It is the not so distant future and Haden’s Syndrome has swept through the world. The 1% that did not die from the disease which claimed the lives of 400 million people are now “Locked In.” These people are aware of the world around them but have no control over their bodies. Neural nets (technology designed to work directly with the human brain) have allowed those with Haden’s to operate Threeps – think C3PO and you get the concept – a robotic manifestation so those with Haden’s can be productive members of society, thinking and doing work, while their paralyzed bodies remain cared for elsewhere. Chris Shane, himself a Haden, just started work as an FBI Agent. And with Haden’s Rights being the hot topic of the day it looks like his first week at work will be extremely interesting to say the least.
Scalzi, best known for the hilarious
and mind-boggling Redshirts, put a lot of thought into Haden’s Syndrome
and how effected individuals interact and live their lives. The science sounds good, and it’s not too
complex, so those that feel they don’t enjoy science fiction will probably
still enjoy it because the ethics the book brings up are really neat.
Looking for something
different? This is a fun, thought
provoking, yet quick, read.
