Agony

Debt Collector #2

by Susan Kaye Quinn

Urban Fantasy with a Cyberpunk Twist
***second episode of the nine-part serial***

What’s your life worth on the open market?
In this gritty urban fantasy, debt collectors take your life energy and give it to someone more “worthy”… all while paying the price with black marks on their souls.

Agony is approximately 11,000 words or 44 pages, and is the second of nine episodes in the first season of The Debt Collector serial.

Lirium tries to forget Apple Girl, but a rough collection finds him spiraling deeper into the abyss. He faces a one-way ticket to The Retirement Home for debt collectors, until his psych officer offers a way out.

Contains mature content and themes.

OPTIONED FOR VIRTUAL REALITY BY IMMERSIVE ENTERTAINMENT
2014 Semi-Finalist in Science Fiction in the Kindle Book Awards

It is recommended that you start with the first season, but each season is a complete story for that debt collector and can serve as an entry point to the series. There are five planned seasons in the Debt Collector series, the first four each from the perspective of a different debt collector with the fifth season bringing all four together.

READING ORDER

Season One – Lirium - COMPLETE
Episodes 1-9: Delirium, Agony, Ecstasy, Broken, Driven, Fallen, Promise, Ruthless, Passion

Season Two – Wraith **available for pre-order** releases 12.15.14
Episodes 10-18: Wraith, Specter, Menace, Temptation, Shattered, Penance, Judgment, Corruption, Atonement

Genres: Science Fiction, Cyberpunk, Young Adult, Fantasy, Dystopia, Ebooks, Short Stories

44 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 25, 2013

About the author

CLICK HERE for a FREE STORY

Susan Kaye Quinn has designed aircraft engines and researched global warming, but now she uses her PhD to invent cool stuff in books. Her works range from hopeful climate fiction to gritty cyberpunk. Sue believes being gentle and healing is radical and disruptive. Her short fiction can be found in Grist, Solarpunk Magazine, Reckoning, and all her novels and short stories can be found on her website. She is the host of the Bright Green Futures podcast.

SOLARPUNK
collections
Bright Green Futures: 2024 (edited by SKQ)
Halfway to Better

novels
Nothing is Promised series
When You Had Power
You Knew The Price
Of Kindness and Kilowatts
Yet You Cry When It Hurts

short stories
A Moon Goddess to Watch Over Me (Luna Station Quarterly) (hopepunk)
It's in the Blood (Reckoning 8)
Once and Future Kilowatts (Solarpunk Magazine)
Rewilding Indiana (Little Blue Marble)
Seven Sisters (Grist)
The Joy Fund (DreamForge Magazine)

SCI-FI
Singularity Novel Series
The Legacy Human
The Duality Bridge
The Illusory Prophet
The Last Mystic

Stories of Singularity
Restore
Containment
Augment
Awakening
Harvest
Defiance
Resistance

YA SF
Mindjack Series
Open Minds
Closed Hearts
Free Souls
Locked Tight
Cracked Open
Broken Wide
Mindjack Short Story Collection

WATCH the award-winning live-action Mindjack Book Trailer!

STEAMPUNK ROMANCE
Royals of Dharia
Third Daughter
Second Daughter
First Daughter

CYBERPUNK
Debt Collector
LIRIUM (Season One)
WRAITH (Season Two)

WATCH the Debt Collector Book Trailer

ANTHOLOGIES
Synchronic
Telepath Chronicles
AI Chronicles
Dark Beyond The Stars
Future Chronicles
Cyborg Chronicles
CLONES: The Anthology

MIDDLE GRADE FANTASY
Faery Swap

WATCH the Faery Swap Book Trailer

CONTACT SUSAN
Susan's Website | Sue on Bluesky | Sue on Mastodon
Susan's Email: sue@twistedspacepub.com

Reviews

[Feminista · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4 out of 5.

In a world where the debts collected are life forces, debt collectors are seen as Grim Reapers. Pariahs of the society unless someone has need of one.

