I just finished this last night and I will be thinking about this book for a long time.
In a nutshell, the very basic premise is that in the somewhat-near future, the US has implemented a gladiator-like game in which prisoners convicted of very serious crimes fight each other to the death. If a contestant lasts 3 years without being defeated (killed), she earns her freedom.
This book is a glaring indictment of the American criminal justice system, despite being a fictionalized “worst-case scenario.” The author scattered actual statistics about prisons and prisoners throughout the book in footnotes, which just adds to the impact. And while the story is mostly centered on two main characters (some of the greatest “Links”–the name for the competitors in the game–of all time, Loretta Thurwar and Hurricane Staxxx), the author also includes vignettes of other Links, protestors, spectators/fans, and the officials who are in charge of the game.
Has anyone else read this yet? What did you think?
by somesmartbrunette