Review: The Digital Plague by Jeff Somers

I finally got around to reading The Digital Plague, I had been meaning to, and after running into author Jeff Somers at NYCC, I knew I needed to sit down and put the gun in my mouth.
You see, when going on an adventure with thug-turned-crime lord, Avery Cates, you need to be ready for some pain. Because it hurts every time.
Somers' mix of noir-inspired narration and curse dialogue is as quick as Avery's draw, and his world is a ruthless future where destruction is everywhere, and the System Pigs rule with an iron fist. The only way to survive is to be tough as nails. Or rich as hell.

At this point, Avery is both. But that also means he has a big target painted on his back. Something he's used to, of course, and this time he needs to find the one techie that has given him a nasty bug. This second novel is a slog from the mean streets of New York City to the remnants of Paris, where Avery, accompanied by a few cops (not his favorite people, and vice versa) must find a very special someone.

The most addictive element of Somers' writing is his narrative voice, the way he brings Cates to life. No matter how bad or bad ass he is, you always want him to pull through. You feel like you're there, counting the last few rounds of ammo, wondering if he'll make it. I'm hooked, and can't wait for the next installment.

One thing I would have liked to see is a taste of perspective from another character. He builds up some interesting side characters, but we only get see them through one set of eyes. I sometimes found myself craving another voice, just to change it up.

Overall, I feel it's a solid series, and I've been recommending it to friends who might be looking for a writer with sharp teeth.

Attended Jeff Somers reading at KGB Bar

Last night I attended a reading as part of the KGB Bar's Fantastic Fiction series by Orbit author Jeff Somers.

I met the author last year while attending World Fantasy Con in Saratoga last Fall. He was friendly and we chatted about Jae Lee cover art (something a comics fan like me couldn't miss). I grabbed the trade paperback copy of Electric Church and sadly threw it on my 'to be read' shelf where it sat for a while. Almost a year later, knowing this reading was coming up, I finally picked up the book and started reading it - and I'm really enjoying it. I was mad at myself for letting it sit around as this is the type of science fiction I could really get into. Here's a quick layout of the story.

In a future world where great wars, riots and a global unification has occurred leaving a huge gap between the very rich and the dirt poor, a street smart killer-for-hire survives by the seat of his pants. People's life spans don't last long in this harsh future and a powerful religious organization promises eternal existence but something doesn't sit right with Avery Cates. Chaos ensues.

[Back to the reading]
Weak cell phone camera in hand, I snagged a spot against the door in the back of the small but crowded room. My co-pilot and pal Jon was able to purchase a copy of Jeff's first book The Electric Church for himself, and a copy of Jeff's newest The Digital Plague for me before the reading began.

Jeff chose to read from a short story he had written, a hysterical and fantastical rendition of his eerie New Jersey upbringing and life of crime and adventure. He put on a good show and the crowd really seemed to enjoy it. [Apologies on poor picture quality, although it does evoke a bit of ambiance, wouldn't you say?]

After the applause and a bit of conversation with some industry friends from Orbit and Tor, we moved along to grab some sushi at one of my favorite places down on the East Side at Takahachi. It was a good night indeed.

I am not finished with The Electric Church, but now with his new book in hand, I'm psyched to get to the end so I can jump right into the next one. If you're looking for a futuristic tale of gun slinging and survival, I recommend you pick it up. I can almost see the main character Avery, in digital form, in a videogame in the near future, looking for weapons and technology to survive in the blasted landscape that is Old New York.

[update]

I've added a link to Jeff's blog on my blog role located on the right. Check out his witty banter here [for those too lazy to look right]