Doug Engstrom imagines a future all too terrifying—and all too
possible—in this eerie, dystopic speculative fiction debut about corporate
greed, debt slavery, and gun violence that is as intense and dark as Stephen
King’s The Long Walk.
Like many Americans in the middle of
the 21st century, aspiring actress Kira Clark is in debt. She financed her drama
education with loans secured by a “lifetime services contract.” If she defaults,
her creditors will control every aspect of her life. Behind on her payments and
facing foreclosure, Kira reluctantly accepts a large signing bonus to become a
corporate gunfighter for TKC Insurance. After a year of training, she will take
her place on the dueling fields that have become the final, lethal stop in the
American legal system.
Putting her MFA in acting to work, Kira takes on the persona of a cold,
intimidating gunslinger known as “Death’s Angel.” But just as she becomes the
most feared gunfighter in TKC’s stable, she’s severely wounded during a duel on
live video, shattering her aura of invincibility. A series of devastating
setbacks follow, forcing Kira to face the truth about her life and what she’s
become.
When the opportunity to fight another professional for a huge purse arises,
Kira sees it as a chance to buy a new life . . . or die trying.
Structured around a chilling duel, Corporate Gunslinger is a modern satire
that forces us to confront the growing inequalities in our society and our
penchant for guns and bloodshed, as well as offering a visceral look at where we
may be heading—far sooner than we know.
