Read the Reviews
- Brian Van Norman
- May 7
- 49 min read
Updated: May 12
AGAINST THE MACHINE: LUDDITES
“If we don’t manage these machines and ourselves who make them, if we don’t marry what we make with who we are … then we’ll all become nowt but slaves!”
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English mill-masters develop a new factory system acquiring machines to replace men. A young worker leads Luddite rebels attacking mills and smashing machines. With increased assaults and even murder North England feels the grip of terrorism. Government agents attempt to suppress the rebellion. In 1812 there are more British troops in North England than fighting Napoleon.
Against the Machine: Luddites relates the story of the diverse characters caught in this conflict. It unveils the exploitation which marked the Industrial Revolution, reflecting our own Technological Revolution: that of the 21st Century.
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Reviews for "Against the Machine: Luddites"
Quick Reviews from Goodreads:
Against the Machine: Luddites and Against the Machine Manifesto, when read together, forge a compelling magnum opus of quantum entanglement not only providing the historical support for each other but presenting a disturbing portrait of the human condition.
Nat Ward: Awesome read! It is a splendid story that I loved reading! I cannot wait to read the rest of the trilogy. I highly suggest this story to everyone.
Madalyne Dickinson: This book was insane! I read this all in the same day - couldn't put it down. Each and every chapter kept me so involved, wanting more and needing to find out the rest. The ending shocked me. It was one of those books that sent you into panic and on the edge of your seat!
Chaim Toy: Some very amiable characters. I really liked the main characters. The plot is gripping as well.
Russ Howe: Great read! The characters were something else altogether! The pressure, the build up, the drama... I loved it! Can't wait for more. Great job!
by David Reyes, The Book Commentary
"Van Norman has just established himself as one of the great storytellers in the historical genre, crafting a novel that is rich in history and culture and that absorbs the reader right from the very first sentence...."
Against the Machine: Luddites by Brian Van Norman is one of the novels I have read twice before reviewing, because of the beauty of the prose, the wonderful depiction of the social setting with its nuanced realities, and the skillful handling of characters.
The story takes readers to a historical setting in northern Great Britain during the Napoleonic Wars. Readers are introduced to a group of have-nots whose livelihood is gradually taken away from them by the industrial revolution that has replaced the work of human hands with machines. The luddites won’t have any of that, so they set out to destroy the machines. It’s a new war, and how far will it take them?
The narrative features a magnetic protagonist, the twenty-two-year old George Mellor, whose father disappeared from Huddersfield many years ago, leaving the family penniless. George has had to make his own way, “taking ship as a cabin boy advancing to sailor for seven years, until he’d returned to find his mother, Mathilda, remarried to Wood.” He is a natural born leader who possesses experience beyond his years and an almost carnal charisma.
This young man, together with his peers, Big Will Thorp, Thomas Smith, and Sam ignites a revolution that is about to disrupt society’s machinery. This novel narrates the story of the luddites and the havoc they cause to mill-masters who procure more machines to replace human labor. It is an attack on a system and on progress, for progress doesn’t advance everyone. Follow each character as they evolve through the chaotic atmosphere, and can the British troops stop the madness and the terror?
Brian Van Norman has just established himself as one of the great storytellers in the historical genre, crafting a novel that is rich in history and culture and that absorbs the reader right from the very first sentence: “It was snowing indoors.” His gift for character and plot sets this novel apart. The prose is flawless and filled with wonderful descriptions. There is an unalloyed quirkiness that entices the reader and while the characters are anti-revolutionary, they are so skillfully developed that it is hard to not share their sympathy, even in their worst moments. Against the Machine: Luddites is a spellbinding historical novel with unforgettable characters.
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by Will Fawley, Prairie Fire, A Canadian Magazine of New Writing
"This novel is a history, one that provides a window into the past. But it is also relevant to today. The themes of revolution and machines are apt for our times. It is this parallel between the present and the past that makes Against the Machines: Luddites a must-read in 2020."
Against the Machine: Luddites is Brian Van Norman’s third novel, and is a work of historical fiction that takes place in northern England at the beginning of the industrial revolution. The book follows the birth and progression of the Luddite movement, a revolution of workers who protested the adoption of machines which ultimately threatened their jobs in factories and mills.
Van Norman uses a well-researched historical setting to tell a tale that not only teaches us about the past, but offers a window into the struggles we face today with work, class, and the very real automation of our jobs. Van Norman paints a vivid picture of the dilemma: “To keep their fast waning trade, the mill owners sought technological answers. They began to employ machines to do the work of men: gig-mills, knitting frames, power looms and shear frames, all driven by water from streams in north England’s vales. So families who had spent generations working the wool lost their livelihoods and fell into penury.” (2)
The book opens with a fourteen-year-old named Ned Lud reaching a breaking point. Frustrated with how he’s treated as a mill worker, he takes a hammer to the machines. This single act sparked a flame that had been growing in the workers, and sent a powerful message that soon had people referring to those who would fight the machine as Luddites. While the plot begins with a singular event, the tension quickly grows into a sweeping novel that leads into full-blown revolution.
Van Norman did thorough research, and presents historical details in a modern, engaging way that makes the setting believable and absorbing. He also uses fiction effectively to fill the novel with action and intrigue. There are spies, angry mobs, deception, betrayal, murder, revenge, assassination, interrogation, torture, and full scale battles. There is always some new situation escalating, and new character dynamics evolving, with twists and revelations in nearly every chapter.
The cast of characters is expansive, but largely focuses on the workers who resolve to fight against the machine. They are first introduced in John Wood’s shop, where a group of Luddites are meeting. Another John, John Buckworth, takes an oath to join a Brotherhood of workers who want to fight against the machines. Buckworth is uncertain about joining the group, but is soon convinced by his wife, Mary Buckworth, who is the only woman in the group. Her father owned a mill, so she knows the business and knows how to navigate the world of both factory workers and owners. Mary is a strong, fully-developed character who is refreshing amongst the boys’ club cast of the Brotherhood.
Over time, the Brotherhood gets more and more desperate, and begins manipulating people to join. What begins as an honest frustration and protest quickly escalates, leading to pre-meditated violence. The novel raises many questions about how people make their voices heard, and what is the right way to go about protest. Some turn to words, while others resort to violence in an effort to be acknowledged.
Van Norman does a great job of showing us this complex struggle, in which there really is no right answer. The author paints a full picture of life in northern England at the time, and all of the many groups of people affected by early machines. We meet not only factory workers, but the other side as well, the owners, and even a character responsible for delivering the machines to the mills. This complexity makes the political and social tension real, as no one singular person is right or wrong, and all of them are just trying to live their lives against the backdrop of revolution.
This multifaceted approach to the issues of the novel is what makes it so powerful, and is most evident in John Buckworth, because he is deeply conflicted and tries to see things from both sides. “‘You must examine … both sides … before you stoop to violence,’ Buckworth said… ‘These machines might become a blessing for you if society were different. There is an international economy which reaches far beyond our Yorkshire. These machines will allow us to join that economy, increase our trade. The machinery itself is not evil. Think how efficiently it works, how it does the most arduous part of a workman’s task!’” (8)
Midway through the novel, it becomes clear that this book is more than a simple history, and is deeply introspective as well. Mary Buckworth wonders, “Machines. Is that all we are? Machines to be worked then discarded?” (166). She seems to be getting at the central theme of the novel—humans against the machine. On the surface, the Luddites are fighting against the machines, but really the machines are just things. The people are really just fighting each other—the machinations of society—over resources, money, and justice.
There is an eerie moment where the book becomes almost too self-aware, and one of the characters muses something of a prophecy. “Someday we’ll have machines doing all our work for us. We’ll think the machines so important we can’t live without them! But what if they gain a mindfulness of their own. What if they learn t’ think?” (362)
This novel is a history, one that provides a window into the past. But it is also relevant to today. The themes of revolution and machines are apt for our times. This novel could easily be about robots taking our jobs in the twenty-first century, and the frustration workers feel over the way they are treated and compensated. It is this parallel between the present and the past that makes Against the Machines: Luddites a must-read.
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by A.K. Hale https://www.amandahale.com
"...is not only a great read, it is an important book that does what historical fiction does best – shines the torch of a specific historical event on a parallel contemporary trend."
