The Zone

The Zone: A Cyberpunk Thriller…A Brief Synopsis

In a tech-addicted dystopia, a young cop struggling to survive is forced into a high-octane gladiatorial grudge match, where sinister corporate overlords pull the strings and humanity’s fate hangs in the balance.

ONE WAY IN. NO WAY OUT

In the super-city of Neo Terminus, millions of tech-addicted fans surround a walled-off inner-city wasteland to watch nano-boosted gladiators called Enforcers fight to the death in the Conglomerate-controlled event known as The Zone. Enforcers are promised wealth and celebrity—if they survive.

Officer Chance Griffin fights to clean up the mean streets of Neo Terminus, and scrape together enough money for his infant son’s vital surgery. Driven by his family’s need, Chance signs on as an Enforcer for The Conglomerate.

As Chance rises to the top of the Enforcer ranks, The Glom’s mysterious Founders coerce him into competing in the greatest Zone trial ever conceived. Chance knows he’s the favorite to win. He believes his family is safe. He believes his son will get the medical care he urgently needs.

Chance is wrong.

Too late, he uncovers a plot by The Glom to rig the trial and enslave the citizens of Neo Terminus, ensuring obedience—forever.

Blinded by fame and fortune, and used as a pawn by the corporate machine, Chance resists. But he is about to discover that every deal with the devil has its price…

Blade Runner meets Judge Dread and The Running Man in this no-holds-barred dystopic thriller from Dragon Award Nominee Stu Jones.

See Our Review

 

The Zone

The Zone: A Cyberpunk Thriller (The Zone, #1) by Stu Jones

Book Reviewed by Timea Barabas

A thought-provoking cyberpunk thriller, “The Zone” by Stu Jones, is an immersive tale that tingles all the senses. In an apocalyptic future, what remains of humanity insists on surviving while the elites reach for absolute domination. This futuristic dystopia may feel familiar to most readers, like an intense dream that lingers on into daybreak.  Purchase Here.

After a post-nuclear global event, a few livable hubs like Neo Terminus remain where survivors struggle to build a life. However, the strictly regulated access to limited resources creates a fertile ground for criminality.

The population seems enslaved by hi-tech visors that become an extension of their bodies. The constant stream of entertainment diverts their attention from the gloom and savagery around them. Visors leave many wearers oblivious to the rot but also the timid beauty that creeps along the infested streets.

While humanity clings to the brink of total collapse, the NTPD struggles to maintain order. Officer Chance Griffin fights crime alongside his devoted partner while trying to secure enough funds to pay for the surgery his infant son desperately needs. Just as the fragile family life starts slipping away, new hope finds its way to Chance.

Out of absolute desperation, Chance succumbs to the siren’s song and decides to join the biggest social experiment turned live entertainment, The Zone. This is the worst part of the old city, infested with dangerous criminals. Those convicted of severe crimes are sent to the walled-off sector and left to fend for themselves.

Building on the Ancient Roman gladiator fights, this wasteland becomes monetized by streaming live battles for entertainment. Elite officers who undergo bio-technological enhancements are also thrown into The Zone with the sole mission of survival.

Lured by the prospect of financial security and the possibility of treating his son, Chance sheds the only life he knew to equip the Enforcer uniform. As soon as the shock caused by the sudden transition to the new life wears off, Chance seems to soar to new heights. However, the elevation gives him a shocking perspective of secret plans unfolding over the general population.

As a veteran law enforcement officer, Stu Jones leans on his knowledge and experience to create a realistic universe populated by flesh and bone characters. “The Zone” is a masterfully layered book that invites personal and societal introspection.