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Talking fridges, human clone farms, flying shopping malls – we must be in the Michael Marshall Smith zone. A world all too close to our own...Spares – human clones, the ultimate health insurance. An eye for an eye – but some people are doing all the taking. Spares – the story of Jack Randall: burnt-out, dropped out, and way overdrawn at the luck bank. But as caretaker on a Spares Farm, he still has a choice, and it might make a difference...if he can run fast enough. Spares – a breathless race through strange, disturbing territories in a world all too close to our own. Spares – it's fiction. But only just...
Jack Randall, a disillusioned caretaker at a facility for human clones, finds his life upended when he chooses to protect the very beings he was hired to guard. Randall must navigate a hyper-commercialized, decaying future where the wealthy harvest clones for spare parts, effectively treating human life as disposable insurance. As he goes on the run, he faces relentless corporate mercenaries and the moral rot of a society that has commodified biology. The narrative unfolds through a gritty, fast-paced lens, emphasizing the physical toll of survival in a world where technology has outpaced ethics.
This work is frequently cited for its dark, inventive approach to the cyberpunk genre, blending visceral action with unsettling social commentary. Readers often highlight the author's ability to create a world that feels uncomfortably plausible, grounding its high-concept premise in gritty, tangible details. The narrative is noted for its relentless pacing, which mirrors the protagonist's desperate flight through a hostile landscape. By focusing on the commodification of human life, the book prompts reflection on the intersection of technology and morality in a consumer-driven society. The reception consistently points to the novel's unique voice and its capacity to maintain tension while exploring complex ethical dilemmas.
Page Count:
352
Publication Date:
1996-01-01
Publisher:
HarperCollins
ISBN-10:
0002246562
ISBN-13:
9780002246569
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