The Glass Box

By: J. Michael Straczynski

Narrated by: Stacy Gonzalez

“Echoes of One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest reverberate through this cinematic tale…readers looking for an adrenaline-inducing resistance plot will find this worth their time.”—Publishers Weekly

From award-winning author J. Michael Straczynski, The Glass Box is a hard-hitting, fast paced sci-fi novel about the choices we make and the ramifications we face.

Riley Diaz was born to fight back.

When she’s incarcerated under the authority of a shadowy new defense act, Riley is sent to one of a growing number of American Renewal Centers (ARCs)—institutions modeled after psychiatric facilities—for mandatory reeducation.

Forced therapy, involuntary medication, solitary confinement, restricted rations, and more are all in the ARC program’s bag of dirty tricks designed to break down dissidents. Give in, and you go free. Resist, and …

Riley declares a one-woman war against the gaslighting and manipulation in a struggle to take down the ARC program and its white-coated collaborators. Despite being isolated and resented by her fellow inmates, Riley eventually wins their trust, and forms a heartfelt, life-and-death bond with a mysterious patient known only as Frankenstein, who is as enigmatic as his namesake.

Sometimes breaking an unjust system starts with one person willing to stand up—when standing is the hardest thing in the world—and saying no. Riley Diaz is willing to stand behind that word, regardless of the cost, in order to put her fist through the Glass Box once and for all.

Acclaimed creator J. Michael Straczynski takes the listener on a mesmerizing journey inspired by pressing contemporary issues, including our right to protest and the threats designed to undermine that right. Told with drama and heart, The Glass Box is a moving story that features a colorful and often eccentric cast of characters audiences will fall in love with.

©2024 Synthetic Worlds, Ltd. (P)2024 Blackstone Publishing

Outstanding

The Glass Box is both scary for its feasibility and hopeful in its resilience. The characters, like most of J Michael Straczynski's writing, are fully fleshed out and real. I honestly can't say enough about the quality of this book Just read it already!

Someone worked out his feelings for his father.

Someone took a page from Tom Clancy. I really hope this story doesn't come true.

1984 Today

A timely reminder that 1984 isn't an abstract possibility, but just a blink away from tommorrow

Brilliant, and all too possible

JMS does it again in another story that intertwines exceptional storytelling, character development, and plot arc.
If you are on the inside and know his own personal story, there is even more insight as you read the novel, and understand where he got the inspiration for certain characters such as Frankenstein, and the thoughts and recollections and attitude of him.
There's way too much emotion right now for me to be able to write a fully coherent review, so I will probably have to come back and do that later.

Must read

A gripping story so close to reality that is scary. JMS did it again, a must read. Love everything about it.

Compelling, despite the predictability and narration 

The pros was engaging And the characters We’re believable with clear motivations. The predictable story And political lecture, Left a slight bad taste in my mouth. I did not care for the narrators Exaggerated voices for the various characters. 

Wow

Reminiscent of Brian W. Aldiss' Harm without being genre, and without that work's pessimism. It's a work grounded in reality and humanity. You celebrate it at the same time you feel for the plight of the protagonist, who is in the grip of the worst emotion imaginable: terror.

Note that the secondary characters are less developed than the protagonist since this is a single POV narrative.

Straczynski's previous Together We Will Go tackled another difficult subject. The author, I would say, has some predilection in writing about uncomfortable but necessary subjects. May he produce many more.

The poor Narration may force me to return this.

This novel strikes me as important, adeptly dealing with some very real horrors that are in motion right now. Sadly, thanks to the poor narration, I will probably return the title rather than finishing it. Seriously. Every male character voice sounds like the big dumb dog in the Warner Bros. Cartoon parody of "Of Mice and Men," while gagging on cauliflower. "Aaaaach Iiiii will love him Aaarchaaaand squeeze hiim Aaahaaand call him George! George iz My friend!" Which of course rrrrrrrrrrips you out of the story. IF YOU CANT DO VOICES JUST READ THE BOOK Narrators! Youre ruining good things.

Annoying performance

Admittedly I did not get far, I found the story sophomoric. The subject matter is so interesting, This text does it no justice. This coupled white the annoying performance, I’m sorry to have bought it.