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  • Lock In (Narrated by Amber Benson)

  • By: John Scalzi
  • Narrated by: Amber Benson
  • Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (199 ratings)
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Lock In (Narrated by Amber Benson) cover art

Lock In (Narrated by Amber Benson)

By: John Scalzi
Narrated by: Amber Benson
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Editor reviews

Editors Select, August 2014 - I'm a huge sci-fi listener, and when I heard that John Scalzi was coming out with a new novel in August, there was no question that it was going to be my pick for the month. The premise: In the near-future, a mass contagion called Haden's Syndrome sweeps the world. 99% of those affected experience normal flu-like symptoms, but 1% of the world is left "locked in" – trapped with a fully functional mind inside a non-functioning body. Technological advancements have made it possible for these people to move through the world using artificial android-like bodies but often at the sacrifice of being viewed as less than human. Lock In takes place about twenty years after the outbreak, and focuses on Chris Shane's first day on the job as an FBI agent (Chris is one of the world's most famous victims of the disease). I've always admired Scalzi for is his ability to write compelling, multi-dimensional characters of all genders, and in this book, he does something truly novel: he never specifies a gender for Chris. As a result, we're rewarded with two great versions of this audiobook - one narrated by Wil Wheaton, and one by Amber Benson ( Buffy the Vampire Slayer). This is a thrilling, highly original, genre-bending story that will appeal to mystery & thriller and sci-fi fans alike. —Sam, Audible Editor

Summary

Two editions. Two narrators. One thrilling story. You can also choose to download Wil Wheaton's narration.

"I love working with Audible, in no small part because they’re committed to doing what’s right, both for my books, and the people who listen to those books. There's a really excellent reason for Lock In to have two entirely different versions, so when it came time to make the audiobook, Audible did an ingenious thing: they asked both Wil Wheaton and Amber Benson to record entire versions of the book. As the author, I’m impressed with Audible’s commitment to my narrative - and I’m geeking out that both Wil and Amber are reading my book. This is fantastic." (John Scalzi)

A blazingly inventive near-future thriller from the best-selling, Hugo Award-winning John Scalzi. 

Not too long from today, a new, highly contagious virus makes its way across the globe. Most who get sick experience nothing worse than flu, fever, and headaches. But for the unlucky one percent - and nearly five million souls in the United States alone - the disease causes "Lock In": Victims fully awake and aware, but unable to move or respond to stimulus. The disease affects young, old, rich, poor, people of every color and creed. The world changes to meet the challenge. 

A quarter of a century later, in a world shaped by what's now known as "Haden's syndrome", rookie FBI agent Chris Shane is paired with veteran agent Leslie Vann. The two of them are assigned what appears to be a Haden-related murder at the Watergate Hotel, with a suspect who is an "integrator" - someone who can let the locked in borrow their bodies for a time. If the Integrator was carrying a Haden client, then naming the suspect for the murder becomes that much more complicated. 

But "complicated" doesn't begin to describe it. As Shane and Vann began to unravel the threads of the murder, it becomes clear that the real mystery - and the real crime - is bigger than anyone could have imagined. 

BONUS AUDIO: Audible's audio edition of Lock In contains the bonus novella, Unlocked: An Oral History of Haden's Syndrome, written by John Scalzi and narrated by a full cast.

©2014 John Scalzi (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Critic reviews

"Hugo-winner Scalzi successfully shifts away from space opera with this smart, thoughtful near-future thriller resonant with the themes of freedom, ethics, and corporate greed….This powerful novel will intrigue and entertain both fans and newcomers." ( Publishers Weekly)
"The novel--which contains plenty of action, great character development, vivid and believable worldbuilding and a thought-provoking examination of disability culture and politics--is definitely worth the ride." ( Kirkus)
"Another brilliant novel from a writer who has quickly become one of the genre’s most successful and intriguing practitioners." ( Booklist)

What listeners say about Lock In (Narrated by Amber Benson)

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A Novel approach

Where does Lock In rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is my favourite of the Scalzi stories I've listed to. Mostly due to the awesome reading by Amber Benson.

What does Amber Benson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Amber Benson manages to create a dramatic story where you can almost forget the descriptive prose.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Lock - In - Threepio FBI

Any additional comments?

Scalzi appears to have a verbal tick, which is noticeable when read, of using "said" a lot. When reading a book you can skim this but when it's read it jumps out (at least to me).

The appended full cast novella "Unlocked" was awesome!

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

10% of the book is: I said, she said, he said.

As much as the start of the story sounds very interesting. I was unable to keep my focus due to appalling habit the writer has if overusing, he said, she said and I said. Incredibly sloppy writing.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great concept if you can stand “van said” “I said”

Great concept and really good plot and pace with good characters. The narrator was a good choice however the downside to which nearly ruined it was the abnormal amount of “I said” “van said” etc it totally ruined the flow of the conversation and was overly used. The novella was great mainly because of the lack of this

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

I SAID....

Kill me, she said.
Kill me too, he said.
Yes it’s the only way out of this I said, she said, he said nightmare, I said.
Please kill me, I said....
END

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Disappointing

I didn't get more that 2 chapters in. I found it so annoying that every other sentence was punctuated with "he said" "she said"
I could continuing listening about mid-way through chapter 2.

I like the premise of the story but can't listen to it. It may be better just to read this one.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Two Reviews For Two Versions? Go on then

This is my second review of the same book, the other narrated by Will Wheaton. You can see my original review under that title.

What follows is a spoiler, not of the plot, but style. If you’re only planning to listen to one version, it will not ruin the experience. In fact, you’ll probably find it an interesting exercise.

Here’s the thing. Going into the second audiobook, I didn’t know about what Scalzi termed his “writing challenge”, namely that he did not gender his main character, FBI agent Chris Shane.

The realisation of this, which dawned on me quite early in listening to Benson’s confidently cool performance, was a refreshing revelation. I didn’t notice that the main character never gender identified in my first listen. This is particularly smart as the story involves some people - Chris Shane included- - presenting as robots, therefore having more control over their physical appearance.

I really enjoyed my second reading and my new perspective on how I perceive characters.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

not very engaging

it had good promise but i found the writing style a little uninspired. in the end i didn't care what happened.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

not fully what i expected but good story read well

I have often considered what it would be like to be truly locked in and sensless. This story deals more with the technology used to overcome the problem but I still enjoyed the story and ideas.
The main characters are female. Not being female I am unsure of how well written they are and felt they could just as easily be male. I am easily put off by a narrator but no issues there at all. The bonus novella was a surprise although it was obviously coming with several chapters remaining at the end of the main story. This was a good addition.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Sooo slow and boring.. gave up at chapter 4..

It started with news sounding narration, and it continued with “Vann said,.. Shane said, Vann said.., Shane asked, Vann asked.., and yep! More ‘Vann said.. Shane said..!
I tried persevere until chapter 4, still nothing interesting happened, so I gave up when I heard more and more of Vann said.., Shane said and Whoever bloody anyone said!!

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great book, terrible narration

The story is awesome, a great near future detective story with a great "what if" premise.

The narration however... It's terrible.
Can barely tell the difference between the characters but the worse... Is the "i said" & "she said" EVERY OTHER LINE.
(except one of the episodes, where's there's a conversation between 3 characters where it's in EVERY LINE OF THE CHAPTER)
It's completely takes you out of it.
Will avoid books by Benson in the future.

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2 people found this helpful