Synopsis:
There’s a thief on the loose. The Tigres excel at tipping the scales in their favor, be it through bribes, politics, or blood. They unofficially run Viterbo, Italy – and somebody stole from them.
Private investigators David and Mafalda De Campo have been hired to help find the thief. They’re in it for the money, but the Tigres just want to make a statement.
Meanwhile, the Heredes have returned: ruthless idealists and revolutionaries. It’s not clear what they’re up to, but they keep getting in the way.
The De Campos will need to decide how far they’re willing to go for this job and the Tigres. Viterbo may soon become a battlefield, and one wrong move could set it aflame.
Review:
This is the second book in Bassett’s Digital Extremities that I’ve read. The first drew me in with its play on cyberpunk themes at a very down-to-earth level, making the technology and the stories grounded in a gritty reality. Some of it bordered on the mundane, and it felt so right as it explored how such tech advancements may affect those within the lower echelons of society.
Here, with Animus Paradox, the author takes us in a different direction, focusing on gang issues in an Italian city, but still rooting the cyberpunk in the reality of people’s lives. Not only does his world feel lived-in, but the stakes feel real. This isn’t the ‘end of the world’ stuff that rules science fiction, but a layer of criminality and revolt that affects those in the same band of society as his short story collection. This, to me, made me pause for thought and question the books I usually read. For what Bassett does here is lower the stakes while ensuring the reader’s involvement is more meaningful for it. Of course, if world-shattering events are your thing, then this may not appeal. But then you would miss out on a well-crafted, subtle cyberpunk story ensconced in body mods, gang-warfare and well-meaning but poorly conceived acts of revolution in a world where tech comes at a cost, and clean water more so.
The characters are interesting; some flawed, some not. Be their bonds deep and long-held or brief, their interactions are believable, and as the story evolves, you can’t help but care about their outcomes.
I thoroughly enjoyed this on audiobook; the narration was consistent and well-matched to the story, and the world Bassett has built. Give it a try and get your modded hands dirty with David, Maf, Jun’ichi, and Hachiro. Most excellent cyberpunk!
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