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“fun little cyberpunk by an author really getting into the genre”
William Y wrote this review Friday, September 11 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“The Electric Church
Smirking Revenge wrote this review Wednesday, August 19 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
By: Jeff Somers
Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Orbit
Language: English
September 2007, $12.99
Genre: Sci-Fi/Cyberpunk
Avery Cates is a very bad man. Some might call him a criminal. He might even be a killer - for the Right Price. But right now, Avery Cates is scared. He's up against the Monks: cyborgs with human brains, enhanced robotic bodies, and a small arsenal of advanced weaponry. Their mission is to convert anyone and everyone to the Electric Church. But there is just one snag. Conversion means death.
+++++++++++++
I don’t read a whole lot of sci-fi, but I’d had this sitting in my TBR pile and Carl’s Sci-Fi Experience challenge finally got me to pick it up. My sister and brother in law sang its praise when they read it a while back and I can see why. It’s a great book. Call it a combination of a Cybermen episode of Doctor Who and Blade Runner except where the Cybermen are far creepier and your hero is a professional killer who you shouldn’t like at all, but wind up rooting for him anyway.
Avery Cates may be a bad man, but the brutal police force that keeps order in this dystopian world seems just as bad. When he kills one of the elite brute squad instead of being thrown to the firing squad he gets hired to take out Dennis Squalor, leader of the Electric Church. Don’t think the church is scary with its promises of immortality and redemption. You should. See, you have to die in order to become a member and sometimes you are converted without your approval. So imagine being locked away forever screaming, forever wanting it all to end, but stuck in a cyborg body. Not a fun day at the park. In fact, there is one scene in the book where we see where getting religion can be insanely disturbing and scary. Commentary on religion? Maybe just a bit.
I thought the pacing was great, the first person narrative worked and it didn’t take itself too seriously. I also didn’t have to sift through a bunch of techo babble which was nice. The characters that surround Cates are just as fun to hate and hate to love as our lead don’t call me a hero if you want to live is. None of the characters are people I would want to meet in real life. Even the cops are bad guys. Cates is the lesser evil, but like Hannibal Lecter you cant help but like him just a bit.
The book has its flaws. The dialogue could be honed a little and prose expanded a bit, what can I say I love words, but on the whole it was a fun and fast read. In fact, I cant wait to start reading Digital Plague. I was never bored with this one and I don’t imagine that the second one will be a disappointment either.”
“Avery Cates-- the gunner we all love to hate.
Sue S wrote this review Wednesday, July 15 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
(in that sad sci-fi way)”
“Terrific debut from Jeff Somers. Sci-fi that's not too futuristic. Jaded and shattered, anti-hero Avery Cates has what it takes to survive, adapt, and overcome obstacles galore. A page turner. Great use of language and first-person point of view. The supporting cast, allies and enemies, are interesting in their own right and those that live give extra mileage to an original story. Loved it. Can't wait to read his other work.”
soupson wrote this review Wednesday, July 15 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Avery Cates is a gunner, a hired killer with a code of ethics. He lives in a world were the rich have it all and everyone else have to fight to live. The SSF kill first and ask questions later. In the mist of the madness a friend tells him a story about the Monks from the Electric Church. That someone he knows was killed by the Monks and the next day tried to recruit him to join. Avery is being hunted when he is approached by the Head of SSF security. He finds out the truth about the church and his work to change the world he knows begins.
rowanthea wrote this review Saturday, April 11 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
This was a great sci-fi cyberpunk fast action read. ”
“A great action packed book!!!! It had its share of black humor and a cast of very likable characters. It was very hard to put this book down. I have to admit, this book could be turned into a very cheesy movie to be shown on the sci fi channels. I hope it doesn't go that way - it could be a good film given a nice budget with good actors. But I'd be skeptical. I hope it just stays being a novel. I'll definitely be picking up the second book after this one.
