RIM

Besher serves up cyberpunk with a ginseng twist and the scent of sandalwood incense. In the world of 2027, Japanese mega-conglomerates sumo wrestle for global supremacy while the rest of the world jacks into spiritual enlightenment (via software designed by monks) or breathless adventure in giant virtual reality realms. Frank Gobi, a "consciousness detective," is called in by the Satori Corporation to investigate threats against Satori City, a metropolis that exists only in virtual reality. When the terrorists attack, and millions of VR users - including Gobi's son Trevor - are trapped in a kind of electronic limbo, the brave new gumshoe begins his quest as a virtual warrior. Gobi teams with a Tibetan lama in a futuristic odd couple, brushes against beautiful and insatiable women, and ultimately winds up in a cyberpunk showdown with the denizens of corporate neo-Nippon. A fresh, picaresque tour of cyberspace, packed with chop-socky punches, gushing spiritualism, and lots of campy laughs. While the ride gets bumpy, it marks the debut of a writer who isn't afraid to try a new road through familiar territory. (Kirkus Reviews)