As we work our way further into the 21st century it seems that world unification, or the dreaded New World Order, is closer at hand. It seems a ridiculous thought but is it? Equality has become the rallying cry for every race, religion, creed, sexuality, and gender. How soon before we are "One World", not necessarily under "God" but under a unified government who's only aim is to make everyone equal, and no one special? Private Detective Zach Johnson is about to learn that equality isn't always the best path, and the good guys aren't always so good.

It's 2060 and Earth is now governed by the World Council. Hover cars are the norm and teleportation is the chosen means of long-distance travel. Everyone has glided happily into the future, everyone except Zach Johnson. Johnson is a private dick of the grand film noir style, complete with fedora and trenchcoat. He drives a classic Mustang and prefers a pistol to more modern weapons. He has however made some concesions to the modern world, mainly in the form of HARV, his holographic "sidekick" who can be wired directly to Zach's brain if necessary. Over the course of his career Zach has dealt with a wealth of odd and usually dangerous situations but his latest assignment may very well be his last.

It starts when Zach is approached by Santana Clausa to investigate the murder of two of her elves at the North Pole. Yes, I did just say "Santana Clausa", "elves", and "North Pole". One of the decisions that the World Council made in their infinite wisdom was to create Holiday, a time when everyone in the world receives 3 presents from Santana Clausa. Santana is beautiful, cheerful, and genetically engineered for the optimum Holiday experience. Zach agrees to take the case but is leery when he learns that he will be teleported to the Pole (he hates teleporting) and will be in disguise (people like to try to kill him), and he'll have to wear the red and green Holiday suit that all visitors wear (he prefers his fedora). As Zach begins to investigate the deaths of the elves (also genetically engineered for optimum elfiness) he learns that as with most things, there is a deeper mystery lying underneath. Is Santana Clausa, the epitome of all that is good and generous, as good as she appears, or is she intent on being too good? Hopefully Zach will figure out the web of weirdness before someone makes a successful attempt on his life.

I will say in all honesty that I love this book. I thought it was great. You can't get any better then killer robots, superhuman females, and genetically engineered elves. Zach Johnson is wonderful as a futuristic Humphrey Bogart, constantly hassled and harassed by his holographic sidekick, swaggering around New Frisco in his fedora and trenchcoat. This was actually the third in a series centering around Zach and I plan to pick up the other two as well. The future is what we make of it and this one was made very well.
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Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: DAW (December 5, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 0756403979
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