THE BREACH BY M.T. HILL: BOOK REVIEW

One theme that has been ever-present in horror is that of the notion of self, the loss of and the idea that we all own our destiny. When these constants in our lives are thrown out of the window by forces unknown, it can give rise to some excellent meditations on what it is to be human, from the fear of losing ourselves to a mindless primal force such as in The Thing—or losing control of our thoughts and emotions to an evil entity such as in The Exorcist. To the more basic concept of loss of control of being thrown into a situation that we have no control over such as any countless number of man versus monster novels and films. You could argue that all horror, when stripped to its most basic concept is only about the fear of the loss of control of what makes us us.  

In M.T. Hill's latest novel from Titan Books, The Breach takes this concept and runs with it from two divergent but different angles. This dark, psychological adventure-filled thriller is a unique beast, mixing subtle shades of Philip K. Dick high concept weirdness with gritty down to earth detective story. That keeps the reader always on the wrong foot with regards to where they think the story is going, leading the reader into a rabbit warren of pure Alice in Wonderland proportions.  

Set in a near-future / slightly different version of our world, where self-driving cars and a vastly superior version of the internet as we know it, sit alongside characters who remember Margaret Thatcher as PM. Even the basic setting and world building of the novel seems designed to keep us on the wrong foot. It is a world that is instantly recognisable to us, yet at the same time feels Blade Runneresque slightly with its technological differences. At first, this is somewhat offsetting with regards to becoming invested in the book, and you spend a little bit too much time becoming invested in the world that Hill has created, however, once it all clicks into place Hill's world of the Breach becomes a fully realised 3D world of what could be your worst nightmares.  

While never actually making a stance or drawing a line in the sand with regards to the technological advances that are portrayed in the novel, Hill has created a world straight out of my nightmares. Everything you do leaves a trace. The self-driving cars can get you caught if you dare to go somewhere that you shouldn't have. Finding out information about you is easier than ever, and you can even have your data stream hacked by a crazy climber hanging off a wall while you are trying to some research. A world where social media likes and syndication can make a massive difference to everyone's life. A world where you have your own VPN and spam killer, just to try and have a bare minimum of privacy.  

Thankfully there are still areas of the information highway that are somewhat off the grid, such as the secretive community of Urbexers. A band of adventure junkies and adrenaline freaks who like nothing better to do on a Saturday night than to break into some restricted area and illegally explore it. It's this murky world of Urbex that brings our two main protagonists clashing together in such a way that will change both of their lives forever.  

A mysterious underground bunker which has a lie changing effect on anyone who enters it brings the ambitious reporter Freya Medlock headlong into the world of Urbex when her investigation into the death of an experienced climber puts her in the path of Ubrexer, and steeplejack Shep.  

Out of the two characters, Shep is the most interesting; it is clear from what happens to Shep in the passages that describe his work life that Hill has extensive knowledge of what it is like to be a trainee / the new boy, on a tightly knit crew, who depend on each other for safety. I winced at some of the interactions that Shep has to endure, some of them and the attitudes of the workmates were all too real for me.  

The character development of both Shep and Freya, was spot on, as their motivations change during the unfolding of the plot, they both make decisions and choices that feel natural and more importantly, believable. Which for a novel like this where everything else seems to be going down the path of "what the hell did I just read" allows for grounding of the narrative flow.  

As for the narrative itself, oh boy, you are in for a wild ride, Hill has created a rhythm to the story that is like a wild rollercoaster, fused with periods of LSD infused madness. I wouldn't say he keeps you reading by the perfect dropping of cliffhangers, reveals and plot twists, that would be too much of a pun. What he has done is to create a narrative that pulses with an intense sense of vague dread. Just as you think you have a handle on what is going on, he pulls out the rug from beneath your feet, in fact pulling the handle on a trapdoor would be a better metaphor, such is the rush you get from the changes in direction the story takes. What starts out as sounding like a dark faerie tale, quickly morphs into some way more sinister.  

The Breach is a book that demands your full attention, its heady mix of high concepts and shifts of reality, will keep you guessing as to what is happening right up to the end of the story. If you haven't been paying full attention to it, you might be confused as to what you have just read, but when it all sinks in, you will love how it all played out.  

The Breach is a powerful novel that takes a hard look at what it means to be an individual in a world where individuality and anonymity are becoming ever harder to be. Smart and unique, this is one of those novels that have more to say about the modern world the longer you think about and has gone straight to the top of my books of the year list.  

The Breach by M. T. Hill

From Philip K. Dick Award-nominated author M.T. Hill, The Breach is a unique science fiction mystery set in the dangerous underground world of the urban exploration scene.
Freya Medlock, a reporter at her local paper, is down on her luck and chasing a break. When she's assigned to cover the death of a young climber named Stephen, she might just have the story she needs. Digging into Stephen's life, Freya uncovers a strange photo uploaded to an urban exploration forum not long before he died. It seems to show a weird nest, yet the caption below suggests there's more to it.
Freya believes this nest - discovering what it really is and where it's hidden - could be the key to understanding the mysteries surrounding Stephen's death.
Soon she meets Shep, a trainee steeplejack with his own secret life. When Shep's not working up chimneys, he's also into urban exploration - undertaking dangerous 'missions' into abandoned and restricted sites. As Shep draws Freya deeper into the urbex scene, the circumstances of Stephen s death become increasingly unsettling - and Freya finds herself risking more and more to get the answers she wants.
But neither Freya nor Shep realise that some dark corners are better left unlit.

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