Did you happen to see the news clip recently of a man asleep at the wheel as his car proceeded on its route? I was reminded of this scary sight while reading The Passengers, a psycho-thriller about what can happen when smart technology and terrorism collide.
Author John Marrs evokes an uneasy sense of wow-this-could-really-happen in the era of driverless cars. The story takes place sometime in the not-too-distant future in England, where self-driven cars have been mandated by the government for use by all. These Level 5 automobiles have been tested and vetted for their efficiency and are expected to enhance the quality of life for all, plus provide greater protections for drivers, passengers, and pedestrians.
The cars are simple to operate. You want to go somewhere? Just plug in the location to the GPS on your smart phone, set the time, and off you go. No need to stress through traffic. You can take a nap on the way to your destination and arrive fully refreshed.
Despite random failures — times when the cars neglected to function properly and caused injury or death — the government is committed to continuing the program and tends to hide the disturbing failure statistics from the public.
The Passengers
Then one day, things go awry. Eight different people follow the protocol and schedule rides. To their shock and distress, they quickly find out that the GPS has been highjacked, and they are on their way to parts unknown. They are unable to reset the directions. Their doors are locked. They are confused, helpless. An ominous voice — henceforth known as The Hacker — comes onto the audio, announcing there is no way out and within two hours’ time they will be dead.
Yikes.
This is all broadcast in real time over social media, taking place during a government meeting, and soon the people in that room as well as the rest of the world are held hostage as well, unable to turn away. When The Hacker decides that one of the passengers will live, to be decided by online voting and by the members of the meeting, the tension and drama escalate.
We learn about each of these eight victims bit by bit. The Hacker has hacked into their public and private documents and knows everything about them. Each character has something in their past that has been secret … until now. The Hacker takes a wicked pleasure in letting the world know what those secrets are. The chatter on Twitter intensifies, with hashtags springing up in favor of or in opposition to saving a life. A social media expert is on hand to share the trending online comments.
As the story unfolds, we learn that there is more to these characters than meets the eye, of course. Their stories deepen; they become more sympathetic or less so.
There is so much more about this plot but I hesitate to reveal more. There are plenty of surprises and jaw-dropping moments in “The Passengers”. Weaving in social media is a clever device for heightening the tension and creating the feel of a global phenomenon.
I definitely see an action movie in “The Passengers'” future.
One of my lucky readers will receive a copy of “The Passengers.” Please leave a comment on the Books is Wonderful Facebook page, and a winner will be randomly selected. US addresses only, please.
I received a copy of The Passengers from Berkley for an honest review,
which is the only kind of review I write.
