Who Would Like This Book:
If you love cutting-edge technology, wild speculation, and high-stakes action, "Influx" is a blast. Think thrilling, cinematic scenes with world-changing inventions, secret government agencies, and a globetrotting scientist hero. Suarez's blend of real science with over-the-top tech is perfect for fans of Michael Crichton, Neal Stephenson, or anyone who digs conspiracy-driven sci-fi. Tech geeks, conspiracy theorists, and those who enjoyed Suarez’s earlier works (like "Daemon") will especially find themselves hooked.
Who May Not Like This Book:
If you prefer nuanced, character-driven stories or get frustrated with info-dump-heavy explanations of sci-fi concepts, this one may test your patience. Some find the good-vs-evil setup a bit too straightforward, the villains cartoonish, and female characters underwritten. Others have called out clunky or melodramatic dialogue and the occasional deus ex machina moment. Not for those looking for subtlety, deep character arcs, or completely believable science.
About:
In "Influx" by Daniel Suarez, scientist Jon Grady invents a device that can reflect gravity, a groundbreaking discovery in physics. However, he is captured by a government agency, the Bureau of Technology Control, which aims to keep his invention a secret. As Grady resists their recruitment efforts, he realizes the extent of control the BTC has over mankind, leading to a thrilling and dangerous new world filled with advanced technology and a secretive government agency.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
The book contains themes of torture and psychological distress, particularly involving the main character.
From The Publisher:
New York Times bestselling author Daniel Suarez imagines a chilling future where technological advances are held hostage by the government in this thriller that perfectly blends "nail-biting suspense with accessible science" (Publishers Weekly).
Physicist Jon Grady and his team have discovered a device that can reflect gravity-a triumph that will revolutionize the field of physics and change the future. But instead of acclaim, Grady's lab is locked down by a covert organization known as the Bureau of Technology Control.
The bureau's mission: suppress the truth of sudden technological progress and prevent the social upheaval it would trigger. Because the future is already here. And it's rewards are only for a select few.
When Grady refuses to join the BTC, he's thrown into a nightmarish high-tech prison housing other doomed rebel intellects. Now, as the only hope to usher humanity out of its artificial dark age, Grady and his fellow prisoners must try to expose the secrets of an unimaginable enemy-one that wields a technological advantage half a century in the making.
Ratings (14)
Incredible (1) | |
Loved It (5) | |
Liked It (2) | |
It Was OK (6) |
Reader Stats (23):
Read It (15) | |
Want To Read (7) | |
Not Interested (1) |
3 comment(s)
Another fun story with interesting setting and plot devices. Though, I came away a tad disappointed overall. There were a couple of points where character establishment was skipped over for "just felt like they could trust" and pretty much all the deaths just felt tacked on as there was little emotional credit invested in them.
The tourture scene for the main character I think was the most moving over all.
I look forward to whatever the author writes next, I just wish he could spend a little more time establishing his side characters than here. I felt he had done this well in Daemon and Freedom, so I am sure he can do it.
(3.5 stars)
Super cool concept, but the author failed to stick the landing. Excited to check out the movie being made with Will Smith to see if they pull it off better.
What can you read after
Influx?
About the Author:
Daniel Suarez is the author of the New York Times bestseller Daemon, Freedom(TM), Kill Decision, Influx, and Change Agent. A former systems consultant to Fortune 1000 companies, his high-tech and sci-fi thrillers focus on technology-driven change. He lives in Los…
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