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A review by jenbsbooks
Lock In by John Scalzi
5.0
While there is a little "Haden's Syndrome" intro before chapter one ... this book just jumps right into this world, sometime in the future, decimated by sickness, but never quite hitting an apocalyptic scale. The US is still quite civilized with a running government and the sickness and its effects are being dealt with. Everything is introduced so quickly without much background, it's easy to feel as if you are missing something.
You are!
There was a short story (many thanks to reviewer Shelby, top review, for the link ... https://www.tor.com/2014/05/13/unlocked-an-oral-history-of-hadens-syndrome-john-scalzi/) but as I don't generally check out reviews in depth before reading (to avoid spoilers) I didn't see this until after. It is possible to figure out the world with the info given in the book, but I wish I'd read this^ history first. It was well written and really set everything up with so much more background.
That said, I found this world to be completely captivating. Here in the years after, there isn't much mentioned about the original sickness and death, but of the "locked in" effect it had on some of the population. Completely cognizant of everything going on, awake and alert, but unable to move or communicate. Trapped within their body. With subsidy from the government, scientists found a way to tap directly into the brains of those affected, allowing them to "see" via a camera view and "talk" artificially ... and then move, with the use of robot bodies.
That's still all set-up ... THIS story is more of a crime/detective story that happens to be in this world. We have a "Hayden" (locked in individual using a robot body) starting work with the FBI, just as an incredibly complicated case occurs.
As I was reading, I could easily visualize this being made into a movie.
When I had to put my book down, I was always anxious to get back to it and get lost in the story again. This had been one I stumbled upon randomly at my library, and I'm so glad I did! Very glad I found the "prequel" novella, and I do plan on reading the sequel (although this wrapped up completely, no cliff-hanger set-up for book 2).
You are!
There was a short story (many thanks to reviewer Shelby, top review, for the link ... https://www.tor.com/2014/05/13/unlocked-an-oral-history-of-hadens-syndrome-john-scalzi/) but as I don't generally check out reviews in depth before reading (to avoid spoilers) I didn't see this until after. It is possible to figure out the world with the info given in the book, but I wish I'd read this^ history first. It was well written and really set everything up with so much more background.
That said, I found this world to be completely captivating. Here in the years after, there isn't much mentioned about the original sickness and death, but of the "locked in" effect it had on some of the population. Completely cognizant of everything going on, awake and alert, but unable to move or communicate. Trapped within their body. With subsidy from the government, scientists found a way to tap directly into the brains of those affected, allowing them to "see" via a camera view and "talk" artificially ... and then move, with the use of robot bodies.
That's still all set-up ... THIS story is more of a crime/detective story that happens to be in this world. We have a "Hayden" (locked in individual using a robot body) starting work with the FBI, just as an incredibly complicated case occurs.
As I was reading, I could easily visualize this being made into a movie.
When I had to put my book down, I was always anxious to get back to it and get lost in the story again. This had been one I stumbled upon randomly at my library, and I'm so glad I did! Very glad I found the "prequel" novella, and I do plan on reading the sequel (although this wrapped up completely, no cliff-hanger set-up for book 2).