By Danny Tobey

Gollancz, out now

Worship me – obey me… says G.O.D.

There’s something of a WarGames feel to the early part of this SF thriller from Danny Tobey – that’s the 1983 John Badham movie, rather than any Doctor Who or nuclear documentary reference. Teenagers who don’t really know what they’re getting themselves into are asked questions by someone the other side of their computer screen which leads them into trouble… In this case it’s meant to be G.O.D., described as “the sum total of human conceptions about the divine come alive, able to express itself and answer questions and spout new proverbs and instructions.” But this is a god who demands worship – and works up some very nasty instructions for the Vindicators, a group of misfit geeks from Austin, Texas.

As the book progresses, there are definitely influences from Stephen King and Stranger Things (particularly in one or two of the more horrific moments), and some exploration of moral and theological issues. There are times it feels as if it could have done with some sharpening of the pace but at its heart it’s an entertaining thriller that uses theological tropes to examine the role of artificial intelligence.

Verdict: Although occasionally trying too hard to be a cyber-version of IT, this dark thriller will leave you with questions of your own. 7/10

Paul Simpson

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