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Operation Galton #3
Megacity
The UK's new megacities: contented citizens relieved of the financial burden of home ownership, living in eco-friendly communities. Total surveillance has all but wiped out crime, and biometric sensor implants detect illness before symptoms are apparent.
That's the hype. Scratch the surface, and darker stories emerge.
Tara is offered the chance to become a princess amongst media influencers—as long as she keeps quiet and does as she's told.
Aileen uproots to the megacity with some reluctance, but none of her misgivings prepare her for the situation she will face: a mother's worst nightmare.
Radar has survived gang rule in group homes for the homeless, prison and bereavement, and jumps at the chance to live a 'normal' life. But at what cost?
For all three, the price of living in a megacity may prove too high.
Megacity is the third and final book in the dystopian Operation Galton trilogy, and is Terry Tyler's twenty-third publication.
'As long as some of us refuse to live as they demand, we are not yet beaten. That's how we do it. That's how we win.'
That's the hype. Scratch the surface, and darker stories emerge.
Tara is offered the chance to become a princess amongst media influencers—as long as she keeps quiet and does as she's told.
Aileen uproots to the megacity with some reluctance, but none of her misgivings prepare her for the situation she will face: a mother's worst nightmare.
Radar has survived gang rule in group homes for the homeless, prison and bereavement, and jumps at the chance to live a 'normal' life. But at what cost?
For all three, the price of living in a megacity may prove too high.
Megacity is the third and final book in the dystopian Operation Galton trilogy, and is Terry Tyler's twenty-third publication.
'As long as some of us refuse to live as they demand, we are not yet beaten. That's how we do it. That's how we win.'
408 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 14, 2021
2 people are currently reading
11 people want to read
About the author
Terry Tyler
34 books584 followersI am self-published with thirty books on Amazon. Most recently I've published the first two books in my Revenge series, Served Cold and So Shall Ye Reap. More to come!
Other recent releases include Safe Zone, a dystopian/post-apocalyptic thriller. It follows on from the SFV-1 series (Infected, Darkness and Reset), but is completely stand-alone, so can be read as a story within itself.
I love watching and reading anything to do with history, post apocalypse, dystopian scenarios, anthropology, mountaineering and polar exploration. Big Walking Dead fan.
Favourite writers: Gemma Lawrence, Kate Mary, Blake Crouch, Deborah Swift, Carol Hedges, Douglas Kennedy, John Boyne, Deborah Moggach, Judith Arnopp, Jon Krakauer, Phillipa Gregory, John Privilege, Zeb Haradon, Dylan Morgan, Kate Atkinson, Norah Lofts, Dorothy Parker, Bill Bryson, PJ O'Rourke, Ann Swinfen, Keith Blackmore, Frank Tayell.
Other recent releases include Safe Zone, a dystopian/post-apocalyptic thriller. It follows on from the SFV-1 series (Infected, Darkness and Reset), but is completely stand-alone, so can be read as a story within itself.
I love watching and reading anything to do with history, post apocalypse, dystopian scenarios, anthropology, mountaineering and polar exploration. Big Walking Dead fan.
Favourite writers: Gemma Lawrence, Kate Mary, Blake Crouch, Deborah Swift, Carol Hedges, Douglas Kennedy, John Boyne, Deborah Moggach, Judith Arnopp, Jon Krakauer, Phillipa Gregory, John Privilege, Zeb Haradon, Dylan Morgan, Kate Atkinson, Norah Lofts, Dorothy Parker, Bill Bryson, PJ O'Rourke, Ann Swinfen, Keith Blackmore, Frank Tayell.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 29, 2021
I knew this was going to be a difficult review for me to write. I’ve been an admirer of Terry Tyler’s work for many years, and I’ve really enjoyed her dystopian books in the Operation Galton series. But because it’s the last in the series, and because I never give spoilers in my reviews, I wasn’t sure what I was going to say without giving away the plot.
But, first, I need to stress that the writing is excellent, as always; the author never fails to tell a great story, never fails to draw the reader in from the beginning.
And there is an especially useful recap of the two previous books, Hope and Wasteland, for those readers who need a reminder of the former stories and characters. I did glance through this, and it is a good prompt. I was glad I was going to meet past characters and to find out what happens to them. And time and again the three stories subtly intertwine to provide an historical background to Megacity.
The settings are described in such depth there is an immediate sense of place. The sinister normality of the megacities vies with the Wastelands, a setting viewed (as are the characters who live there) as ‘the other’. The portrayal of both is instantly evocative and plausible.
Each chapter is told from the different characters’ point of view, and, in that way, it’s easy to become absorbed very quickly with the story of their individual lives. Their lives couldn’t be more different, there is a façade of acceptance most of the time. But underneath there is anger, fear, and frustration. And pain. And loss. Each character is multi-layered, each reveal themselves through their inner dialogue. Thoughts that, with some of the antagonists, is so completely at odds with their spoken dialogue, it reveals their inner depths of corruption. All the facets that humanity is capable of, from empathetic friendship, love and humility to manipulation and complete and unrelenting evil, is shown In this story.
Terry Tyler’s books are usually strongly character led, but in Megacity, the characters and plot are equally centre stage. And powerfully revealed. For me this has to be the most chilling of the series. And yet, ultimately, there are possibilities of hope …
I have no problem in thoroughly recommending Megacity any reader who enjoys dystopian fiction and well told stories.
And, for the author’s writing style, the plot, the satisfying denouement of Operation Galton, i give Megacity a resounding four stars
July 24, 2021
Megacity wraps up Tyler's whole Operation Galton series, and let me tell you, it does so with finesse.
I won't talk about plot here, because I don't want to give any spoilers. Instead I'll tell you why you should buy into her work...
1. The standard of writing is exemplary. Terry Tyler is a highly experienced, indie author who never gets it wrong. Her work is always accessible, and while dystopian fiction is not my favorite genre, I've loved all three from this series.
2. You absolutely DON'T need to read the other two to 'get' this one, though of course I would advise you to do so, because the whole chilling world she has created here feels frighteningly real, almost within touching distance of the age in which we live, and scarily so. The situations and settings, along with the invasive portrayal of modern technology created here will really make you think about the direction in which our modern world seems to be heading.
3. The characters are very believable; the plot is intense; the action, especially in the final 25%, ramps up so hard you won't want to put it down.
Trust me, you will find yourself thinking about aspects of these books long after you finish reading them.
I won't talk about plot here, because I don't want to give any spoilers. Instead I'll tell you why you should buy into her work...
1. The standard of writing is exemplary. Terry Tyler is a highly experienced, indie author who never gets it wrong. Her work is always accessible, and while dystopian fiction is not my favorite genre, I've loved all three from this series.
2. You absolutely DON'T need to read the other two to 'get' this one, though of course I would advise you to do so, because the whole chilling world she has created here feels frighteningly real, almost within touching distance of the age in which we live, and scarily so. The situations and settings, along with the invasive portrayal of modern technology created here will really make you think about the direction in which our modern world seems to be heading.
3. The characters are very believable; the plot is intense; the action, especially in the final 25%, ramps up so hard you won't want to put it down.
Trust me, you will find yourself thinking about aspects of these books long after you finish reading them.
November 20, 2021
I received an ARC copy of this book, which I freely chose to review.
I discovered Terry Tyler’s novels a few years ago and since I read the first novel in her Renova Series (Tipping Point), I have been lucky enough to read everything she has published (or almost). Although she writes in different genres (and, The Visitor, her previous novel, although set in the Renova world was a thriller), it is as if she had picked up some vibes, because she’s been writing dystopian novels, or novels set in dystopian universes recently, although those universes feel uncannily similar to ours (or to how ours might end up being some years down the line). This means that her books are gripping, impossible to put down, and at the same time chilling and very hard to read. There are so many events, topics, trends, behaviours, and attitudes we recognise, that is impossible not to worry about what that might mean for the future of humanity if we take her novels as a warning/prophecy.
This novel is the third (and final? I add the question mark because I know characters and stories often like to challenge their authors and keep demanding their attention, so, who knows?) in the Operation Galton series, and if Project Renova is set in a dystopian world that develops as a result of a deadly virus (of course, there is far more to it than that), Operation Galton, also set in a dystopian but not all that distant future, has the added dread of not being brought on by any catastrophic events, but it seems to develop, almost naturally, from social and political circumstances that are very similar to those happening around us (one might even say that, considering how things have gone these last couple of years, things have gotten worse in our own world). So, be prepared for strong emotions and shocking events, because although readers of the other two books in the series knew terrible things were going on, “you ain’t seen nothing yet”.
