The Chimera Code is a fresh, action-rich, character deep debut that’s screaming to be read.
Those who enjoy their stories in multiplayer online RPGs or tabletop D&D as much as in books will find themselves in familiar grounds. The camaraderie and tension between teammates, even while they’re taking on the Big Bad makes the story fun and engaging.
The Blurb:
Neuromancer for a non-binary age: an action-packed techno-thriller with a side of magical realism. Everything’s for hire – even magic. If you need something done, they’re the best: a tough, resourceful mage, a lab-created genderless hacker and a cyborg with a big gun. But when they’re hired by a virtual construct to destroy the other copies of himself, and the down payment is a new magical skill, Cloke knows this job is going to be a league harder than anything they’ve ever done.
The seat of political power and influence has drifted away from the United States that we know, and Brazil has become the centre of the world. Magic infused transport and VR aids the abandonment of face-to-face communication and time limitations. Anyone can be anywhere, if you have the right tech and know people in the right places.
Meet Cloke. While most people in The Chimera Code have a bio-tech enhanced adaptation to make life easier, Cloke’s avoided the advancement. She’s protective of her presence in the virtual world, having made too many enemies in the past. Her mage skills make her a force to be reckoned with in reality, but also easy to detect. Cloke is backed up by her teammates, each selected because of their personalities, skills, and perspective of the world in this life or the next. Not much can stand against a mage, cyborg, and a hacker, especially with their high placed friends opening doors for them.
Cloke adopts the big sister role when her path crosses Zee. While Zee’s new to her world, Cloke’s approach to Zee’s is cleverly portrayed for readers unfamiliar with non-binary characters. It’s heart-warming to find characters who don’t adopt he/she pronouns appearing naturally. Zee explains to the others in the room without fuss, and life goes on.
For me, this sums up how Santos addresses all the needed exposition for you as a reader to find your feet in the world. None of it is intrusive, all of it valuable crumbs enabling the reader to build the world as chaos descends around the team. What appear to be throwaway lines are the details that brings The Chimera Code to life. With subtle, thoughtful, and for the love of God, don’t-take-your-eyes-off-the- page intense scenes, Santos makes every word work.
Thank you, Wayne Santos for offering a totally plausible magic-that-is-science answer to all the magic imbued fantasy blades in our genre. Respect also goes to the part of Cloke’s sister. It offers a quiet, yet balanced acknowledgement to the role, motivations, and effects of a social media presence.
The Chimera Code is an amazing read, packed with concepts that leave you thinking, characters that engage, and all wrapped up in action. It’s the first book in The Witchware Series, there’s plenty more to come.
Do you want lead female characters kicking ass? Right here. Need mech-tech? Got it. Want non-binary having a key role? Yup. Male characters allowed to be emotive? Check. Redemption arcs? Here. Magic swords, cyberpunk, explosive battles, intrigue? It’s all here. If all that wasn’t enough, you can get a tie-in in comic book. Seriously, what more could you want?
…
Book two.
Highly recommended.
© Shellie Horst – SFFWorld.com April 2021
ISBN: 1781087970
Author Site: https://waynesantos.com/
Publisher: https://rebellionpublishing.com
Available: Nov 2020
Availability: Ebook & Paperback
Review copy received with thanks from Black Crow PR & Rebellion
