Zero Zone

A Chicago Review of Books Must Read Book of the Month “A a sophisticated thriller . . . O’Connor has constructed the plot of Zero Zone as a kaleidoscope, frequently shattering the chronology of events and remixing the parts. That may sound baffling, but it’s compellingly done—a constant process of filling in context and meaning, solving some mysteries and raising others . . . Zero Zone is an engaging reflection on the function of art and the responsibilities of the artist. Following these characters along their circuitous routes offers a rare chance to consider the risks that great creators take when they try to inspire us to action—but not too much.” —Ron Charles, The Washington Post “A complexly structured novel that evokes the aesthetic thrills and apocalyptic impulses of its time and place as viscerally as a hot Santa Ana wind . . . Zero Zone . . . superbly captures an era when gurus both good and bad were plentiful, conceptual artists risked their own skins and psyches, and art seemed to open new windows on the soul.” —Tom Nolan, Wall Street Journal “Zero Zone is a pounding thriller that also takes on questions about creation, the ownership of art, and the vague lines of responsibility between those whose lives have been bonded in tragedy.” —Dwyer Murphy, CrimeReads “Enthralling . . . Plot summaries . . . do not begin to do justice to the author’s measured invitations to join him into the vertiginous worlds his characters inhabit. It’s a combination of a literal ghost story—O’Connor is also an accomplished television writer, and his story arc training serves him well—and a metaphysical attempt to question the ground on which we stand, the air we breathe . . . The creation of his anti–hero Tanner, a pustular prophet with growths all over his body who nevertheless has a mesmerizing effect on those he entices into his orbit, is an amazing achievement. It brings to mind the nightmarish visions of Nathaniel West in Miss Lonelyhearts, with its dark comedy of desolation angels of lost, and sometimes deformed souls and doomed Christian aspirations.” —Paul Wilner, Zyzzyva “Harrowing, dexterous . . . With a noir tone and a rich assortment of characters whose lives unfold in chapters pared down to their essentials, the novel transforms a would–be abstract meditation on the influence of art into a vital, deeply engaging work. Writing with verve and precision, O’Connor serves up a thoughtful, original thriller.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review “After finishing this cinematic novel, readers will be compelled to start again at page one to discover how O’Connor pieces together his suspenseful, incredibly well–written narrative.” —Library Journal (starred review) “The liminal space between art, artist, and audience takes an unexpected, beautiful and haunting form in Scott O'Connor's masterful Zero Zone, which brings to light the intangible thoughts and feelings swirling around an interactive art installation in the desert.” —Mari Carlson, ookPage (starred review) “Magnetic . . . O’Connor dovetails Jess’s perspective with those of the Zero Zone survivors, excavating the truth like an archaeologist unearthing a skeleton. Recommended for fans of Ann Patchett’s Bel Canto.” —Booklist “Scott O'Connor's Zero Zone sets itself apart from the literary thriller pack thanks to its highly original premise and empathetic range . . . O'Connor once again plumbs the depths of trauma with careful attention to psychological detail . . . O'Connor excels at sympathetically depicting the extremes of human thought, building careful