I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

A middle-aged man struggling not only with his own personal struggles but with life as one of the Unchipped who is faced with an impossible choice in author Taya DeVere’s “Unchipped: William”, the second in the Unchipped series. 

The Synopsis

For the Unchipped, safety is nothing but an illusion…

Bill is one of the lucky few. While the other Unchipped near the City of California scavenge for food amid the constant threat of gunfire, Bill’s spent the last two years at the Mansion–a haven for the select few who design products to be sold in the green city. He’s safe for now… unlike his friend Kaarina, who is leading a revolution on the other side of the world.

Bill is the Mansion’s CEO, but he’s haunted by the act of violence that got him the job. Danger lies beyond the protective gates of this repressive sanctuary, but a carefree existence inside the City of California remains mysterious, intriguing… and unattainable.

When he discovers the trailer just outside the fence, Bill is forced to make an impossible choice. Defend the Mansion by killing the intruders… or let them live and risk everything he has?

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The Review

A fantastic follow-up to the author’s first novella, the series brilliantly begins focusing on other characters as the narrative spans the globe. Getting to see life for the person the first novella’s protagonist Kaarina was speaking to across the world, William is a complex individual and makes for a compelling protagonist to follow. 

The story offers a more gritty and dystopian look into the distant future, as California has become a place of violence and chaos for those not privileged enough to be one of the Chipped living in the AR-cities. The struggle for survival for the Unchipped is equally balanced by expert character study, especially for protagonist Bill, who’s own struggles with mental health make him a truly relatable character. 

The Verdict

Expertly crafted and engaging, author Taya DeVere’s “Unchipped: William” is the perfect sequel to the series first novella. The mythology continues to grow and develop as each novella is poised to focus on new characters in the series while still integrating the original characters evenly. The action and emotional beats are hit exactly where they need to be in this story, so be sure to grab your copies today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Taya is a Finnish-American author, writing contemporary fiction and dystopian sci-fi. After living, working, and traveling in America for seven years, she now lives in Finland with her partner-in-everything Chris, their dog Seamus, three bunny-boys (Ronin, Baby, and Loki), and her horse of a lifetime, Arabella.

Taya’s restless feet have taken her all over Finland, the United Kingdom, and North America. Her new dystopian series “Unchipped” is inspired by the real-life characters she’s met on her travels. Cultural differences, social issues, and behavioral psychology have always fascinated Taya. “Unchipped” tells the story of the world in 2085, when technology has replaced people’s need to truly connect with one another. The series describes what it feels like to be an outsider and takes an in-depth look at the unlikely friendships between perfectly imperfect people across the globe. 

Justice. Kindness. The fact that all beings on this planet are equally important. Taya’s world revolves around these values every day, and they play a substantial role in her storytelling as well.

Taya’s writing is inspired by authors such as Margaret Atwood, Peter Heller, Hugh Howey, and C.M. Martens.

Teija’s author site: https://www.tayadevere.com

Her Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Taya-DeVere/e/B07KRJPMTV

The Unchipped series page on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08CHKB96S

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