Genesis

When a man can’t trust his own body and mind, where does he turn? Turner explores that central question in this debut sci-fi novel.

When some men stumble into the perfect life, they’re grateful. Others are proud. But Aiden Markusson can’t help but feel suspicious of his own amazing fortune. With a beautiful home, an enormously successful tech startup, and an incredible level of physique and intellect (matched only by that of his fiancee, Ever), Aiden believes it’s all too good to be true, guided by some unseen hand. Soon enough, his paranoia begins to bear fruit, as his body starts acting strangely, and he finds he’s being followed, not by a business rival but by NuGen, a company on the cutting edge of biomechanical research. Aiden digs deeper into the mystery and discovers that the closer he looks, the more mistrustful he becomes. Even when his most promising lead seems to be nothing more than a garden-variety conspiracy theorist—not to mention a registered sex offender—Aiden can’t put aside his trepidation, and his flawless life descends into a mess of shifting loyalties, fear, and violence. Even some of his pursuers don’t seem to know the whole story. Aiden starts wondering whom he can trust while questioning his own identity: “You really don’t know what’s going on, do you?” But if he’s going to save himself, not to mention his new wife, he’ll need to find out, and fast. While the broad strokes of the initial mystery become clear very quickly, the enthralling thriller delivers surprising layers and keeps readers guessing throughout. Is this player the man behind the curtain or just another piece of the puzzle? Is this character a sidekick or a villain poised to double-cross the hero? These sorts of questions add to the tension created by Aiden’s terror and uncertainty, while insightful descriptions of near-future technologies, from cybernetics to transportation and home computers, give the novel a sense of depth and realism that’s easy to neglect in this sort of sci-fi work. Readers should be left begging for a sequel.

A striking thrill ride through a future both frightening and tantalizing.