The thrilling sequel to the Neon God.
In a world decimated by the hypnotic neon lights, the uneasy calm brokered by Jessie Aguilar teeters on the brink of collapse. The sudden disappearance of Mason, the remarkable empath, and his unlikely companion, Prince—the prized offspring of the enigmatic Neon God AI—propels the destinies of two species on a collision course. Mason and Prince must confront the mysteries that bind them, facing challenges that threaten not only their friendship but the very foundations of a delicate peace they seek to preserve. Jessie embarks on a journey to locate her young ward, one filled with self-discovery, one leading her into the lair of the Neon God’s creator. Will their journeys bring salvation or plunge the world further into irreversible chaos?
Gayler immerses readers in a terrifying, fully realized potential reality, emphasizing the control that phones and computers have over human lives. Because people are always connected, it was all too easy for the programmers who created the Neon God and hypnotic lights to even further entrance users. The consequences are provocative: in this screen-centric future, millions died either by mass suicide, or neglect of their bodies, withering away while staring at their screens. Gayler also highlights fears about AI sentience, finding fresh angles, while mining tension and twists from the existence of people not affected by the mesmeric neon lights, living in refuge from electronic devices.
The worldbuilding is complex, but Gayler keeps the storytelling clear and engaging, whether in technical explanations, brisk action sequences, or passages blending these modes. Readers won’t find themselves pulled out of the story trying to follow the jargon. Taking readers from the destruction of the United States to the barely touched South America, Gayler explores the harrowing complications of this dystopia, where some governments will go to extremes to keep those—mostly tourists—affected by the lights from tarnishing their cities. The plotting, meanwhile, surprises, sometimes shocks, and will please fans of fallen near futures.
Takeaway: Apocalyptic thrill ride of a boy destined to save the world from tech.
Comparable Titles: M.T. Anderson’s Feed, Cory Doctorow’s Little Brother.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: B
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
