The electric church : [eternal life can be yours -- for a price

In the near future, the only thing growing faster than the criminal population is the Electric Church, a new religion founded by a mysterious man named Dennis Squalor. The Church preaches that life is too brief to contemplate the mysteries of the universe: eternity is required. In order to achieve this, the converted become Monks -- cyborgs with human brains, enhanced robotic bodies, and virtually unlimited life spans. Enter Avery Cates, a dangerous criminal known as the best killer-for-hire around. The authorities have a special mission in mind for Cates: assassinate Dennis Squalor. But for Cates, the assignment will be the most dangerous job he's ever undertaken -- and it may well be his last."Some debuts simply set new bars in a genre. Jeff Somers' THE ELECTRIC CHURCH is one such book, a gritty noir story that challenges and surprises with every page. A novel that is equal parts Raymond Chandler and William Gibson. A major new talent has arrived -- and it's about time!"-- James Rollins, New York Times bestselling author of MAP OF BONES and BLACK ORDER

Avery Cates is a very bad man. Some might call him a criminal. He might even be a killer - for the Right Price. But right now, Avery Cates is scared. He's up against the Monks: cyborgs with human brains, enhanced robotic bodies, and a small arsenal of advanced weaponry. Their mission is to convert anyone and everyone to the Electric Church. But there is just one snag. Conversion means death.

Publishers Weekly

Avery Cates's reputation as a respectable hit man is destroyed when he's implicated in the murder of a cop. And before he knows what he's doing, he finds himself coerced into assassinating the leader of the Electric Church, the fastestgrowing and deadliest religion in this dystopian future of a unified world government. Somers's science fiction thriller has an acerbic wit; it's an enjoyable listen enhanced by Tod McLaren's deep and edgy voices that bring Cates and a host of other equally quirky characters to life. McLaren is generally consistent with his accents and outlooks: he shifts from character to character with ease and creates an authentic and idiosyncratic protagonist whose mixture of hardness, attitude, and self-mockery are delivered with admirable control. An Orbit hardcover. (Apr.)

In the near future, the only thing growing faster than the criminal population is the Electric Church, a new religion which preaches that life is too brief to contemplate the mysteries of the universe: eternity is required. In order to achieve this, the converted become cyborgs with human brains, enhanced robotic bodies, and virtually unlimited life spans.