The Warehouse
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4.0 • 1 Rating
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- $19.99
Publisher Description
'Engrossing ... it will make you forget all about your favourite streaming service for a few nights...' Stephen King
'Featuring an explosive twist-in-the-tail climax, this terrifying hybrid of Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four and Zamyatin's We is a triumph' Guardian
In a world ravaged by bankruptcy and unemployment, Cloud is the only company left worth working for. But what will it cost you?
Amidst the wreckage of America, Cloud reigns supreme. Cloud brands itself not just as an online storefront, but as a global saviour. Yet, beneath the sunny exterior, lurks something far more sinister.
Paxton never thought he’d be working Security for the company that ruined his life, much less that he’d be moving into one of their sprawling live-work facilities. But compared to what’s left outside, perhaps Cloud isn’t so bad. Better still, through his work he meets Zinnia, who fills him with hope for their shared future.
Except that Zinnia is not what she seems. And Paxton, with his all-access security credentials, might just be her meal ticket.
As Paxton and Zinnia’s agendas place them on a collision course, they’re about to learn just how far the Cloud will go to make the world a better place.
To beat the system, you have to be inside it.
What people are saying about The Warehouse:
'Literary blockbuster’ Observer
‘A triumph’ Guardian
‘Brilliantly imagined’ BBC Culture
‘Inventive, addictive’ Paul Tremblay
‘Thrilling’ Blake Crouch
‘An Orwellian thriller’ Publisher’s Weekly
‘Wildly imaginative yet terrifyingly real’ Riley Sager
‘Taut, tense and masterful’ Chuck Wendig
'One of the breakout books of the year' Barnes & Noble
'Holds up a dark mirror to our times' San Francisco Chronicle
'A jet black satire of modern consumerism' Waterstones
'A thriller of ideas ... taut action, incisive cultural commentary ... shades of Fahrenheit 451 and Jurassic Park.' USA Today
Customer Reviews
Single click purchase
3.5 stars
Author
American. Crime genre. Former political reporter and staffer, NYC commissioner, independent publisher. Seven novels (I think) in his own name and one collaboration with James Patterson. The Warehouse has been optioned for film by Ron Howard.
Premise
In a near future world under severe pressure from climate change, an entrepreneurial retailer rules.
Plot
‘Retail/IT/everything company ‘Cloud’ has vast climate controlled distribution centres scattered through an otherwise desert landscape. Drones do all the deliveries. Human employees live and work inside a panopticon, but hey, it’s a job, right? Board and lodging provided (at a reasonable price). The head honcho is on a farewell tour because he’s dying of pancreatic cancer. A disillusioned prison guard and inventor driven to bankruptcy by the all conquering’ gets a job at Cloud. So does female corporate spy charged with stealing their secrets and bringing them down. Romance ensues. Stuff happens. Twists and turns are involved, e.g, those uber tasty cloudburgers aren’t actually beef, and cold fusion is a thing.
Characters
Gibson Wells is an amalgam of Sam Walton, Jeff Bezos, and Big Brother (the Orwellian one, not the reality TV one). Maybe a pinch of S Jobs as well given that he’s dying of pancreatic cancer. Paxton the disillusioned prison guard has a touch of Winston Smith about him. Zinnia the latina spy is a more than a tad Lara Croftish.
Prose
Crisp, well paced. An easy read.
Bottom line
This was 4, maybe 4.5, stars 75% of the way through, but fell away towards the end for me. Mr Hart pulled everything together, I suppose, but it felt clumsy and heavy handed compared to the earlier parts of the book.