Shock Induction - by Chuck Palahniuk

About the Book

"From the bestselling author of Fight Club comes a dark, satirical parable about a string of mysterious high school disappearances, the seedy underbellies of billionaires, and the tough choices we make in the face of an uncertain future"--

Book Synopsis

From the bestselling author of Fight Club comes a "dark satire about the inhuman condition" (The Toronto Star) about a string of mysterious high school disappearances, the seedy underbellies of billionaires, and the tough choices we make in the face of an uncertain future.

In Shock Induction, the best and brightest students at a seemingly reputable high school are disappearing. Every day it seems another overachiever is lost to an apparent suicide. But something far more sinister is lurking beneath the surface.

These kids have been under surveillance since birth, monitored and measured by an online service called "Greener Pastures." It's here, in Greener Pastures, that billionaires observe and recruit the next generation of talent. The highest test scores, the best grades, and the most niche extracurriculars just might land these teenagers an enticing offer at auction. A couple of billion dollars in exchange for the remainder of your life and intellectual labor sounds like a pretty fair deal--doesn't it?

In a high school only Chuck Palahniuk could imagine, students must choose between the risk of following their dreams and the financial security of a lifetime of servitude to the world's wealthiest and most elite--but how much of a choice do they truly have? A thrilling tale and a critique of modern society, Shock Induction challenges the illusion of choice and explores the tough choices individuals make in the shadow of power and privilege.

Review Quotes

"What sets Shock Induction apart in the Palahniuk oeuvre is its experimentation with form, rendered with a playfulness directed straight out of the page at the reader... Shock Induction is not your standard novel. But Palahniuk is not your standard novelist."--Seattle Times

"The author of Fight Club returns with another dark satire about the inhuman condition, this time exploring disappearing high schoolers, sleazy billionaires and the choices we make to get through life."--Toronto Star

"Palahniuk reinvents his writing style for this slim volume, which moves at a quick pace with lots of big ideas and dark humor."--Variety

"[N]obody takes an idea and runs with it the way Palahniuk does. His teen suicide story is set in a brilliantly realized near-future in which the super-wealthy keep students under surveillance from the day they're born, deciding which will be offered a job--and a lifetime spent under the control of their employer (even this is just a tiny sampling of the wonderful, scary, funny ideas in this book)... Palahniuk's fans will be delighted."--Booklist

"Die-hard Palahniuk fans will lap this up."--Publishers Weekly

"Readers' choice whether this is a coded message, a spiked cocktail, or just a secret love letter to art."--Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Chuck Palahniuk's fourteen novels include the bestselling Snuff; Rant; Haunted; Lullaby; Fight Club, which was made into a film by director David Fincher; Diary; Survivor; Invisible Monsters; and Choke, which was made into a film by director Clark Gregg. He is also the author of the nonfiction profile of Portland, Fugitives and Refugees, and the nonfiction collection Stranger Than Fiction. His story collection Make Something Up was a widely banned bestseller. His graphic novel Fight Club II hit #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. He's also the author of Fight Club III and the coloring books Bait and Legacy, as well as the writing guide Consider This. He lives in the Pacific Northwest.