by Terrance Mc Arthur

This week we have a review & giveaway of Killfile. Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book, along with a link to purchase the book from Amazon.

For a summer dose of specu-para-cyber-thriller fiction, Christopher Farnsworth’s Killfile is a good choice.

John Smith hears minds, from mundane day-to-day thoughts to secrets that hide at the mind’s core. He hears so much that he filters them with alcohol and drugs, but his dream is to have an island of his own, where he can live in blessed silence. His other power is to plant memories, from misleading facts to psyche–debilitating images that can crush a mind like an elephant would crush a strawberry.

Offered that fantasy island by the mega-rich stock maven Everett Sloan, Smith takes on a job of stealing back software algorithm secrets stolen by a now-rich former worker, Preston, and stripping their memories from his mind. Cover blown, Smith goes on the run with Kelsey, a corporate minder who thought Smith’s abilities were mere magician’s tricks. Those “tricks” keep them alive, as Preston proves to be a vindictive adversary, using every cyber-technique possible to strip away any resource and refuge. When things get personal, Smith uses his CIA-honed military training to strike back, cutting away at Preston’s empire as ruthlessly as he was attacked. His revenge might not be honorable, but it is certainly provoked.

Farnsworth layers the Jason Bourne-like action with flashes of Smith’s youth in the foster care system that assigned him his name. Smith uses martial arts and his mental powers to triumph in any confrontation, against any odds. His near Superman stamina might be boring in other hands, but Farnsworth (who also wrote the President’s Vampire books) keeps the pace pedal pressed to the metal creating a thrill ride worthy of an amusement park or a movie screen.

• Snark Level: present, but not intolerable. Kelsey gets in a few good snarklers.
• James Bond Danger Level: top of the chart, Ma.
• Woo-woo Paranormal Level: he does read minds, replace memories, and sees through other eyes.
• Romance Level: yeah, after a fair amount of “I think what you can do is wrong and you shouldn’t do it.”
• Geek Level: algorithms, cyber-trashing bank accounts, and “What are the limits of intellectual property?”

This is the first John Smith book. Here’s hoping there will be more. Keep thinking the good thoughts.

To enter to win a copy of Killfile, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “killfile,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen August 13, 2016. U.S. residents only. If entering via email please include your mailing address.

Check out more fantasy book reviews in our fantasy and fangs section.

You can use this link to purchase this book from Amazon. If you have ad blocker on you may not see the link.

Terrance V. Mc Arthur is a Community Librarian for the WoW! (WithOut Walls) Division of the Fresno County Public Library, roaming the Valley to meet the public’s information needs.