Sci-Fi pick of the month: Trapped in a book

Lock In, by John Scalzi When reading Lock In, by John Scalzi, I felt trapped, but in a good way. What I mean is, I couldn’t put the thing down. It’s a gripping and fast read. Scalzi’s track record of good Sci-Fi is holding steady with this one. Some background Lock In is all about a virus that causes meningitis-like symptoms, but ends up rearranging the human brain a bit (this is called “Haden’s Syndrome”). In some cases, it’s terminal. In some, there are no outward effects. In a few, the afflicted patient becomes trapped within their own bodies, unable to voluntarily move while remaining fully cognizant of everything that’s happening around them. They continue to process sensory inputs (like hearing, taste, and pain) normally. In the last scenario, the condition is known as “lock in.” The virus was one of epidemic proportions, and drove a major research and development effort (to the tune of $300 billion) in the field of neuroscience. In a relatively short period of time, assistive technologies are invented to help locked-in patients live life. We invent the heck out of some things to make sure Hadens (this is the term for locked in people) can live in both virtual space and the physical world. All of that stuff, however, is just a setting—a backdrop for a pretty darn intriguing murder mystery that hits on industrial espionage, corporate conspiracy, bigotry, politics, and more. Scalzi is no stranger to throwing people into speculative fiction settings without a life preserver. He lets you figure out how the world works by forcing you to experience right along with the characters. There isn’t, typically, a cute and curious history of hobbits to set his books up. However, Lock In is a little different. This is a detective story. That means it’s complicated, and you’ve got a lot of details to pay attention to. There are crime scenes, suspects, interviews, and back-stories that are, of course, influenced by the setting, but we’re talking about human beings here. That means that, if you know enough about the setting, then it sort of fades away, and you can pay attention to figuring out whodunit. So, to make sure you’re paying attention to the right stuff, the book opens up with an excerpt from a fictional website that gives a brief history of Haden’s Syndrome. The Exerpt is definitely an information dump, and it’s a lot to process, but it’s well worth the read, because it sets up the setting (for lack of a better way of putting it). There’s also a more in-deph history of Haden’s here: Unlocked: An Oral History of Haden’s Syndrome, by John Scalzi What I didn’t like I’ll keep this short, because there isn’t a lot to say here (I liked most of the book). Chris Shane, who’s the main protagonist, isn’t a badly done character, but he falls a little short of great. I really wanted a little bit more development there–a little more . . . life, I guess. Shane’s partner, Leslie Vann is a hard-boiled FBI investigator—she’s also a hardcore stereotype. This didn’t bother me as much as it normally would because Scalzi really used the stereotype well, and came up with a pretty great back-story to explain how Vann became Vann. I was taught that, if you’re going to have a stereotype, you’d better own it. In other words, you make sure it’s clear that you know the stereotype exists, and you make real sure you use it for a good reason. I only mention the stereotype thing in the “didn’t like” section because the hard-boiled detective thing is so immediately obvious that it’s a bit jarring at first. Once you adjust, and understand why Vann is Vann, then you realize it works pretty well. What I did like iO9 calls Lock In “one of John Scalzi’s most accessible (and relevant) novels,” and they’re not wrong. I still like The Android’s Dream, personally, but Lock In is definitely good. The whole book felt like an intro to me. I kept finding new details about the world and the characters that kept me turning pages all the way to the end. I agree with iO9 in that I’d have liked a little more depth to the characters (specifically on how Haden’s Syndrome has affected them as people) but I think that Scalzi was trying to keep the focus on social and political situation, which is where the real meat of the book is. Hadens are still people, but they’re people in need. The book opens just before a new bill goes into effect that cuts off government-funded Haden’s research, potentially leaving thousands of citizens in a pretty crappy state. Private corporations are chomping at the bit to take advantage of the situation to turn a profit. It’s no accident that this all sounds familiar. The climate in Lock In is quite reminiscent of the debate on the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), and the rhetoric and money-grubbing that’s occurred around it. Is privatization bad? Is it good? Will it help those in need, or bleed them dry? Meanwhile, Hadens represent a new type of citizen; somewhat analogous to an ethnic group. There is clear bigotry and bias on both sides of the fence (Hadens versus everyone else), and tensions are ramping up throughout the novel (just like they are in the United States today). So, to sum up, my two favorite things about this book: 1. It’s a fast read, and the whole thing feels like a gripping intro that doesn’t end. 2. It’s so relevant to problems we’re having right here, right now, that it almost hurts. However, none of the commentary (metaphorical or otherwise) gets in the way of what is a pretty darn good thriller/mystery novel. Well done, Mr. Scalzi. Well done, indeed. Read a sample, and check it out for yourself.   Quinton Lawman is a Technical Writer for OverDrive.

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