The story is divided into four parts, set in chronological order, from 2041 to 2062. While the two first parts cover a decade each, part three recounts the events that take place in the years 2061 and part of 2062, and part 4 is much more focused and tense, covering a much shorter period of time.
As is usual in Tyler’s novels, she does not focus on plot over characters, despite the complexities of the story and the world-building necessary to set the narrative. The descriptions are never overwhelming or heavy with details, and this works well because we see things from the perspective of characters who are either used to the type of world they live in or have far too many things going on in their lives to spend much time obsessing over every little detail. The story is narrated from the point of view of several characters, usually in alternating chapters: a young girl who loses her family in traumatic circumstances and ends up in a Hope Village (Tara); one of the boys she meets there and becomes friends with (Radar); a young woman living off-grid at the beginning of the story who ends up moving to a Megacity with her partner and paying a terrible price for it (Aileen); in part 3 and 4 we meet some other characters who contribute their own thoughts and perspectives (mostly Leah, and fleetingly, Xav, Skylar & Kush); and there are also some chapters from the point of view of the movers and plotters (Jerome, Ezra). Some are in the first person (Tara and Aileen’s), the rest are in the third person but we still get to experience what the character feels, at a little bit of distance (thankfully, in some cases), and there are a couple of chapters that recount what has happened and/or set the scene, also in the third person but omniscient, in this case. There is not a boring moment in the whole novel, but it is true that things accelerate as the narration moves along, and the last two parts will have readers totally engaged, worrying, suffering, and hoping with and for the main characters (and booing at the bad ones as well).
Tara and Aileen, although far from perfect, are genuinely likeable. Tara is tough, a survivor, but has a big heart and is vulnerable at the same time. Aileen has to cope with plenty of losses and heartache, and, worst of all, lies and continuous disappointments. If Tara’s circumstances throughout her life mark her as pretty unique (although some of her experiences are, unfortunately, not as uncommon as we’d like to believe), Aileen is a character easy to identify with, and they are both extremely relatable. Radar, whom we meet as a young boy, bullied and abused, does anything he feels he needs to do in order to survive, but he is far more complex than others give him credit for. I am trying to avoid spoilers, so I won’t go into much detail, although I must confess that I usually prefer baddies with a degree of complexity and ambiguity (because good and evil are not always, if ever, clear cut) and that is not the case here, but it is true that it makes for a “slightly” more reassuring story.
I have already said that there are many elements and events in this series that are eerily similar to things and trends happening today: the dominance of social media, the manipulation of politics by big money and powerful corporations, the rise of authoritarian and populist discourses, fake news, conspiracy theories... and subjects that also appear in the story and are not necessarily characteristic of dystopian novels, but are also very present in our lives: bullying, poverty, unequal access to jobs, education, and healthcare, sexual harassment, violence and abuse, drug use, peer pressure, complex family relationships... It is impossible to read this book (and the whole series) without thinking how easy it would be for things such as those to happen, and how there are many different ways to interpret or evaluate the same events, depending on your perspective. What might be a clear conspiracy theory for some, with no logical basis, might be a cry for freedom and independent thinking for others, and the difference might be impossible to tell when the atmosphere is one of mistrust and suspicion all around.
You’ve probably guessed by now that I’m going to recommend this novel and the whole series. You would be right. The author does include a link at the beginning of the book for people who have read the other two books a while back (or those who haven’t read them) to a brief summary of the previous two books, so, in theory it would be possible for somebody who hasn’t read the other two books to read this book first, although I wouldn’t recommend it. I am sure people would enjoy the book and get a general sense of what had gone on, but the three books work well together and fit in like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, building up a clearer and more complete and global picture if read in the right order. There are also some characters who have appeared in previous novels who either make an appearance or are referred to, but even without that, because each one of the books focuses on a part of the whole project to create a new world order (and we get to experience it from a vantage point of view each time), the story moves naturally and evolves throughout the three books, so yes, do read it, but make sure you read the other two books first. You will enjoy a great story, with compelling characters you will be able to identify with, well-written and bound to make you think.
There is violence, some pretty extreme events take place, and as I’ve mentioned some of the subjects discussed, people who know they are bound to be badly affected by any of those would do well to avoid it. For those who like to get some idea of what the ending is like, let’s say that most matters are settled satisfactorily (personally, I felt this was perhaps a bit too fast and relatively smooth, considering everything that had gone on), although some are left open to the reader’s imagination, and the book ends up in a fairly hopeful note.
I recommend this book (and the whole Operation Galton series) to anybody who enjoys dystopian novels, and even those who have never read one but appreciate stories well-written, with strong characters, and don’t mind a story set in a near and more-than-a-bit troublesome future that doesn’t stretch too much the imagination. This is not a reassuring read, but it is bound to make readers look at things in a new light. And hope the author is wrong.
I discovered Terry Tyler’s novels a few years ago and since I read the first novel in her Renova Series (Tipping Point), I have been lucky enough to read everything she has published (or almost). Although she writes in different genres (and, The Visitor, her previous novel, although set in the Renova world was a thriller), it is as if she had picked up some vibes, because she’s been writing dystopian novels, or novels set in dystopian universes recently, although those universes feel uncannily similar to ours (or to how ours might end up being some years down the line). This means that her books are gripping, impossible to put down, and at the same time chilling and very hard to read. There are so many events, topics, trends, behaviours, and attitudes we recognise, that is impossible not to worry about what that might mean for the future of humanity if we take her novels as a warning/prophecy.
This novel is the third (and final? I add the question mark because I know characters and stories often like to challenge their authors and keep demanding their attention, so, who knows?) in the Operation Galton series, and if Project Renova is set in a dystopian world that develops as a result of a deadly virus (of course, there is far more to it than that), Operation Galton, also set in a dystopian but not all that distant future, has the added dread of not being brought on by any catastrophic events, but it seems to develop, almost naturally, from social and political circumstances that are very similar to those happening around us (one might even say that, considering how things have gone these last couple of years, things have gotten worse in our own world). So, be prepared for strong emotions and shocking events, because although readers of the other two books in the series knew terrible things were going on, “you ain’t seen nothing yet”.
The story is divided into four parts, set in chronological order, from 2041 to 2062. While the two first parts cover a decade each, part three recounts the events that take place in the years 2061 and part of 2062, and part 4 is much more focused and tense, covering a much shorter period of time.
As is usual in Tyler’s novels, she does not focus on plot over characters, despite the complexities of the story and the world-building necessary to set the narrative. The descriptions are never overwhelming or heavy with details, and this works well because we see things from the perspective of characters who are either used to the type of world they live in or have far too many things going on in their lives to spend much time obsessing over every little detail. The story is narrated from the point of view of several characters, usually in alternating chapters: a young girl who loses her family in traumatic circumstances and ends up in a Hope Village (Tara); one of the boys she meets there and becomes friends with (Radar); a young woman living off-grid at the beginning of the story who ends up moving to a Megacity with her partner and paying a terrible price for it (Aileen); in part 3 and 4 we meet some other characters who contribute their own thoughts and perspectives (mostly Leah, and fleetingly, Xav, Skylar & Kush); and there are also some chapters from the point of view of the movers and plotters (Jerome, Ezra). Some are in the first person (Tara and Aileen’s), the rest are in the third person but we still get to experience what the character feels, at a little bit of distance (thankfully, in some cases), and there are a couple of chapters that recount what has happened and/or set the scene, also in the third person but omniscient, in this case. There is not a boring moment in the whole novel, but it is true that things accelerate as the narration moves along, and the last two parts will have readers totally engaged, worrying, suffering, and hoping with and for the main characters (and booing at the bad ones as well).
Tara and Aileen, although far from perfect, are genuinely likeable. Tara is tough, a survivor, but has a big heart and is vulnerable at the same time. Aileen has to cope with plenty of losses and heartache, and, worst of all, lies and continuous disappointments. If Tara’s circumstances throughout her life mark her as pretty unique (although some of her experiences are, unfortunately, not as uncommon as we’d like to believe), Aileen is a character easy to identify with, and they are both extremely relatable. Radar, whom we meet as a young boy, bullied and abused, does anything he feels he needs to do in order to survive, but he is far more complex than others give him credit for. I am trying to avoid spoilers, so I won’t go into much detail, although I must confess that I usually prefer baddies with a degree of complexity and ambiguity (because good and evil are not always, if ever, clear cut) and that is not the case here, but it is true that it makes for a “slightly” more reassuring story.
