Suspenseful and tense… a page-turner
Gerdes continues her Incarnation series with this excellent second installment, a story that plays out against the backdrop of a cyber space and biotechnology-ruled world. NSA has arrested seventeen-year-old Kyle Smith on suspicion of stealing the titanium cubes which contain all the personal and financial information of every American citizen, but his arrest doesn’t help them retrieve the stolen cubes. Upon his release, Kyle finds himself stuck in the middle of a war between the government and a group of dangerous criminals who want to use the cubes for their ulterior motives. Unable to trust anyone, Kyle must rely on his own wits and resources while initiating an all-out war against the government that created this catastrophic situation to make sure it never happens again. Readers who know Gerdes mainly as an excellent women’s fiction author will be pleasantly surprised to find she is equally remarkable when it comes to blending the thrills and chills of a thriller with biotechnology and cyber suspense. The standard techno thriller components: a secret government conspiracy, evil masterminds are part of the plot, but Gerdes’s balanced writing (which is an impressive blend of credible action and emotional depth) lifts the techno thriller elements well above the average thriller norm. Complicated technical terms and cyber space detail are plenty, but Gerdes’s skillful use of accessible language while explaining complexities keeps the flow of the narrative smooth. Flawlessly blending high tension with accessible technology, Gerdes has created another winner. YA as well as mature readers of techno thrillers will be rewarded.
