A Perfect Machine

In this dark urban fantasy, Savory (In and Down) introduces readers to a society so secret that normal humans are physically incapable of remembering it exists. The Inferne Cutis is split into two parts: the Runners and the Hunters. Each takes part in a mandatory (and bloody) nightly Run, during which Hunters shoot at Runners; failure to participate means the disappearance of a loved one. Henry Kyllo, a Runner, has been riddled with so many bullets that he’s now almost entirely metal under his skin. When Kyllo finally becomes 100% lead, an age-old prophecy is fulfilled and he begins to change into a destructive force that threatens everything in its path. Throughout the book, Savory seems poised to hammer home some kind of deep allegory on toxic masculinity and the cycle of violence, but nothing ever really comes together. The plot instead hinges on a series of clichéd action-adventure character arcs held together by mystical forces that are often teased but never explained, building to a resoundingly unsatisfying resolution. Savory literally reaches for the stars, but the story is a hollow one with no real stakes or lasting resonance. (Feb.)