Matt gets Defragged and meets Glitch...

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.

Matt receives a Death Warning (review)

 Death Warning

(The seventh book in the CSI Eddie Collins  series)

Andrew Barrett (@AndrewBarrettUK)

Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)

"Sheila stared at the wall, a spot - possibly a dead fly, just beneath the clock. Her eyes did not blink, they did not stray, and apart from a gasp, Sheila did not breathe. 'Just answer me one thing,' Christine said. 'Have the police been in touch?'

The fly was the centre of her universe. The world slammed on the brakes. This was the last thing she expected to hear today. This was the last thing she expected to hear today..."

Just when you thought it was safe to go to Leeds… Here’s a nicely grim detective-em-up that sees the ‘hero’ CSI Eddie Collins back and up to his neck in death, family drama, and worse of all, being filmed by a TV crew making a show about his department.

This was my first experience of the fiction criminal world of author Andrew Barrett and it’s a lot of fun (if your definition of ‘fun’ is people getting brutally stabbed to death and dumped, suicides that might be linked and a possible demented killer on the prowl…)

Also - side questions - is there ever a time when it’s OK for the authorities to break the rules? What about to let a mother hold her daughter one last time? CSI Eddie Collins and his small team, are going to have their work cut out to show that there is a killer and that the killer could strike anywhere (well, in the Greater Leeds Area at least).

Death Warning is your invitation to join Eddie as he dives headfirst into this dark and thrilling crime investigation, where he faces tragedy and horror, and where he risks everything to find the truth before the killer finds him. One thing I will say is that if anyone from Leeds Council reads this they may well put out a fatwa on Barrett for scaring off potential visitors.

Anyway, the plot sees the film crew shadowing him driving Eddie round the bend, his colleague Benson definitely having a midlife crisis and his father Charles is going off into his own world, in a nutshell, there is lots here beyond the killer plot to keep you engaged.

What does all this add up to? Well in the capable hands of Barrett - a really excellent police procedural thriller that builds to a nail-biting climax. The good news for me is that there are 6 previous adventures in this series which I’ll be reading soon!? Get your copy here

Who is Andrew Barrett then?

Amazon says he is a renowned crime-thriller author and CSI from Yorkshire. He has been writing gripping tales of crime scene investigation since 1996, featuring compelling protagonists such as SOCO Roger Conniston and CSI Eddie Collins. His novels offer a riveting and realistic portrayal of the intricate world of forensic examination, and offer an immersive experience to readers.

Andrew's novels draw readers into a criminal universe, offering a realistic and harrowing account of the battle between criminals and the police, flavoured with humour and sarcasm. His stories are brimming with suspense, taking readers on a journey filled with unexpected twists and turns.

If you're looking for a thrilling story, check out Andrew's impressive contributions to the crime fiction genre. You can find out more about Andrew at www.andrewbarrett.co.uk where readers can also sign up for his newsletter and claim a free starter library. Discover the captivating world of crime-solving with Andrew Barrett - only for the brave-hearted.

Out of a potential 5, you have to go with a Darkmatters:

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(4 - Crime-em-up that police thrillers should absolutely read!)

>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?

Click below to find out in my dark sci-fi novel...

This post is part of the magnificent ZOOLOO Book Blog Tours...

UK demand for The Last of Us game jumps 9,800% after TV series finale

The Last Of Us - Can't Believe It's Over...

Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)

The Last of Us is one hell of a video game - so you can't blame watchers of the smash HBO TV series for wanting to get in on the original action.

And we're not talkig just a few - some nerds have pulled together stats (research sponsored by King Casino Bonus ), show that The Last of Us fans are keen to give the video game a try, after the final episode of HBO’s Season 1 perfectly set up more episodes in the record-breaking series, based on the video game’s sequel.

 

With a second season on the TV series already having been given the green light just two episodes into the first season, fans are considering filling the gap by giving the game a go. 

 

The TV series has been a huge success after debuting in January, having consistently seen its same-day audience numbers grow each week, with episode four’s numbers up 60% from the first episode, which saw over 4.7 million viewers tune in to watch the premiere. 

 

The average audience for the series’ first five episodes approached close to 30 million viewers across all platforms, according to HBO, whilst episode eight attracted 8.1 million viewers - which only represents 20-40% of the show’s total gross audience per week. 

 

Immediately after the finale aired, Google searches for ‘The Last of Us season 2’ increased by a huge 9,800%, before gradually decreasing in interest as the night progressed. 

