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The Slip Saga #0.5
A Mirage in the Memory
Dogged by a digital ghost and his own murky past, he must scour the city to kill the killer … or lose the woman he loves.
Earth, post-Apocalypse. Thibault Allard is determined to save his wife. After he escapes the addictive virtual reality that enslaved them both, he works as a bounty hunter for their unsavoury captor to gain inside access and search for his beloved. But when the morally flexible immortal is handed a ruthless ultimatum, he derails his plans in order to pursue the man who terminated his boss's spouse.
Getting close to the dangerous cult leader responsible for the woman's death, he scrambles to survive after he's captured and imprisoned. And thrown into a pit for a gladiatorial battle against a blood-lusting monster, Thibault fears he'll die before he can rescue the bride he left behind.
Can he double down on his duty without losing the rest of his soul?
Earth, post-Apocalypse. Thibault Allard is determined to save his wife. After he escapes the addictive virtual reality that enslaved them both, he works as a bounty hunter for their unsavoury captor to gain inside access and search for his beloved. But when the morally flexible immortal is handed a ruthless ultimatum, he derails his plans in order to pursue the man who terminated his boss's spouse.
Getting close to the dangerous cult leader responsible for the woman's death, he scrambles to survive after he's captured and imprisoned. And thrown into a pit for a gladiatorial battle against a blood-lusting monster, Thibault fears he'll die before he can rescue the bride he left behind.
Can he double down on his duty without losing the rest of his soul?
102 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 27, 2023
17 people are currently reading
83 people want to read
About the author
Simon Tull
2 books8 followersSimon Tull is a software sorcerer by day and a couch potato by night. By the cold light of morning, he transforms coffee grounds into fun stories. On the rare occasions he’s able to do something other than sling code or sweat words, he fancies himself as a yoga student, basketballer, runner, cook, and adequate barista.
Like many science fiction and fantasy authors, Simon was inspired to write his own stories after vicariously experiencing the exploits of Rand al’Thor, Druss the Legend, Murderbot, and, of course, Arthur Dent.
He lives on the Bellarine Peninsula in Victoria, Australia with his wife.
Like many science fiction and fantasy authors, Simon was inspired to write his own stories after vicariously experiencing the exploits of Rand al’Thor, Druss the Legend, Murderbot, and, of course, Arthur Dent.
He lives on the Bellarine Peninsula in Victoria, Australia with his wife.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 16, 2024
Stars: 3 out of 5.
I like the concept of this book. This is a post-apocalyptic world where some humans have been turned into vampires... then exterminated normal humans. Now the world is ending, the civilization is crumbling, and the immortal vampires linger in sun-shielded cities under the tyrannical rule of a handful of families. I was fascinated by the few glimpses we have of this world and I would have loved to learn more. Unfortunately, the author gives us only crumbs of information. Though I understand that this is a prequel, so maybe the events that led to the current state of affairs are explained in the main books.
My issue with this book is that even though the world is fascinating, I simply couldn't empathize with the protagonist. Yes, he is haunted by the things he has done and the lover he was forced to leave behind, but it felt rather flat for me. I think I would have felt more invested in his plight if the author had introduced me to his relationship with his wife a bit more. Maybe in flashbacks or something. Or if I got to experience the event that made him leave her behind instead of just seeing it mentioned here and there. As it stands, I had no clear feel for their relationship, and no clue why he left her, or why he felt guilty about it.
I also need to mention that a lot of the choices the protagonist makes in this story are... questionable, to say the least. Not to mention that the ending is a complete downer. I mean, nothing was accomplished. Thibault is still as much of a slave as he ever was, AND he still doesn't know where his wife is or if she is even still alive. So what was the purpose of all this?
I was honestly more interested in the side characters, like the burned hacker or the android mod builder. Them, I wouldn't mind reading about. Thibault? Not so much.
PS: I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I like the concept of this book. This is a post-apocalyptic world where some humans have been turned into vampires... then exterminated normal humans. Now the world is ending, the civilization is crumbling, and the immortal vampires linger in sun-shielded cities under the tyrannical rule of a handful of families. I was fascinated by the few glimpses we have of this world and I would have loved to learn more. Unfortunately, the author gives us only crumbs of information. Though I understand that this is a prequel, so maybe the events that led to the current state of affairs are explained in the main books.
