Publication Date: Available Now from Hodder
Source: Review Copy
Early one Monday morning, much like today, journalist Alex Kubelick walks up to a total stranger and slaps him across the face. Hard.
He thanks her.
They’ve both just earned Emoticoins in a new, all-consuming game that trades real-life emotions for digital currency. Emoticoins are changing the face of the global economy – but someone or something seems to be controlling the game for their own, nefarious purposes.
As Alex begins to pick apart the tangled threads that are holding the virtual game together she finds herself on the run from very real enemies. With the world economy teetering on the brink of collapse, it seems there’s only one person who might have the answers she seeks.Someone who hides behind the mysterious name ‘Lucky Ghost.’
But who is Lucky Ghost… and can they really be trusted?
And what do they want?
Lucky Ghost (the follow up to the amazingly brilliant Sockpuppet ) is a banging speculative novel with yet more geeky gorgeous and some top notch often controversial but always fascinating characters.
Lucky Ghost certainly should not be trusted, nor should you necessarily trust anything in this game, the plotting is brilliantly done, a woven web of tech and trauma, human foibles and group shenanigans all mixed up into a beautiful hotpot of a story where nothing is ever quite as it seems. Alex as a character is both fun to follow along with and very intriguing, we meet some old friends along the way and if you loved Sockpuppet you’ll adore this – which, it must be said, could easily be read as a standalone if necessary however I recommend one after the other.
The writing is sharp and absolutely immersive and the world created here is all too likely – after all we are all practically glued to our phones daily, imagine if the tech was slightly more advanced. Then add in some manipulative forces, nefarious schemes and the often horrible realities of human nature and you are good to go on a rollercoaster ride of a book trip. A literal head trip if you get as involved in it as I did.
Like Sockpuppet, Lucky Ghost has a very thought provoking central theme and a firm eye on social issues all layered into the more action and speculative elements. Always character driven, never dull and with a totally edge of the seat banging finale which made me crazy. Oh ssh ok more crazy. In a good way.
Even geekier shenanigans with an even darker heart – that’s Lucky Ghost. Top top notch.
Highly Recommended.
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