03/02/2020
Engstrom’s promising debut offers a stark, dystopian vision of a near-future American Midwest in which debt slavery is commonplace and livestreamed gunfights are a popular form of entertainment. Former actor Kira Clark accepts a sponsorship from TKC Insurance Company to duel civilians on live TV to avoid defaulting on her student loans and resigning herself to a life of debt slavery. Kira adopts a cold, composed persona in her gunfights, but outside the arena she’s kind-hearted and loyal, if gradually becoming more unstable. At her side are her best friend, Chloe Rossi, and her mentor, Diana Reynolds, who support Kira through all of her highs and lows. The violence is never glorified as Kira’s surprising empathy makes her easy to root for. Scattered flash-forwards reveal that Kira makes it through the competition to the final duel, leaving only the question of whether she’ll overcome her nerves and guilt to outwit her fiercest competitor. The gunfights become repetitive over time, weighing down Engstrom’s grim, intelligent examination of the American debt crisis. Still, fans of insightful dystopias will find plenty to enjoy. Agent: Danielle Burby, Nelson Literary. (June)
"An intense and engaging satire of contemporary American life that reads like a Richard Morgan version of The Hunger Games, telling the story of indentured young trainees being groomed for violent tournament spectacle—and exploring the compromises we all make to survive in the arena of 'real life.’" — Christopher Brown, Campbell and World Fantasy Award-nominated author of Tropic of Kansas and Rule of Capture
"Engstrom’s promising debut offers a stark, dystopian vision." — Publishers Weekly
"A relentless commentary on the human cost of debt culture, Corporate Gunslinger is the kind of honest, page-turning dystopia we need now more than ever." — Darin Bradley, author of Noise
"Corporate Gunslinger takes all the niggling fears of being young and in debt in capitalist America and turns them into a brilliant, bloody nightmare of a science fictional thriller.” — Rachael K. Jones, World Fantasy Award Nominee
"This one is a brilliant, Twilight Zone-style speculation about a future ruled by corporate greed. It’s brutal and violent, and it’s smart and deep, too." — RevolutionSF
"A tense, fast-paced futuristic thriller that was almost impossible to put down." — Books, Bones, & Buffy
"Doug Engstrom has written a book about a world which enthralled, characters that spoke to me and a plot that gave me all the feels." — The Engrossed Reader
"A relentless commentary on the human cost of debt culture, Corporate Gunslinger is the kind of honest, page-turning dystopia we need now more than ever."
"An intense and engaging satire of contemporary American life that reads like a Richard Morgan version of The Hunger Games, telling the story of indentured young trainees being groomed for violent tournament spectacle—and exploring the compromises we all make to survive in the arena of 'real life.’"
"This one is a brilliant, Twilight Zone-style speculation about a future ruled by corporate greed. It’s brutal and violent, and it’s smart and deep, too."
"Doug Engstrom has written a book about a world which enthralled, characters that spoke to me and a plot that gave me all the feels."
"A tense, fast-paced futuristic thriller that was almost impossible to put down."
"Corporate Gunslinger takes all the niggling fears of being young and in debt in capitalist America and turns them into a brilliant, bloody nightmare of a science fictional thriller.
06/01/2020
DEBUT In a near dystopian future, insurance companies save money by having duels to resolve disputes instead of going through costly litigation. Most people are scraping by with crushing debt. But if you can make it as a gunslinger, you can shoot your way to fame and fortune. Kira Clark is an aspiring actress who is trying to claw her way out of massive debt. Turns out that her acting skills are just what she needs to create a persona to help get her through these near-death experiences as a gunslinger, and she's pretty good at acting and shooting. When her friend is killed it gets personal. But will her anger destroy her focus? Engstrom tries to tackle financial inequalities by pairing them with an updated, gun-toting gladiator arena. The narrative jumps back and forth between Kira's backstory and the fight at the pinnacle of her career. There are gaps in the story that make it difficult to follow and the ending is a cliff-hanger. VERDICT This title is hard to categorize, but it might be of interest to readers looking for near-future corporate intrigue.—Mark Hanson, Maranatha Baptist Univ. Lib., Watertown, WI