My issue with this book is that even though the world is fascinating, I simply couldn't empathize with the protagonist. Yes, he is haunted by the things he has done and the lover he was forced to leave behind, but it felt rather flat for me. I think I would have felt more invested in his plight if the author had introduced me to his relationship with his wife a bit more. Maybe in flashbacks or something. Or if I got to experience the event that made him leave her behind instead of just seeing it mentioned here and there. As it stands, I had no clear feel for their relationship, and no clue why he left her, or why he felt guilty about it.
I also need to mention that a lot of the choices the protagonist makes in this story are... questionable, to say the least. Not to mention that the ending is a complete downer. I mean, nothing was accomplished. Thibault is still as much of a slave as he ever was, AND he still doesn't know where his wife is or if she is even still alive. So what was the purpose of all this?
I was honestly more interested in the side characters, like the burned hacker or the android mod builder. Them, I wouldn't mind reading about. Thibault? Not so much.
PS: I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 25, 2025
A Mirage in the Memory is a fantastic genre-blurring introduction to a new series. While very much embracing the cyberpunk feel and elements, this novella also twines in fantasy and mystery and the potential elements for a thriller depending on how the series unfolds. It also very much put me in mind of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners both for the aesthetics and technology, but also for how the world works. On top of that there was an almost philosophical element with how the stories plays with memories, the idea of self in the face of immortality, as well as an exploration of morality and free will, in a world where both are almost illusions.
‘Memories etched wounds worse than any acid, scarring the mind with the residues of reality. Like medicating with methadone, memories paled in comparison to the real thing, every recollection a potential of further corruption.’
Thibault Allard is our protagonist and is an excellent POV to guide us through the layers of this world, as his path has taken him through the highs and lows or reality and virtual reality. He’s no hero, but for all the wrongs he has committed, I wouldn’t say he’s the villain either – morally flexible might be one way of putting it, but in reality he’s the product of the world and his situation in it, and Tull does a fantastic job of capturing that conflict, that desire to do better, live better, but also being willing to do worse. And for a very human reason – love. The mystery over where his wife is pervades much of his story, like a single defining map point on a spinning globe, and while we aren’t given the answers we’d perhaps hope (I was a little disappointed there wasn’t more of a reveal, but this is a prequel, so I live in hope), it gives him a very compelling and understandable purpose.
Due to the length and nature of the book, we don’t get such a good lock on the secondary characters, but Tull does do a great job of making them memorable. Ors was a particular favourite – and possibly the one who gave me that Edgerunners feel the most, although Blink is a definite close second. Then there is our digital ghost, and the mystery of what happened to her – she was probably one of the ones I felt least connected to, and yet at the same time I was utterly fascinated by both her existence and her need to know what had happened to her and how she had died. Tull truly knows how to dig into the human psyche, and I think all his characters in some way tap into that, whether for better or worse.
Worse… is definitely what can be used to describe the Trinity, and Jupiter. What would you do in a post-apocalyptic world? Seize, hold and hoard power is the answer for these people, and in all the worst ways possible and Tull does make them reprehensible; but also integral to the entire ecosystem that has built up around this new reality and the virtual reality that lies just beyond it; and
Tull has created a fleshed-out world within a short page count, while also giving us the feeling of having just scraped the surface of this world. We’re given enough details on the technology, without getting bogged down in it, and there is enough leeway to role with the fantastical elements. It was an atmospheric read, with a very real feeling of time trickling by, and threat, and for the most part the mystery elements unfolded beautifully. There were some fantastic twists, especially about Thibault, the only element that didn’t work quite as well for me was the finale, just because it felt a little like it had undermined his attempts. I understand why it was like that, and the ending itself sums up the reality of the world and his existence perfectly, and again taking into account that this is a prequel, it is a minor grumble, but I would have liked to have seen a bit more pushback perhaps from Thibault.
Tull has done a fantastic job in establishing a foundation for a wider series, while also delivering a fully fleshed, independent story. I will eagerly be keeping an eye out for A Spectre in the Steam which is the first book in this series and due for release next year, so Mirage in the Memory has definitely served its purpose as a hook into the wider series.
‘Memories etched wounds worse than any acid, scarring the mind with the residues of reality. Like medicating with methadone, memories paled in comparison to the real thing, every recollection a potential of further corruption.’
