Helpful Score: 2
Damn. I read this *fast*. Getting through a book in less than 24 hours is something that *rarely* ever happens to me.
Anyway: what we have here is a police procedural sometime in the next century or so, where (essentially) wheelchairs have been replaced by neural connections and C-3PO chassis.
The amount of world building that has gone on to get to the point of even being able to _write_ a police procedural is kind of remarkable. I can easily imagine that Scalzi's got a world bible that's easily two or three times the size of this novel. But we never get bogged down in info dumps to explain it; instead the novel concentrates strongly on Scalzi's talent: personal interrelationships.
It's rare for me to find a Scalzi novel that I don't love, so it's perhaps not a surprise that I really liked this one too. But I've also found over the last few years that the police procedural is a form that I *really* like (mostly because the scope is smaller than galaxy-shaking events, I think), and so this one hits extra hard in my "desire" spot.
I would, however, recommend reading the "Unlocked" prequel which is available for free on tor.com. (http://www.tor.com/stories/2014/05/unlocked-an-oral-history-of-hadens-syndrome-john-scalzi) I don't know that it's required (I did read it first, myself), but lots of people have complained that the world was hard to understand initially, and that prequel could easily have assisted that jump.
5 of 5 stars.
Anyway: what we have here is a police procedural sometime in the next century or so, where (essentially) wheelchairs have been replaced by neural connections and C-3PO chassis.
The amount of world building that has gone on to get to the point of even being able to _write_ a police procedural is kind of remarkable. I can easily imagine that Scalzi's got a world bible that's easily two or three times the size of this novel. But we never get bogged down in info dumps to explain it; instead the novel concentrates strongly on Scalzi's talent: personal interrelationships.
It's rare for me to find a Scalzi novel that I don't love, so it's perhaps not a surprise that I really liked this one too. But I've also found over the last few years that the police procedural is a form that I *really* like (mostly because the scope is smaller than galaxy-shaking events, I think), and so this one hits extra hard in my "desire" spot.
I would, however, recommend reading the "Unlocked" prequel which is available for free on tor.com. (http://www.tor.com/stories/2014/05/unlocked-an-oral-history-of-hadens-syndrome-john-scalzi) I don't know that it's required (I did read it first, myself), but lots of people have complained that the world was hard to understand initially, and that prequel could easily have assisted that jump.
5 of 5 stars.
I enjoyed this book. I thought the concept was interesting, as were the characters. The narration flowed well and the characters interacted well with good conversations and easy banter throughout. The concept was a little muddled for me at times and I found I had to go back and read the paragraph again to make sure I got what was being explained. I felt like this might be the first in a series and we will see this world again. I would read the next one if I am right.
I got a copy of this book to review through Goodreads First Reads. Previously I had read Scalzis books Fuzzy Nation, Agent to the Stars, and Redshirts and really enjoyed those books. I was eager to see what Scalzi came up with next. This was an interesting premise but probably my least favorite Scalzi book to date. I usually enjoy the irony and humor in Scalzi's works and there isn't a lot of that here.
Hadens Syndrome is a flu-like virus that killed a lot of people and caused some of them to Lock-In. Those who Lock-In can see and hear but can not interact or move with people in any way. Society has adjusted to this by creating threeps (androids) that locked in people can control through a neural network (brain computer) of sorts. There are also people who had Hadens but did not Lock In, however they did get some brain damage that allows them to operate as Integrators. Integrators can allow Locked In people to ride along in their bodies and experience life as a human outside of a threep. There is also a virtual space called the Agora that normal humans and Locked In humans can interact in.
Okay, so the above gives some background but that really isnt what the book is about. The book is actually about a Locked In guy who uses a threep and is starting a job as an FBI agent. His partner is a long time agent and former Integrator. On his first day on the case they stumble into a murder mystery involving Integrators and Locked In people.
The first part of this book is a huge info dump. Even with that things are not all that well explained. It took me a bit to figure out what a threep was and to figure out what Agora was. Then I had to figure out when we were in virtual space and real space. Once I figured that out I had to go back and reread the parts I thought were happening in virtual space since they were in real space.blah. I would definitely recommend giving the story and info at the below link a read before reading this book. I really think this would have been a much better book if this story had been included in the beginning. http://www.tor.com/stories/2014/05/unlocked-an-oral-history-of-hadens-syndrome-john-scalzi
The above story gives much better background and you wont be so darn confused for the first part of the book.
This book is more of a murder mystery/conspiracy type of novel. There are a number of sci-fi elements in the story (incurable disease, neural networks and virtual living spaces) but mostly the book is investigative in nature. There are also a lot of social implications addressed since you basically have two classes of citizens now (those who are locked in and those who arent).
-------------SPOILER ALERT---------------------
I was a little irked that the huge revelation in this book is basically that computers can be hacked. I mean really? You put a computer in someones brain and you are all like Oh, that will be completely safe, we have a ton of safeguards in place. I think it was incredibly ignorant (and anti-climatic) to think that no one would realize a brain computer can be hacked just like any other type of computer. If you have software it can be hacked.
-----------END SPOILER-----------------------------
I honestly would have enjoyed reading more about the onset of Haden's Syndrome. I think that would have been a lot more engaging and exciting to read about. This story was basically a story of political intrigue and the investigation of a murder tied into that intrigue. There were a number of times where I had a lot of trouble engaging with the story and parts were just plain boring.
Overall I thought this was okay but did have some trouble staying engaged in the story. Like many sci-fi books it takes a bit to figure out the slang and what it what. I guess I would tentatively recommend to those who enjoy sci-fi reads about how humans interact with computers that are chock full of political intrigue and conspiracy.
