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Heart Threaded: A Forbidden Romance in a Cyberpunk Dystopia
In world where heartbeats are currency, and the debts are for life. (A gentler Cyberpunk: Edge Runners.)
In the near future, it's possible to extend your life, and purchase upgrades for your body. The cost is future heartbeats. A debt you can worry about tomorrow, or pay it off as you work for the company that sold it to you. It's a small price to pay for living longer.
Juliet isn't just anyone, her father is the powerful head of the cyber-wear and life extension company, the man ultimately in charge of the new Heart Thread technology. To help a friend Juliet seeks help from an underworld hacker. He is reluctant, and confused, but intrigued.
As they discover more about the Heart Threads it isn't only debt tracking but intertwines much deeper into the human consciousness. Together they form an unlikely bond. Can two people from such different worlds be together?
Juliet is caught between her loyalty to her father, her desire for freedom and doing the right thing.
Separated by class and ideals to change the world, Juliet will have to risk everything.
A fast-paced Cyberpunk adventure set in a dystopian science fiction future.
If you love underdogs vs corporate control; this tension-filled dystopian, HEART THREADED, is inspired by Shakespeare and Cyberpunk. A gritty adventure of young rebellion against class divides and the fight for hope.
No matter how many heartbeats, you only have one death.
In the near future, it's possible to extend your life, and purchase upgrades for your body. The cost is future heartbeats. A debt you can worry about tomorrow, or pay it off as you work for the company that sold it to you. It's a small price to pay for living longer.
Juliet isn't just anyone, her father is the powerful head of the cyber-wear and life extension company, the man ultimately in charge of the new Heart Thread technology. To help a friend Juliet seeks help from an underworld hacker. He is reluctant, and confused, but intrigued.
As they discover more about the Heart Threads it isn't only debt tracking but intertwines much deeper into the human consciousness. Together they form an unlikely bond. Can two people from such different worlds be together?
Juliet is caught between her loyalty to her father, her desire for freedom and doing the right thing.
Separated by class and ideals to change the world, Juliet will have to risk everything.
A fast-paced Cyberpunk adventure set in a dystopian science fiction future.
If you love underdogs vs corporate control; this tension-filled dystopian, HEART THREADED, is inspired by Shakespeare and Cyberpunk. A gritty adventure of young rebellion against class divides and the fight for hope.
No matter how many heartbeats, you only have one death.
- GenresCyberpunk
232 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 20, 2022
25 people want to read
About the author
James L. Graetz
5 books12 followersJames worked a bunch of different jobs so far in his life. He started his working life on a factory line, he used to hide a notebook in his tub of parts and write story ideas to help the boring hours to pass.
He tried to get on board with a couple of entrepreneurial moon shots that failed, and ended up working in the medical industry, a glorified warehouse job. That became boring and he was always taking home notebooks and sticky notes of story ideas.
When things turned sour, he realized what he really wanted was to write that damn novel. It took him a few more years to believe in himself, but when he quit his dead end job to go study at University, he wrote on the side, as well as his three part time jobs.
One thing that never changed was his inquisitiveness for all things, science became an endless fascination, and he ended up working in the field of medical research.
After ten years of writing, and 4 or five written and rewritten books, and the encouragement of many friends he made on Twitter, he finally published a couple of short stories in Anthologies.
The feedback was positive, and he finally finalized a version, got editors, and a cover artist, and published Heart Threaded. He has many more ideas for books he wants to write.
He tried to get on board with a couple of entrepreneurial moon shots that failed, and ended up working in the medical industry, a glorified warehouse job. That became boring and he was always taking home notebooks and sticky notes of story ideas.
When things turned sour, he realized what he really wanted was to write that damn novel. It took him a few more years to believe in himself, but when he quit his dead end job to go study at University, he wrote on the side, as well as his three part time jobs.
One thing that never changed was his inquisitiveness for all things, science became an endless fascination, and he ended up working in the field of medical research.
After ten years of writing, and 4 or five written and rewritten books, and the encouragement of many friends he made on Twitter, he finally published a couple of short stories in Anthologies.
The feedback was positive, and he finally finalized a version, got editors, and a cover artist, and published Heart Threaded. He has many more ideas for books he wants to write.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 10, 2022
Heart Threaded
by James L. Graetz
This was a unique story. It had to do with a surgical procedure that was called Heart Threaded. It replaced the Heart Stones of the older version. I was a bit fuzzy on how it all worked but it extended life but was expensive. A person couldn't leave the area until it was paid off too. Somehow the Heart Stones could tell if you were paid off or still in debt. That's where Romeo comes in. He can hack the Stones.
