Flash

Modesitt returns to the twenty-fourth century future of Archform: Beauty , for a new story. Ten years ago, Jonat deVrai was a rising star in the Marines. But he shocked his superiors by walking away from the Corps after witnessing atrocity and hypocrisy. Starting his life over, he established himself as the world's expert on the effectiveness of "prod"-- product placement, the only advertising which viewers will allow through the sophisticated filters they all use against unwanted intrusions on their electronic link networks. Prod, reinforced with sublims and the "res"-- resonant frequencies, a form of sonic branding -- is the wave of the future. Then Jonat's comfortable world is upset when the Centre for Societal Research approaches him to study the effects of res and prod on political campaigns. After a res-heavy political rally for Laborite Republican Senatorial candidate Juan Carlismo, armed thugs jump deVrai in a parking garage. A day later, a sniper ambushes him. What looked like a safe, lucrative contract has suddenly turned dangerous. With his life on the line, deVrai must sort flash from fact before it's too late. Flash is a riveting blend of all-out thriller and thoughtful social, political, and technological exploration as only Modesitt could write it.

L. E. MODESITT, JR., is the bestselling author of the fantasy series The Saga of Recluce. His science fiction includes Adiamante, the Ecolitan novels, and Archform: Beauty. He lives in Cedar City, Utah.

Praise for Flash
"Another political yarn set in the future world of Modesitt's superior Archform: Beauty (2002). Modesitt's abundant novelistic virtues -- great characters and plotting, impressive attention to detail -- aside: this is smart, aware, provocative, and engrossing on several political, economic, and professional levels."-Kirkus (Starred Review)

"Nonstop action, which . . . never sidelines good world-building and characterization. . . . A marvelous thriller that plausibly extrapolates from current possibilities in IT, AI, media, and crime, it also constitutes the way for newcomers to get acquainted with Modesitt-at his best."--Booklist

"Modesitt returns to the future world of Archform: Beauty for a stand-alone tale that resonates with current ethical dilemmas. DeVrai, with his troubled past, is far more than your average one note SF hero, and his interior landscape is nearly as complicated as his adventures. There are plenty of plot twists to satisfy the most critical mystery fan, and more than enough nifty futuristic technology for hardcore SF readers. This novel doesn't fall into the trap of making futuristic Earth denizens less than human or creating complicated technology just for show....Corporate conspiracies, rigged elections and the ubiquity of advertising are just a few of the issues Modesitt takes on, and he deftly handles the complicated plot threads."
-Romantic Times