84K

By: Claire North

Narrated by: Peter Kenny

A powerful dystopian vision of a world where money reigns supreme, from a World Fantasy Award-winning author.

"An extraordinary novel that stands with the best of dystopian fiction, with dashes of The Handmaid's Tale." -- -Cory Doctorow

The penalty for Dani Cumali's murder: $84,000.

Theo works in the Criminal Audit Office. He assesses each crime that crosses his desk and makes sure the correct debt to society is paid in full.

These days, there's no need to go to prison -- provided that you can afford to pay the penalty for the crime you've committed. If you're rich enough, you can get away with murder.

But Dani's murder is different. When Theo finds her lifeless body, and a hired killer standing over her and calmly calling the police to confess, he can't let her death become just an entry on a balance sheet.

Someone is responsible. And Theo is going to find them and make them pay.

Perfect for fans of 1984 and Never Let Me Go, Claire North's moving and unnerving new novel will resonate with readers around the world.

Critic reviews

"An eerily plausible dystopian masterpiece, as harrowing as it is brilliant"—Emily St. John Mandel, bestselling author of Station Eleven

"An extraordinary novel that stands with the best of dystopian fiction, with dashes of The Handmaid's Tale."—Cory Doctorow

"Everybody needs to read 84K. Consistently thoughtful fiction like this needs to be championed. I'll admit it, I'm a little in awe of the author. Her work is sublime.... Claire North deserves your undivided attention. Buy the book, read it. Your brain will thank you.... If there was a rating higher than highly recommended this book would receive it."—The Eloquent Page

"A terrifying setting that feels rooted to the present day.... Imbued with a menace that feels both recognizable and urgent, and the decisions the characters make as a result feel uncomfortably real."—RT Book Reviews

"Another captivating novel from one of the most intriguing and genre-bending novelists currently working in the intersection between thriller and science fiction."—Booklist (starred review)

"A furious, confrontational book that's extremely smart... its energy is infectious and its ideas are fiercely provocative."—SciFiNow

"Put simply, this book just blew my mind. A remarkable writer, doing extraordinary things, and I think this is her best book yet."—Blue Book Balloon

"Claire North goes from strength to strength.... A tense, moving story."—Guardian

"The grimy, meticulously constructed and worrisomely believable dystopia Claire North has created for 84k is our world, just a few years down the path."—NPR

"One of the most distinct and compelling SF novels of the year thus far."—Toronto Star

"A dystopian anthem for the modern activist... a cracking thriller.... Quite simply, North's best book so far."—Starburst

"Evocative, thought-provoking... I'll read anything she writes."—Omnivoracious

"The truly scary thing about 84K is how convincing this dark, brutal class-divided Britain is."—SFX

"Vivid and disturbing."—Publishers Weekly

"A fascinating look at the decisions society is taking now."—The Bookbag

"Claire North's writing is terrific, smart, and entertaining."—Patrick Ness on The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August

"Claire North is a true original, a master of ingenious plotting and feats of imagination."
—Alex Marwood, author of The Wicked Girls, on The Sudden Appearance of Hope

"Wonderful novel...held together by a compelling mystery involving nothing less than the end of the world itself. Beautifully written and structured...a remarkable book."—Booklist (starred review) on The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August

84K IS THE "1984" OF A CAPITALIST DYSTOPIA

Claire North has created a masterfully imagined thriller set in a dystopian capitalist world. This frighteningly heartfelt tale is too real to be read lightly. Orwell envisioned a socialist state of Big Brother. Claire North describes in brutal detail the reality of a capitalist state ruled by "The Company". Sadly, the military-industrial-complex of our world is only a few steps aware from making her fictional story a reality. 84K is a masterpiece of empathy, social insight, a compassionate plea for individual responsibility we must each take to avoid the totalitarian ruin of our world in the name of "profit".

Maybe just read 1984

I just discovered Claire North and I absolutely loved the Burning age. I tried this one next and it was just okay. Take George Orwell’s 1984 and put the timeline in a blender. The author plays with the concept of time by jumping back and forth in the story line which is an interesting idea but was quite confusing. I think it may translate better in book form? By the end I was so annoyed with the trailing sentences I didn’t bother to finish. Thankfully I just picked up The First Fifteen Lives and I’m enjoying it. Pass on this one if you are just starting your Claire North journey

Worth it

A bit hard to follow but an enjoyable romp once you get used to its rhythm.

Very enjoyable but sad

I found this book to be very interesting but a little depressing. I certainly hope the world never comes to this.

Confusing

Claire North’ book generally delight me. I am intrigued with the questions they raise about identity, reality and time. This book follows in the same vein, using quick cuts back and forth in the story line frequently. Unfortunately this becomes rather confusing and interrupts the overall flow of the tale. The cultural setting is a future country beset with turmoil, greed, and devalued life. It is depressing, and offers no real resolution for the characters or their world.