Psychotopia

by R.N. Morris

A game for the times we live – and die – in. Enter Psychotopia, a dark new dystopian novel from the author of the acclaimed Silas Quinn mysteries.

PSYCHOTOPIA, LEVEL ONE. Create your own boutique psychopath, then deceive, manipulate and be ruthless, spreading mayhem and destruction to reach the next levels.

It’s the computer game for our times. After all, the amount of crazy in the world is increasing. Senseless violence on the streets is becoming the norm. Can Dr Arbus’s ground-breaking device identify and neutralize psychopaths before it’s too late?

In this increasingly dysfunctional world, surely Callum standing by Aimee after her devastating encounter with Charlie is proof that real love and goodness can still win in a world that’s increasingly rotten . . .

Or can it?

Genres: Science Fiction

240 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2019

About the author

R. N. Morris's most recent book is the historical novel, Fortune's Hand.

He is the author of the St Petersburg Mysteries Series featuring Porfiry Petrovich, the detective from Dostoevsky's masterpiece Crime and Punishment: A Gentle Axe, A Vengeful Longing, A Razor Wrapped in Silk and The Cleansing Flames.

He also wrote the Silas Quinn series, set in London in 1914: Summon Up The Blood, The Mannequin House, The Dark Palace, The Red Hand of Fury, The White Feather Killer and The Music Box Enigma.

He has written a standalone dystopian thriller, Psychotopia and, writing as Roger Morris, the contemporary thriller Taking Comfort.

Reviews

[Char · Rating 4 out of 5]

PSYCHOTOPIA. The cover, the synopsis, the title, and the review of a friend, (Thanks, Bandit!), all prompted me to request this book from NetGalley. I'm so glad I did!

There are several threads working together in this speculative fiction story. One from the POV of a policeman. Another from a young woman recently used and used hard by a handsome rogue. And lastly, there are chapters from a video game designer, talking about the architecture of a new, interactive, virtual reality experience. Such contrasting views, yet somehow I knew they would eventually come together, and they did.

PSYCHOTOPIA takes a hard look at the world and how it has evolved. Specifically, how humans have evolved. Is it possible that in an age so dark and hopeless a psychopath could be viewed as the natural evolution of mankind? A person who doesn't recognize the feelings of others, is free from the guilt that hurting others can bring. Is that a good thing or a bad thing in this new world?

What would happen if someone invented a machine which could determine if a person was a psychopath or not? Would you want to be tested? What kind of preventative measures could be taken if a person tests positive for psychopathy? Would such a test be a violation of civil rights? Would it become mandatory testing for certain jobs, like police officers or politicians?

I know I'm asking a lot of questions here, but that's what this book did to me. It wasn't a matter of simply reading it and saying "good story!" It made me think a lot about what this world is coming to, and about how we treat each other- not only our equals, but how we treat others both above and below what we believe to be our stations in life. I love books that make me think and this is definitely one of them.

I also loved the creativity and imagination that went into the world-building here, and I especially liked how I couldn't predict how the characters would come together. An urban setting full of psychopaths, (known or unknown), leaves a wide open field of crimes and misdemeanors and Mr. Morris exploits that field to the max. I enjoyed the hell out of it!

Highly recommended!

*Thank you to Severn House Publishers and to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it.*

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a fan of R.N. Morris for a number of years, enjoying his Porfiry Petrovich series and, in particular, his Silas Quinn novels. This is a bit of a departure for him; rather than a historical mystery, we have a science fiction, dystopian novel, which is also a thriller.

The premise behind the book is that more and more people are psychopaths. Crime is rising – especially in the younger population – and, of course, people are panicked about what will happen. Dr Arbus announces that he has a machine, which is able to identify psychopaths, but what should society do with them, once they are labelled?

There are three main points of view in this book. One is a policeman, one a woman who is taken in by a psychopath and the third, a psychopathic man, hiring a woman for his company, Alpha Games. Virtual Reality, and gaming generally, are linked to the plot; with notes for a virtual reality game – Psychotopia – linking the chapters.

