The Municipalists

The Municipalists by Seth Fried, 264 pages

Henry is a civil planning bureaucrat at the U.S. Municipal Survey, happily writing up proposals and filing paperwork detailing his implementation of waste-cutting measures for cities across the country. But when the USMS headquarters' operating system cuts out at the same time that USMS drones begin dropping from the sky above Metropolis and the USMS agent in charge of Metropolis goes missing, Henry is sent into the field to figure out what's gone wrong in this too-much-of-a-coincidence situation in Metropolis. He's not sent alone, however: the USMS operating system, OWEN, has been given a personality and a projection that will accompany Henry on his mission, providing data and access whenever needed.

I honestly wasn't sure what to expect with this book, but what it is is a buddy copy/action story between the too-serious Henry and an alcoholic, shape-shifting operating system that loves classic movies and faints at the sight of blood. It felt more like I was reading a movie recap than a novel. I'd definitely watch the movie, though I don't know that I'd read the book again.