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Published by Black Beacon Books, 2023
Genre: post-apocalyptic, speculative, adventure
Length: 303 pages
Genre: post-apocalyptic, speculative, adventure
Length: 303 pages
In a broken world, lighting a match is an act of rebellion...
This is the story of Flicker, a pyromaniac whose only escape from the emptiness and oppression of life in a post-apocalyptic world is to set fire to luxury automobiles. Armed with a hammer and jerry can, he wages a one-man war against the Overclass, partisans of the failing regime struggling to hold the reins since The Breakdown decades earlier. He can’t remember his family, and his friends have disappeared without a trace. His only companion is fire, that mesmerising force of glorious destruction. It alone gives meaning to his existence...but one night, he goes too far and unwittingly chooses a target best left alone. As tracker drones swarm, he finds himself running for his life, and a chance encounter with a kindred spirit changes his fate. Together, they flee the city, venturing beyond the ring road for the first time, and hope to find safety and the chance to build a life for themselves in the country. New challenges will arise, and new questions will beg to be answered. Where did everyone go? Who has left messages written on the walls of abandoned buildings? And the most terrible question of all: What is happening at the regime’s dreaded seaside resort, The Esplanade?
In a world without hope, can deliverance from tyranny be found in the head of a matchstick?
Flicker is a tale of survival against the odds in a brutal world, of loss and self-discovery, and of love and solidarity, but most of all, it's a story about fire, that double-edged sword that both cleanses and destroys.
What readers say about Flicker:
"Kill it with fire! The world has collapsed and mankind is on the downslide. What’s a man to do when all hope is gone? YOU BURN IT DOWN. Flicker is a fun and engaging dystopian tale with a message. It’s only over when you stop fighting."
- Jim Dodge, five-star Amazon.com review
"A FIERY DELIGHT! Every once in a while, a book comes along that takes you into a world of make-believe made believable. Flicker is such a book. Fast paced, credible dialogue, exciting plot elements. It’s a book full to the brim with the human experience—love and loss, heartbreak and joy. A truly wonderful read."
- Karen Keeley, five-star Amazon.ca review
"Cameron Trost has crafted an effortless and ENGAGING READ RIGHT THROUGH TO THE SHOCKING END. I loved the descriptive prose throughout and how he could say so much in so few words. I also liked how he trusted the reader to pick up cues without needing to elaborate. The sensitive consideration given to his characters and their struggles as they navigate the tyranny in their dystopian world is to be admired. Highly recommend!"
- Pauline Yates, five-star Goodreads review
"An engaging post-apocalyptic adventure... I loved that there is a definite hero and heroine, and found it intriguing that there were several others in the roles. There is no lack of villains to keep the story adventure packed. Bonuses include: a SHOCKING REVELATION at the end, a BEAUTIFUL LOVE STORY and an EPIC DESTRUCTION OF PURE EVIL!"
- Jenny Bee, five-star Goodreads review
"From the first chapter, I knew who the character was and was already emotionally involved. So many feelings and I wasn’t sure if I was meant to feel them or not. But as the story unfolded and I WAS TAKEN ON THIS WILD JOURNEY and learned about the world I was drawn into, I was at the point of no return. I needed to know what happened next. Sometimes I had to pause and cover my eyes, not wanting to know... but then I just had to know. I needed to know how it was all going to end. A BRILLIANT READ!"
- Marissa, five-star Goodreads review
"Flicker is an adventurous read highlighting THE BEST AND WORST OF HUMANITY, including those being necessarily pitted against each other. Battles are violent, detailed and riveting, balanced with the personal connections which are playful and mature. The final encounter between good and evil, while horrifying, also provides Flicker with A FINAL, TRIUMPHANT STAND, and I felt victorious in it with him."
- Sharon Arsego, five-star Amazon review