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Flicker
In a broken world, lighting a match is an act of rebellion...
This is the story of Flicker, a pyromaniac whose only escape from the emptiness and oppression of life in a post-apocalyptic world is to set fire to luxury automobiles. Armed with a hammer and jerry can, he wages a one-man war against the Overclass, partisans of the failing regime struggling to hold the reins since The Breakdown decades earlier. He can’t remember his family, and his friends have disappeared without a trace. His only companion is fire, that mesmerising force of glorious destruction. It alone gives meaning to his existence...but one night, he goes too far and unwittingly chooses a target best left alone. As tracker drones swarm, he finds himself running for his life, and a chance encounter with a kindred spirit changes his fate. Together, they flee the city, venturing beyond the ring road for the first time, and hope to find safety and the chance to build a life for themselves in the country. New challenges will arise, and new questions will beg to be answered. Where did everyone go? Who has left messages written on the walls of abandoned buildings? And the most terrible question of all: What is happening at the regime’s dreaded seaside resort, The Esplanade?
In a world without hope, can deliverance from tyranny be found in the head of a matchstick?
Flicker is a tale of survival against the odds in a brutal world, of loss and self-discovery, and of love and solidarity, but most of all, it's a story about fire, that double-edged sword that both cleanses and destroys.
This is the story of Flicker, a pyromaniac whose only escape from the emptiness and oppression of life in a post-apocalyptic world is to set fire to luxury automobiles. Armed with a hammer and jerry can, he wages a one-man war against the Overclass, partisans of the failing regime struggling to hold the reins since The Breakdown decades earlier. He can’t remember his family, and his friends have disappeared without a trace. His only companion is fire, that mesmerising force of glorious destruction. It alone gives meaning to his existence...but one night, he goes too far and unwittingly chooses a target best left alone. As tracker drones swarm, he finds himself running for his life, and a chance encounter with a kindred spirit changes his fate. Together, they flee the city, venturing beyond the ring road for the first time, and hope to find safety and the chance to build a life for themselves in the country. New challenges will arise, and new questions will beg to be answered. Where did everyone go? Who has left messages written on the walls of abandoned buildings? And the most terrible question of all: What is happening at the regime’s dreaded seaside resort, The Esplanade?
In a world without hope, can deliverance from tyranny be found in the head of a matchstick?
Flicker is a tale of survival against the odds in a brutal world, of loss and self-discovery, and of love and solidarity, but most of all, it's a story about fire, that double-edged sword that both cleanses and destroys.
303 pages, Paperback
Published November 8, 2023
12 people want to read
About the author
Cameron Trost
53 books664 followersCameron Trost is an author of mystery, suspense, post-apocalyptic, and horror fiction best known for his puzzles featuring Oscar Tremont, Investigator of the Strange and Inexplicable. He has written three novels, Flicker, The Tunnel Runner, and Letterbox, and three collections, Oscar Tremont, Investigator of the Strange and Inexplicable, Hoffman's Creeper and Other Disturbing Tales, and The Animal Inside. He runs the independent press, Black Beacon Books, and is a lifetime member of the Australian Crime Writers Association. Originally from Brisbane, Australia, his home is now in southern Brittany, between the rugged coast and treacherous marshland.
I aim to rate every book I finish and I usually leave a short review. I rarely leave one-star or two-star ratings. If I don't like a book, I won't finish or rate it. I'm here to share good reads.
Reviewers: Send me a message if you'd like to receive ebook copies for review.
Authors: If you'd like to suggest I review your book, get in touch via my blog: https://trostlibrary.blogspot.com/p/b...
You can find me on Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, BookBub, TikTok, and other platforms. Complete links here: https://linktr.ee/camerontrost
I aim to rate every book I finish and I usually leave a short review. I rarely leave one-star or two-star ratings. If I don't like a book, I won't finish or rate it. I'm here to share good reads.
Reviewers: Send me a message if you'd like to receive ebook copies for review.
Authors: If you'd like to suggest I review your book, get in touch via my blog: https://trostlibrary.blogspot.com/p/b...
You can find me on Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, BookBub, TikTok, and other platforms. Complete links here: https://linktr.ee/camerontrost
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 11, 2024
Fun, post apocalyptic thrill ride. Great read!