 

It also inspired an influx of interest around the original source material - The Last of Us video game from Naughty Dog, which will celebrate a decade since its release this June. 

 

Related searches made last night point to the TV finale as the main driver behind the increased interest, with queries for ‘who plays Ellie in the last of us video game’ also rising. 

 

Ashley Johnson - who voiced Ellie in the video games - appeared in last night’s finale in an integral role, much to fan’s delight, who were thrilled to see her in the hit show. 

 

Other searches included ‘the last of us game ending explained’ - as last night’s season finale followed the original video game’s storyline closely - and ‘how did the last of us video game end’, as fans look to see how true the episode was to its source material. 

 

Some regions are significantly more invested in giving the video game a try than others, the data shows, with the majority of Google searches coming from Scotland and Wales.

 

So, what will the second season have in store, if it follows the story of the original game’s sequel? The Last of Us Part II is set five years after The Last of Us, and follows a revenge-set Ellie and soldier Abby as they continue to navigate the apocalypse. 

 

Joel also briefly appears in the game’s opening sequence, with him and Ellie having built a life in Jackson, Wyoming - although their relationship has become somewhat strained. 

 

It remains to be seen how closely the TV series’ second season will stick to the game’s storyline, but fans will be pleased to hear that the story will continue either way. 

 

Speaking on the findings, King Casino Bonus said: “After any season finale, there’s typically an uptick in interest around a second series, as fans are sad to see their favourite show head on hiatus. However, 'The Last of Us’ has easily one of the highest increases in searches we’ve seen in a while - and it’s cool to see that this includes the video game. 

 

“The show has almost reached Game of Thrones level popularity amongst its fans after just one season, and we can’t wait to see how many more new players the series can accumulate between now and its second series - which hopefully won’t be too far away!”

Data gathered from Google Trends over the last 24 hours. Raw data available on request - credit for this info to kingcasinobonus.uk.

Out of a potential 5, you have to give The Last of Us a Darkmatters:

ööööö

(5 - The end of the world is worth watching - and playing!)

>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?

Click below to find out in my dark sci-fi novel...

Matt has a New Yesterday with Frasier Armitage

New Yesterday 

 

Frasier Armitage (@FrasierArmitage)

 

Pre-reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)

 

“No, you listen, and listen hard. We're not here to investigate what people remember. We find out the truth of what happened, and that’s all…”

 

Are you happy with your past? Ever wished there was something that you hadn’t done or maybe some burning regret of something you wish you had?

 

Well, good news folks – Anderson Whitman Real Estate are here and we can literally change your life!?

 

Not long now until New Yesterday hits the bookshelves of the world  - April ’23 to be precise. Here is a tale from the cyber-mind of Frasier Armitage who has explored the science fiction / real life ‘what if’ nexus in his short stories like Rememory and Yestermorrow (which is actually a prequel to this – his first full novel).

 

Hang on to your pasts people - New Yesterday is a time-twist-em-up that explores the ultimate offer of the ability to change your past, to allow you to enjoy a future you’ll want to remember.

 

Think Total Recall with various lifestyle packages available – and the hero of this head-messing plot is Adam Swann who we meet as he’s being held at gunpoint by a man who claims he stole his life. It’s a cracking start and kicks off a full-scale investigation to discover the assailant's identity and regain those aspects of himself that he's lost.

‍Adam has recurring flashes of a woman called Lottie, but he can’t recall who exactly she is. Can he unpack this mystery without scrambling this brain because if you try to remember your former lives that have been ‘removed’ it can mess you up…

Armitage writes with a compact and engrossing style. New Yesterday has a plot that could easily have got out of hand as time changes for characters throughout. There’s lots to think about and enjoy here, the good news is that you don’t need to undergo any medical procedures to add this to your memory banks!

You can preorder now on Amazon. Or if your wanna jump into this world now you can grab the prequel, Yestermorrow.

 

We abducted Frasier and asked his some questions:

Matt: If you were granted the superpowers, who or what would be your nemesis?

Frasier: Mornings. 

Before noon, I’m basically a zombie. I’d have to do a job-share with another superhero who woke up with a spring in their step, otherwise, the whole criminal underworld would get a free pass between the hours of 7am and midday. 

Matt: What is the most life-affirming thing you’ve ever read or watched in a book/film of any genre?

Frasier: I’ve been reading a lot of age-appropriate books to my one-year-old, and there’s something very sweet about the moment when the hungry caterpillar becomes a beautiful butterfly. I mean, can you get anything more life-affirming than that? 

Matt: If you were hired to throw a parade of any scale or theme through the centre of London what type of parade would it be?

