Books like Shovel Ready by Adam Sternbergh
Spademan, once a garbage collector, becomes a hitman after the aftermath of a dirty bomb that changed Times Square and cost him his wife. In a near‑future New York City divided between those who can "tap in" to an advanced virtual reality and those left to survive on the devastated streets, he chooses the latter. When a client hires him to kill the daughter of a powerful evangelist, Spademan must maneuver between the bleak physical world and the slick digital fantasy to complete the contract, clear his conscience, and avoid becoming another casualty.
The novel explores themes of survival, moral ambiguity, and the contrast between virtual opulence and real‑world decay.
First publish date: 2013
Genre: Dystopian & Apocalyptic Fiction/Dystopian Fiction
Authors: Adam Sternbergh
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