The Body Scout
In a dystopian New York where Big Pharma runs baseball and body modifications are the norm, Kobo, a down-and-out baseball scout, must solve the shocking murder of his brother, the star slugger for the Monsanto Mets. Lincoln Michel's debut novel, The Body Scout, delves deep into a future rife with climate change, genetic modifications, corporate intrigue, and the eternal quest for identity.
Hardcover. First Edition, First Printing. Octavo, cloth. New York: Orbit, 2021. ISBN: 9780316628723. #11111.
Fine in fine dust jacket.
In Lincoln Michel's gripping debut, The Body Scout, the future holds an uncanny blend of technological marvel and bleak realities. Set against the backdrop of a New York devastated by climate change and incessant pandemics, Kobo, once a pitcher in the now-defunct Cyber League, is a baseball scout on the edge. Burdened by his past trauma, he's haunted by a constant need for body "upgrades" and the crippling debt that follows. Yet, things take a harrowing turn when J. J. Zunz, his brother and star player for the Monsanto Mets, is brutally murdered on live TV.
As Kobo dives into the twisted world of genetically modified CEOs, back-alley body modifications, and philosophical Neanderthals, he quickly realizes the stakes are far higher than he imagined. In a society where physical identity is fluid, bought, and sold to the highest bidder, Kobo's journey isn't just about finding his brother's murderer—it's a deeper exploration of humanity, transformation, and the lengths one might go to escape the confines of their own body.
Blending elements of cyberpunk, noir detective, and literary fiction, Michel crafts an intricate narrative that oscillates between fast-paced action and profound introspection. While the world is meticulously detailed, painting a chillingly plausible future, it's Kobo's internal struggles and the philosophical quandaries of a transhuman age that elevate The Body Scout from mere speculative fiction to a thought-provoking reflection on our potential future. Critics and readers alike have lauded the novel, with notable mentions of its sharp wit, genre-blending prowess, and poignant portrayal of a man grappling with personal loss in a world losing its very essence.