This is exactly what the subtitle says it is - an Oral History of Haden's Syndrome. Haden's Syndrome is a highly contagious virus that makes COVID-19 look like the sniffles. Introducing it as an oral history works really well since presents a wide range of information about the effects of the syndrome in just a few dozen pages. Fingers crossed this didn't give away too much about the Lock In series it's the prequel to. ( )

A new near-future science fiction novella by John Scalzi, one of the most popular authors in modern SF, Unlocked traces the medical history behind a virus (that results in Haden's Syndrome) that will sweep the globe and affect the majority of the world’s population, setting the stage for Lock In, the first in a series of sci-fi mysteries by John Scalzi. Unlocked does an absolutely terrific job of setting up the background for Lock In, giving us a picture of what it was like to live through Scalzi's imaginary pandemic (Scalzi's descriptions of a world ravaged by a pandemic is eerily - in some respects - spot on in 2020). Really, Unlocked presents an all-too-real possibility and stretches it into a future that is scarily easy to envision (more so in 2020). Unlocked literally is a fictional oral history that describes the outbreak, the response, the medical and political advances in trying to cure a dangerous virus that leaves it's victims "locked in", and the aftermath of a world changed by the "new normal". You see for most people, the virus is just like a really bad flu. However, for 1%, the virus causes the victims to be fully awake, but unable to move or respond to stimulus. This is known as "Lock In", and resembles the real condition known as locked-in syndrome (the new normal). The illness comes to be known as "Haden's Syndrome" with its victims called "Hadens". Humanoid robotic personal transport units controlled by a Haden's brain (nicknamed "Threeps" after C-3PO from Star Wars) are developed as the primary way for a Haden to interact with the outside world. The novella ends with individuals discussing the ramifications that the Threeps have had on society. This is a quick, interesting read that sets the stage for Lock In. Avoid if you can't handle reading about a pandemic during an actual pandemic. ( )

I only gave this a four because it really was just a set up for his next novel. I liked it but there was a lot if explaining and not a lot if action or dialog. It did it's job though, I can't wait for the book. ( )

This is a cute exploration of the world in which Lock In is set, how it functions and how the pandemic spun out of control. Does it feel a little bleak to the 2020 reader to read about the denial and spread of a pandemic? Sure does. Does it feel even bleaker to read about the nation coming together to respond...

Anyway, maybe not the best 2020 reading, but well put together and a solid piece of world-building. ( )

Short but raises so many interesting moral and ethical questions and makes you think about issues from multiple angles. Blurs the line between 'real' people and virtual presence.

I really enjoyed this and can't wait to read the Locked In novel. ( )