Thibault Allard is our protagonist and is an excellent POV to guide us through the layers of this world, as his path has taken him through the highs and lows or reality and virtual reality. He’s no hero, but for all the wrongs he has committed, I wouldn’t say he’s the villain either – morally flexible might be one way of putting it, but in reality he’s the product of the world and his situation in it, and Tull does a fantastic job of capturing that conflict, that desire to do better, live better, but also being willing to do worse. And for a very human reason – love. The mystery over where his wife is pervades much of his story, like a single defining map point on a spinning globe, and while we aren’t given the answers we’d perhaps hope (I was a little disappointed there wasn’t more of a reveal, but this is a prequel, so I live in hope), it gives him a very compelling and understandable purpose.
Due to the length and nature of the book, we don’t get such a good lock on the secondary characters, but Tull does do a great job of making them memorable. Ors was a particular favourite – and possibly the one who gave me that Edgerunners feel the most, although Blink is a definite close second. Then there is our digital ghost, and the mystery of what happened to her – she was probably one of the ones I felt least connected to, and yet at the same time I was utterly fascinated by both her existence and her need to know what had happened to her and how she had died. Tull truly knows how to dig into the human psyche, and I think all his characters in some way tap into that, whether for better or worse.
Worse… is definitely what can be used to describe the Trinity, and Jupiter. What would you do in a post-apocalyptic world? Seize, hold and hoard power is the answer for these people, and in all the worst ways possible and Tull does make them reprehensible; but also integral to the entire ecosystem that has built up around this new reality and the virtual reality that lies just beyond it; and
Tull has created a fleshed-out world within a short page count, while also giving us the feeling of having just scraped the surface of this world. We’re given enough details on the technology, without getting bogged down in it, and there is enough leeway to role with the fantastical elements. It was an atmospheric read, with a very real feeling of time trickling by, and threat, and for the most part the mystery elements unfolded beautifully. There were some fantastic twists, especially about Thibault, the only element that didn’t work quite as well for me was the finale, just because it felt a little like it had undermined his attempts. I understand why it was like that, and the ending itself sums up the reality of the world and his existence perfectly, and again taking into account that this is a prequel, it is a minor grumble, but I would have liked to have seen a bit more pushback perhaps from Thibault.
Tull has done a fantastic job in establishing a foundation for a wider series, while also delivering a fully fleshed, independent story. I will eagerly be keeping an eye out for A Spectre in the Steam which is the first book in this series and due for release next year, so Mirage in the Memory has definitely served its purpose as a hook into the wider series.
Read
December 19, 2023A Mirage in the Memory is unlike any world that I had read before. The book has a Matrix style feel but it reminded me a lot more of the TV show, 1899, by the creators of Dark, which is about time-travel and if you haven’t seen it, you need to.
World Building
There is a virtual reality and a normal reality, if I may call it. The descriptions of the world are well done and it was easy to keep track of what was happening where. How the setting affects the characters is portrayed with precision and reveals so much about the characters too, “The drops on Thibault’s face made him sigh, his virtual muscles relaxing. What did it say about him that he felt more at home in the slip than in the bleed? That a reflection felt more real to him than reality itself?” I love this way of getting to know the characters.
There are androids, augmented humans, ghosts, myths and many more interesting creatures in this book! The technology is integrated seamlessly into the narrative and I was able to imagine it with confidence based on the context that was provided. There is criminal activity, an underground network of people taking advantage of the system, a person named after a god who considers himself extremely important, of course, and many other powerful people. I liked the inspiration behind the names and their connection to authority. There is a structure of power that is conveyed with gravity and, as a reader, I can’t help taking it seriously, in both the virtual and real settings.
This is a book for a serious mood. There are some unexpected fantastical creatures in this book. They add another layer of tension to the story as later in the book, they expose Thibault’s vulnerabilities. No matter how advanced the world and the existence of immortality, some things are worse than death.
The Writing and Plot
The dialogues are engaging and I enjoyed the conversations in this book. I love books about memories and this second paragraph of the book hooked me right in:
"Memories etched wounds worse than any acid, scarring the mind with the residues of reality. Like medicating with methadone, memories paled in comparison to the real thing, every recollection a potential of further corruption."
