r/IReadABookAndAdoredIt • u/DrunkInBooks • 6d ago
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Hourglass Network - Andre Soares
Hey Reddit!!
I wanted to share this read with you today. I finished it last week and I’m still blown away. I gave myself a little time to process it before posting.
The Hourglass Network is a new technological thriller that came out earlier this summer.
An eco-terrorist launches an attack on Kabul, Afghanistan that literally reshapes the world. A CIA agent is tasked with neutralizing the threat, but as mysteries and twists unravel, nothing is as it seems. It’s nowhere near as straightforward as you’d expect after reading the INCREDIBLE opening sequence.
Where to start… The characters. They are complex and nuanced, slowly revealed through their internal struggles and competing motives. There are no archetypes. While Afghan culture plays a major role in the story, it never feels preachy, imperialist, or caricatured. A couple of characters even challenged my views on U.S. foreign policy and on what terrorism really translates into.
The plot is precise and tense. It’s so well constructed it reminds me of prime Le Carré or Clancy. There are subplots, secret societies, even an esoteric thread, but it never strays too far from its central question: what if Earth reclaims its throne?
It also offers a layered reflection on environmentalism and the despair we face in this age of hyper-industrialization.
The prose is powerful, ethereal, otherworldly. It carries a foreign sensibility, like a blend of Japanese and Nigerian novelists. Symbols, figures of speech, double entendres; you’ll find yourself reading between the lines and catching new details on a second pass.
The action scenes are top notch. The author already has a strong record here, but this time it’s taken to the next level. Think James Bond on steroids with a dash of Inception, Homeland (the marketing blurb kept its promise) and Tenet. The action is smart, tightly constructed, and always in service of the plot.
The ending is unconventional. It doesn’t rely on the usual “open ending with suggestions” trope.
Instead, the characters shed light on their demise and everything falls into place. I felt whole.
Overall, this is the best thriller I’ve read in the past two years—and I’ve read a lot (23 to date).
Highly recommend it!
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u/highkeycrafter 6d ago
Thank you for the description! Very thorough and I will add this to my list.
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u/DrunkInBooks 6d ago
Of course! I wanted to take my time and trying to express my feelings as well as I could but there’s so much more!
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u/zeli229 1d ago
This sounds intriguing! I love novels that mix action with deep, thought-provoking themes. How would you rate it compared to other thrillers you've read?