Cog

Wright's uneven debut is set in a future where medical nanites patrol human bodies and consciousness transfer is on the horizon. The story opens with a bang: Perim Nestor, the bastard son of Geren Ryder, head honcho of corporate giant American Hologram, has just revealed himself to Ryder and his heir-apparent son, Wills. Ryder hires Nestor on the spot, but before you can say %E2%80%9CWho shot JR?" Ryder suffers a mysterious ailment that leaves him comatose and Wills disappears among rumors of embezzlement. To the rescue rides Ryder's daughter, Nicholle, erstwhile drug addict and current art curator, who finds herself matching wits with Thia, a ruthless government operative. Wright moves the plot along nicely with occasional stumbles; scenes of extremely capable people engaging in high-stakes tactical negotiations come across as overly simplistic. Nicholle is a well-drawnheroine%E2%80%94although it's never made clear how she became adept enough at combat to hold her own against trained assassins and dangerous drug dealers%E2%80%94but most of the characters are two-dimensional, and Thia, whom Wright seemingly wants us to like, is too casually lethal to be endearing. (July)