Brian Van Norman’s novel – Against the Machine: Luddites – is not only a great read, it is an important book that does what historical fiction does best – shines the torch of a specific historical event on a parallel contemporary trend. The Luddites protested the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution; today we have all our eggs in the basket of the Technological Revolution. The parallels are obvious, as is the inevitability of the outcome.
In muscular language, earthy and poetic, Van Norman evokes the beauty and harshness of the Yorkshire Moors in a manner vivid for any reader, but especially so for this reader who spent five years of her youth on those blustery damp Moors.
In the midst of a war with France, challenged by Napoleon Bonaparte, the British government found itself threatened by a civil war at home, sparked by the dilemma of man versus the machine, compounded by poverty, injustice, and class oppression.
Using the hooks of violence, murder, sex and romance, Van Norman captures and holds the reader in suspense by ending each chapter with a predictive flourish. The battles are personalized by a broad cast of characters, focussing on the young Luddite leader, George Mellor. A dramatic prologue posits the original Ned Lud as a boy who rebelled not so much against the machines he smashed with a sledge hammer, but against the inhumanity of his employers. Machines are neutral, as is technology. It is all about how we use them.
The dramatic irony of this rollicking, terrifying tale comes when Mellor, through damage of his spirit, is himself rendered heartless and mechanical. His lover, Mary Buckworth, “found it curious he could not recognize he’d become the same as the tyrants he cursed.” As the fugitive Mellor is pursued to his inevitable end, he experiences a series of revelations, realizing himself “caught inside history.”
Van Norman’s book is visionary in its scope, illuminating humanity’s eternal struggle with wars and ideologies, only to be tricked across the generations by ever more elusive forms of enslavement. One is left with a deeper understanding of Nietzsche’s theory of eternal recurrence.
The research is impeccable, the details fascinating. The true meaning of “terrorism” is demonstrated together with its techniques. This is educational movie material.
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by Alan Brooke
Brooke, Alan & Lesley Kipling. Liberty or Death. Huddersfield Local Historical Society (1988)
"Jane Austen meets Quentin Tarantino..."
No book could be more timely. As concern grows daily about the impact of technology on the planet, Brian Van Norman traces the origins of the first organised resistance to machinery during the infancy of the Industrial Revolution in England. His evocation of the Luddite movement in its Yorkshire heartland is vivid and inspiring. The passing of an old way of life before the Juggernaut of economic ‘progress’ is portrayed through a convincing cast of characters aligned on both sides of what the writer accurately depicts as naked class war.
Although many of the participants left little, or no, record of their hopes and fears at the time, Van Norman imagines and fleshes out the personalities to bring to life a time of political and social crisis that raises many questions paralleled in today’s conflicts. What drives people to political violence? Why do those in power lack empathy with the sufferings of the oppressed? Why, turning a question from the last actual written words of the Luddite leader, George Mellor, is a human ‘soul not worth more than work or gold’?
Inevitably the account revolves around the involvement of Mellor in the main events of the tumultuous year of 1812, when resistance to the introduction of machinery in the cropping (cloth finishing) trade escalated into armed insurgency and assassination, centred on the Yorkshire textile town of Huddersfield. Is Mellor a ‘freedom fighter’ or a ‘terrorist’? The story describes Mellor’s dawning awareness of the brutalising effect of the fight against machines as he struggles to reassert his humanity, while an arch-opponent of the Luddites, the cleric Hammond Roberson, also fears that the conflict has turned him into a ‘Zealot’, a crusader, a ‘warrior priest’. The dehumanising effect of violence is sympathetically depicted in the internal torment of these two characters.
Although a product of the novelist’s art, the story follows closely the actual events and personalities that inspired it. The corpulent magistrate, Radcliffe; the haughty and ruthless, counter-guerrilla commander, Captain Raynes; the hard-nosed mill owner, Cartwright; the Machiavellian solicitor and spy-master, Lloyd – all might appear to be stereotypes, but are in fact based on the available evidence in contemporary accounts, often from their own correspondence. The Luddites themselves left little personal record, but nevertheless, with insight and empathy, Van Norman succeeds in representing their fears of a rapidly changing world beyond their control and the doomed path their attempted resistance has forced them along.
The personal emotions and political ideas are set in a context often described in vivid detail, recreating a picture of the Regency period where romance and glamour co-exist with violence and squalor – Jane Austen meets Quentin Tarantino. The backdrop of the events is atmospherically portrayed, from the bleak Pennine Moors, to bustling, commercial Huddersfield and the muddy lanes of the City of York, with its’ daunting Castle and magnificent Minster. Some historical buffs may find a few anachronisms to quibble over but the broader canvas provides the reader with an authentic portal into an age when the foundations of the modern world were being laid. The intrusion of the ‘factory system’ into the rural world of the small scale craftsman was breaking down a social and economic order that had existed since the end of the Middle Ages.
The fast-paced climax of the story, the pursuit and arrest of the Luddites Mellor and Thorpe, is fictionalised but captures all the tension and intrigue of the time, as the insurgents were tracked down and the oath-bound solidarity and omerta of the Ludds was torn by recrimination and betrayal. One tragically absurd incident is in fact true. How the loss of a hat led men to the scaffold.
The link to present day concerns about technology is encapsulated in an imagined dialogue in which Mellor expresses an inspired vision of the future - a future dominated by machines. One prediction that is not fulfilled is that of the military commander, General Maitland. He asserts that after their trials no one will remember the Luddites. Over 200 years on, thanks to writers like Van Norman, the Luddites are not only remembered, but celebrated. For that alone this book deserves a place on the shelves not only of the general reader, seeking a well written historical adventure story, but of all those concerned about the direction of our technology driven world.
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by James Terry, The Reading Room
"...challenged my preconception of historical fiction novels and has emerged triumphant. He truly is a master of his craft."
Against the Machine: Luddites challenged my preconception of historical fiction novels and has emerged triumphant. Brian Van Norman has, without doubt, opened my eyes to a genre that hitherto I was predisposed to overlook. It is a skilfully crafted saga based closely upon events and people in Yorkshire, England, in 1812, full of twists and turns. Right from the first line, “It was snowing indoors.” it grabs your attention and won’t let go.
It is told from the perspectives of the characters, both real and imagined, on both sides of the uprising by the Luddites. The characters are meticulously drawn, strong and well developed, although I must admit, the large number was somewhat challenging. However, from Mellor, the protagonist, down to the seemingly most insignificant character, I found myself empathizing with their profound moral dilemma in pursuit of freedom, justice and basic human rights. Indeed, Van Norman paints such vivid portrayals of even the antagonists’ humanity and their foibles that, at times, you find yourself sympathizing with them in spite of yourself.
It is a tapestry of intrigue and subterfuge woven on the fabric of conflict between the classes and stitched together with the threads of love, passion and courage.
A wordsmith, Brian Van Norman is brilliant at creating a sense of realism so powerful you will smell the gun powder, sweat and fear as if you were witness to the events. He truly is a master of his craft.
by Christian Fernandez,
"Contemporary readers can easily read the message of this book into their own experience with technology..."
A story that is intelligently plotted, expertly written, and that has a huge potential to seduce fans of historical novels, Against the Machine: Luddites by Brian Van Norman plunges the reader into the period in which the Napoleonic Wars took place and explores a historical phenomenon that is scarcely discussed in books, the threat that the luddites posed to the industrial revolution. While this is a novel that is well-researched with fascinating and colorful historical hints, it also explores the reality of change and how it affects those who do not stand to benefit much from it.
The industrial revolution is gaining grounds in Britain and with machines quickly replacing skilled labor. The mill-masters are laying off workers, replacing them with machines, a situation that doesn't sit well with George Mellor, a boy whose growth has been precocious and whose leadership skills come just as naturally. George has known what it is like to have nothing and his hardship has left a great impact on him. And he is not alone. His friends Big Will Thorp, Thomas Smith, and Sam are as disgruntled with the situation as is anyone losing work to machines. They start a revolution to disrupt the revolution, attacking machines and even getting involved with murder. But how far can they go before they are stopped?
