Rick Moss

Blimey! Is it what we have become?
In a not-so-distant future, a group of friends witnesses the emergence of a new technology based on computerised social networks, supposedly meant to make all of us happier, more altruistic, and live in a wonderful land ever after… The characters are at this crucial turning point, when everything is still possible, and where the hero is always supposed to make the right choice for humankind. But I won’t talk more about the plot, it is too good to spoil!
This unpublished first novel has some great potential and I feel privileged to have been able to read it at this stage. Two important aspects of the novel that I would like to underline…
First, it takes place at a rather unusual moment for a near-future fiction: usually the oppressive system is in place, and a hero ends up figuring out that the system is not as good as it is said to be, hence intends to destroy it and free humankind (yes, I am being emphatic here!). In Ebocloud, interestingly, the plot is much earlier and depicts the time when the system is put in place (not necessarily with the aim of being oppressive). You’ve always wanted to know how we ended up in 1984? You’ve always thought a Brave New World was just not possible? Think twice… It is as simple as an Ebocloud…
Second, I want to mention the constant irony I have enjoyed throughout the book. The characters’ reasoning are always full of sophisms and are so short-sighted that it becomes really funny. Is it what we have become? Incapable of critical analysis, so shallow, so happy to give away our free will…? As the author has made the choice of remaining neutral, I have not found even one indication to know if the book should be read literally or with a pinch of salt. I trust Rick Moss, the author, did this on purpose, and I hope readers will catch this. Else, it will prove that this novel is not set in the future, but in today’s life. How scary…
I think the novel still needs a bit of polishing, and I can see a few areas for improvement, but as I said, I think it has great potential, as a non-conventional futuristic and light novel, and I really enjoyed the read. So I wish the best to this new author, hopefully soon-to-be-published!… (lisätietoja)

I am not usually too keen on science-fiction, but I was pleasantly surprised by Ebocloud. Being a foreigner, the style of writing is very important, and I found the book to be easy to read, no frills, and easy to understand. Chapters are short and well divided within the narrative. There is also a narrative within the narrative (different font and formatting). I can relate to the life people lead in the story, because the future is not too far off (contrary to full-on futuristic science-fiction). As a part-time artist, I have identified with the heroine, Ellie, and we follow the storyline through her perspective/point of view.

The first person narrative, the right ratio between dialogues and narrative, have all made the reading very entertaining. The action (a bomb) starts off very soon from the start (the first pages are about the characterization of Ellie), so that the reader is following a plot. The way the plot is constructed is like a 'noir' novel, with events unfolding around Ellie and her friends (her friend Jared is also very well depicted), and the reader learns more and more about the ebocloud technology. This technology is all about sharing with others, and, like today's Facebook, there can be danger in sharing too much with other people. What I found, in the end, is that some characters are never truly happy: they gladly replace one technology with another, as long as they can keep to some semblance of contentment.

The novel is a very good read, and I would recommend it to anyone technologically-minded, science buffs and Facebook addicts! :-)… (lisätietoja)

Interesting take on the future of social networking. Using one of the novel structures pioneered by Kurt Vonnegut to explore the highs and lows of increased interconnectivity in a near future world.

Our hero Ellie, is a modern artist working with sculpture and paint. Shortly after signing up for a new social cloud feature, called Ebo, his studio flat burns down. His new Ebo mates gather round to help. While he's recuperating at his brother's house, another fire happens. During this incident both his girlfriend and his nephew disappear. As the Ebo system upgrades Ellie discovers his girlfriends family was involved with it's development, and he investigates where he can, in order to understand this new technology, and hoping to find out where his girlfriend and his nephew may have gone.

The setting is a very near future New York, different from now only in the degree necessary for the Ebo technology. This is perhaps less than it ought to be. Some of the advances required seem to be many / several years down the line, and so it seems unlikely that such other dependant technology such as cell phones, laptops and even transport haven't changed. I am also very unsure whether fads like Facebook and Twitter will still be in use.

The viewpoint is exclusively Ellie's without any of the jumping around that can be so distracting when explaining off camera scenes. Elliot is also not that technologically proficient, so rather than having lot's of him explaining to himself what is happening, we get very natural explanations as Ellie learns and is taught the new technology. Many of the minor characters hence don't gain much explanation for their actions.

The writing style is very well done with one significant exception that I'll get to in a minute. Unlike many other review copies I've had the privilege of reading recently, the grammar is well constructed, the sentences easy to read, the plot is interesting. Interesting things happen to people we care about in a world that invites thoughts about our own social structure - the very basis of what any great SF novel should be.


What I don't like about Ebocloud - for a start the title. It just doesn't grab the attention or, until deep into the book, explain what it is about. However my main dislike is with the obvious Vonnegut influence - it is even specifically attributed within the text. The Ebo concept from African tribes comes from one of Vonnegut's earlier books. This works reasonably well, and is at least plausible. But the 2nd tribute comes in the style of books within books, and this is annoying. We get exerts form a book a character has written - insufficiently long for us to care about any of these tertiary characters. The plot of this inter-novel is also just stupid. Vonnegut used this device to make almost polemic discourse about society. Rick Moss fails to do so. Hence we're just left with silly interruptions to the story that make little or no sense. In a novel that's already long these additions are unnecessary - I skimmed through most of them. And this leads to the ending itself where again there is a lack of comment. Although the plot line is all suitably resolved (and fortunately no reason for sequels), the opportunity to make a definite statement one way or the other on the possibilities of the new technology, is not taken. In some respects this is much better than the occasionally heavy handed treatment similar writers like Crichton employ, but as a reader this lack of opinion form the author is notable.

Overall this is a really promising introduction from a début author, and I'll be looking out for future books from him - especially if he's managed to ditch the attraction to Vonnegut.… (lisätietoja)