JANUARY 2019 - AudioFile
Author Windo and narrator Clare Corbett emphasize the complicated emotional journeys in this disjointed story. Together they craft a compelling human drama within a technological dystopia. Tom and his pregnant wife, Kate, inhabit a world governed by the Feed, a highly evolved social media platform implanted directly into the brain. When the Feed is violently destroyed, civilization collapses, leaving survivors in a society in which even language must be relearned. When their daughter disappears, Tom and Kate must brave the world outside their enclave, where no one can be trusted. Corbett shines in her narration, capturing Kate’s vulnerabilities while emphasizing her growing, if quiet, strength. Windo renders Tom’s divided loyalties and fearsome determination, leaving listeners wondering just how far he’ll go to ensure his family’s safety. B.E.K. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine
Publishers Weekly
01/15/2018
This heavily speculative postapocalyptic thriller complicates a basic what-if question—what if the internet were connected directly to people’s brains?—with somewhat ad hoc plot developments. When the brain-linking global network called the Feed collapsed, it took society with it. Six years later, Tom and Kate, a couple with a history of going “slow” (disconnecting from the Feed), struggle to get a viable survivor community going, and partial memories and rare hard-copy texts are their only sources of vital information. When their daughter, Bea, is kidnapped by outlaws who drive a horse-drawn, spike-covered minivan, Tom and Kate must quest through the new wilderness of abandoned suburbs and wreck-jammed highways, dealing with other suspicious survivors and settlements run by people whose original identities were overwritten through their Feed implants while they slept. Debut novelist Windo makes the loss of modern society very personal, with close portraits of how his characters are worn down by the basic work of premodern life. Unfortunately, his tendency to layer in greater and greater revelations breaks the sense of intimacy that comes from focusing on his forsaken internet addicts. Perhaps ironically, readers will struggle to connect with this novel. Agent: Sasha Raskin, United Talent Agency. (Mar.)
From the Publisher
A chilling, dystopian page-turner—I was hooked from the very beginning and haunted for days after finishing it.” — S.J. Watson, bestselling author of Before I Go to Sleep
“Evocative of Black Mirror, The Feed is a visceral warning about our addiction to technology and shortening attention spans in the form of an optimistic, engaging human perseverance tale.” — Tal M. Klein, author of The Punch Escrow
“A really clever and original book. A tense thriller wrapped up in a scarily plausible dystopian nightmare, with a twist that will make your head explode!” — C.J. Tudor, author of The Chalk Man
“This thought-provoking debut shines a speculative light on the subjects of connection, disconnection, and identity in a not-so-distant digital age. The fast pace and absorbing plot will keep readers racing to the end.” — Library Journal (starred review)
“Nick Clark Windo’s debut, quickly establishes this is not your typical post-apocalyptic scenario [...] Though there are clear similarities to “The Walking Dead” and “The Circle,” the book offers fresh, smart commentary about digital dependence and its potential effect on our minds and relationships.” — Washington Post (Best Science Fiction and Fantasy — March 2018)
“Think The Road intricately wrapped around Station Eleven with a dash of Oryx and Crake...Windo pushes all the right buttons in this post-apocalyptic mashup.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Imagine a mash-up of “Black Mirror” episodes in post-apocalyptic Britain.” — Washington Post
“A startling and timely debut which presents a world as unique and vividly imagined as Station Eleven and The Girl With All the Gifts.” — Fantastic Faction
“Easily one of the most powerful and disturbing novels of the year, a dystopian mash-up of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road and Jack Finney’s The Body Snatchers (sans alien pods) with a heavy nod towards John Wyndham, Nigel Kneale, Philip K Dick and Orwell’s 1984.” — Starburst Magazine
“[A] brilliant, highly charged debut.” — Daily Mail (UK)
“A compelling story of people rediscovering what it means to be human in a world abruptly unplugged.” — Christopher Brown, author of Tropic of Kansas