I have already said that there are many elements and events in this series that are eerily similar to things and trends happening today: the dominance of social media, the manipulation of politics by big money and powerful corporations, the rise of authoritarian and populist discourses, fake news, conspiracy theories... and subjects that also appear in the story and are not necessarily characteristic of dystopian novels, but are also very present in our lives: bullying, poverty, unequal access to jobs, education, and healthcare, sexual harassment, violence and abuse, drug use, peer pressure, complex family relationships... It is impossible to read this book (and the whole series) without thinking how easy it would be for things such as those to happen, and how there are many different ways to interpret or evaluate the same events, depending on your perspective. What might be a clear conspiracy theory for some, with no logical basis, might be a cry for freedom and independent thinking for others, and the difference might be impossible to tell when the atmosphere is one of mistrust and suspicion all around.
You’ve probably guessed by now that I’m going to recommend this novel and the whole series. You would be right. The author does include a link at the beginning of the book for people who have read the other two books a while back (or those who haven’t read them) to a brief summary of the previous two books, so, in theory it would be possible for somebody who hasn’t read the other two books to read this book first, although I wouldn’t recommend it. I am sure people would enjoy the book and get a general sense of what had gone on, but the three books work well together and fit in like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, building up a clearer and more complete and global picture if read in the right order. There are also some characters who have appeared in previous novels who either make an appearance or are referred to, but even without that, because each one of the books focuses on a part of the whole project to create a new world order (and we get to experience it from a vantage point of view each time), the story moves naturally and evolves throughout the three books, so yes, do read it, but make sure you read the other two books first. You will enjoy a great story, with compelling characters you will be able to identify with, well-written and bound to make you think.
There is violence, some pretty extreme events take place, and as I’ve mentioned some of the subjects discussed, people who know they are bound to be badly affected by any of those would do well to avoid it. For those who like to get some idea of what the ending is like, let’s say that most matters are settled satisfactorily (personally, I felt this was perhaps a bit too fast and relatively smooth, considering everything that had gone on), although some are left open to the reader’s imagination, and the book ends up in a fairly hopeful note.
I recommend this book (and the whole Operation Galton series) to anybody who enjoys dystopian novels, and even those who have never read one but appreciate stories well-written, with strong characters, and don’t mind a story set in a near and more-than-a-bit troublesome future that doesn’t stretch too much the imagination. This is not a reassuring read, but it is bound to make readers look at things in a new light. And hope the author is wrong.
July 13, 2021
First there was hope, then came the wasteland, and out of those the megacities grew. A good proportion of the population have been lured into thinking it’s the way to go…but not everyone was taken in. There were those who still chose to live off grid in self sufficient developments scattered across the countryside.
Tara was eight years old when the men came for her mother and step father. She was given a chance, and she took it, eventually ending up in a Hope Village where she met Radar. They became best friends, and made all sorts of plans for the future, until Tara was offered a life she could only dream of, with promises of visits to see Radar. Meanwhile, when he realised Tara wasn’t coming to visit, Radar did what he had to, it was a matter of survival.
Despite Aileen and Eric’s determination not to leave their village, as the amenities and services disappeared one by one, there wasn’t much choice. They relocated, even though Aileen was uncomfortable with the idea, and had reservations. She was right to have those feelings and eventually found herself in an untenable position over which she had no control.
As always with Terry Tyler’s books, the characters drive the story and are fully realised and convincing, inviting deep sympathy for the predicaments they find themselves in after believing empty promises of a wonderful future. Those in power are ruthless, corrupt and manipulative beyond words. It’s a sobering thought that leaders could virtually do as they liked, make promises they had no intention of keeping, while introducing a different way of life and new technology, and use it all for their own ends.
Chapters are told from the three main characters’ perspectives, and their thoughts bring them and their individual and devastating challenges even more into focus. The settings, wastelands and megacities, are vividly portrayed, giving an immediate sense of place. Megacities with a regimented, monitored way of life as the government suppressed and controlled.
The chilling plot is well thought through, thought provoking, well written and perfectly paced with twists I wasn’t expecting.
Tara was eight years old when the men came for her mother and step father. She was given a chance, and she took it, eventually ending up in a Hope Village where she met Radar. They became best friends, and made all sorts of plans for the future, until Tara was offered a life she could only dream of, with promises of visits to see Radar. Meanwhile, when he realised Tara wasn’t coming to visit, Radar did what he had to, it was a matter of survival.
Despite Aileen and Eric’s determination not to leave their village, as the amenities and services disappeared one by one, there wasn’t much choice. They relocated, even though Aileen was uncomfortable with the idea, and had reservations. She was right to have those feelings and eventually found herself in an untenable position over which she had no control.
As always with Terry Tyler’s books, the characters drive the story and are fully realised and convincing, inviting deep sympathy for the predicaments they find themselves in after believing empty promises of a wonderful future. Those in power are ruthless, corrupt and manipulative beyond words. It’s a sobering thought that leaders could virtually do as they liked, make promises they had no intention of keeping, while introducing a different way of life and new technology, and use it all for their own ends.
Chapters are told from the three main characters’ perspectives, and their thoughts bring them and their individual and devastating challenges even more into focus. The settings, wastelands and megacities, are vividly portrayed, giving an immediate sense of place. Megacities with a regimented, monitored way of life as the government suppressed and controlled.
The chilling plot is well thought through, thought provoking, well written and perfectly paced with twists I wasn’t expecting.
June 21, 2021
The storyline in Megacity covers the years from 2028 till 2068, overlapping events in the previous book Wasteland, and telling us what happened to three new characters, Tara, Aileen and Radar. The wealthy Bettencourt family still own Nutricorp which runs almost all industry and businesses and 90% of the UK population live in state owned stacks in the megacities. Tara has experienced life at all levels, from abject poverty to living in a depressing Hope village for the homeless and then fostering by the glamorous couple, Marilee and Clinton Bettencourt. But when she is 16 she realises that all is not as it seems in the luxurious household and she must start a new life in a C class occupation in the megacity.
Tara’s best friend in the Hope village was Radar, a large strong boy who was devoted to her. She hoped to visit him again but this could not happen. Radar became a survivor, tough and unemotional but he never forgot Tara.
Meanwhile Aileen and her husband Eric are forced to leave their village home for a small flat in the megacity. When Aileen finally achieves her dream of a baby daughter, Eric leaves her & she can no longer afford to work, pay the bills & take care of baby Leah. She must either go to live in a Hope village with Leah or give her up to NPU (non-parental upbringing) until she can afford to get her back.
The events in this novel are, at times, quite horrific, but totally believable. There is no room for individualism, unless you are part of the elite. The state observes everything you do and corrupt leaders manipulate the ordinary people. Thank goodness there is The Link helping some to escape but that too is threatened. It is good to rediscover some characters from the previous book although you could read this as a stand-alone. A story for our times which no longer seems impossible.
Tara’s best friend in the Hope village was Radar, a large strong boy who was devoted to her. She hoped to visit him again but this could not happen. Radar became a survivor, tough and unemotional but he never forgot Tara.
Meanwhile Aileen and her husband Eric are forced to leave their village home for a small flat in the megacity. When Aileen finally achieves her dream of a baby daughter, Eric leaves her & she can no longer afford to work, pay the bills & take care of baby Leah. She must either go to live in a Hope village with Leah or give her up to NPU (non-parental upbringing) until she can afford to get her back.
The events in this novel are, at times, quite horrific, but totally believable. There is no room for individualism, unless you are part of the elite. The state observes everything you do and corrupt leaders manipulate the ordinary people. Thank goodness there is The Link helping some to escape but that too is threatened. It is good to rediscover some characters from the previous book although you could read this as a stand-alone. A story for our times which no longer seems impossible.
July 5, 2021
There is always anticipation when Terry Tyler announces a new release, and having read both Hope and Wasteland, the first two books in the trilogy, Megacity was eagerly awaited.
The author’s version of the future, following a mysterious and fortuitous pandemic, makes for thought provoking reading. The characters Tyler has cleverly crafted could be a member of your family or a neighbour, and it is easy to become invested in their lives and challenges. They are strong and often flawed but most of all they are memorable.
There is little you can do when those in positions of power have narcissistic and psychotic tendencies. They manipulate and deceive from behind a facade that is charming and enviable. Those who have been lied to all their lives and come from desperate living conditions, are perfect prey for these elite, and the price most of them will pay is beyond inhuman.
But there is hope, as those who defy the increasing institutionalisation, and eradication of free will, form groups and networks to spirit some lucky souls to freedom. Away from the technical tethers and government lackeys that watch and monitor every move and emotion in the Megacities. And it is the hope that the author weaves through the story, which keeps you turning page after page as you follow the lives of three victims of the new order.
There are moments when you shudder as you read to what lengths the depraved will go to achieve money and power. There are also times when you weep for the desperate plight of those who blindly accept the promises made offering them a better future. The one thing this book is not short on is emotion.
This is a thriller, a coming of age of a young woman caught up in the evil, affirmation of a mother’s love, the redemption of a lost soul, and the courage of ordinary individuals who are willing to stand up and say ‘No more’.
Although a version of the future that hopefully will never happen, it is a reminder to us all that we need elect the best and most honest leaders. Not an easy task when the public face shown to the world sometimes hides a dangerous truth.
I can highly recommend the trilogy, portraying a very different Britain to the one we are lucky enough to inhabit today.
The author’s version of the future, following a mysterious and fortuitous pandemic, makes for thought provoking reading. The characters Tyler has cleverly crafted could be a member of your family or a neighbour, and it is easy to become invested in their lives and challenges. They are strong and often flawed but most of all they are memorable.
There is little you can do when those in positions of power have narcissistic and psychotic tendencies. They manipulate and deceive from behind a facade that is charming and enviable. Those who have been lied to all their lives and come from desperate living conditions, are perfect prey for these elite, and the price most of them will pay is beyond inhuman.
But there is hope, as those who defy the increasing institutionalisation, and eradication of free will, form groups and networks to spirit some lucky souls to freedom. Away from the technical tethers and government lackeys that watch and monitor every move and emotion in the Megacities. And it is the hope that the author weaves through the story, which keeps you turning page after page as you follow the lives of three victims of the new order.
There are moments when you shudder as you read to what lengths the depraved will go to achieve money and power. There are also times when you weep for the desperate plight of those who blindly accept the promises made offering them a better future. The one thing this book is not short on is emotion.
This is a thriller, a coming of age of a young woman caught up in the evil, affirmation of a mother’s love, the redemption of a lost soul, and the courage of ordinary individuals who are willing to stand up and say ‘No more’.
Although a version of the future that hopefully will never happen, it is a reminder to us all that we need elect the best and most honest leaders. Not an easy task when the public face shown to the world sometimes hides a dangerous truth.
I can highly recommend the trilogy, portraying a very different Britain to the one we are lucky enough to inhabit today.
June 11, 2022
Leave it to me to pick up the last in Terry Tyler’s Galton Trilogy to read first. But no matter, it’s a great stand-alone novel. For your information, the trilogy is named after Frederick Galton, a pioneer of eugenics in the late 19th and early 20th century, which should give you a good idea of the basis of these books.
The book initially revolves around Tara, the daughter of two drug addicts, who, when her parents are killed, runs. Tara had been living in one of the UK’s new mega cities, where citizens no longer own their own homes but live in ecofriendly apartments in buildings called Stacks. With no close relatives, she is eventually sent to one of the many Hope Villages, places outside the cities where people are sent who are homeless, have bucked the system or do not fit into their assigned careers. There she makes friends with Radar, another kid who does not fit in. She is adopted by a very rich and powerful couple, the Bettencourts, who raise her in a life of privilege, until the she discovers her adopted father molests the girls they adopt. She runs away yet again, finding menial jobs until she is discovered as the new face of Nucrop, a company that proclaims it makes healthy foods. She soon becomes a princess of media influencers, as long as she keeps quiet and does what she’s told. She comes to realize that while total surveillance has all but wiped out criminal activity, citizens’ activities and health are being monitored by their implanted biometric sensors.
We are then introduced to Aileen, who is forcibly uprooted to a megacity from the home she and her husband own. Soon after that, despairing of the control exerted by the government, her husband leaves her to live in the Wasteland, where people still live in freedom, although without electricity, running water and food. Without a husband and a job, she has no means of support, and she is forced to surrender her 18 month old daughter to NPU (non-parental upbringing) or go with her to a Hope Village. Aileen chooses NPU as best for her daughter and is then sent to school to learn technology, after which she is parceled out to a series of menial jobs. She is not allowed to see her daughter again, despite continuing assurances to the contrary by NPU.
Radar gets involved in gang rule at the Hope Villages and eventually is sent to jail. When he is released he is given the chance to live a 'normal' life. But in exchange for the loss of his soul.
The author eventually weaves together the lives of Aileen, Tara and Radar in an unexpected way, although knowing Terry’s tremendous strengths as a writer, I never doubted it would happen.
The outcomes of these three disparate lives demonstrate that the price of living in a megacity is too high for those who seek freedom. “'As long as some of us are still living free, they have not yet won. Anyone who refuses to live as they want us to has beaten them. That's how we do it. That's how we win.'” It’s a strong warning.
Wow! What a story! A page-turner for me as I raced to find out what would happen to these three. The sense of dread I felt while reading Megacity was exacerbated by what is happening in many countries right now – the march to an ideology that brooks no dissenters. And imagine my surprise when I discovered Elon Musk is perfecting a brain implant that will “improve are mental processes.” Terry has taken current events and carried them out to a logical conclusion.
Terry is a terrific (and prolific) writer. I’ve enjoyed many of her books, and I highly recommend this one. She is a consummate world builder, in this case one which our grandchildren could come to know, populated by characters with whom we can identify.
The book initially revolves around Tara, the daughter of two drug addicts, who, when her parents are killed, runs. Tara had been living in one of the UK’s new mega cities, where citizens no longer own their own homes but live in ecofriendly apartments in buildings called Stacks. With no close relatives, she is eventually sent to one of the many Hope Villages, places outside the cities where people are sent who are homeless, have bucked the system or do not fit into their assigned careers. There she makes friends with Radar, another kid who does not fit in. She is adopted by a very rich and powerful couple, the Bettencourts, who raise her in a life of privilege, until the she discovers her adopted father molests the girls they adopt. She runs away yet again, finding menial jobs until she is discovered as the new face of Nucrop, a company that proclaims it makes healthy foods. She soon becomes a princess of media influencers, as long as she keeps quiet and does what she’s told. She comes to realize that while total surveillance has all but wiped out criminal activity, citizens’ activities and health are being monitored by their implanted biometric sensors.
We are then introduced to Aileen, who is forcibly uprooted to a megacity from the home she and her husband own. Soon after that, despairing of the control exerted by the government, her husband leaves her to live in the Wasteland, where people still live in freedom, although without electricity, running water and food. Without a husband and a job, she has no means of support, and she is forced to surrender her 18 month old daughter to NPU (non-parental upbringing) or go with her to a Hope Village. Aileen chooses NPU as best for her daughter and is then sent to school to learn technology, after which she is parceled out to a series of menial jobs. She is not allowed to see her daughter again, despite continuing assurances to the contrary by NPU.
Radar gets involved in gang rule at the Hope Villages and eventually is sent to jail. When he is released he is given the chance to live a 'normal' life. But in exchange for the loss of his soul.
The author eventually weaves together the lives of Aileen, Tara and Radar in an unexpected way, although knowing Terry’s tremendous strengths as a writer, I never doubted it would happen.
The outcomes of these three disparate lives demonstrate that the price of living in a megacity is too high for those who seek freedom. “'As long as some of us are still living free, they have not yet won. Anyone who refuses to live as they want us to has beaten them. That's how we do it. That's how we win.'” It’s a strong warning.
Wow! What a story! A page-turner for me as I raced to find out what would happen to these three. The sense of dread I felt while reading Megacity was exacerbated by what is happening in many countries right now – the march to an ideology that brooks no dissenters. And imagine my surprise when I discovered Elon Musk is perfecting a brain implant that will “improve are mental processes.” Terry has taken current events and carried them out to a logical conclusion.
Terry is a terrific (and prolific) writer. I’ve enjoyed many of her books, and I highly recommend this one. She is a consummate world builder, in this case one which our grandchildren could come to know, populated by characters with whom we can identify.
