Author Language English | Cover artist Peter Lutjen Publisher Tor Books | |
Country United States of America Genre Science fiction, police procedural | ||
Lock In is a science fiction police procedural novel by American writer John Scalzi. The book was published by Tor Books in August 2014. The audiobook of the novel was released in two versions, one narrated by Wil Wheaton and one by Amber Benson.
Contents
Plot summary
A highly contagious virus is exposed to the world. Most who get sick experience nothing worse than flu-like symptoms. For 1%, the virus causes the victims to be fully awake, but unable to move or respond to stimulus. This is known as "Lock In", and resembles the real condition known as locked-in syndrome. The illness comes to be known as "Haden's Syndrome" with its victims called "Hadens". Humanoid robotic personal transport units controlled by a Haden's brain (nicknamed "Threeps" after C-3PO from Star Wars) are developed as the primary way for a Haden to interact with the outside world.
25 years after the initial virus exposure, FBI agents Chris Shane (who is a Haden) and Leslie Vann are assigned to a Haden-related murder, with a suspect who is an "Integrator" – someone who can let a Haden use their bodies. If the Integrator was carrying a Haden, then finding the suspect for the murder is complicated. Further Integrator-Haden related murders occur, making the case larger than expected.
Companion novella
Lock In is accompanied by a novella, Unlocked: An Oral History of Haden's Syndrome, which provides background detail about the origins of the epidemic.
TV adaptation
Legendary Television acquired the rights to Lock In to adapt it into a TV pilot.
Sequel
Included with Scalzi's ten-year contract with Tor is the sequel to this novel, titled Head On and the sequel will be published sometime between 2016 and 2026.
Reception
Jane Jorgenson wrote:
There’s been a good run of fantasy and science fiction books this year. Joining the list of great fantastical reads is John Scalzi’s Lock In. Scalzi is best known for his military SF (especially the Old Man’s War series), so his latest is a change of pace. A blending of SF and police procedural that hits every note just right.
According to a review in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
[T]here must be magic (defined here as a combination of skill, vision and intuition) behind Scalzi’s talent for turning out one compulsively readable book after another. Reading his novels is like watching the finest episodes of your favorite sci-fi series, with provocative ideas, high-stakes conflicts, gripping action scenes and a leavening touch of humor.