Review: Tokyo Zero
Aum Shinrikyo
On a whim, I gave this book a shot. I thoroughly enjoyed it. In contrast to the last book I reviewed, it’s a thinking fast paced book. Best of all, it raises the bar for independently published fiction.
Marc is able to synthesize a big-think technology near-future with lyrical prose. That said, Tokyo Zero isn’t about what the future looks like (in contrast to Freedom/Snow Crash etc) instead, it’s about a real and conflicted character. Think of a Tarantino character in a Gibson-esque Tokyo ruminating on viral memes and the end of times. (The book is a loose fictionalization of the Aum Shinrikyo attack.)
Also, here’s Marc’s running commentary on the book.
That mix is just a blast to read, and I’m looking forward to his next book (where I’m hoping some of the rough edges have been ironed out re: clarity) The Unhappy Planet.
-Shlok
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