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4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
72 global ratings
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28%
3 star
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2 star 0% (0%)
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Top reviews from the United States

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Philip Harris
5.0 out of 5 stars A well written, fast paced cyberpunk thriller
Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2016
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I've enjoyed Michael Patrick Hicks's short stories in the past so when I found myself in the mood for a bit of cyberpunk action recently, I dived into Convergence. I wasn't disappointed. The book is a very well written, fast-paced tale that reminded me a lot of the classic cyberpunk books like Neuromancer but still had enough of a modern spin on things that it didn't feel dated. There's plenty of different threads running through the book but Hicks weaves them together into a satisfying conclusion. Definitely recommended if you like your science fiction with a side order of grit.
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shelby
4.0 out of 5 stars Very good read, looking forward to book two
Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2017
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This was a very enjoyable read and the writing is very good. The authors writing is actually what drew to his other books. I had previously read a short story by him in an anthology and his story ended up being my favorite (only one of two I gave 5 stars). I especially loved the Lovecraft elements in that story. And now having read one of his full length novels I can say he's definitely a talented writer. 
All of the characters seemed well fleshed out and had realistic personalities. Sometimes so realistic they begin to annoy you. The main character got on my nerves a bit but as the story went on his personality got more interesting and his flaws just made him seem more real. 
The world was interesting but it also had a lot going on. It wasn't confusing or anything but it there was a lot to follow and try to remember. The beginning was also a bit slow and took a little longer to get in to but once it got going I didn't want to stop reading. Those were the only flaws I found. These are more just my own preferences and not an actual flaw with the story itself. 
My favorite aspects were the technology. It was so complex and interesting. I can just imagine how many stories could be told in this world. The convergence webs were really clever And I hope to see more of them in his next books.
I did struggle to get in to the story but that wasn't the books fault. It was my dyslexia. Often when reading Ebooks my dyslexia causes me to read slower and gives me headaches if I read for longer than an hour. It only happens with Ebooks(Most of the time). Honestly, I think maybe the beginning of this book might not have seemed so slow if it wasn't for my dyslexia. There have been many times when I would love to be reading but find it just too difficult and when I started reading Convergence it was one of those times when I was already having issues reading and then add in trying to read an Ebook it just took a while for me to truly dive in to this story. But once I did I really liked it. I plan on reading book two in the near future and anything else this author puts out.
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4.0 out of 5 stars Very good read, looking forward to book two
By shelby on August 24, 2017
This was a very enjoyable read and the writing is very good. The authors writing is actually what drew to his other books. I had previously read a short story by him in an anthology and his story ended up being my favorite (only one of two I gave 5 stars). I especially loved the Lovecraft elements in that story. And now having read one of his full length novels I can say he's definitely a talented writer. 
All of the characters seemed well fleshed out and had realistic personalities. Sometimes so realistic they begin to annoy you. The main character got on my nerves a bit but as the story went on his personality got more interesting and his flaws just made him seem more real. 
The world was interesting but it also had a lot going on. It wasn't confusing or anything but it there was a lot to follow and try to remember. The beginning was also a bit slow and took a little longer to get in to but once it got going I didn't want to stop reading. Those were the only flaws I found. These are more just my own preferences and not an actual flaw with the story itself. 
My favorite aspects were the technology. It was so complex and interesting. I can just imagine how many stories could be told in this world. The convergence webs were really clever And I hope to see more of them in his next books.
I did struggle to get in to the story but that wasn't the books fault. It was my dyslexia. Often when reading Ebooks my dyslexia causes me to read slower and gives me headaches if I read for longer than an hour. It only happens with Ebooks(Most of the time). Honestly, I think maybe the beginning of this book might not have seemed so slow if it wasn't for my dyslexia. There have been many times when I would love to be reading but find it just too difficult and when I started reading Convergence it was one of those times when I was already having issues reading and then add in trying to read an Ebook it just took a while for me to truly dive in to this story. But once I did I really liked it. I plan on reading book two in the near future and anything else this author puts out.
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Stafford Battle
3.0 out of 5 stars Almost a Home Run for Military Sci-fi.
Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2015
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I enjoyed the novel for what it was: rapid reading military sci-fi. I read it at one sitting. However, characters, for me, were a little wooden. I didn't quite understand the daughter's anger against her father. Nor, did I understand why a father would tolerate such poor behavior especially in light of the danger they were in. The nonlinear storytelling was distracting to me.

Lots of twists, perhaps one too many. I enjoyed the science of downloading memories of the dead to gain secrets and profits. I couldn't quite buy the conquest of California and the dissolving of the United States by an Asian military presumably lead by the Chinese with other allies.

But the action was well described and there was sufficient tension to keep me interested.

