Ah, what joy it is to read a well thought out sci-fi book? I should warn you that it takes a few pages to understand what's going on. At least it took me a little time to understand we're dealing with droids operated by physically paralyzed people. The book goes deep. I mean....it goes really deep and explores much of that world. I enjoyed it immensely, because it puts into perspective many possible near-future scenarios and explores the dangers and benefits of technology used in either bionic enhancements or virtual reality. It's a short book, yet it's packed with good story and stuff to think about :)I don't think I need to say much about this book. If you've read Scalzi, than you know there is far more here than meets the eye :) So just....enjoy, and think about it :) A very engaging mystery. And the context of the book is even more engaging: 15 years from now a virus outbreak infects over 1% of the global population. After first symptoms develop similar to both the flu and meningitis, then it causes "Lock-in," a condition in which people loose all control of their body functions. They can think perfectly clearly, but are locked in their minds. Millions in just the U.S. are inflicted with this disease. The long incubation period and the complete lack of a cure make the disease virtually uncontainable. Dubbed Haden's in honor of the First Lady, and one of the first victims of the disease. A global multi billion race begins to help these people trapped in their own minds. No cure or prevention can be found. However, the billions in brain research leads to the ability to communicate with the brains of the trapped individuals and eventually to Threeps, metal robotic bodies Lock-ins can inhibit to move around and try to return to a semblance of normal life.This story happens decades later; it is a noir in which a FBI agent (wearing a Threep) is a assigned a murder scene saturated in the complexities of Haden culture on the very week the U.S. Congress cut all government subsidies for Haden survivors. DC is about to boil over. The mystery is engaging, Haden culture is fascinating, and extremely well researched. It draws strongly from disability cultures today and has us think about how a disease like this would change how we all lived our lives.
Do You like book Lock In (2014)?
A great read from the library. It wasn't my favorite John Scalzi book but there was some love in it.
—stamerra
Pretty good, but not anywhere near as good as old mans war.
—eunice2012
Great world-building, plot sort of boring and irrelevant
—Tati
