Skinjob in Aussie Readers

Jun 06, 2014 Josh rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, read_2014, review_books

Set in the presumably not too distant future, SKINJOB centres around a terrorist event in which an adult manufacturer of robotic sex dolls (lifelike for the purpose of adult entertainment and little much else) sees one of its establishments blown up, killing the patrons and staff inside. With little to go on, the police search video footage via some highly sophisticated 'big brother' CCTV imagery to track the culprit.

I really liked the idea behind author Brue McCabe's SKINJOB; the political and ...more

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Jun 01, 2014 Shelleyrae at Book'd Out rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: aussie-author, provided-by-publisher, arc-are

Skinjob is an entertaining techno-action thriller written by Australian author Bruce McCabe. Initially a self published work, Skinjob found its way into the hands of one of London's most prestigious literary agents and has since been picked up by Bantam Press (Random House).

In Skinjob, Daniel Madsen, one of only a handful of FBI agents trained to use hand held lie detector units, is tasked to assist in the investigation of the bombing of a 'Dollhouse', a brothel offering the services of life lik
Skinjob is an entertaining techno-action thriller written by Australian author Bruce McCabe. Initially a self published work, Skinjob found its way into the hands of one of London's most prestigious literary agents and has since been picked up by Bantam Press (Random House).

In Skinjob, Daniel Madsen, one of only a handful of FBI agents trained to use hand held lie detector units, is tasked to assist in the investigation of the bombing of a 'Dollhouse', a brothel offering the services of life like automatons, known as 'skinjobs' in San Francisco. With twelve dead, including two police officers, and fears of another attack, Madsen is under pressure to identify whoever is responsible and make an arrest. The obvious suspects are among the country's fastest growing church, the New Christian Church of America, who have been vocal in their public damnation of skinjobs and their creator, DreamCon, but as Madsen digs deep into the case, with the help of SFPD video surveillance operative, Shahida Sanayei (Shari), he uncovers a twisted collision of exploitation, corporate greed and corruption.

Madsen, an agent with a strong belief in justice and a dry sense of humour, is an appealing protagonist. His job as a 'plotter' isn't popular with his colleagues and his investigation is hampered by their mistrust. Madsen however is relentless in his pursuit of truth and when alerted to an anomaly in the case by Shari, he is determined to follow it up, no matter the consequences.

Short chapters, cinematic writing and a tight plot create a fast paced story. The action takes place over six days and includes exciting twists and turns as the investigation plays out.

Skinjob is not just a mindless action thriller though, McCabe touches on themes such as privacy and integrity by making the technology utilised by Madsen and the police a feature of the investigation. The technology is not too far ahead of our own - super surveillance provided by a huge network of public and private cameras, intelligent facial/body recognition software and hand held polygraph machines.
McCabe also explores issues surrounding the sex industry and corporate religion and the ways in which both exploit their clients vulnerabilities for financial gain, and use their huge profits to manipulate political decisions.

I enjoyed Skinjob, finding it to be an engaging thriller exploring a provocative near future reality. With this impressive debut, I look forward to McCabe's next novel.

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Jul 03, 2014 Tracie McBride rated it really liked it

(Review copy provided by the publishers via Netgalley.)

As author Bruce McCabe discusses in a Q&A with his publisher Random House, Skinjob is more techno-thriller than science fiction. Nevertheless, the book should appeal to fans of both genres. McCabe’s writing style is clean and utilitarian, and serves the subject matter and the novel’s fast pace well. With perhaps the exception of the hyper-real “skinjobs”, the sex dolls after which the novel is named, most of the science is very-near-future, ...more

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May 27, 2014 Kat at Book Thingo marked it as dnf

Shelves: australian-authors

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