Caroline C wrote this review Tuesday, December 23 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
I just love the phrase: " I'm going to eat your #@$#@ kidneys!!!!!!"”
0 of 1 members found this review helpful“Bleah. Talk about cheap, action oriented flash sci-fi. If this were a movie (and it wouldn't mind being one) it would be the one that disappears under the radar two weeks after release, damned to be rebroadcast forever after only on SciFi.”
howdroll wrote this review Wednesday, December 17 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This book is right down my alley. Besides sci-fi movies, my next favorite genre is gangster flicks, such as Snatch, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Layer Cake, Goodfellas, etc. This story covers both bases and does it in a very entertaining manner. Jeff Somers dialogue is pitch perfect for this type of narrative. This is a highly engrossing novel that will appeal to all sci-fi and crime drama readers.
Matt wrote this review Monday, February 23 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Dust Jacket Summary: In the near future, the only thing growing faster than the criminal population is the Electric Church, a new religion founded by a mysterious man named Dennis Squalor. The Church preaches that life is too brief to contemplate the mysteries of the universe: eternity is required. In order to achieve this, the converted become Monks — cyborgs with human brains, enhanced robotic bodies, and virtually unlimited life spans.
Enter Avery Cates, a dangerous criminal known as the best killer-for-hire around. The authorities have a special mission in mind for Cates: assassinate Dennis Squalor. But for Cates, the assignment will be the most dangerous job he’s ever undertaken — and it may well be his last.
What I liked: Avery Cates is your classic anti-hero, an assassin with a morale code. I like the fact that he is not written as some type of superman who can take loads of punishment without any consequences. This makes the character seem more realistic and appealing. Cates is forced to use his head to get out of bad circumstances instead of always falling back on gunplay.
The world that Avery Cates lives in is bleak and depressing. All of the world governments have been swept away by an event known as Unification. There are no jobs for the average person, consequently you learn to live life as a criminal or you’re dyin’. But the strangest of all is the Electric Church and their creepy monks. Jeff Somers has definitely created a dark and strange future.
But the strength of this novel is the characters and the dialogue. The cast of characters that Avery Cates puts together for his job are best described as the “Merry Pranksters”. The dark humor that reverberates through out the story is hilarious and worth the price of admission alone.
What I didn’t like: At times, especially in the first third of the book there is a tendency to repeat certain points.
Last word: Gritty sci-fi noir at its finest and just plain fun. I really look forward to the further exploits of the Avery Cates in The Digital Plague and the upcoming The Eternal Prison.”
“Religion is electrified in the snappy first book of Jeff Somers' cyber-noir series featuring Avery Cates.
Tez Miller wrote this review Sunday, October 12 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
John Lennon might have imagined a world without religion, but this futuristic tale features a church gone mad, where to convert means sacrificing your brain to a cyborg's body. And if you don't want to convert...well, the Electric Monks want to kill you. (I think. I read a lot of this in front of the TV, and thus didn't pay as much attention as I should have.)
If your mission is to kill the head of a legalised-yet-suspicious religion, where might they live? In England, apparently, in Westminster Abbey - only what Avery Cates finds there is mind-blowing. But before that he has to build up a team to help him take down Dennis Squalor - which is nice, but I got tetchy waiting for the assassination to begin.
Although the cities are still named New York and London, the world seems to be run by the System. Travelling by hover instead of cars, the police are deadlier. And everything's digitised, including a chip - if you can afford one - in your brain that will allow you to receive medical treatment. If you're poor (which most folk are) you're on your own. Dead, really - nutrient tablets can only do so much. It's a bleak vision of the future, yet it's definitely believable - the brain chips and a religion that corrupts, that is.
But that's the great thing about the futuristic genre: it has apt social commentary for contemporary society. If religion's supposed to be good for you, then why are you one who's always forking out? The rich get richer, and the poor get poorer.
In any case, this novel might leave you wondering just what exactly people are hiding behind their sunglasses.”
