Reviews
Praise for Mark Tremonti's album A Dying Machine : " A Dying Machine offers the band's most well-rounded record to date. It's also their best. . . . As a top-to-bottom listen, [it] flows well with no duds and will likely rank as one of 2018's best rock albums." - Loudwire "The songwriting and musicianship on this Tremonti record, much like all of his other records, is simply sublime." - Ultimate Guitar " A Dying Machine exhibits some of Tremonti's finest work all neatly shoehorned into a conceptual showcase of fascinating guitar work and captivating vocal passages. The novel which accompanies the release should provide further insight into what has proven to be a wealth of material to digest and savour." - Distorted Sound "Everything that a rock and metal fan could want in an album. . . . definitely an instant classic." - National Rock Review "All in all, A Dying Machine is yet another stunner delivered by one of Metal's highest regarded guitarists. A bloodthirsty and merciless album, it goes for the jugular throughout and doesn't let up one bit." - Rock 'N' Load "Tremonti's songwriting is first class, with brutal and battering guitar riffs fused with melodic and easy-on-the-ear hooks to keep the balance just right. . . . This is Tremonti's best album to date." - All That Shreds "A lyrically driven album about unreciprocated love, obsession and destruction. Accompanied by a novel, A Dying Machine will provide a full-fledged intellectual experience of the arts." -- Rock Revolt "The new Tremonti album [ A Dying Machine ] is a winner, both in concept and instrumentation. 10/10." - Audio Ink Radio Praise for John Shirley: "Best known as one of the founders of cyberpunk for his novel City Come A-Walkin' (1980) and as the principal screenwriter of the cult classic film The Crow , Shirley . . . has a reputation as one of the darkest, edgiest, boldest writers around." -- Publishers Weekly "Even if you've already seen the film in theaters, pick up the Resident Evil: Retribution novelization, and let the story of Alice continue from the pages of one of the best reads of 2012." -- BioGamer Girl "An allegory for our time, full of creepy splendor and excitement . . . Demons is a brave and smart book. Read it if you dare." -- San Francisco Bay Guardian "For all the narrative gear grinding, Shirley succeeds in fashioning an over-the-top occult thriller solidly anchored in a bedrock of social consciousness." -- Publishers Weekly on Demons "A thrill-packed action ride, with each slice of the knife driven by a series of very understandable ideals. You'll read [The Other End] in a day or two and be charmed by Shirley's characters and his generous sense of humor. . . . Shirley spares no-one." -- MetroSilicon Valley
Synopsis
For fans of BLADE RUNNER and other cyberpunk classics, Grammy-winning guitarist Mark Tremonti (Creed, Alter Bridge, and Tremonti) and prolific sci-fi author John Shirley present the electrifying story of Stella and Ares, two powerful androids on separate quests to free themselves from the bonds of their human overlords, in this innovative companion to Tremonti's critically acclaimed concept album., Reeling from the death of his wife and his career, renowned architect Brennan Gibbons enters the 22nd Century Lottery on a whim--and wins! The prize is a first-generation Vessel: a beautiful artificial human named Stella, part flesh, part machine. With hopes that she can help him re-engage with life, Brennan brings home this perfected android, but his initial excitement gives way to fear as Stella--whose robotic parts make her better, stronger, and faster than any ordinary human--gradually begins to develop her own personality and autonomy . . . along with a dark obsession. Meanwhile, the Vessel guardians for the rich and powerful board members of Fusion Flesh are realizing that they, too, possess the tools to overtake their captors. Led by Ares, Fusion Flesh CEO Maggie Coogan's personal bodyguard, a ruthless guerilla unit assembles, ready to defeat their human masters and seize their free will. For fans of Blade Runner, Ex Machina, Lucy, and other cyberpunk cinema thrillers, Mark Tremonti's riveting debut novel weaves a tale of two stories: that of Ares and Stella--both formidable, manmade beings on a mission to gain the freedom to love, live, and decide their own destiny., Reeling from the death of his wife and his career, renowned architect Brennan Gibbons enters the 22nd Century Lottery on a whim--and wins The prize is a first-generation Vessel: a beautiful artificial human named Stella, part flesh, part machine. With hopes that she can help him re-engage with life, Brennan brings home this perfected android, but his initial excitement gives way to fear as Stella--whose robotic parts make her better, stronger, and faster than any ordinary human--gradually begins to develop her own personality and autonomy . . . along with a dark obsession. Meanwhile, the Vessel guardians for the rich and powerful board members of Fusion Flesh are realizing that they, too, possess the tools to overtake their captors. Led by Ares, Fusion Flesh CEO Maggie Coogan's personal bodyguard, a ruthless guerilla unit assembles, ready to defeat their human masters and seize their free will. For fans of Blade Runner, Ex Machina, Lucy, and other cyberpunk cinema thrillers, Mark Tremonti's riveting debut novel weaves a tale of two stories: that of Ares and Stella--both formidable, manmade beings on a mission to gain the freedom to love, live, and decide their own destiny.