June 28, 2021
As usual with Terry Tyler's books, she has had me totally enthralled by the edge of the seat suspense of her plots and her characters. Megacity follows in the steps of Wasteland, although it is a complete and standalone novel in its own right. As the third book in the series, we are once again taken into the world that could be our future if we aren't careful – a world where England's people are lured into offering up their individual freedom in return for safety, stability and a secure life in one of the new Megacities following the pandemics of the 2020s. Those who resist the chipped existence of a life ruled by technology and social media control are systematically outcast and abandoned, but if this isn't bad enough, there is a much more sinister agenda on the cards, which is revealed in the chilling climax of the book.
The main characters in Megacity are Tara, Aileen, Radar and (eventually) Leah and Xav. I loved Tara for her sassy spunk and her consistent refusal to bend and conform. Raised in a Hope village, she has learnt what real life is like for those who have bucked the system, as has Radar, her childhood friend. But their lives take very different paths: hers is (initially) one of privilege, while his is of survival. Aileen, on the other hand, is a woman fighting her own battles against the system from within the Megacity system, but each character’s story has its own plot. How they are woven together is one of the tremendous strengths of Terry Tyler’s writing.
Megacity has all the adrenaline rush and excitement of a thriller, but it is, like all Terry’s novels, a story built on characters we recognise from real life and with whom we can identify. There is also a strong underlying warning to the book. It's all too easy to believe that new technology and AI are great developments which are there to serve and save us from environmental disaster, but in the wrong hands, the use to which it is put could have a very different outcome.
The main characters in Megacity are Tara, Aileen, Radar and (eventually) Leah and Xav. I loved Tara for her sassy spunk and her consistent refusal to bend and conform. Raised in a Hope village, she has learnt what real life is like for those who have bucked the system, as has Radar, her childhood friend. But their lives take very different paths: hers is (initially) one of privilege, while his is of survival. Aileen, on the other hand, is a woman fighting her own battles against the system from within the Megacity system, but each character’s story has its own plot. How they are woven together is one of the tremendous strengths of Terry Tyler’s writing.
Megacity has all the adrenaline rush and excitement of a thriller, but it is, like all Terry’s novels, a story built on characters we recognise from real life and with whom we can identify. There is also a strong underlying warning to the book. It's all too easy to believe that new technology and AI are great developments which are there to serve and save us from environmental disaster, but in the wrong hands, the use to which it is put could have a very different outcome.
August 17, 2021
I’ve enjoyed the whole Operation Galton series immensely. But, then, I’ve enjoyed every one of Terry Tyler’s books that I’ve read so far.
I found the brief recaps of books 1 and 2 useful because it’s a while since I read those. Also, it was a nice touch that a link to chapter one was provided after the recaps.
This third and final book wrapped up the series nicely and tied off the many threads. The narrative is told from multiple points of view and switches seamlessly between each character. The plot, pacing, and world building were excellently written.
Here are a few lines that impressed me …
‘The man with the kind eyes said, "Run. Now." So I ran. I understood Mum and Shane's world, so I didn't hesitate. You can't leave witnesses. Not even one who is only eight years old.’
And …
‘ 'Anything' had happened now, so I could stop being scared that it was going to.’
And …
‘My skin was crawling so badly it was practically out of the door …’
Operation Galton gives us a too-believable look into the near future. Read this series at your peril … if you dare! Magacity gets a resounding 4 stars from me, which means I’d pull an all-nighter. See my notes on ratings below …
***
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.
I found the brief recaps of books 1 and 2 useful because it’s a while since I read those. Also, it was a nice touch that a link to chapter one was provided after the recaps.
This third and final book wrapped up the series nicely and tied off the many threads. The narrative is told from multiple points of view and switches seamlessly between each character. The plot, pacing, and world building were excellently written.
Here are a few lines that impressed me …
‘The man with the kind eyes said, "Run. Now." So I ran. I understood Mum and Shane's world, so I didn't hesitate. You can't leave witnesses. Not even one who is only eight years old.’
And …
‘ 'Anything' had happened now, so I could stop being scared that it was going to.’
And …
‘My skin was crawling so badly it was practically out of the door …’
Operation Galton gives us a too-believable look into the near future. Read this series at your peril … if you dare! Magacity gets a resounding 4 stars from me, which means I’d pull an all-nighter. See my notes on ratings below …
***
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.
September 2, 2021
I am not generally a big fan of dystopian fiction, but I’ve been gripped by Terry Tyler’s Operation Galton series and was eagerly awaiting the concluding instalment.
The book has its own narrative arc and you could probably read it as a stand-alone, but to fully appreciate all the nuances I recommend you read Hope and Wasteland first. I found the summary of the previous two books helpful as a refresher and once back up to speed I devoured the book over the Bank Holiday weekend.
As ever, this author draws you in via rounded, believable characters and their emotional and ethical dilemmas. I especially liked Radar, who despite being presented “warts and all” was nevertheless likeable. The plot gathered momentum at a solid pace, and I enjoyed the way the characters’ stories wove together for a satisfying conclusion.
On a deeper lever, the series raises some interesting philosophical questions, such as the trade-off between personal autonomy and physical comfort. It also demonstrates that even the most utopian system of government may founder on the corruption of those in charge. As a minor point, I found myself wondering about those who prospered in the Megacity world and feel more insight into their perspective would have been illuminating.
In summary, at a time when many are nervous of authoritarian overreach due to Covid, this was a chilling and thought-provoking read, as well as a compelling story.
The book has its own narrative arc and you could probably read it as a stand-alone, but to fully appreciate all the nuances I recommend you read Hope and Wasteland first. I found the summary of the previous two books helpful as a refresher and once back up to speed I devoured the book over the Bank Holiday weekend.
As ever, this author draws you in via rounded, believable characters and their emotional and ethical dilemmas. I especially liked Radar, who despite being presented “warts and all” was nevertheless likeable. The plot gathered momentum at a solid pace, and I enjoyed the way the characters’ stories wove together for a satisfying conclusion.
On a deeper lever, the series raises some interesting philosophical questions, such as the trade-off between personal autonomy and physical comfort. It also demonstrates that even the most utopian system of government may founder on the corruption of those in charge. As a minor point, I found myself wondering about those who prospered in the Megacity world and feel more insight into their perspective would have been illuminating.
In summary, at a time when many are nervous of authoritarian overreach due to Covid, this was a chilling and thought-provoking read, as well as a compelling story.
July 13, 2021
Darker than dark is this book, a chilling read from page one. Although I don't wish to add spoilers I will say this book, despite being the end of a trilogy, struck me almost as a beginning.
The megacities in the book, the dawning of loss of innocence, the growing understanding that comes to the characters struck me almost as a birth of a new world, as though the megacities were as an "Anti-Eden" or dystopian genesis of a new world where once mankind was living in innocence believing themselves to be in paradise, only to awaken and find they were not, and in fact every part of their lives, and even deaths, were being controlled by outside forces.
This book emphasises the lack of control people have over their lives and choices at every turn when such a controlling and restrictive society exists; the poor have no control over where they live (unless they choose to opt out of main society in the wasteland), women have little control over their own bodies, their children and people in general have little control because they are fed lies, and even the food feeding them is lies; pretending to be nutritious when actually it is not. The only way to gain control is through knowledge, which I think is why this struck me as a book of an Anti-Eden. Mankind escapes this false garden of Eden and the dangerous innocence within it only by gaining true knowledge. In this case, exchanging innocence for knowledge is no bad thing, it may in fact be the only way to survive.
The megacities in the book, the dawning of loss of innocence, the growing understanding that comes to the characters struck me almost as a birth of a new world, as though the megacities were as an "Anti-Eden" or dystopian genesis of a new world where once mankind was living in innocence believing themselves to be in paradise, only to awaken and find they were not, and in fact every part of their lives, and even deaths, were being controlled by outside forces.
This book emphasises the lack of control people have over their lives and choices at every turn when such a controlling and restrictive society exists; the poor have no control over where they live (unless they choose to opt out of main society in the wasteland), women have little control over their own bodies, their children and people in general have little control because they are fed lies, and even the food feeding them is lies; pretending to be nutritious when actually it is not. The only way to gain control is through knowledge, which I think is why this struck me as a book of an Anti-Eden. Mankind escapes this false garden of Eden and the dangerous innocence within it only by gaining true knowledge. In this case, exchanging innocence for knowledge is no bad thing, it may in fact be the only way to survive.
August 18, 2024
Contented citizens live in the new megacities. With the amount of surveillance in place, there is little crime. Fitted with biometric sensors, they know they are ill before symptoms arise. On the other hand every morsel they eat or drink they imbibe is recorded, and noted.
The Bettencourts are back, with more scheming and manipulation behind their hideous plans. And they are truly hideous.
