Published synopsis:
Nester Cab, a second rate magazine writer, goes about his mundane life, disenfranchised and hiding from the city he lives in. But, a mysterious note left in his office awakens his ravenous curiosity and sets him on a journey to find a missing soldier. In his travels, he becomes entangled with a clandestine anti-government organization, witnesses a delusional and violent American society and stumbles ever deeper into unfathomable government conspiracies. Inspired by Internet conspiracy theorists, talk radio, and the media, Ephemera explores the visions of the ideological voices in American society and speaks to all of us through the extreme that permeates modern life. With satirical humor and sorrowful sentiment, Cab encounters a bizarre set of madmen, killers and megalomaniacs. He struggles with his search for truth as he flees for his life and the right to reclaim it. Where the forces of good lie is never clear, but, with certainty, Cab’s journey will lead to an ending that is epic and unforgettable.Review:
Nester Cab has always wanted to do something, go somewhere, maybe make a difference in the world. He eschews most of the gadgets and gimmicks of modern technology and convenience that is driven by consumerism and greed, and does his own little things to fight against it. But he’s not quite prepared for the turn his life takes when he is thrust into the middle of a war between radical outcasts and power hungry politicians.As a mother in this new technological era, I have often been known to say that we are raising a generation of kids who don’t know how to be alone. Access to their friends is always immediate and constant through smart phones, texting, and internet social sites.The idea that you can be ‘unplugged’ for days at a time is a foreign concept; one that may lead to an early dramatic death – either from boredom or withdrawal.
In Ephemera, Jeffery M. Anderson brings this idea to the extreme. The world has gone mad with technology and marketing. Movies aren’t just movies, they’re sales platforms.Sunglasses don’t just protect your eyes from the sun, they allow you to surf the internet while walking down the street. Cars don’t need to be driven, just sit back while the car does all the work for you. The world has become a place where people no longer have to think for themselves. It has become a world where the general public is susceptible to the evil machinations of the power hungry minds of politicians; politicians who have no problem taking over their thinking for them.
Ephemera is a book that will make you laugh and cringe – sometimes at the same time.Action abounds with kidnappings, murder, and intrigue. Humor is sprinkled in with odd characters and the reality of everyday life in a truly technological world. Political corruption is showcased as those in power purposely create information that will mislead and control the public. But most of all, Ephemera makes you think about the course society is on and about how far we want to let it go.
Jeffery M. Anderson does an excellent job of bringing home the idea that we need to be more aware of technology’s impact on us as human beings. His writing style grabs the reader and pulls him or her in with an engrossing plot and characters that range from charming to terrifying. Reminiscent of the works of Christopher Buckley, Ephemera brought me on a journey I hope to only read about, and never have it become reality. If at times a bit preachy, sometimes overselling the point, it is none the less a book that should be read and pondered.
One side observation that must be written about, though, is the cover of the book. Once the book is read, it makes perfect sense. As a book that may be sitting on a stand at the bookstore, I don’t know that it would have begged me to pick it up to discover what it was hiding. For me, it doesn’t capture the essence of the book’s content which is a shame. I hate to think the book is being passed over by potential readers because of a cover that doesn’t give a feel for the treasures inside.
Overall, I truly enjoyed reading Ephemera. I would like to thank the author for offering to share his work with me and providing me with a review copy. I give the book four and a half stars.
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