Lirium is a debt collector with a secret. After having done a mercy hit in the last episode, wherein debt collectors dig in to their own life forces to give to others, he is starting to spiral downwards.

The concept behind this novel is refreshingly different. I also thought the protagonist's character had developed well since the last episode. I also like where the plot is going with the next episode.

All in all, a short and sweet episode.

ARC Courtesy of NetGalley and All Night Reads

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sue has done it again! OMGOsh this story has me hooked. I cannot get enough of this. I want more NOW! I hate that I have to wait. It's like taking a book one chapter at a time, one week at a time. It's agonizing and excruciating to wait for the next episode! But I'm not mad about it, on the contrary I am chomping at the bit to see where it goes.

Blurb from Goodreads:
Agony - EPISODE 2 of the Debt Collector serial. Contains mature content and themes. For young-adult-appropriate thrills, see Susan's bestselling Mindjack series.
What's your life worth on the open market?
A debt collector can tell you precisely.
Lirium tries to forget Apple Girl, but a rough collection finds him spiraling deeper into the abyss. He faces a one-way ticket to The Retirement Home for debt collectors, until his psych officer offers a way out.
Agony is approximately 11,000 words or 44 pages, and is the second of nine episodes in the first season of The Debt Collector serial. This dark and gritty future-noir is about a world where your life-worth is tabulated on the open market and going into debt risks a lot more than your credit rating. Episode 3, Ecstasy, releases 4/3/13. For more about the Debt Collector serial, see DebtCollectorSeries.com

Once again we meet up with Lirium, just after he has had his encounter with Apple girl and been moved to a new apartment. We get to meet his psych officier, Candy, who is, I must say, a piece of work. And Sue introduces us to a new character, Ophelia, who I liked immediately. She's slick and confident and is willing to take a chance to teach the guppy, Lirium, a thing or two. But in the midst of it all, things get complicated (of course I won't reveal why) and Lirium finds himself in a bit of a pickle.

Quinn leaves us with just the tiniest bit of a cliff hanger at the end, one that wraps the story up enough that you're not dying, but definitely leaves you wanting more more!

I really liked this story, although not as much as the first until the end. It was shorter than the first episode, but it truly left me wanting more. And Sue's writing, ugh, it's so great. She just has such a way with words. I will read ANYTHING she writes for sure!

Well done Ms. Quinn! I look forward to Ecstasy!

5/5 stars from me!

[Lola · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading the first episode I couldn't wait to read this one. Luckily I only had to wait a week before the second episode was releashed and this episode is as good if not better than the first episode.

The story takes off pretty soon after the first episode ended. It is not going good with Lirium and his psych advisor is going to try and help him.A lot of things happen in this episode and changes what I thought I understood. The reader learns new things about the world, the story and the characters and there is so much mystery already. And again there is an ending that nicely end this episode, but also leaves me wanting to read more. I can't wait till I can buy episode 3 next week.

Two new characters are introduced in this episode and I really am curious what their role will be in the rest of this series. The characters are really interesting and I have the feeling there is so much more to all of them and I want to know more. Lirium develops a bit and learns new things and I am really starting to like his character.

The world building is mostly introduced in the first episode, but there is so much more in this episode. Things I thought I understood are changed and it's really interesting finding out more about this world. I really like the world and want to know more.

To conclude: this is a great sequel. I actually find myself enjoying a series like episodes, the episode are short enough for a quick read and the wrap up nicely and looking forward to the next episode. New characters are introduced in this episode and there is some world building.

[Norm Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review: Minor Spoilers
I had decided to read the Debt Collector series some days ago. I'm familiar with Susan Kaye Quinn having read some of her Mindjack series, which I highly recommend. For some reason I thought the Debt Collector series would feature rather independent stories in the "Debt Collector" world, or may be about different "debt collectors", but like most series, this is a continuation of Lirium's adventures.

