Lock In
By John Scalzi (Tor, ISBN 978-0765375865)
Assistive technology and crime
Review by Lawrence I. Charters, November 20, 2014
Lock In is a novel that focuses intensely on a single person, but the story is supported by a vast universe that, while never fully in view, is the real tale. The central character is an FBI agent trapped in a crippled body since early childhood by a virus, one of millions worldwide who can’t lift a finger or speak a word. But these locked-in individuals still see and hear and think, and through specially designed remotes they can interact with the world outside their bodies. And investigate murder…
It is a fascinating premise, allowing Scalzi to explore some interesting questions about disabilities, discrimination, and assistive technology in a world that looks almost exactly like ours — but isn’t. A disease has changed the world, and while it is mostly intact, it definitely isn’t the same.