The year in this futuristic, utopian earth is unknown, since the year counting system has been reset on the day 'Unification' occured; everyone is happy and well, "hate" and "fight" are swears in this age.

Continuing, however: Unification refers to when "Uni", a huge Europe based computer system, became operational, and was given control over the well-being of the citizens of the planet. Uni has control over every aspect of life, deciding your living location, your profession, your lovers, all while dispensing monthly medication and controlling all machinery. Over the first chapter or two, the atmosphere goes from antiseptic/futuristic to something more sinister. For example, it's a given that life expectancy is 62 years exactly, give or take a month or two.

The protagonist of the story is Li RM35M4419, otherwise known as Chip to a very few people. As you may guess, his main goal for most of the novel is to destroy Uni. Chip knows something about it, since his grandfather helped construct it, but nevertheless, it is a very difficult and dangerous task. Hindering him in his quest are the monthly injections that sap the will, and the constant surrounding 'members', all of whom are overly willing to help him with his 'illness' should he let it be suspected.

Now then. I enjoyed the first half of this book very much, as it has some new ideas on the topic of huge-computer-rules-the-world novels. Nearer the end, I began to feel the author was trying to include more plot devices, then later stretch things to direct them towards the ending, but it is a forgivable act. What surprised me just now is the date the book was written, which I just this moment read. For something this old, it doesn't seem to have any outlandish ideas of technology, although thinking about it more, it seems to have points in common with the old short-story sci-fi I loved to read in junior high. If you come across this book on your library shelf, I can recommend grabbing it.