Interview on Gideon Rex

Recently, Philip Mazza met with a reviewer from Booklist to discuss his upcoming release Gideon Rex.

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Booklist: When will Gideon Rex be released?
Mazza: It’s anticipated to be release around July 4th.

Booklist: Any significance to that release date?
Mazza: Of course.

Booklist: Do you want to elaborate on that?
Mazza: I’m sure we’ll get into it.

Booklist: What inspired you to write Gideon Rex?
Mazza: Gideon Rex was inspired by my concern over the extremes of the concentration of power. The story is set against the backdrop of MidCon, a vast expanse of land that once boasted unparalleled natural bounty. Now, however, MidCon is not merely cultivated; it is absolutely consumed by mechanized agriculture. Imagine endless, unbroken fields stretching to the horizon, dominated by colossal, autonomous harvesting machines that grind across the earth with an unyielding, metallic precision. Through this setting, I aimed to delve into the chilling mechanics of how power is inherited and exercised when survival is prioritized above all else. In a world teetering on the edge of scarcity, where basic sustenance is a privilege, the Starks' control is absolute. This narrative explores the moral compromises, the brutal efficiency, and the often-dehumanizing logic that emerge when the collective struggle for existence dictates every decision.

Booklist: Why did you choose to make the world of Gideon Rex so bleak and mechanized?
Mazza: The mechanized, lifeless landscape of MidCon is a deliberate and crucial choice, designed to viscerally reflect the chilling consequences of unchecked industrial progress and the absolute nature of the power that wields it. The starkness underscores the very reality of such centralized authority. The absence of birds, insects, and even worms isn't just an environmental detail; it's a profound metaphor for the spiritual desolation and sterility that absolute power can inflict upon a world, stripping it of its organic life and its innate freedom.

The constant, relentless hum of the machines, the indifferent glare of the sun on endless, identical fields, and the chemical-laden air are not merely background elements; they are active characters in their own right. They serve as tangible manifestations of the Stark family's iron will, reinforcing a world where humanity itself is slowly eroded and diminished by the very systems supposedly designed to sustain it. This bleakness emphasizes the transactional, dehumanizing nature of the Starks' reign: life is reduced to production, sustenance to control. It showcases how a system built solely on efficiency and the prioritization of survival can, paradoxically, drain the very essence of what makes life worth living, demonstrating the ultimate cost of power without compassion or balance. This pervasive desolation is a constant reminder to the reader of the price paid for such an extreme concentration of power.

Booklist: The book is often dark and violent. Why did you include so much brutality?
Mazza: The violence is not gratuitous; it is an intrinsic element of the narrative, serving as a stark and unflinching mirror of how power is maintained and enforced in a world ruled by fear and scarcity. For example, the chilling scene where Magnus Stark publicly executes a worker for merely complaining about rations is not simply a moment of horror; it is a meticulously crafted lesson meant to instill absolute fear and unquestioning obedience throughout the populace. This pervasive brutality is central to the story’s core themes, illustrating precisely how control is enforced through terror, how dissent is brutally crushed, and the dehumanizing lengths to which those in power will go to maintain their grip when food is the ultimate weapon. It underscores the fragility of life and the crushing reality of a regime built on the absolute denial of basic human rights.

Booklist: How do you see the theme of inheritance in Gideon Rex?
Mazza: Inheritance is both a privilege and a prison. Gideon inherits not just the land and the Amalgam, but also his father’s cruel philosophy and methods. He is acutely aware of the disparity between his life and the suffering of those outside the estate walls, and he is shaped by the lessons of power, fear, and domination passed down from his father.

Booklist: Why do you believe these themes are important in today’s world?
Mazza: The themes explored in the book – particularly the dynamics of absolute control, the devastating impact of environmental degradation, and the insidious erosion of empathy – are alarmingly relevant and resonant in today’s complex global landscape. The narrative serves as a cautionary tale, reflecting very real-world fears about the burgeoning influence of corporate monopolies that increasingly dictate essential aspects of our lives, from technology to food supply chains. It speaks to the gradual loss of individual autonomy in societies increasingly shaped by centralized powers, whether governmental or commercial.

Also, the story’s depiction of the Amalgam’s absolute control over food and resources is a potent metaphor for how essential resources, including data, water, and even information itself, can be weaponized in today’s society. The book prompts readers to consider the ethical implications when profit and power are prioritized above human dignity and planetary well-being. It highlights the urgent need to question authority, to safeguard individual freedoms, and to recognize the long-term consequences of unchecked ambition and exploitation, making "Gideon Rex" a timely and thought-provoking reflection on the perils that loom on our own horizon.

Booklist: What does the Food Amalgam represent in your story?
Mazza: The Food Amalgam is more than a company—it is an omnipresent force, controlling every aspect of life in MidCon. It is in the grain, the water, and the mouths of children, demanding sacrifice and offering only control in return. It represents how institutions can become gods, dictating life and death to those they rule.

Booklist: Why is kindness portrayed as extinct in Gideon’s world?
Mazza: Kindness is functionally extinct in Gideon's world because it is perceived as a profound liability in a society governed by the brutal realities of scarcity and fear. In the Amalgam's unforgiving regime, Magnus Stark, Gideon's father and a progenitor of this philosophy, explicitly teaches that sentimentality is for the weak, a fatal flaw in the ruthless calculus of survival. Every action is measured in its contribution to agricultural yields and the maintenance of control, not in acts of mercy or compassion. The deep-seated resentment and suffering among the workers are not only dismissed but actively dehumanized as merely the "bitter song of the weak," a noise to be ignored or suppressed. In this environment, the only true currency that matters, the only leverage that holds sway, is raw, unadulterated fear. This systemic suppression of empathy ensures compliance and prevents any collective challenge to the Starks' absolute power, reinforcing a chilling truth: in a world where survival is the only virtue, kindness becomes a dangerous and ultimately self-destructive indulgence.