I would have expected a prequel to be about the apocalyptic event but it isn’t. I was curious about it at the beginning but this book was so captivating that I didn’t really care too much. I was focused on what was happening and though I took lots of notes and questions to ask Simon, I was able to put them aside for later.
If you are looking for an engaging scifi read, pick up this one. Books where there is a married couple at the centre of the plot are very interesting to me and I am glad to have found another one so soon after The Hexologists. Completely different portrayals and situations, but still noteworthy that this relationship is what drives so much of the story and is never forgotten. I am interested to see how A Mirage in the Memory will support my understanding of the series itself.
Many thanks to the author for a copy of the book for an honest review.
Check out the detailed review and author interview on my blog. :)
- Kriti, Armed with A Book | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
World Building
There is a virtual reality and a normal reality, if I may call it. The descriptions of the world are well done and it was easy to keep track of what was happening where. How the setting affects the characters is portrayed with precision and reveals so much about the characters too, “The drops on Thibault’s face made him sigh, his virtual muscles relaxing. What did it say about him that he felt more at home in the slip than in the bleed? That a reflection felt more real to him than reality itself?” I love this way of getting to know the characters.
There are androids, augmented humans, ghosts, myths and many more interesting creatures in this book! The technology is integrated seamlessly into the narrative and I was able to imagine it with confidence based on the context that was provided. There is criminal activity, an underground network of people taking advantage of the system, a person named after a god who considers himself extremely important, of course, and many other powerful people. I liked the inspiration behind the names and their connection to authority. There is a structure of power that is conveyed with gravity and, as a reader, I can’t help taking it seriously, in both the virtual and real settings.
This is a book for a serious mood. There are some unexpected fantastical creatures in this book. They add another layer of tension to the story as later in the book, they expose Thibault’s vulnerabilities. No matter how advanced the world and the existence of immortality, some things are worse than death.
The Writing and Plot
The dialogues are engaging and I enjoyed the conversations in this book. I love books about memories and this second paragraph of the book hooked me right in:
"Memories etched wounds worse than any acid, scarring the mind with the residues of reality. Like medicating with methadone, memories paled in comparison to the real thing, every recollection a potential of further corruption."
I would have expected a prequel to be about the apocalyptic event but it isn’t. I was curious about it at the beginning but this book was so captivating that I didn’t really care too much. I was focused on what was happening and though I took lots of notes and questions to ask Simon, I was able to put them aside for later.
If you are looking for an engaging scifi read, pick up this one. Books where there is a married couple at the centre of the plot are very interesting to me and I am glad to have found another one so soon after The Hexologists. Completely different portrayals and situations, but still noteworthy that this relationship is what drives so much of the story and is never forgotten. I am interested to see how A Mirage in the Memory will support my understanding of the series itself.
Many thanks to the author for a copy of the book for an honest review.
Check out the detailed review and author interview on my blog. :)
- Kriti, Armed with A Book | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
December 3, 2023
I received this novella to judge for SFINCS. Opinion is my own, and does not represent that made by the team. The author also had it up for free on kindle, so I grabbed it for a verified review.
This prequel novella caught me off guard. It’s not only a post apocalyptic story, but also a scifi/futuristic story. The blend of which worked really well for me. It also read as withholding information on purpose, rather than just waiting for the full length novel like some other prequels do, which I appreciated, and it definitely kept me wanting.
Our gritty main character, Thibault, will do anything to free his wife. Sometimes that grittiness made it a little hard to believe the loving/longing relationship he still holds for his wife, but I had to keep reminding myself that it’s also post apocalypse, so people change and do whatever they have to to survive. When faced with an ultimatum, a final job, one that forces him to do something practically suicidal or never see his wife again, of course he must agree.
I thought the stakes were high and mostly were delivered on. I do wish some of that withheld information was explained a bit more by the end, but it was certainly intriguing and would read more.
I would be remiss to not mention the main factor that detracted from my enjoyment of the book though, which took it from a solid 5* down a notch. At the end of the book, there is a call to action to sign up for the author’s newsletter to receive a bonus epilogue. Personally and unfortunately, to me, the epilogue comes post story, but is typically integral to the lead up to the following book. To me that makes it necessary reading, not a “bonus” and that lack of accessibility hurt it overall. Like receiving 90% of the book you thought you bought. So personally a 4/5* for me.
