The Host

In the near-future country of Manhattan the poor First-Levelers barely survive on the old streets, sealed beneath a fifth-story ceiling. Far above in the sunlight, rich Second-Levelers thrive in boring opulence. They get their kicks by projecting their minds into the bodies of First-Levelers in an ultra-real game called Hosting. Desperate to earn enough cash to have a child, First Leveler Watly Caiper becomes a Host. But instead of using his body for sordid fun, the anonymous Second-Level Donor commits the perfect crime. On the run from the police and on the hook for murder, Watly must find the mysterious killer before time runs out. Originally published by Bantam Spectra as The Host, this is the 25th Anniversary edition of the cyberpunk classic.