Although there is much about ethics, morality and the impact of video games, R.N. Morris never loses sight of the plot and the characters. He deftly weaves the various strands of the plot together and creates a well imagined, all too realistic, future world. I still prefer Silas Quinn, I must admit, that this was a really enjoyable stand alone and I am glad I ventured out of my comfort zone to try it. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.

[Bandit · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a pleasant surprise this turned out to be. I went into this with (pun alert) virtually no expectations. Never heard of the author, who seems to specialize in series as much as I specialize in saying away from series. Don’t particularly care for gaming stories, Ready Player One is hugely overrated. Even the title is somewhat cheesy. But then...I do like dystopias. And in this story the future belongs to psychos. And it isn’t even really all that much about gaming, it provides the framework for the novel (alternating chapters of a radical virtual reality game design), but the real story here is the psychos and those around them, all tangentially and then directly interconnected to each other and to the game. And, while at first the connections are tougher to realize, in the end it all comes together very nicely, creating a cohesive nightmarish ode to psychos as the only genuinely free individuals, their freedom being one of the ability to do as they wish without guilt, fear or inhibitions. There’s a machine in the novel that tests the subjects and labels them P or NP accordingly and much fascinating debate about rights and ethics such tests imply. And then as one might expect from such a story, there are some appalling scenes, starting off with pure psychological manipulation and ending up with strikingly grotesque brutality (the Aimee story to its conclusion). All in all I was impressed by this book, it was very well written and cleverly constructed, and while the future most likely belongs to the stupid (since they are the ones reproducing most diligently), it was fascinating to behold the imaginary world where the psychos take over. Very nice find. Any fan of intellectually stimulating dark speculative fiction would probably enjoy this one. Thanks Netgalley.

[Judy Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House Publishing for an eGalley of this novel.

I didn't really like this book at all, in fact it disturbed me to the point of having to wait several weeks before writing this review to try to keep some unbiased perspective. The three stars is for the author having the talent to write so intriguingly that I wanted to finish the book in spite of my discomfort. It is practically required that you read the entire novel to see how the whole story ties together because chances are you will not work that whole plot out unaided. Well, it's for sure I didn't.

The book is written from three major perspectives with chapters dedicated to each POV while being interspersed with chapters following the creation of a computer game called Psychotopia. An unidentified person is writing suggestions for the game to employees who will actually make those suggestions become reality. The ideas begin as being fairly interesting from a gaming standpoint but slowly evolve into darker and more violent proposals for play. At the same time chaos is slowly building in this fantasy world as more and more people exhibit the behavior of psychopaths. Is the psychotic behavior pushing the game or is the game causing the behavior?

This book really bothered me because of the cruelty suggested as methods for advancing through higher and higher levels of the game. I've read that the author wanted to try writing something different. He definitely succeeded as far as I'm concerned but it positively did not make me a fan.

[Lel Budge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Psychotopia will mess with your mind….

Alpha Games are creating a VR game, where you create your own Psychopath with varying degrees of disorders….you choose!..

Serial killers get more points for more kills, the longer a psychopath remains undetected the better for the gamer……

But, the real world is struggling with a rise in violence, this is becoming the norm……adults and children alike are the perpetrators and victims.

Everyone’s lives are linked to their MindPhone, MindNet and MindMessages….(sound familiar?)

The cops are struggling, the hospitals are grim, to say the least……society is breaking down and the psychopath’s are starting to outnumber the non-psychopaths…..a new disorder is identified…the PGD….Psychopath Generated Disorder.

The story is told from several angles, the cop, Inspector Parfitt…an unlikeable jerk…..Aimee, who had been used and cast off by Charlie…..her friend Callum comes to her rescue….and Charlie\Oliver a creepy, nasty, psychopath. It’s chapters are separated by memos from Alpha Games about their game development…(the spiders ….urgh).

