CYBERIA

Lynch’s latest, the first in a science-fiction series that can be described as a dystopian comedy, introduces protagonist Zane, who lives in a world where computer technology has all but eclipsed human relationships. He does have a dog, though, an engaging fellow named Hugo, who is being treated by a famous veterinarian named Dr. Gristle. After Gristle injects an experimental computer chip into Hugo, Zane receives a gadget that allows him to communicate not only with his own dog, but with all the animals Gristle has “chipped,” and learns that the veterinarian is an evildoer seeking to control and exploit them. Moreover, Hugo and his friends want Zane, the one person who can understand their plight, to help them. The author manages to keep the reader chuckling as he skewers such topics as work-obsessed parents, electronic Big Brother and greyhound racing. Despite the tip-top humor and its overall likability, however, the narrative, which runs in several directions at once, lags in spots. Additionally, the story doesn’t resolve; it pauses, leaving the reader unsatisfied and curious for more. (Science fiction. 9-12)