Booklist: How does Gideon’s isolation shape his character?
Mazza: Gideon’s isolation is both self-imposed and enforced by the world around him. He is set apart by his ambition and the legacy he inherits. Even at university, his peers sense something dark in him and keep their distance. His solitude is both a shield and a prison, marking him as a man apart, driven by the need to control every variable.

Booklist: What role does fear play in the book?
Mazza: Fear is the foundation of control. Magnus Stark uses public violence to instill fear and obedience. Gideon learns that a man’s life is worth no more than a bushel of wheat, and that fear is the only reliable currency. The workers, cowed and hungry, shuffle forward in silence, their hatred rendered impotent by their empty bellies.

Booklist: Why did you include the destruction of the hatchery as a key event?
Mazza: The destruction of the Pacific hatchery is a pivotal act that symbolizes the cost of ambition and the ruthlessness of Gideon’s regime. It is reduced to broken glass and scorched vats, a graveyard of failed ambition. The scene with the hollow-eyed boy underscores the human cost of such actions, showing that even the innocent are marked by ruin.

Booklist: How does Gideon’s rule differ from his father’s?
A: Gideon is more calculated and less impulsive than his father. He understands the power of silence and fear, and uses them to dismantle institutions rather than just enforce obedience. His rule is not just over land and food, but over the spirit of the survivors, demanding total surrender and the burial of old pride.

Booklist: Do you think a character like Gideon Rex could rise in today’s world?
Mazza: A: The seeds for a figure like Gideon Rex absolutely exist in our contemporary world. The conditions that allow such a character to ascend are not fantastical; they are deeply rooted in pervasive societal vulnerabilities. When populations are desperate, whether due to economic instability, resource scarcity (like food or water, as seen in the novel), or profound disillusionment with existing systems and institutions, they often become susceptible to the allure of strongmen who promise order, stability, and solutions at any cost.

Gideon Rex represents the chilling potential for unchecked ambition to exploit these vulnerabilities. His rise is a potent warning about the dangers of extreme concentration of power, particularly when essential resources are controlled by a select few. In a world where global supply chains can be disrupted, where climate change increasingly threatens food security, and where information can be manipulated to sow discord, the mechanisms for a Gideon-like figure to gain influence become terrifyingly plausible. He leverages fear, manipulates truth, and offers a seemingly simple solution to complex problems, echoing tactics seen in various political and corporate landscapes today. The novel thus serves as a stark reminder that vigilance against authoritarian tendencies and the safeguarding of equitable resource distribution are not just abstract ideals, but essential bulwarks against such a dystopian future.

Booklist: Why did you make hunger such a central theme?
Mazza: Hunger is the ultimate motivator and weapon. It strips people of dignity and forces them to submit. In the world of Gideon Rex, hunger becomes the only law, and Gideon its enforcer. We worry about so many things in today’s world. But strangely, in America, we do not worry about food. Strange isn’t it? Yet, the reality of it is this - it is a universal fear that can be exploited for control, making it a powerful tool for those who wield it.

Booklist: How does the book address the idea of justice?
Mazza: In Gideon’s world, justice is replaced by obedience. Courts, press, and elections are dismantled, and fear becomes the new law. The “Silencers” remove those who question or hold power, and bodies are sometimes returned with mouths sewn shut as a warning. Justice is gone, replaced by a regime of fear and compliance.

Booklist: Why do you think readers should engage with such a dark story?
Mazza: Dark stories, like "Gideon Rex," serve a crucial purpose beyond mere entertainment: they force us to confront uncomfortable and often unsettling truths about the nature of power, the insidious allure of control, and the inherent complexities of human nature itself. "Gideon Rex" is not simply meant to disturb; it is designed to make readers deeply question the systems, leaders, and even the cultural narratives they might otherwise take for granted. By immersing readers in a world where the consequences of unchecked ambition and the erosion of empathy are laid bare, the novel aims to provoke critical thought. It encourages readers to reflect on the potential fragility of their own freedoms, the ethical implications of technological advancement, and the vital importance of compassion and dissent in safeguarding a humane future. Such narratives, while challenging, offer invaluable insights into the darker aspects of society, serving as a powerful call to vigilance and action against the very forces they depict.

Booklist: Your darkest book?
Mazza: Yes.

Booklist: What message do you hope readers take away from Gideon Rex?
Mazza: Above all, I hope readers walk away from "Gideon Rex" with a profound understanding of the dangers inherent in unchecked power and the critical importance of empathy, especially when faced with extreme scarcity or societal breakdown. The story is intended as a cautionary tale, illustrating in stark terms what happens when control is prioritized above compassion, when the pursuit of efficiency eclipses human dignity, and when institutions become so powerful that they overshadow, and ultimately diminish, the very people they are ostensibly meant to serve. It's a call to examine the balance between order and freedom, and to recognize the human cost when that balance is catastrophically lost.

Booklist: What does the ending of Gideon Rex suggest about the future of its world?
Mazza: The ending suggests that the cycle of power and violence is self-perpetuating. Even as the world kneels before Gideon’s new order, the fires of resistance still burn in distant cities, hinting at the possibility—but not the guarantee—of change. The machinery of destruction has been set in motion, and nothing—not memory, not mercy, not even the dead—can halt its advance.

Booklist: Thank you for your time.
Mazza: Thank you. It’s been a pleasure.