Hadens Syndrome is a flu-like virus that killed a lot of people and caused some of them to Lock-In. Those who Lock-In can see and hear but can not interact or move with people in any way. Society has adjusted to this by creating threeps (androids) that locked in people can control through a neural network (brain computer) of sorts. There are also people who had Hadens but did not Lock In, however they did get some brain damage that allows them to operate as Integrators. Integrators can allow Locked In people to ride along in their bodies and experience life as a human outside of a threep. There is also a virtual space called the Agora that normal humans and Locked In humans can interact in.
Okay, so the above gives some background but that really isnt what the book is about. The book is actually about a Locked In guy who uses a threep and is starting a job as an FBI agent. His partner is a long time agent and former Integrator. On his first day on the case they stumble into a murder mystery involving Integrators and Locked In people.
The first part of this book is a huge info dump. Even with that things are not all that well explained. It took me a bit to figure out what a threep was and to figure out what Agora was. Then I had to figure out when we were in virtual space and real space. Once I figured that out I had to go back and reread the parts I thought were happening in virtual space since they were in real space.blah. I would definitely recommend giving the story and info at the below link a read before reading this book. I really think this would have been a much better book if this story had been included in the beginning. http://www.tor.com/stories/2014/05/unlocked-an-oral-history-of-hadens-syndrome-john-scalzi
The above story gives much better background and you wont be so darn confused for the first part of the book.
This book is more of a murder mystery/conspiracy type of novel. There are a number of sci-fi elements in the story (incurable disease, neural networks and virtual living spaces) but mostly the book is investigative in nature. There are also a lot of social implications addressed since you basically have two classes of citizens now (those who are locked in and those who arent).
-------------SPOILER ALERT---------------------
I was a little irked that the huge revelation in this book is basically that computers can be hacked. I mean really? You put a computer in someones brain and you are all like Oh, that will be completely safe, we have a ton of safeguards in place. I think it was incredibly ignorant (and anti-climatic) to think that no one would realize a brain computer can be hacked just like any other type of computer. If you have software it can be hacked.
-----------END SPOILER-----------------------------
I honestly would have enjoyed reading more about the onset of Haden's Syndrome. I think that would have been a lot more engaging and exciting to read about. This story was basically a story of political intrigue and the investigation of a murder tied into that intrigue. There were a number of times where I had a lot of trouble engaging with the story and parts were just plain boring.
Overall I thought this was okay but did have some trouble staying engaged in the story. Like many sci-fi books it takes a bit to figure out the slang and what it what. I guess I would tentatively recommend to those who enjoy sci-fi reads about how humans interact with computers that are chock full of political intrigue and conspiracy.
I once read an essay that claimed, categorically, that it was impossible to have a successful SF mystery. The author claimed that the science necessary to the SF elements of the story made it impossible for the average reader to share the full deductive experience of solving the mystery. How could you weigh up the clues, and follow the detective's reasoning, if you don't fully understand the science and technology of the world in which the murder takes place?
I love it when someone proves that essay wrong. John Scalzi has come up with a marvelously readable, satisfying murder mystery, set in a relatively near future in which a flu-like epidemic has created a substantial minority of the world population who are "locked in," and dependent on a sophisticated technology of robotic avatars and virtual forums to interact with the world.
A shocking death at the Watergate complex in Washington DC is the first clue for FBI agents Vann and Shane (who is himself a "Haber," or victim of the locked-in syndrome) that someone is using that technology to kill Habers, and the people who assist them.
Scalzi's worldbuilding is amazing: the technology, the culture, even the vocabulary feel very "used" -- real and normal -- and provide fascinating twists to both the murders and the detectives' procedures for investigating them. But the concept never overwhelms the human relations and human frailties at the root of the crime, which is exactly as it should be. I was especially impressed by Scalzi's lightness of touch highlighting the way a society treats its disabled and differently-abled citizens in a way that feels very current and relevant to attitudes and controversies in our own real world, but never preachy.
And it's funny. Unputdownable. Vann and Shane are a great odd-couple crime-fighting team. I would love to learn that Scalzi has more outings planned, for them and for the fascinating world he's created. (I've just noticed that, in some places, this is referred to as "Lock In #1, so I think my wish has been granted!)
I love it when someone proves that essay wrong. John Scalzi has come up with a marvelously readable, satisfying murder mystery, set in a relatively near future in which a flu-like epidemic has created a substantial minority of the world population who are "locked in," and dependent on a sophisticated technology of robotic avatars and virtual forums to interact with the world.
A shocking death at the Watergate complex in Washington DC is the first clue for FBI agents Vann and Shane (who is himself a "Haber," or victim of the locked-in syndrome) that someone is using that technology to kill Habers, and the people who assist them.
Scalzi's worldbuilding is amazing: the technology, the culture, even the vocabulary feel very "used" -- real and normal -- and provide fascinating twists to both the murders and the detectives' procedures for investigating them. But the concept never overwhelms the human relations and human frailties at the root of the crime, which is exactly as it should be. I was especially impressed by Scalzi's lightness of touch highlighting the way a society treats its disabled and differently-abled citizens in a way that feels very current and relevant to attitudes and controversies in our own real world, but never preachy.
And it's funny. Unputdownable. Vann and Shane are a great odd-couple crime-fighting team. I would love to learn that Scalzi has more outings planned, for them and for the fascinating world he's created. (I've just noticed that, in some places, this is referred to as "Lock In #1, so I think my wish has been granted!)
