by Michael Walters (Author)
The countryside, the near future.
Gabrielle Hunter, husband Leo and son Stefan drive to a remote luxury retreat for a spring break at the invitation of new client Art Fisher, who will be there with his wife, Polly, and daughter Fleur. As Gabrielle's family approach the retreat, their car hits a deer. Investigating, they discover it was dying already, from a bullet wound.
The two families settle in. Stefan falls into a relaxed companionship with Fleur, while Leo finds himself drawn to Polly. Gabrielle, meanwhile, has some unresolved issues around Art.
Off-grid and away from the Areas, Leo and Art jockey for position. Subtle shifts of power are magnified. Gabrielle and Polly have their own secrets. In the garden, the fruit and vegetables ripen too early, while an unidentified shooter continues to take down animals in the wood. Stefan and Fleur seek an escape route into a Virtual Reality darkened by the shadow of war.
The family holiday that already resembles a bad dream soon turns into a waking nightmare.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 192
Publisher: Salt Early McEwan meets late Ballard in a waking nightmare of the near future.
Published: 15 Aug 2019
ISBN 10: 1784631620
ISBN 13: 9781784631628
Book Overview:
An unsettling novel which taps into a range of human emotions, The Complex is a surprisingly thrilling book. Analysing the darker side of technology is a popular novel theme, however The Complex doesn't ever feel tired or repetitive; instead, it manages to hand over a great deal of trust to the reader, finishing with an ambiguous, faded ending that is cinematic in every sense. Walters has developed a unique and thoughtful idea, transforming it into an accomplished novel that will hook even sceptics of sci-fi fiction.
-- Mariah Feria * Storgy *