4 out of 4 stars
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Going Gone by Abraham Lopez is a dystopian anthology, consisting of 12 intertwining stories. The first story sets the theme. The Prime Minister of Israel is assassinated and the United States is blamed. What follows is a collapse of society through retaliation, either through direct attack or through cyber infiltration, with thousands of people dying. The stories narrate the reaction of different people to the tragedy. Some to be saved, some will be gone.
An ex CIA agent, Kurt Ramis, one of the characters in the book, utters these words while he is contemplating the events in Israel and the destruction that he knows is going to follow, “There was a chasm between Going and Gone …… If it was still Going, recovery from that state was at least possible. Once it was Gone, though, it was over”.
For me this book is about what is really important in life. When faced with life-threatening disaster, things that previously seemed so important, now become trivial. Nothing of material value can save us … not the symbols in which we invest so much power, nor the many ways in which we attempt to protect ourselves.
In each of the 12 chapters, the reader is drawn into the life of a different person and how that person is handling chaos. Through the experiences of each person, the reader begins to see the consequences of a single act of violence.
By mingling real facts with fiction, the author pulls the reader into a very believable world. The possibility of something like this happening to us, is all too real.
I like the author’s writing style. Apart from a few grammatical errors and missing words, it is an easy read. What about following the story-line? Well, one needs to remember that what these different characters are experiencing is the far-reaching consequences following the assassination of a prime minister of a significant country, which is referred to in each story in one way or the other.
The characters are diverse and their responses to destruction are quite interesting. Some scenes are disturbing and sad – understandably, given the circumstances. Although the story is futuristic, the emotions, actions and reaction are believable and real. I actually got so absorbed that I had to question my own potential reaction in such a situation.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys suspense and a feeling of anticipation. The author provided enough descriptive details of each setting to bring it to life. It is an interesting plot, but also quite a unique way of tying together different stories to one world-changing event. I give this book 4 out of 4 stars, although I do feel that it needs a bit more editing.
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Going Gone
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