An edgy cyberthriller.
The truth will set you free, but not everyone cares for the truth. Or freedom. Nobody knows this better than Julian Comstock, a recently widowed man struggling to find purpose in a changed world. Not only did COVID mandates cost his wife her life, but they took a toll on Julian’s physical, mental, and spiritual health. In the pandemic’s wake, governing forces pounced on collective fears and issued new regulations masked as incentives for public wellness. They created living weapons dubbed the whisperers to expose dissenters. These tattlers can be anyone, friends, family, or neighbors, and they get rewarded for reporting what they see or hear. The Community Contribution Credit is perfect for those who prefer a strong governmental presence and don’t mind ceding freedom for the greater good. It seems like a small price to pay to ensure a brighter future, though Julian quietly disagrees. Rebels and their families are penalized, so when he is given a chance to fight back against the burgeoning tyranny, Julian proceeds with caution to protect his daughter and grandson. He is introduced to the head of Genesis Security, a persuasive woman whose bearing belies her traumatic past. The woman, Val, opens Julian’s eyes to dangers that run deeper than public surveillance. Armed with incriminating information, an unusual blend of dated and modern technology, a few quirky tech geniuses, and plenty of old-school grit, Julian risks everything he has to defend liberty.
An edgy cyberthriller free from needlessly explicit content, The Seventh Pawn crackles with electric intensity. A prequel to the Managed series, this near-future cautionary tale plunges readers into a world of computer hacking, child trafficking, and personal reckoning. Though personal motivations differ, the struggles ring true as Julian and his team push back against moral complacency and emotional apathy. Val’s character has the most complex story arc as she nurtures a rebellion, decides when to fight and when to regroup, and grapples with the concept of God. The dystopian elements and clever assaults are entertaining, though the book’s primary focus is the overarching message about standing up for our innate rights. Rather than disarming readers with a balanced narrative or meaningful diversity of viewpoints, the laser-focused story is heavy-handed and polarizing. But for a Christian audience or anyone with conservative leanings, the urgent lessons are affirming and edifying. When subtle resistance is labeled domestic terrorism, transhumanism is the best path forward, and distrust of neighbors becomes the new currency, you’ll be ready to join the revolution against an increasingly tyrannical regime in Finlay Beach’s eerily plausible, The Seventh Pawn.