My heart broke for Aileen, Tara and Radar as manipulation after manipulation carved, then changed their lives as they fought against the powers that controlled them. At times this is grim, but the pages turn in breathless anticipation of what you suspect is to come but hope not to read. Top stuff!
I’ve mentioned Tyler’s world-building before, but this time where I say fabulous, read horrifying. And when I tell you how realistic this story is, it means you have to remind yourself this is only a story.
Megacity comes highly recommended, but as with all excellent series, start at the beginning. You can thank me later.
The Bettencourts are back, with more scheming and manipulation behind their hideous plans. And they are truly hideous.
My heart broke for Aileen, Tara and Radar as manipulation after manipulation carved, then changed their lives as they fought against the powers that controlled them. At times this is grim, but the pages turn in breathless anticipation of what you suspect is to come but hope not to read. Top stuff!
I’ve mentioned Tyler’s world-building before, but this time where I say fabulous, read horrifying. And when I tell you how realistic this story is, it means you have to remind yourself this is only a story.
Megacity comes highly recommended, but as with all excellent series, start at the beginning. You can thank me later.
August 12, 2021
Terry Tyler, in her new novel Megacity, paints a bleak picture of the future in the event the government takes complete control of the masses while promising to provide for all of their needs. In the final book of her page-turning Operation Galton trilogy, which depicts a vision of a dystopian society where the elites rule, we find out what becomes of this assorted cast of characters as they try to escape and find freedom. I know it's fiction, but I think it's very relevant these days and I take it as a warning to never give up our liberty, or we're in for a frightening future.
June 24, 2021
A fabulous read!
Terry has a way of making me see the world, as she writes it, and although it’s a hard world and hopefully not the future for us, I do enjoy her books. This was a great final story, tying everything up, and giving me hope for the characters left standing!
Terry has a way of making me see the world, as she writes it, and although it’s a hard world and hopefully not the future for us, I do enjoy her books. This was a great final story, tying everything up, and giving me hope for the characters left standing!
February 8, 2022
I read a digital copy of Megacity.
Megacity is the third and final chapter in the post-apocalyptic, dystopian Operation Galton series, following on from Hope and Wasteland, both of which I read in late 2020. Since it had been a while I was grateful for the quick recaps included for both Hope and Wasteland. Each of these three books are set in the same world, but they would also work as standalone novels. There are occasionally recognisable characters from the other books referred to as legendary heroes or who we now see making a cameo as part of the resistance, but you do not need to know who these characters are to fully enjoy each story.
All Terry Tyler’s books I have read have been completely gripping and Megacity was no different. Split into three separate time frames in a UK of the not too distant future, the terrifying events and lack of control over their own lives and destinies had by the people in this nightmarish dystopia is chilling.
“Operation Galton Phase 3 took place back in 2024: the opening of the Hope Villages, and thus the removal of undesirables from the general population. Phases 4-9, nicknamed the Great Shift, occurred over the next three decades: the transition from property ownership and relative independence, to the tightly controlled megacities.”
Megacity follows the fortunes of three main characters, Tara, a child of druggie alcoholic parents who is ‘saved’ from life in a Hope village and fostered by members of the mega-rich Bettencourt family behind the all-powerful Nutricorp corporation which has the government in their pocket. Tara wants for nothing but soon learns her compliance with the Bettencourts is non-negotiable. Tara was my favourite character – she seemed to grab every opportunity that was offered to her and make the best of whatever was on offer to her. She was not afraid to stick up for herself or question things that seemed a little ‘off’.
Tara’s childhood friend Radar is left behind in one of the hopeless Hope villages and falls in with the wrong crowd, soon becoming a violent gang member in the absence of Tara’s stabilizing influence. There is no way out of the Hope villages for their poverty-stricken inhabitants, unless they earn enough to be able to move out into one of the Megacities where everything is monitored by a personal communication device. His life seems to be on a downward spiral until he ends up in Hope 18 after a stint in prison and becomes one of the warden’s orderlies. Thereafter he finds himself on an upwards trajectory but the high point is a horrific role in an unbelievably barbaric scheme providing entertainment to the mega rich.
Aileen is abandoned by her husband who leaves her and their eighteen month old daughter to escape into the off-grid wasteland. Aileen is left destitute with no hope for decent employment. The system tracks her lack of income, social media conversations, unsuccessful job applications and every payment, and the powers that be are therefore aware that she can only afford to buy food at the cheapest possible places and will not be able to meet her rent very soon. A Social Care Liaison Officer is sent round to visit her and before long she is tricked into signing her daughter over to an NPU (non-parental upbringing) program, supposedly for a short while until she can sort her life out, but months soon turn into years with her daughter failing to recognize her before long. Her life has turned into a nightmare through no fault of her own:
“I wonder if the worst times in your life blur in your memory so that you’re not constantly reliving the anguish, the memory acting as a buffer, so you can move on.”
Aileen’s story is a tragic example of how little influence you would have over your own life when the government and large corporations hold all the cards and are monitoring your every move. Maybe this novel should act as a wake-up call to all who read it:
“We should have prepared for this a year ago, but we didn’t believe it would get this bad. We thought there would always be options, however awkward.”
Each of the characters experiences a slow awakening to the horror and reality of the world they are living in. This awakening occurs over the course of many years and the pace of the first two thirds of the book is fairly slow as we get to know these new characters and discover how things have developed in this world ruled over by the super rich Bettencourt famiy. Finally the hopelessness and despair ramps up until the final quarter of the book, which, as with Terry Tyler’s other books, is all action and completely unputdownable right up until the surprisingly satisfying conclusion! There is always hope and decency to be found among the characters and horrors of Tyler’s stories, no matter how bleak things seem. I highly recommend Megacity.
Megacity is the third and final chapter in the post-apocalyptic, dystopian Operation Galton series, following on from Hope and Wasteland, both of which I read in late 2020. Since it had been a while I was grateful for the quick recaps included for both Hope and Wasteland. Each of these three books are set in the same world, but they would also work as standalone novels. There are occasionally recognisable characters from the other books referred to as legendary heroes or who we now see making a cameo as part of the resistance, but you do not need to know who these characters are to fully enjoy each story.
All Terry Tyler’s books I have read have been completely gripping and Megacity was no different. Split into three separate time frames in a UK of the not too distant future, the terrifying events and lack of control over their own lives and destinies had by the people in this nightmarish dystopia is chilling.
“Operation Galton Phase 3 took place back in 2024: the opening of the Hope Villages, and thus the removal of undesirables from the general population. Phases 4-9, nicknamed the Great Shift, occurred over the next three decades: the transition from property ownership and relative independence, to the tightly controlled megacities.”
Megacity follows the fortunes of three main characters, Tara, a child of druggie alcoholic parents who is ‘saved’ from life in a Hope village and fostered by members of the mega-rich Bettencourt family behind the all-powerful Nutricorp corporation which has the government in their pocket. Tara wants for nothing but soon learns her compliance with the Bettencourts is non-negotiable. Tara was my favourite character – she seemed to grab every opportunity that was offered to her and make the best of whatever was on offer to her. She was not afraid to stick up for herself or question things that seemed a little ‘off’.
Tara’s childhood friend Radar is left behind in one of the hopeless Hope villages and falls in with the wrong crowd, soon becoming a violent gang member in the absence of Tara’s stabilizing influence. There is no way out of the Hope villages for their poverty-stricken inhabitants, unless they earn enough to be able to move out into one of the Megacities where everything is monitored by a personal communication device. His life seems to be on a downward spiral until he ends up in Hope 18 after a stint in prison and becomes one of the warden’s orderlies. Thereafter he finds himself on an upwards trajectory but the high point is a horrific role in an unbelievably barbaric scheme providing entertainment to the mega rich.
Aileen is abandoned by her husband who leaves her and their eighteen month old daughter to escape into the off-grid wasteland. Aileen is left destitute with no hope for decent employment. The system tracks her lack of income, social media conversations, unsuccessful job applications and every payment, and the powers that be are therefore aware that she can only afford to buy food at the cheapest possible places and will not be able to meet her rent very soon. A Social Care Liaison Officer is sent round to visit her and before long she is tricked into signing her daughter over to an NPU (non-parental upbringing) program, supposedly for a short while until she can sort her life out, but months soon turn into years with her daughter failing to recognize her before long. Her life has turned into a nightmare through no fault of her own:
“I wonder if the worst times in your life blur in your memory so that you’re not constantly reliving the anguish, the memory acting as a buffer, so you can move on.”
