Reality is a work of fiction in the conspiracy, thriller and science fiction adventure sub genres, and was penned by author D. C. Wince. The work is intended for the mature reading audience, and contains scenes of graphic violence and the use of explicit language throughout. Set in the year 2001, this fascinating novel sets us up with protagonist Charlie Grimer, an ex-journalist who stumbles upon a terrifying conspiracy by a rich and powerful group who want to dominate the world. Along with three other men who have stumbled into the web of The Syndicate, Charlie is taken and forced to compete in Reality, a deadly survival contest for the amusement of their captors.

Author D. C. Wince has crafted a high stakes, all action work of fiction with plenty of thrills, chills and battles of wits to offer its readers. I was amazed by how much plot this novel packs into every punch, offering both a race-against-time battle to end the conspiracy and a clever no-holds-barred survival story in one. The male-centric casts presents a highly descriptive and action-led story, and I really enjoyed the way the plot developed around these four very different men as it progressed. Another feature which I really enjoyed was the descriptive quality of the settings (especially the deadly heat of the Sahara) and the characters, which engendered a cinematic feel that was easy to imagine. The technical plot work in the world-domination storyline was also intelligently played out and not cliched or overdone. Overall, I would certainly recommend Reality to fans of clever thriller drama, Battle Royale-styled action and for science fiction fans everywhere.

Reality by DC Wince takes us deep inside the world of conspiracy theories, one-world government, and the New World Order. It is the end of the twentieth century and whilst most of the world is panicking about Y2K, a German investment banker, Ernst Jaeger, and his girlfriend Anna are terrified by an inadvertent discovery Ernst made at work. This hints at a sinister plot to overthrow the entire world and control humanity with a shadowy cabal of extraordinarily wealthy and powerful people, collectively known as The Syndicate. In desperation, Ernst and his girlfriend turn to well-known British exposé and investigative journalist Charlie Grimer to expose this evil plot to the world and stop what seems to be the inevitable success of the syndicate. What the pair has uncovered includes a massive range of behind-the-scenes plots intended to destabilize nations and the entire system of government all across the world. Racing against time to let the world know of a plot to crash airliners into buildings, sometime toward the end of 2001, they find themselves kidnapped by the Syndicate and set down in the African desert in a strange race for survival, called Reality. Watched by a pay-per-view audience, Ernst, Charlie, and two other men are in a battle for their lives to survive the harsh desert and each other as they seek the ultimate prize, some 1,000 miles away – wealth and an antidote to the poison all four men have been injected with.

Reality is a fast-paced, high-octane adventure that carries the reader along on a roller-coaster of emotions and connection. Author DC Wince, by setting the novel at the start of the twenty-first century, was cleverly able to weave many events that we have seen come to pass in the last twenty years into his conspiracy theory organization of The Syndicate, which made the entire narrative seem realistic, possible, and almost a retelling of history. The whole conspiracy theory and survival race to the death have, of course, been done before but the author still manages to make this tale fresh and exciting. I particularly enjoyed the character of Blaze, inadvertently dragged into the entire mess and race to the death, merely by association with Ernst’s girlfriend, Anna. His aboriginal myths and beliefs added much depth to the entire narrative and lifted it above others of this genre. The stories of the Dreamtime that Blaze brought to the tale added interest and color to the adventure. The author has left an avenue for a sequel and that bodes well for the future. This is not a book that breaks particularly new ground but the ability to link current and recent events to the conspiracy theories makes for an interesting and stimulating read. I can recommend this tale to adventure lovers.