Review by Vscholz -- Superhighway by Alex Fayman
Posted: 01 Aug 2018, 18:39
[Following is a volunteer review of "Superhighway" by Alex Fayman.]
4 out of 4 stars
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Teenager Alex has spent his life as an orphan. Despite his intelligence and sympathy for others, he was never adopted, nor did he desire to be. Instead, he focused on school and learning about technology. One day, through a series of events, he learns that he can travel anywhere and everywhere with the help of the internet. He only needs to literally connect to the network cable and he is transported to the spot last searched.
With this new-found power, Alex has some choices to make. He easily has access to any and all information, including bank accounts and other sensitive personal information. Because of his upbringing and the kindness of a homeless man in Amsterdam, Alex becomes a modern-day Robin Hood, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. Even though he has good motives, what is the secret behind his ability to surf the net?
Alex Fayman's debut novel is the first of a trilogy and is extremely well-written. Even though the main plot of the story is character Alex Fine's ability, Fayman keeps this science-fiction novel relateable through the character's coming-of-age with encounters revolving around sex, alcohol, and drugs, although mostly in moderation. At the start of the novel, Alex lives at an orphanage; rather than his disappearance being written off without anyone looking for him, Alex must deal with the repercussions of his absence, which makes this book different from others that would simply leave it unresolved. This book also evokes a sense of nostalgia, at least for the older millennials (a loaded term) or those do not fit in with their surrounding labeled generations (Gen Y, Millennials, Gen Z). I can recall a time when home computers were not the norm, and I appreciate returning to my own teenage years when the internet was in the early stages of becoming commonplace. This book could easily be speculative fiction set in the late 1990s or early 2000s, or it could be an alternate universe set in the present time. Because of the ambiguity of the setting, it appeals to readers of multiple generations, which is perhaps one of the best parts of Superhighway. There are very few errors regarding punctuation and grammar, and the writing style is on point. The sentences are complex but they do not feel forced; it would not be unreasonable for a mature eighteen-year-old to speak in such a manner.
There are few negatives in regards to this novel. Even though the prose is a little wordy for a young adult novel, it does not interfere with the flow of the story at all. It seems as though the minor characters Alex encounters in Europe are typical Americans from wealthy families, but given the settings, it is acceptable. Had Fayman left his story set entirely in the United States, the number of wealthy characters would be less believable, but he has taken what could be unrealistic sets of characters and placed them in a different setting, making their presence welcomed. While the Robin Hood “take from the rich and give to the poor” theme is not too heavy-handed throughout the story, I would have liked to see a different take on it.
I would rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I would recommend this story to fans of science-fiction, young adult (or even new adult), and technology. Even though the protagonist is a male teenager, I would not hesitate to recommend it to females because the experiences have universal appeal. However, I would not recommend it for adolescents or anyone younger as some of the plot points involve alcohol, drugs, and sex.
******
Superhighway
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4 out of 4 stars
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Teenager Alex has spent his life as an orphan. Despite his intelligence and sympathy for others, he was never adopted, nor did he desire to be. Instead, he focused on school and learning about technology. One day, through a series of events, he learns that he can travel anywhere and everywhere with the help of the internet. He only needs to literally connect to the network cable and he is transported to the spot last searched.
With this new-found power, Alex has some choices to make. He easily has access to any and all information, including bank accounts and other sensitive personal information. Because of his upbringing and the kindness of a homeless man in Amsterdam, Alex becomes a modern-day Robin Hood, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. Even though he has good motives, what is the secret behind his ability to surf the net?
Alex Fayman's debut novel is the first of a trilogy and is extremely well-written. Even though the main plot of the story is character Alex Fine's ability, Fayman keeps this science-fiction novel relateable through the character's coming-of-age with encounters revolving around sex, alcohol, and drugs, although mostly in moderation. At the start of the novel, Alex lives at an orphanage; rather than his disappearance being written off without anyone looking for him, Alex must deal with the repercussions of his absence, which makes this book different from others that would simply leave it unresolved. This book also evokes a sense of nostalgia, at least for the older millennials (a loaded term) or those do not fit in with their surrounding labeled generations (Gen Y, Millennials, Gen Z). I can recall a time when home computers were not the norm, and I appreciate returning to my own teenage years when the internet was in the early stages of becoming commonplace. This book could easily be speculative fiction set in the late 1990s or early 2000s, or it could be an alternate universe set in the present time. Because of the ambiguity of the setting, it appeals to readers of multiple generations, which is perhaps one of the best parts of Superhighway. There are very few errors regarding punctuation and grammar, and the writing style is on point. The sentences are complex but they do not feel forced; it would not be unreasonable for a mature eighteen-year-old to speak in such a manner.
There are few negatives in regards to this novel. Even though the prose is a little wordy for a young adult novel, it does not interfere with the flow of the story at all. It seems as though the minor characters Alex encounters in Europe are typical Americans from wealthy families, but given the settings, it is acceptable. Had Fayman left his story set entirely in the United States, the number of wealthy characters would be less believable, but he has taken what could be unrealistic sets of characters and placed them in a different setting, making their presence welcomed. While the Robin Hood “take from the rich and give to the poor” theme is not too heavy-handed throughout the story, I would have liked to see a different take on it.
I would rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I would recommend this story to fans of science-fiction, young adult (or even new adult), and technology. Even though the protagonist is a male teenager, I would not hesitate to recommend it to females because the experiences have universal appeal. However, I would not recommend it for adolescents or anyone younger as some of the plot points involve alcohol, drugs, and sex.
******
Superhighway
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on Smashwords
Like Vscholz's review? Post a comment saying so!