Influx

The new high-tech thriller from Suarez describes a rogue government agency that hijacks new inventions and holds inventors captive at a supersecret prison. The story plays out against a backdrop of artificial intelligence entities programmed to maintain the airtight security surrounding these sinister covert activities. Perhaps the most effective aspect of the recording is the enhanced machinelike sound of Gurner’s voice when he speaks for these complicated not-quite-human figures. The chilling refrain of “I am sorry, but I am going to have to try to kill you” packs a powerful punch. When these devices join the novel’s protagonist and his unlikely band of rebels in an uprising, angst and excitement are transferred to the listener. A Dutton hardcover. (Feb.)