Lock In by John Scalzi (Lock In #1)

Lock In by John Scalzi

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb: Not too long from today, a new, highly contagious virus makes its way across the globe. Most who get sick experience nothing worse than flu, fever and headaches. But for the unlucky one percent - and nearly five million souls in the United States alone - the disease causes "Lock In": Victims fully awake and aware, but unable to move or respond to stimulus. The disease affects young, old, rich, poor, people of every color and creed. The world changes to meet the challenge.

A quarter of a century later, in a world shaped by what's now known as "Haden's syndrome," rookie FBI agent Chris Shane is paired with veteran agent Leslie Vann. The two of them are assigned what appears to be a Haden-related murder at the Watergate Hotel, with a suspect who is an "integrator" - someone who can let the locked in borrow their bodies for a time. If the Integrator was carrying a Haden client, then naming the suspect for the murder becomes that much more complicated.

But "complicated" doesn't begin to describe it. As Shane and Vann began to unravel the threads of the murder, it becomes clear that the real mystery - and the real crime - is bigger than anyone could have imagined. The world of the locked in is changing, and with the change comes opportunities that the ambitious will seize at any cost. The investigation that began as a murder case takes Shane and Vann from the halls of corporate power to the virtual spaces of the locked in, and to the very heart of an emerging, surprising new human culture. It's nothing you could have expected.

Read as an audio book.

I picked this up off of a recommendation from my book group cohorts, who noted they really enjoyed Wil Wheaton as a narrator for Scalzi's books. I (mostly) enjoy Scalzi's books (I've bounced off a couple), I saw this on sale on Audible, so I thought I'd give it a whirl.

I really enjoyed this - both Wheaton as narrator and the book.

Blurb summarizes the plot and characters fairly well so I won't rehash. I thought this was a interesting blend of science fiction, biological speculation, and a mystery/thriller. Probably more mystery than thriller, but there were flavors of both. I didn't read the additional story on how Hayden's came to be, the description in Lock In was satisfactory to me.

I enjoyed Chris Shane's wit and humor and insight he provided as a famous Hayden working for the FBI. I quite liked how Chris showed through his actions just what the capabilities and limitations of a threep (sp?) were. Something as simple as recharging a threep, what kind of care the body needs, eating in a social setting, and more rather seamlessly incorporated into the story in a "show don't tell" method. Nicely done!

I enjoyed Leslie Vann caustic self reflection as it nicely balanced out Chris's optimism.

I really enjoyed how Chris could just bip off to the other side of the country to work the case using his capabilities as a Hayden.

And that's where I did struggle with the science a wee bit. I'm pretty sure somewhere in the beginning of the audio book it was noted that the body and the threep needed to be in relative proximity to each other. I think it was mentioned when Chris was looking for an apartment.

Yet...he was capable of using a threep on the other side of the country. A teeny incongruity perhaps.

I also noticed that Vann never explained why Trin (sp?) and her clash. There were some hints an allegations, but no solid explanation was given. Perhaps in a forthcoming book?

So, a few little quirks, an engaging plot, interesting characters, and - to me - a fascinating backdrop. Recommended.




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