Lock In

Lock In is the second book I've read by John Scalzi and it was super-fantastic.  I was engaged, entrapped, "locked in" from the first chapter.  I loved Agent Chris Shane and his hardass, drinking, smoking partner, Agent Vann.  The plot was fast-paced and kept me reading late into the night. I loved everything about this story. I thought the virus was interesting, as was the advancements made to help those who suffered from Lock In. I thought Chris Shane had a very unusual first week with his new partner. I thought Chris's family was interesting and I like how they became part of the plot of the story. I thought Tony and Tayla were great secondary characters. I like Trinh and Davidson. Every character seemed to have a full life/backstory that we just don't see in the story. 

I was lucky and won an ARC of Lock In from Goodreads. I loved Redshirts and was excited to read more by Scalzi. I also really enjoy his blog, Whatever. Basically in Lock In, a virus plagues the world. Most people are affected and most end up okay, but one percent suffer from "lock in" being trapped in their own bodies, yet completely conscious and aware. Chris Shane, becomes the most famous child with Haden's - the disease gets its name from the president's wife and daughter. Technologies are created to help those who suffer from being locked in. Everything is about this one percent, which in America, where the story is based, is 1.7 million people. If you think about it globally, that's 70 million people. There is no cure, so people are continually being affected. The American president throws money at research and no one argues, everyone supports it since they all know someone locked in. After a generation of this, a couple of senators sign a bill cutting funding to Haden's research programs; that's when things get violent. 

 

The description doesn't do it justice. The book is amazing. The Agora is fascinating, people with Lock In can exist there and make it whatever they want it to me. Threeps, aka Person Transports are fantastic and I love who they're named after. Scalzi invents things I wish were real and I wonder if one day they will be. I can't express how much I enjoyed Lock In. I hope that Scalzi writes more about Shane and Vann, I want to know what happens next.