This prequel novella caught me off guard. It’s not only a post apocalyptic story, but also a scifi/futuristic story. The blend of which worked really well for me. It also read as withholding information on purpose, rather than just waiting for the full length novel like some other prequels do, which I appreciated, and it definitely kept me wanting.
Our gritty main character, Thibault, will do anything to free his wife. Sometimes that grittiness made it a little hard to believe the loving/longing relationship he still holds for his wife, but I had to keep reminding myself that it’s also post apocalypse, so people change and do whatever they have to to survive. When faced with an ultimatum, a final job, one that forces him to do something practically suicidal or never see his wife again, of course he must agree.
I thought the stakes were high and mostly were delivered on. I do wish some of that withheld information was explained a bit more by the end, but it was certainly intriguing and would read more.
I would be remiss to not mention the main factor that detracted from my enjoyment of the book though, which took it from a solid 5* down a notch. At the end of the book, there is a call to action to sign up for the author’s newsletter to receive a bonus epilogue. Personally and unfortunately, to me, the epilogue comes post story, but is typically integral to the lead up to the following book. To me that makes it necessary reading, not a “bonus” and that lack of accessibility hurt it overall. Like receiving 90% of the book you thought you bought. So personally a 4/5* for me.
December 11, 2023
Review originally on
JamReads
A Mirage in the Memory is a genre-blending novella, an introduction to The Slip Saga, written by Simon Tull. An excellent sci-fi/cyberpunk story, which is not afraid to take some turns to include fantastical elements, and that paints an intriguing and dystopic world, where our character, Thibault, will have to drive himself with a lot of care.
Thibault fits certainly the definition of a grey moral character; we can see how many of his acts are questionable, but, deeply inside, all his motivation is the love he has for his wife; so when an almost impossible task is put in front of him, with the threat of not seeing her again, there's no other option that accepting it. Even if that means having to descend to Jupiter's domains and risking his life.
With Thibault, Tull does an excellent job of creating a complex character, a person that is struggling in a world that is much bigger and powerful than him; a pawn for those in control. Conflicted inside, love is the main force that drives him.
With the limited length of this format, Tull manages to create a dystopic world, with cyberpunk elements intertwined with some homage to classic culture (something that gives me shivers when I think of the real world); the metaphor of descending to the underworld is simply chef kiss.
It made me so intrigued by what this saga might become; one of the strongest novellas in the batch, and a positive discovery for me.
Disclaimer: This novella has been read as part of the SFINCS. This review/rating only represents my personal opinion and it might differ with what the team decides.
A Mirage in the Memory is a genre-blending novella, an introduction to The Slip Saga, written by Simon Tull. An excellent sci-fi/cyberpunk story, which is not afraid to take some turns to include fantastical elements, and that paints an intriguing and dystopic world, where our character, Thibault, will have to drive himself with a lot of care.
Thibault fits certainly the definition of a grey moral character; we can see how many of his acts are questionable, but, deeply inside, all his motivation is the love he has for his wife; so when an almost impossible task is put in front of him, with the threat of not seeing her again, there's no other option that accepting it. Even if that means having to descend to Jupiter's domains and risking his life.
With Thibault, Tull does an excellent job of creating a complex character, a person that is struggling in a world that is much bigger and powerful than him; a pawn for those in control. Conflicted inside, love is the main force that drives him.
With the limited length of this format, Tull manages to create a dystopic world, with cyberpunk elements intertwined with some homage to classic culture (something that gives me shivers when I think of the real world); the metaphor of descending to the underworld is simply chef kiss.
It made me so intrigued by what this saga might become; one of the strongest novellas in the batch, and a positive discovery for me.
Disclaimer: This novella has been read as part of the SFINCS. This review/rating only represents my personal opinion and it might differ with what the team decides.
October 2, 2023
Review:
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Can he double down on his duty without losing the rest of his soul?
A Mirage In The Memory is a prequel book in The Slip Saga by Simon Tull. We follow our main character Thibault (Tibs) Allard through his quest to find his wife whom had been taken by the Virtual World that kept the immortals entertained.
This book is both Sci-Fi & Fantasy, and a Mystery. My favourite categories combined.
You would not realise this was a prequel novella if not for the length of the book, but Simon managed to make it read like a story of its own, buildiny the world and characters in such a great way, all whilst keeping the page count down! This most definitely excites me to continue the rest of The Slip Saga as the books release.