Aileen’s story is a tragic example of how little influence you would have over your own life when the government and large corporations hold all the cards and are monitoring your every move. Maybe this novel should act as a wake-up call to all who read it:
“We should have prepared for this a year ago, but we didn’t believe it would get this bad. We thought there would always be options, however awkward.”
Each of the characters experiences a slow awakening to the horror and reality of the world they are living in. This awakening occurs over the course of many years and the pace of the first two thirds of the book is fairly slow as we get to know these new characters and discover how things have developed in this world ruled over by the super rich Bettencourt famiy. Finally the hopelessness and despair ramps up until the final quarter of the book, which, as with Terry Tyler’s other books, is all action and completely unputdownable right up until the surprisingly satisfying conclusion! There is always hope and decency to be found among the characters and horrors of Tyler’s stories, no matter how bleak things seem. I highly recommend Megacity.
July 18, 2021
Terry Tyler is so predictable… as in, predictably fantastic. That pseudo-word, unputdownable, has never been more apt; I devoured 2/3 of the book in an afternoon/evening when I was supposed to be working, then unfortunately I had to go to sleep, woke up ready and once left in peace I finished the book.
While I would have never called conspiracy-based dystopian fiction my genre of choice – or anything dystopian at all, I have the news – Tyler could probably (just about) get me to read actual horror, the one genre I can't stomach. She is that good. And Megacity approaches horror, minus the chainsaw-wielding zombies. Who needs zombies when people exist?
The Real Bad Villains are the weakest here. Jerome Bettencourt is particularly flat and predictable (basically imagine the worst thing that can be said or done, and Jerome's doing it) (which isn't unlike certain politicians, come to think of it). Having said that, the fact that he is so bland and indescribable makes him a perfect face of "The New UK" royalty, lifted from rags to all the riches – and which sociopath would protest against such fate?
Jerome is predictable, one-dimensional, and 100% realistic. So is Dawn – obnoxious, drunk on power, one-dimensional, and I've been personally dealing with a person like this for most of 2021 so far. Is it really a weak part when someone's so boringly predictable and that's what makes them real? But it's not the Big Bad Villains that are the scariest. It's the Good People Who Just Want A Happy Life.
In Megacity the only thing nicer than money and fame is the illusion of security. It's easy to become an influencer when you're ready to leave everything and everyone behind for those three things. (Coincidentally, I'm allergic to influencers and I think Ms Tyler shares the feeling.) Some of them know exactly what they're doing. Few feel guilty/brave/stupid enough to say something. There are Good Citizens always willing to help the Good Government for some social credits… until one or two can no longer look in the mirror. Anything can happen anytime, good or bad, sweet or horrible. Eat your heart out, George "you've had a favourite character? not anymore!" RR Martin.
Speaking of, my favourite character was Radar, whose upbringing and adulthood is traced precisely, elegantly, and, worst of all – realistically. You can probably guess that doesn't mean he had a lovely life filled with joy and serenity, like everyone else in Ms Tyler's books does *snørt* I could see myself becoming someone like Radar, if things went differently.
Is there a happy ending? Well. For some, I guess. For others, not so much. Except Jerome and other too powerful people, nothing and nobody is predictable. Even as I was finishing the epilogue I still held to the edge of my seat. And haven't stopped, many of my new friends… I mean, the characters… didn't get a real ending. Alive And Anxious For Now at best.
I'm sad to see this is the last book in the series, but Operation Galton definitely ends on a high. The only comparisons I can think of are Cory Doctorow's books, but where Doctorow gets lost in pages of jargon (which I enjoy, but few things can pull you out of a story so efficiently) Tyler just keeps the pressure cooker going non-stop. And if you still insist that self-published books can't be good, maybe you could try this one.
I should probably go and eat something, because even though I devoured a whole book within less than 24 hours I'm kinda hungry? What time it is? Day? Night? What is time? Is someone watching me?
(9.5/10)
While I would have never called conspiracy-based dystopian fiction my genre of choice – or anything dystopian at all, I have the news – Tyler could probably (just about) get me to read actual horror, the one genre I can't stomach. She is that good. And Megacity approaches horror, minus the chainsaw-wielding zombies. Who needs zombies when people exist?
The Real Bad Villains are the weakest here. Jerome Bettencourt is particularly flat and predictable (basically imagine the worst thing that can be said or done, and Jerome's doing it) (which isn't unlike certain politicians, come to think of it). Having said that, the fact that he is so bland and indescribable makes him a perfect face of "The New UK" royalty, lifted from rags to all the riches – and which sociopath would protest against such fate?
Jerome is predictable, one-dimensional, and 100% realistic. So is Dawn – obnoxious, drunk on power, one-dimensional, and I've been personally dealing with a person like this for most of 2021 so far. Is it really a weak part when someone's so boringly predictable and that's what makes them real? But it's not the Big Bad Villains that are the scariest. It's the Good People Who Just Want A Happy Life.
In Megacity the only thing nicer than money and fame is the illusion of security. It's easy to become an influencer when you're ready to leave everything and everyone behind for those three things. (Coincidentally, I'm allergic to influencers and I think Ms Tyler shares the feeling.) Some of them know exactly what they're doing. Few feel guilty/brave/stupid enough to say something. There are Good Citizens always willing to help the Good Government for some social credits… until one or two can no longer look in the mirror. Anything can happen anytime, good or bad, sweet or horrible. Eat your heart out, George "you've had a favourite character? not anymore!" RR Martin.
Speaking of, my favourite character was Radar, whose upbringing and adulthood is traced precisely, elegantly, and, worst of all – realistically. You can probably guess that doesn't mean he had a lovely life filled with joy and serenity, like everyone else in Ms Tyler's books does *snørt* I could see myself becoming someone like Radar, if things went differently.
Is there a happy ending? Well. For some, I guess. For others, not so much. Except Jerome and other too powerful people, nothing and nobody is predictable. Even as I was finishing the epilogue I still held to the edge of my seat. And haven't stopped, many of my new friends… I mean, the characters… didn't get a real ending. Alive And Anxious For Now at best.
I'm sad to see this is the last book in the series, but Operation Galton definitely ends on a high. The only comparisons I can think of are Cory Doctorow's books, but where Doctorow gets lost in pages of jargon (which I enjoy, but few things can pull you out of a story so efficiently) Tyler just keeps the pressure cooker going non-stop. And if you still insist that self-published books can't be good, maybe you could try this one.
I should probably go and eat something, because even though I devoured a whole book within less than 24 hours I'm kinda hungry? What time it is? Day? Night? What is time? Is someone watching me?
(9.5/10)
April 20, 2022
This series has held me captivated, but it’s also unsettling. It’s not such a stretch of the imagination to believe this could happen in our world. Think too hard about it, and I guarantee you’ll lose sleep.
With each novel in the series and jumps in time, I’ve enjoyed meeting new characters while also learning bits and pieces about what happened to those I’ve cared about in the other books. A bit thanks to the author for that, and also for the included recaps of the previous two novels. The primary three POVs are from Tara, Aileen, and Radar – all with drastically different stories and circumstances, but my heart went out to each of them. They’ve lost control over their own lives and are strugging to survive. I wanted only good things for these characters, but having read several other books by this author, I didn’t get my hopes up. No spoilers.
These villains are the absolute worst – narcissistic, power hungry, and willing to do anything to achieve their goals. I felt frustration, anger, and sorrow for Tara, Aileen, and Radar and wanted the baddies to suffer for all their misdeeds – trust me when I say there are plenty. Be prepared for some graphically violent scenes that may shock you.
The idea of a future that resembles this world is terrifying, but it sure makes for an addictive dystopian/thriller series with characters I cheered for at every turn. Reaching the end was bittersweet.
With each novel in the series and jumps in time, I’ve enjoyed meeting new characters while also learning bits and pieces about what happened to those I’ve cared about in the other books. A bit thanks to the author for that, and also for the included recaps of the previous two novels. The primary three POVs are from Tara, Aileen, and Radar – all with drastically different stories and circumstances, but my heart went out to each of them. They’ve lost control over their own lives and are strugging to survive. I wanted only good things for these characters, but having read several other books by this author, I didn’t get my hopes up. No spoilers.
These villains are the absolute worst – narcissistic, power hungry, and willing to do anything to achieve their goals. I felt frustration, anger, and sorrow for Tara, Aileen, and Radar and wanted the baddies to suffer for all their misdeeds – trust me when I say there are plenty. Be prepared for some graphically violent scenes that may shock you.
