Simon Royle

I was a little hesitant when I first received this book. The blurb sounded quite science-fictioney (yeah, that’s a word!) and I thought I may have been a little out of my comfort zone. However, I was about to have a very pleasant surprise.

Tag is more futuristic than science-fiction, and the technological advances of 2110 are not far-fetched, they are easily imaginable. International travel has become a breeze, cash is a thing of the past and convenience is exactly what the word suggests. But although the world has a pretty surface, underneath planet Earth and its surroundings are quickly descending into 1984-esque habits, without even realizing what is happening.

The characters in Tag are complex, well-drawn and likeable, despicable or sitting on the fence. Allegiances are formed and withdrawn as the story progresses, and the twists are surprising and sometimes heart-wrenching. The story is told either in first person POV through Jonah, or third person POV through other key characters.

There are a few small niggles for me in this book – the physical descriptions of the characters are a little repetitive, there are a couple of small errors and there are a few places in the book where the action takes a dip – but these could be easily rectified by a good editor, and make Tag a truly fantastic book.

Apart from these small issues, I was very impressed and enthralled by Tag. Don’t be put off thinking this book is science-fiction – it is in a way, but it’s a book that would appeal to anyone that enjoys a good thriller, a good story or an excellent futuristic book!… (mais)

In the TAG universe everyone is monitored via a device called a dev stick which monitors a person’s every move. When Jonah, an arbitrator, is called to interrogate a prisoner, he discovers a disturbing plot to wipe out two-thirds of all humans, and knows he must stop it. But can he save the majority of the population, when his own life is being de-constructed around him.

TAG is set 100 years in the future, with a very detailed and believable universe. Rather than recreating everything from scratch, the author has allowed a natural evolution of technology and behaviour which gives the book a very realistic feel, and as such it is not a ‘strong’ sci-fi, which is great for readers like me who like sci-fi elements rather than full on, hardcore science-fiction. The plot its self is more of a thriller than a sci-fi and has a very Orwellian theme running throughout. Whilst fully formed, the plot takes a while to get going, particularly with the wordy writing style and the author’s focus on the intricate details of the character’s life, and the true suspense does not kick in to near the end of the book. It is however, an enjoyable read and the characterisation is, like the universe, very believable.

The book was let down by the addition of some very explicit sex scenes which did not contribute to characterisation nor the plot. I’m not a prude, but do not like to see sex included just for the sake of sex, which I believe is the case in this novel. It is definitely not a book for minors.

To conclude, a perfectly formed and well-thought out universe is presented in this novel and provides the backdrop for a believable and entertaining thriller. The book is affected by a slow pace in the first half and the inclusion of unnecessarily explicit sex.… (mais)