DiDonovan

Alaska in 2080 is a very different place than the frozen tundra of our times: the icebergs have almost completely melted, and the ice is being hacked away in search of something long-buried. In parts of the world (such as Australia) the ozone is completely depleted, and a small nuclear war has completed what mankind began - so, for its own safety, the world is being run by quantum computers, which have taken over and prove to be somewhat unstable.

This book isn't about climate change or computers gone awry, however: these are just the backdrops for an even stranger scenario in which organ harvesting has run amok and the 'Razor King' is terrorizing the night with his vicious harvesting.

It will take a madman, a genius, or a hero to stop him - and 'Captain Matagon' is all three, charged with bringing down The Razor King. It should be evident by now that The Razor King is not just another dystopian read: it adds elements of intrigue, mystery, and suspense that places it on the crossroads of three genres: science fiction, thriller, and mystery.

Another bonus: more than a dose of high-tech atmosphere adds surprise and depth, while philosophical injections of perspectives on the human condition provides thought-provoking moments throughout.

The Razor King could have collapsed under the weight of all these facets under a different hand; but the mark of a superior production is its ability to seamlessly draw all elements together in a smooth, gripping read, and T.W. Moore achieves this in a saga of DNA resurrection and the costs of being human, while leaving the door open for possible further variations on the original theme.

Thriller, sci-fi and mystery readers alike will find it realistic, compelling, and hard to put down.