Review: Synthetic Dreams

Reviewed by Jen
 

Kim Knox has created an interesting and unique world in this sci-fi novella. In a futuristic/ alternative Britain, people spend much of their time in a virtual world. Many use glamours to enhance their looks, but the good glamours are often illegal. Vyn is badly scarred in the real world.  She used her own skills to create better glamours for herself in "the Mind," but she was busted and sent to live her life in the slums.

It's been seven years since then, and now Vyn has almost perfected a new device that would allow someone to change their appearance completely in the Mind, without the threat of detection. But just as she makes her breakthrough, a Mind security officer named Paul tracks her down, demanding she use her skills to help him find his brother, who was kidnapped by the government. There's definitely a spark between them, which intensifies throughout the story.

The novella really drew me in. It was fresh and I liked the writing style. The story moves quickly, with equal parts action, intrigue and sexual tension. My only complaint is that I found myself fuzzy on the tech elements of the book more than once... and by that, I mean all the logistics of the computer stuff. But I made a choice to just put all that aside and let myself enjoy the story. And I did. I liked the way the action arc progressed as well as the relationship between Vyn and Paul. Almost 4 stars.


*ARC Provided by NetGalley

Click to purchase: Amazon

Synthetic Dreams

by Kim Knox

Release Date: February 27, 2012

Publisher: Carina Press