Juliet gets a Heart Thread on her birthday, although she didn't want it. He dad is a big cheese in the department that makes them so it was all marketing. He is also a real creep. What she doesn't know at that time is that she is also a test subject. She finds she forgets time and things happen. Someone is using her. Not hard to guess who.
She meets Romeo... Dad turns super freak! Romeo is poor!
The story was different, the heart part not the romance! I didn't like jumping back and forth between point of views especially without some idea of who was viewing! That got old fast. There never seemed to be an upbeat time, or very few. Very down and dark atmosphere.
It was interesting for one read, not a rereading type book. I was offered this book to read for my opinion.
by James L. Graetz
This was a unique story. It had to do with a surgical procedure that was called Heart Threaded. It replaced the Heart Stones of the older version. I was a bit fuzzy on how it all worked but it extended life but was expensive. A person couldn't leave the area until it was paid off too. Somehow the Heart Stones could tell if you were paid off or still in debt. That's where Romeo comes in. He can hack the Stones.
Juliet gets a Heart Thread on her birthday, although she didn't want it. He dad is a big cheese in the department that makes them so it was all marketing. He is also a real creep. What she doesn't know at that time is that she is also a test subject. She finds she forgets time and things happen. Someone is using her. Not hard to guess who.
She meets Romeo... Dad turns super freak! Romeo is poor!
The story was different, the heart part not the romance! I didn't like jumping back and forth between point of views especially without some idea of who was viewing! That got old fast. There never seemed to be an upbeat time, or very few. Very down and dark atmosphere.
It was interesting for one read, not a rereading type book. I was offered this book to read for my opinion.
February 13, 2022
Usually, YA isn't my jam. But a cyberpunk story based on Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet was something I couldn't resist. And I'm glad I gave it a try!
Although clearly a young adult story with juvenile protagonists and their search for themselves, Heart Threaded is also so much more than that.
The book is set in a dystopian world where heartbeat is currency and where the elite is using the Heart Thread technology to control and enslave everyone. 18-year-old Juliet is the daughter of the powerful CEO responsible for implementing the technology. She enjoys the life of a princess, yet she wants more than that.
Juliet wants personal freedom and to help people who are less fortunate than her. When she meets Romeo, an underworld hacker, her - and everyone else's lives take a dramatic turn.
Needless to say that her daddy is everything but amused by his daughter's boyfriend, and even less by her mindset.
Heart Threaded is the debut novel of the Australian author James Graetz, and it's an impressive debut.
The author has created a unique world and although the story itself is well-known and told countless times, he still manages to give it a unique twist and flavor.
After all, when have we ever seen Romeo and Juliet in a cyberpunk setting?
Graetz did a great job with world-building. The concept of the Heart Thread technology is a very interesting one.
The story is heartwrenching, literally, and the young heroes are very likable.
I'm looking forward to reading more by this talented, young author in the future!
I recommend this book to fans of YA dystopias, cyberpunk and sci-fi romance.
Although clearly a young adult story with juvenile protagonists and their search for themselves, Heart Threaded is also so much more than that.
The book is set in a dystopian world where heartbeat is currency and where the elite is using the Heart Thread technology to control and enslave everyone. 18-year-old Juliet is the daughter of the powerful CEO responsible for implementing the technology. She enjoys the life of a princess, yet she wants more than that.
Juliet wants personal freedom and to help people who are less fortunate than her. When she meets Romeo, an underworld hacker, her - and everyone else's lives take a dramatic turn.
Needless to say that her daddy is everything but amused by his daughter's boyfriend, and even less by her mindset.
Heart Threaded is the debut novel of the Australian author James Graetz, and it's an impressive debut.
The author has created a unique world and although the story itself is well-known and told countless times, he still manages to give it a unique twist and flavor.
After all, when have we ever seen Romeo and Juliet in a cyberpunk setting?
Graetz did a great job with world-building. The concept of the Heart Thread technology is a very interesting one.
The story is heartwrenching, literally, and the young heroes are very likable.
I'm looking forward to reading more by this talented, young author in the future!
I recommend this book to fans of YA dystopias, cyberpunk and sci-fi romance.
January 23, 2022
HEART THREADED is a cyberpunk novel about a new technology that is being employed by the world's largest company: heart threads. These synchronized cybernetic implants are basically designed to keep track of your financial health, position, and other Orwellian things while encouraging the masses to get as many as possible. Our protagonists, Romeo and Juliet, both get their livings from them. Romeo hacks into hearts in order to clear a person's financial debts and Juliet is the heiress to the billionaire that manufactures them all.
As the name of the protagonists implies, this is a tragic love story with the two meeting and falling in love but the circumstances becoming increasingly harsh for them. It's not an adaptation of the famous Shakespearian play, though, and might have benefited from a different pair of names. Despite this, I was entertained throughout as Juliet slowly comes to the realization her father isn't just a jerk but a narcissistic monster. It's even implied he planned to have her beaten (or worse) during one of her trips to the Underground in order to traumatize her so that she'll be more dependent on him.
