Father of the Future by Darren Dash

 

“Father knows best.”

Eight hundred and thirty years into the future is where our story begins; a point in time where humanity has reached peak perfection. War is a non-entity, poverty is non-existent. There is no hunger, no disease, no crime, no pain, and a human’s basic needs are always met with the help of Father, a supercomputer solely responsible for the upkeep of the human race.

Cassique, a Fixer and resident of this optimal Earth, is our protagonist. It is his duty as a Fixer to travel back in time and help correct mistakes made in the past before the inevitable collapse of the Time Hole, an event predicted by Father to cause mass destruction. With his frequent journeys to set points in history, Cassique can’t help but start to notice stark differences between his own world, and that of the past. A contact-free life begins to feel sterile, programming masquerades as progress, and all that appears ideal may instead be taking from humans the one thing that is crucial to our existence...our humanity.

As doubt slowly creeps its way into Cassique’s mind, it brings along with it further questioning and fear of the consequences for those who dare to challenge Father.

Intrigue and suspense sandwich this delicious post-apocalyptic, science fiction slow burner in classic Darren Dash fashion. Father of the Future promises to sink its hook into readers on the very first page, and will refuse to let go until it’s finished shocking, thrilling, and chilling. Darren Dash has a particular talent for jotting down stories that will often occupy a reader’s mind when their eyes are no longer glued to the page, and Father of the Future is no exception. In fact, I myself cannot name a novel of his that has occupied more of my headspace than this.

In a future where everything from reproduction to intimacy, entertainment to cleanliness is controlled, will we still be able to recognize the concept of free will? Will we still recognize ourselves as human? At what point will we realize that apathy can be a side-effect of ease and convenience?

With enthralling jumps into the past, a dystopian setting, a tortured hero, and a race against time, Father of the Future practically begs to be adapted to the big screen. And though Darren Dash’s latest nail-biter will hardly cost you a weekend to absorb, I can personally guarantee that this story will stick with you for a very long time...

...perhaps even through the collapse of the Time Hole.