The Subjugate: The Salvation Series, Book I (Paperback)
In a small religious community rocked by a spree of shocking murders, Detectives Salvi Brentt and Mitch Grenville find themselves surrounded by suspects. The Children of Christ have a tight grip on their people, and the Solme Complex neurally edit violent criminals - Subjugates - into placid servants called Serenes. In a town where purity and sin, temptation and repression live side by side, everyone has a motive. But as the bodies mount up, the frustrated detectives begin to crack under the pressure: their demons come to light, and who knows where the blurred line between man and monster truly lies.
File Under: Science Fiction [ Pure & Savage | Hard Boiled | Bright Spark | Finding Serenity ]
Website: http://amandabridgeman.com.au/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Bridgeman_Books
“Part traditional police procedural, part exploration of redemption and the possibility of change, The Subjugate cleverly and apparently effortlessly builds a future world that is both engaging and utterly terrifying.”
– Kaaron Warren, award-winning author of The Grief Hole and Tide of Stone
“An intelligent, believable future wrapped around an intriguing mystery.”
– Kylie Chan, bestselling author of the Dark Heavens trilogy
“The Wire meets Blade Runner in this enthralling near-future crime thriller.”
– Nathan M Farrugia, USA Today bestseller
– Kirkus Reviews
“A compelling seat-of-the-pants murder mystery and a fascinating inquiry into good and evil.” - the Guardian
“An old school whodunit set in a frighteningly near future.”
– Luke Preston, screenwriter and author of Out of Exile
“Extraordinarily well-written and tense as hell towards the end, The Subjugate is a novel that will stay with me for some time. Reminiscent of films as diverse as Blade Runner and Witness, Amanda Bridgeman’s murder mystery had me guessing right up until the end.” 4.5 / 5
– Pop Culture Bandit
“Great book with a very interesting idea about how criminals could be ‘saved’ and integrated back into society. Really enjoyed reading about the criminal side of things and would love for a book to be made about the running of the Solme Complex.”
– Lozzi’s Book Reviews
“The Subjugate was an enjoyable read that blends a number of different genres really well; it’s perfect for fans of science fiction, dystopian, fantasy, or crime thrillers.”
– Read and Review
“I loved reading this, and I think you should check it out if you get the chance. If you love detective novels and serial killers set in the future, you’re going to love this one.”
– Radioactive Book Reviews
“Bridgeman’s writing style sucked me in and didn’t let me go until the final page. There’s brilliant pacing here, with so many possible suspects and motives that the reader becomes a detective. The conversations were thought-provoking, the conflicts were riveting, and overall, it was eminently entertaining.”
– Reviews and Robots
Aurealis Award finalist 2014 for Best Science Fiction Novel for Aurora: Meridian
Tin Duck Award finalist (Western Australian Science Fiction Foundation) for Best Long Written Work in 2016, 2017, 2018
“Bridgeman does not just build up her characters, but punishes them, and the thrills are all the more visceral for that.”
– Aurealis Magazine