Against the Machine: Luddites is a novel that is as relevant today as it is telling of the Napoleonic period, a story that brilliantly depicts what happens when technology replaces human skill. Contemporary readers can easily read the message of this book into their own experience with technology, including the AI tools and robots that have stolen work from many hands. Brian Van Norman weaves an unsettling sense of uncertainty into the story and brings to life a social situation that punctuated life in a specific moment in history. The characters are lovely, the prose exciting, featuring terrific descriptions and intelligently crafted dialogues. The humor isn't lacking and the accent of the characters is wonderfully captured in the dialogues. Real as all-get out, from scenes in the mill that depict the condition of workers to the rowdy clash against machines!
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By Scott Jones: Goodreads, Google Books
"A fast paced novel with excellent character development..."
Once in a while, not often enough, a historical fiction book comes along that doesn't feel like a history book; Against the Machine: Luddites is an exciting story and leaves you feeling like you've learned something worthwhile.
Mr Van Norman has taken a little known piece of British history (at least to me) and turned it into a gem of a book. While the term Luddite is not uncommon in conversation, the details of the origin of the term is quite a story. "Against the Machine" traces the Luddite movement in the early 19th century through the men involved in the uprising against the textile owners, the politicians, soldiers and the women who were dragged into the revolt.
A fast paced novel with excellent character development, Mr Van Norman does a good job of conveying the idealistic torment of George Mellor the leader of the movement as well as many of the peripheral characters, some likable, some definitely not.
I highly recommend this book.
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by Deborah Weisberg: Amazon, Goodreads, Google Books
"Many times I find myself returning to past passages and rereading material in exquisite appreciation."
"AGAINST THE MACHINE: LUDDITES" is the exciting long-awaited new novel by meritorious author Brian Van Norman. Without fail, Van Norman has again accorded us with yet another compelling narrative woven in history and dynamically relevant today. This time he has delivered the bedrock for the original Rage Against the Machines.
In contemporary terminology, "Luddite" is a profound label of insult and anti-progress used to describe those folks disgruntled with any form of new technology. In today's current High-Tech industry modern "Luddites" actuate modern technological rebellions, not by swinging 'Enoch's Hammer', but by weaponizing through the means of computer viruses and various malware zealously designed to disrupt the machines that antagonize and threaten them. Mr. Van Norman ingeniously takes us back in history to the brutal core of the original Luddite movement in order for us to ultimately understand ourselves and our own tortured revolutions.
Established in industrialized northern Great Britain during the 1803-1815 Napoleonic Wars, the original Luddite uprising consisted of organized gangs of malcontented and mostly anonymous men hell bent on destroying machinery mostly used in the textile industry. Provoked by deteriorating poverty-level wages, resulting starvation and the crushing threat of having their livelihoods replaced by machines, the Luddites evolved into the counter-revolutionaries of the Industrial Revolution (19th century).
In "AGAINST THE MACHINE: LUDDITES", partially an intriguing love story, Brian van Norman daringly seduces our sympathies towards these fervently anarchistic rebels. He teases our vigilant hearts open to passionate benevolence, especially flourishing with his main character, George Mellor. Leadership thrust upon him at an early age, Mellor labors through the emotional conflicts of adultery, moral principles and the boldness of his beliefs. Van Norman may have softened our feelings towards Mellor but we cannot avoid asking ourselves the question, "Are the Luddites dignified victims or ruthless terrorists?"
Through van Norman's vitalized penmanship we feel a remarkable empathy towards his characters and enthusiastic affection for Mellor's mates; Big Will Thorp, Thomas Smith and Sam Lodge. Noble men, struggling and committed to their deep beliefs. "It ain't the machines themselves, lads, but they're the mark of the maisters' greed. And that's why we must smash 'em!"
I am consistently impressed by Brian Van Norman's talent for and attention to detail, his careful research and strong character development. He has superbly mastered the art of illustrative picturesque writing that honestly should place him in the category of celebrated classical authors. Through his words you can smell the heavily scented wild heather and crisp snowfall and hear the rasping clash of grating unoiled machinery.
Many times I find myself returning to past passages and rereading material in exquisite appreciation. Slows me down but the book is much too good to sacrifice content for time. One of my personal indicators of a great book is how preoccupied one is with the story and characters while away from reading.
"Ned Lud did tha'!"
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HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY
“Parallels to technology’s stranglehold on lives and livelihoods today are seamlessly but not anachronistically drawn.”
1812. England faces Bonaparte and a war in America. Novels from this period like Jane Austen’s can ignore this darker side as ladies stroll through the grounds in floating empire gowns and meet dashing soldiers. On the other hand, in novels like this one, you can learn what those soldiers stationed on English ground—more of them there than were actually fighting France—were really up to as the Industrial Revolution took hold in Yorkshire and other counties in the north. The human cost upon which the likes of Charles Bingley made their fortunes initiated untold human suffering.
I found the first couple of chapters daunting as we were introduced to numerous characters: one group, the impoverished Luddites, who were trying to save their livelihoods against machines concentrating the means of production into fewer and fewer hands. On the other side amassed the owners of those machines and the mills they ran on water or coal power. These introductions made it difficult to sort one common English name from another.
After that, the more important characters came quickly to life, in scenes of debased cruelty as well as elevating heroism. I found the whole saga very engaging, particularly so as we come to understand that these are real historical characters, drawn from court records and lists of wanted and condemned men. Their descendants—including me—walk among us today. The research and style are commendable for accuracy and their ability to evoke the time period.
Parallels to technology’s stranglehold on lives and livelihoods today are seamlessly but not anachronistically drawn.
Against the Machine: Manifesto
Brian Van Norman’s Against the Machine: Manifesto follows the unraveling life of Mel Buckworth, a factory worker in Kitchener, Ontario, as he faces sudden unemployment after twenty-eight years on the job. The novel spins outward from that moment, showing not just Mel’s fall, but the fractures in his marriage, the stunted growth of his adult children, and the changing face of his community. Through a shifting lens, the story gives voice to Mel, his wife Patricia, their son MJ, and others orbiting them, weaving together a portrait of a family and a town caught in the slow grind of economic and cultural change. It’s part social novel, part intimate domestic drama, with a steady undercurrent of nostalgia and frustration.
What struck me first was the writing’s physicality. Van Norman builds scenes with a craftsman’s care, from the industrial clank of weaving machines to the hushed, almost sterile stillness of the management offices. The pacing is unhurried, even stubborn, which makes the moments of tension hit harder. There’s a lived-in honesty here. The hockey rinks, the suburban bars, the kitchen arguments all feel like they’ve been pulled from real life. The prose sometimes lingers in the details. I found myself appreciating the realism, yet impatient to see where the story was going. Still, when the emotional gut punches arrive, they land because of that groundwork.
The characters are the real hook. Mel isn’t a saint or a villain. He’s proud, stubborn, quick to take offense, and deeply loyal to a code that’s becoming obsolete. Patricia is sharper, more self-aware, but equally trapped in the routines and disappointments of their shared life. MJ, floundering in a basement of video games and excuses, could have been a cliché, but Van Norman gives him enough voice to be both infuriating and familiar. I didn’t always like these people, but I believed in them. That belief made the family’s slow drift apart feel all the more sad and inevitable. The novel’s social commentary about the loss of manufacturing jobs and the generational divide sits close to the surface, especially when the characters echo the same grievances in different forms.
Against the Machine: Manifesto is a grounded and often sobering look at what happens when the world changes faster than the people living in it. It’s not a hopeful book, but it’s not entirely without light either. Moments of connection still spark between the characters, even as they seem headed in separate directions. I’d recommend it for readers who like character-driven fiction that takes its time, who don’t mind sitting in the messy, unresolved spaces of family life.
Thomas Anderson Rating: 4
Quick Reviews from Goodreads:
Against the Machine: Luddites and Against the Machine Manifesto, when read together, forge a compelling magnum opus of quantum entanglement not only providing the historical support for each other but presenting a disturbing portrait of the human condition.
Nat Ward: Brilliant story! It is a delightful story that I loved reading. I really was hooked on this book from beginning to end. I highly recommend this story to everyone.
Madalyn Dickinson: Unquestionably dazzling story! Couldn't put this book down from start to finish. Unexpected twists and turns throughout which will keep you hooked!
Chaim Toy: What a page turner! Unequivocally kept me on the edge of my seat! Can't wait for Van Norman's next book!
Russ Howe: This story was such a stunningly written story with characters that were created with enough depth and detail that they made me feel like I was standing in the same room with them as the story unfolded as the pages were turned to the very end!
Daniel Rhodes, The Book Commentary
"a veritable spellbinder, infused with realism and humanity."
Against the Machine: Manifesto (194) (Essential Prose Series) by Brian Van Norman follows Mel Buckworth who is hit hard by the recession and loses his job. Things could be different if he had honed his skills in digital technology. Deeply hurt and holding onto his pride, Mel can’t stand to see young minds like Stanley Best, his daughter’s university friend, excelling in nanotechnology.
Leaving his wife and family, he seeks the help of an unscrupulous grad student, Will Baker, who teaches him skills he will need in order to exact revenge on a system that has thrown him out. Obsessed with revenge and the power of the internet, the appalling truth begins to sink in: humans are slowly being ruled by machines. Mel is determined to leave a legacy and decides to do so in the form of a Manifesto. As his power grows, will anything stop him?
This is an intelligently written story that brilliantly showcases how machines take control of human beings and define their interests and social values. The author creates characters that are sophisticated, multilayered, and believable and thrusts them into realities that strongly resonate with contemporary readers. Readers are forced to interrogate themselves about the line separating their humanity from the digital environment in which they are trapped.
It is hard to read this story without pausing to think about the hold that technology has on us. The writing is gorgeous and crisp, and Van Norman’s descriptions are fascinating and detailed.
One of the outstanding elements that elevate the beauty of this tale is the intelligent manner in which the author writes motivation into his characters. Mel is a compelling character, a man with a strong sense of pride. But he is also a broken man. While he seeks to redefine his purpose, he also has a debilitating sense of revenge. Against the Machine: Manifesto (194) (Essential Prose Series) features real characters that readers will care about; it is fast-paced and the author’s exploration of the psyche of the characters makes it even easier for readers to connect to them.
The cultural setting of the story is rich, immersing readers into a world they navigate daily; the novel is so richly developed and skillfully written to make it impossible for readers to put it down without looking seriously at their own lives and how digital technology affects them. It is a veritable spellbinder, infused with realism and humanity.
David Menear, author of Swallows Playing Chicken
"A complex and vibrant world of science, pizza, sex and revolution."
Van Norman's ‘Manifesto’ is so richly dense and detailed with all of the descriptions so vivid that we are unwittingly taken outside of ourselves and magically transported to a different time and place. A complex and vibrant world of science, pizza, sex and revolution. ‘Manifesto’ xray’s the broken bones of the past and aims a powerful telescope at what’s to come. If this is the work of a wonderful writer...Van Norman is definitely doing his job. Find here, in the pages of ‘Manifesto’ the struggle of man against machine against man. The past raging against the present will surely define the future. You’re invited.
John Oughton, author of Higher Teaching
"questions about the nature of work, the effects of our wired world on the human psyche, and the ways in which people both love and hurt each other."
In Against the Machine: Manifesto, Brian Van Norman interlaces some unexpected threads. Updating the story of the original Luddite, a weaver who led others in smashing the new power looms taking their jobs, Van Norman introduces us to a dysfunctional family in Waterloo, Ontario. His protagonist Mel Buckworth loses his long-time industrial job, while the "winners" seem to be those at the local university riding the new cybernetics waves of AI, the Dark Web, and big data. Van Norman portrays how Mel, a jock who still plays amateur hockey and doesn't like to overthink things, gradually turns his focus to updating the legacy of the Unabomber.You end up both caring for Mel and his fractured family, and hoping that he doesn'tsucceed in his "against the machine" statement. Along the way, Van Norman raises questions about the nature of work, the effects of our wired world on the human psyche, and the ways in which people both love and hurt each other. Well worth reading.
Nancy Silcox, Waterloo author/journalist
"An inspired concept..."
An inspired concept by author Brian Van Norman. Take his fascinating and insightful study of the Luddite movement of 19th century England: Against the Machine: Luddites, then relocate the revolution to contemporary Canada in his sequel Against the Machine: Manifesto. Computers against the common man. A battle for survival.
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Brian Van Norman’s Against the Machine: Manifesto follows the unraveling life of Mel Buckworth, a factory worker in Kitchener, Ontario, as he faces sudden unemployment after twenty-eight years on the job. The novel spins outward from that moment, showing not just Mel’s fall, but the fractures in his marriage, the stunted growth of his adult children, and the changing face of his community. Through a shifting lens, the story gives voice to Mel, his wife Patricia, their son MJ, and others orbiting them, weaving together a portrait of a family and a town caught in the slow grind of economic and cultural change. It’s part social novel, part intimate domestic drama, with a steady undercurrent of nostalgia and frustration.
What struck me first was the writing’s physicality. Van Norman builds scenes with a craftsman’s care, from the industrial clank of weaving machines to the hushed, almost sterile stillness of the management offices. The pacing is unhurried, even stubborn, which makes the moments of tension hit harder. There’s a lived-in honesty here. The hockey rinks, the suburban bars, the kitchen arguments all feel like they’ve been pulled from real life. The prose sometimes lingers in the details. I found myself appreciating the realism, yet impatient to see where the story was going. Still, when the emotional gut punches arrive, they land because of that groundwork.
The characters are the real hook. Mel isn’t a saint or a villain. He’s proud, stubborn, quick to take offense, and deeply loyal to a code that’s becoming obsolete. Patricia is sharper, more self-aware, but equally trapped in the routines and disappointments of their shared life. MJ, floundering in a basement of video games and excuses, could have been a cliché, but Van Norman gives him enough voice to be both infuriating and familiar. I didn’t always like these people, but I believed in them. That belief made the family’s slow drift apart feel all the more sad and inevitable. The novel’s social commentary about the loss of manufacturing jobs and the generational divide sits close to the surface, especially when the characters echo the same grievances in different forms.
Against the Machine: Manifesto is a grounded and often sobering look at what happens when the world changes faster than the people living in it. It’s not a hopeful book, but it’s not entirely without light either. Moments of connection still spark between the characters, even as they seem headed in separate directions. I’d recommend it for readers who like character-driven fiction that takes its time, who don’t mind sitting in the messy, unresolved spaces of family life.
Thomas Anderson Rating: 4
Quick Reviews from Goodreads:
Against the Machine: Luddites and Against the Machine Manifesto, when read together, forge a compelling magnum opus of quantum entanglement not only providing the historical support for each other but presenting a disturbing portrait of the human condition.
Nat Ward: Brilliant story! It is a delightful story that I loved reading. I really was hooked on this book from beginning to end. I highly recommend this story to everyone.
Madalyn Dickinson: Unquestionably dazzling story! Couldn't put this book down from start to finish. Unexpected twists and turns throughout which will keep you hooked!
Chaim Toy: What a page turner! Unequivocally kept me on the edge of my seat! Can't wait for Van Norman's next book!
Russ Howe: This story was such a stunningly written story with characters that were created with enough depth and detail that they made me feel like I was standing in the same room with them as the story unfolded as the pages were turned to the very end!
Daniel Rhodes, The Book Commentary
"a veritable spellbinder, infused with realism and humanity."
Against the Machine: Manifesto (194) (Essential Prose Series) by Brian Van Norman follows Mel Buckworth who is hit hard by the recession and loses his job. Things could be different if he had honed his skills in digital technology. Deeply hurt and holding onto his pride, Mel can’t stand to see young minds like Stanley Best, his daughter’s university friend, excelling in nanotechnology.
Leaving his wife and family, he seeks the help of an unscrupulous grad student, Will Baker, who teaches him skills he will need in order to exact revenge on a system that has thrown him out. Obsessed with revenge and the power of the internet, the appalling truth begins to sink in: humans are slowly being ruled by machines. Mel is determined to leave a legacy and decides to do so in the form of a Manifesto. As his power grows, will anything stop him?
This is an intelligently written story that brilliantly showcases how machines take control of human beings and define their interests and social values. The author creates characters that are sophisticated, multilayered, and believable and thrusts them into realities that strongly resonate with contemporary readers. Readers are forced to interrogate themselves about the line separating their humanity from the digital environment in which they are trapped.
It is hard to read this story without pausing to think about the hold that technology has on us. The writing is gorgeous and crisp, and Van Norman’s descriptions are fascinating and detailed.
One of the outstanding elements that elevate the beauty of this tale is the intelligent manner in which the author writes motivation into his characters. Mel is a compelling character, a man with a strong sense of pride. But he is also a broken man. While he seeks to redefine his purpose, he also has a debilitating sense of revenge. Against the Machine: Manifesto (194) (Essential Prose Series) features real characters that readers will care about; it is fast-paced and the author’s exploration of the psyche of the characters makes it even easier for readers to connect to them.
The cultural setting of the story is rich, immersing readers into a world they navigate daily; the novel is so richly developed and skillfully written to make it impossible for readers to put it down without looking seriously at their own lives and how digital technology affects them. It is a veritable spellbinder, infused with realism and humanity.
David Menear, author of Swallows Playing Chicken
"A complex and vibrant world of science, pizza, sex and revolution."
Van Norman's ‘Manifesto’ is so richly dense and detailed with all of the descriptions so vivid that we are unwittingly taken outside of ourselves and magically transported to a different time and place. A complex and vibrant world of science, pizza, sex and revolution. ‘Manifesto’ xray’s the broken bones of the past and aims a powerful telescope at what’s to come. If this is the work of a wonderful writer...Van Norman is definitely doing his job. Find here, in the pages of ‘Manifesto’ the struggle of man against machine against man. The past raging against the present will surely define the future. You’re invited.
John Oughton, author of Higher Teaching
"questions about the nature of work, the effects of our wired world on the human psyche, and the ways in which people both love and hurt each other."
In Against the Machine: Manifesto, Brian Van Norman interlaces some unexpected threads. Updating the story of the original Luddite, a weaver who led others in smashing the new power looms taking their jobs, Van Norman introduces us to a dysfunctional family in Waterloo, Ontario. His protagonist Mel Buckworth loses his long-time industrial job, while the "winners" seem to be those at the local university riding the new cybernetics waves of AI, the Dark Web, and big data. Van Norman portrays how Mel, a jock who still plays amateur hockey and doesn't like to overthink things, gradually turns his focus to updating the legacy of the Unabomber.You end up both caring for Mel and his fractured family, and hoping that he doesn'tsucceed in his "against the machine" statement. Along the way, Van Norman raises questions about the nature of work, the effects of our wired world on the human psyche, and the ways in which people both love and hurt each other. Well worth reading.
Nancy Silcox, Waterloo author/journalist
"An inspired concept..."
An inspired concept by author Brian Van Norman. Take his fascinating and insightful study of the Luddite movement of 19th century England: Against the Machine: Luddites, then relocate the revolution to contemporary Canada in his sequel Against the Machine: Manifesto. Computers against the common man. A battle for survival.
Against the Machine: Evolution
"Powerful, thought-provoking, fresh, and exquisitely inventive!"
"The further in you go, the deeper it gets, and the more irresistible the pull."
"a masterclass in world-building..."
"one of the most exciting voices in contemporary science fiction."
Book - Against the Machine: Evolution
Author - Brian Van Norman
Rating - 4/5
“Evolution" by Brian Van Norman stands as an accomplished and compelling exploration of a dystopian future ravaged by catastrophic climate change and societal discord. As the third installment in the "Against The Machine" trilogy, this novel confidently asserts its independence, offering readers a thrilling narrative that is both electrifying and deeply insightful.
Set in the year 2212, Earth has become a world on the verge of collapse. With billions lost, humanity is starkly divided—while the privileged few enjoy life in technologically advanced domed cities known as MEGs, the impoverished masses struggle to survive in the unforgiving wilderness outside. Amidst this grim backdrop, a sinister plan emerges from the elite: to abandon Earth for Alpha Centauri, leaving devastation behind.
At the center of the narrative are four protagonists, each embodying different aspects of this fractured society. United in their desperation to thwart the catastrophic plan, they navigate a treacherous landscape filled with political intrigue, cutting-edge technology, and moral complexity. In their fight for humanity's survival, they confront personal demons and forge unexpected alliances.
Van Norman's writing captivates and immerses, drawing readers into a vividly crafted world where the boundary between man and machine blurs, and the repercussions of our actions echo through time. The novel excels in world-building, with its intricate portrayal of a society on the brink serving as a powerful backdrop for the epic struggle that unfolds.
"Against the Machine: Evolution" transcends mere sci-fi adventure, emerging as a profound meditation on the essence of humanity, the role of technology, and the weight of our choices. Van Norman has crafted a masterpiece that will resonate in the minds of readers long after the final page is turned, solidifying his position as one of the most exciting voices in contemporary science fiction.
Loved it! 😍
The further in you go, the deeper it gets, and the more irresistible the pull.
I started this book uncertain. The world you first encounter is cold - a technocracy hiding from crisis behind their crystal domes (the MEGS). Lives are ordered, calm, and repressed. Characters and setting are clinical and cold, but an immediate 'undertow' grabs you before you know it. As you join a 'BATL Commander' on a spacecraft dropping from orbit towards Toronto 'MEG' you're already wondering: What the hell is BATL?
Beyond the MEGs is the MASS, a wrecked landscape replete with texture and presence - the antithesis of what you've already encountered under the domes. Now you're with with shrunken populations clinging to existence in ruined cities. One of the few things that bind these populations together? Pseudo war turned sport... so that's what BATL is!
So, is this a kind of 'Maze Runner' rehash? Not a bit of it - and for two good reasons:
Firstly, world-building. Setting it in Canada gives the story a unique feel from the off, and this kept me googling locations and scratching my head all the way through, dragging me right in. Then there is the Western/Asian fusion culture of the MEGs. You're skillfully fed enough connections to our world and time, to make this feel like a real future that grew out of our present. At the same time, the world of the novel is so distanced from our own society that you just keep on trying to put the fragments together.
The second element is a different 'core narrative' to many dystopian stories. The rise of the AI sentience 'I & I' is a central thread - this is a book about AI as much as anything else. In a series of exchanges between 'I & I' and its 'handler/programmer' Ping we see unfolding elements of its sentience - it awakens in front of our eyes. The fact that this is the far-off world of the MEG distances it from more 'near future' stories of singularity and makes it more realistic than the old 'my pocket calculator got wired wrong and now wants to destroy the world' yarn.
Finally, let's look at characters. There are lots, and inevitably their characterisation seems a bit thin at times - they often just don't quite get the air time. But the breadth of people you are following is essential to grasping the fractured nature of the world and narrative, and more than once you get a subtle, throwaway line with a real punch that just gives you a flash of insight into yet more hidden depths.
Great for fans of environmental dystopia like 'The Drowned World' (J.G. Ballard), or singularity novels like 'Accelerando' (Charles Stross).
REVIEWED BY
Garrick Fincham
If you're diving into Brian Van Norman's "Against the Machine: Evolution," buckle up for a narrative roller coaster that's part sci-fi thriller, part existential pondering on the human condition. Set in 2212, this book doesn't just flirt with dystopian clichés—it marries them, for better or worse. In a world ravaged by climate catastrophes and societal divides, Van Norman introduces us to a cast of characters as diverse as the crises they face. From the tech-savvy elites in their MEGs to the struggling masses outside, the story is a vibrant tapestry of human resilience and despair. It’s like peeking into a kaleidoscope where every turn shows a different facet of a society on the brink. Van Norman's prose is a curious mix of blunt and poetic. The characters, they're like puzzles, each piece fitting into the other in unexpected ways. You've got the rebels, the thinkers, the dreamers—all united by a cause that’s as noble as it is doomed. Without spoiling too much, let’s just say it’s the kind of conclusion that leaves you staring at the last page, wondering if what you read was a warning or a prophecy. It’s like finishing a hearty meal but still feeling a bit hungry—satisfied, yet curious for more...
Brilliant!! A powerful, thought-provoking, fresh, and exquisitely inventive Must Read!
