The Escher Man (Paperback)
by T.R. Napper
the idea that memory is the important part of life. Not the things we have, or what we do but what we remember. In a future society that Chinese tech is able to make a virus that makes people have Alzheimer's and dependent on their technology. The book shows a world of manipulation and crime based on the story.

It's hard to introduce new fiction that is truly new but this delivers. I appreciate the depth and consideration to flush out plot holes that are inevitable when playing with the possibilities of science. This is futuristic enough to feel novel and yet grounded enough to be plausible; exactly my brand of sci-fi. I wish it delved deeper into the human psyche and what makes us tick but the author chose to flush out other philosophies instead. This novel questions what makes the individual who they are. Memory is central to this, so what happens when people's memories are tempered with? Can you consider the resulting individual human still? Read this if you wish to analyse these questions more closely.

What a richly imagined and violent world, filled with endless confusion. I love me some memory confabulation, but this was over the top. Full-on cyberpunk, a speculative vision of a dim near-future, where cartel enforcer Endgame just wants to smoke, drink, and play poker. I was pleasantly surprised by the diverse cast of well-rounded Asian characters, though Endgame is your basic white male lead. He reminded me of a down and out Wolverine, but comparisons to John Wick are apt. This guy just keeps going ... whether we're talking about virtual or actual reality. The lines are continuously blurred until you have no choice but to set them aside and accept that larger patterns are at play. The touching moments/memories/futures with Endgame's wife and children are the highpoint. The rest? If you're into non-stop violence from a jaded character with unknown stakes, this might be for you. I would've preferred much of this cut (the novel is overlong) and the focus placed squarely on the psychological journey of our antihero.

The Escher Man is a trippy story about a hired killer working in Macau whose memories have been tampered with. In this future, people have memory pins that hold memories for storage, sharing, and, apparently, uploading altered versions. And this works great if you routinely kill people but don’t want to think about it, or if you want to hide information about your family to keep them safe from anyone who might be torturing you today. And if you hide this information from yourself, how do you get those memories back?
As if he were on the famous Escher staircase, the hired killer goes from one job to the next, never really gaining ground, until he has a chance to bring a corrupt system down and reunite with his family. I quite liked this dark and mysterious sci-fi tale, narrated with an Aussie accent!
My thanks to the author, publisher, producer, and #NetGalley for access to the #EscherMan audiobook for review purposes. It is currently available.

This was more violent thriller than sci-fi, and I found the memory plot confusing. There was also too much detail for me. I did not need to know Endgame’s every movement. This just wasn’t the book for me. I received a free copy of this audiobook from the publisher.

Aunque muchos dieron por finiquitado el cyberpunk con la publicación de Snowcrash, sigue renaciendo de sus cenizas especialmente en medios audiovisuales, pero también a través de la palabra escrita. The Escher Man es un buen ejemplo de ello, reuniendo todo lo sórdido del desesperanzador futuro que nos espera con un montón de acción aderezado por la dura crítica social inherente al propio subgénero.


The Escher Man está situado en el mismo mundo que 36 Streets y Ghost of the Neon God aunque son de lectura independiente. El protagonista de esta es Endel “Endgame” Ebbinghaus, un australiano afincado en Macao que trabaja como jefe de seguridad para uno de los mayores clanes mafiosos de la ciudad. Dentro de su contrato y para “proteger” a su familia se incluyen numerosos borrados de memoria a manos de sus empleadores. Pero tanto jugar con algo que es lo que nos hace inherentemente humanos le sumergirá en una situación laberíntica (de ahí el título) de la que será casi imposible salir.

Aunque The Escher Man tiene un ritmo bastante acompasado, salpicado de esas peleas que hacen las delicias de los seguidores del cine de artes marciales, el principal problema que le veo es que hay ocasiones en que no sabes muy bien hacia dónde va la historia y se diluye el interés por continuar la lectura. Endel emprenderá un viaje sin saber muy bien cuál es su destino cuando descubre la manipulación de sus recuerdos, pero la propia naturaleza del experimento que ha sufrido impide que tenga claro qué aspira a conseguir. La aparición de algunos entes capaces también de introducir programas en su cerebro hace que en ocasiones no sea más que un pelele a la merced de quien tenga más interés en manejarlo en cada momento. Salvando este obstáculo, la novela tiene un tono muy reivindicativo contra las desigualdades sociales y la manipulación a la que nos vemos sometidos día a día, bien sea por la presión de las redes sociales que está muy bien reflejada en todo el libro, bien sea por otros manejos que todavía pertenecen al campo de la ciencia ficción pero que resultan pavorosamente verosímiles.

También me gusta cómo Endel va recogiendo los pocos trozos del collage que es su vida para intentar entender su pasado y encaminar su futuro, pero está claro que sin ayuda externa no tendría nada que hacer. No es que se llegue a utilizar el recurso del deus ex machina, pero casi.

En cuanto a la narración del audiolibro, la labor de Nick Atkinson es bastante buena, pero tengo un problema con una persona que es incapaz de tatarear Back in Black sin que sea automáticamente reconocible.

Quizá lo más aterrador del libro es descubrir que lo que le pasa a Endel es solo el campo de pruebas para un movimiento a escala global, la deshumanización de las personas por la virtualización de una utopía fallida y la resignación con la que se acaban aceptando todas las tropelías.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ARC of this audiobook for my honest review

Sadly I didn’t get into this book. I was confused most of the way through, it most likely just isn’t the right book for me not that it’s bad. It gave inception type vibes of the jumping around a lot and unique sci-fi idea. I think this idea went over my head a bit, couldn’t wrap my head around it. I also didn’t feel at all attached the character as I didn’t really know him. The politics confused me and I just felt a bit bored. I don’t think this was badly written or a bad idea I’m sure so many people will enjoy it and if you’re the type to like that mind bending story this is for you but often it’s just too much for me.

I'll be publishing my review on Goodreads and StoryGraph 19th September and on Tik tok most likely will add to a monthly wrap up post with review the beginning of October.

T.R. Napper’s The Escher Man is a gripping sci-fi thriller that plunges you into a dystopian future where memory manipulation is the ultimate weapon. The story follows Endel "Endgame" Ebbinghaus, the head of security for a powerful drug cartel in Macau, as he battles not only external enemies but also the erasure and rewriting of his own memories. Haunted by the fragments of his estranged family and his desire for a way out, Endel finds himself trapped in a labyrinth of his own mind, unable to distinguish friend from foe—or even his own true identity.

With a distinct Blade Runner-esque atmosphere, Napper masterfully combines vivid cyberpunk world-building with fast-paced action. The setting, rich with the neon-drenched chaos of Asian megacities, adds an immersive backdrop to the twisting, psychological narrative. The violent sequences are sharp and unrelenting, keeping the tension high throughout. Yet, at the core of this story is the deep, emotional struggle of a man searching for redemption and freedom in a world that has weaponized his very thoughts.

Narrator Nick Atkinson did a fantastic job of bringing this story to life. He aptly captured the grit and determination of Endel as well as the additional characters that inhabited this world.

Fans of cyberpunk and psychological thrillers will appreciate The Escher Man for its complex narrative, compelling protagonist, and the philosophical exploration of memory and identity. It’s a dark, thought-provoking, and action-packed ride that offers plenty of twists along the way.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

DNF at 8%; maybe this book just isn't for me but I was drowning in cliches from the very beginning and it didn't seem to be getting better. Not a fan of edgy, wanna-be "hard-boiled" noir like this.