SOLVED. Paperback Science Fiction Novel About Digital Copies of People/Digital Realities. [s]

[Zirconia]

I read this book last summer, though it was probably older than that. I found it in the adult science fiction section of my library. The cover was paperback and had a woman with an Asian hairstyle on it.

The book starts with a character named Helen. She wonders into a confusing structure where she becomes trapped and unconscious. When she awakes she is a prisoner. A female Japanese character who seems very powerful appears and rescues her.

Digital copies are made of some of the characters. The digital copies are just as real as their biological counterparts. There is a big deal made about the digital ones having rights. There is a ring of evil people who make digital copies of people without their knowledge or consent to live out their twisted fantasies on. The Helen who was rescued is one of these.

The Japanese women is tracking down one of these evil men. He is hard to catch as he can switch between digital spaces. A few times in the book she talks with her copies to debate how to do this. I think they all wore kimonos. I am not sure if she was actually Japanese or just dressed that way, but this specific version of her was very tied to Japanese tradition.

The evil man has a copy of Helen he takes with him. They have an abusive relationship with him manipulating her. He would treat her very well and give her nice clothes, but then become angry at her if she expressed opinions. I remember at one point she was tethered to him wearing only a see-through spacesuit.

One of the digital realities the Japanese woman and Helen travel to is hellish.

The Japanese woman gives people pills which allow her to empathize with them and maybe read their thoughts though I'm not sure about that part. She uses this to gain information/control them. She uses this technique when they are in a city on a detective.

Millions of people live inside a city/structure. At the end of the book it starts falling apart. Right before this people are celebrating the end. I think a male character is trying to stop it, but I don't think he succeeds. The Japanese women might sacrifice herself so that the others can escape, but I can't remember.

[Ayshe]

Is it Capacity?

[Zirconia]

Yes, thank you!