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3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'd call this a three star plot with four star atmospherics and world building. It's a cynical and dark world, one that takes the current hellscape and extrapolates it into a further and worse hellscape. One of the characters says -something like: Capitalism kills you nice and slow, then sends you a bill. Consider this book a preview of the bill.
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
You know what? I didn’t know what to expect from this book and it pleasantly surprised me.
As someone who does not care at all about baseball, this was a fascinating read. I’ve never read world-building that so passionately assumes that everyone cares about baseball. I admire it just for that, for creating such a singular world and sticking to a vision of a future focused on cybernetic baseball.
It also manages themes of class division and the american experience of poverty very well, as well as a distant critique of capitalism/corporate greed.
And beyond that, it was good. It had an interesting and ever-changing plot, well written characters, and a good ending. I liked this a lot.
As someone who does not care at all about baseball, this was a fascinating read. I’ve never read world-building that so passionately assumes that everyone cares about baseball. I admire it just for that, for creating such a singular world and sticking to a vision of a future focused on cybernetic baseball.
It also manages themes of class division and the american experience of poverty very well, as well as a distant critique of capitalism/corporate greed.
And beyond that, it was good. It had an interesting and ever-changing plot, well written characters, and a good ending. I liked this a lot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Gun violence, Violence
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review: The Body Scout by Lincoln Michel
The Body Scout is smart, gritty sci-fi that feels uncomfortably close to reality. Lincoln Michel builds a future world full of body mods, pharmaceutical giants, and corporate-owned everything—and somehow, it all feels like a natural (and terrifying) extension of where we are now. Even little touches, like Monsanto owning the Mets, hit eerily close to home.
What really stood out to me was how grounded the story felt, despite the futuristic tech and dystopian setting. Our main character is a washed-up baseball scout trying to solve a murder, dodge ruthless corporations, and navigate a city that’s falling apart at the seams. But in the middle of all this chaos, he suddenly finds himself trying to care for a niece he didn’t even know he had. That unexpected emotional thread gave the story real heart and humanity, and it made me root for him even more.
A great read with sharp commentary, compelling characters, and a future that feels all too possible.
It’s thought-provoking, darkly funny, and a little too believable for comfort—everything good sci-fi should be.
The Body Scout is smart, gritty sci-fi that feels uncomfortably close to reality. Lincoln Michel builds a future world full of body mods, pharmaceutical giants, and corporate-owned everything—and somehow, it all feels like a natural (and terrifying) extension of where we are now. Even little touches, like Monsanto owning the Mets, hit eerily close to home.
What really stood out to me was how grounded the story felt, despite the futuristic tech and dystopian setting. Our main character is a washed-up baseball scout trying to solve a murder, dodge ruthless corporations, and navigate a city that’s falling apart at the seams. But in the middle of all this chaos, he suddenly finds himself trying to care for a niece he didn’t even know he had. That unexpected emotional thread gave the story real heart and humanity, and it made me root for him even more.
A great read with sharp commentary, compelling characters, and a future that feels all too possible.
It’s thought-provoking, darkly funny, and a little too believable for comfort—everything good sci-fi should be.
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Read this review and hundreds more at The Quill To Live.
I picked up Lincoln Michel’s The Body Scout as a sort of olive branch. Perhaps this novel about cyborgian baseball leagues and corporate greed would kickstart the process of changing my mind about America’s pastime. It didn’t. And for that reason, I think it’s safe to say your mileage with the book may vary. The Body Scout packages a plethora of good ideas into an intriguing novel, but the pieces don’t all quite fit together.
Kobo Zunz is a body scout. He recruits prospects for the Future Baseball League, an organization that pumps its players with experimental drugs meant to enhance their in-game performance. Kobo used to play for a separate league that allowed cyborgs–he has various mechanical upgrades himself, most notably an eye and a metal arm. Kobo’s adopted brother, JJ, plays for the Mets in the FBL. But when JJ Zunz collapses and practically dissolves on home plate, Kobo has to sift through baseball’s dark, corporate underbelly to figure out how and why JJ died.
There’s a lot to unpack here. First, the good. The Body Scout has some really cool ideas. Players upgrade themselves for max performance. Drones disguised as animals deliver packages. Skyscrapers rotate so the megarich can buy penthouses with 24-hour sunlight exposure. Neanderthals have been genetically resurrected and live among homo sapiens. Gender has become a non-issue (though some people transition for financial gain, which is irksome and didn’t quite sit right with me). Lincoln Michel’s world introduces new hyper-futuristic (and oftentimes scary) ideas at a rapid clip, and it’s fun to tour his imaginative vision of our destructive capitalist society.
That’s all great. Home run. Baseball metaphor. But the book is so short that it’s hard to dive deep into any of these issues. Michel raises them, introduces them, but doesn’t truly grapple with the issues of this imagined future. The political and fiscal ramifications of this society’s choices feel like afterthoughts–and that’s fair to a point. The characters live in this world. But because they don’t truly explore the implications of these ideas imprinted on their world, it’s hard as a reader to feel connected to it. The Body Scout struggles to balance Michel’s love for baseball and his desire to lampoon our descent into a world of corporate tyranny.
