Defrag (The Glitch Logs Book 1)
Rachel Beck (@rachelthebeck)
Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)
Hey chooms – tune your chrome augmentations to ‘full cyberpunk pleasure’ and jump into the gritty cyberpunk world of Neosaka. Here the neon-washed streets serve as a backdrop for a tale of hacking, heists, and hidden agendas. The protagonist, Glitch, is a hacker / runner with a knack for getting her hands on valuable data in a city dominated by powerful corporations. Sounds like your sort of cyber fun? Oh boy it really is…
So without splurging too much plot - when Glitch finds herself in the midst of a high-stakes heist gone wrong. A rival crew emerges, setting off a dangerous chain of events that forces her to navigate a treacherous landscape of shifting alliances and imminent danger. With a relentless security force closing in, Glitch must find a way to unite with her rivals if they are to have any chance of survival.
Beck's world-building in Defrag is shiny. Neosaka comes alive with an atmosphere that drips with tension and cybernetic allure.
Glitch is a relatable and sympathetic protagonist, wracked with internal conflicts as she hits hidden agendas and the deep societal implications of Neosaka's corporate dominance.
Defrag is a gripping cyberpunk adventure that combines high-stakes action, intricate world-building, and well-developed characters. Beck's writing is worth checking – the good news is that there is a whole series – so be sure to check Overclocked and User Error which follow…
Until 21 July you can get Defrag as part of the Fanatical CYBERPUNK BUNDLE
(along with that there Complete Darkness you might have come across) >>> CIICK to get a copy
It's not every day you get to ask the main character of a cool book some Q's - but today is that day...
MATT MEETS GLITCH!
MATT: If you were granted cyber-augmented powers who or what would be your nemesis?
GLITCH: I don’t have to wonder: I know. His name is Axiom and that asshole has had it in for me for years now. He sold out our team for a plushy corporate job and it’s been war between us ever since. Well, that and I’m wearing an extremely expensive piece of cyberware that was supposed to be his big payout for selling us out. So yeah, I don’t see this ending until one of us is dead.
MATT: What is the most life-affirming thing you’ve ever read or watched in a book/film of any genre?
GLITCH: I don’t watch a whole lot of media, but I used to compete professionally in the video game Champions of Nuur. I dunno about life affirming, but hearing a crowd of hundreds chanting your name from a stage does make you feel pretty alive.
MATT: If you were hired to throw a parade of any scale or theme through the center of London what type of parade would it be?
GLITCH: I dunno where you draw the line between “parade” and “riot” but it would be a riot.
MATT: If you could choose a super power what would it be?
The power to phase through walls (and bullets) would make my life a whole lot easier.
MATT: Who or what inspires you most (can be living or dead)?
GLITCH: There was a guy I used to know that went by the name of PatchNotes. He had this idea that the last act of rebellion in a city as sold out as our is to give a damn about other people. I wouldn’t say I do what I do because of him, but he definitely shaped the way I see the world.
MATT: There’s a masked assailant with a gun to your head, who is most likely to be under the mask?
GLITCH: Ooof, tough question. At this point in life, I can think of a whole list of people who would pay for the privilege. Nebula maybe, since I got her fiance killed on a job? Axiom, for the whole stealing his cyberware thing? Nine, because that’s just the kind of guy he is? I think the real takeaway here is that I need to work on my people skills.
MATT: What is the meaning of life?
GLITCH: Whatever goodness you can claw out of it that the corporations can’t immediately turn into a profit extraction opportunity.
MATT: What was the best gift you’ve ever been given?
GLITCH: When I was a kid, my mom got me a dog. Like, a real one, not a robopet. I think it was supposed to help me develop social skills or something. It didn’t, but I really loved that dog. It was just happy to see me, you know? Didn’t matter what kind of day I’d had, it was always just thrilled that I was around. I miss that dog.
MATT: If you could have a sidekick of any sort – what would it be able to do for you?
GLITCH: Talk to people for me maybe? Teach me to talk to people? I don’t mean I want dating advice or anything: I just want people to stop looking at me and thinking to themselves, “You know, violence is probably a good solution here”. Like is it an attitude problem, or do I just have one of those faces?
MATT: What would you like written on your tombstone?
GLITCH: I probably won’t die rich enough to be able to afford a tombstone, but if someone wants to donate one, tell ‘em it should read “It was always personal.” And scratch an image of a moth into it while they’re at it.
MATT: Any final words you like to add…
GLITCH: I’m not really one for speeches. Keep moving. Take care of each other. When danger comes knocking, kick it in the teeth. Figure out what’s more important to you than money and then chase that until they catch you. And every day, every f***ing day, wake up and fight the lie that your only worth is what shows up on a corporation’s bottom line. Good luck.
