Money War

MONEY WAR

by Clark Wren

A creative thriller with action scenes that deliver.

In Wren's SF novel, a futuristic dystopia controlled by the ultrawealthy descends into conflict.

This action-adventure tale is set in a society ruled by moneyed elites, where a handful of Trillionaires (always capitalized in the text)must face the greatest threats to their power, and their lives: one another. Freelance bodyguards and assassins known as night soldiers do their bidding, carrying out contract killings and protecting their bosses from harm. Night soldier Quincy works for the world's richest man, James J. Buchanan, and must repress feelings of guilt about the violence he commits to provide for his pregnant partner, Sondra, and their 2-year-old son, Josh. When the sixth Money War breaks out-a conflict in which Trillionaires battle for supremacy-Quincy fights alongside allied fellow night soldiers Dean Williams and Jacob "ChewChew" Moore. They go up against rival night soldiers, including dangerous married couple Larissa and Nikolai (also known as Satan and Hell Bitch), employed by the notoriously ruthless Trillionaire Raskolnikov. The trio also faces deadly technology, including flying, mechanized bore-bugs and metal, robotic Wardogs. Meanwhile, rumors of a nebulous religious figure known as "the Perfect One" circulate among the wider population-a supposed savior who could change the world. Religious themes appear throughout the book, alongside commentary on the nature corruption and wealth, but the work's strengths lie more in its constant action and intriguing worldbuilding. Wren's descriptions of futuristic technologies and settings are creative and immersive, with gadget-packed action sequences ("Red ball after red ball bounced between the Wardogs. Bubble-blast after bubble-blast crisscrossed, ripping paws, heads, and legs from the silver-colored beasts"), and vivid representations of locations ("every hexagonal windowpane appeared to rotate slowly clockwise, then counterclockwise as if part of a giant, mesmerizing, tan honeycomb"). The book's tendency to focus on weaponry and violence makes its plot and characters feel secondary at times, but readers looking for a fast-paced adventure won't be disappointed.

A creative thriller with action scenes that deliver.

Page Count: 102

Publisher: Self

Review Posted Online: Nov. 29, 2025

Review Program: Kirkus Indie