Title: The New Reality
Author: Stephen Martino
Publisher: Light Messages
ISBN: 9781611530742
Pages: 333
Genre: Thriller
Reviewed By: Tiffany Ezuma, Pacific Book Review
Book Review
Readers are in for a chilling thrill ride the second they pick up this novel, “The New Reality” by Stephen Martino. The story follows Alex Pella, a rich doctor and the head of Neurono-Tek, the only privately run research hospital. Alex and his team are tasked with finding a cure for the Disease, a new illness that sweeps the world like the Black Plague.Alex’s team consists of a well-rounded bunch with his partner, Samantha, as a standout character. Things really begin to take place when Jonathan, a mysterious man with a Bible full of clues, contacts Alex and leads him on a worldwide search to find a cure for the illness. The novel reads cinematically and you could easily imagine it as a movie or TV series, with beautiful locations at the forefront.
The book fits nicely into the trend of dystopian fiction without being gimmicky or too far-fetched. In fact, Martino brings up many issues we are grappling with now—the rising cost of health care, national debt, and religious fascism—and creates a future that seems pretty plausible. The book is set in 2081, a mere generation away from the present. Many of the issues he brings up in the novel will have readers questioning the world we are leaving our children to inherit.
It’s hard to believe this book is the author’s first novel, given his impeccable sense of pacing and story structure. The story moves quickly without leaving out details, and the characters are full, deep and realized – something which normally isn’t the case in such a quick read. Martino also takes the time to add brief moments of levity and flirtations through the characters’ dialogue, which adds for a nice break from such a serious subject matter.
Throughout the book he keeps readers guessing on what the end solution will be and if it is sustainable. The book is the first of a series, which will feature the future adventures of Alex Pella. His character could easily become a fixture in the thriller genre.
“The New Reality” makes for a great read for anyone who is a fan of thrillers and for anyone looking for a fast-paced, entertaining book. Be warned: it’s a hard book to put down once you start it!
