Thirty years ago the computer network known as Intellinet crashed, taking out all computers. Society broke down, stranding colonists on Mars and in space, and forcing those left on earth to fight for survival. Now, thirty years later, K’Marr – a member of a secret organisation called The Archives that seeks to protect the lost technology – is looking for the one item that will let him get home to Mars…
But on this retrieval, he faces one problem after another; enemy agents, double-crossing friends, promises to dead men, strong-willed women, an enemy organisation that seeks to destroy all technology, and even the landscape itself – as well as a long hunt for the one item he’s desperately needing. And even when he does retrieve the item, he finds that he’s not the only person who wants to use it…
This novel is atmospheric from the first pages, and the worldbuilding is enthralling. It’s a post-apocalyptic society and there are unsettling flashes of our world, from song titles to words to items, but it’s never overdone; it’s Wild West land of settlements and bandits that exists in the ruins of civilisation, crossed with a science fiction world of hunting drones and science-filled e-readers. K’Marr is an interesting character, and his journey – both physically and emotionally – is one that catches your interest. His motives are nicely layered and although he’s predictable, he’s not boring. The people around him are likewise interesting – each with their own desires and dreams, and all after something with a price tag that includes betrayal and pain. The former barmaid (until K’Marr turned up and caused chaos) turned hunter Danae is intriguing and sympathetic, and there were enough twists in the love story that I didn’t guess the ending. K’Marr’s companions and enemies are likewise intriguing; you feel that everyone has a background and history, even if it’s only hinted at. The places he visits have their own histories, and K’Marr’s own interest and background in each of them is a story in itself.
The plot races along; this is a book that requires you to keep going, wanting to know what’s going to happen next! The pacing and suspense is excellent and even at the quieter points, the tension keeps you reading. The only faults that I have with the book are in the ending; it could have been expanded more, as there were a couple of loose threads that weren’t quite tied up. I would have also liked to see more of our baddy as we see a lot of the minions, but not much about their motivations or ideas. He’s such an interesting concept that I’d love to have found out more about his background, his relation to K’Marr and the society he exists in. We don’t see much of the Archives either, which is a shame as that’s a really interesting concept. But I’m mostly nitpicking now; the story as it stands doesn’t necessarily lack from any of these.
Overall, Wright has served up an excellent, fast-paced and adventure-filled read. The mix of post-apocalyptic, sci-fi and Wild West makes the world unsettling and eerie, and K’Marr’s journey through it keeps you turning the pages.
© Kate Coe, May 2016
The Archivist by Tom Wright
Published August 13th 2015 by Evil Girlfriend Media, LLC
http://www.tomdwright.com/
Review copy courtesy of the publisher
304 pages
Sounds very interesting! 🙂