Heather’s Bookshelf: End Man
Author: Alex Austin
Released: 09/10/22
Genre: SciFi Mystery
“Raphael sighed. Even if one day he should escape his four streets, another boundary awaited him, awaited everyone. He glanced at Addy who was young and bursting with life and energy, but who too was bound by time, fated to grow old and decay until finally that hooded figure with the scythe dropped by. Turning the corner at the Norval building, he wanted to scream in defiance. He didn’t even whisper.”
“End Man” introduces Raphael Lennon, a 26-year-old End Man. He’s a successful employee for Norval Department of Necrology (NDMN) assigned to find the most challenging of possums (people faking their own deaths). He also happens to have dromophobia, fear of crossing streets, and forced to work, live and play in a small area of LA.
Raphael is assigned to investigate the death of Jason Klaes, a physicist, whose death raises several red flags. As Raphael gets deeper into the mystery, he finds his company is involved in some nefarious things with a mission to take over people’s lives —- in the real and virtual world.
Raphael’s phobia restricts him to live, work, and play within 4 roads in LA. This complicates his investigation (and his love life) as he calls on a couple of his friends to help out. When a random, kind encounter leads to a connection with his crush, his investigation, and his past, Raphael finds his life could be in danger. Will he be able to uncover the truth before everything as he knows it ends?
Trigger Warning: violence, adult language
Overall, I enjoyed this fast-paced ride. There was something about the tone of the tale and the insight into Raphael as a protagonist that hooked me and kept me flipping pages. The setting in LA and near the tar pits/museum made for an intriguing setting. Raphael is a complex and interesting protagonist. His phobia is a different characteristic, but not what defines him. He has managed to live a relatively normal life despite his limitations. It isn’t until he’s assigned the Klaes case that Raphael begins to see the truth behind his company and the opportunities he is missing out on in his personal life. On the surface, this story is about a corrupt company and the evils of greed and opportunity. Beneath the surface are many other themes and precautionary tales that appear set in the future, but in the apparently (and disturbingly) nearby future. The tale is filled with AI and social media, but you don’t have to be a tech savant to read it. The dynamic between Raphael and some of the ancillary characters, including Addy and Matt add a lot to Raphael’s character development and the plot. However, these dialogues are few and far between with little development of the ancillary characters themselves. There are also portions of the tale that were a little convoluted, sometimes appearing to skip ahead. The ending was good, complete, and answered all of my questions, tying up loose ends.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
A fast-paced, futuristic tale with an intriguing setting and well-developed protagonist. Missing a little on the ancillary characters.
Want to learn more about the author?
Check out my interview with Alex Austin
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Find it for purchase here or Kindle Unlimited
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