In Singularity Point by Mark Hacker, Zach Axton lives off-grid in North Carolina after a covert killing ends his former life. His isolation is broken when evidence links that death to synchronized hospital failures across the country. Recruited by investigator Leon Perry, Zach is pulled back into an unofficial operation that tracks the source to Joon Woo, a technologist tied to the original crime. As attacks escalate through covert systems, Zach’s value lies in pattern recognition informed by behavioral analysis and through tactical intuition shaped by past violence. The pursuit takes him from forests to secure facilities, while unseen intelligences test global defenses. Zach must stay ahead of a man who believes authorship grants authority over machines capable of acting alone, knowing that every move risks widening the consequences beyond human control globally.

Mark Hacker’s Singularity Point is ambitious science fiction, expertly written and pursuing some seriously big ideas. The title refers to a moment when machine intelligence crosses an irreversible threshold, and the later emergence of Prime. The technology is plausible because it scales from existing systems. Hacker digs deep with his Alphamid computing structures, and we see a total collapse of social hierarchy by remote authority, civilian ignorance, and tech elites. Zach Axton is a fabulously flawed and capable lead who talks a big game, but, because he can disable a fleeing shooter through a fence, he deserves all the fist bumps. The settings and landscape are all cinematic, and from the safety of my armchair, I experienced a fabrication chamber where molten, glasslike masses throbbed across the floor, taking a “the floor is hot lava” game to new levels. Overall, this is intelligent speculative fiction with a great premise, and I am now well and truly addicted to the Zach Axton series.

Zach Axton returns to the wilderness as he struggles to come to terms with the painful price of eliminating Charlie Moore. Zach soon discovers that isolation will not solve his problems, especially when information reaching him reveals a string of hospital-related deaths around the country that closely resemble his old adversary's modus operandi. His services are required once again to stop a maniac with world-ending ambitions, but is he physically and mentally prepared for this onslaught? Only time will tell whether he can hold it together long enough to tackle this new menace in Mark Hacker's Singularity Point.

Singularity Point is the second book in the Zach Axton Series. Mark Hacker uses flashbacks and references to key events from the previous book to provide continuity for avid followers of the series while also giving new readers enough context to enjoy this as a stand-alone. The author blends entertaining dialogue, highlighted by impressive wordplay, with detailed facts on machine learning and artificial intelligence. There are also gritty action scenes that will appeal to action purists. The author weaves these elements together at a rapid pace, including humour laced with pop culture references that older readers will find particularly relatable. Two examples that stand out are the antagonist's comments and his determination to model every action on comic-book villains. The result is an immersive adventure that readers will not want to put down. I enjoyed this novel and look forward to the next instalment in a fascinating series.

Singularity Point by Mark Hacker is the second book in the science fiction thriller Zach Axton series. In book one, Inflection Point, Zach learns his ex-girlfriend has been murdered by Charlie Moore, a man deemed unfit for trial. Moore undergoes an experimental procedure to raise his cognitive ability, but escapes and goes on a crime spree. Zach leads an FBI task force with a former partner and the case prosecutor to track Moore in a final confrontation. It does not go as planned. Now, from a destructive intelligence linked to Moore, infrastructure attacks disable the hospital systems nationwide, indicating a renewed activity in the digital sphere. Zach, living as a recluse after leaving his team to protect them, rejoins the task force to identify the source when all evidence points toward another large-scale threat.

Singularity Point by Mark Hacker is the kind of book that jets right off, and that raw drive never lets up. I enjoyed the pop culture references, and as a comic nerd, Zach reading villain logic through the comic canon and using that realization to redirect the pursuit was awesome. Hacker uses intelligent humor a lot, including a training drill involving staplers, which works quite effectively as a show of how an enforced absurdity can expose the ways in which authority actually functions. The conversations and dialogue are sharp. Robin Keen crackles with command over the corrupted code, and Joon Woo’s undignified coming-to strips away any posturing. The science fiction survivalist angle, complete with rifles against an overtly intelligent, non-human power, is the winning combination that gives the book its distinct energy and makes it possible for truly mass appeal.

Singularity Point is the second book inThe Zach Axton Series by Mark Hacker. It's been over a year since Zach saved the city of Austin from the tyranny of Charlie Moore. But it has taken its toll on Zach. He has retreated into the woods, far from his loved ones, bar the company of his loyal dog, Koko. However, he must join his team once again as a new threat comes in the form of computer scientist Joon Woo. Joon is a megalomaniac who has built the world's first sentient AI named Billy Panda. As Billy works with Joon, a new form of superintelligence arises, named Prime. And Prime doesn't think humanity can co-exist with non-biological sentient intelligence. Is there any hope for humanity?

Mark Hacker's books are always fast-paced and packed with action, suspense, and intrigue. In Singularity Point, these aspects are ramped up to the max. The stakes are higher than ever, with humanity facing an existential threat. The author does a masterful job of making that threat feel real, and it brings so much tension and drama to the narrative. The plot is completely unpredictable. Each chapter has new surprises in store for the reader. The dialogue is excellent, and it enhances the chemistry between the main characters. Even the villain is interesting. Joon's megalomania is only matched by his insecurity, especially in front of Prime. I'm sure there will be a third installment in this series, and I'm looking forward to reading that book. This series is a must-read for sci-fi thriller lovers.