Flash (novel)
Encyclopedia
Flash is a science fiction
novel by L. E. Modesitt published in 2004
.
. Humanity is still recovering from environmental disasters of the 21st century, but technology provides enough material resources for everyone. Earth's old nations have merged into continental governments - such as NorAm, United Europe, and Sinoplex - many of which are partially or wholly under the sway of various multinational corporation
s. Various wars are in progress, including an independence movement of colonists on Mars.
The protagonist is Jonat DeVrai, a talented market research
consultant and former Marine Corps officer who happens to have retained nanite combat enhancements that should be removed from retiring soldiers. As usual in Modesitt's books, DeVrai does not seek power; he is forced to exercise it because of others' attempts to use him in their designs to gather power to themselves.
In addition to normal humans, the world of Flash also includes:
DeVrai's practice for ethical, high caliber assessments brings him to the attention of the Centre for Societal Research, a generally non-partisian research group. The Centre commissions a study regarding potential abuses of "prod-placement" techniques in political campaigns.
While the study is intended to be used by the leaders of some of the top Multis (companies), attempts on DeVrai's life and the murder of his sister and her husband, force DeVrai to risk his life in an effort to set things right.
DeVrai receives help in the form of the self-aware Cy-droid Paula Anthane and the shadowy force behind Central Four.
DeVrai has become a pawn on more than one chessboard.
Will he have the chance to set things right? Will he be able to avenge the murder of his sister that left his niece and nephew orphans, or will the multiple plots to remove DeVrai from the board finally catch up to him?
, product placement
, the nature of self-consciousness, the use of clones as remote-controlled robots and the ethical implications thereof, subliminal influencing, and the knotty relationship between following the law and doing what's right.
Struggles for control and power dominate the book. The story combines sometimes violent action with character interactions. The hero's struggle to parent his children while at the same time engineering the violent demise of the antagonists provides much of the novel's tension.
praised the novel calling it "a marvelous thriller that plausibly extrapolates from current possibilities in IT, AI, media, and crime, it also constitutes the way for newcomers to get acquainted with Modesitt—at his best." Kirkus Reviews
was also positive about the novel saying "Modesitt's abundant novelistic virtues--great characters and plotting, impressive attention to detail--aside: this is smart, aware, provocative, and engrossing on several political, economic, and professional levels." Publishers Weekly
said "Modesitt strives for emotional rather than intellectual satisfaction. His future has much eye-pleasing chrome, but it lacks infrastructure, making the book seem more contemporary techno-thriller
than SF (parents queuing up in hydrogen-powered cars to pick up their kids after school)."
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novel by L. E. Modesitt published in 2004
2004 in literature
The year 2004 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:* Canada Reads selects Guy Vanderhaeghe's The Last Crossing to be read across the nation....
.
Plot introduction
Flash is set in a future Earth of unspecified year; most likely 24th century as in its predecessor Archform: BeautyArchform: Beauty
Archform: Beauty is a science fiction novel by L. E. Modesitt published in 2002.-Reception:Roland Green in his review for Booklist said that "Modesitt creates exceptionally vivid but the narrative continuum somewhat hard to get into. Ultimately most readers will probably be absorbed in the book...
. Humanity is still recovering from environmental disasters of the 21st century, but technology provides enough material resources for everyone. Earth's old nations have merged into continental governments - such as NorAm, United Europe, and Sinoplex - many of which are partially or wholly under the sway of various multinational corporation
Multinational corporation
A multi national corporation or enterprise , is a corporation or an enterprise that manages production or delivers services in more than one country. It can also be referred to as an international corporation...
s. Various wars are in progress, including an independence movement of colonists on Mars.
The protagonist is Jonat DeVrai, a talented market research
Market research
Market research is any organized effort to gather information about markets or customers. It is a very important component of business strategy...
consultant and former Marine Corps officer who happens to have retained nanite combat enhancements that should be removed from retiring soldiers. As usual in Modesitt's books, DeVrai does not seek power; he is forced to exercise it because of others' attempts to use him in their designs to gather power to themselves.
In addition to normal humans, the world of Flash also includes:
- Ascendants: upper-class people who were genetically improved as zygoteZygoteA zygote , or zygocyte, is the initial cell formed when two gamete cells are joined by means of sexual reproduction. In multicellular organisms, it is the earliest developmental stage of the embryo...
s. Tall, attractive, and well-to-do, Ascendants disproportionately hold positions of power. - Cydroids: non-sentient constructs made from clonedCloningCloning in biology is the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually. Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA fragments , cells , or...
human tissue. They are operated by telepresenceTelepresenceTelepresence refers to a set of technologies which allow a person to feel as if they were present, to give the appearance of being present, or to have an effect, via telerobotics, at a place other than their true location....
and often contain technological enhancements.
Summary
After obtaining the rank of Lt. Col in the NorAm Marines, Jonat DeVrai resigns his commission after growing disenchanted with the realities of warfare for economic gains. Using his military benefits, DeVrai begins a new career and obtains an advanced degree and creates a more accurate model for measuring the effects of "prod-placement."DeVrai's practice for ethical, high caliber assessments brings him to the attention of the Centre for Societal Research, a generally non-partisian research group. The Centre commissions a study regarding potential abuses of "prod-placement" techniques in political campaigns.
While the study is intended to be used by the leaders of some of the top Multis (companies), attempts on DeVrai's life and the murder of his sister and her husband, force DeVrai to risk his life in an effort to set things right.
DeVrai receives help in the form of the self-aware Cy-droid Paula Anthane and the shadowy force behind Central Four.
DeVrai has become a pawn on more than one chessboard.
Will he have the chance to set things right? Will he be able to avenge the murder of his sister that left his niece and nephew orphans, or will the multiple plots to remove DeVrai from the board finally catch up to him?
Themes
Many themes are touched upon in the book - artificial intelligenceArtificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
, product placement
Product placement
Product placement, or embedded marketing, is a form of advertisement, where branded goods or services are placed in a context usually devoid of ads, such as movies, music videos, the story line of television shows, or news programs. The product placement is often not disclosed at the time that the...
, the nature of self-consciousness, the use of clones as remote-controlled robots and the ethical implications thereof, subliminal influencing, and the knotty relationship between following the law and doing what's right.
Struggles for control and power dominate the book. The story combines sometimes violent action with character interactions. The hero's struggle to parent his children while at the same time engineering the violent demise of the antagonists provides much of the novel's tension.
Reception
Frieda Murray in her review for BooklistBooklist
Booklist is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. It is geared toward libraries and booksellers and is available in print or online...
praised the novel calling it "a marvelous thriller that plausibly extrapolates from current possibilities in IT, AI, media, and crime, it also constitutes the way for newcomers to get acquainted with Modesitt—at his best." Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus Reviews is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus . Kirkus serves the book and literary trade sector, including libraries, publishers, literary and film agents, film and TV producers and booksellers. Kirkus Reviews is published on the first and 15th of each month...
was also positive about the novel saying "Modesitt's abundant novelistic virtues--great characters and plotting, impressive attention to detail--aside: this is smart, aware, provocative, and engrossing on several political, economic, and professional levels." Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...
said "Modesitt strives for emotional rather than intellectual satisfaction. His future has much eye-pleasing chrome, but it lacks infrastructure, making the book seem more contemporary techno-thriller
Techno-thriller
Techno-thrillers are a hybrid genre, drawing subject matter generally from spy/action thrillers, fantasy/war novels, and science fiction...
than SF (parents queuing up in hydrogen-powered cars to pick up their kids after school)."