World-Mart

In this grim series launch, a family struggles to survive in a resource-starved, climate-ravaged, corporate-controlled future America. When Virginia Irwin is killed by a terrorist-deployed virus, the tragedy sends her husband, George, and their two children into a financial and emotional tailspin. Meanwhile, Virginia is actually alive, albeit transformed by the virus into one of the oppressed minorities known as deviants. While George clashes with the soulless corporate bureaucracy, Virginia becomes involved with a deviant rebellion dedicated to destroying the ruling class. As the Irwins face their individual fates, the authorities and deviants ready their plans to devastate each other. Lane (The Private Sector) presents a chilling dystopian scenario, but the sheer onslaught of hopelessness and pessimism makes this feel more like a parody of the genre than a warning; as a result, her message regarding conspicuous consumption and resource exploitation is lost. Sadly, there’s just no emotional resonance for the reader to relate to. [em](BookLife) [/em]