The book reminds me a bit of the Amanda Seyfried, Justin Timberlake dystopian sci-fi movie IN TIME about a similar pair of people dealing with technology linked to their lifespan but I'd say Heart Threaded is a good deal more entertaining. I think you could definitely do worse for your anti-corporate cyberpunk adventures. The characters are likable, the plot is straightforward, and it's an interesting world from the parts we get to see.
As the name of the protagonists implies, this is a tragic love story with the two meeting and falling in love but the circumstances becoming increasingly harsh for them. It's not an adaptation of the famous Shakespearian play, though, and might have benefited from a different pair of names. Despite this, I was entertained throughout as Juliet slowly comes to the realization her father isn't just a jerk but a narcissistic monster. It's even implied he planned to have her beaten (or worse) during one of her trips to the Underground in order to traumatize her so that she'll be more dependent on him.
The book reminds me a bit of the Amanda Seyfried, Justin Timberlake dystopian sci-fi movie IN TIME about a similar pair of people dealing with technology linked to their lifespan but I'd say Heart Threaded is a good deal more entertaining. I think you could definitely do worse for your anti-corporate cyberpunk adventures. The characters are likable, the plot is straightforward, and it's an interesting world from the parts we get to see.
February 6, 2022
HEART THREADED is a cyberpunk novel loosely based on Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” While this might seem like an unusual combination, I felt Graetz handled the themes really well and it complements the genre perfect.
Rather than coming from rival families, Romeo and Juliet belong to opposing factions in a city slowly being overtaken by a new technology called heart-threads, which extend people’s lives indefinitely but essentially contract them into indentured servitude for the remainder of their now very long lives.
Juliet is the daughter of the man who developed this technology, and Romeo is a hacker working to dismantle the corporation’s control over people.
While HEART THREADED doesn’t follow the exact storyline of the Shakespearean play, I felt the themes were used to great advantage, and I liked the nods to the original literature. Juliet’s nurse from the play is an integral parallel character in this retelling, there is a strange techno-witch doctor who makes a great analog of the priest who helps Romeo and Juliet in the play. I really enjoyed looking for connections between the themes.
Best of all, Graetz’s imagery of the city itself is visceral. I felt like I was really there with them, walking the streets of the underground and sneaking through corporate towers.
My only minor complaint would be that I found the alternating 1st person POV a little disorienting at first. But it only took me a couple of chapters to get into the swing of things.
Overall a really great debut, and I hope to see more from this author in the future!
Rather than coming from rival families, Romeo and Juliet belong to opposing factions in a city slowly being overtaken by a new technology called heart-threads, which extend people’s lives indefinitely but essentially contract them into indentured servitude for the remainder of their now very long lives.
Juliet is the daughter of the man who developed this technology, and Romeo is a hacker working to dismantle the corporation’s control over people.
While HEART THREADED doesn’t follow the exact storyline of the Shakespearean play, I felt the themes were used to great advantage, and I liked the nods to the original literature. Juliet’s nurse from the play is an integral parallel character in this retelling, there is a strange techno-witch doctor who makes a great analog of the priest who helps Romeo and Juliet in the play. I really enjoyed looking for connections between the themes.
Best of all, Graetz’s imagery of the city itself is visceral. I felt like I was really there with them, walking the streets of the underground and sneaking through corporate towers.
My only minor complaint would be that I found the alternating 1st person POV a little disorienting at first. But it only took me a couple of chapters to get into the swing of things.
Overall a really great debut, and I hope to see more from this author in the future!
February 3, 2022
This is an author review. Of course its 5 stars I wrote it. Its not really a spoiler, but probably either read the book, or read the other reviews first.
Perhaps I will talk about a few parts of the journey. If you would rather know what other people think, go read the other reviews. The below isn't so much about the story as it is about some of the themes I thought about while I was writing. Its an insight into my strange mind, and it might be better to make your own judgement rather than reading my rantings.
I enjoyed writing this book. It went through a number of iterations and points of view. I debated long and hard about keeping the names Romeo and Juliet, as it isn't a scene by scene retelling, not even close. In the end I had spent so much time with these characters it didn't feel right to do a find and replace with new names. Besides what would I call them? I think their names suit them and it is what it is. I ran the risk of some people being annoyed that I didn't carry the other characters from Shakespeare or the same scenes, hopefully nobody minds too much.
I tried to be original with some of the tech ideas, and incorporated some 'quantum like' properties, as I do think our futures will have a lot of quantum like technology. I didn't label it as quantum because, despite a lot of research, and learning about how quantum science and technology works, upon testing my knowledge with someone who does know, frankly there were too many gaps in my understanding. So I left it a little more vague than that.
