The Warehouse is a dystopian science fiction thriller set in a not so distance future, in which the United States has all but collapsed. The most sought after jobs are to be found at ‘Cloud’, an online retail giant that has become so successful it has taken over control of parts of the US government.

At the centre of our story are two protagonists. Paxton has just begun his job in security at Cloud, begrudgingly taking a job after the retail giant crushed his liveliness by forcing ever smaller margins. There is also Zinnia, who has also just started working in one of their sprawling warehouses. Zinnia, however, has an ulterior motive, she is snooping around, trying to uncover secrets for one of Clouds competitors.

The Warehouse is almost scary in places, reading the book almost feels like reading into our future, after big business has beaten all the competition. It’s very clever and well plotted, and I thought the book was well paced. There is definitely more that could be explored, it will be interesting to see if a follow up is considered. I’m giving this novel four out of five stars.

I don’t often do pre-publication reviews but I finished The Warehouse last week and really, really enjoyed it so wanted to start cheerleading early.

We are in a future where society is coping with a harsh reality, society’s tolerance has all but vanished and people are reliant upon the global retail giant: Cloud. Cloud provides hundreds of thousands around with world with jobs, residential places at their vast warehouses, consumers can want for nothing as Cloud offer it all.

Stepping into the Cloud Warehouse in Rob Hart’s novel is Paxton. He ran his own business, a firm with a product which people found useful and which allowed him to be moderately successful. When Cloud noticed his small success they approached Paxton to work with him, a deal was reached but margins were squeezed and trading got tougher and tougher. Eventually Cloud forced Paxton’s firm out of business and we meet him as he approaches Cloud with a view to getting a job with them.

During the selection process Paxton meets Zinnia. Zinnia is not keen to strike up a conversation with Paxton as she is applying for a job with Cloud for a very different reason. Security and employment is not Zinnia’s primary motivation – she is working undercover to infiltrate the Cloud building with a view to uncovering some of the secrets of the firm’s operation.

Both Paxton and Zinnia enter The Warehouse with very different agenda but both are trying to keep a secret. Over the course of the story we see how they will become indoctrinated to the way of life of Cloud. Compliant to the unique rules which Cloud operate. Conscious of the need to fit in and to meet the expectation of their employer or face the consequence of being Cut.

Rob Hart has created a fascinating micro-world in which to set his story. The clever use of chapters where mundane tasks are completed show just how hard Zinnia has to work to keep her cover in place and shows the routine Cloud expect from their employees. I loved the idea of a corporate giant taking over our lives (but it is also rather chilling as you ponder if this could actually become prophetic).

The Warehouse will release later this summer and is a title which is worth looking out for. I enjoy reading a book which feels different and gets me thinking about consequences of our actions. If our commercial urges are not tempered could a firm like Cloud become a dominant force in our society?

Great read – get your orders in now.

This is a cautionary tale which is particularly relevant for the current climate of consumerism and the cavalier attitudes of immense businesses smothering society. This was an inventive story which was an enjoyable read.

This was unbearably slow, the characters were not likeable and the writing seemed stunted and not well thought out to how the characters act and interact with each other

I read a lot of different genres of books, indiscriminate of subject matter, yet the one thing that always hooks me is a good concept. Something original and unusual, with that edge of intrigue to set it apart from the others. With ‘The Warehouse’, Rob Hart offers this in spades. In his latest novel (the first I’ve read from this author), Hart presents a concerningly plausible look into the near-future, at a world where a mega-corporation posing as a well-meaning online retailer has essentially taken over the world, under the auspices of making it a better place. Consumers can receive anything almost instantly at the click of a button, automated processes fulfil their every need (even those that they didn’t know needed fulfilled), and all this under the umbrella of one supposedly benignly caring company. Sound familiar? It’s not so far from the world we live in right now, and Hart takes the world of today only a couple of logical steps further to explore what could (and very possibly might) be in store for us if things continue down this road.
The story hinges on two main protagonists Paxton and Zinnia, who carry the story forward through alternating points-of-view, one the jaded ex-business owner with a grudge to settle against mega-retailer Cloud, the other a hired undercover agent posing as a warehouse worker, sent in to take the corporation down from the inside.
Equal parts corporate-espionage romp, conspiracy thriller and dystopian cautionary tale, with dashes of Orwellian totalitarianism throughout, ‘The Warehouse’ presents a fully-realised world, without the need for endless passages of exposition or overt explanation. Hart uses effective world-building to hint and imply at the events which have led the world to the state it is in, allowing the reader’s imagination to fill in the blanks, revealing just enough to contextualise the story and hint at the greater world at large. He succeeds in creating a world I’d be very interested in reading more from, however one I suspect may be better left as a singular contained work a la Orwell’s ‘1984’ and it’s ilk.
Like seemingly all major releases these days, it’s no surprise that the rights to this book have been picked up by Hollywood before it’s even been released, however this is an instance where it’s definitely not cart-before-the-horse as the story is very cinematic in nature, unfolding at a breakneck pace, like a runaway tram car, and I suspect that with the right filmmakers it would most definitely make a fantastic movie as the book itself reads that way as is.
I always find that the books which stay with me the longest after I finish them are the ones with a message to share, and this is definitely true here. Hart imparts his messages about consumerism and society’s impeding decline, without every devolving into preachiness or patronising the reader, always mixing them in with a constant sense of intrigue and suspense, and a creeping dread that looms and builds until the shocking climax, a climax I never saw coming and which I still can’t decide is hopeful or not.
It doesn’t take a genius to work out which online giant Hart has based Cloud on, although the ‘A’ word is never uttered. The ironic thing is, it’s the very retailer that I suspect many readers will purchase this book from upon release. If there’s one message to be taken from this book (and in fact there are many) it’s to be vigilant about the choices we make as consumers and by extension who we give power to in the process. Whilst I imagine many readers may regret purchasing this book from an online retailer over a physical store after reading, they will most definitely not regret reading it overall. ‘The Warehouse’ is an extremely timely cautionary tale with a strong and important message, disguised as a fast-paced, smart, cinematic suspense thriller, and I can confidently say it will be a book I recommend and talk about for a long while to come. I will most definitely be looking out for more from Rob Hart and I eagerly await the inevitable movie adaptation which has some great talent attached.

Imagine that Amazon, which means Jeff Bezos, have conquered the world and half the population live in a dystopian semi wasteland and the other half work for the all powerful company. All the company's workers needs are supplied in a cut price, flat pack, minimum way sort of way and the choice, if they can make it, is life as a worker ant or starvation in the wider world. The story comes from the struggle to get on and survive in this world and, eventually, the struggle to destroy it. There is a sort of 1984 vibe and it is well written and enjoyable.

In a world ravaged by climate change, Amazon (or rather Cloud, a company as close as you can get to Amazon without being sued) has taken over. This fast-paced dystopian thriller, which takes its cues from the issues of modern employment by companies like Amazon, is an enjoyable read, but slightly unravels with a muddled ending.

Aaargh, the future seems to have arrived even sooner than I expected it! The Warehouse is an apt title for an excellent and thought provoking book which demonstrates how easily people and goods can become warehoused and some would argue, myself included, that one company has already started us down that slippery slope. The challenge is, even today, such behemoths are very difficult to resist as they make their fulfillment promises so very addictive.

Cannot easily say more without mentioning the real companies that already worry me and so I shall end by suggesting you read this book and see whether my paranoia is well founded.

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House and Rob Hart for my arc of The Warehouse in exchange for an honest review.


Synopsis: Imagine a world in the not too distant future where gun crime, unemployment and climate change have ravaged the world. In the midst of chaos Cloud stands head above everyone else. Cloud is an online retail giant that has it all. Employees live, work, eat on site. Drones deliver packages straight to your door within 24 hours. Yet something sinister lurks behind its perfect exterior. Paxton never thought he'd work security for the company that ruined his life and trashed his business, yet here he is. On the bright side he's met Zinnia, a gorgeous young woman assigned as a picker, who makes him feel like maybe he could live this life. But Zinnia isn't all she seems either and Paxton's all access job might just be what she needs. But they're both about to find out just how far Cloud is prepared to go to change the world.

This one is a tough one to review. On the one hand it really does make you think, or rather confirms your thoughts about working practices, big corporations, employee rights and the age of convenience. On the other hand what held my attention was the expectation to a big reveal that never happened. It was definitely a slow burner. The author's letter at the end was the only thing that really told me what the book had been about.

I feel like the story could have worked better if it had have had more of a twist to it but at the same time it was good in what it highlighted. Hence the 3 stars. It was definitely more of dystopian look at a disturbing and not too distant future than a thriller. It definitely leaves you with something to think about though!

This book is truly chilling. I don't get spooked easily and I'm not especially conscious of impending climate doom or potential political meltdown, but I felt incredibly uncomfortable reading this novel about a near future where the population is entirely at the mercy of a vast corporate entity. Draw your own conclusions at to who and what are being thinly-disguised here! The story is gripping and suspenseful; I was immediately hooked and felt genuinely invested in both the characters and the outcome. What's most frightening is how I can see we are already headed to this pre-apocalyptic scenario, and that I am completely complicit. There's almost nothing - no matter how outlandish - in this novel that felt impossible; if anything it felt likely, and terrifyingly unstoppable.

A brilliant and all too realistic vision of the near-future, in which the giant Cloud Corporation rules not only the USA, but has designs on absorbing much of the rest of the world. There is a government, but it is hamstrung and financially outgunned by the all-powerful Cloud, to the point of being obsolescent and irrelevant.