It plays on our fears of violent video games and the worrying suspicions that those who run our countries are potential psychopaths.

Then Dr Argus arrives, with his machine to identify Psychopaths in seconds, his plan is to test all children, sterilise them and end the cycle……but is that all?

This is a horrifying, disturbing and yet absolutely fascinating tale that makes you wonder….is this possible? Is it happening now?????…..Just watch the News, the everyday violence, it makes Psychotopia a very scary read. Brilliant, thought provoking and terrifying writing by R N Morris.

P or NP ?………now there’s a question…….

Thank you to The author, publishers and NetGalley for a free copy of the ebook. This is my honest and unbiased review.

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was really excited when I saw Psychotopia by R.N. Morris. A virtual reality game centered around psychopaths? Be still my beating heart! You had me at “psychopath.” I have always been interested in psychopaths, particularly how their mind works and why they do the things they do. Blame it on my Criminal Justice major in college or my fascination with serial killers. Am I little weird? Quite Possibly! Anyway, add in a virtual reality game to the storyline and R.N Morris had me salvitating to get my hands on his newest book, Psychotopia. Is this book shocking? Yes! In your face? Yes! Disturbing? Hell yes! Did I love it? OMG yes!

Let me start off by saying that I do play a virtual reality game called Second Life and I have played this game for many years. Do they have some crazy things that go on in this game, yes! Maybe not to the extent of Psychotobia, but there are quite some disturbing role plays that go on in this game. So, the premise behind the Psychotopia game really intrigued me and before you ask….yes I would play this game. Don’t judge!

Psychotobia is a set in a dystopian future where psychopaths are considered the norm in society and will eventually outnumber non psychopaths. Dr. Arbus believes there are many psychopaths around us with most being undetected, but he has come out with a device that can easily detect if someone is psychopathic or not. But, forcing someone to take the test really pushes boundaries in the government and especially against people’s rights. Inspector Glenn Parfett believes there are two types of psychopaths - idiot ones and brilliant ones. Parfett thinks he is a human detection reader can tell if someone is psychopath or not by just looking at them. Then there is Sally who is now working for the gaming company that is developing Psychotopia and soon finds herself the target of a psychopath. We also learn the story behind Aimee’s life and how it took a turn for the worse when she was targeted by a psychopath who changed her life completely.

Interweaved between each of these characters stories is the inner working and the conception of the VR game known as Psychoptia and believe me when I tell you it is very very disturbing. Morris really has a wicked mind and really hits you with the shock factor again and again and again. Morris has written a dark story that also rings a bit of truth in it as well, which again, is creepy all in itself. While all of the parts of the story may seem separate, they do eventually all tie in together really nicely. What I think is also different is the story is the main focus rather than the characters. Honestly, I absolutely LOVED this book!

I was completely engaged in this brilliantly dark and eerie story. A definite five stars from me. While this story might not be for everyone, I definitely think if you have an open mind or like really gritty, in your face craziness, then you will really love this book.

[Birdie O · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading this book with no small amount of reservation. Obviously, I chose to read it. However, having worked in the game development industry in the past and been a regular game-player, myself, I was worried that this would be a very long, fictional treatise on the horrors of playing video games and how it’s killing society. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the game itself doesn’t feature prominently in the actual storyline until about a third of the way in.

To start, the book is very disjointed. It was very nearly off-putting. Except that it felt like it was intentionally off-putting. Like Morris wants to weed out those who are not committed to this horrific social experiment on paper. At the same time that the story feels disjointed, it flows smoothly. That is to say that each chapter starts out as its own little vignette and even though there are seemingly no connections between each scene (sort of like Crash), you can already start to see the threads that will be there. Because of this, I buckled down and had faith that I would see some of these characters again and that their short little chapters that nearly drove me to distraction would pan out. Chapters aren’t labeled with the speaker, the time, or anything. The reader is expected ot parse it out (speaker is easy, but I’m not so sure I got the timeline right). Between the introduction of a new speaker or character almost every other chapter, there’s bound ot be some places of overlap as well things being out of chronological order. That being said, my interpretation is that everything happens on a linear timeline.

