Exogene

Former CIA analyst McCarthy delivers a stark and wrenching sequel to Germline. Against the backdrop of a continent-spanning, barely described war in Asia, Catherine, a genetically engineered American super-soldier turned loose on the battlefield at 15, breaks free of her religious conditioning and makes a run for freedom. Standing in her way are half of Asia, starvation, radiation, and the impending breakdown of her body and mind, part of the army’s fail-safe on its two-legged biological weapons. As she travels, Catherine and her companion, Margaret, progress from one faction’s territory to the next, uncovering lies and learning deeper truths—or at least ones that will serve to get Catherine to her hoped-for refuge of Thailand. The conclusion is simultaneously heartbreaking and triumphant, and utterly appropriate for the brutal, bloody, and magnificent story. Agent: Alexander Field, Alexander Field Literary Agency. (Mar.)