cover image Prodigal

Prodigal

Marc D. Giller. Spectra Books, $12 (404pp) ISBN 978-0-553-38332-4

In Giller's agile if derivative cyberpunk sequel to 2005's Hammerjack, corporate spook extraordinaire Lea Prism goes mano-a-mano with her Inru counterpart, Avalon, a talented agent for the anarchist antitechnology group. A bust gone bad reveals that the Inru's latest trick involves linking several people together, enabling them to work in tandem as a hive mind. Meanwhile, hammerjack Nathan Straka's spaceship finds odd signals on Mars, site of a major battle years before. Survivors from the battle, held in stasis, are brought up to the ship and held in quarantine, only to be awakened-despite their infection with a deadly virus-by a spy on board. When the ship heads for Earth, and Nathan and Lea cross paths, they're horrified to discover a common thread between the infected survivors and the Inru hive members. Edgy characters, betrayal piled atop betrayal and stunning reversals combine in a high-octane mix that culminates in a satisfying conclusion.