Lock In (Narrated by Amber Benson)

By: John Scalzi

Narrated by: Amber Benson

Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

Two editions. Two narrators. One thrilling story. You can also choose to download Wil Wheaton's narration.

"I love working with Audible, in no small part because they’re committed to doing what’s right, both for my books, and the people who listen to those books. There's a really excellent reason for Lock In to have two entirely different versions, so when it came time to make the audiobook, Audible did an ingenious thing: they asked both Wil Wheaton and Amber Benson to record entire versions of the book. As the author, I’m impressed with Audible’s commitment to my narrative - and I’m geeking out that both Wil and Amber are reading my book. This is fantastic." (John Scalzi)

A blazingly inventive near-future thriller from the best-selling, Hugo Award-winning John Scalzi.

Not too long from today, a new, highly contagious virus makes its way across the globe. Most who get sick experience nothing worse than flu, fever, and headaches. But for the unlucky one percent - and nearly five million souls in the United States alone - the disease causes "Lock In": Victims fully awake and aware, but unable to move or respond to stimulus. The disease affects young, old, rich, poor, people of every color and creed. The world changes to meet the challenge.

A quarter of a century later, in a world shaped by what's now known as "Haden's syndrome", rookie FBI agent Chris Shane is paired with veteran agent Leslie Vann. The two of them are assigned what appears to be a Haden-related murder at the Watergate Hotel, with a suspect who is an "integrator" - someone who can let the locked in borrow their bodies for a time. If the Integrator was carrying a Haden client, then naming the suspect for the murder becomes that much more complicated.

But "complicated" doesn't begin to describe it. As Shane and Vann began to unravel the threads of the murder, it becomes clear that the real mystery - and the real crime - is bigger than anyone could have imagined.

BONUS AUDIO: Audible's audio edition of Lock In contains the bonus novella, Unlocked: An Oral History of Haden's Syndrome, written by John Scalzi and narrated by a full cast.

©2014 John Scalzi (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Critic reviews

"Hugo-winner Scalzi successfully shifts away from space opera with this smart, thoughtful near-future thriller resonant with the themes of freedom, ethics, and corporate greed….This powerful novel will intrigue and entertain both fans and newcomers." ( Publishers Weekly)

"The novel--which contains plenty of action, great character development, vivid and believable worldbuilding and a thought-provoking examination of disability culture and politics--is definitely worth the ride." ( Kirkus)

"Another brilliant novel from a writer who has quickly become one of the genre’s most successful and intriguing practitioners." ( Booklist)

Early dialog is brain numbing, but story picks up.

Van said, I said, Van said, I said..................

Wow. that was annoying.

Once the storyline progresses the annoying dialog relents and I ended up enjoying the book. I almost didn't make it past the first few chapters.

The storyline explores the social implications of robots controlled by human thought and the issues that way come up if such technology was ever implemented in human society.

Ordinary Story; Fascinating Epilog

What made the experience of listening to Lock In (Narrated by Amber Benson) the most enjoyable?

The epilogue

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I will leave these choices to the author; after all, it is his work, not mine

Which character – as performed by Amber Benson – was your favorite?

Very little difference between the 'voices'...one problem Scalzi has as a writer

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No

Any additional comments?

Scalzi posits a fascinating premise about the continuity of our mind with the replacement of our physical bodies after a catastrophic event. The story of Lock In he is mundane. However, he has written an epilog that is simply stunning in its depth and scope as it looks at a wide variety of aspects should the scientific developments he imagines become possible...AND THEY ARE.

Bonus at the end!

I found myself wanting this book to explain the back story of Hayden's syndrome more, especially the social and cultural aspects of the epidemic. I found I didn't really care about the plot of the book because I kept getting distracted by my own musings on how a society would function after such a devastating blow, particularly in developing countries where they wouldn't have boatloads of money to throw at the problem. So I was delighted to find that there is a novella at the end of the book entitled Unlocked, which tells the story of the early days of the epidemic and how the neural networks and Threeps were developed. It didn't explain everything I had questions about of course, but I still enjoyed it very much. This novella is written as an anecdotal collection of stories and read by many different narrators (including Luke Daniels, who is one of my favourites!). I was on the fence about Locked In, but I thoroughly enjoyed Unlocked!

Great story, clunky narration

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This book is available with two narrators. Chose Wil Wheaton over Amber Benson. I wish I had! I bought this on a sale, and can't recall of both versions were offered. I am trying to push through it but find her reading stiff and difficult to stick with.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Amber Benson?

Doubtful.

What an interesting concept.

I loved that this book covered issues of discrimination without letting you know the gender and race of the characters. It took a concept that could have been horrific and turned it in to an exciting adventure without being preachy.

Read the Bonus Novella First

Actually enjoyed the Novella which starts at Chapter 26 better than the main story. I might have enjoyed the story more if I had listened to the novella first because then you get the whole background of what Hayden Syndrome is. Less confusing than trying to pick it up while also getting into the murder mystery.

Goes far beyond the description

What was one of the most memorable moments of Lock In (Narrated by Amber Benson)?

The robot or VEP operated by the main character fighting against an assassin trying to kill the body of the main character.

What about Amber Benson’s performance did you like?

I didn't realize that there were two versions of this audiobook, Amber Benson's and Wil Wheaton's, until I was near the end. Now, it's hard to imagine the Wil Wheaton version. I listened to his reading of another Scalzi book, REDSHIRTS, I liked that, it was very meta-, however I would imagine his more cynical tone would have detracted from this story of a rookie FBI agent. Amber brought lightness and naivete in a way that made the story more of a discovery. It is a book that is in part about identity and how you present yourself. Amber's production kept me guessing and changing my assumptions about the lead character.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, I don't do that. I listen while driving, shopping, cooking and walking. It was easy to dip into and out of. I eagerly anticipated getting back to it.

Any additional comments?

I read a review and put the book on my wish list. Then, when I went back to Audible and read the blurb, I thought why would I want to read that book. It sounded like some kind of futuristic disease of the month book. Another person recommended it, so I took a chance (besides it was on sale). I'm so glad I did. It is an interesting book about: how technology can make us more or less human? what is identity? how corporations can abuse their ever growing power. confronting and managing disability.This book engaged my thought and made me think more about how to live in our technological age.

need multiple readings

This book has an interesting premise that really makes you wonder, and made much more sense the second time around.

At least it kept me locked in...

The story is set in a near future where a disease leaves people paralyzed (locked in), but the combination of neural networks, robots and technology allow this population to have an active “normal life”. With this premise the author develops a competent, unpretentious thriller. The book is agile, with relatively well-developed characters, that leads to the reader’s sympathy. It is a great work, nor it will revolutionize science fiction, but it does not disappoint. It has everything to become a successful movie or a TV series. The book could further deepen the characters, could try to discuss the limits of the human and the robot or could discuss the lives of patients stuck in their hospital beds, but it does nothing of that. The author could also write a very heavy, long and boring book, but neither does this too. In the middle term which pleased me enough to read the story to the end and it kept me wanting to know the outcome. It is the not the first book I read from John Scalzi and certainly it will not be the last.

Liked this story!

Really enjoyed this story. Liked the narrator! She did a great job! Wish there was a follow-up to it!