BOOK REVIEW: 'GRID CITY OVERLOAD' AND THE DEVOLUTION OF HUMANITY
BY: Shannon Couey
Humanity, for centuries, has imagined that they are living in “the
End times,” as philosopher and cultural theorist Slavoj Žižek
so eloquently declares.
Humans want to have a sense of individuality; that among all ages and
all progressions of humanity, we—we—are the ones that will see the end.
In the current social, cultural, political, and natural landscape that
we currently live in, it is oftentimes not difficult to imagine that
this is the end.
Alas, we are probably not that special, just like every other generation of humanity was not that special, but in
Steven Bramble’s sophomore novel, Grid City Overload,
the “End Times” come not in the form of absolute apocalyptic
destruction, but of the devolution of the very nature of humanity that
is accompanied by the so-called progression of a technological
immersion.
What happens in a world where cell phones, tablets,
television, social networks, bio-medical technology, and alternate
reality technology reaches its pinnacle? When the virtual relationships
you have are more “real” and substantial than the ones you have with
actual humans? When the dependence on the technology has superseded our
dependence on natural resources and the social and cultural norms begin
to shift and alter because of that dependence? These are questions that
Mr. Bramble presents a myriad of answers to.
In the not so distant
future (2025), Grid, Colorado is a place where water is being
rationed—the importance of technological advancement and dependence has
superseded the significance of natural resources, which in turn has
initiated a futuristic version of class warfare. For those who can
afford water, this is not an issue until they are confronted with the
consequences of
not being able to afford water. Grid is a city
completely consumed by technology and the driving force behind the
“progress” is a corporate driven political machine.

Under
the political technocracy, we follow a myriad of characters, but our
focus is directed towards three: Kevin Crepitus (a.k.a. Gerney), a
middle class, car salesman who is addicted to gonine (a cocaine-like
substance), and is reaching for, if not achieving a steady level of
mediocrity, and constantly chasing after other men’s women (knowing full
well that he will never have them); Amy Arsenault, a sociopathic,
sexual manipulator who is an instrumental driving force in the plot; and
lastly, Fish, the symbolic representation of the extreme devolution of
humanity when you are so consumed in a technocratic society, to the
point that you mentally lose your humanity and devolve into a subhuman
state.
The reader is presented with these intersecting narratives
and versions of the their truth in a world that is speeding increasingly
towards an information apocalypse—in a world that lacks the necessary
resources to comfortably sustain human life, and information is in a
constant state of accessibility (moving increasingly towards
overload)
the nature of humanity shifts, and the characters reach a sort of
sub-human state, turning to drugs to create an alternate reality that is
more “real” than actual reality, becoming manipulative sociopaths
(because the only way to exist in a society where you have no control
over your own reality and the information stream you receive, is to
control others reality), or become a fish—losing all reality, and
devolving entirely.
It’s not often easy to read a book that
forces you to think, but that is exactly what Mr. Bramble’s novel does.
It forces you to examine the amount of information you receive on a
daily basis, and how you are receiving it. We are steadily moving
towards the kind of society that Mr. Bramble describes, and it is
becoming easier and easier to witness the backwards progression of
humanity as we receive a constant stream of information from a multitude
of sources.
I must admit that I have a penchant for cynicism, so
novels and plots that present a less than desirable state of humanity’s
future, I tend to enjoy, but even if the potential relapse of humanity
is not your usual choice for fictional reading, Mr. Bramble’s book is
definitely worth the read. It has moments of insight about the human
condition that most, if not all, 26-year-olds have no concept of; the
plot is elaborate and captivating; and the twists and surprises that
reveal themselves continuously leave you not wanting to put the book
down.
Admittedly, I had my reservations initially about the
spectrum and depth of Mr. Bramble’s female characters—I made a quick and
initial judgment while only half way through the book, not giving his
writing and ability for character development the due praise it
deserves. My initial thoughts were that his female characters had no
autonomy—that they were intimately linked to the men in their lives, and
that without that masculine counterpart, they would be dull, flat, and
lacking the depth that is necessary to connect with a fictitious
character.
But, as I continued reading, I found myself falling in love with the
deviancy of the females in the novel, and I consistently found myself
cheering for them, especially Amy, even though their place in the plot
is…less than honorable. What I discovered, is that in a city, in a world
that is void of natural resources, or any sort of connection to nature
in general, women become the symbolic representation of the depravity of
human dependence or worship of technological advancement over nature,
placing them in the powerful position of the destructive force,
revealing the backwards progression of humanity. When women are sources
of destruction, abdicating their usual role of creator, the importance
that technology has taken over nature is the source of the apocalyptic
overload. Not only is Mr. Bramble a talented writer, but he
is also a Long Beach local. Take part in the talent and creativity that
Long Beach natives have to offer, and give
Grid City Overload a read. The plot, character development, and various surprises will not leave you disappointed.
Grid City Overload
is currently available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble in paperback; it can also be found locally at Fingerprints, Portfolio Coffeehouse, and Apostrophe Books.