terminal State
November 7, 2010
This third volume in the saga of the Gweat and Tewwible Avery Cates is non-stop action from beginning to end. Amazingly enough, this series just keeps getting better and better. (However, the books do need to be read in order for most enjoyment. The first two books, The Electric Church and The Digital Plague are also fantastic and well worth a read.)
This series follows the Gunner Avery Cates as he kills his way through all of his problems in a disturbingly bleak future history. Lots of dark humor, and plenty of bullets flying keeps the reader riveted to the story. This is one of the best science fiction/action series out there.
This series follows the Gunner Avery Cates as he kills his way through all of his problems in a disturbingly bleak future history. Lots of dark humor, and plenty of bullets flying keeps the reader riveted to the story. This is one of the best science fiction/action series out there.
August 6, 2010
A good little read, the protagonist is kept very busy in a dystopia made up of post plague environment and the melding of human and electronic forms. He is a typical anti hero, a gunner or hit man who finds himself at the center of world events as a tool to be used by opposing factions.
The author is not breaking any new ground here, neither in the main character, though well fleshed out including the supporting cast of characters, I like his ability to create beliveable people nor in his world or technology. What I like is that although not groundbreaking, it is a good fun read. The story moved along, the characters were engaging and the plot had enough bones to keep your interest.
The author is not breaking any new ground here, neither in the main character, though well fleshed out including the supporting cast of characters, I like his ability to create beliveable people nor in his world or technology. What I like is that although not groundbreaking, it is a good fun read. The story moved along, the characters were engaging and the plot had enough bones to keep your interest.
August 15, 2014
Avery Cates life gets even MORE difficult in the 3rd book of the series. Between almost dying, not really understanding all the forces at work in the world, and the lack of communication and technology as the wars progress this is one of those darkish books that never really lightens. Survival against all odds seems the best the hero can do and there's really no sunset left to ride off into. Reminds me a little of Thomas Covenant, although there some graveyard humor here that the TC series never really explores. The books are well paced, the characters interesting, the science fun-recommended for those who like their Sci Fi dystopic and fans of noir.
March 19, 2012
Avery Cates is an 'Very Fucking Important Person' and while in prison is digital copied and an AI clone is made, but it was interrupted so Avery llives and he and his drone aren't quite right. Avery can now here the 'minds' of the digitazed before him. His mission takes him after Dick Marin itself, the head computer mainframe, in Moscow which is now a city of cannibals. It's good, but it's gotten old. Sommers needs to freshen the series up already because Cates is getting predictable and the missions are old and border on boring.
September 13, 2012
This was the third book in the series, so I started without knowing anything about the world or the main character's history. There were several times during the first half of the book when I wondered why the heck I was bothering with it, but once I hit that half way mark and figured out where the author was going it drew me in. The main character Avery Cates is likable, and the story was entertaining enough that I'll go back and read the first book in the series The Electric Church. It was a fun cyberpunky story.
September 10, 2013
By the third book in this series you know what to expect. Or at least you know the rhythm of the books and you know what thats OK. I like Avery Cates novels there not great literature but they are a ton of fun. Mr Cates gets into impossible situations, gets beat to an inch of his life then somehow escapes and gets into a worse position than the one before, which usually is hard to imagine before it happens. The novels are just fun. If you like the others you will like this one. Just dont let this be your first book in the series since you will miss a ton of references and innuendos.
August 7, 2010
The third Avery Cates novel, this one seems more expansive and intricate than The Electric Church and The Digital Plague. I've not been a fan of cyberpunk (if that is an apt category for these books), but this series grabbed me early in EC and this latest book solidified my appreciation of Somers' work. The fourth in the series has just been released and I'm anxiously awaiting the digital version.
October 16, 2010
I won this book thru Library thing and I have never read anything by this author. I always hate that I am picking up on something that is #3 in the series. I am not a fan of science fiction anyways and I found in certain parts of the book, I felt lost. I think this book is more geared towards men who like the sci-fi adventure novels. The language is a bit strong more for mature audiences. All in all, a good book to win a copy.
August 17, 2010
I was lucky enough to receive this book thru goodreads giveaway program. YEAH!! This is a new author for me and even though I hadn't read the first 2 books in the series I felt I could follow the story well enough but you can bet that I will pick up the first 2 books so I can see how everything evolved and also I can't wait to read the newest in the series. This book hooks you on the first page and keeps you wanting to find out what will happen next with Avery Cates. So I am hooked!!
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