Morris’ handling of the psychopath as a sort of….epidemic/zombie infestation is new, for sure. It seems that the POVs expressed throughout the book are largely from the psychopathic group, though their denial of their state of mind is also across the board. None of them admit to being a pyschopath because they can explain away their attitude and behavior with prefectly (in their minds) reasonable and logical explanations. However, their interactions with other characters as well as the way they feel about life generally rat them out. Something that usually turns me off of a book is over-explaining. I don’t need to know every minute detail of why or how a person does something, but in Morris’ book….it’s a necessity that just adds to the depth of understanding of the characters. The good psycho (if that is such a thing) does it sometimes, but not always…but the raging psycho who is more of a sociopathic psychopath? His constant mental monologues about the how and why he behaves the way he does actually add to the story. They reinforce the narcissistic tendencies he has as well as allow a person whose brain DOESN’T generally follow those thought processes to see them.

Something that Morris manages to bring up in between all this character-driven story is the question of how far is too far? There is mention of a lot of pre-crime treatment of people who pass this test. Current courts couldn’t support that (innocent until proven guilty and all that). So criminalizing a mental state seems to be the big “hot topic” trigger that gets tucked in the story. Especially with the introduction of a child who definitely has psychopathic traits. The truly terrifying part is the end, though…when Morris takes what little hope the reader has and destroys it 100%.

Interspersed between chapters of story are dev notes from the idea stage of the game. This is pretty much all the information about the game (which is still in development through the story) that you ever get. This book, however, goes right up there as one of the most interesting and messed up things I’ve read in a long time. Definitely one to grab.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting look at what makes a person a psychopath, how they live and how they deceive us. My review is posted here https://wp.me/p5t5Tf-1Mc

[Rae Anne Bowen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very rarely do I find a book so disturbing that I cannot read it all at once and yet Psychotopia does exactly that. The subject matter is itself disturbing, the little girl is disturbing, and psychopathy is disturbing. Subject matter aside the book is so well written that one would think the author was a psychopath. It raises so many questions about the nature of mental illnesses. Can they and should they be held more accountable than they are? If you can't actually cure them, and their one and only goal is to stay ill, then isn't it kinder to all of society to stop them permanently? They call it humane to give these people an excuse but the fact is they don't blame themselves anyway. They didn't do anything wrong in their own opinion.

But then my theory is this. If your going to commit a crime against society, said society should not have to support you in such a way that you are more cared for than some members of society are. Let the punishment actually fit the crime. You were caught on video killing someone, then your life means the same as your victim with none of this sitting in jail for 50 years waiting on appeals. I'm kind of tired of the way our justice system puts the life of victimizer before the life of the victim. It makes one wonder what kind of sick person decided it was humane to the people that cared about the victim. Where is their justice? They abide by the law, so why does this criminal have more of a right to life (outside of our laws) than the victim did?

Insanity should not be allowed as plea. If you are too insane to control yourself and you commit horrendous acts then the kindest thing to do is put you down like a rabid dog.

The rabid dog has as much control as the psychopath yet we do not go out of our way to cure it and keep it around.

The cop at the end of the book choosing to join the insanity is well insane. I would fight it to my very last breath, which in this book wouldn't have taken too long. Better to be dead than to endure being their brand of free (completely out of control of oneself).

I cannot imagine wanting to hurt someone and then feeling nothing about it or worse just laughing like it tickled me.

Also, after the husband committed murder he was tested to see if he was a psychopath and he wasn't but it seems to me that the wife's family was in fact the psychopaths. Her sister leaves chaos and destruction in her wake and the wife seems drawn to other psychos. Hell she got with her husband just so she could tell him the kid was his, jokes on her because it was his.

All around it's a sick book. And terrifying if it was true. But then most politicians are all about the power no matter what they say to your face so maybe they are psychopathic.

