Review of Ghosts and Monsters: A Dystopian Cyberpunk SFF Mystery (Tidelands Book 1)
When I first stumbled upon Gareth Southwell’s Ghosts and Monsters, its title, dripping with intrigue, immediately drew me in. A blend of dystopian cyberpunk and Lovecraftian horror? Count me in! I have an insatiable curiosity for worlds that twist the familiar into the fantastic, and Southwell’s vision of a flooded city grappling with the chaos of climate change felt ominously pertinent to our present.
The story unfolds between two compelling protagonists, Eva and Squirrel, whose lives are starkly contrasted by privilege and survival. Eva’s life inside the arcology—a high-tech sanctuary for the affluent—serves as a gilded prison where she’s both nurtured and monitored in her daily virtual escapades. Her longing for freedom resonates deeply amidst her once-cocooned existence; one can’t help but share in her yearning. On the flip side, we have Squirrel, a memory thief scraping by in the gritty streets, maneuvering through crime-riddled chaos with skills she has yet to fully comprehend. The duality of their lives, both suffocating in their own ways, forms a beautifully tangled narrative that kept me engaged throughout.
What struck me most was Southwell’s ability to craft vivid landscapes filled with technological nightmares and grotesque genetic mutations while still infusing a dark humor that punctuated the otherwise bleak setting. His writing is lyrical and immersive, merging genres seamlessly—a tricky feat that Southwell handles with impressive dexterity. He manages to evoke both fear and sympathy for his characters, making their struggles feel personal and immediate.
As Squirrel navigates her dangerous world and Eva wrestles with the chains of her soft captivity, I found myself desperately turning pages, anticipating the revelation of secrets that could bridge their suppressed worlds. One memorable moment that encapsulated this tension was when Squirrel discovers her own latent abilities, hinting at the power she holds, and questioning her role in a society that often regards her as expendable. "Sometimes, the only way to break free is to become something they can’t even fathom,” Squirrel muses, a line that lingered with me long after I closed the book.
This installment concludes with a cliffhanger that ignites a burning desire for the next part. Aside from being a gripping narrative of characters grappling in an unforgiving world, Ghosts and Monsters serves as a cautionary tale about our relationship with technology and nature.
For readers who enjoy speculative fiction that reflects contemporary issues through a captivating lens, Ghosts and Monsters will be a delightful read. Fans of authors like Philip K. Dick or William Gibson will likely find Southwell’s narrative style and thematic explorations familiar yet refreshing.
In this fast-paced, layered story, I was not only entertained but also prompted to reflect on the fragility of the world around us. It’s a compelling reminder of the choices we face today and the potential futures that could unfold based upon those choices. This book left me eager to witness the next twist in the narrative tapestry of Tidelands—a universe I am now fully invested in.
Happy reading!
You can find Ghosts and Monsters: A Dystopian Cyberpunk SFF Mystery (Tidelands Book 1) here >>