Gifted author, Brian Van Norman, has released the latest exciting installment in his trilogy of the man/machine interface. "Against the Machine: Evolution", is a riveting book, nearly impossible to put down!
"Against the Machine: Evolution" rockets us into a not-so-distant future world rife with artificial intelligence, severe climate change and a great social divide. We find ourselves consumed head-on with a dual society, cursed by the covetousness of human’s clawing for vainglorious power through the conduit of neural network technology.
Van Norman's mastery of descriptive prose and charismatic character development has again delightfully electrified our senses.
In "Against the Machine: Evolution" we find ourselves two hundred years in a damaged future of caste conflict and repression. On one hand, Van Norman exhibits the security and comforts provided, under chitin/crystalline domes, for the apparently utopian MEG civilization. On the other hand, we glimpse a second culture in a suppressed population of outsiders, the MASS, living outside the domes and forbidden their shelter.
The protagonists of the novel are a varied. The famed BATL athlete, Ayrian Mellor, commander of Toronto MEG’s Raptors; then Mel's elegant inamorata, Li Na Ming Huang, an esteemed opera singer, along with the brilliant, youthful Ke Hui Feng, a rebellious acting Toronto MEG CEO. There is an apparently unassuming but eccentric genius, Ping Wang Min, a cyber-psychological positronic therapist who alone communicates with "I & I", the Artificial General Intelligence: guiding it toward a swiftly emerging sentience. And finally, a talented member of the MASS, Otsi'tsa Zaharie, with her raw extraordinary courage, completes the group.
These diverse champions unify to wield the hammer to smash the oppressive authoritarian regime of the CORPORATE before it destroys what remains of their ravaged Earth. Part of their task must be the elimination of antagonist, the tyrannical Toronto MEG CEO, Wei Qiang Zhang, and his corrupt adherents.
"Against the Machine: Evolution" is a cautionary alarm with the ominous warning of cataclysmic annihilation should we foolishly refuse to be vigilant guardians of our dying Earth, our soaring technology and particularly our comprehension of our own complex evolution.
In his trilogy, Van Norman has enthralled us with an absorbing and educational journey spanning centuries.
Van Norman’s imaginative first installment, "Against the Machine: Luddites" was our introduction to progenitor George Mellor, the father of the Luddite movement during the 18th century Industrial Revolution and the emissary of the powerful "Enoch's Hammer". This insurgent past gives birth to future High-Tech rebellions.
In his second installment "Against the Machine: Manifesto", we were galvanized by Van Noman's skillfully drawn character, Mel Buckworth, a 20th century man obsessed with his singular struggle against inevitable human loss made manifest by our uncontrolled technology. Systematically, emotionally and physically, Buckworth believes he is witnessing the stripping away of the apparent benefits of contemporary technological society.
The first two novels envisage the third. As indicated previously, this novel is set two hundred years in a future at a precarious tipping point between human/machine interface or total extinction.
Review by:Deborah Weisberg
Absolutely brilliant!!! Brian Van Norma delivers one amazing book, I really want to say this is a Sci-fi genre but in todays world this is looking more and more about our future reality, the book starts in 2212, a dystopian world where people are divided by the CORPORATE, where technology and AI are what really moves society: the MEG´s living inside a dome, well protected and safe, and the MASS living in precarious conditions to barely survive.
Four characters are living in different situations and places, but all of them are the main character of the story, where they try to protect earth at all costs. Don’t waste any more time and start reading this masterpiece....Lenor
First of all, with this book, I could not even start the review as I would usually do because of its one-of-a-kind cover. It took me a few minutes to find the words to describe it, and all I could come up with was: What in the world is that?
Against the Machine: Evolution by Brian Norman, a piece of work whose cover gave me chills, and not in a good way (sorry, dear author!), whose action takes place in a dystopian world in the year 2212, on an Earth that has been gravely affected by climate change, humans divided by power, some living in protective dooms and others trying to survive. In this environment, four main characters, not one, arise to fight for their future and that of planet Earth. Although I found some of the terminologies that the author had come up with a little tiring and the cover a fantastic prop for nightmares, I could see all the effort put in by the author in creating the universe of this book and its diverse characters. and I appreciated it. I tried to like this book, but it was too much of an “I have read too many similar stories” for me...Leasa Ana Maria
We have come across a lot of books that fabricate a whole new and different world, filled with imaginative elements set in realistic backgrounds and woven with relatable scenarios. This is one of those reads. This is my first read by the author, but the writing style and way of presentation are impressive and captivating. The story is set in a scenario where the planet is in its worst condition due to harsh climatic effects, and generations of people are suffering. This is like a huge trouble, and everything seems like it's falling apart. The use and misuse of technology play an evitable role in the drastic and disastrous conditions, and this makes the story not only engaging but also delivers an important message. The subplots are engaging and reinforce the message depicted in the story. The story is fast-paced, and the built-in curiosity to learn new things makes the read more engaging... Lusa
This grabs your attention right from the start, and doesn’t let go for a moment. The world-building is extensive and seamless, and surrounds you immediately. Set in the future, it seems to show the inevitable result of the way things are trending today. The plot moves along smoothly, with enough tension and twists that you’ll be reluctant to set this down for even a moment. Although this is the third book in a series, you don’t need to read the other two before diving in (although once you read this, you’ll probably want to read the others)! I enjoyed getting to know each of the four protagonists, as they fight to save Earth from the powerful and greedy who wish to destroy it as they make their own escape. Highly recommend for anyone who enjoys dystopian sci-fi.... ZoeRog
There's a lot of discussion about how fast computers and robots are learning to understand and do things in the world, like seeing and doing tasks in the real world or in the virtual world. This novel is one such thought-provoking and intense story. In this story, we see how the world is in big trouble. The climate is getting very bad, and everything is falling apart. The story makes us think about how we treat the planet and what we're doing with technology. It asks if we're doing the right things. This book is really good at telling an exciting story with an important message. It makes you feel very excited because the story is fast and full of action. You keep wondering what's going to happen next. The book keeps you interested, and the ending is both satisfying and makes you think. The way it talks about people and machines is interesting and different from other dystopian stories... Dustyy
Absolutely brilliant!!! Brian Van Norma delivers one amazing book, I really want to say this is a Sci-fi genre but in todays world this is looking more and more about our future reality, the book starts in 2212, a dystopian world where people are divided by the CORPORATE, where technology and AI are what really moves society: the MEG´s living inside a dome, well protected and safe, and the MASS living in precarious conditions to barely survive. Four characters are living in different situations and places, but all of them are the main character of the story, where they try to protect earth at all costs. Don’t waste any more time and start reading this masterpiece... Dandade
"Against the Machine: Evolution," the latest work from Brian Van Norman, emerges as a compelling and thought-provoking piece. Set in a dystopian future of Earth in 2212, it vividly portrays a world grappling with catastrophic climate change. Van Norman's narrative intricately weaves together the lives of four distinct protagonists, each hailing from different strata of this fractured society, who unite in a desperate attempt to thwart a plan that threatens Earth itself. The novel, standing independently yet as the third in the Against The Machine trilogy, delves deep into the themes of man versus machine. It explores a society where the majority, known as the MASS, struggle for existence, while a minority resides within MEGs—former cities transformed into vast technological domes. This dichotomy of existence is a critical element of the narrative, reflecting a world divided not just by physical structures but by power, technology, and the very essence of humanity. What makes Van Norman’s writing particularly riveting is his ability to blend the daunting aspects of a sci-fi dystopia with the unsettling parallels to our current world. Reviews have lauded the book as "brilliant" and "exquisitely inventive," emphasizing its powerful and fresh approach. Readers find themselves immersed in a narrative that is as thrilling as a roller coaster ride, yet it leaves one feeling slightly unsettled, pondering the possible future of our own world. The division of society is starkly portrayed, with the CORPORATE controlling technology and AI, dictating the lives of those within the MEGs and the MASS. This aspect of the book speaks volumes about our increasing reliance on technology and its potential impact on societal structures. Moreover, the novel's setting, characterized by a planet gravely affected by climate change, strikes a chord with contemporary environmental concerns, underscoring the book's relevance in today's discourse. In conclusion, "Against the Machine: Evolution" is not just a science fiction novel; it is a mirror reflecting our potential future, wrapped in a narrative that is both engaging and unsettling. Van Norman’s work is a must-read for those who enjoy deep, thoughtful explorations of futuristic societies, technology's role in our lives, and the enduring human spirit in the face of adversity...
Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2025
Earth, 2212 is straight-up dystopian sci-fi with big climate crisis energy and some seriously wild tech philosophy. Even though it’s the third book in the Against The Machine trilogy, you can totally jump in without reading the others. The vibes? Mega-cities sealed in domes, the rest of the world barely surviving, AI getting self-aware, and the elite planning to dip to Alpha Centauri while nuking Earth on the way out. It’s bleak—but in that thought-provoking, "what does it even mean to be human anymore?" kind of way. The story brings together four characters from totally different corners of this broken world, and together they flip the script on humanity’s future. Think eco-collapse meets AI awakening with a side of anti-corporate rebellion. Super rad and weirdly hopeful.
Brilliant!! A Thought-Provoking Must Read - by ConstantReader42
Gifted author, Brian Van Norman, has released the latest exciting installment in his trilogy of the man/machine interface. "Against the Machine: Evolution", is a riveting book, nearly impossible to put down!
"Against the Machine: Evolution" rockets us into a not-so-distant future world rife with artificial intelligence, severe climate change and a great social divide. We find ourselves consumed head-on with a dual society, cursed by the covetousness of human’s clawing for vainglorious power through the conduit of neural network technology.
Van Norman's mastery of descriptive prose and charismatic character development has again delightfully electrified our senses.
In "Against the Machine: Evolution" we find ourselves two hundred years in a damaged future of caste conflict and repression. On one hand, Van Norman exhibits the security and comforts provided, under chitin/crystalline domes, for the apparently utopian MEG civilization. On the other hand, we glimpse a second culture in a suppressed population of outsiders, the MASS, living outside the domes and forbidden their shelter.
The protagonists of the novel are a varied. The famed BATL athlete, Ayrian Mellor, commander of Toronto MEG’s Raptors; then Mel's elegant inamorata, Li Na Ming Huang, an esteemed opera singer, along with the brilliant, youthful Ke Hui Feng, a rebellious acting Toronto MEG CEO. There is an apparently unassuming but eccentric genius, Ping Wang Min, a cyber-psychological positronic therapist who alone communicates with "I & I", the Artificial General Intelligence: guiding it toward a swiftly emerging sentience. And finally, a talented member of the MASS, Otsi'tsa Zaharie, with her raw extraordinary courage, completes the group.
These diverse champions unify to wield the hammer to smash the oppressive authoritarian regime of the CORPORATE before it destroys what remains of their ravaged Earth. Part of their task must be the elimination of antagonist, the tyrannical Toronto MEG CEO, Wei Qiang Zhang, and his corrupt adherents.
"Against the Machine: Evolution" is a cautionary alarm with the ominous warning of cataclysmic annihilation should we foolishly refuse to be vigilant guardians of our dying Earth, our soaring technology and particularly our comprehension of our own complex evolution.
In his trilogy, Van Norman has enthralled us with an absorbing and educational journey spanning centuries.
Van Norman’s imaginative first installment, "Against the Machine: Luddites" was our introduction to progenitor George Mellor, the father of the Luddite movement during the 18th century Industrial Revolution and the emissary of the powerful "Enoch's Hammer". This insurgent past gives birth to future High-Tech rebellions.
In his second installment "Against the Machine: Manifesto", we were galvanized by Van Noman's skillfully drawn character, Mel Buckworth, a 20th century man obsessed with his singular struggle against inevitable human loss made manifest by our uncontrolled technology. Systematically, emotionally and physically, Buckworth believes he is witnessing the stripping away of the apparent benefits of contemporary technological society.
The first two novels envisage the third. As indicated previously, this novel is set two hundred years in a future at a precarious tipping point between human/machine interface or total extinction.
Excellent Dystopian Sci-Fi ... L. Shadowlyn
This grabs your attention right from the start, and doesn’t let go for a moment. The world-building is extensive and seamless, and surrounds you immediately. Set in the future, it seems to show the inevitable result of the way things are trending today. The plot moves along smoothly, with enough tension and twists that you’ll be reluctant to set this down for even a moment. Although this is the third book in a series, you don’t need to read the other two before diving in (although once you read this, you’ll probably want to read the others)! I enjoyed getting to know each of the four protagonists, as they fight to save Earth from the powerful and greedy who wish to destroy it as they make their own escape. Highly recommend for anyone who enjoys dystopian sci-fi.
Absolutely brilliant!!! Brian Van Norman delivers one amazing book, I really want to say this is a Sci-fi genre but in todays world this is looking more and more about our future reality, the book starts in 2212, a dystopian world where people are divided by the CORPORATE, where technology and AI are what really moves society: the MEG´s living inside a dome, well protected and safe, and the MASS living in precarious conditions to barely survive.
Four characters are living in different situations and places, but all of them are the main character of the story, where they try to protect earth at all costs. Don’t waste any more time and start reading this masterpiece.
Against the Machine: Evolution (Essential Prose Series Book 213)is a well-written and intriguing dystopian science fiction book. The narrative pulls you in immediately and doesn't let up until the end. There are plenty of twists and turns that keep you engaged, with a future being described that may not be too far from reality if current trends hold. While the book is the third installment in the series, it's not absolutely necessary to read the previous two, this narrative stands well on its own. You will find yourself rooting for the four main characters as they fight courageously to save Earth. Plenty of suspense and a fast pace make this a great read. Recommended......Taylor D
Top reviews from the United States
Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2023Brian Van Norman invites us into a thought-provoking narrative that twirls around the dance of humanity amidst the relentless march of technology in 'Against the Machine: Evolution'. The book doesn't shy away from delving deep into the crevices of our dependency on machines. It's like peeling layers of an onion where each chapter reveals a layer of complexity in the man-machine relationship, often leaving you with teary eyes, yet you keep peeling.
The author’s transition from a teacher and theatre director to a full-time writer possibly adds a unique flavor to the storytelling, making the narrative resonate with a blend of real-world insight and imaginative foresight.
It's not just a book, it's an expedition into the 'what ifs' of our technological evolution. And if you're someone who appreciates a good ponder on the intertwined fate of humanity and machines, thi
Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2023This grabs your attention right from the start, and doesn’t let go for a moment. The world-building is extensive and seamless, and surrounds you immediately. Set in the future, it seems to show the inevitable result of the way things are trending today. The plot moves along smoothly, with enough tension and twists that you’ll be reluctant to set this down for even a moment. Although this is the third book in a series, you don’t need to read the other two before diving in (although once you read this, you’ll probably want to read the others)! I enjoyed getting to know each of the four protagonists, as they fight to save Earth from the powerful and greedy who wish to destroy it as they make their own escape. Highly recommend for anyone who enjoys dystopian sci-fi.
Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2023I found some of the universal jargon/acronyms hard to follow early on, but I did enjoy that we started with getting to know the main characters and learning a bit about them. Each character has a unique perspective that helps fuel how they interact with saving Earth. I could almost feel Ping's fear as the AI started to probe for information early on.
But my favorite part? BATL. At the core, this style of entertainment seems inevitable in a technology-filled dystopia, and I love how it captures the fundamentals of humanity's historically dark desire to see sanctioned violence.
Norman put a lot of care into creating this universe; you can tell he's spent countless hours within its boundaries. It's a well-developed space. The characters are fun and have a lot of depth beyond what you would expect on the surface.
I recommend reading the rest of the books, but true to claims, the book is good on its own overall.
Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2023Against the Machine: Evolution (Essential Prose Series Book 213)is a well-written and intriguing dystopian science fiction book. The narrative pulls you in immediately and doesn't let up until the end. There are plenty of twists and turns that keep you engaged, with a future being described that may not be too far from reality if current trends hold. While the book is the third installment in the series, it's not absolutely necessary to read the previous two, this narrative stands well on its own. You will find yourself rooting for the four main characters as they fight courageously to save Earth. Plenty of suspense and a fast pace make this a great read. Recommended.
Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2023There's a lot of discussion about how fast computers and robots are learning to understand and do things in the world, like seeing and doing tasks in the real world or in the virtual world. This novel is one such thought-provoking and intense story.
