Review: Solid sci-fi thriller with a convincing conspiracy plot and fantastic world-building
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 2, 2011
TAG is a convincing conspiracy thriller set 100 years in the future. While the world is more connected and open than ever before, the higher echelons of power are dominated by a global elite. Unknown to the population, passing the Tag Law of 2110 would enable the elite to carry out mass murder and create a new world order.It's fast-paced as Jonah gets wrapped in the conspiracy and intrigue right from the beginning. The plot thickens throughout and the pace moves at a consistent speed.TAG has exceptionally strong world-building. It gives a real sense of how a world government operates and the key events that led up to it. The settings are distinct and provide a lively sense of both the local and the global. New Singapore is a multi-leveled futuristic city of international offices and condos, while other locations have more traditional developments. People greet each other with the Thai wai instead of a handshake because of a previous global influenza outbreak. These details are wonderful and they make the setting even more believable.The world-building extends to the book's distinct terminology and punctuation style. Devices like computers, cameras, phones have all converged into one "dev". News are "feeds", currency is "creds", and so on. The sparse use of punctuation can take some getting used to. (Example: "[t]he datafeed from earth showed that service was temporarily unavailable now that I had left the craft and was actually on the surface of the Moon.") I had to reread a few sentences to make sure I understood the clauses properly, but overall, it further immersed me in the setting.With such a grand conspiracy unfolding, there isn't much room for character development. I felt indifferent towards Jonah and the other characters. However, the central antagonist is so repulsive and so well-characterized that I greatly anticipated seeing his plans get foiled. The tension between him and Jonah is well done, and it's enjoyable to see Jonah develop the backbone to stand up and outmaneuver him.Overall, TAG is a solid novel. I recommend this book if you're looking for a science fiction thriller. The early chapters are indicative of the quality and pacing throughout the book, so if you like the sample, you'll enjoy the rest too.Note: a free review copy was provided by the author.