2089: A future with no secrets?

2089 #1

by Miles M. Hudson

The year is 2089, and technologists have developed a system for remotely tapping into the optic and auditory nerves of all humans. Everything that people see and hear is detected and published publicly online; nothing can be secret. It is the ultimate surveillance society. After the devastating Times of Malthus though, that's what the people wanted - we chose to be watched at all times. Jack Smith, one of the surveillance monitors, blows up the old GCHQ building in Cheltenham, destroying the surveillance computers. He goes on the run across post-apocalyptic Gloucestershire, with old friend Vicky Truva. The two are chased by a ragtag posse, including Vicky's brothers, intent on bringing the apparent revolutionaries to justice. However, the fugitives have the advantage that the information and surveillance network is down. Can Jack and Vicky evade capture, and survive hunger and thirst on the River Severn, for long enough that the people will realise how much better their lives are without the surveillance? Or will they be caught and convicted as the worst terrorists in fifty years?

Genres: Science Fiction, Dystopia

274 pages, Paperback

First published September 20, 2018

About the author

My future novel, 2089, is the beginning of the Audiopt series and was first published by Unbound.
Jack Smith objects to a life with no possibility for secrets. He blows up the surveillance computers at GCHQ, and goes on the run across across post-apocalyptic, climate-changed England. Hmm, dystopian or utopian ...?

Jack's second adventure brings in issues surrounding deepfake videos, in a fast-paced thriller where his relationship with Vicky Truva continues to develop.

The Audiopt series prequel is The Times of Malthus. This tale of two friends, Ellie and Loshie, follows them through the unravelling of society that eventually leads to the all-pervasive surveillance society of 2089.

My first novel, The Cricketer's Corpse, was launched serially, in real time. Each day, a new chapter was made available so readers could follow the murder mystery unfold, on the days each chapter happened, following along with the exploits of DS Tony Milburn, and his off-beat, surfer friend, Penfold.

The second Penfold detective mystery is The Kidney Killer:
A kidnap, a theft, and a murderous moon-worshipping cult: Detective Sergeant Milburn has his work cut out to solve several cases that all appear at once.

I have a 30 year passion for hockey, and for surfing, which you may notice appear in several of my books! Hope you enjoy them.

I've also been writing physics textbooks for about 20 years now, and have a series of kids stories and activities in postcard format: FunPostcardsFrom

You can buy all these books direct from the author through my website.

Miles Hudson also publishes under M.M. Hudson.

Reviews

[Joanne Farley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fantastic read. Set in an what I hope is an alternate future. The story is about one mans struggle with the society he lives in and trying to make a difference when no one feels there needs to be a change. This book is rich in layers and meaning and is a thought provoking novel. If you like novels set in an alternate future this one oa for you.

[Joshua Winning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Visions of the future are difficult to get right, partly because science-fiction books, films and TV shows have covered so much ground doing so. Happily, Miles Hudson has his own unique version of the near-future in his debut novel, 2089, and he's clearly thought the whole thing through, creating a setting that feels completely, suffocatingly plausible.

Set in, yup, 2089, the novel follows Jack, a bored office worker who's sick of being monitored 24/7 by the government. Jack decides upon an act of terrorism to shake up the regime and (briefly) open the eyes of the population to the fact that they can live without the technology that records their every movement.

The actual terrorist act (a bombing) occurs 'off-screen', and towards the very start of the book. Hudson cranks the tensions as Jack plans his act of sabotage, while cleverly making us care for Jack and understand just why this is important to him. The rest of 2089 sees Jack fleeing his pursuers while falling for the strong-willed Vicky, who comes along for the ride.

Although many of the elements in 2089 are familiar, its setting is utterly unique. Hudson's vision of a future Gloucestershire feels like something out of the Wild West, where bounty hunters are despatched to track down anyone who doesn't toe the line, and men will stop at nothing to capture their prize. This aspect of the novel is beautifully explored and I loved discovering more about the world through concise, waffle-free exposition.

The romance angle is perhaps less successful, with Hudson repeatedly returning to the image of Vicky aboard a boat, the sun glowing behind her, and the middle of the book does slow a lot. But it picks up again for a brilliant finale, making this vision of the future well worth a look.

[Eli Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the most striking things about 2089 is its setting, not a bustling overpopulated urban neon hellscape for this dystopia but an abandoned one. Where the remnants of our world slowly crumbles around those left behind. Houses, streets, even whole towns have been relinquished back to nature. This fresh take on a future that is underpopulated creates a fascinating and genuinely eerie backdrop. The inclosed almost provincial communities that have sprung up in the face of this future is definitely something you don't read about too often in Science fiction. If you like your futurism fiction heavy with ideas and high concepts this book is for you.

[Lulu]

The thing I most enjoyed about 2089 was the idea of a slower, emptier future, in which though catastrophic changes have utterly re-shaped society, the people trundle along in much the same way as they do now - some fired up with idealistic zeal, others simply finding their way, accepting the over-bearing surveillance tools that have been created to supposedly ease (and of course control) the populace. The idea of nobody being able to have secrets was well explored and gave much to think about and I liked the fact that many of the future citizens, for practical reasons of their own safety, were perfectly happy with that. Privacy is a philosophical ideal that many of the citizens can’t even grasp.

One of the noticeable things in 2089 is the slow pace. It is a novel in which, though the scale of events has been dramatic, a gross and fundamental change to what we currently experience, this future is no grinding dystopia or gilded, high-tech utopia. People muddle along. There is one scene that in another book might be a car chase (the central character being pursued by what passes for the law) and the two parties literally rely on the tide to drift in concert along the river. The slowest chase scene ever, perhaps? I liked that aspect of the book, the idea that humans will probably mess things up, that though the changes may be huge, frightening, or dramatic, people’s lives will mostly plod along, both opportunistically and making do. This in part, also seemed to be one of the central themes of the book - who can you rely on to want change? It is a book that will give you ideas, and time to ponder those ideas. Very interesting.

[Laura Dyson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really excited to read this book as the premises seemed right up my street. Unfortunately it didn't live up to my expectations. I found the majority of the book didn't really further the plot which is something I don't usually mind, but I didn't really care about any of the characters and I thought the description of the world was lacking. Overall I found it to be an average book, it was a good idea but could have been executed better.

[David Richards · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great take on a possible vision of the future, but oh do the protagonist story drag on!

The concept of the world order breaking down and being reestablished like this was great, and I’d have liked more on this, ie the ideas, principles, issues and rules. In parallel with the positives of this and the frustration of not having it fleshed out more, the protagonist story just went on and on. In the mix here were a couple of unsound characters who behaved illogically. The journey they went on took so long I nearly quit reading! But it was a great concept.

[Miles Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote it, so clearly I think it's awesome!

[Therese Caruana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting Sci-Fi book, set in 2089 where people are being are tagged by armulets and watched by sifters to judge their every move. Jack is fed up with the lack of privacy and does something about it. He blows up the building called the Doughnut, which keeps all the surveillance, and now he will have to be on the run. This book is perfect for those who like the debate over the use of technology vs privacy and like reading about it with detailed depiction of the environment around the protagonist. The characters are well presented and you are left not knowing if you believe Jack’s action was for the greater good or an act of terrorism. The love interest in this story is one of a puppy-love romance from two childhood friends, which grows into a deeper sense of loyalty and infatuation, despite Vicky’s expectation to carry on her family’s name by caring for their family farm. As Jack and Vicky flee across the Kangaroo of Highnam and Cheltenham to the Islands, Major Frank Halthrop from the Bristol Brigade militia with his posse Darren, Jane and Terry as well as Vicky’s twin brothers Truvan and Bailey, are on their heel and they have to make do with what they’ve got to survive. It was an interesting read also because it depicts a view on how we could find our world in 2089, which isn’t that far away, but by the rate the technology is emerging, who will know how our society will be monitored then?

[Kay · Rating 2 out of 5]

The idea behind this story didn't quite live up to it with the end product. A future where the population has shrunk massively after some vague collapse of civilisation. I say vague as it was increasing population with little or no food/drink to sustain everyone that caused the collapse but we seem to have big brother watching everyone 24/7, with no explanation as to how the infrastructure remained in place to make this happen. That and a slow pace of the writing was the frustration in reading this.

Ray Smillie

[Andrew Waite · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much potential.

Great premise, fantastic start, and a final 30pages that saved the book but too much of the book dedicated to an inconsequential journey that did little to either further the main plot, nor explore the (interesting) setting to underlying themes.