Customer Reviews

Black Glass

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In the future the poverty line has risen to engulf the middle class, the oceans have risen to swallow the coasts, the US government is a puppet to multinational corporations, the police have been privatized, and super AIs known as semblants hold corporate shareholder meetings while their flesh-and-blood counterparts get laid.

This is the world of ex-cop Richard Candle who has just come out of an 'UnMinding' prison term meant for his VR-addicted ex-rockstar brother. Unfortunately for Candle, the day of his release is just the beginning of his new life on the run from Grist, the powerful and maniacal multinational leader who tried to have Candle's brother incarcirated to begin with. Forced into the back alleys of the criminal world he once worked as a cop, he must dodge murderous AIs, flying guns and a nasty faux-sentient pollution plague dubbed the Black Wind to try and save himself and his brother.

An excellent read for cyberpunk, post-cyberpunk and science fiction fans.

In 2033, former cop Rick Candle is being released from the California State Centenary once he is ReMinded. He spent four years of being UnMinded for taking the software piracy rap for his younger brother musician and V-Rat addict Danny.

Slaken CEO Terrence Grist is unhappy with Rick's freedom as the cop came close to destroying his empire. However the Fortune 33 member has a hitman Halido poised to kill Candle.

Rick visits Danny's former girlfriend Zilia, who he is attracted to, but she has no idea where his sibling is. Meanwhile Shortstack hires Rick to protect his underground illegal web. At the same time Grist orders his leading technocrat Sykes to create the Multisemblant, a merging of the personalities of five of the top Fortune 33 members. Soon that new creation will be out of control and after Rick who stands in the way of its personal agenda.

This is an engaging somewhat cautionary cyber future thriller in which Big Business runs the United States any way they want. The story line is action-packed from the moment Rick regains his mind and never slows down as he searches for his brother, deals with his attraction to Zilia and tries to protect Shortstack and his cronies from Grist's killers. However it is the unique Multisemblant that steals the show as the copied conscience of five of the top of the Fortune 33 personalities seems almost God-like with the ability to go almost anywhere in cyberspace. BLACK GLASS is a terrific science fiction tale.

Harriet Klausner

I couldn't put this book down and I'm not a big fan of this genre. Now I have to read more works by Mr. Shirley. He's has a twisted mind and an amazing imagination!