Review: Cynetic Wolf

Genre: YA Science Fiction

Publisher: Myrmani Press

Pages: 340

Publication Date: March 26, 2020

Humanity is recovering from an engineered plague that wiped out 90% of the world population. From the fractured remnants of the human race, scientists pieced together four distinct new species: Emulates, cynetics, enhancers, and animotes. The Emulates hold humanity in the palm of their hands with their conscious saved in data centers, granting a form of immortality. Cynetics are humanoids integrated with cybernetics for enhanced physical performance. Enhancers are humans engineered to perfection.

The half human – half animal, Animotes sit at the bottom of the societal hierarchy tasked with menial labor in poor conditions with access to inferior technology and education.

Emulates are the ruling body of the Global Democratic Republic (GDR) followed by cynetics and enhancers. This status quo is maintained with violent purges of dissention and suppression of the truth through control of the media and revision of history.

For Raek, a teenaged wolf animote living in poverty in the shadow of the GDR, life trudges on. When a lost dog ends up mutilated by a 6 clawed beast, it triggers a series of escalating events that turn Raek’s life upside down. He must discover the truth about himself and find sanctuary among the Resistance or be destroyed by the GDR.

Will he cast off the chains of oppression and join the war against the GDR? Or will he be crushed before he gets the chance to rise?

Cynetic Wolf is a science fiction novel set in the not too distant future and told through the perspective of 16 year old wolfish, Raek. Raek is like any other teenaged boy dealing with normal problems- school work, crushes and an oppressive totalitarian government that seeks to crush his dreams. He isn’t so concerned about the machinations of the world around him, just with the prospect of what tomorrow will bring.

The pacing picks up fairly quickly and we rush through a sequence of events that escalate the stakes. We meet a handful of supporting cast for as long as it takes to feel bad when they are left behind. Things rapidly go from bad to worse and then Raek has to also contend with becoming the “chosen one”.

It’s a lot for a 16 year old to handle over a long period but Raek has to sprint through his trauma in rapid succession. He doesn’t quite catch his breath before the next event happens. Which can be a blessing and a curse for a reader to process all of the world building at the same time as the action sequences. You don’t get a chance to really get comfortable in a location before you shift to somewhere else.

Raek has his moments where he annoys me but he is a teenager dealing with some heavy stuff and dealing with being a teenager. I’m sure that my teenaged son will get a kick out of this male protagonist science fiction dystopia. There’s a lot of cool world concepts that lends to further exploration in later books. This book’s later acts are violent and bloody with some light romance but nothing that will truly offend most parents that allow their kids to watch PG-13 action movies.

My thanks to Matt Ward for reaching out to me to provide a review! I look forward to the next one.

4 of 5