Listen to this for an origin story:
The cyberpunk himself, William Gibson, was writing a screenplay with a Kazakh director.
Then, in 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed, but Gibson needed to finish a novel. So he sent his friend and fellow writer, Jack Womack, to Russia to work on the screenplay in his stead.
The film’s star died, and so did the film. But based on the turmoil and chaos he witnessed in Moscow – the entire communist political system disappeared overnight – Womack wrote Let’s Put the Future Behind Us.
It’s an absolute belter!
Womack is best known for sci-fi, but this is set in 1990s Russia.
Clever Max Borodin makes the switch from communist bureaucrat to capitalist entrepreneur. But a get-rich-quick-scam to build Russia’s finest theme park – Sovietland: all the fun of the gulag for wealthy tourists – draws the interest of an up-and-coming far-right politician, and the Georgian mafia. All Max wants to do is sleep with his client’s beautiful wife, but matters quickly careen out of control…
It reminded me of The Master and Margarita but as written by Elmore Leonard.
A wickedly funny satire, and edge-of-your-seat thriller rolled into one.
I’m telling you so you don’t get confused when you read my author interview with the Big Bearded Bookseller.
Between his asking me what I was reading and the interview going live, I’d finished the book.
It’s that good.
Find out what other good stuff is coming up right here!
Chat soon,
Morgan
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