The trouble with a series that follows one character through many short books is that nearly anything shared here possibly spoils a previous or future book in the series. So I'll try to go with brief, vague, and ratings.

For the record, Susan Kaye Quinn is a very good writer. Her 30 page stories pack around 30 things to cringe about, hold your breath, or go for your own snack to let your body's adrenaline simmer down a little.

This is another three and a half star book, and again I'm glad I must give it four stars as it was a much more intense book than the last 3.5 star Debt Collector book.

We start in the hospital, again, heading to "collect" from 41 year old Mrs Riley who can be heard throughout the hospital screaming. Mrs. Riley had been an excellent credit risk. She had a great business plan and an MBA from a respectable college. She was an excellent candidate for her business loan. Due to world politics, her supplier half way around the world was failing to deliver. Mrs. Riley's sales were crumbling, then she was diagnosed with cancer. She obviously disagreed with the bean counter's and was not happy a debt collector was in the hospital heading to her room.

Lirium tried to be professional, but the nurses could not prevent Mrs Riley from giving Lirium a fat lip before he began his collection. Lirium had expected 2 weeks of life force, not a month, so he was pumped with all that extra life force in him.

Soon after Mrs Riley's collection we are introduced to Lirium's psych officer, Candy. She is a mental health worker and is assigned a number of debt collectors to monitor their mental health in a stressful job that takes life from those designated by bean counters and gives that life to "more deserving" characters.

We, as readers, also know that each collection leaves some dark mark upon the collector's soul. Not clear how that happens, but the ability to collect is not explained beyond there being a school one attends either. Reader's job is to suspend disbelief and the writer's job is to take advantage of that trust and deliver something that seems more true than reality itself. Knowing about this "soul" trouble helps us readers continue to suspend disbelief when debt collectors have an abundance of mental health issues. As readers we can easily understand the need for a mental health worker. Plus Lirium seems exceptionally low on life coping skills.

Because of the previous Apple Girl experience (Debt Collector 1 - Delirium), Lirium no longer uses sex workers in his "new apartment" to ward off the insanity and boredom of his debt collecting life style. His sexual restraint has left him with only alcohol to deal with the constant noise of battle going on between his ears.

Candy assures Lirium she always has his best interest in mind which is why she is assigning a mentor to work with Lirium. Lirium had asked for the meeting to see if he could get more work in the medical field. The Apple Girl experience had constantly been on his mind and he wanted to see if paying out to medical patients would have a similar effect vs always paying out to the extremely successful clients.

Waiting for his new mentor, Lirium clears out all the booze in his new apartment. Looking around for any other signs his life is falling apart he realizes there is no food in the apartment. Lirium panics, then realizes he doesn't know where a grocery store may be near his new apartment. He decides to find one and get some food before this new mentor shows up. Before he puts on his jacket the doorbell rings. Moments later Lirium is looking at an extremely beautiful woman who asks with a sultry voice if she is going to be invited inside.

The beautiful mentor, Ophelia quickly establishes that in this relationship she will be the shark, and Litium will be the guppy. After some intense character development Ophelia wanders into the kitchen searching for something to eat, discovering what Lirium had been worried about. To Lirium's pleasant surprise, the beautiful and dangerous "shark" Ophelia was hoping to find Rocky Road ice cream.

Lirium is soon in a store debating with himself if his stomach could handle Rocky Road, so he's looking back and forth from Vanilla to Rocky Road. When the clerk asks if he is ok, he decides on both. He also concludes that having Ophelia as a mentor will be a very good thing for him.

Upon leaving the store, our author Susan Kaye Quinn decides this galloping story needs a triple shot of Red Bull.

To leave you with some reason to read the book I'll just say, nothing you expect happens, but everything that does happen makes you feel like you are free falling out of an airplane.

Reading should always keep the reader interested, but in this marketplace with thousands of independent publishers, just keeping a reader interested may no longer be enough. The books from newer authors I've read over the last few years have been much more like hanging on for dear life and forgetting about sleeping altogether, or picking up a new writer's book in order to cure insomnia. The middle seems to have thinned out with the advancements in the publishing world.