“Warning: THE FEED is ludicrously addictive...I devoured this story barely putting it down. Great concept, great execution, plenty of book trauma with a huge emotional rush of an ending. Left me vaguely tearful. Highly Recommended.” — Liz Loves Books
“THE FEED examines our addiction to technology through the lens of a bleak dystopia, reminiscent of The Road. A deft and extremely clever work of sci-fi that kept me completely immersed in the world Windo created.” — Joe Hart, WSJ bestselling author of The Last Girl
“Surprising and ambitious, The Feed takes connectivity to a terrifying extreme—and then rips it away. Technology-addled survivors are forced to relearn how to live in a world in which nothing is safe, not even sleep. Fascinating.” — Alexandra Oliva, author of The Last One
“I really enjoyed it and what a great ending!” — Martina Cole, author of the Sunday Times bestselling DCI Kate Burrows series
“What a riveting and original novel! The Feed is frighteningly believable and disturbing and I loved the way I was pulled into its dark reality, so convincing it’s almost unbearable. The Feed is one of those rare novels that changes your mind as you read it.” — Helen Dunmore, author of The Siege
“A tense thriller with a strong vein of the speculative. And that ending . . . blimey!” — Den Patrick, author of The Boy With the Porcelain Blade
“Nick Clark Windo’s captivating debut is a dark, thought-provoking read. Tap into The Feed and it will change your world.” — Adam Hamdy, author of Pendulum
S.J. Watson
A chilling, dystopian page-turner—I was hooked from the very beginning and haunted for days after finishing it.
C.J. Tudor
A really clever and original book. A tense thriller wrapped up in a scarily plausible dystopian nightmare, with a twist that will make your head explode!
Fantastic Faction
A startling and timely debut which presents a world as unique and vividly imagined as Station Eleven and The Girl With All the Gifts.
Tal M. Klein
Evocative of Black Mirror, The Feed is a visceral warning about our addiction to technology and shortening attention spans in the form of an optimistic, engaging human perseverance tale.
Daily Mail (UK)
[A] brilliant, highly charged debut.
Washington Post
Imagine a mash-up of “Black Mirror” episodes in post-apocalyptic Britain.
Washington Post (Best Science Fiction and Fantasy — March 2018)
Nick Clark Windo’s debut, quickly establishes this is not your typical post-apocalyptic scenario [...] Though there are clear similarities to “The Walking Dead” and “The Circle,” the book offers fresh, smart commentary about digital dependence and its potential effect on our minds and relationships.
Starburst Magazine
Easily one of the most powerful and disturbing novels of the year, a dystopian mash-up of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road and Jack Finney’s The Body Snatchers (sans alien pods) with a heavy nod towards John Wyndham, Nigel Kneale, Philip K Dick and Orwell’s 1984.
Martina Cole
I really enjoyed it and what a great ending!
Helen Dunmore
What a riveting and original novel! The Feed is frighteningly believable and disturbing and I loved the way I was pulled into its dark reality, so convincing it’s almost unbearable. The Feed is one of those rare novels that changes your mind as you read it.
Liz Loves Books
Warning: THE FEED is ludicrously addictive...I devoured this story barely putting it down. Great concept, great execution, plenty of book trauma with a huge emotional rush of an ending. Left me vaguely tearful. Highly Recommended.
Den Patrick
A tense thriller with a strong vein of the speculative. And that ending . . . blimey!
Christopher Brown
A compelling story of people rediscovering what it means to be human in a world abruptly unplugged.
Alexandra Oliva
Surprising and ambitious, The Feed takes connectivity to a terrifying extreme—and then rips it away. Technology-addled survivors are forced to relearn how to live in a world in which nothing is safe, not even sleep. Fascinating.
Joe Hart
THE FEED examines our addiction to technology through the lens of a bleak dystopia, reminiscent of The Road. A deft and extremely clever work of sci-fi that kept me completely immersed in the world Windo created.
Adam Hamdy
Nick Clark Windo’s captivating debut is a dark, thought-provoking read. Tap into The Feed and it will change your world.
Washington Post
Imagine a mash-up of “Black Mirror” episodes in post-apocalyptic Britain.
Adam Hamdy
Nick Clark Windo’s captivating debut is a dark, thought-provoking read. Tap into The Feed and it will change your world.
Washington Post (Best Science Fiction and Fantasy -- March 2018)
Nick Clark Windo’s debut, quickly establishes this is not your typical post-apocalyptic scenario [...] Though there are clear similarities to “The Walking Dead” and “The Circle,” the book offers fresh, smart commentary about digital dependence and its potential effect on our minds and relationships.
Washington Post (Best Science Fiction and Fantasy - March 2018)
Nick Clark Windo’s debut, quickly establishes this is not your typical post-apocalyptic scenario [...] Though there are clear similarities to “The Walking Dead” and “The Circle,” the book offers fresh, smart commentary about digital dependence and its potential effect on our minds and relationships.
Library Journal - Audio
04/15/2018
Windo's debut is a cautionary tale of a near-future, postapocalyptic world. The feed of the novel's title refers to a neuro implant, a kind of genetic wetwear that puts the online world inside one's head. When the feed crashes—for reasons never fully explained—people are nearly helpless. They have not had to learn to read, think, or memorize, much less communicate out loud; they have existed in a world of instant sensory gratification and experiences of sharing one another's thoughts and emotions. Kate and Tom must fight to survive and search for their kidnapped daughter across a chaotic landscape filled with potential hostiles and "the taken," a mysterious group of people who carry minds from the future. The crisp English-accented diction of the author and co-narrator Clare Corbett brings a rather detached feel to this present-tense exploration of a near-future catastrophe, though they can liven up the narration when the plot requires it.VERDICT Recommended for sf lovers. ["This thought-provoking debut shines a speculative light on the subjects of connection, disconnection, and identity in a not-so-distant digital age": LJ 2/15/18 starred review of the Morrow hc.]—David Faucheux, Lafayette, LA
JANUARY 2019 - AudioFile
Author Windo and narrator Clare Corbett emphasize the complicated emotional journeys in this disjointed story. Together they craft a compelling human drama within a technological dystopia. Tom and his pregnant wife, Kate, inhabit a world governed by the Feed, a highly evolved social media platform implanted directly into the brain. When the Feed is violently destroyed, civilization collapses, leaving survivors in a society in which even language must be relearned. When their daughter disappears, Tom and Kate must brave the world outside their enclave, where no one can be trusted. Corbett shines in her narration, capturing Kate’s vulnerabilities while emphasizing her growing, if quiet, strength. Windo renders Tom’s divided loyalties and fearsome determination, leaving listeners wondering just how far he’ll go to ensure his family’s safety. B.E.K. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2017-12-12
Think The Road intricately wrapped around Station 11 with a dash of Oryx and Crake.First-time British novelist Clark Windo pushes all the right buttons in this post-apocalyptic mashup. Imagine a world in which everyone has the Feed implanted in their brains. The internet and all it offers is yours in seconds. No need to read, no need to even talk; people can even access other's thoughts. Tom Hatfield, a psychotherapist, and his pregnant wife, Kate, a teacher, are eating in a restaurant in, maybe, England. Tom's father had something to do with creating the Feed. Tech-speak abounds: "emotis," "adrenalspike," "ent." Suddenly, there are "gasps and a gabble of confused words actually vocalized out in the real." Everyone is bombarded with the news, something about an Arctic-South war; President Taylor is assassinated. The Collapse has occurred. Smoke pours in, there are distant detonations, "birds…sprayed upwards…machines hurtled from the sky" and then, "under the booms," there is the "approaching sound of silence." The Feed vanishes. Jump ahead six years. Something has killed millions of people. Tom, Kate, 6-year-old Bea, and a few others are living in huts in a grim, desolate camp. The time frame is uncertain; seasons pass. They have to forage for food. They have to watch each other sleep, otherwise they're "taken over."(Think Invasion of the Body Snatchers.) If that does happen, they'll need to be killed. Tom had to kill his brother. People have to relearn everything in order to survive, even language, and talk to each other. Bea is abducted. They head out to find her. Something's wrong with Kate. The twisty, slowly unwinding tale is laid out in tiny bits and pieces of information. The characters aren't very well-developed. Windo demands quite a bit from the reader, and some might give up on this trip.There's a smart and provocative story in here somewhere, but Clark Windo's pedestrian prose and overdone narrative tricks smother it.