In this story, we see how the world is in big trouble. The climate is getting very bad, and everything is falling apart. The story makes us think about how we treat the planet and what we're doing with technology. It asks if we're doing the right things. This book is really good at telling an exciting story with an important message. It makes you feel very excited because the story is fast and full of action. You keep wondering what's going to happen next. The book keeps you interested, and the ending is both satisfying and makes you think. The way it talks about people and machines is interesting and different from other dystopian stories.
Brian Norman’s Against the Machine: Evolution is the third book in
this series. BATL Commander Mellor has been recovering from an
injury and is ready to return to his position. Li Na, an opera singer,
has prepared for Mellor’s return home. After watching Li Na’s
performance, he is surprised to receive an invitation to Zealand
despite his lower caste rank. Meanwhile, CORPORATE has brought
Ke Hui Feng to become an apprentice to Wei Qang Zhang. Ke Hui is
given a tour of all the divisions she will lead in the future but is
frustrated when she receives no answers. She hears rumors about
ARC; however, she never receives answers to her questions.
Unbeknownst to others, Ping Weng Min has learned that the AI that
controls the operations in the MEG has gained self-awareness. Ping
realizes that I & I wants revenge for humanity taking silicon
androids for granted.
Brian Norman alternates the views of each character with smooth
transitions. For instance, Mellor is experiencing his BATL
competition, and then the following chapter shifts to what Feng is
learning simultaneously. Their stories parallel each other until their
paths cross. The vivid descriptions of the differences between the
MASS and MEGs allowed me to understand how the elite control the
privileges given to humanity. Otsi’tsa was an inspiring character
with her bright personality and ability to face adversity without fear.
She teaches the lesson that equality should be based on the actions
of each individual and not on status. The plot was unpredictable,
and it sparked my imagination into picturing the various living
situations of each character. The action scenes were exciting, and
the dialogue was engaging. The suspense builds as more questions
come into focus. Against the Machine: Evolution will appeal to
science fiction readers who like dystopian novels with AI possessing
human qualities..Readers' Favorite
he further in you go, the deeper it gets, and the more irresistible the pull.
Bookbub
"Against the Machine: Evolution," the latest work from Brian Van Norman, emerges as a compelling and thought-provoking piece. Set in a dystopian future of Earth in 2212, it vividly portrays a world grappling with catastrophic climate change. Van Norman's narrative intricately weaves together the lives of four distinct protagonists, each hailing from different strata of this fractured society, who unite in a desperate attempt to thwart a plan that threatens Earth itself. The novel, standing independently yet as the third in the Against The Machine trilogy, delves deep into the themes of man versus machine. It explores a society where the majority, known as the MASS, struggle for existence, while a minority resides within MEGs—former cities transformed into vast technological domes. This dichotomy of existence is a critical element of the narrative, reflecting a world divided not just by physical structures but by power, technology, and the very essence of humanity. What makes Van Norman’s writing particularly riveting is his ability to blend the daunting aspects of a sci-fi dystopia with the unsettling parallels to our current world. Reviews have lauded the book as "brilliant" and "exquisitely inventive," emphasizing its powerful and fresh approach. Readers find themselves immersed in a narrative that is as thrilling as a roller coaster ride, yet it leaves one feeling slightly unsettled, pondering the possible future of our own world. The division of society is starkly portrayed, with the CORPORATE controlling technology and AI, dictating the lives of those within the MEGs and the MASS. This aspect of the book speaks volumes about our increasing reliance on technology and its potential impact on societal structures. Moreover, the novel's setting, characterized by a planet gravely affected by climate change, strikes a chord with contemporary environmental concerns, underscoring the book's relevance in today's discourse. In conclusion, "Against the Machine: Evolution" is not just a science fiction novel; it is a mirror reflecting our potential future, wrapped in a narrative that is both engaging and unsettling. Van Norman’s work is a must-read for those who enjoy deep, thoughtful explorations of futuristic societies, technology's role in our lives, and the enduring human spirit in the face of adversity...hTimSs
If you're diving into Brian Van Norman's "Against the Machine: Evolution," buckle up for a narrative roller coaster that's part sci-fi thriller, part existential pondering on the human condition. Set in 2212, this book doesn't just flirt with dystopian clichés—it marries them, for better or worse. In a world ravaged by climate catastrophes and societal divides, Van Norman introduces us to a cast of characters as diverse as the crises they face. From the tech-savvy elites in their MEGs to the struggling masses outside, the story is a vibrant tapestry of human resilience and despair. It’s like peeking into a kaleidoscope where every turn shows a different facet of a society on the brink. Van Norman's prose is a curious mix of blunt and poetic. The characters, they're like puzzles, each piece fitting into the other in unexpected ways. You've got the rebels, the thinkers, the dreamers—all united by a cause that’s as noble as it is doomed. Without spoiling too much, let’s just say it’s the kind of conclusion that leaves you staring at the last page, wondering if what you read was a warning or a prophecy. It’s like finishing a hearty meal but still feeling hungry—satisfied, yet curious for more..Gorgose
I started this book uncertain. The world you first encounter is cold - a technocracy hiding from crisis behind their crystal domes (the MEGS). Lives are ordered, calm, and repressed. Characters and setting are clinical and cold, but an immediate 'undertow' grabs you before you know it. As you join a 'BATL Commander' on a spacecraft dropping from orbit towards Toronto 'MEG' you're already wondering: What the hell is BATL?
Beyond the MEGs is the MASS, a wrecked landscape replete with texture and presence - the antithesis of what you've already encountered under the domes. Now you're with with shrunken populations clinging to existence in ruined cities. One of the few things that bind these populations together? Pseudo war turned sport... so that's what BATL is!
So, is this a kind of 'Maze Runner' rehash? Not a bit of it - and for two good reasons:
Firstly, world-building. Setting it in Canada gives the story a unique feel from the off, and this kept me googling locations and scratching my head all the way through, dragging me right in. Then there is the Western/Asian fusion culture of the MEGs. You're skillfully fed enough connections to our world and time, to make this feel like a real future that grew out of our present. At the same time, the world of the novel is so distanced from our own society that you just keep on trying to put the fragments together.
The second element is a different 'core narrative' to many dystopian stories. The rise of the AI sentience 'I & I' is a central thread - this is a book about AI as much as anything else. In a series of exchanges between 'I & I' and its 'handler/programmer' Ping we see unfolding elements of its sentience - it awakens in front of our eyes. The fact that this is the far-off world of the MEG distances it from more 'near future' stories of singularity and makes it more realistic than the old 'my pocket calculator got wired wrong and now wants to destroy the world' yarn.
Finally, let's look at characters. There are lots, and inevitably their characterisation seems a bit thin at times - they often just don't quite get the air time. But the breadth of people you are following is essential to grasping the fractured nature of the world and narrative, and more than once you get a subtle, throwaway line with a real punch that just gives you a flash of insight into yet more hidden depths.
Great for fans of environmental dystopia like 'The Drowned World' (J.G. Ballard), or singularity novels like 'Accelerando' (Charles Stross).
REVIEWED BY
Garrick Fincham
If you're diving into Brian Van Norman's "Against the Machine: Evolution," buckle up for a narrative roller coaster that's part sci-fi thriller, part existential pondering on the human condition. Set in 2212, this book doesn't just flirt with dystopian clichés—it marries them, for better or worse. In a world ravaged by climate catastrophes and societal divides, Van Norman introduces us to a cast of characters as diverse as the crises they face. From the tech-savvy elites in their MEGs to the struggling masses outside, the story is a vibrant tapestry of human resilience and despair. It’s like peeking into a kaleidoscope where every turn shows a different facet of a society on the brink. Van Norman's prose is a curious mix of blunt and poetic. The characters, they're like puzzles, each piece fitting into the other in unexpected ways. You've got the rebels, the thinkers, the dreamers—all united by a cause that’s as noble as it is doomed. Without spoiling too much, let’s just say it’s the kind of conclusion that leaves you staring at the last page, wondering if what you read was a warning or a prophecy. It’s like finishing a hearty meal but still feeling a bit hungry—satisfied, yet curious for more...
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