Anderson has the talent reserved for a few sci-fi writers to make a story all about technology, without making the mistake of distracting the reader with all the technology. The "feed" is integrated into the brains of virtually everyone; iphones and Google glasses are old hat. Everywhere you go you have access not only to targeted ads, but to the collective knowledge of the world, instantly, and integrated into your brain. Is that really so far fetched? We read of brain-to-brain interfaces being tested in rats on different continents (Thanks to Kerry Nietz for that link.) Develop that idea, with WiFi, location detection, smartphone apps, and phone service all rolled into one, and you have the feed.
Besides the Feed itself, Anderson integrates a huge variety of technological and societal trends that make his future world fully believable. Hotels on the moon? Underground cities? Environmental degradation? You've seen it before, but Anderson wraps it up in a neat, highly readable package.
The story is just compelling enough to maintain the focus on the characters and away from the forward-looking setting. Suffice it to say that young people of the future will have it rough, as fashion changes come faster and faster. (That hair style is so this morning!) Will corporations and advertising really dominate life to this extent in the future? (Wait, don't they dominate life now?) Is the Feed only a tool to subject the user to outside control? And what happens when a rebellious girl attempts to thwart the influence of the Feed? Interesting questions made more interesting by Anderson's storytelling, capturing the teen voice of the future.
By the way, I recommend the audio version. It works much better with my Feed.
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