The idea of a future that resembles this world is terrifying, but it sure makes for an addictive dystopian/thriller series with characters I cheered for at every turn. Reaching the end was bittersweet.
August 9, 2021
Oh my… where to begin? I loved ‘HOPE,’ a disturbing vision for England, one I could fearfully see becoming reality. Next came ‘WASTELAND,’ which was even more chilling. I hated the rulers, the dreaded Bettencourts, wishing for all the world they’d get their comeuppance. But just when you couldn’t imagine them sinking to any lower possible depths of depravity, enter ‘MEGACITY.’
I warn you this is an absolute belter of book and I devoured it in a week!
Life in Britain is confined to megacities and no one can opt out. The government controls your thoughts, your life, your diet, ensuring ‘Nutricrop’ are the only food provider, bio-engineered, calorific, addictive garbage (I’m reminded of MacDonalds); whilst shopping is online and delivered by robots (a bit like Amazon, me-thinks.) The build up in 2062 (where the last book ends) is centred around 3 characters, Tara, Radar and Aileen.
I liked Tara the best, streetwise kid of drug dealer parents, dumped in a hope village, until life takes a turn for the better… or so she thinks. Aileen’s story was heartbreaking, leaving me fuming at the authorities for taking her child. It is a harrowing read in parts, as we watch the manipulation of all three, Tara adapting to every new situation she is flung into, Radar gravitating towards violence and crime (not surprising, given the hand he’s dealt in life) until he is ultimately seduced by power. There are some fabulous twists that left me stunned. Megacity is a thrilling ride, one of the best series I’ve read, and I was sad it had to end.
I warn you this is an absolute belter of book and I devoured it in a week!
Life in Britain is confined to megacities and no one can opt out. The government controls your thoughts, your life, your diet, ensuring ‘Nutricrop’ are the only food provider, bio-engineered, calorific, addictive garbage (I’m reminded of MacDonalds); whilst shopping is online and delivered by robots (a bit like Amazon, me-thinks.) The build up in 2062 (where the last book ends) is centred around 3 characters, Tara, Radar and Aileen.
I liked Tara the best, streetwise kid of drug dealer parents, dumped in a hope village, until life takes a turn for the better… or so she thinks. Aileen’s story was heartbreaking, leaving me fuming at the authorities for taking her child. It is a harrowing read in parts, as we watch the manipulation of all three, Tara adapting to every new situation she is flung into, Radar gravitating towards violence and crime (not surprising, given the hand he’s dealt in life) until he is ultimately seduced by power. There are some fabulous twists that left me stunned. Megacity is a thrilling ride, one of the best series I’ve read, and I was sad it had to end.
September 2, 2021
Magacity concludes the Operation Galton series by Terry Tyler and this story is a fitting end to another great series from the author. The book covers a number of years in the lives of Megacity/Hope Village/Wasteland characters which begin to intertwine as the story progresses. As with previous books by the author it is written in a journal/diary format. This format really suits Terry’s style of writing and the lead characters really come to life in the story as well as highlighting good background characters and introducing people from previous books in the series. No spoilers from me regarding the storyline but it is the usual fast paced easy reading book that has you always wanting to read one more chapter before you put the book away and then bang – you think you are halfway through the book but have somehow reached the end!!
One of my favourite authors and really excited read about Terry’s next projects which I hope will be hitting the ‘shelves’ in the very near future
One of my favourite authors and really excited read about Terry’s next projects which I hope will be hitting the ‘shelves’ in the very near future
December 21, 2022
I am always thrilled to read one on Terry Tyler’s books. Terry’s writing style is unique to her and in my opinion very difficult to match.
Megacity is thrilling and at times absolutely gripping, at one point I found myself with eyes wide, heart thumping and hands clenched so tightly I could feel my nails digging into my palms!
The characters are all individual and some very mysterious, I took each character into my mind and found it wonderful to be able to visualise them, to understand them and to move with them all throughout the book. This is not always easy to achieve when an author writes, but Terry Tyler is expert at making sure the reader ‘feels’ the character.
The story, although horrifying and intimidating, does have an air of familiarity about it to a large extent. I feel that this could quite easily become our future if we sit back and let it. Intriguing, fascinating, scary and utterly conceivable.
Read it, take it in and think!
Fantastic book.
Megacity is thrilling and at times absolutely gripping, at one point I found myself with eyes wide, heart thumping and hands clenched so tightly I could feel my nails digging into my palms!
The characters are all individual and some very mysterious, I took each character into my mind and found it wonderful to be able to visualise them, to understand them and to move with them all throughout the book. This is not always easy to achieve when an author writes, but Terry Tyler is expert at making sure the reader ‘feels’ the character.
The story, although horrifying and intimidating, does have an air of familiarity about it to a large extent. I feel that this could quite easily become our future if we sit back and let it. Intriguing, fascinating, scary and utterly conceivable.
Read it, take it in and think!
Fantastic book.
August 25, 2023
Another stunning trilogy from Terry. After reading the Project Renova novels a couple of years back I have left it (far) too long to return to Terry's work. Great page-turning stuff. So easy to read and follow despite a wealth of absorbing characters and plot lines. Not going to fall into the same trap again and am going straight onto the SFV-1 duo........ then will probably blitz her standalones too!
I know you can't say - at the top level - x author is better than y author, because they all bring their own unique strengths to the party. However, I can say without fear of fibbing that Terry is in my all-time top ten.
I know you can't say - at the top level - x author is better than y author, because they all bring their own unique strengths to the party. However, I can say without fear of fibbing that Terry is in my all-time top ten.
July 10, 2021
Having read the previous books in the Operation Galton series I have to say that Megacity is probably the best in what has been a brilliant trilogy. The author has a wonderful talent of creating captivating characters and storylines that draw the reader in, I eagerly look forward to the next book whatever the subject matter may be.
August 24, 2023
Unputdownable!
MEGACITY, book 3 in the operation galton series, held my attention just as intensely as the other two books. The characters seem so real, the actions of the aristocracy and governments of the world so close to the reality of many peoples imaginations (and of an unfortunate few peoples actual lives).
MEGACITY, book 3 in the operation galton series, held my attention just as intensely as the other two books. The characters seem so real, the actions of the aristocracy and governments of the world so close to the reality of many peoples imaginations (and of an unfortunate few peoples actual lives).
October 24, 2023
This whole series was amazing!!! But this last book megacity.. maybe accurately spot on for the year 2050-2060.. alot of this book was giving me anxiety as to how true some of this maybe in the future! Not just in the UK.. in other parts of the world as well!
August 15, 2021
Another great read in the Operation Galton trilogy. Again we have a decent cast of believable characters and for once I felt most drawn not to the main female protagonist but Radar, the amoral bully-boy who becomes a tool of the fascist regime running the UK and moving into full Nazi extermination mode as the years click towards 2070.
Tyler has drawn her bleakest assessment of the future yet in this final downbeat post-apoc instalment, which plays pretty well against the confused and conflicting backdrop of a divided society in the present. The narrative is always engaging, the characters as real as you could want, and the dialogue is convincing enough to keep you engaged with the characters as their actions and decisions become more and more desperate and limited by the cold pragmatism of the jackbooted regime thugs seeking to reorganise the population into easily managed rabbit-hutch megacities where they can be fully exploited by the repulsive and vacuous moneyed ruling class, a corrupted and depraved cabal of industrialists, tv personalities and social media nobodies.
It's not an easy read but there are some high points (one, in particular, is a spoiler, but it sure gave me the feels!). Not as sharp as the Tipping Point trilogy for me, but still recommended for post-apoc fans and conspiracy lovers!
Tyler has drawn her bleakest assessment of the future yet in this final downbeat post-apoc instalment, which plays pretty well against the confused and conflicting backdrop of a divided society in the present. The narrative is always engaging, the characters as real as you could want, and the dialogue is convincing enough to keep you engaged with the characters as their actions and decisions become more and more desperate and limited by the cold pragmatism of the jackbooted regime thugs seeking to reorganise the population into easily managed rabbit-hutch megacities where they can be fully exploited by the repulsive and vacuous moneyed ruling class, a corrupted and depraved cabal of industrialists, tv personalities and social media nobodies.
It's not an easy read but there are some high points (one, in particular, is a spoiler, but it sure gave me the feels!). Not as sharp as the Tipping Point trilogy for me, but still recommended for post-apoc fans and conspiracy lovers!
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