Digital Manipulations is a darkly comic novel for fragmented timesa tightly plotted story about love and art, the devious role of entertainment in politics and war, and the possibility of real meaning in a digital world. Years after the Second Civil War divided the United States in half, society has turned to an idealized, sanitized, and medicated version of itself. The corporations have won. The great shadow of the hero of the Second Civil War, Carmichael Barnakey, hangs heavily over his grandson, Odin, who is now the producer for the television program that determines the president of the Northern States of America. Odin is dealing with low ratings and unpredictable candidates as well as his overbearing father and the oppressive memory of his grandfather. Odin dreams of quitting and becoming an artist like the famous propagandist Rozko Pierre. Rozko, meanwhile, is preparing for what should be his greatest achievementa government-sponsored exhibition of portraits of Carmichael Barnakey. But he is wracked with apathy. Addicted to government-sanctioned pills, Rozko considers himself a fraud, a sellout who sacrificed his one true love for fame. Dakota Woodley, on the other hand, has never known love. Since video games have replaced actual wars, Dakota has become the Supreme Commander of the Army at the age of sixteen. Being under constant guard and privy to government secrets, Dakota is being suffocated by his supplicating but demanding mother, and not allowed any real social life. His world is thrown into chaos when he meets the Chairman of the Chinese Army, a brilliant girl his own age who just may be his match, and better. Weaving through these three characters, Digital Manipulations ties together a narrative replete with man-eating street sweepers, young love, rainbow colored pharmaceuticals, hard drives full of memories, revolutionary underground artists and an omniscient supercomputer that may con-tain the answers to everything, including the future. Sharply intelligent, wickedly funny, heart-felt and timely, Digital Manipulations is a deeply entertaining and thought-provoking romp through a recognizable future which reflects what we are and what we might become.
