Cybernetica: Michael J. Cavallaro
By: 
As we move forward into the 21st century technology seems to be improving at an alarming rate. Fifteen years ago the internet was used by only a minority of technologically-minded people and now it's a must have for everyone. Businesses, government, individuals; if you want it you'll find it online, even book reviews. How long will it be before we ourselves are wired directly into the system that we rely on? In Cybernetica author Michael J. Cavallaro leads us into a future where all your problems can be solved with the chip in your head and the system known as sublimation.
Jake Radigan is a small time con man living in Cybernetica. He's one of a minority of individuals who has blindsight and thus he is outside of the effects of sublimation. Jake, and indeed most of society, views this as a handicap. Jake wants nothing more than to have the surgery that could reverse the blindsight but because of his age the surgery is not allowed. So Jake and his young partner Billy troll the superhighways looking for car accidents so that they can swoop in and help the victims, for extortion-like fees. When a pleasant-appearing older man is netted in the trap, Jake finds that he himself has been pulled into a trap, the end of which will be a long time in coming.
Annalise DeSoto is a popular actress in Cybernetica who is being guarded after a terrorist attack at the premier of her latest movie. The terrorists downloaded a suicide code into everyone present at the premier who was connected to the network, causing 900 people to commit suicide later that night. For some reason Annalise herself was exempt from the attack, even though she was wired to the system. For this reason Annalise is under guard by Nisha, a genetically-enhanced super soldier whose only goal is to keep Annalise alive, and under contract to her employers, the Onyx/Enigma Corporation. Annalise understandably chafes at the restrictions until she realizes just how serious the issue is after a second attempt on her life.
As the four individuals run the course of survival they find themselves thrown together, fighting against a system that no one really understands. The abilities and abuses of sublimation have deep-seated and wide-reaching effects that can never be truly known, except by the father of sublimation, Elson Primakov, who is long-dead and unable to help anyone. It's up to Jake, Billy, Annalise, and Nisha to learn the truth before the world is consumed in another Encryption War, one that could destroy everything and everyone.
Before anyone says "eeww...it's a Matrix rip-off" I say to hell with you. While I like the Matrix very much it doesn't have a lock on this type of sci-fi and this book was amazing. It kept me guessing and unable to stop reading because I had to know what happened next. I can honestly say that I didn't see the ending coming which is always a good sign. I will admit that some of the more technical aspects were confusing to me as there was very much to do with mathematical equations that didn't make sense to me. All in all though, it was very good. I highly recommend it for any fan of this particular genre. I'm hoping that a sequel is in the works.
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Paperback: 468 pages
Publisher: Arcanum Books (February 28, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0977453324
ISBN-13: 978-0977453320
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