Jeff Somers noir antihero Avery Cates returns in his darkest adventure yet. Eternal Prison picks up shortly after the conclusion of The Digital Plague. Avery finds himself tagged and bagged on a one way train to Chengara, a System prison where “persons of interest” are sent to disappear. Avery is beaten and battered, feeling all of the wear and tear. This is a different Avery. He’s darker and far more cynical than in his previous adventures. It’s fitting because the world Avery lives in is about as bleak as can be. Dick Marin’s System Pigs are at war with everyone else and whole cities have been bombed to dust.
Eternal Prison actually has two narratives, both featuring Avery. One follows Avery as he acclimates to Chengara and meets an intriguing cast of characters, including Michaleen Garda who is going to play a big party in Avery’s adventures going forward. The second narrative follows a post prison Avery who is working for Cal Rubio whacking Dick Marin’s people. Jeff wisely takes Avery all across the globe including a fantastic sequence in a nearly submerged Venice and a violent showdown in a cannibal infested Moscow.
Much like David Gunn’s third Death’s Head novel this one changes the game a bit and moves the characters and narrative in a different direction. It’s a dark path that should be really interesting to read. If you are a fan of Richard Morgan, David Williams or David Gunn then Jeff is right up your alley.
Look for an interview with Jeff early next week.
[...] originally published in Rescued By Nerds on 2009-09-12 [...]