January 13, 2025
I'm glad I came across this little indie novel, which I got through in a couple of days, as it’s a fun read. What’s to like? Great characterisation for starters. The book has a likeable protagonist with friends who I cared about – on their bumpy ride through a dystopian world littered with numerous references to a bygone era.
Flicker is a novel with quite a lot of dialogue, which is not always easy to pull off, but this works well here as Cameron Trost is a solid writer. I really noticed this after just finishing ‘The Girl on the Train’, as by comparison this is a more finely crafted (albeit entirely different) journey.
Well worth a read!
Flicker is a novel with quite a lot of dialogue, which is not always easy to pull off, but this works well here as Cameron Trost is a solid writer. I really noticed this after just finishing ‘The Girl on the Train’, as by comparison this is a more finely crafted (albeit entirely different) journey.
Well worth a read!
March 20, 2024
Flicker by Cameron Trost is not the genre I usually read, and yet I thoroughly enjoyed it. Set in the not so distant future, Trost provides clues as to how life used to be while still leaving a good amount of mystery and room to spark the reader's imagination. The author also provides clear descriptions of surroundings, the current state of things, and additional characters we meet along the way. These descriptions bring the reader side by side with the main characters who, themselves, are often seeing things for the first time as well.
The story is one of survival, including outwitting oppressors and evil doers, friendship and personal growth, and love and loyalty. Our characters have a combination of a high moral code, bravery, and emotional and intellectual intelligence that kept my interest throughout. I definitely became invested in their fate and the outcomes of their various adventures. There are definitely surprises along the way!
Flicker's love for reading any book he could get his hands on, books which are, in general, rare to find in this new world, proved useful on many occasions and in various encounters throughout the story. This commentary on the power of reading is woven throughout the story, and others with the same passion for the world of books will identify with it.
Overall, Flicker is an adventurous read highlighting the best and worst of humanity, including those being necessarily pitted against each other. Battles are violent, detailed and riveting, balanced with the personal connections which are playful and mature. The final encounter between good and evil, while horrifying, also provides Flicker with a final, triumphant stand, and I felt victorious in it with him.
The story is one of survival, including outwitting oppressors and evil doers, friendship and personal growth, and love and loyalty. Our characters have a combination of a high moral code, bravery, and emotional and intellectual intelligence that kept my interest throughout. I definitely became invested in their fate and the outcomes of their various adventures. There are definitely surprises along the way!
Flicker's love for reading any book he could get his hands on, books which are, in general, rare to find in this new world, proved useful on many occasions and in various encounters throughout the story. This commentary on the power of reading is woven throughout the story, and others with the same passion for the world of books will identify with it.
Overall, Flicker is an adventurous read highlighting the best and worst of humanity, including those being necessarily pitted against each other. Battles are violent, detailed and riveting, balanced with the personal connections which are playful and mature. The final encounter between good and evil, while horrifying, also provides Flicker with a final, triumphant stand, and I felt victorious in it with him.
November 21, 2023
Author Cameron Trost has crafted an effortless and engaging read right through to the shocking end. I loved the descriptive prose throughout and how he could say so much in so few words. I also liked how he trusted the reader to pick up cues without needing to elaborate. The sensitive consideration given to his characters and their struggles as they navigate the tyranny in their dystopian world is to be admired. Highly recommend.
December 15, 2023
An engaging post-apocalyptic adventure
What a believable scenario! Realistic world building in which I felt a part of. I loved that there is a definite hero and heroine, and found it intriguing that there were several others in the roles. There is no lack of villains to keep the story adventure packed. Bonuses include: a shocking revelation at the end, a beautiful love story and an epic destruction of pure evil!
What a believable scenario! Realistic world building in which I felt a part of. I loved that there is a definite hero and heroine, and found it intriguing that there were several others in the roles. There is no lack of villains to keep the story adventure packed. Bonuses include: a shocking revelation at the end, a beautiful love story and an epic destruction of pure evil!
January 24, 2024
Great dystopian novel, kept me very intrigued and wondering what was going to happen next. Got some Walking Dead vibes minus the zombies, and some Sci-fi flavourings.
