The year is 2085.
The American people are weary of corrupt government officials putting their selfish interests over the citizens' well-being. Riots erupt across the country, demanding that existing government officials be replaced by artificially intelligent cyborgs manufactured by Damian Malone and his company, AlonGen Corporation.
A genius in robotics and genomic testing, Malone has perfected the manufacture of artificially intelligent cyborgs that run ninety-five percent of people's homes and businesses, and when the populace witness his latest creation, they are desperate to see the United States government led by the cyborgs' logical algorithms rather than the malfeasance and corruption of current human leadership.
What the country is unaware of is Malone's second passion: cloning.
A strong conservationist, he uses his vast wealth and his leverage over the current President, John Langdon, to establish a new branch of government called the Department of Environmental Preservation (DEP), and to appoint Dr. Stephanie Wolff as its leader.
Dr. Wolff, a prominent figure in the conservation movement, has been working tirelessly to end corporate animal testing and all forms of animal cruelty worldwide. With forty percent of the world's animal populations facing extinction due to human interference, she welcomes the opportunity offered by President Langdon and Malone to use the vast might of the United States to aid her quest, but a series of events, both at home and abroad, changes her perspective forever.
When a hunting party in Africa goes missing, and an American Senator is murdered, she is brought further into the workings of Dr. Malone and his company, with the results shaking her to her core.
Along with FBI Special Agent Stryker, the two must decipher Malone's intentions, and hope they are in time to save not only the United States, but planet Earth from his formidable machines.
Review :
IndieReader 4.3 Star Review: David Vincent's RECKONING! delivers an engaging sci-fi thriller that has ambitious ideas, memorable characters, and a thoughtful exploration of technology.
Katherine Crucilla for IndieReader
The BookViral 5 Star Review: David Vincent's Reckoning is an ambitious and thought-provoking science fiction thriller that blends political intrigue, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, environmental ethics, and high-stakes suspense into a sweeping narrative that consistently asks one unsettling question: what happens when humanity willingly surrenders control of its future?Reader's Favorite 5 Star Review: In Reckoning!, David Vincent delivers an eco-tech science fiction thriller that is wildly unique and leans into true speculative invention. Vincent builds this future through public demonstration, political access, and biological experimentation, so the technology is tied to systems we can recognize. I haven't seen someone catch bullets under stage lights, but Vincent allowed me to visualize it, and a synthetic body with warm skin is something all readers can get on board with. The author gives readers an ethical argument to mull over, especially through Annabelle, the orphaned elephant at the Harare sanctuary, and through lion footage used to defend animal sentience. As a Londoner myself, I had a lot of fun when Vincent homes in on a famous building with cinematic panache. The story is sweeping, the pacing is brisk, and this is a brilliant read. Very highly recommended Reviewed by Asher Syed for Reader's Favorite
Online Book Review 5 Stars: Reckoning! by David Vincent is a science-fiction thriller with environmental and conservation themes. The book mixes mystery, wildlife conservation, human greed, and technology. I'd highly recommend it to readers who enjoy science-fiction thrillers that mix action and mystery, emerging technology, artificial intelligence, and ethical questions about how far humanity should go in trying to control or improve nature. Reader Views 5 Star Review: Filled with action and suspense, David Vincent's Reckoning! is a story that explores the "what if?" of man's ability to create, as well as the probability of how our tendency for creating imperfect technology can mean utter disaster.