[Cheryl M-M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Right! R.N. Morris needs locking in a room with no access to the outside world and no internet - his ideas are far too dangerous.

A video game based on psychopathy, one that interacts and evolves based on the pathology of someone's lack of empathy, conscience and in general what is considered the normal emotional response based on societal norms. The idea is dangerous.

I wondered, as I am sure many readers will, what the underlying message is. To establish a world with psychopaths in the control seat? Perhaps the idea that they can be functioning and useful members of society or indeed that there are plenty of undiagnosed psychopaths at large. The game and the response to it is also a way to diagnose and recognise different types of a pathology that experts still don't quite understand.

Is there a rise in the number of psycho and sociopaths, and if so is it because our DNA is evolving with the environment in a way that suggests they would have a better survival rate. What a worrying thought, the natural survivor of the late 21st century could be humans with no empathy and capable of killing without compunction. Hmm.

Science is already capable of identifying specific genes that suggest a predisposition towards violence, perhaps eventually the same will apply to other or similar sub-categories or extensions of anti-social behaviour such as psychopathy. We already have tests in place to identify psychopathic tendencies.

What I found really fascinating is the labelling of P or NP, and whether the actual labelling would lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy or alternatively whether the true nature would persevere, despite the label.

I think the sex scene was perhaps superfluous, keeping the strength of the storyline in mind, and it slipped into the dangerous zone of gender tropes. I also thought the graphic reference to the two year in the beginning could deter some readers from enjoying or finishing the read, despite it only being a quick example of deviant behaviour. The truth is still considered a taboo in some subjects unfortunately, because the majority of people would rather not be confronted with the atrocity of sexual deviancy.

It's futuristic and speculative fiction with an intriguing premise. Perhaps video game development and the advancement into virtual reality as it melds into real life deserves to be a sub-genre in its own right. Psychotopia takes the reader to a world of open doors and what you take away from this book will be an individual experience depending on your own frame of references, including whether there is a clear conclusion or closure at the end. Hypothetical reality meets base human nature, depravity and a lack of conscience.
*I received a courtesy copy*

[Rebecca Bowyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Psychotopia is a modern literary journey down through the seven circles of Hell which left me feeling utterly drained.

R.N. Morris has plucked out two of society’s current anxieties (the rise of psychopaths, especially in positions of power, and the influence of online gaming on the shape of our society), combined them with new scientific knowledge (the brain is a changing organ and neural pathways can be reprogrammed) and come up with a horrifyingly plausible future dystopian scenario.

What is a psychopath? According to Psychology Today:

Psychopaths are characterized by a suite of antisocial behavioral patterns, including cheating, stealing, and sometimes, far worse crimes. In short, these are people who exploit others for their own gain as a matter of their general life strategy.

The narrative moves between apparently unrelated characters.

There’s the apparently psychopathic cop who, along with his colleagues, is trying to bring some level of civic order to the chaos and anarchy caused by an inexplicable rise in psychopaths. His interactions with psychopathic criminals are both hilarious and horrifying. As many psychopaths are, he’s very entertaining and easy to like, though you’ll kick yourself later for warming to him.

Aimée is a young architect who picks up a gorgeous stranger at a friend’s party and takes him home with her. It’s a decision she’ll regret for the rest of her life.

Sally Mann is the newly hired Assistant Experiential Architect at Alpha Games, a job highly prized in game development circles. Her lack of confidence and desperate need to please make her prime fodder for her manipulative boss to exploit.

As the story progresses we discover these characters have more in common than it appears.

The story is interrupted regularly with confidential notes for the creation of ‘Psychotopia’, an online game being developed by Alpha Games. Players take on the avatar of a psychopath and are sent on an increasingly gruesome killing spree.

But what is causing the rise in psychopathy in the general population? And what will happen to society if the balance shifts in favour of the psychopaths?

As you’d expect, Psychotopia is peppered with some pretty stomach-churning violence. The mind games are also fairly next-level. Overall, this was a frightening and fascinating read about what could happen to our world if the minority becomes the majority.

