Idlewind
Nick Sagan
Random House
Hardcover, 275 pages, R140
Reviewed by Gail Jamieson, 6 April 2004
Halloween wakes up. He knows only three things - He is young, he is a
student and that Lazarus is dead. Before too long he also comes to realise
that it is he who has killed Lazarus. He also has no reflection in a mirror -
not invisible - he can see himself, but nothing shows in a mirror. He finds a
library filled with books with blank pages. There are voices in the background
and words appear in the mirror. Creatures out of an HP Lovecraft novel
attack him. Ten graves with headstones marked only with a single Gothic
character stand in the field. The one marked "H" is a pit and
contains an open ornate wooden coffin. It becomes more and
more confusing. He discovers that he is one of an original ten, but now
Lazarus is dead.
We slowly discover that they are all part of a last ditch experiment. A
deadly virus has infiltrated the human genome and mankind is dying out. There
are only a few generations left. The ten were part of a desperate plan to save
mankind. The survivors have to find each other and work together to
attempt to find out how to beat the Plague, then clone immune human embryo's
and finally raise the clones and rebuild society.
But someone is trying to kill him. He has first to solve this mystery before
they can set about saving mankind.
The story becomes a headlong chase through virtual reality and is very
cleverly written. It is also very readable. Just don't relax; you might miss
something important.
Recommended.
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