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A mesmerising SF thriller from a master of the genre. Hap Thompson is a REMtemp, working the night hours, having people's anxiety dreams for them. For the first time in his life, Hap's making big money - and that should have been enough...Hap Thompson has finally found something he can do better than anyone else. And it's legal. Almost. Hap's a REMtemp, working the night hours, having people's anxiety dreams for them. For the first time in his life, Hap's making big money - and that should have been enough.But then Hap is made an offer he just can't refuse: proxying memories instead of dreams. This is not almost illegal - this is illegal in bold with flashing lights. The last thing the cops want are criminals who can pass lie detector tests and Hap knows it, but he's relying on the promise that he won't have to carry anything that relates to a criminal offence. Big mistake. Before he knows what's happening, Hap is locked in a vicious nightmare that threatens to tear his mind and his life apart...And, as in all Michael Marshall Smith novels, that is just the start.
Hap Thompson, a professional dreamer who absorbs the anxiety of others for a living, finds his life unraveling when he accepts a high-stakes job involving the illegal proxying of human memories. Hap is a man who has finally achieved financial stability through his unique, semi-legal occupation, but his greed blinds him to the inherent dangers of his new employer's request. As he navigates the murky ethics of memory manipulation, he discovers that he has been deceived about the nature of the data he is carrying. The narrative follows his descent into a high-pressure conspiracy that forces him to confront the fragility of his own identity and the lethal consequences of his choices.
This work is characterized by the author's signature blend of dark, speculative concepts and high-tension thriller mechanics. The premise suggests a narrative that prioritizes the psychological disintegration of its protagonist over traditional action-oriented tropes. Readers likely encounter a world where the boundaries between personal experience and external influence are intentionally blurred to create a sense of pervasive unease. The writing style appears to lean into a cynical, noir-inspired tone that complements the bleakness of the protagonist's professional life. The narrative structure seems designed to keep the reader questioning the validity of the events as they unfold through the eyes of a compromised narrator.
Page Count:
320
Publication Date:
2009-07-01
Publisher:
HarperCollins
ISBN-10:
0007335156
ISBN-13:
9780007335152
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