The story focuses on Paxton (former prison guard and failed entrepreneur) and Zinnia (corporate spy), taking jobs in Cloud. Paxton is allocated to Security and befriended by Zinnia who needs access to areas she can't reach. The problem is that everyone living and working within the giant complex is tagged and monitored 24/7 via a 'watch' they have to wear, even to gain access to the bathrooms and elevators. The working conditions at Cloud are horrendous - they have quashed minimum wage and imposed strict working hours and ridiculous targets, making health and safety standards irrelevant. All employees are required to live in the facility and therefore must buy food and other goods from stores and outlets controlled by Cloud. Cloud controls everything.

What is particularly scary is the attitude of Cloud's CEO Gibson Wells, who thinks he is doing everyone a favour by employing them, and believes he is loved by all (sound familiar??) What he does have is a good grasp of how to control and manipulate people - by offering them the path of least resistance, which they take no matter the ultimate cost to themselves and others.

The book is an excellent study on corporate excesses without being 'preachy'and a challenging look at a future which is possible - we are already part way there with constant monitoring, profiling and GPS tracking. I for one will take it to heart and visit farmers' markets and small independent retailers more frequently than I currently do. Might even leave my phone at home.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Random House UK for the ARC.
I rather enjoyed reading this book. It certainly delivers a cautionary tale against powerful corporations usurping the powers of government because they appear to be on the side of 'the people'.
Against the backdrop of advanced climate change the Cloud Corporation have expanded their warehouses into every US state. Small towns are now dustbowls, most people live in densely-packed cities, no-one 'shops' anymore except through Cloud - ordering on-line and delivered by drones. Cloud is the major employer. If you pass their interview you're bussed to their facility - acres of buildings - self-sufficient cities - where you work and live under surveillance.
Told from three points of view:
Cloud's creator, Gibson. He is dying of cancer and has embarked on a bus tour of as many of his facilities he can manage. He is writing a blog of Cloud's beginnings and its growth. Somehow he makes it all sound so - paternalistic!
Paxton who spent 15 years as a prison guard followed by 2yrs where he set up his own business which was subsequently destroyed by Cloud and their incessant cost-cutting 'for the consumer' He wanted to be on the warehouse floor, picking the goods, but to his dismay is allocated work with the security team.
Zinnia - well, she's a corporate spy, employed to infiltrate the facility and discover just how Cloud are managing to run the place on as little energy they claim to use - because Cloud extolls their Green Credentials. She is put to work as a picker in the warehouse.

Sometimes amusing, sometimes downright sad, we're given a glimpse of what could happen - the conditions to which people will submit themselves just in order to have a place to live and a wage in the pocket - although there is no 'real' money around - it's all in the guise of credits.
Until someone says Enough!

Paxton, a disillusioned ex-prison guard and failed entrepreneur and a corporate spy are thrown together in a dystopian future that is run largely by a single corporation. The novel is in many ways reminiscent of 1984 but with a capitalist rather than a governmental overlord.

The story has a couple of monotonous areas but these appear to be to purposely placed to demonstrate the monotony faced by the characters and the sacrifice they make for the comfort and security they have. They do slightly interrupt the flow of the story but not to a great extent.

An interesting read and it is easy to see how some often reported stories about large corporations suggest this is a very possible future we face.

There are interesting questions about ambition and loyalty as the characters struggle to reconcile their original aims with their present circumstances.

An intriguing and thought provoking read that I would recommend to others.

Welcome to the frontier of a utopian bubble, where the author is gleefully poised with a shiny, new pin.

Yep, our world is changing. Physically, commercially, ethically and environmentally. As a result this is the alarmingly realistic vision of the mother-of-all enterprises, which felt way too close for comfort.

It wasn’t only hugely entertaining it centred my gravity and gave me a cause to reflect: is acceptable to follow the path of least resistance regardless of the consequences? Well, hell no. But the right choices aren’t always the easiest ones.

"The Warehouse" has a huge personality and an instinct for what makes us tick. It has ALL the elements of a darn good yarn, and is a sobering one at that.

I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on this author in the future.

Brilliant but chilling view of the future. When society breaks down due to global warming, the mega online retailer, Cloud creates huge live-in warehouse facilities. The story is written from the perspective of 3 people - the creator Gibson, Paxton whose company was destroyed by Cloud and Zinnia, a corporate spy.

Although Hart has written a book exploring many moral issues, it is a good action read and not moralistic. Frighteningly, we are already on the path to Hart's future and are all assisting in it's creation.

The market dictates.

A dystopian not so distant future.The world is suffering heavily from the effects of climate change. In a parched USA, populations are concentrated in cities, small towns are ghost towns. Unemployment is rife. Amidst all this retail behemoth Cloud prospers, fulfilling consumer wants cheaply and conveniently via a vast squadron of drones. Employees work and live in a constellation of MotherClouds,..

Three people tell the story.. Gibson Wells, multi billionaire CEO of Cloud is dying of an aggressive cancer and embarks on a final tour of his empire. Paxton, a man whose small business has been squeezed to death by Cloud. Zinnia, sent on a mission to Cloud.

A study of the worst excesses of corporate America magnified and compressed in a single organization.

A compulsively readable modern parable, a 1984 for today.