Cryo

By: Blake Fisher

Narrated by: Mark Garkusha

Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

Struggling to deal with the life he left behind, Louis King finds himself in a strange new world hundreds of years into the future. Behind the gilded façade of the magnificent city lies a society of exploitation and deceit. Adjusting to his new life, he must find a way that he fits into his altered existence while trying to grasp the fact that everyone and everything that he left behind is now entirely gone. As something brews in the depths of the city, he is faced with the arduous choice of becoming a part of what is unfolding around him, or settling in to this new world.

©2022 Blake Fisher (P)2022 Blake Fisher

An Emotional Roller Coaster & Page Turner

"Cryo" is a phenomenal debut novel by author Blake Fisher. Set in a dystopian futuristic city in the heart of Nebraska, Fisher constructs a story that will grip its readers (or in this case listeners) from the get-go with challenging themes like love, death and ethics. Fisher writes challenging emotional scenes superbly and in a way that will leave his readers feeling a rollercoaster of emotions. There were a few moments in particular when I felt my chest tighten, nearly feeling claustrophobic, from the emotional weight of the situations the protagonist, Louis King, finds himself in. For a book to elicit such a powerful emotional response is a blessing and something that Blake Fisher should be proud of.

Fisher also constructs a world in which you feel connected. His descriptions of the dystopian, post-apocalyptic world are fresh and inspired. You feel as though you are right with the characters as they move from the wasteland into the futuristic, sleek and homogenized new city of Arcadia.

After finishing "Cryo", and enduring a surprising and unforeseen conclusion, I anxiously await the follow-up from Mr. Fisher. If you are a fan of dystopian novels that will keep you clicking the "next chapter" button, do yourself a favor and download this audiobook.

Future dystopia, plus a unique love story

Louis and Violet had the love of a lifetime. They were each other's world. Until Louis was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and it was much too far along to be able to do anything medically. Facing his own mortality, the only thing Louie could think of was to cryogenically freeze himself, in hopes that one day in the future he might be reunited with his wife.

When he is awoken hundreds of years in the future, long after Violet is gone, he finds a society that appears idyllic on the surface but is not what it seems. The city of Arcadia is a gilded facade where the common people are exploited and enslaved. The Emperor rules with an iron fist. The wrong word at the wrong time can come with physical punishment, torture, even death.

This is an unputdownable book. It is a love story through flashbacks and Louie's present-day despair, missing his wife down to his deepest core. It is a dystopian adventure with futuristic tech. It is a tale of self-discovery and fighting for what's ethical and moral.

I'm unfamiliar with this narrator, but Mark Garkusha conveyed Louie's despair in a future that did not contain Violet. Every reminiscence of his wife brought joy and sorrow, and the narrator did a superb job of evoking every emotion.

If I ever wanted to live past my own expiration date, Cryo makes me rethink that!

Great Dystopian Novel for the Hopeless Romantic

This story starts with a great love that is postponed due to cryogenic freezing that catapults the protagonist into a dystopian society. If you like sci-fi, dystopian societies, anarchy, love, friendship, and revolutions: then this is the story for you! Also if you're not a fan of perfect happy endings, you will like this one! The vocal performance makes it so easy to listen to and follow along.

Unexpected heart

I went in thinking this would be like any other sci-fi book and I was pleasantly surprised! I really enjoyed this audiobook because of how captivating it was, the narrator did a fantastic job at bringing the characters to life. This isn’t your traditional sci-fi book, it’s emotional and raw and I couldn’t stop listening! Great story telling and looking forward to hearing more from this author!

Great Depiction of the Human Condition - Love the Writing Style and Descriptions

I mostly read non fiction books because I like the exploration of the human condition and sociology (I love Malcolm Gladwell and the likes), but I wanted to venture back into fiction recently. This book lived up to all the hype and definitely explores the human condition in all its prosaic glory. And with a nice spin on the future as the vehicle for discussing it all. I absolutely love the descriptions. The similes and use of metaphors throughout paint a unique picture too. I am thoroughly surprised this is the author’s first ever novel. I am looking forward to following his career as it continues to progress.

Hook line and sinker

Such a good world to escape to, it snagged me right away and I could not stop until the end!!