Review: Falling Into Oblivion by Aaron M. Payne
Blurb:
MODIFICATIONS COME AT A PRICE.
Detective Sol Harkones is tangled in the wires of a deadly conspiracy involving defective body modifications causing permanent brain damage. A suspect is known, but something more dangerous may be lurking in the shadows.
A city plagued by waste.
Violence fills the streets.
Oblivion is within reach.
Falling Into Oblivion is the electrifying first book in the Tendrils of Chrome cyberpunk sci-fi series. If you're a fan of William Gibson's Neuromancer, HBO's True Detective, or Philip K. Dick’s Blade Runner, you will love Aaron M. Payne’s rapid-fire saga.
Review:
Neon light? Check. Cyberpunk feel? Check. Gizmos, gadgets, and futuristic tech? Double check. Falling Into Oblivion has all of this and a lot more. There is a lot to love in this wonderful sci-fi detective novel. I was immediately pulled into it with the setting of a complete cyberpunk city scene that unfolds more and more with each turn of the page. The mystery is something that is easily accessible and allows the readers to be absorbed without even knowing how deep down the rabbit hole they are descending. I kept finding myself just wanting to read a little more before I stop in order to find out more of what is going on. There is a lot of thought and effort that goes into creating a world such as this, but it still captured the detective noir feel of many old types of private investigators.
The strength of the novel was the detective that takes center stage and the creatures that pop up at times throughout the novel. Mechanical, creepy, crazy monstrosities that seem to be unstoppable in many different ways. I found these sequences to be extremely engaging, often keeping me on the edge of my seat as I waited to see how the hero could possibly overcome the odds stacked against him. That is all I can really say on the matter, for to do more, would take away from the magic that was created in experiencing them as a reader. The main character of the detective is very deep and has a lot of personal mystery hanging off of him as well. I was able to relate to him appropriately enough that I was able to understand the decisions that were made by the character. There are also a lot of references to troubles within his personal life that hint at much more to come in the future. I look forward to discovering more of what the solutions to some of these things could possibly be. The one personal issue that I found was the repetition of some of the foreshadowing. This could be that my brain latched onto it and would not let it go, but it did leave some of the “surprises” a little more flat than I am sure they were intended to be. This did not detract from my enjoyment of the story in any way.
This is a great debut novel from an author that clearly has some fantastic ideas and is able to convey them in a very dynamic way. It is a fast paced, pedal to the metal, sci fi detective thriller that will please a wide variety of readers and leave them eager for more. If only it were possible to purchase some personal upgrades to speed up the time until the sequel is here for all of us to enjoy and discover more of this wonderfully dark world. I highly encourage readers to give this one a shot as the thrills will keep you glued to the pages for far longer than you would bargain for. Trust me, it is very well worth it.
Thank you for taking the time to read my review. As always, happy reading and Stay Great!!
