REVIEW: The Nirvana Effect by Brian Pinkerton

 

No one goes out anymore.

Society is sheltered indoors. The economy is in ruins. People spend their
lives addicted to a breakthrough virtual reality technology, desperate for
escapism in a troubled world. The Nirvana Effect has taken over.

Aaron and Clarissa are members of a subculture of realists who resist the lure
of a fake utopia. They watch in horror as the technology spreads across the
country with willing participants who easily forgo their freedoms for false
pleasures. When the young couple discovers a plot to enforce compliance
for mind control, the battle for free will begins. What started as a playful
diversion turns deadly. The future of the human race is at stake.

FLAME TREE PRESS is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing.
Launched in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more
established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices. 

Buy the book here.

My Review: 

Like all the best sci fi, the story takes elements of the present day and conflates them to great effect. This version of the United States is all too recognisable: behind the facade of benevolence lurks a neo-fascist state. I found it quite hard to have any sympathy to the chip feed-addicts drooling in their fantasies and it was rather fabulous to be rooting for the realists and rebels - positively left wing, if that is even a thing in the States. This will have the Alt-Right spitting feathers! We can but hope.

I particularly enjoyed the characterisation. They are essentially Everymen and Everywomen - no superhero/ines here. It is their combined efforts that drive the story forwards, proving perhaps that the self-seeking individuality so prized by North American culture is as naught if it actively promotes degradation. The people rise up!

Intensely plotted and paced, this would make a great series. One can only hope that Netflix or Amazon will offer Pinkerton an option. It chimes with all our current angst about crowd control through vaccination and the invasion of the body by the state, ostensibly for its own good. It made me think of Wall Street with Gordon Gecko's mantra: 'Greed is good', only here it's 'Feed is good'. The plot twist is genius! An exciting read.

 

Brian Pinkerton is a USA Today bestselling author of novels and short stories in the thriller, horror, science fiction and mystery genres. His books include Abducted,Vengeance, Anatomy of Evil, Killer's Diary, Rough Cut, Bender, and How I Started the Apocalypse.

Brian lives in the Chicago area and invites you to visit him on Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter and at www.brianpinkerton.com. Brian is also a cartoonist and his web site includes his deranged cartoon series, The Ruts.