Book Review: Digital Extremities by Adam Bassett
Genre(s): Science Fiction / Cyber Punk / Short Story Collection
Book Synopsis:
A collection of eight stories, Digital Extremities shines a spotlight on ordinary people in a callous yet hopeful future. Set across small towns and remote islands, where neon flickers against old buildings and oaks, this collection paints a unique view of a traditionally cyberpunk setting.
In 2089, a woman miscarries and seeks a way to find peace amidst overwhelming grief. Years later, a young man must find a way to pay rent outside of his job at the glassblowing studio. A pair of students, excited to go to college, install new hardware that promises to improve their cognitive functions. A private investigator searches for a missing child who has a reputation for embarking on risky adventures. Each tale is shaped by love, loss, and perseverance, weaving a vision of life outside of the megacities.
Review:
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
While each story in Digital Extremities is unique, they’re tied together with a few common themes: the struggle to get by or even make a name for oneself in an increasingly competitive world, human emotions, and an abundance of technology, often implanted directly into the human user. Every story evokes a different set of emotions, and every character has their place in the world—even if they don’t see it themselves. There’s a depth to the characters that really made this collection shine, and a level of humanity to every tale that wasn’t overpowered by all the tech on display.
There was a mixture of happy endings and tragic ones, stories that made me wonder about future possibilities, and others that felt real enough to be happening now, even though all of these stories were set in in the somewhat distant future. I enjoyed the variety.
Digital Extremities was a great read, with stories just the right length to fill up a lunch break. If you’re into cyberpunk and/or sci-fi, definitely check this one out.
Digital Extremities is available for preorder and will release September 24, 2024.
Author website: adamcbassett.com
Amazon link: Digital Extremities
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