The Body Scout offers some fascinating characters, but they have similar issues. Kobo’s former flame, Dolores, quickly reignites their long-over romance and joins his hunt for the killer. Okafor, a cop, helps Kobo in whatever way they can. Lila, a prospective member of an Edenist faction (Edenists eschew technological upgrades, believing to be emblematic of a diseased society) and a child, provides the most interesting insight into the world. She is shaped by her experiences with the Edensist and her mysterious relationship to the Zunz’s murder. A few supporting cast members–particularly two loan-collecting brutes named Wanda and Brenda–fill out the roster nicely. But to me, the characters almost all read as archetypes, and even during moments that were clearly intended as big reveals or turning points, I couldn’t connect with any of them.
In other words, The Body Scout loses its characters in a mixture of plot and setting. The story has to move forward by virtue of being a murder mystery. The setting has to be vivid, or the reader won’t get it. But without a well-rounded cast, it all jumbles together into a vaguely good mishmash of ideas that don’t blend as they should.
Perhaps the best example I can provide is the inclusion of baseball. The entire book exists within the orbit of futuristic baseball. For long stretches, however, baseball is just in the background. A game being played, a score mentioned. But it never breaks through to become the focus. It’s bogged down by a bevy of otherwise-good ideas that should’ve been doled out with better pacing.
While The Body Scout’s ideas resonated with me, it couldn’t quite keep me engaged. If you’re a sci-fi buff with a soft spot for baseball, though, you may find a lot to love here. I’ll leave you to make that decision for yourself. Let’s hope that, for you, Michel’s debut knocks everything out of the park.
I picked up Lincoln Michel’s The Body Scout as a sort of olive branch. Perhaps this novel about cyborgian baseball leagues and corporate greed would kickstart the process of changing my mind about America’s pastime. It didn’t. And for that reason, I think it’s safe to say your mileage with the book may vary. The Body Scout packages a plethora of good ideas into an intriguing novel, but the pieces don’t all quite fit together.
Kobo Zunz is a body scout. He recruits prospects for the Future Baseball League, an organization that pumps its players with experimental drugs meant to enhance their in-game performance. Kobo used to play for a separate league that allowed cyborgs–he has various mechanical upgrades himself, most notably an eye and a metal arm. Kobo’s adopted brother, JJ, plays for the Mets in the FBL. But when JJ Zunz collapses and practically dissolves on home plate, Kobo has to sift through baseball’s dark, corporate underbelly to figure out how and why JJ died.
There’s a lot to unpack here. First, the good. The Body Scout has some really cool ideas. Players upgrade themselves for max performance. Drones disguised as animals deliver packages. Skyscrapers rotate so the megarich can buy penthouses with 24-hour sunlight exposure. Neanderthals have been genetically resurrected and live among homo sapiens. Gender has become a non-issue (though some people transition for financial gain, which is irksome and didn’t quite sit right with me). Lincoln Michel’s world introduces new hyper-futuristic (and oftentimes scary) ideas at a rapid clip, and it’s fun to tour his imaginative vision of our destructive capitalist society.
That’s all great. Home run. Baseball metaphor. But the book is so short that it’s hard to dive deep into any of these issues. Michel raises them, introduces them, but doesn’t truly grapple with the issues of this imagined future. The political and fiscal ramifications of this society’s choices feel like afterthoughts–and that’s fair to a point. The characters live in this world. But because they don’t truly explore the implications of these ideas imprinted on their world, it’s hard as a reader to feel connected to it. The Body Scout struggles to balance Michel’s love for baseball and his desire to lampoon our descent into a world of corporate tyranny.
The Body Scout offers some fascinating characters, but they have similar issues. Kobo’s former flame, Dolores, quickly reignites their long-over romance and joins his hunt for the killer. Okafor, a cop, helps Kobo in whatever way they can. Lila, a prospective member of an Edenist faction (Edenists eschew technological upgrades, believing to be emblematic of a diseased society) and a child, provides the most interesting insight into the world. She is shaped by her experiences with the Edensist and her mysterious relationship to the Zunz’s murder. A few supporting cast members–particularly two loan-collecting brutes named Wanda and Brenda–fill out the roster nicely. But to me, the characters almost all read as archetypes, and even during moments that were clearly intended as big reveals or turning points, I couldn’t connect with any of them.
In other words, The Body Scout loses its characters in a mixture of plot and setting. The story has to move forward by virtue of being a murder mystery. The setting has to be vivid, or the reader won’t get it. But without a well-rounded cast, it all jumbles together into a vaguely good mishmash of ideas that don’t blend as they should.
Perhaps the best example I can provide is the inclusion of baseball. The entire book exists within the orbit of futuristic baseball. For long stretches, however, baseball is just in the background. A game being played, a score mentioned. But it never breaks through to become the focus. It’s bogged down by a bevy of otherwise-good ideas that should’ve been doled out with better pacing.
While The Body Scout’s ideas resonated with me, it couldn’t quite keep me engaged. If you’re a sci-fi buff with a soft spot for baseball, though, you may find a lot to love here. I’ll leave you to make that decision for yourself. Let’s hope that, for you, Michel’s debut knocks everything out of the park.
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes