The Last Upheaval
This second novel I have read from Peco is just as good as the first. I could hardly put it down. I absolutely loved Exogenesis and this is a prequel set 300 years earlier. This was an absolutely fascinating read. As soon as I encountered the title and description of this story really grabbed my attention. The writing is tight and crisp. The characters masterfully written and the plot is very ambitious and extremely well executed. After reading this second offering, I can only hope there will be many more from Gaskovski’s pen. The description of this story states:
“A nation under cyberattack. A family on the brink. An ancient evil lurking behind the Machine.
As cyberattacks bring America's electrical grid to its knees, technology writer Sol Mereman must decide whether to flee with his family or gamble that civilization will survive. Everywhere he turns, the world is coming apart. His church is consumed by apocalyptic prophecies. His wife is wasting away from a mysterious illness. His teenage daughter is drawn into the orbit of a charismatic pagan activist. And the Polygon—a cutting-edge research facility where intelligent machines are blurring the line between human and artificial life—is about to be ground zero for fanatical anti-tech protesters.
But these are only the visible signs of a deeper war.
When Sol is thrust into an unseen realm, he discovers that the chaos engulfing the world is part of a far older conflict. To save his family—and far more than that—he must confront a demonic enemy that has been working behind the veil all along. As civilization teeters on the edge, the final battle won't be fought in cyberspace, but in the human soul.
A gripping blend of dystopian suspense and spiritual warfare, this is a novel for readers who enjoy high-stakes speculative fiction with philosophical and theological depth.”
I highlighted one passage early in the book it was:
“Four months before the collapse, I met the devil at a grocery store. A February day it was, in Garrison, Michigan, the snow heavy, swarming over the road like static, as if the atoms of the world were coming apart. As if the hand of God had reached into the world to shake it back into dust.”
This is an intriguing story set in the near future. The author mentions in his note at the end he started it before Ai really blew up, But the novel could not be more fitting. It is set in the US and society is experiencing the rapid acceleration of AI, ever expanding technology dependence, and a number of cyber terrorism attacks. The story begins during a week long power outage for large areas of the country. And a series of future attacks continue to aim at crippling the, collapsing supply chains, And a complete shift in society.
Sol Mereman is our main protagonist. He is a tech writer at the Polygon, a large corporate, think tank, government contract recipient. Most employees wear ‘the wire’ a neuro monitor and social monitor. In fact a few times are told the specific percentage of employees who wear it. The Polygon is a giant of research, AI, robotics, The building resembles a massive glass pyramid, and they are plans to add building to the campus. This draw protestors.
Sal is drawn into conflict on several levels. At home within his family. In his church community and even at the office to some extent. But during this he has sort of a personal revival. Has a growing faith. And is developing a prayer habit and prayer corner in his kitchen.
The story is an interesting take on technology dependence. The conflict between faith and technology, And learning to find hope, even when it seems to not make any sense at all.
In essence this story follows tech writer Sol Mereman as a series of cyberattacks cripples America's electrical grid and triggers a societal collapse. While the central tech corporation, the Polygon, aggressively expands its biological-machine interfaces, Sol must navigate frozen bank accounts, severe blackouts, and scarce food supplies. A wayward daughter. Amidst the chaos, he is forced to protect his family from an impending breakdown and a deeper, spiritual warfare masquerading as technological progress.
In some ways this story reminds me of Letter to the Future by Michael D. O'Brien, and also Frank E. Peretti’s The Prophet. There are a few other Catholic or Christina novels in similar genera that came to mind, especially That Hideous Strength by C.S. Lewis. But what I loved most about this what the characters, particularly Sol, his open and honest struggles, his making mistakes, his trying again and again.
It is a very moving story with few true heroes, but with people who can be respected, appreciated and maybe even a source of inspiration. It is an exceptionally well written science fiction story. One I can recommend and one that would be excellent for a book club or book study. I can easily recommend this story for teens and older readers. In fact I have already recommended it to a few friends and family. And I hope my kids will give it a read, which is the highest praise I can give a story. A great read.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2026 Catholic Reading Plan!
Books by Peco Gaskovski:
The Affair Box
…
Chronicles of Remembrance Series:
Ælefas
...
Books edited by Peco Gaskovski:
Staggering Along With God
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