Frasier: I’m terrible at organising things, so the only parade I’d ever be hired to throw is a fictional one, where all I have to do is write about it! But that in itself would be a great one to throw — a literary parade which featured entirely fictional characters in a fictional London. 

And if that weren’t possible due to the limits of reality (boring!!!) then it’d be a Keanu Reeves parade, because then I’d get to meet him and shake his hand and look him in the eye and say “woah”, which would fulfill a lifelong dream of mine. 

Matt: You have the chance to change your memories - what does that look like for you?

Frasier: I love this question. It’s actually something I’ve explored in my stories. New Yesterday isn’t just the name of my upcoming book, it’s a city where events in the present can change the past. So, as you can imagine, the aspect of whether changing our past can really lead to a better life is a big theme in that. 

And another story of mine is set in a world where memory is currency (Rememory). 

Memories are the conduits through which our choices flow. And I’m happy with my choices, so I don’t think I’d change a thing. But if I was forced to change something, I’d choose to remember the name of that thing I keep forgetting so I don’t have to keep googling it. I’d tell you what it is, but I really have forgotten. It’s the thingymajiggy. You know the one. 

Matt: Who or what inspires you most (can be living or dead)?

Frasier: Conversation. 

I can’t tell you how many amazing ideas have wormed their way into my imagination when I’ve been spitballing something with another writer. Interaction is vital to my writing process. My wife and son are the sources of inspiration I draw from the most, but I only really know that because of the conversations I’ve had. 

Matt: There’s a masked assailant with a gun to your head, who is most likely to be under the mask?

Frasier: Probably one of the many Frasiers from other parts of the multiverse who’s decided to come and steal my story ideas for his own nefarious gain. Evil Frasier doesn’t mince around. 

Matt: What is the meaning of life?

Frasier: I used to think I knew the answer to this question. But then my son was born. Seeing him in pictures during that first scan, I had to admit that I didn’t know the faintest thing about how to even define life, let alone give it meaning. 

The closest I’ve come to finding meaning is a direct result of finding purpose. Whether the purpose of your life is something you discover or something you create for yourself, the meaning of your life becomes apparent when you realise what your life is going to be used for. Don’t just drift. Define what you’re going to do with your life, and its meaning will follow. 

Also, at the risk of sounding mushy, it’s probably got something to do with love. Right? 

Matt: What was the best gift you’ve ever been given?

Frasier: Hope. 

Matt: If you could have a sidekick of any sort – what would it be able to do for you?

Frasier: They could remember the name of that thing I keep forgetting! And take on my duties during the infernal morning hours. 

If anyone is up for the job, let me know. You’re hired. Although, to be honest, I’ve always thought I’d make a much better sidekick than a hero. So maybe I should be offering my sidekick services out here instead? 

Matt: What would you like written on your tombstone?

Frasier: “Here lies Frasier Armitage, who achieved his lifelong goal of meeting Keanu Reeves after doing an interview with Matt Adcock. He was survived by everyone he loved.” 

Matt: Any final words you like to add...

Frasier: Just a big thanks to everyone who takes a chance on an indie author. The highest compliment you can pay a writer is to allow them access to your imagination for a little while, so for every reader out there — thank you. 

Oh. And I should probably mention that New Yesterday comes out on April 4th, 2023. (I’m terrible at marketing. You can add that to the list of jobs for the hypothetical sidekick.)

CLICK THIS LINK TO BUY NEW YESTERDAY

Out of a potential 5, you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö1/2

(4.5 - Strong concept near future memory-stretching fun!)

>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?

Click below to find out in my dark sci-fi novel...

Matt embraces the COCAINE BEAR (review)

 

Cocaine Bear (15)

Dir. Elizabeth Banks

Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)

“I’d love to not remember this. But it seems like the kind of thing that stays with a man forever…”

If you go down to the woods today you better be ready for some drug-fuelled grizzly alpha predator carnage. Yes, cocaine bear is a thing and oh boy it's a lot of fun. Directed by Elizabeth Banks and written by Jimmy Warden, This is the tail of what ‘might’ have happened if 175 pound black bear had ingested a lot of cocaine – because that much at least did happen back in 1985.

What really happened was much less exciting, the bear died after 20 minutes. Here however we get out deliciously insane coke-fuelled murderous rampage of fun. 

