A mission of corporate espionage results in a civil war in 23rd Century Thailand. Anderson Lake is an American working in Bangkok, Thailand. He nominally runs a factory, but that is a cover for his secret mission as a seed prospector working for a company called AgriGen. While he goes about his business he delegates the factory oversight to Hock Seng, a Chinese refugee who is embezzling from him in an effort to regain his previous status.
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In the early 23rd century the global economic expansion of previous centuries has ended, and a combination of climate change and diminishing fossil fuels has led to the rise of what are called “calorie companies”. These agribusinesses control the global food market through bioengineered sterile seeds, and often resort to sabotage and even bioterrorism to prevent competition.
Lake's job in Thailand is to hunt down the secret seed banks rumored to exist in the country. These seeds are worth billions due to the fact that the current bioengineered food plants have devastated previous crop biodiversity and led to devastating losses due to periodic diseases that wipe out entire vegetable strains.
Emiko is a genetically engineered artificial human, illegal in most countries and treated as property in others. She works in a Thailand club after being abandoned there by her Japanese owner. Through one of the clients at the club she learns of the location of the seedbank, and later on she reveals that information to Lake who has become infatuated with her after visiting the club during his search for information.
An accident at Lake's factory precipitates a series of catastrophic events; Hock Seng's embezzling means that he has failed to bribe the Environmental Ministry officials in charge of inspecting the contraband shipments containing replacement parts for the factory. The parts are destroyed by an officer named Jaidee, and in turn this results in his death at the hands of his government superiors. His murder leads to an uprising by the Ministry's enforcers, known as “white shirts”.
During this turmoil Lake attempts to bribe the regent of the country for access to the seedbank promising him an army that can put down the rising rebellion. The bribery fails, but during their visit at the palace the regent has an altercation with Emiko and she kills him and several others. The murder is an impulsive act, but the authorities assume it to be a coup d'etat attempt by Lake's corporate masters.
Things appear to come to a head when the Trade Minister rises to the top of the surviving government officials. He takes charge and orders Jaidee's replacement, an officer named Kanya to turn over the seedbank to a team from AgriGen. Kanya owes him a debt of loyalty, but is still torn by Jaidee's death and feels conflicted by what she views as a betrayal of Thai interests. At the last minute she changes her mind has the AgriGen team executed instead. She rallies the white shirt troops under her and proceeds to take power. After a successful coup she moves the seedbank to a secret location, closes the borders, and floods the city to quell the plague.
In the now flooded city, Lake and Emiko remain among the few stragglers. Lake has contracted the plague and is dying, while the artificial Emiko is immune and free.
Best part of story, including ending:
The post-economic collapse world that it posits is frighteningly believable and very interesting to explore.
Best scene in story:
When Jaidee infiltrates the Trade Ministry in an attempt to rescue his wife. He is the most heroic of the characters in the book, and his martial art skills make for compelling action sequences.
Opinion about the main character:
Anderson Lake is basically amoral, and working for the bad guys in order to help them control the worlds food crops. His affection for Emiko is the only thing that makes him likeable.
