In Maximum Light, which takes place in the near future, synthetic chemicals are destroying the fertility of nearly every species on Earth, including humans. The birthrate has dropped so low that the human population consists primarily of people over the age of 50, and children are considered precious resources. Shana Walders and Cameron Atuli get caught up in a bizarre conspiracy to create hybrid human/animal "substitutes" for couples desperate for a young one to love. But when 75-year-old Congressional advisor Nick Clementi becomes involved, he discovers that the conspiracy goes far deeper than anyone would believe, and the future of the human race may be at stake. This fast-paced thriller from veteran science fiction author Nancy Kress keeps the plot twists coming, which makes Maximum Light a difficult book to put down once you've started.