I was given such a nostalgic vibe to the movies I grew up watching, such as The Matrix & Daybreakers, the story reminding me of how those plots gripped me from the get go. It is truly magical when an Author can do just the same, inspiring the readers imagination to make a film reel of what they are reading.
I was hooked from the start, in particular these quotes spoke out to me...
"Memories etched wounds worse than any acid, scarring the mind with residues if reality... ...every recollection a potential of further corruption"
"Dangerous resurrecting a dead hope. Hope could scorch you to death faster than the sun's vees."
"There's only one thing that separates delusion from reality... ...Belief... ...believe hard enough, long enough, invest all of yourself into it, and you can make anything real."
I would recommend this to anyone who has read Mindwalker, albeit this story is a little darker!
Thankyou NetGalley for considering me to review this book. All opinions are my own, I swear by the sacred rock.
Editorial Sidenote:
There were two instances of sentences not making sense where I believe words were entered the wrong way around or missed. I have included these in my review.
Chapter 5: why did even care? // [why did he even care]
Chapter 13: each laid been with precision // [each been laid with precision]
#bookreview #review #amirageinthememory #simontull #netgalley #books #bookstagram
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Can he double down on his duty without losing the rest of his soul?
A Mirage In The Memory is a prequel book in The Slip Saga by Simon Tull. We follow our main character Thibault (Tibs) Allard through his quest to find his wife whom had been taken by the Virtual World that kept the immortals entertained.
This book is both Sci-Fi & Fantasy, and a Mystery. My favourite categories combined.
You would not realise this was a prequel novella if not for the length of the book, but Simon managed to make it read like a story of its own, buildiny the world and characters in such a great way, all whilst keeping the page count down! This most definitely excites me to continue the rest of The Slip Saga as the books release.
I was given such a nostalgic vibe to the movies I grew up watching, such as The Matrix & Daybreakers, the story reminding me of how those plots gripped me from the get go. It is truly magical when an Author can do just the same, inspiring the readers imagination to make a film reel of what they are reading.
I was hooked from the start, in particular these quotes spoke out to me...
"Memories etched wounds worse than any acid, scarring the mind with residues if reality... ...every recollection a potential of further corruption"
"Dangerous resurrecting a dead hope. Hope could scorch you to death faster than the sun's vees."
"There's only one thing that separates delusion from reality... ...Belief... ...believe hard enough, long enough, invest all of yourself into it, and you can make anything real."
I would recommend this to anyone who has read Mindwalker, albeit this story is a little darker!
Thankyou NetGalley for considering me to review this book. All opinions are my own, I swear by the sacred rock.
Editorial Sidenote:
There were two instances of sentences not making sense where I believe words were entered the wrong way around or missed. I have included these in my review.
Chapter 5: why did even care? // [why did he even care]
Chapter 13: each laid been with precision // [each been laid with precision]
#bookreview #review #amirageinthememory #simontull #netgalley #books #bookstagram
September 28, 2023
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
A Mirage in the Memory to me was a very interesting book. The plot itself was gripping and I didnt find a moment where I was bored. My biggest complaint was just that since it is a novella that certain buildups did not have thw affect they could have. I think if the author had written those differently I would have given 5 stars. Besides that from the beginning I was investing in Thibaults story. The whole electronic and technological universe aspect was written well and I liked that even though it was short it was nice to see some background on the side characters. The sadness and despair throughout that I felt was written perfectly. Overall I would definitely recommend this book to lovers of sci fi and I do plan to tune in to the rest of the series.
A Mirage in the Memory to me was a very interesting book. The plot itself was gripping and I didnt find a moment where I was bored. My biggest complaint was just that since it is a novella that certain buildups did not have thw affect they could have. I think if the author had written those differently I would have given 5 stars. Besides that from the beginning I was investing in Thibaults story. The whole electronic and technological universe aspect was written well and I liked that even though it was short it was nice to see some background on the side characters. The sadness and despair throughout that I felt was written perfectly. Overall I would definitely recommend this book to lovers of sci fi and I do plan to tune in to the rest of the series.
March 29, 2024
This book was reviewed as part of the Speculative Fiction Indie Novella Championship, or SFINCS, which I am judging as part of Team Jamreads. This review contains my honest thoughts and does not represent the opinion or final rating of the team.