The overall themes are close to me and born out of a part of my life when I felt I had less control, and that no matter what I tried I felt underpaid and under appreciated, no matter how hard I tried to do what the world said I should do. Writing was my escape from that, my own small way of breaking out. I can always see both sides of a story, and so the two worlds colliding is always interesting to me. The themes were born out of a wish for a better way a fairer world, where everyone isn't forced into competition with each other by cold large entities removed from the humanity that works within them.
Honestly none of these themes are explicit, they are implied, and I tried not to be preachy in the story. While I was writing the second version of Heart Threaded the BLM movement rose up, Trump and the storming of the Capitol happened, and then towards the end of editing there were various protests across the world about Covid issues. The themes of protest and a desire for unity and peace was always there, and some of that can be seen in the themes of the book.
Romeo and Juliet in the Shakespeare story, to me at least, are rebels because they found something worth fighting for, a reason to go against everything they had been told that they should do, or not do. They didn't want to fight the fight of others, they wanted to make the world their own and come together with the emotion and love that they felt. In a strange way, they found a higher purpose in being with each other, beyond whatever the constraints the world wanted to put on them. And I often hope for that in the crazy world sometimes. A hope that rises up based on love an the emotions of humanity, that is somehow greater than the constraints, restrictions, and disparity that we are surrounded with.
Perhaps I will talk about a few parts of the journey. If you would rather know what other people think, go read the other reviews. The below isn't so much about the story as it is about some of the themes I thought about while I was writing. Its an insight into my strange mind, and it might be better to make your own judgement rather than reading my rantings.
I enjoyed writing this book. It went through a number of iterations and points of view. I debated long and hard about keeping the names Romeo and Juliet, as it isn't a scene by scene retelling, not even close. In the end I had spent so much time with these characters it didn't feel right to do a find and replace with new names. Besides what would I call them? I think their names suit them and it is what it is. I ran the risk of some people being annoyed that I didn't carry the other characters from Shakespeare or the same scenes, hopefully nobody minds too much.
I tried to be original with some of the tech ideas, and incorporated some 'quantum like' properties, as I do think our futures will have a lot of quantum like technology. I didn't label it as quantum because, despite a lot of research, and learning about how quantum science and technology works, upon testing my knowledge with someone who does know, frankly there were too many gaps in my understanding. So I left it a little more vague than that.
The overall themes are close to me and born out of a part of my life when I felt I had less control, and that no matter what I tried I felt underpaid and under appreciated, no matter how hard I tried to do what the world said I should do. Writing was my escape from that, my own small way of breaking out. I can always see both sides of a story, and so the two worlds colliding is always interesting to me. The themes were born out of a wish for a better way a fairer world, where everyone isn't forced into competition with each other by cold large entities removed from the humanity that works within them.
Honestly none of these themes are explicit, they are implied, and I tried not to be preachy in the story. While I was writing the second version of Heart Threaded the BLM movement rose up, Trump and the storming of the Capitol happened, and then towards the end of editing there were various protests across the world about Covid issues. The themes of protest and a desire for unity and peace was always there, and some of that can be seen in the themes of the book.
Romeo and Juliet in the Shakespeare story, to me at least, are rebels because they found something worth fighting for, a reason to go against everything they had been told that they should do, or not do. They didn't want to fight the fight of others, they wanted to make the world their own and come together with the emotion and love that they felt. In a strange way, they found a higher purpose in being with each other, beyond whatever the constraints the world wanted to put on them. And I often hope for that in the crazy world sometimes. A hope that rises up based on love an the emotions of humanity, that is somehow greater than the constraints, restrictions, and disparity that we are surrounded with.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2022
Heart Threaded Review
Heart Threaded is a loos but interesting interpretation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. I think the idea of cybernetic enhancements connected to heart as it keeps track of your finances, debt etc with payment in heartbeats. I could see and feel the vivid descriptions of the underground, creeping through corporate sectors and the world felt real in general. The father was what I can see sociopathic CEO’s would be like with their own people and children. The only issues I see was in the beginning the swapping back and forth with the first person narrator was hard to grasp at first. I enjoyed the story and World can’t wait to see what Jen’s writes next.
Heart Threaded is a loos but interesting interpretation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. I think the idea of cybernetic enhancements connected to heart as it keeps track of your finances, debt etc with payment in heartbeats. I could see and feel the vivid descriptions of the underground, creeping through corporate sectors and the world felt real in general. The father was what I can see sociopathic CEO’s would be like with their own people and children. The only issues I see was in the beginning the swapping back and forth with the first person narrator was hard to grasp at first. I enjoyed the story and World can’t wait to see what Jen’s writes next.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews