3.5 Stars
"Basically, Hilketa is both representation and alienation for Hadens."
This is an FBI procedural story set in the near future where the case is focused on robot controlled medieval gladiatorial sport, Hilketa. I wish there had been more sport, but this emphasized the political and economical consequences of Hadens, especially how business and legislation are in a constant push and pull. It feels like a Washington D.C. story with the lens decidedly on the business side.
The trajectory was good, but it felt dry. This is not a thriller even though there are elements which certainly seem pegged as such. But I guess that the protagonist, Agent Chris Shane, because he is a Haden can be preternaturally calm since his physical body is not responsible for the checks his threep is cashing.
This had some interesting points about inclusion for people who are limited by their physical bodies in the social world through threeps--imagine androids you can neurally connect to and interact in everyday life from work to shopping to family. Imagine them as star athletes with huge endorsement deals. It also brings to question all the other kinds of human interaction including sex and identity.
Overall, this was a fun read. Good choice for a beach, pool, or lazy weekend read.
And this world is a lot closer than you think, see this BBC article about a running robot: http://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-44089636/atlas-the-robot-shows-off-running-skills. We just need the neural interface, which a lot like saying sure we're going to Mars as soon as we figure out how to deal with solar radiation so we don't cook people along the way.
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