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Forever People

Alison Lyke (Goodreads Author)

4.38 · Rating details · 29 ratings · 16 reviews

Welcome to Zeta City, where the whole world goes to die. Here, the Node System uploads the minds of the dying so they can spend eternity in a digital Promised Land. But, this cyber heaven is causing hell on earth for the living because the System forces them to earn Points to buy data in the afterlife.

Camille is a salty mercenary out to hoard as many Points as possible by ...more

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216 pages

Published March 28th 2019 by Black Rose Writing

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Apr 25, 2019 Sibil rated it liked it

Shelves: readtoreview

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. English review to come

Questo libro ha un'idea di base che mi è piaciuta parecchio e un world building molto interessante: in questo mondo la morte vera, la dissoluzione di un essere vivente senza sapere cosa ci sia dopo è una cosa rara. La maggior parte dei territori, infatti, sono coperti da una rete (tecnologicamente parlando) che "carica" l'essenza di una persona nel Nodo, una specie di realtà virtuale in cui la vita continua a I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. English review to come

Questo libro ha un'idea di base che mi è piaciuta parecchio e un world building molto interessante: in questo mondo la morte vera, la dissoluzione di un essere vivente senza sapere cosa ci sia dopo è una cosa rara. La maggior parte dei territori, infatti, sono coperti da una rete (tecnologicamente parlando) che "carica" l'essenza di una persona nel Nodo, una specie di realtà virtuale in cui la vita continua anche dopo la morte. E durante la vita si accumulano Punti Nodo, che servono a garantirsi un esistenza migliore in questo aldilà tecnologico. L'autrice ha avuta una bella idea e la realizzazione di questo suo mondo è molto particolare e, a mio parere, molto ben riuscita. Riesce ad incuriosirci parecchio e quando, finalmente, ce lo fa vedere è veramente meraviglioso. E l'autrice è molto brava a far vedere, perché non solo ci illustra il suo mondo (e a volte sembra davvero di essere trasportati all'interno del libro) ma ci mostra anche i suoi personaggi. Tanto che l'altra cosa che mi è piaciuta molto è il lavoro di Camille, la nostra protagonista. Ci viene presentata come una mercenaria/cacciatrice di taglie anche se non credo che questo sia il termine più adatto per descriverla. Il termine "mercenario" evoca nella mente del lettore una serie di caratteristiche che hanno a che fare con combattimenti, azioni belliche di qualche sorta. E la cacciatrice di taglie la si associa ai criminali. E a volte coi criminali ha a che fare, questo è vero. Ma il più delle volte il suo lavoro coinvolge persone normali. La città in cui si svolge la storia è una città in cui, tendenzialmente, la gente va a morire perché non solo è coperta dalla rete ma contiene anche uno dei punti di accesso al Nodo, rendendo più veloce il passaggio da una realtà all'altra. (è una versione un po' semplificata, ma funziona). E la maggior parte delle volte la nostra protagonista viene assunta dalle famiglie di persone che sono venute nella città per morire, perché le trovi e blocchi la loro essenza finché loro non raggiungono lei e il neo trapassato in modo da potergli offrire l'ultimo saluto, o debitori di qualche sorta (non è una cosa così facile, perché c'è bisogno di attrezzature particolari e, ovviamente, di doti investigative per trovare una singola persona in una metropoli e in tempi ridotti). E l'autrice ci fa vedere Camille all'opera in diverse occasioni ed è una cosa che ho apprezzato perché Camille mette molta attenzione e cura nel suo lavoro, è sempre compassionevole, anche nei casi in cui il trapasso che blocca è quello di un debitore che viene bloccato fino a quando non ripaga almeno in parte i debiti. Camille li accompagna nel trapasso e lo fa sempre con rispetto e delicatezza.
E fin qua sembrerebbe andare tutto bene, no? Però c'è dell'altro, purtroppo. Dal punto di vista della trama questo libro è un po' un cane che si morde la coda, ed è, tendenzialmente, inutile. E i personaggi, per quanto interessanti e con grandi potenzialità, non vengono ben sviluppati e le 3 stelline se le è aggiudicate perché sono stata buona e ho deciso di dare fiducia ad un'autrice esordiente. ...more

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Feb 27, 2019 Nikki Mitchell rated it it was amazing

In this crazy Sci-Fi novel, I found myself faced with ethical dilemmas, a fondness for terrorist hackers, and a yearning to off myself. Needless to say, this one was quite a ride! In a summary of the plot, a computer code was created around cities, allowing those who died to have their consciousness automatically uploaded into this digitized afterlife. So as long as you died within the safety of these “Node nets,” you were granted life everlasting. Most of the Earth has been netted as such, thou In this crazy Sci-Fi novel, I found myself faced with ethical dilemmas, a fondness for terrorist hackers, and a yearning to off myself. Needless to say, this one was quite a ride! In a summary of the plot, a computer code was created around cities, allowing those who died to have their consciousness automatically uploaded into this digitized afterlife. So as long as you died within the safety of these “Node nets,” you were granted life everlasting. Most of the Earth has been netted as such, though there are still a few wild countries left unnetted. Death has become a natural, common occurrence, and people all from all aspects of life are doing whatever they can to increase their Node Points–the currency of the afterlife. If you don’t have enough NPs when you die… Well, the belief is that you spend eternity in a sort of poverty-stricken hell-hole. One hacker from the extremist group of Nirvana, Toy, decides to nullify NPs, rendering everyone on equal footing. She uploads a computer virus–the Bliss Virus–into her brain and broadcasts her message all across Zeta City. She plans to kill herself and when she gets to the Node, the Bliss Virus inside her brain will be uploaded along with her consciousness, thereby accessing the Node and wiping out everyone’s NPs–dead or alive. Cody, a mysterious government agent, enlists the help of illegal bounty hunter/mercenary Camille to stop this virus from relegating everyone’s hard work to nothing. Will they be successful? What will be the consequences if they are?

Alison Lyke creates a futuristic, compelling story that literally had me turning the page (or rather swiping on my Kindle) without break. I read this book in about 4 consecutive hours, it was that captivating. Just when I thought I knew what was going to happen, some event would throw the plan off-course, and I was left reeling with the characters.

Speaking of the characters, I loved how each was very distinct from any other. Camille is of course my favorite, with her adult language (may want to make this 18+ because of it), coarse humor, and no-nonsense attitude. However, I did really enjoy Remy as well, a tough guy on the outside but a snuggly cuddle bear on the inside (but don’t tell him I said that!) Toy and Nora were both very interesting characters with some unique backstories, and they definitely added more color to the novel with their own Point of View sections. In fact, I really enjoyed that this novel had so many different point of views, it allowed me to get a much clearer picture of what is going on, as well as building my suspense throughout.

I really loved the dangerous mission of this novel, and Lyke handled all of its elements–including the characters–with precision and entertainment. My emotions were in turmoil for much of it, and I could actually feel my physical relief when more information was revealed about the mission, about the story, about the characters. I felt as if I was actually in the story, annnnd I admit that I may have envisioned my own death a few times, knowing that there was a Node to catch me.

Not only was this novel so entertaining and unique, but it also led me to a lot of questions. What makes this life meaningful? Is it because of the certainty of death, of the uncertainty of what lies after death? Would it be worth spending every waking moment of your life trying to make more money (or in this case NPs) to have everlasting comfort in the afterlife? And what makes people decide not to take the easy way out and simply kill themselves to reach that everlasting heaven? Again, perhaps it is simply the uncertainty of what lies after. The entire story brought up a plenitude of ethical dilemmas which I grappled over throughout the book and still now, even after I’ve finished it. It raises some amazing philosophical questions and I still don’t know what to think!
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Nov 24, 2019 Jessica Bronder rated it it was amazing

In this future, people can live after death when their conscious is uploaded to the Node. But what kind of life they have in the Node depends on the credits they have earned before death, the more points the better the afterlife. Camille is someone that is hired to hunt down those that have died with debt and collect it. The main reason is to make sure her afterlife is very comfortable.

But then a rebel leader, Toy has decided that she is going to create an upload a virus which will cancel out t ...more

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Nov 17, 2019 Kimberly rated it it was amazing

Forever People authored by Alison Lyke is an action-packed sci-fi thriller that consumed me. It is a short read, and there is a lot packed into this book, I was afraid that there would be no way to tell the story in so few pages. But I was pleasantly surprised and thrilled with the book overall.

Forever People tells the story of many different characters. However, the author titled her chapters based on the story told. They all intermingle, but I am a sucker for books written in this way. Admitte ...more

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Apr 27, 2019 Jessica Belmont rated it it was amazing

Alison Lyke has created one heck of a Sci-Fi novel. Forever People is fast-paced, clever and consuming. I read it in one sitting because I wasn't able to put it down.

Camile has the wonderful, no non-sense attitude that I just felt connected with immediately. She was real and raw, and everything I wanted in a character. The rest of the characters were also compelling in their own ways.

I loved the high stakes, dangerous mission. I was transported into this story and I felt like I was there. I was ...more

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Jan 07, 2020 Sheilah rated it it was amazing

I did not know what to expect when I cracked this story open, but I soon found myself engaged in a religious conspiracy theory, unlike any other. This story had depths that I was not anticipating.

The story followed Camille, a bounty hunter like character who makes sure the dying pay their debts. In her world, the only afterlife is man-made and functions on a digital level. Unfortunately, only those who can pay and live in the right hemisphere can ascend.

I found the religious commentary to be qui ...more

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Apr 27, 2019 Brian Dycus rated it it was amazing

Fantastic sci-fi/cyber punk novel from a promising young author.
At its base, Forever People explores the possibility of uploading a consciousness to a network (the node), so that mortal life may be prolonged. The time allotted in the "node" is bought with a peculiar currency ("points") that can be earned and lost over the course of a lifetime.
Aside from an interesting exploration into the consequences of modern technology, the author also does a great job at developing the characters, who slow ...more

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Apr 29, 2019 Jessi rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I received this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.
This sci-fi novel deals with the ethical dilemmas of the afterlife. What would you do to guarantee you could have whatever afterlife you wanted?
Camille makes her living by hunting down the recently deceased and collecting debts they may owe to the living. As a result she is well-set for her eventual afterlife. But what will Camille do when a virus hits the Node, threatening everything she’s worked for?
I really enjoyed this book. It really made me t ...more

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May 04, 2019 Patty rated it it was amazing

Forever People is one of those books that invites you to let go and let the narrative lead you down a rabbit hole. Alison Lyke has crafted yet another strong work of fantasy/sci-fi on the heels of her first novel, Honey. Forever People, relies on a fairly complex and chaotic world as a framework for the answer to the unasked question, "What happens to us after we die?" as well as a backdrop for her strong characters: Toy, a renegade girl; Camille, her pursuer; and others who are caught up in a c ...more

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Mar 23, 2019 S.K. Gregory rated it really liked it

Camille is a bounty hunter on the trail of Toy. They live in a world where your consciousness can be uploaded onto the cloud when you die. As long as you have enough points. An interesting read with some great characters. I like the idea behind it and who knows it could become a reality in the future! I would recommend it.

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Aug 21, 2019 Jvles rated it it was amazing

Damn, this was not what I expected and it was so good!

In a future where you have to earn as much Node Points as you can in your life to be comfortable in your afterlife, we follow an unlikely bounty hunter and a young rebel as they struggle and learn and ultimately try to make the world a better place.
I really liked the author's style and immensely enjoyed the story. I would love to read more about this world. ...more

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Apr 05, 2019 Haley Renee The Caffeinated Reader rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: earcs

3.5/5

https://thecaffeinatedreader.com/2019...

Forever People has just the sort of juicy sci-fi almost dystopia premise that I just love. The real world is the pits, no better than what we have here and now, but there’s a glimmer of hope, collect your Node Points and have an amazing afterlife with everything you could ever wish for, as long as you have the right amount of points, right?

Camille has been collecting an almost obscene amount of Node Points, or NPs as they’re called, and she has her o 3.5/5

https://thecaffeinatedreader.com/2019...

Forever People has just the sort of juicy sci-fi almost dystopia premise that I just love. The real world is the pits, no better than what we have here and now, but there’s a glimmer of hope, collect your Node Points and have an amazing afterlife with everything you could ever wish for, as long as you have the right amount of points, right?

Camille has been collecting an almost obscene amount of Node Points, or NPs as they’re called, and she has her own reasons for wanting so many, aside from a cushy afterlife of course. This leads her to take on a lot of jobs others wouldn’t, including hunting down Toy.

Unfortunately, this is one job that may just be too much and Camille is forced to push at the boundaries of what is perceived to be possible. Will she travel to the Node, and what will she find out when she gets there?

This is a great paced book, it’s all go from page one and I truly love Camille, she enjoys eating and doesn’t care what others think and let me tell you, food might be my soulmate, so I’ve connected on a deeply spiritual level with Camille. There’s also a great cast of characters surrounding her and everyone serves their purpose even if you don’t’ think they do. There was one character I wasn’t even sure why they were included when suddenly in one chapter Lyke connects all the dots leaving you going ‘oh..OOOOooh!’

I think that the world building could have been explored more, and maybe gotten a bit more into Camille’s psyche. Though my biggest complaint would maybe be that I felt the ending was too abrupt, that with a little tweaking on how it worked it would have been perfect and I did enjoy the direction it went into so really I can’t complain very much at all.

This was a thoroughly creative work on Lyke’s part and it reminded me a lot of Ready Player One meets Surrogates which is pretty brilliant because while those are what I would compare Forever People to, Forever People is something all its own and completely unique to me. I also love the twist I thought it was SO appropriate.

Wrapping this up, if you want to have a neat sci-fi novel with Node Points that affect your afterlife and a very cool glimpse into this afterlife with a strong quirky female protagonist, then let me be the first to recommend Forever People. ...more

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Jan 10, 2021 John Parungao rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Imagine if the afterlife was something like The Matrix? Imagine if you could have any afterlife you wanted, but at a cost. The society in this novel is based on the idea of earning your afterlife by earning something called node points. After death your mind is uploaded to a VR paradise and your status is based on the node points you acquire while alive. Some people to out of their way to Get the most points; while others are trying to take down what they see as an unfair system.
This novel has a ...more

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Apr 23, 2019 Kim Lo rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Forever People is a futuristic sci-fi cyberpunk adventure where the world lives to accumulate Node Points which helps them get better treatment when they enter the Node after they die. As per the stories from the Founders which created this system. However, when Camille, a bounty hunter with a special gadget called the Confiner gets hired to catch a rebel before she commits suicide ends up losing out on that mission, things go sideways and a lot of secrets get discovered as a result. There’s a l Forever People is a futuristic sci-fi cyberpunk adventure where the world lives to accumulate Node Points which helps them get better treatment when they enter the Node after they die. As per the stories from the Founders which created this system. However, when Camille, a bounty hunter with a special gadget called the Confiner gets hired to catch a rebel before she commits suicide ends up losing out on that mission, things go sideways and a lot of secrets get discovered as a result. There’s a lot of good here. The world building and the futuristic elements from the gadgets to the universe here has a lot of thought put in and a lot of imaginative elements as well. The structure of the story gives Forever People a nice angle as it focuses on various characters and their encounters. Its a bit like how Game of Thrones books is structured (at least the first one since I only read that one) and I might have similar criticisms in the sense that some characters come by very late in the game and then there is an imbalance especially when a lot of these timelines do crossover, which shows a nice storyboard and planning elements in the writing overall but there are some characters that are used very minimal and might not exactly deserve their own narrative chapter. Although, there is a purpose in the whole scheme of things so that isn’t a huge criticism at all.

Since we’re talking about characters, that is a standout element here (aside from the world building). The main character that starts here is Camille and she is tough cracker and in the description, its apparent that she is not your typical femme fatale that Hollywood creates however has her exceptional competence and qualities. At the same time, the other characters here whether its her tech friend Remington or the rebel leader Toy or her liaison Cody and other characters, they manage to tie them together very well and give them proper crossover when necessary, especially with some characters that seem small at the beginning and end up having some part in the whole spectrum of things. The story here is quite standalone but if there was some way to have Camille be in some other story setting, it would be nice to see this character having further adventures.

Overall, Forever People started off a little slow in the setup but turns itself around and remains well-paced throughout. The world building and character, especially its main character Camille being its standout as well as using a good structure to form its point of views and narratives. While there’s this feeling that the world here feels very familiar, I can’t quite pinpoint where its from. However, there is a lot of twists and turns here plus a lot of adventure. Its always nice to see how different people envision a different version of the future and the afterlife. ...more

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Jun 27, 2019 Maurizio Codogno rated it really liked it

Shelves: sf

Storia distopica carina

[Disclaimer: Ho ricevuto il libro grazie al programma Early Reviewer di LibraryThing]
Che cosa potrà mai andare male se un gruppo di scienziati sviluppa un modo per caricare la consapevolezza delle persone in un universo digitale, in modo che alla tua morte - se ti trovi in una zona "connessa"... potrai vivere per sempre? Beh, per esempio la gente potrebbe decidere di suicidarsi per arrivare prima nell'aldilà. Ecco così che gli sviluppatori, anzi i Fondatori, hanno contestu ...more

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May 10, 2019 Helena#bookdreamer rated it it was ok

Thank you Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately I had a difficult time getting through this sci-fi novel. It may be due to the formating. The chapters ended rather abruptly and the flow of the story seemed disjointed. Couldn't grasp who was who as the author changed points of views. The plot was intriguing but the execution poor. ...more

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About Alison Lyke

Alison Lyke

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Alison is a fantasy and science fiction author and professor with a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing. Her debut novel, a modern mythology titled Honey, was published in 2013.

She lives in Rochester, New York with her partner Jon-Paul and two sons, Jonah and Isaac. When not reading or writing, Alison enjoys spending time in nature, practicing meditation and yoga, and playing video games.