Amped, by Daniel H. Wilson (2012)

I've just become a Daniel Wilson fan!  This is a great read and addresses several important technology/bioethics issues.  Wilson has  Ph.D. in robotics from Carnegie Mellon.  I assume that the science is pretty sound.  The story, of humans with neuro-implants that amplify their abilities (the Amps) has many interesting routes that readers can follow.  There is of course, the bioethics that are the focus of the story.  This is done well and will help us see a bit into the future.  I don't think we can quite "amp" humans the way Wilson portrays, but I expect it will be possible in the future.

A second theme relates to genocide/discrimination.  I can easily see this as a companion piece to any holocaust unit or study of other genocides.  (Those of you who know me are aware that I'm weary of the Anne Frank units that I read each semester.  I think it's time to expand our explorations of genocides and discrimination.

The secondary character, Lyle, is also a good study in the effects of power on a human.  Between Lyle and Senator Joseph Vaughn the exploration of what power does to our politicians and CEOs could lead to some fascinating discussions.  This theme in the book can also easily fit into studies of extremist groups and terrorism.  The government reactions to amps is well done and makes for a nice platform for exploring our current concerns about the Patriot Act and digital surveillance. 

Of course the science elements of this book could fit nicely in any study of scientific trends and issues.

Also, there may soon be a film connection to his other book Robopocalypse.  Robopocalypse was purchased by DreamWorks and is currently being adapted for film by Steven Spielberg.

Gideon's Corpse, by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

I have been a fan of Preston and Child's Pendergast series.  I think as their popularity as writers grows, the quality of their writing is diminishing.  Even in their most recent Pendergast book, I felt they had shortchanged their readers.  I am guessing that publisher pressures to turn out books quickly are forcing them to release books that are incomplete and not polished as much is they had been before they became best selling writers. I have had a similar experience with reading Dean Koontz's Frankenstein series. I felt the last couple books have ended prematurely.  They feel almost more like chapters that should be part of a longer book.

The plot of this book focuses on terrorism and dirty nuclear weapons.  I think the plot had great potential but the characters, plot and settings were not as well developed as in the earlier books by this writing team. Much of this book is set in New Mexico, a state with which I am very familiar.  I couldn't help but compare the visualizations of New Mexico in earlier books by this writing duo.  I felt that they shortchanged the descriptions of setting and culture of New Mexico.  Particularly, Los Alamos, one of America's nuclear research facilities, deserved a little more detailed description.

For some reason I am less enamored of Gideon as a main character than I am of Pendergast. I can't really explain it, they're both larger than life and surrounded by mystery. Perhaps because Pendergast's history is more complex and revealed more slowly he becomes a more engaging protagonist than  Gideon.  It may also be that Gideon is very much a loner.  Although this could be said of Pendergast as well, he also has a collection of friends and supporters that add texture and depth to Pendergast as a character.