In a futuristic world run by sentient machines, Steel is trying to stay below the radar of the Grid. If she can make one last major drug sale she will have enough money to live free and undetected, but her plans go wrong when she runs into a dangerous ex-boyfriend on the Metro. Dante lives even further off the Grid than Steel. Bred and raised for experimentation, his sole purpose since escaping the machines is to get revenge. When he saves a young woman from being raped and she sees his face, he knows he must kill her. However, in the short time they spend together he becomes intrigued by the tattooed and pierced Steel and is impressed by her strength and determination. He knows he can't trust her to keep his identity secret, but he can't bring himself to kill her, and time is running short. Dante and Steel both have near-impossible plans to achieve the lives they want, and if they can learn to believe and rely on each other, it could mean the difference between life and death.

GRIDLOCK, by Nathalie Gray, is a dark and edgy novella set in a future run by machines. The world of the Grid is dangerous and depressing, without any hope or compassion for its inhabitants. Steel and Dante are two outcasts with nothing lose and running into each other puts a sudden twist on their plans. They are used to being alone, and trust doesn't come easy between the two, yet there is a real attraction that they can't ignore. I really liked the characters and could understand their interest in each other, yet their time together was so short that I had a difficult time believing they could come to care for and put their lives on the line for each other that quickly. The story just wasn't long enough to fully develop their relationship, though the one sex scene in the book was definitely hot.

The book's strongest point is the non-stop action and suspense. I was immediately drawn into Steel's plight and all the hardships and violence she had to face held my attention. The plot is solid, well-written, and I read the whole thing in one sitting because there just wasn't a slow point for me to put it down. I was also intrigued by the world of the Grid and hope Gray will continue to write stories in this frightening but fascinating depiction of the future. I would recommend GRIDLOCK to fans of futuristic and science fiction that are looking for a good novella-length story with lots of adventure and a little bit of romance.

Book Summary

He finds love on the eve of a war he doesn’t plan on surviving. A Cybershock Story.

Dante knows the price of rebellion. The Grid created him in its likeness, turning him into a killing machine—tested, modified and enhanced to be a “better citizen”. Years may have passed since he escaped that freak show, but the scars are still fresh. Without the mandatory implant, Steel scrapes by, living free of the Grid’s control. When a job goes bad, everyone around her dies, their minds crushed by the notorious Cardinal. But he doesn’t kill her. He takes her to a secret lair filled with fascinating, forbidden pre-Grid knowledge. Who is this man—ruthless murderer or eccentric loner? Bad-mannered as she is, Dante can’t bring himself to silence the abrasive, cigarette-addicted Steel. Something about her calls to him, though trusting her could be a mistake. Should she betray him, it would wipe out years of patient waiting. Waiting while the Grid hunts him for the priceless information he carries within his living data vault. Waiting while his dish of revenge turns ice cold. For Dante intends to go back. And this time, he intends to be the only one left standing.

Warning: Contains violence, offensive language, a tattooed woman, a man who’s ready to light a few fuses, several variants of the F-word, machines behaving badly, thugs and PVC fashion. But no ninjas. That’s for the next book.