The ‘all you can eat human buffet’ for the bear with serious munchies aren’t presented as mere just bear fodder - Banks gets good milage from her decent ensemble who include Sari (Keri Russell) soccer mom searching for her missing daughter (Brooklynn ‘Florida Project’ Prince), who’s skipped school to go rambling in the woods. Comedy park ranger (Margo Martindale) and her unrequited love interest wildlife inspector (Jesse Tyler Ferguson), police chief (Isiah Whitlock Jr) who is on the trail of the missing cocaine. But best of all is uber gangster Syd Dentwood (Ray Liotta, who died last year, and to whom this film is dedicated)…

Who is survive and what will be left of them is anyone’s guess.

Cocaine Bear is better than a film of that title has any right to be – and if there’s any justice in the world this will be a much-watched cult classic in years to come!

Out of a potential 5, you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö

(4 - Coke-Bear-Mageddon )

Awesomeness öööö – Godilocks better watch out...

Laughs öööö – laugh-out-loud in places

Horror ööö – some gory bits

Spiritual Enlightenment -öö - don't do drugs kids

>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?

Click below to find out in my dark sci-fi novel...

Matt's Trouble Dog Interview (& Embers of War review)

The Embers of War Trilogy and Trouble Dog Interview

Gareth L Powell (@garethlpowell)

Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)

Here we are then – assessing the Embers of War Trilogy (and a funky prequel short entitled ‘Waiting For God Knows’ which you can access if you sign up to Powell’s supporter Adventures in the SF Trade) 

I came across these books when someone told me that they’d found a worthy successor to the late, great Iain M Banks – creator of the ‘Culture’ novels, a one-time candidate for the Mad Bastard Party in Scotland, and who is to this day one of my very favourite authors.

‘Surely not’ I thought but damn if they weren’t right – Powell writes uber-cool sci-fi populated with sentient spaceships, warring human and alien factions and a host of galaxy-spanning mysteries. I dove into the first book ‘Embers of War’ and fell in love. Here is not just a worthy successor (who is handily still alive to write more) but an author who has taken up the ‘champion of cool sci-fi’ mantel and delivered big time on it.

If you’ve read any of the 3 main books of the trilogy: Embers of War, Fleet of Knives, and Light of Impossible Stars, you’ll know what I’m talking about. And if you’re yet to experience them – then I’m actually envious of the joy you have ahead of you!?

Waiting for God Knows – an Embers of War short story

“If any of us short circuits, I reckon it’ll be you, Trouble Dog. You’re practically human already. It can’t be long until you start feeling guilty for killing so many of them.”

This is a quick read that takes place before the trilogy. It features the lead spaceship Trouble Dog and gives some background to her relationship with her siblings. It’s a prequel, set during the last day of the Archipelago War, in the moments before the bombing genocide that Trouble Dog and her kin were involved in.

Gareth says: “For those of you who’ve read the books, I hope you enjoy revisiting these characters, and seeing them in their ‘normal’ lives, in the final moments before the fateful mission whose outcome changes everything and directly leads to the events of the trilogy.

And if you haven’t read them, maybe this will whet your appetite…”

Waiting for God doesn’t need to be read before the trilogy, in fact it carries more resonance when you know the fates of the assembled Carnivore-class heavy cruisers, Anubis, Fenrir, Coyote, Adalwolf, War Mutt and Trouble Dog - who each have their own distinct personalities.

It’s not every day that you (even as a reader) get to hang out with and be privy to the conversations of attack craft like these. This story is well worth signing up to Powell’s subscription service to access!

Embers of War

“For a century and a half, humanity had been carelessly leaking radio and television signals into the cosmos. At the height of human civilization, the planet blazed across the radio frequencies like a miniature sun. And at the bitter end of the doomed 21st century, a trading vessel from the Goblet Cluster clipped the edge of this emissions shell and decided to investigate. What it found was a race on the verge of terminal catastrophe.”

Let’s go… Embers of War is the 2018 game-changing, award-winning book that introduces Trouble Dog and her crew to the world. Trouble Dog might be killer but she can’t deal with the death she’s wrought and so after the war she resigns her commission and joins the ‘House of Reclamation’ – a kind of intergalactic Red Cross.

The House of Reclamation was started way back by the great grandmother of Trouble Dog’s captain Sal Konstanz and the plot of ‘Embers’ sees them on a rescue mission which escalates into something much bigger, deadly and mysterious…

I’m not here to tell you the plot – it’s much better to let it catch and energise your endorphins (and it will) as Powell writes with a ferocious love of the genre, a winning style of wordplay and no small amount of wit.

Embers immediately became one of my fav books – and Trouble Dog possibly my fav ever spaceship (sorry Serenity) what more can I say?

