Humans become the targets of extermination and slavery. The machines are trying to annihilate the pockets of rebellion, which exist all over the globe, but are isolated due to the nature of the threat.
The machines can pick up any signal or message sent via any type of equipment. All humans have become sitting ducks and face the threat of extinction.
Rhona or rather the new and improved version of Rhona finds herself torn between her friend Samuel and her old lover Camus. Not all of her memories, and the emotions attached to them, have been restored after her rebirth.
On top of that she isn't considered trustworthy by the upper echelon. and yet the underlings still consider her to be in charge. Talk about mixed messages. Nobody quite knows where she fits in, including Rhona.
Machinations is a fast-paced story with plenty of room for development. It is certainly the type of read I tend to enjoy.
What Stone really needs to do is pick a genre and stick with it. Not that you can't mix, but this has a great post-apocalyptic premise, which is weakened slightly by the strong romantic vein flowing through it.
If you're writing sci-fi, dystopian, fantasy or post-apocalyptic stories you have to be bold and ruthless enough to do without the en vogue popular formula you think will draw in readers from other genres. It is absolutely doable. Not that you can't have a love interest or romance, you just shouldn't let it overpower the premise or main genre you're going for.
Saying all that, I did enjoy the premise and the read. I also look forward to seeing where Stone takes the story in the sequel, Counterpart.
Buy Machinations at Amazon UK or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.
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