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Horror’s latest wicked wordsmith takes on the future with a flare that fans of Philip K. Dick will appreciate.

In his debut release, The Reach, Nate Kenyon offered an original take on frightening psychic abilities. His writing was his own, but echoes of masters like King gave readers a hint of the incredible talent to come.

In his latest, Prime, from Apex Publications, Kenyon takes his knack for the supernatural and sets it in the 21st century, where clones are the norm, deception is life, and corporate America does everything it can to brainwash the people into believing a they must evolve into higher beings.

William Bellow is a bug hunter. He is able to blink in and out of code - without the help of machines - to track down and eliminate bugs. Bellow is what many believe the first Transformed human - a person at one with humanity and machine. The Church of the Transformation wants people to go there - as does a major corporation that will use whatever hypnotic tactics it takes to get people to buy into the Transformation.

There is a resistance, but many believe it is futile. Man and machine will become one - soon.

After a six-year hiatus from bug hunting, Bellow is hired to take down a major bug that has killed three people. As he investigates, though, he uncovers shocking memories from his past - and one corporation’s darkest virtual secrets.

Rich with detail, Prime is a futuristic noir novella that science fiction fans will devour in one savory read. In 141 pages Kenyon manages to tie in a sexy, action-packed thrills with the questionable ethics of an evolving humanity, big business’s sly “marketing” tactics and one man’s quest for the truth.

What is so scary about Prime is how relevant it is to today’s plugged-in society, where the Internet is more of a friend than a warm human body. It begs the question, What is responsible evolution and how should people properly prioritize their lives to include not only online activities, but real person-to-person interaction.

As I read this book, I could see it easily on the big screen. After reading this, I cannot wait for more futuristic noir from Kenyon. I had some idea of where the plot was going, but Kenyon managed to throw a few unexpected twists that blew me away. I don’t read nearly as much science fiction as I used to, but Prime whet my appetite once again for the genre.

The book includes some terrific illustrations by Katja Faith. These added a little more flare to the story. I wish there had been a few more to accompany Kenyon’s words.

Prime is a must-read for science fiction fans. If you haven’t already discovered Nate Kenyon, be prepared to make a permanent space on your shelves for his novels.

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