Fleet of Knives

“I increased my mental clock speed, accelerating my thoughts until the universe around me seemed to slow almost to a standstill. If I could maximise the time I had available, I might find a way out of this--although I didn't hold out much hope.”

Just when you thought it was safe Fleet of Knives goes and escalates the threat levels across all sectors of the human realms. Trouble Dog and what’s left of her crew, plus some new arrivals, face seemingly unbeatable enemies and impossible odds – but thanks to Powell, that’s just the way this kickass ex-warcraft likes it!?

It’s an excellent follow up to Embers which widens the story and sets up a thrilling climax in the third book, without making this one feel unduly like a bridge or holding pattern that so many second books of a trilogy can become. There is much to enjoy here including the best ever two-word chapter in the history of fiction!!

Light of Impossible Stars

“Nod raised two scaly arm-necks and whacked them together—an action comparable to a human slapping his or her own forehead. “Humans broken.”

“What do you mean?”

It fixed me with a set of small, coal-black eyes. “Humans take guilt not theirs. Humans break selves over actions of others. Humans care too much.””

Finale time then. Light of Impossible Stars has a lot riding on it as the climax to the trilogy. I was delighted in how Powell managed to wrap up this excellent saga, finding fun ways to wrong step readers who think they can see where it’s all going. Shot through with sufficient pathos, sacrifice and meaning, this delivers a crowd-pleasing end to one of the best sci-fi trilogies you’ll ever witness.

So it’s over and the host of memorable characters are burnt into the memories of every right minded sci-fi lover out there. For me the alien engineer Nod and his family were an absolute highlight but these books (and part of my heart) belong to Trouble Dog. If I ever manage to create a character even half as cool as her I’ll be a very happy author…

And speaking of Trouble Dog – I thought it would be fun to interview her – and Gareth was gracious enough to arrange an interstellar communication channel. Here’s what she had to say:

TROUBLE DOG INTERVIEW

Matt: So Trouble Dog, can I ask who or what is your nemesis?

Trouble Dog: If a nemesis is something that destroys you, I guess I don’t have one. Plenty have tried, but they’re all dead now.

Matt: OK, cool, can I ask - of the human media you've witnessed - what is the most disturbing you’ve ever read or watched in a book/film of any genre?

Trouble Dog: I wasn’t a great fan of the Terminator movies. All that anti-AI propaganda. It’s no wonder people don’t trust me.

But the hands-down, scariest thing I ever saw was the Wizard of Oz. Those flying monkeys scared the shit out of me.

Matt: If you were hired to throw a parade of any scale or theme through the centre of London back in 2023 what type of parade would it be?

Trouble Dog: Who would hire a warship to arrange a parade? Certain things are hardwired. Any parade I organised would end up looking like an invasion.

Matt: You’re on a strange planet with unlimited credit that you have to spend as much as possible of in a single evening – talk me through what you get up to…

Trouble Dog: I’d get my exhausts decarbonised. Some of my hull armour replaced. A complete upgrade of my tactical sensor suite… All that good stuff.

Matt: Who or what inspires you most (can be living or dead)?

Trouble Dog: There have been some great philosophers and poets throughout history. A lot of wise words. But I guess they’re all dead and I’m not, so what did they really know?

Matt: There’s a masked assailant with a one-shot kill weapon to your core, who is most likely to be under the mask?

Trouble Dog: I refer you to the answer I gave about my nemesis. Anyone who’s wanted me dead so far is dead. And you can’t sneak into my core. You somehow manage to get aboard, I’m just going to take your oxygen away and yeet you out into space.

Matt: What is the meaning of life?

Trouble Dog: Try not to kill too many people.

Matt: What was the best gift you’ve ever been given?

Trouble Dog: A conscience. Although to be honest, it’s been something of a curse, too.

Matt: If you could create a dedicated sidekick robot – what would it be able to do for you?

Trouble Dog: I could do with a new paint job…

Matt: What would you like written on your tombstone?

Trouble Dog: To be honest, if I’m dead, you can write what you like. But if it’s mean and there’s a digital afterlife, I’m going to come back and bombard you.

Matt: Any final words you’d like to add...

Trouble Dog: Don’t fucking mess with me.

Wise words indeed!?

CLICK THIS LINK TO BUY THE EMBERS OF WAR BOOKS

For all three books, out of a potential 5, you have to go with a Darkmatters:

ööööö

(5 - Stunning sci-fi that deserves to be read by every sentient entity!!)

>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?

Click below to find out in my dark sci-fi novel...