Sci-Fi Group Book Club discussion

This is the discussion thread for the second book of the month, or group read, for April. Please remember to use the spoiler tags where necessary.

The other group read topic for this month (We Are Legion (We Are Bob)) can be found here.

Just started the book and then realized that there is a short story online that takes place before this book. Here's the link for those who want to read it:

https://www.tor.com/2014/05/13/unlock...

Thorkell wrote: "Just started the book and then realized that there is a short story online that takes place before this book. Here's the link for those who want to read it:

https://www.tor.com/2014/05/13/unlocked..."

thanks for adding that link, Thorkell! I'll have a read of that short story.

This short story / novella is totally amazing. I strongly recommend everyone read it before they start on the book. There are so many things in the book that are not explained, so you constantly feel like you are trying to catch up. Having read the novella makes entering the book so much easier. Plus it is fantastic.

I have now read Lock in and Head on. Sadly neither lives up to the promise of the novella "Unlocked: An Oral History of Haden's Syndrome". The problem is that the detective story plots are not original at all. The crimes being committed don't even need a future setting. These are crimes being committed today, and in fact have been for a long time.

Why is that a problem? Because the whole set up is so brilliant. It opens up possibilities to investigate discrimination, identity, virtual vs physical space and so on and so on. There are so many places to take this. These books only touch on these issues but then run and hide behind a detective story, never daring to dive in or take a stand. It feels like a plot of a TV police episode dressed up like in a sci fi costume.

There is also a huge problem with the protagonist. He is way too nice, which makes him flat and boring. Let's take an example SPOILERS!!! Give him some problems. Like being tried of being in threeps and use Integrators to feel more alive. Or what about the amazing sex toy threeps we learn about in Head on? Why not let him indulge in those? Hell, make his parents evil corporation people, which would complicate his work and loyalty to the FBI. There are so many ways to make this more interesting than it is.

I'm not saying that these books are bad but they are a disappointment because of a wasted potential.

I read Unlocked: An Oral History of Haden's Syndrome - the prequel/background to Lock In - and thought it was good. I liked the way it was presented as a kind of popular historical publication comprising statements from a variety of Americans who had some key role in documenting, researching, treating, or experiencing the global epidemic of Haden's Syndrome in the US and the technological innovations developed to address the illness. I also liked the technological aspect most and what it meant for people affected by the disease.

However, I was (view spoiler)[disappointed that we are presented with a political situation where it takes a strident president to galvanise politicians into supporting a bipartisan government policy that prioritised researching and treating the disease - as if politicians (pushed by their constituents' demands) were otherwise incapable of reaching agreement when so many people were affected. It would be nice to see that a nation could respond to the need for unity of purpose without requiring a leader to herd public opinion, and for that leader only to do this because his wife is affected by the disease. (hide spoiler)]

That said, it was an interesting read and it makes a lot of sense to read the novella before going on to read Lock In itself.

Regarding the spoiler Greg spoiler: (view spoiler)[I think the politics today are so polarized that it is impossible for a republican to do anything like the president does here without some hard ball tack ticks. Political lines have become a religion of its own. It is hard to fight dogma. (hide spoiler)]

Thorkell wrote: "I have now read Lock in and Head on. Sadly neither lives up to the promise of the novella "Unlocked: An Oral History of Haden's Syndrome". The problem is that the detective story plots are not orig..."

I'd have to agree. When I read this one a year or so ago I was reminded of some of Michael Crichton's flimsier work. The plot was bare-bones and wouldn't stand on its own. The story was just an excuse for Scalzi to mess around in his own created world. Scalzi also enjoyed being ambiguous and coy about the main character's race (until about 2/3 the way through the book) and gender to play with reader's assumptions. Overall, the whole thing felt undercooked.