Autonomous

Starred review from July 10, 2017
In a phenomenal debut that’s sure to garner significant awards attention, Newitz, cofounder of io9, sends three fascinating characters on an action-packed race against time through a strange yet familiar futuristic landscape. After pharmaceutical pirate Jack Chen’s latest batch of reverse-engineered performance drugs proves dangerous and sometimes even fatal for the users, she sets out to rectify the damage by finding a cure and exposing the corrupt manufacturer who first developed the drug. As she dodges the authorities and agents of the International Property Coalition, she reconnects with figures from her checkered past and comes to terms with her role as an antipatent scientist-crusader. Meanwhile, the IPC agents on her tail have their own issues: human Eliasz and indentured robot Paladin are developing unexpected feelings for each other, with Paladin prompted to reconsider his gender identity, which may complicate their relentless search for Jack and her allies. Newitz laces her narrative with sincere explorations of free will, social accountability, corporate morality, and scientific responsibility. Jack’s liaisons with lovers of various genders and Paladin’s own gradual evolution contribute to a skillful inspection of attraction and identity that feels right at home in Newitz’s fragmented, frenetic society. Agent: Laurie Fox, Linda Chester Literary.

In the near future, corporations own the rights to everything. Drugs. Ideas. People. Jennifer Ikeda brings this grim world of intellectual property thieves, government agents, and robots to life, highlighting the challenges each faces as he, she, or it struggles to survive. In this world, survival is a struggle no matter which side of the law you're on. Where Ikeda truly shines is in her portrayal of the numerous robot characters--although it might seem counterintuitive that the robots have a wider range of emotions and experiences than the human characters. The uncertainty, fear, rage, despair, and, ultimately, hope that the robots experience are all perfectly voiced by Ikeda. A thrilling examination of intellectual property rights and personal identity. K.M.P. � AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine