Description
A CONTROLLED POPULATION
The UK has embedded technology – iMe. It knows where you are…all of the time. It controls what you eat.
It has eradicated crime and made everyone healthy.
A DEVASTATED WORLD
The world is on the brink. The Government talks but it doesn’t act.
It thinks it’s safe.
TIME FOR CHANGE
Who’s destiny is it to ignite change?
Who has the determination to see it through?
What will be sacrificed for the cause?
DI Clive Lussac is a dinosaur in the modern police force, and with his partners DC Ava Miller and DS Zoe Jordan, they face a race against time.
What Rebecca’s Read –
Last year I read and reviewed “Proximity”, the first book in the iMe series by Jem Tugwell. I’m not really a sci-fi fan, but I really enjoyed taking an unnerving peek at what technology could be like in our future and was really excited to see what the second book would offer.
In this fictional but realistic future, having an embedded ‘iMe’ is a compulsory requirement. As we learned in book one, an ‘iMe’ is a clever piece of technology which has the power to control all aspects of your life: your calls and emails, your news, your location and maps and even recommendations for your health and diet. Isn’t it time for your daily exercise, Rebecca?
“Despite his exercise being ‘voluntary’, Buddy woudl keep reminding Clive, again and again. And again. His Buddy had infinite patience and so many inane banners. Less effort to exercise than fight a battle I’m boung to lose, Clive thought.”
It’s an interesting concept and I particularly enjoyed thinking about the positives that this kind of technology could bring – obesity related diseases are a thing of the past, for example. But as this story shows, this amount of restriction can’t be all positive and it was only a matter of time before someone came up with a way to get around it.
In book one, criminals were able to commit crimes the police considered impossible. In book two, the police are a little more clued up on how this technology can be used and abused. DI Clive Lussac is still the leading character in this story, heading up the Proximity Crime Unit, but his partner DC Zoe Jordan is now working in Cyber Crime.
Chapters alternate between Clive and a group of people taking part in an augmented reality game, advertised only for the best of the best. Without wanting to spoil the rest of the plot too much, all I will say is that this eventually comes under Clive’s radar.
I really enjoyed this book. I would say that “Proximity” still remains my favourite of the two, but “No Signal” is still a really great read, packed with intrigue, suspense, some action and humour too. I really like the writing style of Jem Tugwell and feel like the sci-fi themes are made very accessible for an audience who perhaps aren’t used to the genre (like me!)
Overall rating: Another really enjoyable read in the iMe series. “No Signal” is fast-paced and action packed story featuring futuristic technology which I can only hope doesn’t become a reality! I’d definitely recommend giving this series a try!