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Cutting Edge
by Ward Larsen is a modern-day western, that also reminds
readers of Superman and The Six Million Dollar
Man. As the book describes it, the antagonist, Delta,
and the protagonist, Trey have a “High Noon standoff
21st Century.” The Superman qualities are that each
has x-ray vision of sorts where their brains become a computer
monitor, and Delta has similar qualities of the Six Million
Dollar Man with his speed and strength.
The other character in the book is technology. Larsen connected
his characters to the Web, which he does not see as far-fetched.
“Trey has a screen in his right eye. Voice and facial
recognition are at his fingertips where he can even record
and send conversations. I made sure to allow him to have access
to only people who are in databases, so he could not find
recent refugees or children. He can find any information on
a person because he is given top-level security access. It
is doable where implants are put in the brain and then a person
can connect directly to the Internet. I would describe it
as an implantable brain-computer that interfaces. It is being
designed to for those who have prosthetics.”
The plot has Trey Debolt, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer, fighting
for his life after a helicopter crash. Officially he was declared
dead because no one knows that there is a rogue government
experimental unit who chose to use him as a guinea pig. He
becomes a man on the run after he witnesses his savior, nurse
Joan Chandler, being gunned down. It becomes a game of cat
and mouse as the hunted and the hunter tries to outwit each
other. Fortunately for Trey, Shannon Lund decides to investigate
his death. Having access to records as a civilian working
for the Coast Guard Investigative Service, she agrees to help
him get to the bottom of what was done to him and to find
the culprits chasing him including Delta.
Besides the fast-paced plot, Larsen explores how technology
has both good and bad points. Readers will hope that he turns
Trey and Shannon into a series and that there will be sequels
written.
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