It was almost a home run but closer to a double.
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AMH
4.0 out of 5 stars Memory Drugs and Action a Plenty
Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2018
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This was a very enjoyable book. The idea of using someone else's memories as a drug was new to me, and I liked the concept. Lots of action and heartbreaking moments between a father and a daughter who pushes away. Well done.
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Franco the Harmful Monkey
5.0 out of 5 stars Imaginative Vision of the Future
Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2019
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Drew me in from the start. If you're a fan of Asimov and Bradbury, you'll get a kick out of Convergence. All that and characters with depth. Will read more by this author.
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Kae Bender - Editor and Writer
3.0 out of 5 stars Post apocalyptic apathy
Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2015
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The premise seemed better than the execution. A memory thief addicted to reliving the deaths of his victims sounds pretty much the ultimate escapist high, but beyond the cybernetically enhanced playback, the dystopia Jonah muddles through seems somehow as apathetic as the murders he commits for others.

Post apocalyptic Los Angeles is about as flat as the dregs of its citizens still hanging around under the Pacific Rim Coalition, and the disruptive terrorist detonations and murders for memory don’t seem to have much point or focus. The idea that Convergence brings all the disparate pieces together through one nexus seems intriguing — but it’s just Jonah with his finger in all the actions he participates in. Yes, ultimately there is a surprise concluding twist that makes the convergence more personal and finally, perhaps, compelling for Jonah, but it seems more thrown into the mix rather than well developed throughout the plot.

This should have been an early draft, and Michael Patrick Hicks should have worked more character, emotion, and foreshadowing into the plot before he published. It could have been intriguing.
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Kate
5.0 out of 5 stars This story was wicked on sci-fi gadgets, terrifying post-war ...
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2017
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This story was wicked on sci-fi gadgets, terrifying post-war setting and personal story of human redemption and second chances. Five stars!
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eric fescenmeyer
5.0 out of 5 stars An interesting view of the future
Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2019
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Richly described and well crafted. Special props to the author for not crafting cookie cutter main characters so really found in the genre.
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Top reviews from other countries

M. Brookes
4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent sci-fi thriller
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 11, 2014
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I'd heard good things about this book and I wasn't disappointed. It's a well written sci-fi tale set in the near future. The main character isn't the most likeable of people but his motivations and struggles develop throughout the story in a well thought out way.

There's some interesting tech and associated issues at the core of the story - namely that of memory recording. It's also used to good effect for the flow of the story allowing flashbacks to integrate seamlessly into the plot.

My only real down point was the setting. California having been captured by the Chinese seems a bit unlikely and I would have liked to have learned more about how this came to be. Once into the story it didn't make any difference as it did make for an interesting setting. Although again a bit more of the culture clash would have made for interesting reading.

Apart from that the story is well paced and well written. It didn't suffer from any bloat. There's a good blend of technology and the human side and it ends in a decent fashion. I also enjoyed the mix of action and more contemplative side of the main character. Overall a recommended read.
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MSVideoDiary
5.0 out of 5 stars boo but then yey followed by oh yeah, wow
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 11, 2015
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at first I didn't like the main character

and then the one boobed honey came in and I started to get really in to it

shortly, it did a flip mode and the action kicked in

and then the thinking

and it ended at such a fast pace that suddenly, I'm here writing the review still with dat feels you get when you finish a good book and want to tell someone

that's you!

it was a good book, a little post apocalyptic but on the way back out kind of way so it was almost positive and seemed very modern with references to recent happenings in real life but how they might have turned out if we let corporations get away with their doings without control.

good job!
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Norma Miles
3.0 out of 5 stars Live ideas in a dead body
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 13, 2015
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Some really interesting ideas here which I wish the author had pursued more fully rather than turning the story into a rather mediocre war zone cum detective story. Despite frequent description of landscape and surroundings, the pictures formed in my head stayed resolutely 2 dimensional and, although the characters moved, breathed, fired guns and bled, they never really came alive. Which is ironic given the main premise of the book - the ability to store and experience fully the memories of others up to and including their deaths.
This story really isn't worth bothering with but the potential is certainly there for future development.
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Justine
5.0 out of 5 stars I found Convergence a great read and thoroughly recommend it.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 2, 2014
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I really enjoyed the characters and world-building, along with a tense, fast-moving plot. What struck me as most refreshing with plots in which the USA has fallen apart, is the rest of the world's nations are actually getting on with their own lives. In the meantime, as with many conflicts today, they look on with indifference as the United Nations tries to ensure humanitarian aid and good treatment of the former US citizens by the Pacific Rim Coalition.
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Gemsquem
4.0 out of 5 stars Moving on to the second book now...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 15, 2015
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While it took me a little time to get my head round the tech in this one, it's a little more "sci" than my usual sci-fi fare, once I got into the swing of things, I enjoyed it. Believable characters, well developed, with a twist I didn't see coming.

Looking forward to seeing where this one goes. Moving on to the second book now...
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