Freeze/Thaw

In the early 22nd century, three decades after an ice age has covered North America, quadriplegic Gabe is given a semi-intelligent exoskeleton by the military. The device will allow him to move around again, and to download any information left at the now-frozen lab in the middle of Iowa where the devices blocking the sun were created. As soon as he can control the suit, Gabe becomes a target: for survivalists who want the technology, terrorist groups who want his mission to fail, and even his military scavenger escort. Bucholz (Severance) has deftly constructed a believable future that explores the environmental and social effects of a radical solution to global warming. The breakdown of governmental order and personal relationships, and the attitudes toward disabled people who are viewed as unable to contribute to either, form a frightening portrait of the tendencies of communities to isolate in times of devastation. The plot keeps the pages turning, but unfortunately the character growth is limited by the rapidly shifting situations. (May)