From the Bookshelf of Apocalypse Whenever…

Lock In (Lock In, #1)

John Scalzi

Start date: November 22, 2014

Finish date: December 1, 2014

Discussion: AW BOOK CLUB (spoilers)

Discussion leader: Gertie

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AW BOOK CLUB (spoilers)

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What Members Thought

Nov 03, 2016 Robert rated it liked it

Shelves: x2016-17-season

an interesting idea, but without the companion novella of Unlocked it would have been overly confusing and frustrating, and even with it to many characters with interlocking stories are thrown at the reader to quickly in the first few chapters.

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Mar 06, 2017 Robin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2017

In the not too distant future, a new virus has swept the world, affecting millions of people. Some who catch the virus just experience flu-like symptoms, but others are "locked in" to their minds. They are still alive, but are unable to communicate with the world outside their mind; unable to talk and unable to move their bodies, they appear comatose to others. Fortunately, science has been able to find, if not a cure, a way to integrate those affected, called "Hadens," into society. A neural ne In the not too distant future, a new virus has swept the world, affecting millions of people. Some who catch the virus just experience flu-like symptoms, but others are "locked in" to their minds. They are still alive, but are unable to communicate with the world outside their mind; unable to talk and unable to move their bodies, they appear comatose to others. Fortunately, science has been able to find, if not a cure, a way to integrate those affected, called "Hadens," into society. A neural network is surgically implanted into a Haden's brain, and they are able to communicate and control an android, known as a threep, in order to interact with others. Others, known as integrators, who have had the virus but have not contracted Hadens, can have neural networks implanted in their brains to allow Hadens to borrow their bodies, especially if the Haden cannot afford a threep. Chris Shane, a Haden, has just joined the FBI and has been assigned to a department that deals mostly with Haden and integrator crimes. On his first day on the job, he and his partner, Leslie Vann, are called to the Watergate Hotel to investigate a murder. The prime suspect in the case is an integrator - but did he act alone or was he being controlled by a Haden? The case becomes more and more complex as Shane and Vann investigate.

The only John Scalzi book that I have read so far is Redshirts, which I loved. Lock In sounded interesting and I was looking for a good book to listen to, so I downloaded it from Audible. I had a choice between two versions - one narrated by Wil Wheaton and one narrated by Amber Benson. I really enjoyed Wheaton's narration of Ready Player One, so I chose the Wheaton narrated version. I'm glad I did. Wheaton has a very pleasant, expressive voice and he expresses sarcasm very well.

I was immediately captivated by the story. The spread of the virus and its effects were written in a very believable, matter-of-fact manner. Chris Shane is the first person narrator, and he came across as a very likable person - someone who had been afflicted with Hadens, but who wanted to do some good in the world. Scalzi did a great job of character development. I am also a big fan of mysteries, and Lock In started right off with a body. The story progressed steadily with Vann and Shane working together to solve the mystery. There honestly weren't any twists, just a good, solid build-up of the case until the end. I enjoyed this book so much that I will likely purchase the Kindle version and read it as well.

I would highly recommend this book. I think just about anyone would enjoy it. It is a science fiction novel, but even though the science fiction is a big part of the plot, it doesn't overtake the book. It just has an excellent story. ...more

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Jan 06, 2015 Judy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi-fantasy, my-2016-books

This is a highly creative story about the near future after a devastating flu-like virus has affected millions of people worldwide (they are called "Hadens"). The people who live through the illness are affected in a variety of ways. How they live with the effects is the real story here. It's easy to relate to Scalzi's vision of what that world would be like -- he's thoroughly developed the details necessary to make it a believable scenario. From the main character, a wealthy politician's son wh ...more

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Jan 10, 2018 Nicole rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: owned

Interesting release from Scalzi, considering most of his works are space-age fiction. However, the world building is better than usual and grounded in realistic scientific development which demonstrates a very Crichton-esque potential for more stories closer to home.
I was also pleasantly surprised with the way the mystery played out. The twist caught me off guard but the clues were all there, avoiding the Poirot Problem. All in all quite a good read, though maybe not what hardcore Scifi fans ar ...more

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