The Warehouse

by Rob Hart

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'A gripping read, a literary blockbuster with brains. Horribly compelling' The Observer
'Featuring an explosive twist-in-the-tail climax, this terrifying hybrid of Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four and Zamyatin's We is a triumph' The Guardian
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In a world ravaged by bankruptcy and unemployment, Cloud is the only company left worth working for. But what will it cost you?

Amidst the wreckage of America, Cloud reigns supreme. Cloud brands itself not just as an online storefront, but as a global saviour. Yet, beneath the sunny exterior, lurks something far more sinister.

Paxton never thought he’d be working Security for the company that ruined his life, much less that he’d be moving into one of their sprawling live-work facilities. But compared to what’s left outside, perhaps Cloud isn’t so bad. Better still, through his work he meets Zinnia, who fills him with hope for their shared future.

Except that Zinnia is not what she seems. And Paxton, with his all-access security credentials, might just be her meal ticket.

As Paxton and Zinnia’s agendas place them on a collision course, they’re about to learn just how far the Cloud will go to make the world a better place.

To beat the system, you have to be inside it.

What people are saying about The Warehouse:
'Literary blockbuster’ Observer
‘A triumph’ Guardian
‘Brilliantly imagined’ BBC Culture
‘Inventive, addictive’ Paul Tremblay
‘Thrilling’ Blake Crouch
‘An Orwellian thriller’ Publisher’s Weekly
‘Wildly imaginative yet terrifyingly real’ Riley Sager
‘Taut, tense and masterful’ Chuck Wendig
'One of the breakout books of the year' Barnes & Noble
'Holds up a dark mirror to our times' San Francisco Chronicle
'A jet black satire of modern consumerism' Waterstones
'A thriller of ideas ... taut action, incisive cultural commentary ... shades of Fahrenheit 451 and Jurassic Park.' USA Today

• ISBN10: 1787631249
• ISBN13: 9781787631243
• Publish Date: 13 August 2019
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 7 March 2021
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Random House USA Inc
• Imprint: Bantam Press
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 368
• Language: English

Reviews

[chymerra]

Paxton didn’t want to work for Cloud. The superstore ruined his life and put him out of business. But he needs a job and Cloud is hiring. Zinnia is on a mission. She needs to infiltrate Cloud, and she can’t get caught. She meets Paxton, who has been selected to work for security. Soon, Paxton and Zinnia become embroiled in a scheme that will shake Cloud to its very foundation.

When I started reading The Warehouse, I was expecting it to be a book that explored how an online business ran with a dash of mystery thrown in. I was not expecting this book to suck me in from the first page. I finished this book within 2 hours. So yeah, it is a fast read. It also had a well-written plotline with almost no lag. There was a tiny bit of lag when Paxton and Zinnia took their trip, but the author was able to bring plotline back.

I liked Paxton. He seemed resigned to the fact that he was going to work for Cloud. He didn’t hold any resentment towards Cloud for making his business to go under. I thought that he was blind to Zinnia’s schemes. How could he not pick up that something wasn’t quite right with her? I mean, he walked in on her using the hospital computer after her accident!! That drove me nuts.

I didn’t quite like Zinnia, but I also didn’t dislike her either. Her reasons for infiltrating Cloud weren’t clear at first. I wasn’t happy that she was using Paxton, but if I were in her situation, I would have done the same thing. She was a strong individual, though. The beatdown that she gave that one guy was epic.

The mystery angle of the book was well written. While the middle of the book did Zinnia’s first part of her mission, there was a second part to it. The twist to that took me by surprise. I wasn’t expecting who it was!!

The dystopian angle of the book, I had no problem believing. I can picture what happened to the world in this book (climate change, gun violence, unemployment) happening in real life. I also have no issue seeing an online company (who I will not name) taking over the world.

I do want to add that I was grossed out about the burgers. I threw up a little in my mouth when it was revealed what they were made of. Talk about gross!!

The end of The Warehouse was pretty standard. There were no dropped storylines. But, I did wonder what happened to Zinnia. I was also thrilled for Paxton and a little mad. What happened to him was not right. I would have flipped my lid if that happened to me.

I would give The Warehouse an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread The Warehouse. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

[lovelybookshelf]

Boy oh boy, is the world Rob Hart has created in The Warehouse ever messed up. And it's just near-future enough, and realistic enough, that it's creepy as all get out. If you enjoy dystopian novels that hit close to home, this is definitely a page-turner. It's smart and clever in a relaxed, never-pretentious style.

Gibson is the CEO of an online retail giant named Cloud. Gibson doesn't seem so bad at first, but then you get to know him on a deeper level. His portrayal is so, so good. It's not over-the-top, look how evil this guy is. It's way more subtle. You get the feeling Gibson truly believes what he's doing is good for people. And then you start understanding why he thinks that way, and it messes with your head. I loved hating him.

I mean, we've got out of control climate change, a prison system full of low-level, nonviolent offenders (outstanding parking tickets, failure to pay mortgages and student loans), an abysmal job market, corporations tracking employees' every move, CEOs sponsoring legislation, privatized everything. It's a nightmare. Cloud seems like a utopian oasis in the midst of all that. Seems like.

I loved the Le Guin reference, so perfectly incorporated into what was happening. And there's a quote at the end that makes my anarchist-leaning heart super happy and energized. The Warehouse is an entertaining novel, for sure, but we should pay attention to its messages and consider ourselves warned.