The Bloodlight Chronicles: Redemption

The sins of the elders come home to roost in the muddled conclusion of Stanton%E2%80%99s cyberpunk trilogy (after Reconciliation and Retribution). The community of Eternals%E2%80%94humans given immortality by an alien virus and then persecuted by %E2%80%9Cvampires%E2%80%9D who drain their blood for sustenance%E2%80%94is rocked by the destruction of the Eternal Research Institute and the sudden decay of leading Eternal Helena Sharp. Meanwhile, clone Niko, teenage Eternal Rix, and hacker Jimmy Kay must fight the AI known as the Beast,which has absorbed the consciousness of Niko%E2%80%99s progenitor and plans to dominate all of humanity through the V-Space informational network, using the psychic gifts of Niko%E2%80%99s daughter. Stanton%E2%80%99s vast ambition frequently exceeds his grasp; the scale of the battle for humanity%E2%80%99s future is undermined by awkward prose and dialogue (%E2%80%9CYou%E2%80%99re a ghoul, the clone of an evil genius%E2%80%9D), flat characters, and a frequently confusing narrative. (Oct.)