cover image The Age of the Conglomerates

The Age of the Conglomerates

Thomas Nevins, . . Ballantine, $14 (294pp) ISBN 978-0-375-50391-7

Nevins's debut reads like the novelization of a film adaptation of a Philip K. Dick novel. It's 2048, and the U.S. government is run by the Conglomerates, a political party controlled by “the chairman,” whose regime has transformed the demographics of the country: “Coots,” or those over 80, have been relocated to retirement communities, while problematic youth, or “Dyscards,” live in city subways. Christine Salter is the director of genetic development at the New York Medical Center, where she helps people “create, or re-create” their children and themselves through genetic manipulation. When her best employee and potential love interest disappears after being suspected of subversive activities, Christine cozies up with the chairman in order to find out what has happened to him. Meanwhile, her grandparents are deported to “Cootsland,” and Christine's estranged sister becomes a Dyscard. As Christine uncovers a sinister plot, she abruptly reconsiders the moral implications of her work and puts her own life at risk to save those whom society has forsaken. Readers willing to pardon the oversimplification of good versus evil may enjoy the slick presentation and Hollywood-like setup. (Aug.)