In Christopher Selna’s novel, a lone journalist bears witness to a nightmarish confession by a biotech oligarch with nefarious aims.
The novel is set in a bleak dystopian future, characterized by an omnipresent and powerful church, a corrupt government in bed with tech titans, and a nation-crippling opioid crisis. It starts by following a deranged man as he murders his lover and her little girl in a hateful, rage-fueled assault.
After this opening, the book shifts perspective to Malcolm B. Jenners, a young journalist who is happy with his life but struggling at his news syndicate. He’s the last person expected to interview Addison Cain, creator of the titular memory-erasing medical procedure. As his editors explain, Jenners has been requested personally to interview the reclusive billionaire.
Once the writer lands in the mad scientist’s lair, readers are treated to a Bond-style villain monologue about Cain’s conflicts with the government and the church, as well as his horrifying biomedical experiments and catastrophic failures. His confessions lay out his attempts to “cure” a daughter of a powerful church cardinal and a guilt-ridden surgeon, as well as the reason Malcolm was chosen in the first place.
The novel’s characters are terrible people with little, if any, redeeming qualities. Cain, whose hubris turns against him, is a calculating sadist. Jenners is meant to be a hero but never behaves like one. The supporting characters are either guilty co-conspirators or disposable victims of the latter’s graphic violence.
The narrative is also hampered by Cain’s long monologues, which become tiresome, and many distracting grammatical errors. (The author admits he’s a novice and that the book has not undergone professional editing.) The story also suffers from its grinding pace and the unrelenting violence inflicted on its female characters. While the plot offers a final twist, its predictability blunts its overall impact.
Ultimately, the novel falters under the weight of these issues. The story requires revision to attract a wide audience.
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