January 26, 2025
From the first chapter, I knew who the character was and was already emotionally involved. I felt so many emotions, unsure whether I was meant to feel them or not. But as the story unfolded, I was taken on a wild journey and immersed in a world that drew me in completely. I reached the point of no return - I had to know what happened next.
Sometimes I had to pause and cover my eyes, not wanting to face what came next, but the need to know always won out. I had to see how it all ended.
A brilliant read! And what a way to start 2024!!!
Sometimes I had to pause and cover my eyes, not wanting to face what came next, but the need to know always won out. I had to see how it all ended.
A brilliant read! And what a way to start 2024!!!
May 18, 2024
Flicker is a slow burner(pun intended) post apocalyptic/modern societal collapse thiller romance. Hard to believe I know. But it packs it all in there.
You are thrown immediately into Flicker's world, with little explanation at the time, of just how we got there. Drawing on the present day "us & them" struggle between the powerless and the powerful, Flicker finds a way to appease his pyro tendencies and give a big middle finger to the ruling overclass.
Ironically, his co-conspirator is called Flame and the unintended partnership quietly develops, as they make there way through the bleak, broken urban landscape, to their supposed safety to the east.
I liked the humour laced into the story. It has the darkness that people tend towards, in spite of the dire circumstances.
Their journey could so easily be anywhere on the planet and the exploration of the psychology of people under duress rings true. Here, you find the good and evil; both sides believing the other to be the problem.
The final scenes are all to be expected, though my optimistic outlook thinks we couldn't stoop so low.
Great read. Deserves a follow-up novel.
You are thrown immediately into Flicker's world, with little explanation at the time, of just how we got there. Drawing on the present day "us & them" struggle between the powerless and the powerful, Flicker finds a way to appease his pyro tendencies and give a big middle finger to the ruling overclass.
Ironically, his co-conspirator is called Flame and the unintended partnership quietly develops, as they make there way through the bleak, broken urban landscape, to their supposed safety to the east.
I liked the humour laced into the story. It has the darkness that people tend towards, in spite of the dire circumstances.
Their journey could so easily be anywhere on the planet and the exploration of the psychology of people under duress rings true. Here, you find the good and evil; both sides believing the other to be the problem.
The final scenes are all to be expected, though my optimistic outlook thinks we couldn't stoop so low.
Great read. Deserves a follow-up novel.
May 13, 2025
Flicker is a striking post-apocalyptic tale where fire becomes both a weapon and a lifeline. Set in a broken world where society has crumbled and oppressive regimes linger on, the protagonist, Flicker, is a pyromaniac driven by the destructive force of fire. His acts of rebellion—setting luxury cars ablaze—become his only means of coping with the emptiness left in the wake of The Breakdown. However, his world shifts dramatically when his rebellion goes too far, and he finds himself pursued by a relentless government force.
Fleeing into the unknown with a newfound companion, Flicker embarks on a journey of survival, self-discovery, and defiance. Together, they venture beyond the city’s confines in search of answers to the disappearance of humanity and the haunting presence of the regime’s coastal haven, The Esplanade.
A fierce exploration of fire, survival, and the search for hope in a world teetering on the edge of destruction.
Fleeing into the unknown with a newfound companion, Flicker embarks on a journey of survival, self-discovery, and defiance. Together, they venture beyond the city’s confines in search of answers to the disappearance of humanity and the haunting presence of the regime’s coastal haven, The Esplanade.
A fierce exploration of fire, survival, and the search for hope in a world teetering on the edge of destruction.
January 1, 2024
The world has collapsed and mankind is on the downslide. What's a man to do when all hope is gone? You burn it down.
Flicker is a fun and engaging dystopian tale with a message. It's only over when you stop fighting.
Flicker is a fun and engaging dystopian tale with a message. It's only over when you stop fighting.
January 24, 2024
I didn't just read Flicker, I fell into his world. I followed the characters and journeyed along with them through every obstacle they faced. It was a wonderful read, diving into a world I had never seen but could completely envision through the author's words.
April 16, 2024
A great read if you like your dystopia with a touch of romance and the promise of a better future. I especially enjoyed the pacing and evocative world-building.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews