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A Cyberpunk Saga #6
Cracked Screens
The shadow of death looms. The time to act is now.
More tragic loss has devastated the crew, but they finally have proof that the companies have been lying to the world. In order to spread the word, Moss must come up with a plan without two of his closest friends.
But before he can infiltrate the largest entertainment conglomerate and tell everyone the damning truth, he must unravel a mystery that threatens to end his rebellion for good. Things aren’t what they seem and as they get closer to finding their enemy, Moss’s friends find themselves in grave danger.
Can Moss expose his enemies before finding himself in the crosshairs?
More tragic loss has devastated the crew, but they finally have proof that the companies have been lying to the world. In order to spread the word, Moss must come up with a plan without two of his closest friends.
But before he can infiltrate the largest entertainment conglomerate and tell everyone the damning truth, he must unravel a mystery that threatens to end his rebellion for good. Things aren’t what they seem and as they get closer to finding their enemy, Moss’s friends find themselves in grave danger.
Can Moss expose his enemies before finding himself in the crosshairs?
- GenresCyberpunk
216 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 13, 2022
15 people are currently reading
63 people want to read
About the author
Matthew A. Goodwin
33 books59 followersMatthew A. Goodwin has been writing about spaceships, dragons and adventures since he was twelve years old. His passion for fantasy began when he discovered a box set of the Hobbit radio drama on cassette tape in his school’s library at the age of seven. He fell in love with fantasy worlds and soon discovered D&D and Warhammer miniatures.
Not wanting to be limited by worlds designed by others, he created Thutopia (now called the Thuton Empire), a fantasy world of his own which he still writes about to this day.
Like many kids with an affinity for fantasy, a love of science fiction soon followed. He loved sweeping space operas and gritty cyberpunk stories which asked questions about man’s relationship to technology. That led him to write his first published work, Into Neon: A Cyberpunk Saga, which takes place in a larger science fiction universe.
He has a passion for travel and wildlife and when he is not off trying to see the world, he lives in San Francisco with his wife and son.
Not wanting to be limited by worlds designed by others, he created Thutopia (now called the Thuton Empire), a fantasy world of his own which he still writes about to this day.
Like many kids with an affinity for fantasy, a love of science fiction soon followed. He loved sweeping space operas and gritty cyberpunk stories which asked questions about man’s relationship to technology. That led him to write his first published work, Into Neon: A Cyberpunk Saga, which takes place in a larger science fiction universe.
He has a passion for travel and wildlife and when he is not off trying to see the world, he lives in San Francisco with his wife and son.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 1, 2022
Up next from Darth's Colossal Stack of Stuff is book six from Matthew A Goodwin's Cyberpunk Saga--"Cracked Screens." The penultimate entry in the Saga, "Cracked Screens" reveals the endgame to be concluded in "Drudge Match," available March 14th!
When supporters of the freedom cause are murdered, Moss steps in to investigate the matter. After an action-packed and confounding turn of events, Moss is led on a trail to the world's largest entertainment conglomerate, D2E. Moss sees an opportunity in D2E to broadcast the truth writ large that he and his comrades have fought for. However, the journey to take down D2E will be a difficult one. Moss will have to avoid the evil machinations of increasingly desperate corporations. He will also have to weather the storm brewing in his own head, the product of the byzantine program that seems to be both friend and foe.
If you've read the other books in the series--and you should--then "Cracked Screens" will feel like a visit from old pal. All of the series' signature trademarks are present and accounted for. Exciting sci-fi action? Here! Expeditious plotting? Present! Moody cyberpunk vibe? Yessir! Compelling worldbuilding? Check! Great characters? Wilco! Add to all that Goodwin's prescient ideas of the future--which already seem to be coming true--and you have quite the potent cocktail that will leave you both shaken and stirred, while still having a great time.
While I much enjoyed the novel, I felt the beginning wasn't terribly organic. The news that freedom supporters are being murdered seems to come out of left field, and this story development seems rather artificially shoehorned in. The characters try to explain this away, but I never quite bought it. However, the story thread does lead to something important, so there is a point to it all. I absolutely adored the ending of the novel, from the surprising turn of events at D2E to Moss finally re-entering the program in his head. Author Goodwin has surely mastered the art of the cliffhanger ending.
I love how Goodwin continues to "zoom out" on his cyberpunk setting and show the reader more and more of the world Moss inhabits. With each additional place visited, the world of BA City (and beyond) becomes ever more real to the reader, with delectable lore and more opportunities for storytelling. (Hint, hint, Matt: more stories from this universe, please!)
Just as the author introduces more places, so does he also introduce more people. More great characters become part of the tale, whilst the characters we already know continue to be developed in appreciable ways. I'm glad Judy got some attention in the novel, after being placed on the backburner after Stan's death. It was also interesting to see how Moss got along without some of his usual companions, Ynna and Gibbs. Regarding dialogue, the author's reluctance to use contractions sometimes gives an odd formality to characters' speech that doesn't quite jibe with the cyber"punk" aesthetic the novel otherwise cultivates so well.
At the risk of sounding repetitive, I must once again reiterate that "Cracked Screens" brings everything to the table that you've come to know and love about the series. I try not to say the same thing in every review, but it's worth noting the consistency in quality across all the books. I have no doubt Matt will bring that same quality to the conclusion of the saga, "Drudge Match." Can't wait to see!
When supporters of the freedom cause are murdered, Moss steps in to investigate the matter. After an action-packed and confounding turn of events, Moss is led on a trail to the world's largest entertainment conglomerate, D2E. Moss sees an opportunity in D2E to broadcast the truth writ large that he and his comrades have fought for. However, the journey to take down D2E will be a difficult one. Moss will have to avoid the evil machinations of increasingly desperate corporations. He will also have to weather the storm brewing in his own head, the product of the byzantine program that seems to be both friend and foe.
If you've read the other books in the series--and you should--then "Cracked Screens" will feel like a visit from old pal. All of the series' signature trademarks are present and accounted for. Exciting sci-fi action? Here! Expeditious plotting? Present! Moody cyberpunk vibe? Yessir! Compelling worldbuilding? Check! Great characters? Wilco! Add to all that Goodwin's prescient ideas of the future--which already seem to be coming true--and you have quite the potent cocktail that will leave you both shaken and stirred, while still having a great time.
While I much enjoyed the novel, I felt the beginning wasn't terribly organic. The news that freedom supporters are being murdered seems to come out of left field, and this story development seems rather artificially shoehorned in. The characters try to explain this away, but I never quite bought it. However, the story thread does lead to something important, so there is a point to it all. I absolutely adored the ending of the novel, from the surprising turn of events at D2E to Moss finally re-entering the program in his head. Author Goodwin has surely mastered the art of the cliffhanger ending.
I love how Goodwin continues to "zoom out" on his cyberpunk setting and show the reader more and more of the world Moss inhabits. With each additional place visited, the world of BA City (and beyond) becomes ever more real to the reader, with delectable lore and more opportunities for storytelling. (Hint, hint, Matt: more stories from this universe, please!)
Just as the author introduces more places, so does he also introduce more people. More great characters become part of the tale, whilst the characters we already know continue to be developed in appreciable ways. I'm glad Judy got some attention in the novel, after being placed on the backburner after Stan's death. It was also interesting to see how Moss got along without some of his usual companions, Ynna and Gibbs. Regarding dialogue, the author's reluctance to use contractions sometimes gives an odd formality to characters' speech that doesn't quite jibe with the cyber"punk" aesthetic the novel otherwise cultivates so well.
At the risk of sounding repetitive, I must once again reiterate that "Cracked Screens" brings everything to the table that you've come to know and love about the series. I try not to say the same thing in every review, but it's worth noting the consistency in quality across all the books. I have no doubt Matt will bring that same quality to the conclusion of the saga, "Drudge Match." Can't wait to see!
December 26, 2023
Quality cyberpunk escalation. I still wish there was more legwork, but this was good.
May 12, 2025
These books seem increasingly short and cash-grabby. And devoid of plot that one could hang a hat on.
October 14, 2025
Not Bad.
It was 'AAAAIIIIIIIIGGGGGGHHHHHHTTTTTT...' This one felt more like filler than any of the other books, but it still served as a nice little action-packed respite.
It was 'AAAAIIIIIIIIGGGGGGHHHHHHTTTTTT...' This one felt more like filler than any of the other books, but it still served as a nice little action-packed respite.
February 7, 2025
I really like this series but found this particular book confusing and hard to follow.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews