Psychosomatic

I pledge Allegiance
to the Flag
of the Safer States of America
and to the Republic
for which it stands
one Nation
under Law
with Security
and Safety
for All.

Yep. That got my attention. My how I love social commentary. Never mind relying on immigrant labor for menial jobs, just make so many laws that 24% of the population ends up in jail. Then, contract out prisoners to work camps! The government makes money on the contracts, and society has prisoners do road work, shell shrimp and make pizzas. Brilliant really, unless you were the person who dropped the apricot that Melody Haynes tripped on. Even though Melody wasn't wearing her walking helmet.

I'm accustomed to dystopias where our hero struggles against the constricts of a society and government gone wrong, so I was pretty surprised when this one turned into a football game (ok, that's overly simplified, and by the way, football? Totally illegal.). I recognize that one teen boy is unlikely to really be capable of being a sole resistor, and therefore must acknowledge that this is probably a more realistic of a teen protagonist's reaction. But darn if I didn't want Bo (short for Bono, hee!) to stick it to the man. As for the virtual sidekick Bork? Pretty darn amusing.

Rash is just my second Hautman. I thoroughly enjoyed Godless and have heard great things about Mr. Was. Sweetblood seems to involve vampires, and I'm always up for teenage vampires. Perhaps I'll get around to those someday... Meanwhile, Hautman impresses me.