Revolution World

Stauber's near-future debut describes the romance of Seth Boucher and Clio Somata against the backdrop of a burgeoning revolution against a vastly overreaching U.S. government. Seth is affiliated with Omerta, a security group from the Charlotte Islands; Clio's family runs Floracopia, a gene-splicing laboratory in Ambrosia Springs, Tex. The U.S. Army wants to know what Omerta is hiding, and Floracopia has a problem with corporate espionage. When the companies' enemies connect, the action leads to a showdown between the citizens of Texas and the overbearing government agents. Seth, Clio, and their allies are well-realized characters, but their enemies are more melodramatic in nature, and the novel suffers from some inconsistencies. Nonetheless, libertarians will enjoy this story of individuals fighting for their rights against the evil Feds. (Mar.)