This review first appeared on Story Addict.

[Jessica Bronder · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this world people have come to care for their electronics and games more so then their fellow man. This is starting to make many people feel a rise in psychopathic behaviors. This story follows three story lines in this world. A police officer, a woman abused by a psychopath, and a psychopath that is developing a machine to test for psychopathic behaviors. But all wrapped up with these threads is notes on a video game that revolves around psychopathic behaviors in which worse behaviors gets you further in the game.

Just reading the blurb for this book made me very curious about where it was going. It has things that are similar to the real world behaviors of people today which makes you think where that behavior could go. Then you have the people that are struggling to deal with those with psychopathic traits. My heart goes out to Inspector Parfitt, even if he is hard to like, and Aimee who found herself broken by Charlie.

I love how you had these separate threads that don’t really fit together yet the more you read the tighter the web gets woven and you start to see the read point of the story. This is a great story to make you think about possibilities. What could happen? How could we prevent it? Is there any way to prevent it? This is definitely one book to check out.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and share this book.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Psychotopia is a Sci-Fi, Dystopian, Thriller with a unique and disturbing plot that drew me in from the first page and had me up all night reading to the end.

There are three perspectives in this book: a police officer, a woman who is used by a psychopath, and a psychopath who is hiring a woman for his company, Alpha Games. In between each chapter are notes for the virtual reality game, Psychotopia. Each chapter is vastly different, yet, in the end they are drawn together.

This book asks so many questions about humanity and morality. The ideas presented here are actually quite scary to think about and I’ve been nonstop thinking about this book since I put it down.

R.N. Morris has crafted a incredibly complex novel here that keeps you thinking long after you’ve finished reading. I highly recommend this one and it’s definitely going on my list of favorites for 2019!

*I read this book for a blog tour with Rachel's Random Resources. All opinions are my own.*

[Caroline Venables · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really makes you think.  A new game has been developed that enables the player to become a psychopath, it encourages despicable behaviour.

Society has broken down, crime is rampant.  Psychopaths now out number non psychopaths.  People take pleasure in violence, even young children are exhibiting worrying behaviour.

This book is told from different pints of view, Aimee who is seduced by a charmer and destroys her faith.  A cop who never had any faith but is battling to help restore order, and a psychopath who enjoys manipulation. The chapters are separated by the planning noted for the game.

The book does describe horrific acts of violence but it is important to the story as we see the erosion of society and what is considered 'normal' behaviour.

[Gayle (OutsmartYourShelf) · Rating 2 out of 5]

What happens in society when psychopaths begin to outnumber non-psychopaths? Is there a way to weed them out? What should happen to them once identified?

Told from several points of view, interspersed with notes about a computer game, I found it difficult to know what exactly the point of the book was. Was the computer game the root of what was happening? I'm not sure - I finished it and just felt "Meh".

TW: mention of violence and sexual crimes, depravity

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers, Severn House, for the opportunity to review an ARC.

[jslsdh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spine-chilling. And yet with all other kinds of "slippery-slope"-ish fiction, it may seem so far away but yet so close.

[Josef Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not really sure what to say but read this book. For a full review, please go to https://areviewerdarkly.blogspot.com/... and follow me on Twitter @josenher

[Mike Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now, this is an intriguing book. I read it because a book club friend had read it and the club’s theme of the week was games and toys. But, I’m glad that I did read it.

The premise? There is a rising number of crimes committed by psychopaths and a policeman (our narrator) is involved in the fight to restore law and order. In a parallel thread, a software house is developing a computer game, where the players are psychopaths. The writing style is a little odd - each chapter begins with development notes from the game and the first-person narrative style reminded me of American novels by the likes of Steinbeck and J. G. Ballard. But, it’s an interesting perspective and although it feels American, it’s set in England.

Innovative and makes us ask questions about ourselves that we might not want to ask, let alone answer, like ‘Am I a psychopath.’.