ISBN: 0-44101607-3 Order from: Amazon.com
The unusual style stands out initially, but ultimately the important aspects of this novel are a fair plot, well-defined but barely sympathetic characters, and a vivid portrayal of near-future society.
Reviewed by David on May 17, 2009
Genre: Science Fiction (Politics, Mystery, Near Future, Police Procedural, Cyberpunk, Virtual Reality)
Synopsis: An Edinburgh policewoman, an out-of-work game programmer, and a forensic auditor from London are all called, in various ways, to help investigate a computer crime.
What initially seems like a trivial crime: a virtual robbery in a multiplayer game world, turns into a deeper and deeper mystery. With a missing person investigation, a possible securities fraud, the case evolves into an instance of vicious criminal and political struggle.
The basic mystery plot is used to expose the changes in our society logically extrapolated from the current trends.
Full Review: The book is a bit hard to get into. It's written in second person, present tense. Further, it starts off very much in medias res, with the reader forced to scramble to keep up with background material to reconstruct the world of the protagonists. There are three of them, and the abrupt switching of viewpoints just makes the learning curve sharper. There are also computer culture in-jokes, from the title of the book (referring to a computer science concept) to pseudo-spam.
However, the style, however unsual, is consistent, with chapter headings clarifying the viewpoint. The in-jokes are probably accessible to most potential readers, and after the first few chapters, the style fades into the background, and the main plot and character building come through.
In terms of the world building, the novel succeeds admirably. It's a near-future setting, and the changes from today's world are subtle, logical and disturbing. The mystery plot turns out to be rather conventional, as well as plausible. It's initially masked by the style, and the substance proves rather less exotic when finally exposed.
The major weakness is the charecters. They are well drawn, and react like human beings, just not very likable human beings. None of them are villains or heroes, but they have a hard time caring for anybody, and as a result they invoke very little caring themselves.
In the final analysis, the reader is relieved rather than happy about the protagonsts, and that weakens the book.
Copyright: 2007
Overall: 5.5; Plot: 6; Characters: 5.5; Style: 6; World-building: 6.5; Originality: 6.5;
Berkeley Publishing Group (Ace), October 2007, Cloth, 351 pages
ISBN: 0-44101607-3 Order from: Amazon.com