Book Description:

The UK’s new megacities: contented citizens relieved of the burden of home ownership, living in eco-friendly communities. Total surveillance has all but wiped out criminal activity, and biometric sensor implants detect illness even before symptoms are apparent.

That’s the hype. Scratch the surface, and darker stories emerge.

Tara is offered the chance to become a princess amongst media influencers—as long as she keeps quiet and does as she’s told.

Aileen uproots to the megacity with some reluctance, but none of her misgivings prepare her for the situation she will face: a mother’s worst nightmare.

Radar has survived gang rule in group homes for the homeless, prison and bereavement, and jumps at the chance to live a ‘normal’ life. But at what cost?

For all three, the price of living in a megacity may prove too high.

Megacity is the third and final book in the dystopian Operation Galton trilogy, and is Terry Tyler’s twenty-third publication.

‘As long as some of us are still living free, they have not yet won. Anyone who refuses to live as they want us to has beaten them. That’s how we do it. That’s how we win.’

My Review:

I knew this was going to be a difficult review for me to write. I’ve been an admirer of Terry Tyler’s work for many years, and I’ve really enjoyed her dystopian books in the Operation Galton series. But because it’s the last in the series, and because I never give spoilers in my reviews, I wasn’t sure what I was going to say without giving away the plot.

But, first, I need to stress that the writing is excellent, as always; the author never fails to tell a great story, never fails to draw the reader in from the beginning.

And there is an especially useful recap of the two previous books, Hope and Wasteland, for those readers who need a reminder of the former stories and characters. I did glance through this, and it is a good prompt. I was glad I was going to meet past characters and to find out what happens to them. And time and again the three stories subtly intertwine to provide an historical background to Megacity.

The settings are described in such depth there is an immediate sense of place. The sinister normality of the megacities vies with the Wastelands, a setting viewed (as are the characters who live there) as ‘the other’. The portrayal of both is instantly evocative and plausible.

Each chapter is told from the different characters’ point of view, and, in that way, it’s easy to become absorbed very quickly with the story of their individual lives. Their lives couldn’t be more different, there is a façade of acceptance most of the time. But underneath there is anger, fear, and frustration. And pain. And loss. Each character is multi-layered, each reveal themselves through their inner dialogue. Thoughts that, with some of the antagonists, is so completely at odds with their spoken dialogue, it reveals their inner depths of corruption. All the facets that humanity is capable of, from empathetic friendship, love and humility to manipulation and complete and unrelenting evil, is shown In this story.

Terry Tyler’s books are usually strongly character led, but in Megacity, the characters and plot are equally centre stage. And powerfully revealed. For me this has to be the most chilling of the series. And yet, ultimately, there are possibilities of hope …

I have no problem in thoroughly recommending Megacity any reader who enjoys dystopian fiction and well told stories.

And, for the author’s writing style, the plot, the satisfying denouement of Operation Galton, i give Megacity a resounding five stars

About the Author

Terry Tyler is the author of twenty-two books available from Amazon, the latest being ‘Megacity’, the final book in the dystopian Operation Galton trilogy. Also published recently is ‘The Visitor’, a post-apocalyptic murder mystery set in the same world as her popular Project Renova series. She is currently at work on a psychological thriller that centres round an internet dating con, but has not yet finished with devastated societies, catastrophe and destruction, generally. Proud to be independently published, Terry is an avid reader and book reviewer, and a member of Rosie Amber’s Book Review Team.

Terry is a Walking Dead addict, and has a great interest in history (particularly 12th-17th century), along with books and documentaries on sociological/cultural/anthropological subject matter. She loves South Park, the sea, and going for long walks in quiet places where there are lots of trees. She lives in the north east of England with her husband.