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OverviewDoug Engstrom imagines a future all too terrifying—and all too possible—in this eerie, dystopic speculative fiction debut about corporate greed, debt slavery, and gun violence that is as intense and dark as Stephen King’s The Long Walk. Like many Americans in the middle of the 21st century, aspiring actress Kira Clark is in debt. She financed her drama education with loans secured by a “lifetime services contract.” If she defaults, her creditors will control every aspect of her life. Behind on her payments and facing foreclosure, Kira reluctantly accepts a large signing bonus to become a corporate gunfighter for TKC Insurance. After a year of training, she will take her place on the dueling fields that have become the final, lethal stop in the American legal system. Putting her MFA in acting to work, Kira takes on the persona of a cold, intimidating gunslinger known as “Death’s Angel.” But just as she becomes the most feared gunfighter in TKC’s stable, she’s severely wounded during a duel on live video, shattering her aura of invincibility. A series of devastating setbacks follow, forcing Kira to face the truth about her life and what she’s become. When the opportunity to fight another professional for a huge purse arises, Kira sees it as a chance to buy a new life . . . or die trying. Structured around a chilling duel, Corporate Gunslinger is a modern satire that forces us to confront the growing inequalities in our society and our penchant for guns and bloodshed, as well as offering a visceral look at where we may be heading—far sooner than we know. Full Product DetailsAuthor: Doug EngstromPublisher: HarperCollins Publishers Inc Imprint: Harper Voyager Dimensions: Width: 13.50cm , Height: 1.80cm , Length: 20.30cm Weight: 0.236kg ISBN: 9780062897688ISBN 10: 0062897683 Pages: 320 Publication Date: 09 July 2020 Audience: General/trade , General Format: Paperback Publisher's Status: Active Availability: To order Stock availability from the supplier is unknown. We will order it for you and ship this item to you once it is received by us. Table of ContentsReviewsAn intense and engaging satire of contemporary American life that reads like a Richard Morgan version of The Hunger Games, telling the story of indentured young trainees being groomed for violent tournament spectacle-and exploring the compromises we all make to survive in the arena of 'real life.' -- Christopher Brown, Campbell and World Fantasy Award-nominated author of <em>Tropic of Kansas</em> and <em>Rule of Capture</em> <em> </em> An intense and engaging satire of contemporary American life that reads like a Richard Morgan version of The Hunger Games, telling the story of indentured young trainees being groomed for violent tournament spectacle-and exploring the compromises we all make to survive in the arena of 'real life.' -- Christopher Brown, Campbell and World Fantasy Award-nominated author of <em>Tropic of Kansas</em> and <em>Rule of Capture</em> <em> </em> A relentless commentary on the human cost of debt culture, Corporate Gunslinger is the kind of honest, page-turning dystopia we need now more than ever. -- Darin Bradley, author of <em>Noise</em> <em></em> Author InformationDoug Engstrom has been a farmer's son, a US Air Force officer, a technical writer, a computer support specialist, and a business analyst, as well as being a writer of speculative fiction. He lives near Des Moines, Iowa with his wife, Catherine Engstrom. Tab Content 6Author Website:Countries AvailableAll regions |