It's the year 2040, and the illegal drug known as "Nexus," which lets users program their brain like they would a computer, is everywhere. People from all walks of life are drawn to its illicit power, from terrorists and prostitutes to politicians and wealthy parents of autistic children. Internet access allows Nexus users to engage in telepathic communication, while the programmable interface makes it easy for them to control their neurological environment. Panic and fear can be quelled with a surge of serotonin; pain dulled with naturally produced opiates.
Ramez Naam weaves a complex web of political intrigue and personal drama around this central premise--introduced in his 2012 novel Nexus--following a large cast of characters whose paths occasionally intersect as they struggle with the practical and moral implications of a Nexus-driven world. Though Crux seems at first glance to be a science fiction novel with niche appeal, it is compelling enough to deserve the attention of readers who otherwise avoid the genre--and though it is a sequel, it is also able to stand on its own. The conceit is convincing and the writing is deceptively simple, allowing Naam's talent for high-paced action and complex characters to shine through.
Like the best science fiction, Crux uses an imagined future to turn a critical eye on the present day--and Naam does so with a readable appeal that many works of literary fiction struggle to achieve. --Emma Page, intern at Shelf Awareness, bookseller at Mercer Island Books