Description:
Twenty-fourth century Earth has been ravaged by ecological catastrophe and recovered. The survivors enjoy a world of plenty. Even the poorest live in abundance, and the upper class - the ascendant - command technological marvels.
Ten years ago, Jonat deVrai quit the Marines after witnessing atrocity and hypocrisy. Starting his life over, he established himself as the world's expert on the effectiveness of "prod" - product placement - the only advertising that can get through viewers' sophisticated filters. Reinforced with sublims and the "res" - resonant frequencies, a form of sonic branding - prod can be very effective. Jonat's doing well when the Centre for Social Research asks him to study the effects of res and prod on political campaigns.
After a res-heavy political rally, Jonat is jumped by armed thugs. A day later, he barely escapes a sniper ambush. After he foils a remote-controlled cydroid political assassination, more cydroids - clones based on his stolen DNA - start turning uip dead throughout NorAm.
With his life on the line, Jonat must sort flash from fact before it's too late.