Prism: A Novel

by Austin Bay

On the cusp of the next millennium, in a dangerous yet eerily familiar near future, the most advanced electronic weaponry and spy systems have been augmented by a far more cultivated implement of war. The new ultimate weapon is the human mind. Using special crystals - prisms - to focus psychic energy, some of the physically "able" have learned to master extrasensory powers and probe others' minds. "Able" humans posses limited, though useful, psychic talents. The "most able," however, have learned to mentally double other humans - to totally control another's thoughts and actions. More frightening, their selectively bred offspring have even more extraordinary gifts.
The real power in this new world is not the people, Congress, or multinational corporations, but The Shop - the psychic CIA - a macabre intelligence agency operated by the "most able." The Shop is controlled by Chatterley, a powerful woman of allegedly unique psychic genius. Chatterley's sources have intercepted information that a sinister group (led by a billionaire would-be president from Texas, Coleman Oswald Mosley) is planning to assassinate the president of the United States. Mosley's organization is seeking the ideal killer. Chatterley calls in a former Shop assassin named Wes Hardin. Pulled from his self-imposed retirement, Wes agrees to pose as a mercenary gunman named Carey Hawkins and infiltrate Mosley's group. Mosley hires Wes, demanding a perfect, vicious kill. In order to ensure his new assassin's loyalty, Mosley kidnaps Wes's daughter.
Prism builds with riveting speed and authenticity through Wes's indoctrination into Mosley's paramilitary "peacekeeping" force, his preparations to assassinate Mosley's Washington targets, and the sudden emergence of his own "most able" talents.

Genres: Science Fiction

240 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1996

Reviews

[Angela]

I tried, made it to page 43, but I just can't. The writing is just too annoying to me.