Frequencies

by Joshua Ortega

At the turn of the century, a technology was created which allowed people's thoughts to be monitored as electromagnetic wavelengths and frequencies. In 2012, the Frequency Emissions Act was passed, creating a special division of the FBI, the Freemon, or Frequency Emissions Monitors, to isolate and detain individuals who infected others with their illegal frequencies. After a wave of mass arrests, a world of convenience and security materializes... It is now 2051. The place, Seattle. An ordered world is about to get shaken up. LIMITED EDITION The first printing of ((FREQUENCIES)) is a limited-edition run of 1,000 books. Each copy has been personally signed and numbered by author Joshua Ortega, and comes with two postcards and a collectible bookmark.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction

394 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1999

About the author

Joshua Ortega is an author and journalist best known for his novel Frequencies, as well as his comic book and graphic novel work on entertainment properties such as Star Wars, Spider-Man, Batman, Star Trek, The Escapist, and The Necromancer.

Reviews

[Carl Alves · Rating 2 out of 5]

The jacket cover of Frequencies compares this novel to 1984. I think to a large degree that is the problem with the novel . It tries entirely too hard to be like 1984 and it is heavy-handed in its approach. Not lacking any subtlety, the novel beats the reader over the head with the Big brother concept, except here Big Brother is a corporation, not the government. Ordosoft, the evil software company, is basically Microsoft. They control the lives of the citizens in many ways. An invention allows the government to monitor the frequencies of people's thoughts. If they are freaking out (get it), the government can detain and imprison them. It's a ridiculous concept, just like many of the other ridiculous concepts in the novel. As for the plot there is little of interest here. There is the obligatory romance between the detective and the woman he is protecting. There is the usual deceit, betrayal and double crossing. To make matters worse, there is no actual ending to the book. It just stops. This is one novel you'll want to take a pass on.
Carl Alves - author of Two For Eternity

[Betsy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was very in line with cyberpunk science fiction. Had it been a bit more self-aware of the somewhat cliched themes, I may have liked it a little better. The romance in the story was fun to follow, and the character descriptions were right-on; I knew exactly the people he was describing. Overall, another fun take on the mixing of virtual and reality, and interesting commentary on the increasing amount of control being had on our lives, but there wasn't anything I found to be different enough from similar works or enlightening enough to make it stand out for me. Had I come upon it earlier in my life I could see myself absolutely fascinated with this book.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Poorly written with unbelievable and troupe-y views on science and technology. Extremely predictable with unlivable characters and no satisfying ending.

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

A techie dystopian novel set in Seattle in 2051...and published in 1999. So Ortega envisioned the future tech in this book almost 20 years ago. Descriptive to an almost overbearing degree, but after a bit this style is less annoying than it first seemed.

I have to say that I eat this shit up. I am finding it difficult to put down. The fact that the action takes place in my hometown doesn't hurt. And that I was a techie for a long and rewarding career.

While I can find fault with a few items -- McCready and Ashley's fawning over Huxton's father's super new-agey Tibetan retreat, for example, and the lack of a satisfying ending -- I enjoyed the ride this book took me on.

And even while noticing many elements of fairy tale pedagogy, I was caught up with the characters and plot to the extent that I was scared to read a certain chapter before going to sleep.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

The most interesting part of this book for me was that it is set in Seattle so I'm familiar with all the places where it takes place. I'd find myself on the bus crossing the same bridge that the character was crossing in the book while I read it. Other than that...this was good, but nothing too stupendous. Interesting ideas...the government has figured out a way to monitor our thoughts, and anyone who is caught thinking too deeply without a permit is punished--sort of a Big Brother thing going on. But the story was a bit too disjointed and the characters a bit too unpredictable for me to really get into it. Still entertaining enough to make me want to keep reading, though. There is supposedly a sequel in the works, and if it ever gets published I'll probably read it, but this book stands alone just fine.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book, can't wait until there is a sequel if there ever is one

[Alyssa Stormer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Started a little slow but turned out to be amazing and I wish he had finished the next book by now!

[jillbertini · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable read, although he uses too many adverbs.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book's concepts reached for the stars, but the characters' souls were lost in the darkness.

[Corneil · Rating 3 out of 5]

pretty trippy and thought provoking

[Tod McCoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fine first book by a fine writer.