A cyber-running adventure across post-apocalyptic and cyberpunk space, A Mirage in the Memory is a fascinating look into a dark new world as one man would do anything to find his missing wife, even if that means crossing legal and moral boundaries.
Characters
A Mirage in the Memory is the story of Thibault, a bounty hunter who straddles the real world and cyber world in order to carry out jobs for a mafia-styled boss. It’s not easy or glamorous work, but he’s willing to get his hands dirty for whatever odd jobs will get him closer to his missing wife. He’s a hardened man in a hardened world who is aware that he’s effectively the pawn of more powerful men. As such, he’s only willing to do the right thing and take on a mission to find a woman’s killer, not from the goodness of his heart, but for his own personal gain.
But as Thibault takes on this last dirty job, he meets an interesting range of side characters who help and hinder him to an extent. I’ll be honest and say I didn’t quite click with Thibault’s character; he’s quite a morally gray, tortured man, and to me, his mission to find his wife came across as a little cliched. The side characters really stood out to me though, especially Blink, an engineer with a collection of entertaining robots, and who’d also hardened her heart against this darker world. But unlike Thibault, she’s willing to take risks in order to do the right thing.
I did, however, love that Thibault has cybernetic arms, which do occasionally cause him trouble from time to time.
Setting
The setting for A Mirage in the Memory is certainly a unique one – a post apocalyptic world merged with a cyber one where people can connect and login, Matrix style. I was fascinated by this world and the language used to describe it, with the virtual world being known as the slip and the real one known as the bleed. This then leads to another interesting aspect of the world building – everyone appears to be vampires.
I say ‘appears’ because while it was hinted at in places, the world building was quite vague, maddeningly so. A Mirage in the Memory definitely takes ‘show, don’t tell’ seriously as it doesn’t explain much about the world, how it became the way it was, or what the vampire stuff is all about. I’d love to have more explanation for how it all connects because this TEASES ME and I am so utterly fascinated that I want to know more! The world sounds so cool, tell me about it, Mr Tull!
Plot
The plot, then, sees Thibault take on a job to find the killer of a mysterious cyber ghost who has become trapped in the machine. It turns out this lady is the bad boss’s dead wife, and tracking down and eliminating the killer could earn some points and a few clues toward his real mission – finding his own missing wife. As a bounty hunter, Thibault has a few tricks up his sleeves, as well as some useful contacts to help him get on his way. While that takes up half of the story, the other half is spent in an arena-like environment trying to beat another mafia-like boss to complete his quest. This half of the story was less interesting to me, I’ll admit, as the fighting felt drawn out and I’d like more of the wonderful world.
The story did reach a rather bleak conclusion, which was in fitting with the dystopian world Thibault finds himself in, but it also didn’t quite conclude either. For me, it doesn’t quite work as a standalone for that reason.
Writing
The writing of A Mirage in the Memory is where this book really shone. The writing simply oozed with style and atmosphere that drew me in effortlessly. This is one of the best written books I’ve read in a long time, with literary lines that sparked across the page without crossing over into purple prose. Tull’s writing style really captured that cyberpunk feeling perfectly.
Enjoyment
While I didn’t quite click with Thibault’s character or his particular story, I absolutely loved being immersed into A Mirage in the Memory and want to learn more of this world. This book is a prequel for the first book in The Slip Saga series, and I definitely want to be there to see the world that Tull has created and to lose myself in his prose once more.
Cover Art and Formatting
The cover is stunning with hints of the cyberpunk world as well as the vampiric one.
A cyber-running adventure across post-apocalyptic and cyberpunk space, A Mirage in the Memory is a fascinating look into a dark new world as one man would do anything to find his missing wife, even if that means crossing legal and moral boundaries.
Characters
A Mirage in the Memory is the story of Thibault, a bounty hunter who straddles the real world and cyber world in order to carry out jobs for a mafia-styled boss. It’s not easy or glamorous work, but he’s willing to get his hands dirty for whatever odd jobs will get him closer to his missing wife. He’s a hardened man in a hardened world who is aware that he’s effectively the pawn of more powerful men. As such, he’s only willing to do the right thing and take on a mission to find a woman’s killer, not from the goodness of his heart, but for his own personal gain.
