This gripping story follows the (mis)adventures of Christopher Morgan, as he not only survives a prison riot, but is rather unexpectedly thrust back into the outside world, where he cannot escape his past in producing and selling illegal genetic enhancements. He has to confront conspiracy, romance, intrigue, violence, and a whole lot more on the way to reclaiming a bit of normalcy in his life.
The author excels at capturing the world that Christopher Morgan experiences, a Baltimore in the not-so-distant future. He manages to create a truly immersive atmosphere that perfectly complements the story and stops short of boring the reader with excessively detailed descriptions. The futuristic setting is very believable, with regard to the central biotechnological elements no doubt helped by the author's background in biomedical engineering. Importantly, the futuristic aspects only serve to enhance the story rather than stealing the spotlight away from it.
While the portrayal of the thoughts and feelings of the protagonist doesn't always quite measure up to the same standard, it retains sufficient depth to make Chris a very relateable character. The major characters he encounters are similarly more or less well-rounded -- while some are definitely either on the white or black end of the spectrum, none (with one very forgivable major exception) fall entirely into either category, and the antagonists have logical motives for their deeds. Indeed, the reader can never be quite sure what shade of grey a character might be until the very end.
This is reflected in the story itself, which leaves the reader (and Chris) guessing throughout, as befits a well-crafted mystery. As Chris uncovers more and more clues, they are never quite what the reader might have expected. Combined with the fast (but not rushed) pace of the novel, this makes it hard to put down. The author manages to avoid clichés, or addresses them head on when they come up by making the associated choices/events very understandable (e.g. your average protagonist not involving police when in danger, or choosing confrontation when retreat would be the smarter choice). The denouement is satisfying, with many pieces falling into place, but with enough minor questions unresolved to engage the reader even past the point of finishing the book.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel. From an experienced author, I might only rate it four stars, but as a debut, this is fully deserving of five! I am already looking forward to discovering what other stories Anthony Melchiorri might have to tell in the future.
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