“And I was struck again with the awareness that I was alive in strange times. There was a palpable sense of things in decline.”

Logan’s statement here sets the tone for the novel. Society is in decline and on the edge of calamity. The future is bleak, and the present is not very bright either. This also hints that some action will have to be taken to change the trajectory of humanity, hinting at Logan’s fate.

“We lived in a veritable surveillance state, engaged with screens more than with our loved ones, and the algorithms knew us better than we knew ourselves.”

While later in the novel Logan identifies the time period as the mid-21st century, this quote does not feel as remote. In addition to setting a bleak tone, this description may feel relatable to the reader. Crouch employs this social commentary to suggest that Logan’s world is not so far from that of his audience.

“You do this out of obligation and guilt, and maybe that made sense in the beginning, but it’s been fifteen years since you were pardoned.”

Logan’s wife, Beth, says this to him after he has been injured in an explosion, questioning why he continues to put himself at risk. She pinpoints the motivation behind why Logan stays at a job he dislikes. Her assessment gives the reader insight into what kind of character Logan is: loyal, duty-bound, brave, motivated by guilt, and unhappy.