Book Review of
Deus Ex: Icarus Effect
By
Brendan
Sometimes the best books are the ones that we least expect to succeed. Deus Ex Icarus Effect is written in formal third person by a man named James Swallow and based on the upcoming game Deus Ex Human Revolution. The story has twists and turns around unexpected corners pushing thoughts and ideas into your head of what the world would be like if these events were to happen.
Deus Ex Icarus Effect, is based on the future of human society in the year of 2027 where people have robotic arms or legs and optic eyes that can see through thin walls or go thermal vision. It truly is a time of advancement. But, as in all worlds, there are those against, those who seek to destroy the idea of robotics and return mankind back to how they were before. During this period the world is torn up. Private armies and large businesses as well as gangs or terrorist groups rule the world as governments tumble and the world falls. Ben Saxon, an ex SAS soldier and current mercenary, is fighting in civil war torn Australia when he is recruited by a mysterious special ops group called the Tyrants. From the beginning Saxon has doubts as the group tests his moral standards and question everything he was taught.
Meanwhile Anna Kelso, a secret service agent, is struck by the ferocity of an unknown assailant and looses almost all she holds dear. Driven by grief and anger she does all she can to try to find those responsible for her pain. Her curiosity, though, becomes her curse after she is suspended for denying missions and orders. Still unable to let her loved ones go she is forced to join those she swore to put down, a cyber terrorist group the Juggernauts. But how can she find answers if even the greatest cyber group in the world doesn’t know the answer?
As the story progresses and the chaos of the world is revealed we see that civilization is close to collapse. Countries seem not to exist. Gangs threaten the world. The reader is a bit overwhelmed with all the thoughts that are appearing in their head. What if the world did end up like this? How could we emerge from this and still be able to move on? How can augmentations affect the human body? What is the line between human and robot? Though these questions are not actually designed to be provided because of the novel they are still there adding a very interesting affect to the novel.
Despite these questions they are not the theme of the book. There are three main themes that I could find. The first one is the struggle between right and wrong. In the novel the terrorist groups and gangs obviously play a role, but that role is not necessarily the bad guy. The cyber terrorist group the Juggernauts are able to justify most of their actions even though they are breaking the law. They claim that they are either protecting or stopping others whether they be a large cooperation that is hording money for themselves instead of helping the less fortunate and snuffing out jobs, and in some cases, lives as if they were insects, or a single person who is a step away from doing something terribly wrong.
The second theme is the dangers of the future. This is probably the most eviden
t one that is in the book but none the less it is still important. The future despite anyone’s hopes or dreams is an unknown, and as an unknown most are afraid, for good reason too. In this novel the reason to be afraid is because the world is crumbling. Some originally thought it would fall because a nuclear war, but in this novel the truth is much more terrifying. The world is falling apart because humans are killing each other and tearing one another apart by hand. Though this future is not set in stone it is still a possible idea, granted maybe it will be a little longer then the year the novel is set in.
The third theme is the corruption of human society. This theme refers a lot back to the theme the struggle between right and wrong and with out this theme there would be no dangers of the future. As stated previously the world is a mess. Everywhere the characters turn someone is striking a deal for an easy way out or someone is getting mugged or murdered for no reason except that they were in the way. One example is the group the Tyrants. As Ben Saxon learns and uncovers truth he finds that the Tyrants are just a hit man for a bigger, more sinister organization, one that plans on changing the world. Tyrants are killing innocents in some cases just because they can. This theme though not as obvious is a very important one as it ties them all together.
The Icarus Effect is well worth the read and extremely suspenseful as well as action packed. I highly recommend it to any sci-fi lover. With its twisting plot and detailed description of the future world plus its amazing action scenes it wins a 9 out of ten. Excellent read!
