To Beat the Devil by M.K. GibsonMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Fantastic world-building and excellent characters
To Beat the Devil is the first book in the Technomancer Novels by M.K. Gibson. It has all the qualities of a good book: a fast-paced plot that made it hard to put down, characters that I actually started caring about, smart witty dialog, and just the right mix of grit, humor, and solemnity. But it wasn't just a good book, it was exceptional.
To Beat the Devil had two things going for it that book beyond just good to exceptional. The first was the setting. The demon-filled, forsaken, post-apocalyptic world of the Technomancer series is amazingly detailed and fantastically dark. As the plot moves forward, the complex history of the setting is revealed and it becomes an integral component of the narrative throughout the series. Overall, it presents some rather troubling ontological questions about the nature of religion, humanity, and the nature of the soul -- all troubling and intriguing inquiries that are sure to trigger an existential crisis if you delve into them too deeply. Given that, I’d love to see a hundred more stories written in the universe. Perhaps a prequel series?
The second standout for this book was Salem. On the surface, he seems like your cliche anti-hero that hit rock bottom and has since tried to turn things around and seek redemption. But he turned out to be much more intricate and unique than indicated by my initial assessment. He continues to evolve throughout the story (and the rest of the series) and develops considerable depth and complexity. Salem’s personality combines dark brooding with witty smartassery, making him a tremendously entertaining POV character and one of my new favorites. And the supporting characters were also outstanding, some being just as deep and complex as Salem, making the dialog between characters rapt, amusing, and often humorous.
Shawn Purvis was an interesting narrator for the story. At first, I was worried that his often flat and calm tone would turn me off from the book, but he turned out to be pretty talented. Salem’s POV narration was often almost monotone, but once I got into the story and character, I actually think it worked well for Salem; the tone made Salem seem like he was often in control of the situation, and very few things could rile him, which seemed appropriate for an unconcerned and laid back immortal. Purvis also brought quite a few unique voices into the performance, showing a considerable range while he nailed everything from creepy priests to Viking gods.
Special thanks to M. K. Gibson, who provided me with this book at my request.
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