Major Spoilers Galore… a new "test" feature stolen from Sarah, The Critiquing Chemist
Who were Lirium's muggers? Why didn't the muggers shoot Lirium in the back when they clearly could have done that? Did Ophelia escape or was she killed? Can the police determine if Ophelia is dead based on the amount of blood they found? Why was Candy giving mission orders instead of Flitstrom? When Candy scanned Lirium did she notice how much extra "life force" he had beyond the miscalculation of Mrs. Riley's life force? Why hadn't Candy informed Lirium that his new apartment was in the middle of the Kolem mob's territory?

[Monica Millard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second in the Debt Collectors series. I can't believe how quickly I was sucked in, in the first book. I loved the first in the series and loved Lirium! I was afraid in the second episode that we'd lose the redemptive trajectory that Lirium had hit on in the first, especially with the beautiful and sort of wicked seeming Ophelia, but was again pleasantly surprised to find Ophelia was more than the stereotype I imagined. Also, that Lirium was just as root worthy as he was in the first, moreso even.

I had an early day the next day, but reading this second episode made me want to stay up all night reading all the episode... as it was I stayed up later than I should have.

This episode was great and sucked me deeper into Lirium's world and made me fall a little further in love.

[Veronica of V's Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this second installment of The Debt Collector serial, readers get a fast paced tour through Lirium's existence. In this world, Lirium's job is to collect the life energy of those who have accrued more material debt than they can repay--and transfer that energy to High Poetntials--valuable members of society who pay to stay alive.

The opening features a tense collection, followed by a confrontation with Lirium's psych officer, Candy Kane. She assigns Lirium a mentor to train him to better cope with the strain of debt collecting. Within pages Lirium's fighting for his life and swearing vengeance.

Gotta catch the next episode!

[Jessica Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say, that I haven't been so excited about reading something in ages. After reading the first in the series, Delirium, and absolutely LOVING it, I couldn't wait for the next installment. And I wasn't disappointed. The characters introduced in this episode are amazingly vivid. Susan's imagery is superb, and story-telling to die for. I am on the edge of my seat at the end of every paragraph and chapter. This episode will give you shivers. I can't wait for episode three!

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The plot thickens, you might say, with episode 2. Two new characters appear and are very well portrayed, a rare thing in such a short work. I definitely like Ophelia, and suspect Candy's motives. The more I read about Lirium, the better I like him, too. How did a nice boy like him end up where he is now?

I find the world depicted in this series to be fascinating, in a dark way. I'd venture to say that it's a unique idea, which is a lot of fun to read. Looking forward to more!

[D. Robert Pease · Rating 5 out of 5]

Agony ramps up the tension Susan Quinn started in the first book, Delirium. I pushed through exhaustion, after a long day, to finish this before going to bed. I just had to. There was no way I wasn't going to find out what happened to our hero. It was so worth the loss of sleep. A couple new, very creepy, kind of sexy, characters added a level of excitement to the story that left me wanting more. Can't wait till the next episode!

[Leigh Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the opening sentence, "I hear the screams as soon as the elevator doors open," to the last, this is the best, hands-down serial out now.

I LOVE it!!!

AGONY picks up where DELIRIUM leaves off with Lirium on the run. But in this one we meet Ophelia, who is smart and tough, stronger than Lirium, sexy--totally my new favorite book hero!

LOVE it, and #3 just released this week~

[liirogue · Rating 5 out of 5]

You must read the first book before starting this one. Think of this series of novellas as one large book that's been broken into bite sized pieces.

The first bit seemed a little slow, and I was already mourning the lose of what I had hoped would be a great series. It quickly shifted from okay to amazing. I couldn't put it down and had to jump immediately into the next!

