Say hi to Silas Morlock; he's no Citizen Zero
A quick introduction to a couple of novels with nothing in common but the sinister and macabre
INDULGE me, but I figure I ought to take this opportunity to introduce my books.
Firstly, I'm kind of a hybrid author, I guess. By that, I mean I've self published my works, but I also have two novels out with a trad small press called Inspired Quill (IQ). It's those I want to plug.
You should check IQ out, by the way. They're pretty cool, high on ideals, and they've published a fantastic – and growing – range of fiction. So I'm not just kind of plugging me, okay?
Anyway, on to my works.
First up is Citizen Zero.
The novel is a science fiction thriller in the dystopian tradition. Set in a near-future Britain, it has a contemporary feel and a heavy dose of social satire.
It takes a swipe at a host of themes: social inequality, the cruelties of a Welfare State turned on its head, authoritarian digital surveillance, and the rise of AI – only 'artificial intelligence' isn't all it's cracked up to be, leading to a particularly macabre 'fix'.
The Matrix meets V for Vendetta with a twist of I, Daniel Blake
The story follows protagonist David. Unemployed and on the verge of sinking into a destitute underclass known as 'zeros', he's given a second chance when he is placed on the Government's groundbreaking JobNet recruitment scheme.
Despite his initial scepticism, it turns out better than he ever dared to hope. In this idyllic virtual reality world, he finds love and the possibility of a worthwhile future. Of course, it isn't going to last.
You see, David is the unwitting pawn in a deadly political conspiracy. A former government agent turned anarchist wants to break the Prime Minister's grip on power, and bring his regime crashing down. JobNet is the chink in the state's digital armour.
When the specially created virus he's carrying activates, David finds himself trapped inside a broken reality, struggling to survive and escape the system. But that's only the start of his problems.
With the zeros rising, Britain is brought to the brink of chaos. The Prime Minister fights to retain power. David becomes the focus of a desperate manhunt to kill the threat before it can escape into the wider network beyond JobNet.
But there's a secret hidden deep inside the system. A terrible truth about AI and virtual reality; something so terrible – and powerful – that if it doesn't shatter David's mind, it will decide everyone's fate.
Sometimes, a pawn can hold the balance of power.
Buy direct from Inspired Quill.
A macabre melding of Fahrenheit 451 and Nosferatu
Next up is Silas Morlock.
The more I mull it over, the more I've come to think of this one as a kind of vampire novel. There are no vampires, I should add, no blood drinkers; even so, it's there, I think, this vampirism. I'll let readers make the call, yea or nay.
Silas Morlock is more a tale of dark urban fantasy, again with dystopian undertones, but it plays on the age-old struggle of good against evil. Here it is the power of books that hold the key to saving humanity from darkness.
Set in the globe-sprawling city of Terapolis, an urban nightmare of organic skyscrapers cloaked in shadow, it presents a world where books are not only banned – but more or less forgotten.
Adam, the protagonist, is something of a misfit. Like most of humanity, he is hooked on an addictive, all-consuming technology known as The Gestalt. It might be taken for a portal to some virtual reality fantasia; the truth is far darker.
Books, somehow, are the antidote to The Gestalt's wiles. As Adam has discovered, thanks to a newfound love of reading contraband volumes, the two don't mix. Only one man knows why.
When his dealer is murdered, Adam is cursed to find out. Pulled into a deadly conflict that has raged in the shadows, he'll come face to face with the evil that lurks there. And discover a power in books he never knew existed. That's if he can wield it.
If you want to read a little more about either title, visit my official author website.
Buy direct from Inspired Quill.
Support your indie press
Both these novels are available in print and digital formats. You can order them through any good retail outlet, straight from Amazon, or through Bookshop UK (where I have a page).
The latter helps support not only indie publishers, but crucially – and primarily – independent book shops. It's about alleviating some of the stranglehold big retail and big publishing has on the books market, by trying to give the little guy a shout.
Additionally, it puts its money where its mouth is: offering the chance to order from an indie retailer of your choice, or by raising funds for a general pot that goes towards supporting the sector.
Best of all though, and I'd urge you to do this, is to buy direct from Inspired Quill. As a small press, it's access to conventional retail outlets is limited (although you can certainly order its titles from any good bookshop).
Buying direct means that more of your hard-earned cash goes to the publisher (and hence the author), rather than some big corporate behemoth like Amazon, or one of the big retailers; or indeed the Big Five giants of the publishing world.
For a small press – any small press, not just Inspired Quill – every penny counts.
Words matter
All authors are heavily reliant on word-of-mouth, whether they are published by the big brands, or small press outlets. For the latter, it matters all the more. So that brings me to my final point; more a request, really.
If you've finished a book, write a review. Any book, not just mine. It doesn't have to be much; just a sentence or two works wonders.
Share your thoughts on Amazon or Goodreads; zap out a quick Tweet, or enthuse on whatever social media you choose; if you're so inclined, write a blog post.
Words matter. You've read an author's: next share yours.
More links on my Linktree.
MC