Residuum

I didn’t really know exactly what to expect going into Residuum. DB Rook was sending out ARCs, and after having read two of his short stories, I knew I’d be a fool to pass it up. A brief blurb and the briefest knowledge of Rook’s writing chops were all I needed. And let me just say, this book does not disappoint.

Residuum is the abomination formed when a lab disaster erupts, fusing Terminator and Black Mirror into an eldritch nightmare, all seen through the bleary haze of, I don’t know… Time Bandits?

Woah… wait… what? Yeah, sure, I’m gonna stand by that. And it is WILD! What starts off as a futuristic tale of dystopian terror suddenly turns into a romping space adventure told over the vast, bleak backdrop of said dystopian wasteland. It’s dark, it’s funny, it’s action-packed, and it’s even heartwarming.

A mother and daughter are on the run, in a grueling race for survival with the murderous black bots nipping at their heels. A ragtag band of scavengers sail through space, picking through the aftermath of a black bot culling for scraps and upgrades. But what secrets shall unfold? What truths will be revealed? Are flip flops the best footwear for such an occupation?

This is the sort of book that, were it not for a towering TBR, I kinda just wanted to start reading again as soon as I was done. It was SO good, I just didn’t want it to end!

DB Rook’s character work once again shines, quickly creating a cast of characters that feel like people you know. People you hope against all odds will come out on top. His way of mingling the dark settings and plots, the unfortunate characters, and just the right amount of sardonic, snarky humor that perfectly balances out an otherwise pretty damn grim situation.

This novella is a treasure, and everyone should check it out. And you can tell that to the massive fucking telepathic spiders…

Residuum releases on June 27th, so go pre-order it now!

You can do so here: https://mybook.to/ResiduumDBRook

Check out DB Rook’s site here: https://dbrookbooks.com/

“… as for the idea of putting our tails between our legs and running,” he took a breath. “Tell that to the massive fucking telepathic spiders that are waiting for results!”

DB Rook is an inventive author who in his debut fantasy novel, Callus & Crow, demonstrated he wasn’t afraid to work across multiple genres and he knew how to tell a really good story. I was expecting a follow up to Callus & Crow but in his latest release, Residuum, (which doesn’t look like it should be a real word but apparently it is!) he goes off in a different direction. Residuum is an introductory novella set in Rook’s Darkening Dawn sci-fi universe. After reading this I now want to see both his projects progress as soon as possible!

Residuum opens in dramatic fashion, with teenager Charlus and her mother Merrian desperately trying to survive as strangers on a distant planet that has just been attacked by a plague of robots, known as Black Bots. Intent on destroying unworthy elements of the human race, the bots judge people by their karma, recorded on a chip everyone carries in their body. If a person’s thoughts are pure the bots will not harm them, ignoring them even whilst they calmly kill others nearby.

It’s a dire situation and after this opening things get much worse for Charlus and Merrian.

Written in Rook’s trademark episodic and action-packed style, Residuum is a gripping tale from start to finish. The use of the implacable Black Bots, who cannot be reasoned with, leads to some tense scenes, where a single stray thought by an otherwise good person is enough to condemn them. The novella reads like an allegory about the unchecked growth of things like AI and technology, where humanity’s creation ultimately defies the will of its master, with terrible consequences.

To balance what would otherwise have been a relentlessly dark story, Rook introduces a mismatched crew of space pirates led by Captain Diaz (quoted at the start of this review). I loved these characters and the sense of found family between them, which gives this book its heart and soul. Every member of Diaz’s crew is distinctive and carefully drawn, despite the short length of the book. Rook does a great job here of making you care about the fate of each and every one of them.

The Darkening Dawn sci-fi universe in which this story is set is both intriguing and expansive. Rook resolves things nicely in Residuum but also leaves a number of key questions unanswered. Residuum therefore sets things up for what I hope will be more full-length books in this world involving these characters. I think the concept is great and has huge potential, so pick up a copy of Residuum today and then DB Rook will have no excuse not to finish what he’s started. Highly recommended!

I received an advance reader copy of this book. This did not influence my review and my views and opinions are my own.

Review by Tim Hardie

RESIDUUM by DB ROOK (ARC read) release date 27th June
The richness of this author's prose, the manifestation of his articulateness gives new meaning to fluency, at least to me. The clarity of his words, the precision with which he executes them, is, for lack of a better word, dreamy. Whilst it's a dark read, survival instincts and hope are prominent throughout.
Merrian and her daughter, Charlus are stranded on an alien planet where the dangers are insurmountable. Robotic killers, killer plants, are just some of the dangers they face. I loved the desolation this author brings across, I see the vast expanse of doom, of destruction easily and I see these 2, mum and daughter, doing whatever is necessary to keep the other safe. As two of the few remaining humans on this planet, Merrian knows their only hope is to get off planet, fast, but the how is a problem. Charlus is a typical teen, eye rolling, impetuous, snarky, while Merrian is politeness personified but she's harbouring a massive secret, a secret she dare not let out.
Charlus is irritated and annoying with her mother's unflappable stance, her insistence that Charlus is always well mannered, always appear calm, never aggressive but there is a deadly reason behind her stoicism; machines with deadly intent are programmed to "read" humans, their algorithm decides their fate... glory be, my heart got caught in my throat when Charlus discovered first hand that thoughts are monitored. And then my heart literally stopped! A ship landing, a disaster occuring, and Charlus is whipped away by Diaz and crew. A group of scavenger misfits who, well, fit perfectly together. I confess to shedding a tear at what poor Charlus witnessed but I was relieved beyond relief that she was taken away from the horrors before her. The crew are the most unusual lot, different in so many ways but their banter was oftentimes chuckle worthy and the affection they have for each other is palpable. The first half of the book was primarily of Merrian and Charlun evading and hiding from the deadly Black Bots, tense, dramatic and terrifying, whereas the second half has a lighter feel to it, even though it's a crew of misfits, even though they encounter much danger and really scary beings, the quick banter and humanlike behaviour was just wonderful!
What cool characters these are, Captain Diaz, his crew,Petra, Tapedeck, Shadwell, Spanner, Powlin, Randall, and now Charlus as well, who takes to them and her new situation like a duck to water. Totally loved it! When some revelations spill out, well blow me down with a feather, it was explosive! And Charlus is smack bang in the centre of this.... controversy. When machines make machines to do their bidding, humanity is doomed. This author's grit permeates the pages, his imagination is OMG impressive, his words compelling, his storytelling skilfully crafted, his delivery magnificent. A landscape filled with wonder and horrors blow my mind with the vividry. He's like an artist who needs to get the picture from his mind set to canvas for the masses to enjoy (I swear I can feel his compulsion!) And boy did I enjoy! As dark as it is, his shading is distinctly nuanced, like a sun flare or an eclipse, you squint your eyes to look, to take in the beauty.
A truly magnificent plot, unusual, unique. Lovers of the series Dark Matter will be as thoroughly thrilled with the crew as I was, the parallels and banter so reminiscent of their shenanigans. This is sci-fi, this is dystopia, this is post apocalyptic, meshed together in the most outstanding way, delivering a tale of immense courage, of survival, of protecting those one loves, in a world where machines are programmed as judge, jury and executioner. This is a read that got more and more riveting, more and more action loaded, more and more unputdownable the more I read. I'll leave you with this scary thought, and something to ponder on. "Like all technology, all ideas that shape the universe, eventually become bigger than the people who created it"