[Hanna Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this latest installment of Debt Collector. If I had to sum this up in just one word it would be, MORE! Not only do I want more (can't wait until next week) but we also got to see a bit more of Delirium's world which is a bit more twisted than even he knew.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good. I liked Ophelia, but it seems short lived. I'll have to read the next part to see if we ever hear from her again this one brought up many questions about what Candy is up to. And Lirium seemed younger than the last book.

[Cherie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved, loved, loved this newest episode in Debt Collector series! Can't wait for episode 3! Proper review forthcoming!

[Kaye Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disturbing concepts and challenges to our notions of right and wrong. What if debt was the arbiter of our worth? Scary thought. This series is getting very interesting!

[Eliza Tilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I realized why I'm in love with this serial: instant gratification.

And I want more.

[Laurisa Reyes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loving this book.

[Amy Softa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Same review for part 2 & 3

Like I said in my review for part 1 this is a different type of story. Not just in the story being told, but also in the way it is being told. The first ‘season’ of this serial is complete, but there is expected to be several more according to the authors site. I think I might be in this for the long haul too. The story is compelling and quite frankly cheap. I just bought the next three parts in a combined down load and it was only $2.99. They are perfect reads for in between larger reads, or when you need something to break up a slog of genre reading. Also if you have a long wait at a doctor’s office and need something you can read in an hour or so, this could easily fill the bill.

The story has a futuristic/dystopian/sci-fi feel to it, but doesn’t bog down on technical info, so I think it could appeal to readers wanting to stick their toes into the sci-fi genre. The pace moves quickly and each serial ends with a cliffhanger that compels you to download the next installment right away. This is an interesting world Ms. Quinn has created and I hope you give this a shot.

Agony starts off two weeks after the first one left off and we get to learn more about the business of being a collector and see how things can go wrong. We also meet some new collectors in this story and see more examples of how dangerous and even deadly a job this can be.

Ecstacy picks up right where Agony leaves off and we get to see and learn about the sick children that Lirium is introduced to in books one. We also meet Madam A as we get to the bottom of what happen to Ophelia. Also got an introduction to the seedier side of collecting.

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read other book reviews at Book Junkie Joint.

Agony is just as painful as it sounds: it has a cliffhanger! (Dang-nabbit!)

In Agony, we get to see more of the dark world that the author has successfully carved out. Agony begins as soon as Delirium ends, and not a time is wasted because the reader is introduced to more people from Lirium's world: Candy, Lirium's psych officer and Ophelia, someone who has proficiency in debt-collecting, but whose work is mostly shady.

The interaction between Lirium and Ophelia is like sex on paper; it's pleasurable and it gives them a high, but it's not exactly sex. I'd have to say that I love how the author narrated the scene between Lirium and Ophelia. Through Lirium and Ophelia's interaction, the act of taking and giving "life energy" is demonstrated thoroughly. Though Ophelia told Lirium that it's Candy who sent her, I'm still a little wary of her. I don't know why.

What I didn't like in Agony though is that it has a cliffhanger. As a reader, I really dislike cliffhangers, but objectively speaking, since the author got me itching to read the next part, I'd say that the cliffhanger was an effective marketing tool!

[Jodi Henry · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second installment to the Debt Collector serial did not disappoint.

In fact, I keep wondering why this hasn't been picked up by a traditional publisher and made into an Omnibus.

The writing is stellar. The world building pretty fantastic and believable at the same time. The PREMISE of the debt collectors is awesome!!! I cannot get over the idea of a group of people collecting life debts from the dying and giving the leftovers to the people with life potential.

The three star rating comes from: at this point in the serial I want a little more explanation about how someone's potential is decided, and by whom. There isn't a lot of explanation on who Lerium works for and I think a bit more information on that would help solidify my belief in Lerium's fear of his counselor in this piece.

I really enjoy the dark, seedy world where sex workers are a common thing. I also, really love the broody protagonist Lerium is. I like that he isn't the hero's hero, but rather the guy who does the bad thing (collecting life credits) to survive but he doesn't allow that to taint his own character.

[Lady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Down On His Luck

This serial series must be read in order. The first book is Delirium (Debt Collector 1). This is the second book.

Lirium is still in a major funk because of Apple Girl and the illegal transfer he performed... He feels half dead and yet he still has to make his collections. One incredibly rough collection and Candy (his psych officer) is very concerned about him so she assigns him a mentor. How will he be able to handle Candy's spy on top of everything else? Will he be able to keep his secrets hidden? Or is life as he knows it about to end?

SciFi futuristic action suspense thriller... What more could you ask for? I love this series especially as the convoluted intrigues get more complicated with every book! I can't wait to read more of this awesome serial! I never could have imagined this world myself but I sure enjoy living there every time I read one of these books! I will be starting Ecstasy (Debt Collector 3) as soon as I'm done writing this review!

***This series is suitable for adult readers

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing episode! I can't get enough of this serial!!! :D

Agony introduces our first glimpse at a second debt collector. Ophelia is all kinds of sultry, and I'm not sure whether to love her or hate her. She has a serious bad-ass chick vibe going, but she obviously has a lot of secrets. It makes her hard to trust, but also adds to the drama... ;)

Can't wait to dig into episode three!!

A copy of this book was won from the author, however my review is not affected in any way.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a Series!! Susan Kaye Quinn has got one of the best sci-fi futuristic series out there. I've read a lot of series but this is the first one that the installments are really short stories and you get one a week. I find myself on pins and needles waiting for the next one. This second one is just as exciting as the first one. When it ends you want to just scream because you need to know what happens next. The next one can't come soon enough. Susan has a way of writing that not only keeps you entertained but on the edge of your seat. You really should get this series. You won't be disappointed.

[Johanna Sawyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks Netgalley and Librarything for a free book to read and review.

I had been given this book awhile ago but never sat down to read. It's completely blown me away. I'm a big fan of mostly steampunk sci fi but this has a nice flavor to it. Collecting life and giving it to people more worthy. That's a real nice fairy tale. It's so grim reaperish.... But in this segment Lirium meets Candy... A mentor. She starts to introduce him to just what a debt collector can really do... Interesting, and invigorating read. Very fascinating idea. Four stars of entertainment!

[Devin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second instalment reveals more about the way this sequence is going to unfold. These episodes are more stand-alone than I would have anticipated. Susan Kaye Quinn isn't going to treat these as individual chapters of a larger story. But that doesn't mean the story and characters don't develop. I was simply surprised that the relevant information from the previous episode was going to be re-capped. A nice touch given the fragmented manner I intend to read these.

This was good. Plenty of action and a tortured protagonist. And plenty of sexual tension. This could get addictive.

[Trisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one almost as much as the first one, but I do want to know if we get to go back to Apple Girl or not, in future. I think there's a possibility, from what I'm reading in book #3 so far, but not sure yet. And of course we have yet to find out what's happening with Ophelia.

These stories are definitely gripping and I already have grand visions of this series as a TV show. It would kick arse!

[J.E. Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cyberpunk meets Urban Fantasy

Been looking for stories like this for awhile. Quinn takes a similar approach Urban Fantasy authors take with Fantasy, folklore, and tales of yore and injects them into the SciFi genre.

Absolutely love it.

Really wish more authors did this. Quinn is blazing a trail into a new SciFi subgenre.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book or chapter in the serial. Lirium has to meet with his psych officer, Candy Kane, and she is concerned so she sends a mentor to meet with him. The writing is great and the story is fabulous and intriguing. I look forward to reading the next installment. I received this book free to review from Netgalley.

[Samantha Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe I just don't like cliffhangers.

This one felt like a lot of build up and concentration on Ophelia, and not much else. Then the real action starts and then it's over. It is intriguing, giving us peeks into the lies and lives of Collectors. But it felt too short, even for a short serial.

[Medeia Sharif · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was both fun and terrifying reading about Lirium’s adventures as he collects people’s energy. The setting is dark and the world-building is well-done. I enjoyed this as much as the first installment and I'd like to read more.