A Man With An Agenda

What? This isn't an 'Animorphs' review!

A new technology, developed now, will transform society. With 'the Flash' people can transport their consciousness into another living person for an hour, a day, a week, so long as they can pay for it. Everything has been effected: employment, travel, prostitution, and even war. There are two rules hardwired into the tech. The first is that if the host body dies, both bodies die. The second is that a consciousness must return to their own (or prime) body before flashing into someone else. This world is a familiar one to us, but corrupt in ways that only humanity could think of.

The story is broken into two narratives. The first follows a scientist who accidentally discovers the technology when she finds herself in her husband's body. She immediately realizes the dangers of the technology and sets out to protect her discovery. The second is set twenty-five years in the future where much good has been caused - the end of mass global travel has improved health and reduced carbon emissions significantly - but also highlights the dark flash, where illegal activity is conducted in the bodies of those desperate enough to risk their lives and reputation.

It's clear that something has gone wrong, but Soule skillfully keeps you guessing. This is a world where appearances mean nothing, anyone can be ANYONE. Like the best science fiction, Soule analyzes the society that is created by technology X, but doesn't forget the humanity of his characters. I had a great time with this and couldn't put it down. His first novel, 'The Oracle Year' (out for some time now in paperback), was a lot of fun, but the characters and the plotting is much improved here. It's official, this is a writer to keep an eye on.