Libreture
What can be better than an espionage, geopolitical, sci-fi, near-future, action thriller?
The Fractured Europe Sequence of books, by Dave Hutchinson combine a believable and prescient view of a soon-to-be Europe with a strange, almost fantastical twist. Beginning with Europe in Autumn, they remind me in part of China Mieville's The City and the City, while also showing flashes of William Gibson's Pattern Recognition, with its "technocultural future-present" setting.
But Dave Hutchinson is, in no way, following a trend here. His work reminds me of those other authors, but the Europe books stand on their own, in a strange, politically-aware way.
Dave Hutchinson displays a keen awareness of the current political state of Europe, down to the relationships between the countries of the United Kingdom and Cornwall's campaign for recognition. Another reviewer, Paul at The Eloquent Page, has noted:
"It feels like the events in this novel are almost a natural continuation from the current political climate we find ourselves in. There is a horrible sense of Orwellian inevitability about it all..."
In Europe in Autumn we follow Rudi, a chef turned coureur. Coureurs are a kind of smuggler, counter-intelligence, fixer of this decaying Europe. They move packages and people between countries that form and collapse at a rate of months. Rudi, and the reader, is introduced to this role through training, minor jobs and a rather loose-cannon tutor. Of course, this all leads to that inevitable package that changes everything.
From then on it really is a roller-coaster ride. We leave Gibson behind, shoot past Mieville and head into Hutchinson territory.
Europe at Midnight introduces us to other characters, different viewpoints and more weirdness. No less a roller-coaster and no less exciting.
We learn more about the secrets and history of a hidden world. Follow agents, operatives and fugitives across this new, but familiar Europe. Our viewpoints expand and we are drawn along in a torrent of exciting and intriguing action.
And from there is just goes... WHOOSH!
Concluding at four books in 2018, the Fractured Europe Sequence is as fresh today as when it started in 2014. A geopolitical, cyberpunk, Euro thriller that NEVER lets up!
...If you're wondering why the article's sub-title alludes to the books' success being a surprise to the author, read his post about Europe at Midnight.
Buy The Fractured Europe Sequence
The Fractured Europe sequence by Dave Hutchinson is available to buy in DRM-free ePub and Mobi formats from Rebellion Publishing: