I enjoyed this book. It’s funny how it was able to stick with me. I started reading this book Back in May, got away from reading for quite some time yet I still had this book with me when I picked it back up to finish it.

This was a fast-paced, action-packed look at what it would be like as a completely undocumented person interacting in a highly computerized and information based society. All the expected problems occur, lack of know-how with computers and the internet, lack of banking and access to money, lack of recourse when treated badly by an employer. The world isn't that deeply thought out, and neither are the characters, but Cutter is likeable and his adventure is very entertaining.

Book received for free through NetGalley

I could see this tech exciting soon and how ghosts would come about. I love the out of the box thinking, the characters, and the entire storyline. Can’t wait to find out more if there’s a continuation though it also ended at a good spot if not.

I didn't get past the first half of this book. It just didn't grab or sustain my interest. It was a little more hard core Sci fi than I expected.

Nevertheless, thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC. This is my honest review.

4 Stars!

I have been reading more science fiction lately and that trend was set to continue in Burnout by Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant. I did not know anything about the authors coming into the book but something about the cover and the description just called to me and I decided to give it a try.



No one really exists if they do not have a chip. Only those with the chips were registered and citizens in the new world order. The world is dominated by smart glass which can recognize the face of all citizens and provide them with their wants and needs. Cutter Dunn is one of these ghosts in society. He does not have a chip and the rights that come with it. He lives off the grid and does not have the benefits of a citizen. In fact, he does not even officially exist.



Just because he was not chipped, however, Cutter Dunn was far from being a nobody, at least in his own mind. He had ideas that he thought could revolutionize the world. He has an idea for making the shipping of goods completely automated. It is an idea that is so revolutionary that it just might work. Since he is a ghost, he is the only one who is able to test it and make it work. He can ride as a ghost on the automated vehicles and make the necessary repairs and adjustments necessary to the success of the idea. Unfortunately, his status as a ghost will also keep him from sharing in the glory and fortune of the project’s success. Equally unfortunate, however, is that his status as a ghost also makes him the perfect scapegoat for any negative consequences of the new technology.



I was not familiar with Platt and Truant when I started this book and I am impressed enough to want to read more from them in the future. Burnout is an exciting science fiction thriller that is almost nonstop action from the first page to the last. There are few wasted words in this book and the pages speed by almost quicker than they can be read. There is no downtime in this story which is a good thing considering that it is a shorter novel. Platt and Truant keep the writing tight and it flows smoothly and quickly. At its heart, Burnout is a classic story of man against machine, but it also is a tale of man against man when one of the men in the contest is not really a man (at least legally) and is fighting to get the right to survive if not recognition for his accomplishments.



Burnout is not just an action novel, though. It is also a strong story about the search for identity and one's place in the greater world. It is a class struggle as well as mankind’s search to find its place in a world that is becoming more heavily based on technology. Man may have made the machines, but there are serious ramifications to be dealt with when the machines begin to control how society will live. Platt and Truant work these themes in throughout the story while never slowing the pace and it makes for an intriguing read. The book can be read as an action-packed work of science fiction but there is so much more to it than that. Burnout is sure to keep the reader on the edge of his seat but it is thought-provoking as well. Cutter Dunn is a futuristic John Henry Irons who must prove that man is the master of machine with the fate not only of himself but of society as a whole hanging in the balance. Highly recommended for those looking for an exciting story that will cause the reader to think in the midst of all of its action.



I would like to thank Sterling & Stone and NetGalley for this review copy. Burnout is available now.

So much fun! I got real anxiety during the action scenes in this book: a dystopian tale where big business meets Stephen King's Maximum Override. I loved this! Four instead of 5 only cuz it was a little bit of a slow start for me and some of the technical stuff confused my brain. 😛 Platt & Truant: there's a reason why they're some of my go-to authors. ⭐

Wow! What else can I say.... al.most posted after the first chapter as a DNF but persevered and it was SO worth it. Supposedly futuristic SF but excuse me, all too possible and then some right now! Wake up, world, when people with morals cede control to machines and people without, life as we know it ends... read and learn and stand up for right and wrong...PLEASE!

I have to admit, I only read half of this book. I don't know whether it was too much technical talk about vehicles that didn't really interest me or a lack of a character to really connect with or all of that. It just didn't really grab me or hold me.

I think the most disturbing thing about this book just might be that I could see the potential for the society depicted within to become a reality. In the future the world is mostly all technologically interconnected. People are chipped, facial recognition is everywhere, and cash money is rather archaic. But there are those that don’t fully embrace this ‘brave new world’, those that live ‘off the grid’ aka ghosts. Cutter Dunn is just such a man, a ghost. He’s brilliant in his own way, understands things that so many that have embraced this controlled/automated society seem to have forgotten. Cutter has skills, he’s a man who thinks outside the box, colors outside the lines. Skills that could prove valuable to the right people—powerful people—at least for a while. And as a ghost no one would miss him, right? He’d be disposable, right? Don’t tell Cutter that. Burnout is a tight thriller featuring an engaging hero, an excellent story, and a disturbing look at a possible future.

I’d like to thank Sterling & Stone and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an eARC of Burnout.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R1ZXB4X0LA9FSX/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

Burnout

[Blurb goes here]

This story turned out to be quite the adventure. A man, who, against al odds, is going to try and defeat an evil corporation. Now, I know what you're thinking "I've read this story before, and more than once." Trust me, you haven't. Not in a setting like this. The not so distant future where most people have ID implants, and the ones who don't, are referred to as "ghost". Ghost mostly keep to themselves, living in the small town where they were born. There are many such towns. Towns where the only currency is bartering. A dying man's last breath convinces his grandson to go out into the world. I won't go into detail, since I've already said a lot, and I really hate spoilers.

Regardless of your genre predilections. This is one entertaining book. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed.

Thank you for the free copy!

Although the book was outside my usual choices, I found it to be quite entertaining withe plenty of action to keep the plot turning and moving rapidly

I was checking out books on NetGallery when I saw this one. Seeing the cover, reading the description, I decided to give it a go! I will admit I thought it was about actual ghosts, realizing first chapter in that ghosts held a different meaning.

The world today is a messed up place, and sadly I can imagine it becoming a society like this. Or maybe it already has and my eyes just don't see it.

Well written, quite the adventure! I thank NetGallery, the authors and publisher for the chance to read it. Totally out of my normal read.