Faye Smallwood, a new member of the universal monitoring agency known as the Vigil, becomes a target for assassination as part of a conspiracy to conceal a secret source of technology located on her homeworld. The latest novel by the author of Commitment Hour (LJ 3/15/98) features a quick-witted heroine whose self-deprecating narrative lends a personal touch to this blend of mystery and high-tech thriller. For most sf collections.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Two species lived in peaceful coexistence on the planet Demoth until a deadly plague wiped out millions of the winged Ooloms while leaving humans untouched, helpless to do more than ease the suffering of their alien friends and neighbors. Faye Smallwood saw the horror firsthand, caring for the plague victims in her father's hospital. She was there when he discovered the cure that made him famous. She was also there when a freak accident killed him.
Desperate to escape her past, Faye joins the Vigil, a band of fiercely independent monitors charged with rooting out government corruption. To help in this struggle, her mind is linked to the powerful datasphere that regulates the planet ... and suddenly, she receives a cryptic vision promising peace and healing. But instead, Fay becomes the target for unknown assassins in a sinister conspiracy that threatens to unleash a new and more deadly outbreak.
