'The River Blade' is cyberpunk, mystery novella, reminiscent of Blade Runner and Ready Player One, where the world relies on VR. However, a virus has been uploaded to The Grid and is killing off its users one by one.

The plot felt very rushed, even for a novella, and it was hard to follow what was happening as key concepts weren't explained, and the narrative would suddenly jump into a flashback and back to current time without any warning.

Overall, the premise is a good one, but really suffered with pacing and not taking the time (or pages) to flesh out the world or characters.

[This review is based on NetGalley ARC provided in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion]

The book has so much to offer: the sci-fi and technology are sharp, and the concepts are unique. However, I found the narrative hard to follow and could not connect to the characters. I really wanted to, but I could not get into the book.

I have utterly no idea what happened in this book. The writing, plot, characters, and world building were silly. I get that the author was trying to be edgy and unique but this is not a good book at all.

Each of these stories is interconnected by a musical virus that infects users and feeds off their fears. After each kill, it grows stronger. The virus was created to take down the authority of the Grid, sparking a power struggle. However, the virus goes rogue, destroying the River's structure. The themes in this book, but aren't limited to, are technology, fantasy, and survival. We follow there characters: Cass, Detective Poe, and Adlai. Cass views River as a way to escape from her rather dull life. Running from all the intricate and complicated laneways trying to live her dark fantasies. Detective Poe, a character who ventures into the River searching and hunting for clues trying to solve the mystery behind what lurks in the streets. Adlai, the creator is watching through his vision what is unfolding. From a dramatic display of courage into something more fundamental.
While not traditional, this book's structure has the potential to surprise and intrigue readers. It's not organized into chapters but around the narratives of three characters, and the rapid character transitions in the beginning, while initially jarring, could lead to a unique reading experience. I thought the concept of a musical virus that spreads and kills people by attacking their fears sounds interesting. The way this book progresses was rather rushed and lacked character development. What was most disappointing is that this book didn't have any to none character development. As a result, none of these characters seems interesting or special.
Content Warnings:
Moderate cursing (There were a couple of f-bombs sprinkled throughout the book)
As far as sexual content goes, it was assumed and spoke briefly; other than that, there was nothing else.

This was an interesting read, but Idk if it’s because this is out of my genre or the writing but it just didn’t click with me.

I liked the range of the characters, but they didn’t feel as developed as they could’ve been for me to care if something happens to them. I kinda wish it was longer, maybe it would have given me more to understand the characters better.

The concept itself was interesting, the VR aspect was something new to me and I enjoyed it. I think this would appeal to those more familiar with the genre for sure!

Thank you to the published and netgalley for the arc!

Thank you to author and publisher for the arc!

As a gamer and a huge nerd for sci-fi this hit just the spot! I loved the VR element and felt it was written in a very original manner.

I genuinely feel like this book could be a huge hit in the sci-fi community with the right marketing and a bit more attention on social media.

When a book's description is "a synthesis of Raymond Chandler and Philip K. Dick, dreamed up in the mind of Ridley Scott" that is a pretty damn good pitch.

And the thing is that blurb is fairly on point, as this complex tales merges a group of disparate individuals - including a hard-boiled detective - in a ruthless digital world known by its users as The River. Imagine if Blade Runner, The Matrix, and Tron collided with a healthy bundle of a William Gibson-ish vibe thrown in for good measure. Then add in a deadly virus disguised as a musical melody.

That's a heady premise, and Thompson pushes through the narrative at full speed, alternating between an engaging set of characters who find themselves on a path to prevent the end of their own reality.

There are a lot of interesting tech concepts, and the VR world-building - while certainly not a new idea - is given enough genre familiarity along with its own unique, dangerous edge.