But as Thibault takes on this last dirty job, he meets an interesting range of side characters who help and hinder him to an extent. I’ll be honest and say I didn’t quite click with Thibault’s character; he’s quite a morally gray, tortured man, and to me, his mission to find his wife came across as a little cliched. The side characters really stood out to me though, especially Blink, an engineer with a collection of entertaining robots, and who’d also hardened her heart against this darker world. But unlike Thibault, she’s willing to take risks in order to do the right thing.
I did, however, love that Thibault has cybernetic arms, which do occasionally cause him trouble from time to time.
Setting
The setting for A Mirage in the Memory is certainly a unique one – a post apocalyptic world merged with a cyber one where people can connect and login, Matrix style. I was fascinated by this world and the language used to describe it, with the virtual world being known as the slip and the real one known as the bleed. This then leads to another interesting aspect of the world building – everyone appears to be vampires.
I say ‘appears’ because while it was hinted at in places, the world building was quite vague, maddeningly so. A Mirage in the Memory definitely takes ‘show, don’t tell’ seriously as it doesn’t explain much about the world, how it became the way it was, or what the vampire stuff is all about. I’d love to have more explanation for how it all connects because this TEASES ME and I am so utterly fascinated that I want to know more! The world sounds so cool, tell me about it, Mr Tull!
Plot
The plot, then, sees Thibault take on a job to find the killer of a mysterious cyber ghost who has become trapped in the machine. It turns out this lady is the bad boss’s dead wife, and tracking down and eliminating the killer could earn some points and a few clues toward his real mission – finding his own missing wife. As a bounty hunter, Thibault has a few tricks up his sleeves, as well as some useful contacts to help him get on his way. While that takes up half of the story, the other half is spent in an arena-like environment trying to beat another mafia-like boss to complete his quest. This half of the story was less interesting to me, I’ll admit, as the fighting felt drawn out and I’d like more of the wonderful world.
The story did reach a rather bleak conclusion, which was in fitting with the dystopian world Thibault finds himself in, but it also didn’t quite conclude either. For me, it doesn’t quite work as a standalone for that reason.
Writing
The writing of A Mirage in the Memory is where this book really shone. The writing simply oozed with style and atmosphere that drew me in effortlessly. This is one of the best written books I’ve read in a long time, with literary lines that sparked across the page without crossing over into purple prose. Tull’s writing style really captured that cyberpunk feeling perfectly.
Enjoyment
While I didn’t quite click with Thibault’s character or his particular story, I absolutely loved being immersed into A Mirage in the Memory and want to learn more of this world. This book is a prequel for the first book in The Slip Saga series, and I definitely want to be there to see the world that Tull has created and to lose myself in his prose once more.
Cover Art and Formatting
The cover is stunning with hints of the cyberpunk world as well as the vampiric one.
April 27, 2025
It’s been a few weeks since I’ve read this and I’m terrible at remembering details past that so forgive me for the short review. But I do remember that I thought this was pretty interesting and entertaining and that I want to read the main series as well. The technology was pretty cool, which is always something that draws me to a scifi book.
December 30, 2023
There are still hard-boiled detectives in the future!
This started with a wee bit of poetic description that just tugs the heartstrings:
‘Memories etched wounds worse than any acid, scarring the mind with the residues of reality.’
For me, this line is even sadder knowing that the MC and his wife lost opportunities for making more memories due to their VR addiction. A lesson learned from our future selves – spend less time online and more time in reality.
A note from the author to keep our egos in check:
‘The smallest minds left the biggest landmarks.’
Looking forward to ‘A Spectre in the Stream’ (expected May 2024).
This started with a wee bit of poetic description that just tugs the heartstrings:
‘Memories etched wounds worse than any acid, scarring the mind with the residues of reality.’
For me, this line is even sadder knowing that the MC and his wife lost opportunities for making more memories due to their VR addiction. A lesson learned from our future selves – spend less time online and more time in reality.
A note from the author to keep our egos in check:
‘The smallest minds left the biggest landmarks.’
Looking forward to ‘A Spectre in the Stream’ (expected May 2024).
Want to read
September 27, 2023 I received an advanced digital copy of this book, courtesy of the author and publisher, via Netgalley, for review consideration.
RTC
RTC
May 29, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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